Willamette University MBA

09/01/2026

Willamette University’s Executive Development Center is now accepting registrations for the Healthcare Leadership Certificate Program, designed for clinical managers, department heads, allied health leaders, and administrative professionals ready to take the next step in their leadership journey.

As healthcare organizations navigate increasing complexity, workforce retention challenges, new technologies, and operational change, leaders need the skills to move beyond day-to-day management and think strategically.

Choose the format that works for you with in-person sessions in Portland or an interactive virtual cohort.

Ready to strengthen your leadership skills or invest in the rising leaders on your team?

Learn more and register. Questions? Contact Program Director Kennedy Hawkins at [email protected].

https://willamette.edu/academics/special-programs/executive-development/healthcare-leadership

08/31/2026

Earlier this month, Gary Knight, Professor and Helen Simpson Jackson Chair of International Management at Willamette University, was an invited speaker at the 18th Vaasa International Business Conference at the University of Vaasa in Finland.

During the conference’s plenary session on August 19, Knight presented “Turbulent Geopolitical Landscape and the International SME: Research and Managerial Implications,” exploring the challenges and opportunities facing small and medium-sized enterprises as they navigate an increasingly complex global business environment.

An internationally recognized scholar in global business and international management, Knight has been invited to share his expertise at institutions around the world.

We’re proud to see Atkinson faculty contributing their research and perspectives to important global conversations and bringing those insights back to our Willamette community.

08/28/2026

Strong leadership in Oregon’s public sector has never been more important. 🏛️

Fall Executive Education classes are officially underway at Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management, and there’s still time to register for upcoming Fall modules in our Certificate in Public Management (CPM) program.

Designed specifically for public sector professionals, these flexible 3- to 4-day intensives provide practical strategies you can immediately bring back to your organization:

▪️Institutional Leadership - Build stronger partnerships, public trust, and strategic governance skills
▪️Data Storytelling - Turn complex data into clear, actionable insights
▪️ Follow the Money - Strengthen your understanding of public finance, budgets, revenue, and ethical decision-making
▪️ Policy and Politics - Navigate political dynamics and policy-making environments with greater confidence

Ready to invest in your leadership skills this fall? Learn more and register, or contact [email protected] with questions.

https://willamette.edu/academics/special-programs/executive-development/public-management

08/27/2026

We are excited to introduce the Commencement Speaker for the Atkinson Graduate School of Management MBA for Professionals.

Find out important details about the 2026 Atkinson Graduate School of Management Commencement Speaker at Willamette University's Commencement in Salem Oregon.

08/26/2026

It’s almost time to celebrate our MBA for Professionals graduates!

This Saturday, we’re excited to recognize the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of our MBA for Professionals Class of 2026 at Commencement!

Balancing graduate school with careers, families, and everything else life brings is no small accomplishment, and we’re incredibly proud of all our graduates have achieved throughout their time at Willamette.

MBA for Professionals Commencement
Saturday, August 29, 2026
9:30-10:30 a.m.
Hudson Hall, Mary Stuart Rogers Music Center

https://willamette.edu/life-on-campus/commencement/agsm/mbap

08/25/2026

Across North America, energy utilities are navigating rapid transformation, from AI integration and grid reliability to evolving regulatory demands.

For more than 20 years, Willamette University’s Utility Management Certificate (UMC) has helped utility professionals bridge technical expertise with the strategic leadership skills needed to navigate a changing industry.

The Fall 2026 cohort offers a 10-day hybrid curriculum covering:
▪️Energy markets, resource planning & utility governance
▪️AI integration, leadership, negotiation & communication
▪️ Utility finance, ratemaking & fiscal responsibility
▪️ Stakeholder relations, customer engagement & policy
▪️A real-world mock utility board presentation evaluated by industry leaders

And the results speak for themselves: 100% of recent graduates reported high satisfaction, with 98% saying the program strengthened their strategic and technical skills.

Portland, OR + virtual half-day sessions
October 5-30, 2026

Ready to strengthen your leadership skills and prepare for the future of the utility industry?

Learn more and register, or contact [email protected] with questions about group rates or graduate credit options.

https://willamette.edu/academics/special-programs/executive-development/utility-management

08/24/2026

After a great Compass Week last week, we’re excited to officially kick off a new semester at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management!

Our newest graduate students spent the week getting oriented, meeting their classmates, connecting with faculty and staff, and learning about the resources and opportunities that will support them throughout their time at Willamette.

Compass Week is all about building the foundation for a successful graduate experience and it was wonderful to see our newest students already making connections.

Now it’s time to put it all into action. 📚

Welcome back to all of our Atkinson students, and a special welcome to our newest cohort. Here’s to a great semester ahead!

08/12/2026

The Atkinson Perspective | Featuring Professor Tim Johnson 🎓

Hear directly from the faculty shaping tomorrow’s leaders.

What makes the Atkinson Graduate School of Management different?

We asked Tim Johnson, Grace & Elmer Goudy Associate Professor of Public Management, Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Quantitative Methods, to share his perspective.

Professor Johnson’s research spans artificial intelligence, public management, cooperation, and decision-making, with work published in journals including Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. An award-winning educator, he’s also been recognized as one of Poets & Quants’ World’s Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professors.

Watch as Professor Johnson shares what makes the Atkinson experience so unique.

08/11/2026

One week until Compass Week! We can't wait to welcome our newest Early Career MBA, Career Change MBA, 1-Year MBA, and MS in Accounting & Finance students to campus!

Compass Week is designed to help you start your graduate journey with confidence by preparing you for academic success, professional growth, and meaningful community connections.

Compass Week is more than orientation, it's the beginning of your journey as part of the Atkinson community.

We can't wait to meet our newest cohort and kick off an incredible year together. See you in one week!

https://willamette.edu/admissions/orientation/full-time-mba

08/10/2026

The Pacific Northwest—with its burgeoning tech scene, entrepreneurial spirit, and socially conscious ethos—is an incredible place to start or grow your career in business, not-for-profit, and government management.

Atkinson Graduate School of Management offers flexible MBA pathways for professionals at every stage. Our newly redesigned MBA for Professionals is a hybrid, part-time program that lets you lead with confidence and apply what you learn immediately.

Recognized among Oregon’s leading business schools, Atkinson combines hands-on learning, world-class faculty, and a supportive network to prepare graduates for real-world impact and lifelong success. Graduates can also take advantage of our MBA for Life program, which allows alumni to enroll in select courses tuition-free. Explore our Salem MBA programs, Portland MBA programs, or discover additional certificates and programs to advance your career.

https://willamette.edu/academics/mba/