In 1988, a young guy was searching for a college/ university to study at – as were many others. During the time of attending multiple university recruitment events, one presenter mentioned something that really hit home: that Flagler is not a research university where they hope instructors can also teach in a classroom, but that instructors are focused on providing a quality and well-rounded education with the flexibility to enable graduates to work in multiple fields. And, that the instructors are available for support, and most importantly the students are not numbers on a sheet of paper but people.
Sounds familiar? It should. It is also the basis of what I hold dear at Munich Business School. These points combined with a very informative and the most insightful tour of any college visited were convincing points for where that young guy was going to study. Yes, it also helped that they fought to keep tuition costs from rising exponentially. The result was a “goodbye” to universities like Penn State University, University of Florida, Eckerd College, and to several others, too.
A Top-Value College
On August 31, 1989, that young guy moved into a dormitory at Flagler and began his college education. That same semester brought two new instructors to the Flagler business department, Nick Panepinto and James Makowski.
Flagler has about 2,500 students and is continuously ranked as a top regional college for the South (USA) by US News and World Report, as a top college by The Princeton Review and as a top value college by other ranking providers. The campus also continuously ranks as being one of the most beautiful college campuses in the US and in the world.
Fast forward to 2016, and that young guy re-established contact with his former instructors who are Professors at Flagler, and he is a Professor at MBS. Sooner or later we all return to our Alma Mater. Both universities are smaller, in terms of universities, and do not view students as just a number on a piece of paper. From my perspective, both offer a good quality education and keep the students’ interests at heart.
Despite the years taking their toll on my memory, there are still many classes that I recall – all positively. In particular, I had (at least) two classes with Mr. Panepinto and one finance class with Mr. Makowski. It was an enjoyable three years of education at Flagler, and pages could be written about the stories.
The non-academic times are also still reflected upon with a desire to go back in time (especially on rainy days). Nickel and quarter beer nights on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, may be a sign of the past, but studying in the oldest city in the USA, St. Augustine, Florida, does have its charm.
The quality of education, historical feeling of the old city, the ghosts, the fort, the cool pubs, and the location to the beach all combined for a great time.
And with this, I am happy to announce the addition of Flagler College as the newest exchange program (for Bachelor International Business students only).
If you are interested in more information, please contact the MBS International Center for exchange-specific information. And you may also feel free to stop by my MBS office and chat about Flagler in general.
[wp_geo_map]
All images are courtesy of Flagler College/ Zach Thomas
