The University of Mary, America’s Leadership University, in partnership with the region’s top business professionals and entrepreneurs, has created a new model for the preparation of students for careers in business. Uniquely designed to bridge the gap between the academic and business world, this premier business school is known as the Tharaldson School of Business.
Patterned after the highly successful, nationally recognized Harold Schafer Leadership Center and its student component, the Emerging Leaders Academy, the Tharaldson School is a new model for preparing students to "hit the ground running" in the business arena. It is distinguished from other business schools by its dynamic interaction with local and regional businesses; its emphasis on entrepreneurship and team-building; its global perspective, and its values-based ethical responsibility. A major academic initiative, the new school serves as a resource for local, regional, and national business entities, as it becomes a catalyst for North Dakota's prosperity.
The vision of the Tharaldson School of Business is to educate students so they will be highly resourceful and have the integrity and skills to thrive and succeed in a very competitive world. Its goal is to attract those scholars who will make entrepreneurial discoveries that will drive innovation in business and industry. Students have the opportunity to enter into the “fast-track” honors program allowing for an M.B.A. degree in management or an M.B.A. in accounting in only five years.
The Tharaldson School of Business is housed in a new building, which combines contemporary features with U-Mary signature architectural elements and themes, provides the physical architecture for an innovative, team-based, world-class education for tomorrow's business leaders and allows U-Mary business studies to be centralized for the first time. Designed by EAPC Architects Engineers, the school is situated on the south side of the U-Mary campus. The new facility is complemented by and connected to the adjacent 15,000-square-foot Harold Schafer Leadership Center.
The new facility includes faculty offices and "smart classrooms" equipped with state-of-the-art digital and networked systems, as well as a conference room and 183-seat tiered auditorium. In addition to their primary educational function, these shared spaces will serve the community by providing a venue for business conferences and seminars. The structure also has an electronic stock ticker, a digital messaging board, and classroom technology including Internet, cable TV, and multi-media capabilities.
