Steffan Johnson

In 2003, I returned to Minnesota to start my own consulting business—S.R. Johnson & Associates, and pursue my MBA from the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas. I am currently the CEO of a small medical supply and equipment company, Stratus Medical Group. Stratus' success depends on providing medical products with the professional commitment, energy, and skill qualities I honed at St. Thomas.

Why the University of St. Thomas?
I selected the University of St. Thomas because of its academic reputation, particularly in entrepreneurship. I was also drawn to the core curriculum. It was comforting to know I would walk out after two years having mastered baseline business skills that would complement my extensive professional background. St. Thomas' strong sense of community and diversity, its alumni's venerable ties to the school, its students, and small size were all qualities that made me come back to St. Thomas for my MBA.

Ethics and Business Values
St. Thomas's core curriculum combines a foundation in fundamental management knowledge with courses in essential skills, such as leadership, ethics, and communication to prepare us for senior-level management. We were privileged to learn from one of academia's most respected experts in the field of ethics, Dr. Kenneth Goodpaster.

The Power of an MBA
After attending St. Thomas, I feel empowered. I feel I have the knowledge base that I need in order to succeed in the business world. I've also developed an expanded network of friends, peers, and colleagues, as well as professors. If I ever need help, they're there to reach out to. I think that those are the two keys to leadership in the business world: the knowledge and know-how to execute any mission and a strong network of friends and resources.

My MBA education has exposed me to innovative, exciting, thought-provoking, and dynamic people. For example, I was exposed to people such as Ken Melrose, former CEO and Chairman of The Toro Company and Bill Gates, Microsoft's Founder. Before I came to St. Thomas, there was no way I could walk into a company like General Electric, where I interned, and feel the level of comfort and confidence speaking about marketing or formulate my business unit's strategy with analytics to back it up. I really believe that people who come out of UST are difference-makers.

Visit the Full-time UST MBA Program

A great way to get an in-depth look at the Full-time UST MBA Program is to attend one of our scheduled information sessions. An information session is an opportunity for you to learn more about the curriculum, career services, student life, financial aid and admissions requirements. Here is the schedule for the Academic Year 2007�08:

Please RSVP to attend »

We also can set up a personalized meeting with you to provide you with an in-depth look at what it means to be a Full-time UST MBA student. To set up a meeting, send us an email at ustmba@stthomas.edu, or call us at (651) 962-8800 or (800) 328-6819 (ext. 2-8800). We will be happy to work around your schedule.

Complimentary parking is available in Minneapolis at the 11th Street and Harmon Place ramp. Street addresses and directions for the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses can be found at www.stthomas.edu/campusmaps/.

Fall Admissions Deadline Approaching: June 1 and rolling admissions
Our last application deadline in the 2007–08 admissions season is swiftly approaching. Applications arriving after the June 1 deadline are welcome and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, or rolling admissions.

Contact the admissions team with questions regarding your online or paper application. You can reach us at (651) 962-8800 or or ustmba@stthomas.edu.

Visit Us
Thinking about visiting campus? Sign up for an Information Session!

Complimentary parking is available in Minneapolis at the 11th Street and Harmon Place ramp. Street addresses and directions for the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses can be found online.

Personalized Visits
We can also set up a personalized meeting with you to provide you with an in-depth look at what it means to be a Full-time UST MBA student. To set up a personalized meeting, send us an email at ustmba@stthomas.edu, or call us at (651) 962-8800 or (800) 328-6819 (ext. 2-8800). We will be happy to work around your schedule.

Helpful Links
» Admissions
» Events
» Request Information
» Download Viewbook
» All UST MBA Programs