Professor Rebecca A. Bull Schaefer Directs Gonzaga’s MBA Programs
Rebecca A. Bull Schaefer, Associate Professor of Management for Gonzaga University’s School of Business Administration, has been appointed Director of Gonzaga’s MBA Programs.
Mirjeta Beqiri, who has directed the programs since 2018, will return to full-time teaching as a Professor of Operations Management.
"Becky is going to do fantastic work as our new MBA Director,” said Ken Anderson, Dean. “She has great passion and enthusiasm, and her networks are second to none. The graduate business space is very competitive, and I am very confident she will build on the impressive work of Mirjeta Beqiri and continue to move our MBA programs forward."
Bull Schaefer earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bradley University and a Doctorate in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at Purdue University. Her professional experience is in direct sales, business development, recruitment, and consulting.
Bull Schaefer’s research focuses on employee reactions to HR-related policies and how those reactions affect personal and professional decisions.
"People make or break a business,” she said. “If organizations want to achieve sustainable business objectives, they need to prioritize their employees as their most important investment. Employees are the partners who will lead us into making continuous improvements."Bull Schaefer, whose appointment took effect June 1, embraces the challenge.
"I am excited to partner with the MBA Programs team to guide our leaders through their professional development,” she said. “Those who seek a Gonzaga MBA are those who seek to improve our communities and industries. Together, we can make it happen."
Bull Schaefer, who moved to Spokane in 2010, teaches undergraduate and MBA classes in management, organizational behavior, employment law, compensation, performance appraisal, team dynamics, emotional intelligence, and negotiations.
She designs her courses to follow Jesuit pedagogy that emphasizes engagement, experiences, reflection, and discernment. Activities focus on experiential learning, tours of local facilities, and interpersonal discussions.
Emphasizing rigorous and relevant experiences in her classes, she offers individualized guidance or tutoring to help students through their unique circumstances.
Besides serving on a variety of university committees, she is faculty adviser for the student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a member of the Inland Northwest SHRM Chapter, and Chair of the business school’s HRM Concentration Advisory Board.
Beyond the university, Bull Schaefer is both a member of the Board of Trustees and the Employee Engagement Committee Chair of Vanessa Behan, and she is a lifetime member of Leadership Spokane.
Bull Schaefer also regularly conducts workshops for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations in Spokane on negotiations and emotional intelligence.
Learn more about the graduate programs in the School of Business Administration.