Gannon University MBA Program

Served as the MBA Graduate Assistant and President of the MBA Club while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Originally from Nangarhar, Afghanistan, Meena Momand came to Gannon University carrying more than textbooks and career goals. She carried dreams, responsibility, and the hope of creating a different future for herself.

Before joining Gannon, she worked with organizations including UNDP on projects focused on digital transformation, education, and communication. Those experiences inspired her passion for business analytics and understanding how data, leadership, and strategy can create real impact in people’s lives.

Starting a new life in the United States was overwhelming at first. A new country, new culture, new people, and a future filled with uncertainty. But over time, Erie became a place of growth and belonging. She discovered that kindness exists everywhere, in supportive professors, welcoming classmates, meaningful conversations, and people who genuinely want to see you succeed. Gannon became more than a university; it became a community that helped her grow both personally and professionally.

As a girl from a country where opportunities for women can sometimes feel impossible, supporting herself financially while completing her MBA was one of the greatest challenges of her life. Yet every obstacle became proof that human beings are stronger than the fear that tries to stop them.

Today, holding her MBA degree still feels unreal. Not because the journey was easy, but because there were moments she once thought she would never reach this point. Through every challenge, her father and family remained her greatest source of strength, encouragement, and belief.

Looking ahead, Meena hopes to build a career in the United States where she can apply her knowledge of technology, business, and analytics to solve real world problems and eventually create her own business that combines innovation, strategy, and human centered solutions to make meaningful impact.

“Believe in yourself even when the journey feels impossible.”

Our MBA students wrapped up their final accounting class by applying advanced analytics concepts to real-world financial data 📊 Throughout the course, they developed the skills to analyze large datasets, leverage modern technologies, and turn financial information into actionable insights.

This final session highlights their readiness to support strategic decision-making in today’s data-driven business environment. We are incredibly proud of our students and all they have accomplished! 👏 👏 👏

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Meet Professor James Konzel, Program Director of the MBA in Business Analytics at Gannon University Dahlkemper School of Business. With over 25 years of experience across industry and academia, he brings deep expertise in operations, supply chain, and manufacturing into the classroom, teaching courses in Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Quality Management, and Statistics. He holds an MBA from University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business, an MS in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University, and a BS in Plastics Engineering from Penn State University.

Before transitioning fully into academia, Professor Konzel built a distinguished career at Zurn Industries Erie,Pa, where he drove impactful results from increasing supplier output by over 50% to leading multi-million-dollar capital investments and significantly improving supply chain performance. As Plant Manager, he led sustained growth initiatives, achieving 25% annual sales growth while embedding a strong culture of continuous improvement.

Earlier in his career, he held key roles at Tyco Electronics and M/A-COM, contributing to global manufacturing operations and innovative engineering projects.

Recognized for his expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping, Supply Chain Management, and Project Leadership, Professor Konzel combines technical depth with strategic insight preparing MBA students to lead and deliver meaningful impact in today’s dynamic business environment.

From Concept to Strategy: Applying the Business Model Canvas in Practice 💡📊

🎓 In the MBA–Business Analytics Program Consulting Practicum, our students are doing more than studying business frameworks — they are putting them to work.
This milestone marks a pivotal shift:

👉 From understanding the Business Model Canvas to applying it to their own original business concepts.
The result? A richer, more structured, and deeply relevant learning experience that mirrors real consulting practice.

📌 Students worked through all nine building blocks:

1️⃣ Customer Segments
2️⃣ Value Propositions
3️⃣ Channels
4️⃣ Customer Relationships
5️⃣ Revenue Streams
6️⃣ Key Resources
7️⃣ Key Activities
8️⃣ Key Partnerships
9️⃣ Cost Structure

💡 The power of this exercise lies in integration.
Students learn to see the business as a whole system — where customer needs, value creation, operations, and financial logic are not separate silos, but interconnected pieces of one cohesive strategy.

This is what our program is built for:

✅ Think critically
✅ Analyze strategically
✅ Lead like entrepreneurs

🌟 This is the moment academic learning transforms into real-world consulting thinking.
Proud of the growth we are witnessing in this cohort. This is consulting thinking in action. 🚀

MBA Faculty Spotlight: Joshua D. Maurer, Ph.D.

“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”
— Ray Kroc

What inspires you to teach in the MBA program?
The chance to push students to the next level and a new way of thinking.

What do you enjoy most about working with MBA students?

I enjoy voluntary conversations with students outside of class. My favorite aspect is discussing projects one-on-one or with teams well ahead of deadlines on ways to improve and developing strategies together.

What key skill or lesson do you want students to take from your course?

A professional isn’t about doing one big thing right, it’s about always taking the time to do the little things right. You have to make the decision for continual improvement and doing the best you can with the gifts you were given. It’s about developing the consistent need to get better regardless of what those around you are doing and realizing any short cuts is only harmful to yourself.

How do you connect class learning to real-world business practice?

The purpose of just about everything in my classes is to help students prepare for real-world business practice. Whether it is learning excel functions in a sheet emulating a small business, AI workflows that teach transferable skills or using external data to make strategic decisions I consider real-world business practices in everything taught or assigned.

Moments from our graduation ceremony 🎓
So proud of our MBA Business Analytics Class of 2025!

A memorable evening shared with our soon-to-be graduates honoring hard work, big dreams, and the next chapter. ✨🍽️🎓

✨ Celebrating Amaan, Our MBA Business Analytics Graduate ✨

For almost two years, this student has been supporting the MBA Program as the Dean’s GA while keeping a perfect 4.0 GPA. This year, they also had a special moment when they were featured on the cover of Gannon’s TOTEM Art Magazine.

They came to Gannon from Saudi Arabia because they wanted a program that was strong in data analytics, offered small classes, and truly cared about students. Gannon was actually the only school they applied to, and they are grateful that it turned out to be the right place from the very beginning. Even the transition and visa process felt smooth and welcoming.

What made the biggest difference to them were the professors. Many stayed after class, replied to messages late at night, and gave honest feedback that helped them grow. They always felt seen as a person, not just a student ID number.

Their confidence also grew in a big way. They were always comfortable presenting, but leading weekly class discussions helped them step into a new level of leadership. Now they feel ready to walk into any room and speak with confidence, both academically and professionally.

They are graduating this month and hope to start their career in the United States as a data analyst or business analyst through OPT. Their goal is to gain strong experience and either continue growing here or eventually return home to build something meaningful.

Their message to other international students is simple:
“Gannon really supports you. If you show effort, the people here will fight for you.”

And yes… they also said the vending machines on the second floor of Palumbo are the best ones on campus. 😄✨

🎓✨ MBA Graduation Dinner Party ✨🎓

We’re excited to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and incredible achievements of our MBA students! Join us for a warm and memorable evening as we honor the Class of 2025. 🎉

📅 Date: December 4
⏰ Time: 4:30 PM
📍 Location: Palumbo 3020D

Come enjoy dinner, connect with fellow MBA students, and celebrate this milestone together.
We can’t wait to see you there! 🥂🎓