Celebrating 10 years of the Post-Doctoral Bridge program at Warrington

Ten years ago, the Post-Doctoral Bridge program was established at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business. Since its inception, it has helped participants prepare for teaching and research careers in business schools. As we celebrate 10 years of the Post-Doctoral Bridge program in 2018, take a look at how it has helped participants bridge the discipline, supply, and financial gap at business higher education institutions.

History of the Post-Doctoral Bridge program

The Post-Doctoral Bridge program evolved from a 2003 report by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International Doctoral Faculty Commission, which concluded that there would be a significant shortage of business Ph.D.’s. In response to this critical faculty shortage and rising enrollments in management education, AACSB International announced its endorsement of Bridge programs that prepare experienced and new doctoral faculty from other academic disciplines for faculty positions in business.

Upon completion of the program, participants of the Post-Doctoral Bridge program at the Warrington College of Business are academically qualified to teach in the fields of accounting and finance or marketing and management. The program, endorsed by AACSB International, certifies graduates as Scholarly Academic (SA) for five years. The SA certification is an important credential for employment in AACSB-accredited business schools, which is only about 5 percent of the world’s business schools.

The unique program uses a combination of online and on-campus sessions to provide participants with a foundation in the core business disciplines, an understanding of the research domain and pedagogical ‘best’ practices in business education. Participants also get to learn from the same award-winning, world-renowned faculty of Warrington’s Hough Graduate School of Business. These thought leaders possess the academic excellence and professional experience to provide a holistic and challenging learning environment.

Post-Doctoral Bridge program – By the numbers

• 5 – number of months it takes to complete the program
• 1 – number of visits to the University of Florida campus per month
• 195 – total number of graduates since 2008
• 4 – number of fields Post-Doctoral Bridge participants are qualified to teach in, including:
  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Management
• $142,100 – starting salary of a finance faculty member at an AACSB-accredited school
• $138,300 – starting salary of an accounting faculty member at an AACSB-accredited school
• $115,900 – starting salary of a marketing faculty member at an AACSB-accredited school
• $107,100 – starting salary of a management faculty member at an AACSB-accredited school;
• 29 – number of institutions Post-Doctoral Bridge program graduates are teaching and conducting research, including:
  • University of Southern Indiana
  • University of Central Oklahoma
  • Ryerson University (Canada)
  • Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne
  • Virginia Military Institute
  • California State University – Bakersfield
  • Point Loma Nazarene University
  • University of Nebraska
  • The University of Central Arkansas
  • University of Colorado – Boulder
• 8 – number of University of Florida faculty members that teach in the Post-Doctoral Bridge program, including:
  • Gary McGill – J. Roy Duggan Professor, Associate Dean and Director of the Fisher School of Accounting
  • Richard Lutz – JCPenney Professor of Marketing
  • Anuj Kumar – Matherly Professor of Information Systems and Operations Management
  • Judy Callahan – Lecturer of Management
  • Mike Ryngaert – Bank of America Professor of Finance

What Post-Doctoral Bridge program participants have to say about the program

Brett Bueltel, JD, CPA, Assistant Professor of Accounting at the University of Southern Indiana:

“The Post-Doctoral Bridge Program (PDBP) at the University of Florida was the perfect program for me to transition in my career. I was a tax attorney and a CPA that was always interested in transitioning into academia. I did not know exactly how to make the transition and then I found out about the PDBP. The PDBP allowed me to make the transition from industry into a college of business that would not have been possible without the PDBP.

The PDBP program has outstanding faculty and they all seek to develop the program according to your needs. They sit down with you to help you develop a research stream and were always very helpful in giving direction for our career transition.

One of the greatest benefits of the PDBP was working with other members of my cohort.  My cohort was extremely supportive and we developed great relationships. I actually co-authored a research paper and presented at a conference with one of my cohort members. These relationships I developed have proved to be extremely valuable as I begin my research career.

Whether you are in another academic discipline or in industry, I would recommend the PDBP to anyone looking to transition into a College of Business.”

Dini Homsey, Ph.D., MBA Program Director, Associate Professor at the University Central Oklahoma:

“My experience in the Post-Doctoral Bridge program was essential for my career progression, professional development, and research focus. The opportunity to work with world renowned faculty and researchers, like Dr. Joyce Bono, was invaluable as well as the networking exposure I had with classmates and UF partners. I looked forward to each weekend session and felt reinvigorated in both my teaching and research as I was able to exchange ideas with and learn from so many talented professionals.

The individual attention and focus I received while in the program demonstrated the school’s vested interest in my personal success. This is not just a rubber stamp process but rather an opportunity to challenge yourself and to reach career success with robust support from faculty, staff, and classmates alike. I am grateful for the time I spent in the program and would recommend it to anyone looking for a career boost.”

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Interested in learning how the Post-Doctoral Bridge program at the Warrington College of Business can expand your career horizons? Please click here to learn more about the Post-Doctoral Bridge program.