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For FAQ specific to the Broad College of Business, visit broad.msu.edu/coronavirus.
The Residential Business Community (RBC) is preparing tomorrow’s leaders to successfully oversee a diverse and multicultural world by promoting, enhancing and supporting academic, personal and professional growth of students.
Students who are accepted into the RBC and fulfill academic milestones and RBC engagement are also admitted early to the Broad College of Business.
The RBC experience prepares students to be business leaders and encourages their own professional development throughout their college experience. This community living experience assists students in acquiring the relational skills necessary to succeed and lead in today’s global society. And through a seamless environment of academic and experiential learning activities, students develop business leadership competencies in a collaborative, inclusive, multicultural environment.
Students who participate in the RBC experience four significant benefits:
Students will strive to develop into leaders who are ethical, fair and committed to doing the right thing.
Students will integrate compelling, well-rounded communication as the foundation to generate action, create understanding and build relationships.
Students will be inspired to take action and create positive, sustainable, transformational changes.
Students will develop into business leaders who navigate global, cross-cultural and diverse teams.
Students will be encouraged to build individual strength, take responsibility for the integrity and quality of their work, and engage in impactful exercises that shape responsible global citizens.
Students will be challenged to think about the legacy they will leave in their professional journeys.
RBC students consistently perform better in the classroom than non-RBC business students. Students participating in the Residential Business Community will be enrolled in special reserved sections of high-demand freshman classes such as writing and math. They will also be enrolled each semester in a one-credit seminar designed specifically to meet the transition-to-MSU needs of first-year business students.
Free tutorial services occur in the River Trail Engagement Center (located in McDonel Hall) for math, writing, economics, accounting, statistics, etc. Tutoring is also available in multiple core business courses through the Broad College’s Multicultural Business Programs Tutorial Program.
Students will have access to an academic advisor for one-on-one sessions. Students can gain valuable advice on the courses they are taking and how to plan their college careers.
Students also have access to special sections of writing, math, CSE 102 and business communications (MKT 250) prerequisite courses.
The Leadership Legacy Series encourages participation in leadership workshops, Broad College events, student involvement experiences, corporate networking and community engagement sessions that focus on these learning goals:
Fun, organized networking events are planned throughout the year including the following:
McDonel Hall is conveniently located just a short walk away from the Business College Complex. First-year RBC students live on the first, second, or third floors of East McDonel and are assigned a roommate in the RBC cohort. Upon request, there are spaces also available for RBC students who prefer a non-business roommate.
Upper-class (second year and beyond) Broad College students can live throughout McDonel Hall and may choose their roommate; third floor West has been designated an RBC returning student floor community. The fourth floor West is an Honors College floor option that is open to first-year or upper-class students.
McDonel Hall is a suite-style hall that houses the River Trail Neighborhood Engagement Center, which provides:
Students participating in the RBC will be enrolled in special reserved sections of high-demand freshman classes such as writing and mathematics. They are also required to register for one-credit seminar courses designed to enhance students’ academic, career and professional development experiences as future business leaders.
Reserved sections of BUS 101 in the fall semester are required for students participating in the RBC community. This 14-week seminar will assist in students’ academic development and allow them to develop relationships with the Eli Broad College of Business faculty, staff and upperclassmen early in their academic career and become aware of resources that will help them succeed at MSU. The course also empowers students to set academic, career and leadership goals.
View in Course CatalogThis 10-week seminar is required for RBC students. It’s designed to assist students in the exploration of professional fields in business, as well as to introduce students to the career management center and other available career services. It provides opportunities to meet professionals in the field, practice communication and presentation skills, and interact with peers in small group teams.
View in Course CatalogThis course is an advanced version of the BUS 101 and 102 introductory courses. Topics that will be addressed include: multicultural competence, professional decision making and identity development, career strategies, working in a diverse team and developing professional mentor relationships.
View in Course CatalogThe RBC experience builds a legacy of leaders by providing a variety of experiential learning opportunities and fostering professional competency skills desired by recruiters. Emerging leader retreats and spring corporate trips are held each year with activities such as:
The RBC partners with leading companies for our comprehensive “Building Your Leadership Legacy” series. The program includes workshops, campus events, corporate networking, speaker series and community engagement. This partnership develops professional skills desired by corporate recruiters.
Below are just some of the companies that have partnered with the RBC.
The RBC Mentorship Network promotes the student experience through experiential learning, professional skills development, leadership exploration and connections with upperclassmen, alumni and corporate partners. The network promotes relationships that foster a culture of success and professional leadership development.
Peer2Peer Mentor, which pairs first-year students with upperclassmen who have been in RBC. Students can ask questions about anything from where the best cafeteria on campus is to advice on how to succeed in classes and obtain internships.
The RBC Alumni Network, the second level of the program, focuses more on preparation for post-graduation by matching junior and senior mentees with RBC alumni. Students can ask questions about career paths and how to enhance their classroom lessons in the professional world.
There are no upcoming events at this time.
Approximately 250 freshmen are admitted to the RBC each fall, representing about 10 percent of those coming to MSU and expressing interest in a business major.
Current MSU business students who have participated in the program previously may continue being involved and live in McDonel Hall.
The application consists of a resume, short answer essays and a short application form. Your resume should include your leadership, community service, scholarship and other extracurricular activities, as well as any work experience that you may have.
Students may apply to the Residential Business Community through the online application. If you prefer a paper application, please call 517-884-4087.
We are offering virtual tours (in lieu of in-person meetings due to COVID-19 health concerns): https://forms.gle/cHd3bmAsUaysSWsw7
Students do not need to be committed to coming to MSU, however students must have your netID activated in order to apply. More information on how to activate your NetID can be found on the MSU Admissions website.
Students must be admitted to Michigan State University for Fall, 2020 and they must have their NetID information (see above). Students must complete the required essays and submit a resume.
Visit our online application system.
By clicking on the “save/submit” button, you have successfully submitted your application. We are actively working with the application developers to resolve this confusion for future years.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, thus, there is no hard end date. Once all seats in the program are filled, applications will no longer be considered. Students are encouraged to apply to the program as soon as possible as applications are currently being reviewed.
Application review has begun with the first round of decisions being released on January 30. However, students may not hear a decision until past January 30 as applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Students will receive an email to their MSU accounts via the Confidential Message Registrar Office system with their decision regardless.
Yes! There is an Honors floor in McDonel Hall.
If you are successfully admitted to the RBC program, our advisors will work to find a solution. There could potentially be exceptions for students if all other program requirements are fulfilled.
We will do our best to try to accommodate non-RBC roommate requests, however, we can not guarantee that all requests can be accommodated. If you do not request a roommate, the housing office will assign you a RBC roommate.
Students not participating in the RBC program will apply to Broad via the regular admissions process the semester they reach 28 credits and fulfill the designated requirements. At MSU New Student Orientation, an Academic Advisor will work with students to design a personalize schedule so they can become eligible to apply to the Broad College of Business. More details on the regular Broad admissions process can be found on the Broad College Undergraduate Admissions page.
Students will be required to fulfill academic milestones and leadership certificate requirements that will be outlined in their RBC contract if they are admitted to the RBC successfully.
Starting with the Fall, 2020 start class, students in the RBC program will be considered a direct admit to the Broad College of Business pending successful completion of the program. The RBC is designed as a living-learning community that hosts a variety of opportunities and events for its students. Students in the program will live in East McDonel hall their first year and have access to a variety of corporate networking events, business seminars, small reserved classroom sections, designated academic advisors, and professional development events.
By being a Direct Admit part of the Residential Business Community, students will not have to apply to the Broad College via the regular admissions process that typically takes place during the semester a student reaches 28 credits and fulfills the Broad application requirements. More details on the regular Broad admissions process can be found on the Broad College Undergraduate Admissions page.
No, not getting admitted to the RBC does not ruin your chances of being admitted to the Broad College late on. Unfortunately, we only have a limited number of seats in the program and are not able to take all applicants that apply.
Apply today to become a part of the Residential Business Community at MSU.
Residential Business Community information sessions give an overview of the program, as well as a tour of McDonel Hall and the River Trail Neighborhood Engagement Center.
If you have more questions about the RBC experience and how it can help you succeed at MSU and as a future business professional, please contact us.