Executive MBA Students Gain Real-World Insights During Texas Residency in Waco and Austin
In October 2025, students in Baylor’s MBA program in Dallas embarked on a dynamic four-day residency across Waco and Austin, Texas, designed to deepen their understanding of corporate entrepreneurship and connect classroom learning with real-world business experiences, while fostering leadership skills and industry connections.
The residency began in Waco with a team-building session featuring outdoor challenges designed to foster collaboration and self-awareness, setting the tone for a week of growth and camaraderie. Students spent the following days in the class Corporate Entrepreneurship – Initiating and Sustaining Innovation, studying why established firms need entrepreneurial thinking to stay competitive.
Class sessions in Austin featured high-impact business visits to Tesla’s Gigafactory and Google. At Tesla, students heard from senior leadership and witnessing advanced manufacturing in action. At Google, students engaged with tech leaders from Rackspace and Google on the future of AI and cloud innovation.
Reflecting on the Tesla visit, EMBA student Tim Hye said, “At Tesla’s Gigafactory, I was struck by how fast they move on projects and the high expectations they set for improvement. It reaffirmed that leadership in innovation requires courage, structure, and relentless follow-through.”
On Google’s session, Hye said, “our host Andrew gave us what I like to call ‘AI superpowers.’ It felt like a glimpse into the Creative Age, where barriers to innovation are disappearing.”
The final day in Waco included additional coursework and a special session with Dean David Szymanski, PhD, offering students a chance to connect with Baylor leadership. The residency wrapped up with a celebratory lunch and Baylor’s beloved Dr Pepper Hour, before students departed with new insights, strengthened networks and a renewed sense of purpose.
The Texas Residency exemplifies Baylor’s commitment to experiential learning, leadership development and industry engagement. For alumni, it’s a reminder of the transformative experiences that define the Baylor MBA journey.
As Hye said, “The most rewarding aspect was the combination of learning and community,” – a sentiment that echoes Baylor’s commitment to experiential learning.
