Managing Success

Angélica Gutiérrez, Associate Professor of Management, enlightens students by making otherwise challenging material accessible through real-world examples and community-based learning. Recognized as “Best 40 Under 40 Professor” by Poets and Quants, Gutiérrez aims to be the professor her high-achieving students deserve.

“LMU students are highly engaged in the classroom and very service-oriented when it comes to providing for disenfranchised communities, which is very inspiring,” Gutiérrez said.

The collaborative and personalized relationships between students and faculty at the top-ranked LMU College of Business Administration, along with LMU’s dual commitment to teaching and research was what attracted Gutiérrez to the LMU family.

“Most institutions are either teaching-oriented or research-oriented,” Gutiérrez said, “But LMU values both, and that really attracted me.”

Gutiérrez, who earned her Ph.D. in Management from the University of California at Los Angeles and her B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, weaves community based-learning into her instruction. For example, in one of her courses, students volunteer at non-profit organizations to learn how they function and gain real-world perspectives on the subjects they’re studying. Her slate of courses includes “Managing People and Organizations,” “Leadership,” and “Diversity Management.”

As an institution that nurtures students as a whole person, Gutiérrez provides opportunities for her students to get involved and understand the importance of networking. She encourages them to connect with her via LinkedIn to explore her professional connections and create future opportunities.

“I tell them to identify the professionals in my network who they think they may have some sort of professional interest in,” Gutiérrez said. “I then try to provide an introduction, which in some cases has led to internships and first-time job offers.”

Additionally, Gutiérrez hopes students walk away from her classes recognizing the importance of negotiation.

“The art of negotiation is essential in business,” Gutiérrez said. “I always try to teach my students effective negotiation strategies, and in some cases, they have helped students successfully negotiate first job offers.”

As for what advice does she have for future LMU Lions?

“Go visit your professors during their office hours and develop relationships,” Gutiérrez said. “Ultimately, they are the ones who are going to provide you with connections. And college is a great time to explore different fields and disciplines – take a class in a field you have not considered.”