ANN ARBOR—The first class of students from the Ross School Executive MBA Los Angeles program will travel to the University of Michigan campus to join commencement festivities on Saturday.

After 21 months of personalized leadership development, challenging coursework, team projects and real-world business challenges, the 37 students are the first group to complete the Ross Executive MBA program that launched in Los Angeles in 2012.

This first group of students represents 18 different industries, including entertainment and health care, as well as the military. The first class set the tone for what the program is today, including a new Leadership Development Program.

The leadership development component consists of a comprehensive series of workshops, guest speakers, team activities, and individual and team coaching sessions that provide a fully integrated experience woven through the 21-month curriculum.

“The Ross EMBA program has afforded me the opportunity to build core competencies in the areas of business where I do not have as much experience. I now have the tools and the confidence to take my career to the next level,” said student John Hendrickson.

Some topics of the new leadership sessions include inspiring others, team dynamics, difficult conversations, leading organizational change, negotiations, design thinking and global leadership.

Michigan Ross also announced a new L.A. campus location. The incoming students will begin their program this fall at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel—a four-star hotel in Century City. Classes were formerly held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

“The relocation of the Ross EMBA program provides us with plenty of physical room for growth, while also making it very convenient for our students to gain access to the L.A. campus directly off the 405 expressway,” said Claire Hogikyan, managing director of the EMBA program.

Ross is now accepting applications for the EMBA class of 2016. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2014, and scholarships are available.

Related Link:

• To learn more about this program and others, visit www.bus.umich.edu.