Dr. Gary Chao

September 17, 2025

Dr. Gary Chao has held two roles at KU: the firefighter and the matchmaker. He is currently the matchmaker.

As a professor in the supply chain management department, Dr. Chao does his best to remind students of life after graduation. “The most important thing is to create an opportunity for students to know the real-world.”

A key aspect of his teaching is asking students to give him “three hours per month.” This time is spent outside of the classroom at any organization or networking event. When students go to the same organizations monthly, they begin to form lifelong connections through the individuals who recognize and speak with them. It is a representation of Dr. Chao’s philosophy about setting students up for success in the job market; this allows him to be the matchmaker.

Comparatively, when Dr. Chao was the Business Administration Department Chair, his days were more than eventful: “As the department chair, there is always something happening beyond what you can imagine. There’s a fire, and then you have to put it out.”

MBA Program

Dr. Chao highlights KU’s MBA program for the dedicated student. Since KU is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as the AACSB, the university offers a unique and excellent experience for those who are committed to their degree. The accreditation is only granted to 1,096 schools worldwide, making KU a top player.

However, an MBA is not the immediate route for an undergraduate who has just finished their initial education. Dr. Chao emphasizes gaining work experience prior to post-graduate education. A student can bring their lived experience into the classroom and find solutions to what troubled them. These answers make them a better worker when they return to the field, holding the necessary problem solving skills someone without an MBA would not have.

Real-world experience extends throughout the MBA program. During their capstone, students become consultants tasked with finding a resolution to a customer’s problem. They must consider the logistics and the networking involved with making a potential solution a reality. On some occasions, networking doesn’t work out, and Dr. Chao offers advice: “Sometimes in that process we may not get what we’re looking for. I encourage students- that if we can’t get data, how can we develop an understanding for the other direction? It will help the student know more about a certain topic.” 

Whether completing a capstone or beginning as an undergraduate, Dr. Chao believes in the importance of business courses for any student regardless of their major. The skillsets are invaluable: “If you have any job where you have to deal with people, or you have to deal with money, you must take a business class.”

-Linnea Devenney '27