About Me
Who I Am
Hi, I’m Andrew L. Urich, J.D., an Associate Professor of Management in the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. I also serve as the Eastin Center Chair for Career Readiness and Faculty Director of the Eastin Center for Career Readiness.
I taught Business Law and Consumer Law at OSU from 1986 to 2014.
In 2014 I switched to teaching "People Skills" where much of my work focuses on helping students build the professional and interpersonal skills they need in the real world.
Professor Jim Jackman and I created the first two international travel programs in the business school in 1991 and I lead travel classes for the next 26 years.
From 2004 thru 2011 I served on the Executive MBA faculty at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
I taught Business Law and Consumer Law at OSU from 1986 to 2014.
In 2014 I switched to teaching "People Skills" where much of my work focuses on helping students build the professional and interpersonal skills they need in the real world.
Professor Jim Jackman and I created the first two international travel programs in the business school in 1991 and I lead travel classes for the next 26 years.
From 2004 thru 2011 I served on the Executive MBA faculty at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
My background brings together business, law, ethics, communication, and education. Before joining the faculty at Oklahoma State University, I practiced law with a major corporate law firm in Ohio, and later served as a member of the Executive MBA faculty at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
That mix of experience has shaped the way I teach and speak. My goal is not simply to present information. My goal is to make important ideas practical, understandable, and useful for the people in front of me.
That mix of experience has shaped the way I teach and speak. My goal is not simply to present information. My goal is to make important ideas practical, understandable, and useful for the people in front of me.
Areas of Focus
Success in the real world depends on more than technical knowledge. It depends on how well people communicate, think, listen, respond, negotiate, and build trust with others.
My work focuses on practical skills that can be used immediately — in the classroom, the workplace, leadership roles, difficult conversations, and everyday decisions.
My work focuses on practical skills that can be used immediately — in the classroom, the workplace, leadership roles, difficult conversations, and everyday decisions.
Communication
Strong communication is one of the most important skills a person can develop. It shapes how people build relationships, earn trust, handle conflict, lead others, and represent themselves professionally.I help students and professionals become more intentional with how they speak, listen, ask questions, and respond. The goal is not to sound impressive — the goal is to be clear, confident, and effective when the conversation matters.
Influence
Influence is not about manipulation. It is about understanding people, building credibility, and communicating ideas in a way that others can hear and trust.I teach influence as a practical skill rooted in awareness, preparation, and respect. Whether someone is leading a team, making a recommendation, presenting an idea, or working through disagreement, influence helps people move conversations forward.
Negotiation
Negotiation is not limited to boardrooms, contracts, or business deals. People negotiate constantly — with employers, coworkers, clients, classmates, family members, and themselves.My approach to negotiation focuses on preparation, listening, problem-solving, and understanding what both sides truly need. When people learn to negotiate well, they become better at creating options, resolving conflict, and reaching outcomes that make sense.
Ethics
Good decisions require more than quick answers. They require judgment, perspective, and the ability to think clearly when situations are complicated.I help people slow down, ask better questions, recognize ethical issues, and think through consequences before acting. Clear thinking is what allows people to make better decisions — especially when the right answer is not immediately obvious.
Background and Experience
My career has brought together law, business, education, and professional development. Before joining the faculty at Oklahoma State University, I practiced law with a major corporate law firm in Ohio, where clear thinking, preparation, negotiation, and communication were part of the work every day.
That experience continues to shape the way I teach and speak. I try to connect ideas to real situations, real conversations, and real decisions.
That experience continues to shape the way I teach and speak. I try to connect ideas to real situations, real conversations, and real decisions.
In addition to my work at OSU, I served as a member of the Executive MBA faculty at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. That experience gave me the opportunity to work with executives and professionals in an international setting.
Across those settings, one lesson has stayed consistent: the most useful skills are often the ones people carry into every conversation, decision, and professional relationship.
Across those settings, one lesson has stayed consistent: the most useful skills are often the ones people carry into every conversation, decision, and professional relationship.
Current Roles at Oklahoma State University
Today, I serve as an Associate Professor of Management in the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. My teaching and professional work focus on the skills that help people communicate clearly, think critically, build trust, and make better decisions.
I also serve as the Eastin Center Chair for Talent Development and Director of Student Development, roles that connect closely with career readiness, professional growth, and student success.
My work at Oklahoma State has grown alongside the Spears School of Business and its continued focus on preparing students for meaningful professional lives. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to teach, mentor, advise, and work with students as they prepare for internships, careers, leadership opportunities, and life beyond graduation.
I also serve as the Eastin Center Chair for Talent Development and Director of Student Development, roles that connect closely with career readiness, professional growth, and student success.
My work at Oklahoma State has grown alongside the Spears School of Business and its continued focus on preparing students for meaningful professional lives. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to teach, mentor, advise, and work with students as they prepare for internships, careers, leadership opportunities, and life beyond graduation.
Through the Eastin Center, I also work to support career readiness and talent development across the Spears School of Business. That work connects closely with the skills I teach: communication, confidence, judgment, professionalism, ethical decision-making, and the ability to build meaningful relationships.
Whether I am teaching, mentoring, speaking, or helping develop programs for students, the goal remains the same: helping people become more prepared, more capable, and more confident in the moments that matter beyond the classroom.
Whether I am teaching, mentoring, speaking, or helping develop programs for students, the goal remains the same: helping people become more prepared, more capable, and more confident in the moments that matter beyond the classroom.
Helping People Think, Communicate, and Lead Better
At the center of my work is a simple belief: success is not only about what people know, but how they use what they know. The ability to listen, speak clearly, ask better questions, negotiate fairly, think critically, and act with integrity can change the direction of a conversation, a career, or an organization.
Whether I am teaching a class, leading a workshop, mentoring a student, or speaking to a professional audience, I want people to leave with tools they can actually use.
Whether I am teaching a class, leading a workshop, mentoring a student, or speaking to a professional audience, I want people to leave with tools they can actually use.
The most valuable skills are often the ones people carry with them everywhere: how to communicate, how to think, how to respond, how to build trust, and how to make better decisions when the pressure is real.
That is the work I care about most — helping people become more capable, confident, and effective in the moments that matter.
That is the work I care about most — helping people become more capable, confident, and effective in the moments that matter.