Yale School of Management Announces First Class of Donaldson Fellows

Yale School of Management Dean Joel M. Podolny announced that five graduates of the school have been selected by a committee of Yale SOM alumni, students, faculty and staff as the inaugural class of Donaldson Fellows. These individuals will participate in a symposium at the school in October 2008. The Donaldson Fellows Program, named for the school's founding dean William Donaldson, was established to recognize and honor Yale SOM alumni who exemplify the school's mission of educating leaders for business and society.

The Donaldson Fellows selected for the inaugural Class of 2008-2009 are:
Adam Blumenthal '89; Managing General Partner, Blue Wolf Capital Management
Laszlo Bock '99; Vice President, People Operations, Google, Inc.
Andrea Levere '83; President, Corporation for Enterprise Development
James Levitt '80; Director, Program on Conservation Innovation at the Harvard Forest, Harvard University, and President, Levitt & Company, Inc.
Elizabeth Serlemitsos '93; Chief Advisor, National AIDS Council, Zambia 

Read biographies of all of the Donaldson Fellows.

Dean Podolny said, "These five graduates of the Yale School of Management represent true 'SOM Stories.' Learning about their lives and work re-affirmed my deeply-held convictions about the distinctive character of Yale SOM alumni, and the way in which the school's mission informs their personal and professional lives. The entire Yale SOM community will benefit greatly from engagement with these stories."

The five Donaldson Fellows will come to the Yale SOM campus in early October to participate in the first Donaldson Fellows Symposium. Through panels and discussions open to current students, alumni, faculty, and other members of the Yale and SOM communities, the fellows will be recognized for their individual and collective career accomplishments and will contribute to the school's ongoing discussion of contemporary leadership.

The 2008-2009 Donaldson Fellows were nominated by fellow members of the Yale School of Management community. The school received nominations from many countries, from every sector, and from virtually every class. The nominees were considered by a Selection Committee that included students, faculty, and staff, and evaluated for how they embody the school's mission through three themes that represent Yale's distinct broadly-engaged leadership model:

1. Leading and managing across boundaries
2. Transforming positive values into personal, professional, and institutional commitments
3. Bringing creativity and discipline to complex management challenges

Further updates about the Donaldson Fellows Symposium will be posted online as they become available.