First Connecticut Business Deans Summit Draws Leaders from Across the State
The inaugural event convened deans from nine universities to discuss current topics and best practices in business education.
Business school leaders from across Connecticut gathered at the Yale School of Management on March 27 for the inaugural Connecticut Business Deans Summit.
Convened by Yale School of Management Dean Kerwin Charles and Quinnipiac School of Business Dean Holly Raider, the event brought business school leaders together to share best practices in business education and to build community within this specialized group of educators.
The summit grew out of informal conversations between Charles and Raider in which they realized that they were dealing with many similar issues and challenges in leading their respective schools.
“While our institutions are very different, our conversations made it obvious we faced many of the same concerns, including being part of New Haven County, revitalizing faculty community post-COVID, and responding to changes in technology,” Charles said.
After an initial conversation, Charles and Raider wondered whether other business deans in Connecticut were wrestling with similar questions and could benefit from community discussion.
“We’re all navigating changes in the workplace and technology, and Kerwin and I found there was a lot of value in thinking out loud about these challenges,” said Raider.
When she came to Connecticut in 2021, Raider added, she was impressed by the connections between the state’s business community and its higher education institutions. “It seemed natural that we’d bring together the leaders of these institutions,” she said.
The group discussed innovations in degree programs, partnerships with the business sector, the value of business education in the era of artificial intelligence, and the importance of skills like judgement and authenticity in business education curriculum.
Other deans in attendance included Lisa Anne Frank from Central Connecticut State University; Aarti S. Ivanic from the University of Hartford; Brian T. Kench from the University of New Haven; Zhan Li from Fairfield University; Niti Pandey from Eastern Connecticut State University; Timothy Raynor from the University of Bridgeport; and Greg Reilly from the University of Connecticut.
The diversity of business schools—which ranged from private and public institutions offering graduate degrees to schools serving primarily an undergraduate population—highlighted the varied educational choices available in Connecticut.
“Some of our schools are focused on full-time working professionals, some are focused on first-generation or immigrant populations, some on traditional four-year degrees,” Raider said. “This summit underscored our confidence that if someone wants an outstanding business education there are excellent options in Connecticut.”
