What's on your mind as you end your time as dean?
What is on my mind right now is getting the school well positioned for the future. One of the things they don't tell you about being dean is that you don't work on what is going on today. I work on what is going to happen next year or the year after.
What we are seeing now is that prospective students are questioning the value of the college experience more and more, so that is a real paradigm shift for us. We're seeing peoplegoing into the job market right out of high school. Employers love experiential work—but blended with education, that makes a real difference. So, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to articulate that.
On a more personal level, I have a bit of trepidation stepping away from the role of dean. I run 60, 70, 80 miles an hour right now, all the time. Suddenly, I'm going back to being a faculty member where I teach and write papers.
What are you grateful for?
The last five years at Fox have been a challenge for the faculty, staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders. Through all of this, I've been so grateful for the steadfast support of the entire community in meeting and successfully overcoming these obstacles. As I walk through the halls and classrooms of Alter, Speakman and 1810, the students are enthusiastic about their courses, programs and education. With our excellent faculty and staff, we are doing good work in educating and preparing our students for successful lives and careers. I am also deeply grateful for our alumni, who appreciate their education and the opportunities that it provides. They support our students by giving their time, talent and treasure. Through their support, they allow us to be successful!
What are you most proud of, looking back on your time as dean?
I'm so proud of the Fox community's achievements in its Strategic Plan. We have an innovative and robust curriculum that prepares our students for success. Our research excellence makes an impact on industry and business. Our culture has become much more diverse and inclusive.We engage with our neighbors, near and far, in a way new to Fox and our community.
We have achieved and overcome much in the last five years. I cannot overstate how proud I am of the students, faculty, staff and alumni in achieving our success.
How have you changed?
It's going to sound a little funny, but through my role as dean, I have become much more comfortable in front of people. Whether it's public speaking or a one-on-one conversation, I'm very comfortable. I am a private person, but I'm much more open and transparent now, and I think that's good. I think it's helped my relationships and in life. I think the other thing that's changed, though, is this has been a hard five years between all the different things that we have gone through as a school, university and the world. Under other circumstances, perhaps my time as dean would have been longer, but I know it is time for me to step down.
What was the moment when you realized it was time for you to step down as dean?
I had the realization that the school will need someone with a new, or renewed, vision. I've given everything I have over the last five years. The challenges were big, and we stepped up and had great success in so many different areas. And I have the greatest job in the world waiting for me as a full professor: writing papers, researching and working with students.
I THINK BEING YOURSELF AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.”
RONALD ANDERSON
What lessons have you learned during your time as dean that you would like to pass on to others?
Everybody appreciates an authentic, genuine human being. I think being yourself and letting people know who you are and what you stand for is very, very important in our environment. You want to keep people wellinformed and be transparent.
What are your plans? What are you looking forward to?
I am looking forward to going back and doing research and teaching. I love to travel as well, so I'm hoping to do a bit more traveling. More generally, though, I miss working with students a lot. Even my research is about working with students. So, I'm looking forward to that.
Have you given any thought to what your legacy will look like?
I think people will remember I had a tough go of it! But it's been wonderful. It's been an amazing personal growth experience. I feel very, very good about that. From a legacy perspective, what I want our community to feel is that they have been empowered.
Cara Fredricks, Class of 2025 statistical science and data analytics major, is a transfer student from Misericordia University. As a previous nonbusiness major, her journey at the Fox School started out challenging until she met the right professor that helped the stars for her.
With the support of Professor Mike Guglielmo, Fredricks was able to gain a better understanding of how to lead and conduct a business.
Guglielmo's Leadership and Organizational Management class gave Fredricks a taste of the real world of business and of what it is like interacting with clients or customers through a semesterlong project.
"In this class we were put into groups and teamed up with the commercial real-estate company Berkadia to give the company guidance from what we learned in the class. This included advice on how to recruit or attract interns as well as improve their internship program," says Fredricks. "At the end of the semester, we presented to the Berkadia representatives, and they said we could potentially intern with them in the future because they really liked working with us. Professor Guglielmo basically gave us a great automatic connection.
"PROFESSOR GUGLIELMO BASICALLY GAVE US A GREAT AUTOMATIC CONNECTION."
"Not only did Guglielmo help her foster leadership skills, but he also has put great effort into helping to create connections between current students and alumni by taking the additional step to connect current students and alumni.
"Professor Guglielmo has a LinkedIn page that is open to his current students and alumni so that we are able to connect with one another," says Fredricks. "In the group, people are able to post about internship and job opportunities, which has provided us with the chance to gain meaningful exposure as an undergraduate student."
Just as much as the students strive to succeed in the classroom and in the workforce, Fox School professors want to see the same for individuals who have been in their classes. A common trait found in Fox School professors is that they are always willing to help students expand their networks and provide them with professional opportunities.
Class of 2024 finance and real estate major Jake Lewis emphasized how Professor David Wilk is always willing to support his students when it comes to networking and career or internship searches. From the moment Lewis stepped foot into Wilk's office hours for the firsttime, he knew that, with Wilk's personality type and demeanor, he would be a great mentor.
Through his Commerical Real Estate Analysis course, Lewis appreciated Wilk's method of teaching where he would bring in several guest speakers throughout the semester to share their perspectives on the real estate industry, as well as their experiences working in the field.
"I found this class to be beneficial to my undergraduate education because I was able to learn about real estate from an actual practitioners' point of view, rather than just through typical classroom material," says Lewis."Professor Wilk did a great job teaching us concepts and then allowing us to hear from someone who practices the material we learned every day."
In Lewis's experience, Wilk was genuinely invested in everyone's success and willing to help them advance in the professional world and the classroom.
"I view Professor Wilk as not only a great teacher, but also as my mentor," says Lewis. "When I decided I wanted to intern in California this summer, he was the first person I went to talk to because I know he is knowledgeable and well-connected. He always seems to know somebody and is willing to help his students succeed."
Senior finance major Robert McFarland was quick to recognize how Professor Cincy Axelrod is a great resource to use for networking opportunities since she knows an abundance of people in the business world. If he was unable to access someone, she would make sure to pick up the phone herself to make that connection. He also was able to gain real life work experience through the Owl Fund Seminar course taught by Professor Axelrod.
"This class is a student-managed investment fund," says McFarland "I had the opportunity to cover different sectors of the S&P 500 managing real money. I was able to analyze different investment opportunities and develop ideas that my peers would poke holes at."
"Professor Axelrod really treated us like working professionals during this course, which has prepared me for graduation and entering the working world."
McFarland was not only a student in the Owl Fund Seminar, but now helps Professor Axelrod lead the class.
"I didn't realize how much she helped me until I started assisting with running the class," says McFarland. "She has also been agreat access point for networking with alumni. If I ever need to get in contact with someone, she is willing to connect me."
He also mentioned how he would not have landed his upcoming position as a healthcare analyst at McKinsey & Company without the connections that Professor Axelrod helped give him during his college career.
"IF I EVER NEED TO GET IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE, SHE IS WILLING TO CONNECT ME."
Senior risk and insurance major Nolan Wiley spoke about how his experience in Professor RB Drennan's class, Managing Human Capital Risk, provided him with great realworld experiences.
"We had the opportunity to learn about the benefits companies utilize to attract and retain talent and the questions companies must ask when they are designing benefits plans," says Wiley. "Now I understand not only the difference between plan and benefit types, but what the difference means for me, as a consumer of these services. "Professor Drennan also provided Wiley the ability to look at his job offer and not just read what was given, but truly understand what the benefits package entailed.
"HE TAUGHT US HOW TO READ BENEFITS PACKAGES FOR WHAT THEY REALLY ARE."
"He taught us how to read benefits packages for what they really are," says Wiley. "With the help of Professor Drennan, I now understand not only thedifference between plan and benefit types, but what the difference means for me, as a consumer of these services.
Wiley highlighted that Professor Drennan has taught him valuable life skills that he will take into the professional world.
The students were extremely grateful to have the opportunity to praise their professors for their unsung support. As each student enters their respective fields, they will always remember those special moments from the Fox community.