SPRING

FROM THE DEAN
Whitman has a long history of preparing students for the
next phase of life—whether it be pursuing a postgraduate
degree or excelling in a position within a large corporation,
nonprofit or family business. Our success in placing students on a
career path of their choice is the foundation of our programs and
guides everything we do. From curriculum expansion, such as the
newly launched master’s degree in business analytics, to business
partnerships that provide real-world projects for students through
Consurtio, Whitman is innovating business education to meet the
needs of our students and the demands of the marketplace.
There are many ways we gauge the effectiveness of our efforts;
among those are feedback from corporate partners on the
performance of our graduates and our positioning on lists that
rank accredited business programs. Our recent ranking as the 23rd
best undergraduate business school in the nation by Bloomberg
Businessweek is one of which we are especially proud given
the staggering 32-point move we made up the list. According to
Bloomberg Businessweek, it surveyed nearly 30,000 students and
recruiters at almost 600 companies to generate the list, which places
a heavy emphasis on outcomes. This significant achievement is a
testament to the continued student-first commitment embraced by
the entire Whitman community. Preparing and placing students truly
is the underpinning of our school.
Inside the pages of this issue, you will read about our newest
staff members, faculty accomplishments, prominent alumni who
remain engaged with the school, experiential learning opportunities
and professional development activities that, collectively, progress
Whitman’s primary objectives of preparation and placement. It
takes many partners and expansive programming to provide a
comprehensive and relevant educational experience. Throughout the
magazine, there are stories from students and alumni that affirm the
job we are doing.
As is usual for our spring issue, many of our new graduates
share thoughts on their time at Whitman and the relationships they
developed with alumni, faculty, staff and fellow students. As new
graduates, they will soon come to realize the full extent of the Orange
bond and their permanent place in the Whitman family.
Speaking of family, I would like to acknowledge and offer my
thanks to the former Whitman staff members who recently retired
after decades of dedicated service. Among them is Tom Foley, our
former executive assistant dean for advancement, who many of
you know well. It’s not the same without Tom walking the halls of
Whitman, but we are reminded daily of his legacy. We are grateful to
Tom and the other longtime staff members for their immeasurable
contributions to Whitman.
KENNETH A. KAVAJECZ, DEAN
2 / WHITMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT / SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY