David Marchick
Dean, Kogod School of Business
NOTE: We are sharing Dean David Marchick's note sent to all faculty and staff to welcome them to the new school year.
Most of us are focused on the next 30 minutes of our day or possibly the next 30 days. I hope you might take a moment to envision the next 30 years and how what you are doing today will shape Kogod and our students’ lives for the next 30 years.
I raise this topic because Professors Erran Carmel, Michael Mass, Frank DuBois, and H. Kent Baker shared some fascinating memories and reflections with me on life at Kogod in 1994—30 years ago, before the internet and smartphones. Some nuggets from their piece:
- Students registered by filling out a paper form with three copies (one for the student, one for the academic advisor, and one for the registrar) and waiting in long lines at the Registrar’s office;
- Students lugged around 5-pound textbooks for each class;
- The internet was just becoming a “thing” in 1994—but no one knew what it would become;
- In-class presentations were displayed on plastic sheets projected on the screen by a light;
- Kogod was located in the Batelle building;
- Here is a small world—Kogod’s graduation speaker that year was Ambassador Mickey Kantor, the United States Trade Representative at the time. Back then, I was his 28-year-old Special Assistant, writing speeches and carrying his bags!
- Faculty, staff, and students smoked (only cigarettes, hopefully) on campus— together!
Thirty years ago, Bill Clinton was President and Newt Gingrich was elected Speaker of the House. General Motors was the most valuable company in the world. Indeed, not one of the top 20 companies (by market cap) today was on the list in 1994. Change is inevitable.
30 years ago, Amy Kothari just finished her MBA at Kogod. She went on to start and sell several companies and now serves on the board of trustees at American University. Gary Veloric’s startup was just starting up. Today, the Veloric Center is training the next generation of entrepreneurs. Jason Kra, a Kogod 1993 graduate, started an apparel business in 1994. After growing and merging his business, he now runs a $10b global apparel manufacturing business. Today, Jason is a leader on the Kogod Advisory Council and an adjunct faculty member, teaching the next generation of Jason Kras. A young man named Tommy White was in his sixth year of his MBA studies—trying not to get kicked out of the program—while starting his third company. Today, Tommy is the Director of the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship. Today’s students will be tomorrow’s leaders.
As we start classes today, I believe we are poised to be a leader in business education for the next 30 years, and more importantly, positively shape our students' lives for their next 30 years.
Dave Marchick
Dean, Kogod School of Business
Here is why:
- We have outstanding faculty and staff and a culture open to change, experimentation, and innovation;
- We have a new undergraduate curriculum, one that is more flexible and interdisciplinary, and infused with cutting-edge concepts of professionalism, AI, innovation, and sustainability;
- We have infused AI throughout our curriculum—one of the first schools in the world to do so, as featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal; We combine the best of fundamentals of business education—finance, marketing, accounting, management, entrepreneurship, etc.—with new areas of learning and specialization—sustainability, business and entertainment, and AI/Analytics;
- We are reshaping the career development office to better support students, be more outward-facing, and attract more employers to recruit at Kogod;
- Our faculty produces cutting-edge scholarship on issues that matter today and will be even more relevant tomorrow. Just think about how Kogod’s expertise in race, class, and gender in the marketplace will become even more relevant as America grapples with the major demographic shifts of the next 30 years.
- We have an experienced new President, an innovative and action-oriented Provost, and outstanding leaders partnering with me in the Dean’s office, as department chairs and running programs;
- Kogod attracted the largest incoming first-year undergraduate class in at least 15 years, if not more, after attracting the second-largest incoming first-year class last year;
- We are raising record amounts of funds to support students, scholarships, faculty, and programs. In Kogod’s entire history prior to last year, five endowed chairs were created; last year, we added four new endowed chairs or professorships, including the first ever for a term faculty member in AU’s history
- We have embraced experiential learning and a “learning by doing” mentality; and,
- We bring joy to campus through concerts (October 24), partnering with AU athletics, organizing outstanding orientation programs, attracting great speakers, sponsoring fun events (with great food), and even embarrassing the Dean on social media.
Of course, we face many challenges, as do others in higher education. However, we have huge advantages: the right staff and faculty, a committed group of advisors and alums, a culture of collaboration, and a willingness to embrace change. With these attributes, we are poised to shape the next 30 years of education, launch Kogod and AU to national prominence, and prepare our students for today’s workforce...and tomorrow’s.