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2021 Dean's Message

Staying Connected Through the Strength of the Nebraska Business Community
2021 Dean's Message
As the college experienced the second year of the pandemic, the power of the Nebraska Business community reflected in the efforts led by Dean Kathy Farrell and the students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, business partners and many others. Whether it was creating a new space dedicated for inclusive programs or launching a new partnership with Nebraska Athletics, the Nebraska Business community came together to do big things.
Dr. Marco Barker, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, and Dean Farrell celebrate in DIGS.
Marco Barker, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, and Dean Farrell celebrate in DIGS.
Sophomore Eduardo Sicilia and mother, Adriana Ayala from Cancun, Mexico, visit with Dean Farrell.
Sophomore Eduardo Sicilia and mother, Adriana Ayala from Cancún, Mexico, visit with Dean Farrell.
Dennis Johnson, ’83, and Chair Lisa Smith, ’90, with Dean Farrell at the fall Dean’s Advisory Board meeting.
Dennis Johnson, ’83, and Chair Lisa Smith, ’90, with Dean Farrell at the fall Dean’s Advisory Board meeting.
Catherine Wilson, associate professor of law, teaches in the law and business minor.
Catherine Wilson, associate professor of law, teaches in the law and business minor.
Dean Farrell helps DJ with Edgar Montoya, recruitment coordinator.
Dean Farrell helps DJ the Back to School Bash with Edgar Montoya, recruitment coordinator.

This fall marked our fourth anniversary in Howard L. Hawks Hall. A gift from alumni and friends that keeps on giving, the building not only raised expectations but challenged us to think differently to build a world-class college. Its cutting-edge technology allowed us to serve our students remotely from day one when needed during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also provided a place for us to safely celebrate another in-person Back to School Bash this fall to welcome students and our entire Nebraska Business community back to campus.

We continue to do big things with your support. We transformed a space in Hawks Hall for our new Diversity & Inclusion Gathering Space – DIGS – as it was named by students. It serves as a hub for conversation, inclusive programs and events to help people feel they belong. We also launched the inaugural cohort of Inclusive Business Leaders this fall. This cohort-based scholarship program brings together first-year business students who demonstrate a commitment to making our college and the business world more inclusive for all.

We partnered with Nebraska Athletics to make their #NILbraska program one of the most extensive and beneficial in the country. We help student athletes maximize their Name, Image and Likeness potential long-term through our Accelerate program by leveraging our distinctive offerings in the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Clifton Strengths Institute and providing curriculum through cross-campus collaboration.

Our graduate programs continue to provide a high return on investment for our students. We recently added a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management and two new online graduate certificate programs in strategic marketing and marketing analytics. Successfully completing one of our seven certificate programs enables students to smoothly transition into our online master's programs, where credits earned from the certificate can be applied to the degree. Learn how Casey Christensen and Joshua Johnston transitioned their certificates into master's degrees.

This fall the U.S. News & World Report ranked us #49 in undergraduate business education and #30 among public institutions. We tied with schools like Auburn, Boston, Tennessee and Villanova and we’re ahead of Iowa State, Kansas, TCU and Missouri, as well as Creighton and UNO.

Our MBA@Nebraska – ranked #14 worldwide by Financial Times, #13 worldwide by Princeton Review and #17 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report – was recently recognized by the Wall Street Journal for our high return on investment as our graduates recoup the cost of their degree sooner than those in other programs. Our MBA@Nebraska program has the fifth-lowest debt-to-income ratio out of 567 schools. These recognitions help spark enrollment growth.

We’ve also been using our ingenuity, creativity and work ethic to flexibly respond to national and regional trends of double-digit declining enrollments. This past year, more in-state, first-generation and underrepresented minority students chose to create their future at Nebraska Business. Expanding access to education is central to our mission as a land-grant institution.

We offered a new entrepreneurship minor, which appeals to students in any major and pairs well with our business minor for non-business majors since it draws from existing coursework. It's exciting to assist students across the university develop their entrepreneurial talent.

Some other successes which work toward our research and discovery goals in our strategic plan include our School of Accountancy faculty being ranked #5 in archival tax and #6 in archival audit worldwide. Our renowned faculty impact our students and community. For example, you can read about the great work our junior faculty are doing, such as Brenden Timpe whose research on the Head Start program provides impact by influencing public policy.

For our learning and transformation goals, we are excited to launch our business and law major for undergraduates in partnership with the College of Law. Taught by law faculty, it serves as a great second major for students in finance, accounting, human resource management and more. We began developing the major after our business and law minor became so popular with students across campus.

In addition, we continue to innovate within our long-standing programs. In 2020, Doug Waggoner, '75 and '77, helped us launch the Investors with Purpose program, a new experiential learning course in wealth management. Accounting majors also benefit from a new required course merging the worlds of business and theater while preparing future accountants to communicate effectively even during unpredictable situations.

The power of our programs, though, comes from our community – and their engagement and connection. For nearly two years, we used creative ways to stay connected. From online webinars on key topics for alumni and virtual global experiences for students who couldn't study abroad to virtual town hall meetings with parents and families answering questions during times of constant change, we utilized adaptability during the pandemic. The innovations helped lead us forward, and our resiliency helped create pandemic-immune momentum. The ingenuity unleashed during this time will continue to empower us to scale to greater heights.

Thank you for your continued support in our mission to develop future business leaders. Together, we do big things. Together, we are Nebraska Business.

Sincerely,
Kathy Farrell