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Notre Dame and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. announce new partnership

2025-02-28T09:00:00-05:00

A new agreement reached by the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., the second oldest existing collegiate, historically Black Greek letter organization and the first intercollegiate fraternity incorporated as a national body, supports the professional advancement and leadership of African American men through graduate business education.

"We are excited to embark on our partnership with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. through this new memorandum of understanding," said Martin Johnson, associate director of Notre Dame MBA Admissions at Mendoza College of Business. "This collaboration aligns with our shared commitment to leadership, academic excellence and professional development. By providing a structured pathway for Kappa Alpha Psi members to access graduate business education, we are creating new opportunities for emerging leaders to advance their careers and make a lasting impact in their communities."

The agreement provides for the admission of 10 or more Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. members into the Notre Dame MBA and other Mendoza graduate business programs starting in the 2025-26 academic year. It waives application fees and offers tuition support for candidates seeking admission to the Notre Dame MBA.

The agreement also provides scholarship opportunities for fraternity members applying to Mendoza’s other master’s degree programs, which include the Global Executive MBA and the Executive Master of Nonprofit Administration, as well as specialized master’s programs in accountancy, business analytics, finance, management, marketing and nonprofit administration.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. members applying to Mendoza’s graduate business programs must meet the stated requirements to qualify for admission.

“This partnership between Kappa Alpha Psi and the Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business is a transformational bridge to creating a powerful shared legacy of leadership, scholarship and service,” said Jimmy McMikle, Grand Polemarch (national president and CEO) of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. “By combining the strength of Kappa Men with the prestige of a world-class MBA program, we are intentionally empowering generations of leaders to shape the future of business and impact the world beyond measure.”

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Crest.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. is an international Greek-letter organization founded on January 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. The fraternity’s fundamental purpose is, “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor.” Under the motto “Training for Leadership,” the fraternity has initiated over 250,000 members across 643 active undergraduate and alumni chapters throughout the United States since its inception, with international chapters in Abu Dhabi UAE, Canada, Germany, South Korea, Japan, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nigeria, South Africa, the Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Bermuda. The International Fraternity Headquarters is in Philadelphia. Additional information about Kappa Alpha Psi is available online via www.KappaAlphaPsi1911.com.

The Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame is a premier Catholic business school whose mission is to develop leaders who contribute to human flourishing, cooperate with others in solidarity and compete toward becoming the best version of themselves through serving others. A leader in values-based education with the message of “Grow the Good in Business,” the college offers an academic experience that integrates experiential learning, integral leadership development and a community of mutual advancement. In addition to its top-ranked Undergraduate 91��Ƶ program and doctoral programs in management and in analytics, Mendoza offers nine graduate business degree programs.

For more information about Mendoza College of Business’ graduate programs, contact go.mendoza@nd.edu.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

ND Ethics Week explores business and sustainability

2025-02-07T11:04:46-05:00

Notre Dame Ethics Week 2025 kicks off on Monday (Feb. 10), with a theme of “Business and Environmental Sustainability.” The annual Ethics Week series, sponsored by the Mendoza College of Business, brings in experts from diverse perspectives to explore current ethics-related issues.

The week will feature a series of talks, taking place 12:10-1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business Room 134. The lectures are free and open to Mendoza students, faculty, staff and the Notre Dame and local communities. The full schedule is as follows:

Monday (Feb. 10): Drew Marcantonio, concurrent assistant professor of business, ethics and society; “Leading Along the Right Path for Sustainability: Avoiding Pitfalls and Pursuing Promising Ends.”

Tuesday (Feb. 11): Jessica McManus Warnell, teaching professor of management & organization and the Rex and Alice A. Martin Faculty Director of the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership; and Eva Dziadula, teaching professor of economics; “Climate, Economics and Business Ethics.”

Thursday (Feb. 13): Danielle Wood, associate professor of the practice in the Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative; “Decision Support in Climate Adaptation.”

Friday (Feb. 14): Sandra Vera-Muñoz, associate professor of accountancy; “Can Accountants Save the Planet?”

Now in its 27th year, Notre Dame Ethics Week was established to encourage the discussion of ethical matters in undergraduate and graduate business classes at Notre Dame. Ethics Week honors the legacy of John Houck, a Notre Dame management professor who authored numerous works on business ethics, including “Is the Good Corporation Dead?”

Visit the Notre Dame Ethics Week website for more information.

Mendoza College of Business, Athletics team up to empower student-athletes as leaders

2024-11-19T11:49:00-05:00

While the number of women CEOs at publicly traded U.S. companies remains relatively low at 12 percent, there is a positive statistic that could be a key to improving the trend of women in leadership: About 94 percent of C-suite women have played sports, according to a recent EY study. Further, EY found that 52 percent of C-suite women played sports at the university level, compared to 39 percent of women in other management roles.

The strong association between athletics and executive leadership is the focus of a new sponsorship agreement between Notre Dame Global Partnerships, the multimedia rights holder for the University of Notre Dame Athletics, and the Mendoza College of Business to support student-athletes through the college’s highly ranked graduate business programs.

Launched in July, the one-of-a-kind partnership enables Mendoza and Notre Dame Athletics to collaborate in new ways to help student-athletes fully realize their leadership potential through greater awareness of career pathways in business — especially pathways where women can close gender disparity gaps. Mendoza is the only academic unit that serves as a sponsor to Notre Dame Athletics.

“The opportunity to collaborate with Mendoza (College of Business) will open doors for our students and many around the country,” said University Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. “To be able to provide extended educational opportunities at one of the nation’s top business schools is a testament to our ‘four for forever’ promise we make to Notre Dame student-athletes.”

The partnership builds on Mendoza and Notre Dame Athletics’ shared mission to develop leaders who compete at the highest levels and are committed to service and contributing to the greater good. The agreement includes the involvement of Mendoza College of Business thought leaders — including faculty, staff and alumni — during athletic events and panel discussions. Mendoza also plans to host special talks with Notre Dame Athletics coaches and administrators on ethical leadership and personal and professional development.

While current student-athletes are a particular focus, this partnership aims to extend well beyond the Notre Dame campus to former Fighting Irish student-athletes and current and former student-athletes worldwide. Applicants to Mendoza’s graduate programs will benefit from a streamlined admissions process, and athletic leadership will be a consideration in the overall award of scholarship funding.

“Our imperative at Mendoza is to Grow the Good in Business — to contribute to human flourishing through business,” said Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business. “Our collaboration with Notre Dame Athletics is an opportunity to support student-athletes in their career journeys and, importantly, to help them successfully navigate the path to executive leadership.”

As part of the collaboration, Mendoza and Notre Dame Athletics launched a pilot of the professional development program ND Elevate this fall specifically for Notre Dame student-athletes. ND Elevate is a semester-long program designed to empower student-athletes as leaders to take the next step in their professional journeys through workshops, one-on-one mentorships and speaker events to develop knowledge and skills essential to growing the good in business.

With an emphasis on obstacles and opportunities traditionally encountered by women in the workplace, ND Elevate participants will learn to cultivate confidence and resilience, recognize the value of one’s authentic presence and how it contributes to an organization, and begin to develop a leadership style and vision to propel them to future success.

Founded by Kristen Collett-Schmitt, the associate dean for undergraduate studies and specialized master’s programs at Mendoza College of Business, the ND Elevate program consists of a combination of in-person workshops and online learning modules taught by Collett-Schmitt along with some of the University’s foremost leaders and scholars, including former women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw, legendary basketball player and alumna Ruth Riley Hunter and former Mendoza dean Carolyn Woo.

“Notre Dame Athletics and the Mendoza College of Business are committed to contributing to a society in which all can flourish and are in a unique position to use both educational programs and its powerful alumni network to build an inclusive community where everyone can thrive,” Collett-Schmitt said. “I am proud that both the University and the college have chosen to support athletes as aspiring leaders through ND Elevate.”

For more information on this partnership or to get involved, contact Jen Wade, Mendoza College of Business senior director of marketing and brand strategy, at mendozabusiness@nd.edu.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

WSJ editor and columnist Gerry Baker to deliver Thomas H. Quinn Lecture

2024-11-07T12:31:00-05:00

Gerry Baker (photo provided)

Gerry Baker, editor-at-large of The Wall Street Journal, is the featured speaker for the Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Series. “Unpacking the Election: Where Do We Go From Here?” will take place at 3:30 p.m. Friday (Nov. 8) in the Jordan Auditorium at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

The talk is free and open to the public. No registration is required. The Quinn Lecture is sponsored by Notre Dame alumnus and trustee John W. “Jay” Jordan II in memory of Quinn, a Notre Dame alumnus who was Jordan’s college roommate, longtime friend and business partner.

Baker is a prominent journalist and editor at The Wall Street Journal, a leading global financial and business news outlet. As the editor-in-chief from 2013 to 2018, he oversaw major editorial shifts and expansions, particularly in digital journalism.

Widely recognized for his sharp political commentary, Baker writes and speaks on U.S. and global politics, economics and business trends. His weekly column for the WSJ editorial page, “Free Expression,” features some of the world’s leading writers, influencers and thinkers about various subjects. He has been a journalist for more than 30 years, writing and broadcasting for some of the world’s most famous news organizations, including The Financial Times, The Times of London and the BBC.

Matthew E.K. Hall, the David A. Potenziani Memorial College Professor of Constitutional 91��Ƶ and director of the Notre Dame Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy, will serve as moderator. Hall specializes in interdisciplinary research that spans the fields of American politics, law and society, and organizational behavior. His current research examines popular support for democratic norms in the United States, political psychology and the role of politics in the workplace.

The Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Series is an annual event hosted by the Mendoza College of Business to honor the Notre Dame alumnus and former member and chair of Mendoza’s Business Advisory Council. Quinn earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Notre Dame in 1969 and was a football monogram winner and member of the 1966 national championship team.

For more information, visit the Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Series website.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

Notre Dame launches new master’s in digital marketing

2024-08-07T11:14:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business is launching a specialized master’s program designed to meet the increasing demand for professionals in digital marketing, which is projected to be one of the fastest-growing career sectors in the next decade.

The Notre Dame Master of Science in Digital Marketing (MSDM) is a 10-month residential program for individuals interested in careers in digital marketing management, social media management, marketing analytics and related roles crucial to a company’s marketing success.

“Digital marketing is an exciting area of career growth where there is a critical need for skilled professionals who think deeply about the ethical dimensions of this powerful discipline,” said Kevin Hartman, MSDM academic director, former chief analytics strategist at Google and author of “Digital Marketing Analytics: In Theory and In Practice.” “The Notre Dame Master of Science in Digital Marketing is uniquely designed to develop both applied skills and a mindset of using digital marketing innovatively and responsibly.”

The STEM-designated MSDM is intended for students with business or non-business undergraduate degrees with less than three years of work experience. The curriculum includes courses in key digital marketing areas such as brand strategy, social and email media marketing, search engine optimization, artificial intelligence and automation.

Students also gain practical hands-on experience in executing a comprehensive digital marketing campaign in a real-world context.

“Our imperative at Mendoza is to ‘Grow the Good in Business’ by developing servant leaders who want to succeed professionally through their contributions to human flourishing,” said Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean and Bernard J. Hank Professor of Finance. “Our MSDM program will provide a foundational understanding of digital marketing as well as a comprehensive, values-focused perspective on the power of digital marketing to drive business excellence.”

The MSDM is part of Mendoza’s suite of specialized master’s degrees that allow students to study a focused discipline in an accelerated format.

“MSDM students will join a growing community of Mendoza’s specialized master’s students, which provides increased opportunities to learn, network and socialize with others,” said Kristen Collett-Schmitt, associate dean for undergraduate and specialized master’s programs. “These experiences make our programs truly transformative far outside the classroom.”

Applications are now being accepted for August 2025. Visit MSDM Application Requirements for details on applying.

For more information about the Notre Dame Master of Science in Digital Marketing, contact Nadia Ewing, associate director for MSDM admissions, at msdm.business@nd.edu.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

Mendoza College of Business partners with Xavier University of Louisiana

2024-05-22T08:15:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business has entered a new partnership with Xavier University of Louisiana to admit students to the college’s graduate business programs.

The partnership will provide new career pathways to Xavier students with the shared mission of developing leaders who contribute to the global society through business. The agreement guarantees admission of four qualified Xavier students to each of the following specialized master’s programs offered by Mendoza: Master of Science in Accountancy, Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Science in Finance, Master of Science in Management and the Master of Nonprofit Administration.

“We’re pleased to partner with Xavier to prepare talented students for the next step in their careers,” said Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business. “As Catholic universities, we share a common goal to develop leaders who contribute to the human community.”

Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, is the nation’s only Catholic and historically Black university. Xavier’s mission is “to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society.”

“Xavier University of Louisiana appreciates the opportunity to partner with the Mendoza College of Business, which will provide Xavierites the chance to pursue a postgraduate degree at another Catholic institution,” said Anderson Sunda-Meya, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Xavier.

Xavier has a current enrollment of 3,181 students. Its major academic units are the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Pharmacy. Degrees awarded include baccalaureate degrees as well as master’s degrees in education, counseling, public health sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, health informatics and speech-language pathology. The university also offers doctorate programs in educational leadership and pharmacy, and awards a Master of Theology degree through its Institute for Black Catholic 91��Ƶ.

“At the Division of Business, our mission is singular: to prepare tomorrow’s socially responsible leaders,” said Cary Caro, chair of the Division of Business at Xavier. “We achieve this by fostering relationships with the global business community to offer our students opportunities for career advancement. This partnership exemplifies that mission.”

Mendoza College of Business’ specialized masters are intensive, one-year programs that prepare students for successful careers through a focused curriculum. Taught by renowned business faculty on the Notre Dame campus, the programs include experiential learning opportunities so students can apply what they learn in the classroom to real-life business problems. The specialized programs are intended for students who typically recently completed their undergraduate degrees and have little or no work experience.

“We are committed to attracting a diverse pool of talented candidates to our programs and this collaboration with Xavier University of Louisiana is a significant step towards reinforcing that commitment,” said Tahra Taylor, associate director of Graduate Business Career Development at Notre Dame and an alumna of Xavier. “I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to welcome students from this new partnership into our Notre Dame community.”

Originally published on Mendoza News.

Notre Dame Ethics Week explores artificial intelligence

2024-02-07T08:00:00-05:00

“Artificial Intelligence: Its Ethical Possibilities and Problems” is the topic of the University of Notre Dame Ethics Week 2024, an annual series of panel discussions hosted by the Mendoza College of Business designed to encourage the discussion of ethics in and outside of the classroom.

Ethics Week events take place from 12:05 to 1 p.m. Feb. 12-16 in Room 133 inside the Mendoza building. The talks are free and open to the Notre Dame community and the public.

The 2024 series features Mendoza faculty members renowned for their research and expertise in the use and development of AI. The schedule is as follows:

Monday (Feb. 12): Ahmed Abbasi, the Joe and Jane Giovanini Professor of IT, Analytics and Operations; academic director of the Ph.D. Program in Analytics; and co-director of the Human-centered Analytics Lab, “Artificial Intelligence’s Major Challenge: Striking a Balance Between Innovation and Precaution.”
Tuesday (Feb. 13): Kirsten Martin, the William P. and Hazel B. White Center Professor of Technology Ethics, “Who is Responsible for Algorithmic Recommendations Online? (And Other Pesky AI Questions).”
Feb. 15 (Thursday): Greg Robson, visiting assistant research professor of business ethics and society, “Planning Future Economies: Can Artificial Intelligence Be Trusted?”
Feb. 16 (Friday): Nick Berente, professor of IT, analytics and operations, “Artificial Intelligence’s Use, Impact and Necessary Guardrails.”

Now in its 26th year, Notre Dame Ethics Week takes place annually in February and brings in experts from a diverse array of industries to explore current ethics issues. The series was established to encourage the discussion of ethical matters in undergraduate and graduate business classes at Notre Dame.

Ethics Week honors the legacy of John Houck, a Notre Dame management professor who wrote numerous works on business ethics, including “Is the Good Corporation Dead?”

Visit the Notre Dame Ethics Week website for more information.

Promise or peril? Ten Years Hence lecture series explores AI

2024-01-18T16:53:00-05:00

By now, most of us have read enough alarming headlines or dabbled with ChatGPT and other generative learning platforms to be concerned about the power of artificial intelligence to shape our lives. Yet technology is advancing so rapidly, how much do we really understand?

Ten Years Hence, a series of lectures hosted by the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, will present a deep exploration of AI through the research perspective of some of the top scholars in the field. The series, “Artificial Intelligence: Promise and Peril,” will be held at 10:40 a.m. on select Fridays throughout the spring in Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium.

Ten Years Hence kicks off Friday (Jan. 19) with a talk by Zico Kolter, associate professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. The full schedule is below and can be found online.

Lectures are free and open to the public and the Notre Dame community. No registration is required.

The schedule is as follows:

Jan. 19: Zico Kolter, associate professor of computer science, Carnegie Mellon University, “Adversarial Attacks on Large Language Models.”
Jan. 26: Somesh Jha, the Lubar Professor in Computer Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Trustworthy Machine Learning and the Security Mindset.”
Feb. 9: Ahmed Abbasi, the Giovanini Professor of IT, Analytics and Operations, University of Notre Dame, “AI for Social Good: How Do We Get There?”
Feb. 23: Henrick Christensen, the Qualcomm Chancellor’s Professor of Robot Systems and Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, “Autonomous Vehicles for Micro-Mobility.”
March 1: Anu Bradford, the Henry L. Moses Distinguished Professor of Law and International Organization, Columbia Law 91��Ƶ, Columbia University, “Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology.”
March 22: Manuela M. Veloso, the Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emerita, Carnegie Mellon University, “Symbiotic Human-AI Interaction: Examples of AI in Robot and AI in Finance.”
April 19: Nicholas Berente, professor of information technology, analytics and operations, University of Notre Dame, “AI Ethics: Past, Present, and Future.”
April 26: Maryam Alavi, the Elizabeth D. and Thomas M. Holder Chair and Professor of IT Management, Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology, “Harnessing and Hedging: The Two Faces of GenAI.”

The Ten Years Hence speaker series explores issues, ideas and trends likely to affect business and society over the next decade. The series is sponsored by the Eugene Clark Distinguished Lecture Series endowment.

For more information, visit the Ten Years Hence website or contact Jean Meade, lecture coordinator, at Jean.Meade@nd.edu.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

In memoriam: Michael Montalbano, adjunct assistant teaching professor

2023-11-13T08:15:00-05:00

Mike Montalbano

Michael Montalbano, adjunct assistant teaching professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday (Nov. 7) at his home in South Bend, Indiana. He was 66.

The South Bend native taught undergraduate and graduate management courses at Notre Dame since 2015. He was a business executive with more than 40 years of experience in marketing, strategy and executive development, holding leadership positions from vice president of marketing to president and CEO. He served on numerous boards and as the managing director of Verso Ministries, a Catholic pilgrimage company that organizes travel to sacred sites worldwide. In 2018, he founded Imprenditori, a company that supports entrepreneurs in growing their ventures.

Montalbano was a graduate of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Mendoza College of Business hosted a walk to the Grotto and a prayer service for students, faculty and staff in Montalbano’s honor on Wednesday (Nov. 8) with faculty chaplain Rev. Frank Murphy, C.S.C., presiding. Students recalled Montalbano’s deep authenticity, his gift for mentorship and his genuine care for them as individuals.

“Mr. Montalbano was a great mentor and friend,” said Matthew Potter, a senior accountancy student at Mendoza. “I will really miss the dinners he hosted for some of us in the Marine Corps ROTC host family program and all the amazing advice and stories he had to offer.”

“Mike went out of his way to host student gatherings at his house,” said Craig Crossland, senior associate dean for programs at Mendoza College of Business. “He would often invite more than a dozen students at a time from his undergraduate and graduate classes to join himself and his wife for dinner and community building. He truly loved Notre Dame and our students.”

Montalbano was well-known and respected for his contributions to the local community, including organizing literary events, participating in local literary organizations and supporting literacy programs for underprivileged youth.

Montalbano is survived by his wife, Susan; three sons, Vincent (Millicent) Montalbano of Austin, Texas, Thomas (Emily) Montalbano of Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Dominic (Angela) Montalbano of Holliston, Massachusetts; and seven grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Monday (Nov. 13) in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Inurnment will follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery. His obituary is available here.

Mendoza College of Business to end its one-year MBA program

2023-10-10T08:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business recently announced that it will discontinue the Notre Dame One-Year MBA at the end of the 2023-24 academic year to better focus on and invest in the Notre Dame Two-Year MBA program.

Dean Martijn Cremers

“While the One-Year MBA historically has attracted talented and dedicated students and remains financially viable, the decision to discontinue the program reflects the college’s focus on the Two-Year MBA as our priority and was informed by the ongoing strategic review aimed at optimizing and elevating Mendoza’s graduate program portfolio,” said Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business.

The change will allow the college to elevate the Two-Year MBA as its core strategic priority, providing greater flexibility in directing the appropriate resources to advancements in experiential learning, leadership development, career discernment and personal growth over the program’s two-year arc.

Cremers emphasized that discontinuing the One-Year MBA will have no impact on the academic experience of current students and that the decision was focused on serving the future needs of all of its students.

“The Mendoza faculty and staff remain fully committed to the personal and professional growth of our One-Year MBAs, now and after they graduate,” Cremers said. “They are forever important members of the Notre Dame family.”

Mendoza currently offers 10 master’s programs plus several dual-degree programs, two doctorate programs and its undergraduate program.

The college has introduced a number of curricular innovations to its STEM-designated MBA program in support of its emphasis on providing in-person, highly experiential academic programming, including:

MBA Pathways, a revamped curricular structure to support career pathways.
Mod-Away programs, seven-week in-person study programs in Silicon Valley, California, and Santiago, Chile.
Meyer Business on the Frontlines Program, a long-running initiative in which student teams work with international and domestic partners to harness the dynamism of business to advance solutions to problems such as deep poverty and violence.
Leadership Launch, a signature leadership development program centered on Notre Dame’s unique “Tender, Strong and True” framework.
Grow Irish Week, a set of skill building courses, leadership development and experiential learning opportunities through global consulting engagements.

In keeping with Mendoza’s strategic vision, future program developments likewise will focus on opportunities that prioritize a strong sense of community through shared experiences, high-touch employer relationships and a global perspective cultivated through in-person engagements.

‘Freakonomics’ co-author Steve Levitt to speak at Notre Dame

2023-09-11T11:00:00-04:00

Steve Levitt

Steven D. Levitt, economist and co-author of bestseller “Freakonomics,” will be the featured speaker for the University of Notre Dame’s Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Series. “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything” will take place at 3:30 p.m. Friday (Sept. 15) in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the Notre Dame campus.

This is a free but ticketed event. Tickets will be available for pickup at the DeBartolo ticket office one hour prior to the event. There are no advanced reservations for this event and tickets are limited to two per person.

Levitt is a tenured professor in the University of Chicago’s economics department and the 2003 recipient of the American Economic Association’s prestigious John Bates Clark Medal, given to the country’s best economist under 40.

Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt shows how economics is, at its root, the study of incentives or how people get what they want or need. He has applied his expertise to a diverse range of real-world topics from terrorism to prostitution to global warming.

Originally published in the U.S. in 2005, “Freakonomics” spent more than eight years on the New York Times bestseller list, having sold more than 7 million copies in 40-plus countries. Levitt and co-author Stephen Dubner have appeared widely on television and maintain the popular Freakonomics blog, which can be found on the New York Times website. Levitt and Dubner also co-authored “SuperFreakonomics,” “Think Like A Freak” and “When to Rob a Bank.”

Quinn was a managing partner and member of the investment committee and management committee of private investment firm The Jordan Company as well as the president and chief operating officer of Chicago-based Jordan Industries Inc. Quinn died April 29, 2016, at the age of 68. The Quinn Lecture is sponsored by Notre Dame alumnus and Trustee John W. “Jay” Jordan II, Quinn’s college roommate, longtime friend and business partner.

For more information, visit the Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Series website.

Notre Dame business school to launch Global EMBA

2023-08-14T16:34:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business announced on Monday (Aug. 14) that a re-envisioned version of the Notre Dame Executive MBA program will launch in fall 2024.

Stayer Center

The Notre Dame Global EMBA is designed to offer working professionals with deeper global leadership experience. The program will be based at the University’s South Bend campus but will offer immersions around the world as part of the two-year curriculum.

“By bringing all Global EMBA students to campus for their residencies, we can provide a holistic Notre Dame experience and establish greater consistency between the cohorts,” said Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business. “The shift to a global perspective aligns with the larger business demand for effective leaders with a strong understanding of the complexities of a global economy, particularly in working with varied work cultures.”

The Notre Dame EMBA currently is offered in South Bend and Chicago. The Notre Dame EMBA-Chicago Class of 2025 that starts classes in August 2023 will be the college’s final Chicago cohort. Applications are now open for the Notre Dame Global EMBA Class of 2026 starting in fall 2024.

“As someone who has worked globally for most of my professional life, I understand the high value placed on leaders who understand how to solve problems in global environments,” said Gianna Bern, the academic director for the Notre Dame EMBA who will continue to serve as director for the Notre Dame Global EMBA. “The Global EMBA is designed to leverage all of the strengths of our existing program — the curriculum, the faculty, the campus and the reputation for excellence represented by the Notre Dame MBA degree — while students also gain up to three international immersion experiences on three different continents.”

The Global EMBA will follow the current Notre Dame EMBA curriculum and academic calendar, consisting of a two-year program that meets once a month for in-person residencies. To deepen the international experience of the program, Global EMBA students will participate in a minimum of two international immersions, one at the beginning of their program and one in their final semester. Students also have the option to either participate in on-campus electives or an additional international immersion during the June electives week.

At least some of the immersions will focus on the Global South, where Mendoza has long been involved in projects as part of its mission for business to have a positive impact on societal good. The college also plans to coordinate immersions through the Notre Dame Global Gateways and Centers, which include locations in Beijing, Dublin, Jerusalem, London, Rome and Santiago, Chile.

“The Notre Dame Global EMBA is an evolution in our efforts to serve working professionals. More than that, it’s an evolution in how business leaders can take forward Mendoza’s charge to 'grow the good in business' on a global scale,” Cremers said.

For more information about the Notre Dame Global EMBA, contact emba.business@nd.edu.

In memoriam: Lee A. Tavis, C.R. Smith Professor Emeritus of Finance

2023-04-10T12:37:00-04:00

Lee A. Tavis, the C.R. Smith Professor Emeritus of Finance at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, died April 4 (Tuesday) in Singer Island, Florida. He was 91.

Tavis was a widely respected scholar for his life’s work in advancing civil and human rights, especially in developing countries. He joined the Notre Dame faculty in 1976 as the inaugural C.R. Smith Professor of Finance. During his 38-year career at Notre Dame, Tavis was the founding director of the Notre Dame Program on Multinational Managers and Developing Country Concerns and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in managerial finance, international financial management and international ethics.

“Lee lived his life mindful of this day when he sees God face to face,” said Carolyn Y. Woo, former Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business. “He used his talent and scholarship connecting the world for a more just and ethical relationship.”

Among his numerous teaching awards, Tavis received the Notre Dame MBA Award for the outstanding teacher four times (1978, 1980, 1984 and 1990); the Executive MBA Award for the outstanding teacher in 1984; the Notre Dame Outstanding Faculty Award in 1993; the Reinhold Niebuhr Award for work in social justice in 1998; and the James E. Armstrong Award in 2014.

Tavis served in many University programs, centers and committees, including the Center on Civil and Human Rights Advisory Council and the Institute for Latino 91��Ƶ Faculty Advisory Committee. Tavis also was a faculty fellow for the Helen Kellogg Institute for International 91��Ƶ and the Joan. B. Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ.

"Lee Tavis was passionate about advancing human rights in developing countries and he traveled far and wide in the poorest parts of the world, trying to make things better with the help of business,” said the Rev. Oliver Williams, C.S.C., associate professor of management and organization. “In many ways, he was all that we hope that a faculty member might be. He loved students and worked hard in preparing his classes and at the same time, he was a dedicated researcher publishing in all the best places. As we say about our best at Notre Dame, his blood was in the bricks."

The Bismarck, North Dakota, native earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Notre Dame in 1953. He entered the U.S. Navy and served as a pilot before returning to college to earn his MBA from Stanford University in 1960 and his doctoral degree from Indiana University in 1969.

A prolific researcher, Tavis’ work was published in numerous top academic journals and presented at conferences on globalization, multinational corporations and the moral responsibility of business across the world. He wrote six books, including “Values-based Multinational Management: Achieving Enterprise Sustainability through a Human Rights Strategy,” which was co-authored by his son, Timothy Tavis, who preceded him in death.

Tavis is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Sparky, and their three children, Thomas Tavis, Therese Beckwith and Tami Lange, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 10, at Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Dr., South Bend, Indiana. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 11. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Thom Browne to discuss business of fashion

2023-03-28T13:20:00-04:00

Thom Browne is considered one of America’s most successful designers of luxury fashion. His long list of plaudits includes chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, former GQ Designer of the Year and three-time winner of the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award. Credited with reconceptualizing the classic men’s suit, Browne has dressed the likes of LeBron James, Lizzo, Michelle Obama and many other celebrities.

Thom Browne

Perhaps a lesser-known fact is that Browne earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame — not in design, but in accountancy.

Browne will discuss his career path and the fashion industry at 5 p.m. April 11 (Tuesday) at the Mendoza College of Business’ Jordan Auditorium. “By Design: Thom Browne on the Business of Fashion” is sponsored by the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study, where he is serving as the 2022-23 artist-in-residence, and the Mendoza College of Business.

The event is free and open to the public. The conversation will be moderated by 1986 graduate Michael Hainey, a writer at large for Air Mail and author of The New York Times bestseller “After Visiting Friends.” A question-and-answer period will follow.

The lecture is a continuation of the conversation that began in the fall, when Browne was part of a public discussion moderated by Hainey that focused on his origin story and emergence as a fashion icon. This semester’s event will focus on the business side of his fashion empire.

“This is an extraordinary occasion for Notre Dame students to understand the modern challenges and opportunities of building a brilliant and innovative business,” said Kristen Collett-Schmitt, associate dean for innovation and inclusion at Mendoza College of Business. “We are thrilled to welcome Thom Browne to the business school once again.”

Browne, who launched his fashion label in 2003, is credited with reimagining the traditional gray-striped business suit into a distinctive style that came to define his brand. His looks include shrunken jackets and trousers, knitted cardigans, kilts, leather brogues and sport socks in a muted palette of gray, white and navy.

He later expanded his portfolio to include full ready-to-wear collections for both men and women. In 2018, Ermenegildo Zegna purchased 85 percent of the company, valuing the brand at $500 million.

In addition to serving as artist-in-residence at Notre Dame, Browne and his work are the subject of a one-credit course, Strong Suits: The Art, Philosophy, and Business of Thom Browne, co-taught by Meghan Sullivan, director of the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study and the Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy, and Michael Schreffler, associate dean for the arts and associate professor in the Department of Art, Art History and Design. The course investigates high fashion through an interdisciplinary lens, incorporating discussions of philosophy, designs and business with fashion.

“We look forward to welcoming Thom Browne and Michael Hainey back to campus this spring to build on the conversation they began at Notre Dame in the fall,” said Sullivan. “This discussion will be a wonderful opportunity for students, faculty and the campus community to learn more about the inner workings of Thom Browne’s business and his journey to build an iconic American brand.”

Visit the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study for more information about the event.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

Tax return preparation help available for local low-income taxpayers

2023-02-07T14:00:00-05:00

The University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College will provide free tax return preparation services to low-income families again this year through the Vivian Harrington Gray Tax Assistance Program (TAP).

Services are available now through April 15 according to the following schedule:

Saint Mary’s College: Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m., Spes Unica Hall, Room 340. There are no services on March 15 or April 6. Call 574-284-4501 to register.
St. Joseph County Public Library Main Branch: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.; Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. There are no sessions on March 11, March 18 or April 8. The Feb. 11 and March 25 sessions will be held at the library’s Francis Branch located at 52655 N. Ironwood Road, South Bend, Indiana. Call 574-282-4646 or visit sjcpl.org to register.

TAP provides tax return preparation services to U.S. citizens or residents whose family income is less than $60,000 and individuals whose income is less than $35,000. The program only prepares returns for Indiana residents; it does not prepare returns for those who have earned income outside the state of Indiana.

Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s students staff the sessions. Each one is required to undergo tax law training to meet IRS standards to be a registered Volunteer Income Tax Assistance participant. In addition, the students’ technical training is supplemented with information covering ethics and the maintenance of the privacy and confidentiality of taxpayer information.

Ken Milani, an accountancy professor at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, started TAP in 1972 out of recognition of the need for free tax preparation services provided by reliable and trusted individuals. In 1999, the family of Vivian Harrington Gray endowed the work of the important program in honor of Gray’s longtime support for both the University of Notre Dame and the volunteer income tax programs. The generosity of her family continues to fuel the mission of TAP.

For more information, visit the TAP website.

Notre Dame Ethics Week 2023 to explore the ethics of NIL

2023-02-07T08:00:00-05:00

While some college athletes have made millions off of their name, image and likeness (NIL) thanks to a change in NCAA rules, the debate still rages: Is NIL a good thing or a bad thing for college sports and student-athletes?

“NIL (Name, Image or Likeness) Revenue: Its Ethical Benefits and Blemishes” is the topic of the University of Notre Dame Ethics Week 2023, a series of panel discussions hosted by the Mendoza College of Business. Ethics Week takes place from noon to 1 p.m. daily between Feb. 13 and Feb. 17. The events, which are free and open to the public, are held in Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium except for Friday’s talk, which will be located in Mendoza 158.

The full schedule is as follows:

Feb. 13 (Monday): “NIL Revenue: Its Ethical Potential and Pitfalls,” a panel discussion featuring Mike Bobinski, Purdue University athletic director; Bubba Cunningham, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill athletic director; and Bill Scholl, Marquette University athletic director. The speakers will appear via Zoom. Marketing professor emeritus Patrick Murphy will moderate.
Feb. 14 (Tuesday): “NIL Revenue: An Overview of Notre Dame’s Policies and Procedures,” presented by Claire VeNard, senior associate athletic director at Notre Dame. Brian Pracht, associate athletics director for industry and campus engagement for Notre Dame Athletics, will moderate.
Feb. 15 (Wednesday): “MOGL: NIL Revenue as a Means of Empowering Student-Athletes Wanting to Prosper and Contribute,” presented by Notre Dame alumni members and MOGL co-founders Ayden Syal and Brandon Wimbush via Zoom. Claire Donovan, teaching professor of accountancy at Mendoza, will moderate.
Feb. 16 (Thursday): “NIL Revenue: Examining Its Legal Ramifications for the Student-Athlete, the University and Other Involved Parties,” presented by Notre Dame Law professor emeritus Ed Edmonds and moderated by Notre Dame Law professor emeritus Matthew Barrett.
Feb. 17 (Friday): “NIL and Sport Marketing: Complementary or Conflict of Interest?” presented by Jonathan Jensen, associate professor of sport administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science and moderated by Scott Nestler, Mendoza adjunct professor. (This event will be held in Mendoza 158.)

Now in its 25th year, Notre Dame Ethics Week takes place annually in February and brings in experts from a diverse array of industries to explore current ethics issues. The series was established to encourage the discussion of ethical matters in undergraduate and graduate business classes at Notre Dame and to secure a foundation for future discussions inside and outside the classroom.

Ethics Week honors the legacy of John Houck, a Notre Dame management professor who authored numerous works on business ethics, including “Is the Good Corporation Dead?”

Visit the Notre Dame Ethics Week website for more information.

Spring lecture series considers complexities of globalism

2023-01-26T10:39:00-05:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business is marking the 21st anniversary of its signature lecture series, Ten Years Hence, with a topic that literally stretches the globe.

The series kicks off at 10:40 a.m. Friday (Jan. 27) in Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium with Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative, speaking on “The Shift from Globalization to Regionalization and Reshoring.” Future topics include global health concerns, migration, global governance and the intersection of public policy and the public good.

The full schedule is as follows:

Jan. 27: Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative, “The Shift from Globalization to Regionalization and Reshoring.”
Feb. 3: Joseph P. Quinlan, senior fellow at the Transatlantic Leadership Network and senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University Paul Nitze 91��Ƶ of Advanced International 91��Ƶ, “Rethinking Globalization in an Era of Great Power Politics.”
Feb. 10: Joshua Eisenman, associate professor at Notre Dame’s Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, “What Should U.S. Policy Be Toward China?”
March 3: Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.”
March 24: David Cortright, professor emeritus at Notre Dame’s Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, “Global Governance — Creating a More Peaceful and Prosperous Future.”
March 31: Bernard Nahlen, director of the Eck Institute for Global Health at Notre Dame’s Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, “COVID-19 and the Future of Health Care.”
April 14: Maria Langan-Riekhof, director of the National Intelligence Council’s Strategic Futures Group, “Global Trends Shaping the Long-Term Future.”
April 21: David Robinson, former assistant secretary of state and U.S. ambassador to Guyana, “Mass Migration: Where Interests and Values Collide.”

The annual Ten Years Hence speaker series explores issues, ideas and trends likely to affect business and society over the next decade. The series is sponsored by the Eugene Clark Distinguished Lecture Series endowment.

For more information, visit Ten Years Hence or email series coordinator Jean Meade at Jean.Meade@nd.edu.

Alpha Phi Alpha president to be featured ‘fireside chat’ guest

2022-09-27T15:26:00-04:00

Willis L. Lonzer III, general president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-lettered fraternity for African American men, will be the featured guest of the “Fireside Chat with Dean Martijn Cremers” at 3 p.m. Oct. 6 (Thursday) in the Mendoza College of Business’ Jordan Auditorium at the University of Notre Dame.

Willis L. Lonzer III

The fireside chat, hosted by Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business, will focus on leadership and community service, as well as the challenges of leading service organizations. Lonzer also will offer remarks during the reception and dinner following the chat.

The event is open to the Notre Dame faculty, staff and students, as well as members of the local community. It is part of Mendoza’s Solidarity in Leadership Immersion taking place Oct. 6-7 on the Notre Dame campus.

Lonzer is the regional medical director at Horizon Therapeutics in the greater Chicago area. As a medical professional, he has more than 20 years of experience in global medical affairs and pharmaceutical research and development. He began his term as the president of the national Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in 2021 and is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which fosters cooperative actions of its charter members in dealing with matters of mutual concern. Lonzer earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Delaware State University and his doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Akron.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the Mendoza College of Business began an ongoing partnership effort in July 2021 that included a two-day Alpha Phi Alpha Inclusive Leadership Immersion in October 2021 at Notre Dame focusing on career development and professional degree opportunities. As part of the partnership, the college also offered a designated fellowship program, waived application fees to its graduate programs and required entrance exams, and provided test preparation programming, early access to Mendoza graduate business career coaching and alumni mentoring.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, was founded in 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, Adam Clayton Powell, Thurgood Marshall, Paul Robeson, the Hon. Andrew Young, Edward Brooke and Cornel West. Through more than 720 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, the fraternity serves communities in the United States, Canada, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. For more information, visit apa1906.net.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.

Notre Dame’s Specialization in Ethical Leadership program launches on Coursera

2022-07-07T09:59:58-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business is launching a new online program designed to help emerging leaders navigate the challenges of ethical decision making and leadership.

The Specialization in Ethical Leadership is a non-credit program offered in a fully online and asynchronous format through Coursera, one of the largest online learning platforms in the world with 102 million registered learners. The program is especially suited to working professionals interested in studying the intersection of ethics, leadership and business. Learners can enroll today on Coursera.

“Developing values-centered leadership has been at the core of our programs for more than 100 years,” said Martijn Cremers, the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business. “In a program that is uniquely Notre Dame, the Specialization in Ethical Leadership provides learners with a deep understanding of critical issues such as diversity, ethical use of technology and building a workplace where individuals can flourish.”

“I am pleased that the University of Notre Dame is launching its first series of courses on Coursera to teach learners worldwide about this critical topic,” said Betty Vandenbosch, chief content officer at Coursera. “In an increasingly digital world, we need more leaders who understand how to make ethical technical business decisions, communicate them effectively and guide with empathy.”

The Specialization in Ethical Leadership includes six courses taught by some of Mendoza’s most forward-thinking faculty members with extensive expertise in business ethics:

Why Business?: James Otteson, the John T. Ryan Jr. Professor of Business Ethics and Rex and Alice A. Martin Faculty Director of the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership.
Ethics of Communication: Amanda G. McKendree, associate teaching professor of management and organization and the Arthur F. and Mary J. O’Neil Director of the Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication.
Ethical Technology: Kirsten Martin, the William P. and Hazel B. White Center Professor of Technology Ethics in the IT, Analytics and Operations Department and director of the Notre Dame Technology Ethics Center.
The Discipline of Leadership: Cindy P. Muir (Zapata), professor of management and organization.
Leadership for an Increasingly Diverse World: Angela R. Logan, associate teaching professor of management and organization and the St. Andre Bessette Academic Director of the Master of Nonprofit Administration.
Leading from Within: Joseph Holt, the Audrey M. and James E. Jack Teaching Professor of Business Ethics in the Department of Management & Organization.

Learners must complete all six courses to earn a certificate of completion through Coursera.

“The Discipline of Leadership course focuses on learning and applying evidence-based knowledge on leadership effectiveness,” said Muir, who teaches that course. “By also developing an increased awareness through self-assessments and feedback of the characteristics, competencies and behaviors you tend to engage in, you should be able to think more deeply about the situations you and others experience at work, and by extension apply the tools you learn to make your desired outcomes at work more likely.”

“Our specialization is launching at a time when organizations are calling for leaders who can expertly navigate uncertain, complex and ambiguous times while not forgetting the needs of their stakeholders,” said McKendree. “The Ethics of Communication course, in particular, examines the interplay of communication ethics, listening, and the most difficult moments of workplace conflicts and crises. Because the course design emphasizes reflection, application and practice, each module features foundational concepts and learning activities that participants can apply the very next day at work.”

Mendoza developed the Specialization in Ethical Leadership program through a partnership with instructional design firm iDesign, which has worked with more than 100 colleges and universities to design, build and support award-winning online courses and programs.

Visit the Mendoza College of Business’ Specialization in Ethical Leadership program for more information.

Inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Case Competition to culminate on April 1

2022-03-25T12:45:00-04:00

The winners of the University of Notre Dame’s inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grow the Good in Business Case Competition will be announced during a final event at 11 a.m. April 1 (Friday). The competition, hosted by the Mendoza College of Business, takes place in Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Karrah Herring, the chief officer of the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity for the state of Indiana, will serve as the opening speaker. Tracy Graham, managing principal at Graham Allen Partners and a 1995 alumnus, will serve as the keynote speaker. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb also will speak to attendees via a recorded video message.

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grow the Good in Business Case Competition launched in February as an innovative way to engage students from Mendoza’s Specialized Master’s Programs in finding creative business solutions that advance DEI at work and in communities. Using a case provided by the state, student teams specifically examined the disproportionate impact of socioeconomic challenges on communities across Indiana and to propose a business solution to the wealth gap.

The wealth gap refers to the income and wealth inequalities among different racial or ethnic groups, especially between Black households and white households. The net wealth of a typical Black family in America is estimated to be about one-tenth of that of a white family.

In addition to the state, competition sponsors include the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, KPMG, the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership, 1st Source Bank and Gibson Insurance.

Altogether, student teams submitted nearly 30 plans. Ten finalists were selected by a panel of Mendoza faculty and staff in the first round of judging in March. From this group, winners will be announced during the April 1 event, with prize money awarded to the top three finalists in the amounts of $7,000, $4,000 and $2,000, respectively. Teams that finish in fourth through 10th place each will receive $1,000. Representatives from the sponsoring organizations as well as Mendoza and other Notre Dame faculty will serve as judges.

Herring is Indiana’s first chief equity, inclusion and opportunity officer. The former attorney is responsible for working with state agencies to identify and make changes to improve equality and remove hurdles. She previously was the director of public affairs for Notre Dame since 2011, serving on the University’s human resources leadership team for four years, leading institutional equity and implementation of the federal civil rights Title IX law.

Graham is the founder and managing principal of Graham Allen Partners, a private equity firm that specializes in investing in and building technology and technology-enabled companies. He previously co-founded GramTel Inc. and as president was responsible for the company’s strategic direction as well as aligning all internal and external resources to gain market share in the small and mid-sized business market. He led the company to become the largest provider of managed data center services in the state of Indiana and the largest privately held provider in the Midwest.

For more information about the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grow the Good in Business Case Competition, click here or contact Kristen Collett-Schmitt, associate dean of Specialized Master’s Programs.

Originally posted on Mendoza News.