2023-2024 Strategic Goals Review

Over the past year, Mendoza has made significant strides across its strategic goals. Among the highlights, we’ve expanded the Business Honors Program, admitting first-year students and introducing new honors courses. Access to minors has increased for both Mendoza and non-Mendoza students, and the minor in finance offers new career pathways.

The launch of the Undergraduate Business Research Program has also created research opportunities for our elite business majors, and our research culture continues to grow with more conferences, talks, and faculty engagement.

Graduate programs have experienced both successes and challenges. The launch of the Global EMBA program, which now includes multiple international immersions, represents a significant achievement and positions the program to offer a more global perspective to its participants. Meanwhile, our MBA program is still refining our strategic planning efforts to ensure long-term success, with the closure of the One-Year MBA part of a larger strategy to reallocate resources toward strengthening our flagship Two-Year MBA. Additionally, our efforts to expand experiential learning and embed leadership training through the "Tender, Strong and True" framework are progressing throughout our graduate programs.

On the operational front, we’ve made significant strides in organizational talent by recruiting top-tier faculty and staff, and implementing a much-needed sabbatical policy for faculty, strengthening both leadership and academic excellence across the College. 

2024-2025 Strategic Goals Preview

For this academic year, we are dedicated to furthering the College's strategic priorities in tight alignment with the University’s strategic framework and embracing several new leaders, especially University President Fr. Bob Dowd and Board of Trustees Chair John Veihmeyer.

We aim to elevate our research by continuing to hire top scholars, increasing research events and developing labs across all departments. Securing funding for Ph.D. programs and continuing to invest in our physical footprint to improve research and academic spaces, including breaking ground on our north addition and financial trading room, are also key priorities.

In undergraduate education, we plan to launch a Computer Science and Business double major, enhance the research focus in our Business Honors Program and apply for STEM designations for all majors. Expanding access to the Minor in Foundations of Business and piloting a mentorship program led by BHP students will further support our students’ academic and career development.

In our graduate programs, the focus will be on completing a five-year strategic plan for the MBA. As Nick Berente mentioned in a recent Mendoza Exchange column, our partners in institutional research, innovation, and strategy (IRIS) will work closely with us as we embark on this plan. We will collaborate on assessing the MBA program's current state, near-term and long-term planning, and comprehensive data analysis. 

Additionally, we are continuing to develop and recruit for our new Master of Science in Digital Marketing, and ensuring financial sustainability through strategic decisions such as removing our physical assets from Chicago and collaborating closely with partners in the Provost’s Office and University Relations to better support our ambitions for growth.

Culturally, we are dedicated to promoting an inclusive and engaged community. We will continue to build on initiatives such as the Mendoza Rally and create more cross-functional communities of practice. Our focus will also be on recruiting top-notch faculty and staff, and enhancing our students' leadership development through increased interactions with business executives. These efforts will be central to achieving our mission in the upcoming year.

Gratitude and Final Thoughts

Last year was incredibly productive for the College and our strategic goals. This year, you will see our progress manifest within our students, programs, research, colleagues and corridors. I would like to highlight the dedicated work of everyone in the Dean’s Office, and in particular recognize the efforts of Reilly Fangman, Jean Meade and Marnie Stahl in supporting both myself and Dean Cremers, who continues to provide vision, leadership and an uncompromising pursuit of excellence for the College. 

I'd like to conclude with a brief reflection. A few weeks ago, I attended the annual review of the Notre Dame Institute for Global Investment. The Dean's Cabinet, NDIGI and finance department chair Shane Corwin were all present. About halfway through the meeting, I was struck by the high level of collective intelligence and excellence in the room, and how these qualities have directly led to remarkable outcomes for our students. It is often said that “you are the average of the people you surround yourself with.” If that's true, all of Mendoza should have pride, confidence and excitement about where we are headed, together.

In Notre Dame,

Ryan

Advisor to the Dean
Senior Director of Strategy & Planning
Mendoza College of Business