As Whitman Celebrates 20 Years, Continuous Improvement Remains at the Center of School’s Evolution and Upward Trajectory

In 1919, the College of Business Administration started with a desk and a chair inside a storage room in Syracuse University’s administration building, thanks to the innovative thinking of English Professor John Herman Wharton. Wharton had the foresight to convince Chancellor James Roscoe Day that the lure of business was growing in the U.S. as veterans returned from World War I. The School of Business Administration was one of the first 40 business schools in the U.S. and the 16th to be accredited. Soon, a four-year degree and a two-year certificate program were offered — but that was just the beginning.

Over the years, the college has evolved as it grew in its mission to fill the needs of those interested in being educated in the world of business. In 1948, after World War II ended, an MBA program was launched, and the Army Comptrollership Program was established in 1952. A Ph.D. program began in 1965, and a distance-learning MBA was established in 1983. That same year, a school was built on the center of campus and was called the Crouse-Hinds School of Management. In 2003, the University broke ground on the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, thanks to the generosity of Martin J. Whitman ’49, H’08 and his wife, Lois. At the time, the newly named Whitman School was a modern, innovative building that was well on its way to establishing itself as a top-notch business school.

Twenty years after the new building opened, the Whitman School has come a long way from that desk and chair, making huge strides from what was in 2004 considered state-of-the-art, as a reflection of what is emerging in today’s technology-driven business world. Over the past decade, the Whitman School has evolved in many areas, some of the most significant in innovation, research and career services. And, over the past year, through strategic decisions and data-driven choices, the Whitman School has updated its physical space. The investment in the school overall —which numbers in the millions of dollars thanks to the generosity of alumni and other donors and the work of leadership, faculty and other supporters — is designed to offer graduate and undergraduate students the skills and business acumen necessary to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive job market. At the same time, these efforts highlight how the WhitmanSchool is working to be ranked in the top 25 of U.S. business schools in the near future.

MARTIN J. WHITMAN: AN INVESTMENT INDUSTRY VISIONARY WHOSE GENEROSITY FURTHERED NAMESAKE SCHOOL

A Bronx, New York, native, Whitman was a WorldWar II U.S. Navy veteran. After serving his country, he was grateful to be accepted into Syracuse University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a business management degree using the G.I. Bill. He went onto work for several investment firms and earned a master’s degree in economics from the New Schoolfor Social Research before founding M.J. Whitman &Co. in 1974. His first major success came in the 1970s through his shrewd investment in Penn Central Railway mortgage bonds. In 1986, he founded Third AvenueManagement, which became a successful private investment firm. Throughout his career, he took the time to teach up-and-coming business students as an adjunct instructor at the Whitman School, ColumbiaUniversity and the Yale School of Management.Whitman also authored four influential books on investing, served on a number of boards for charitable organizations and was a member of the Board ofTrustees of Syracuse University.In 2003, Martin Whitman and his wife, Lois, presented a $23 million naming gift to the University to build anew home for the School. Groundbreaking for the newMartin J. Whitman School of Management began in2004 — 20 years ago — as a contemporary building located at the corner of University Avenue andMarshall Street on the Syracuse University campus.He and his wife also gave generously to Whitman and the University through a variety of funds, supporting scholarships and other opportunities.

Whitman received an honorary degree in 2008 for his commitment to the University and his role as an “investment industry visionary.” Through the years, he came to campus frequently to attend events and mentor and speak to students. He retired in 2012 but continued his connection with the Whitman School and was named an honorary University trustee. Martin Whitman passed away in 2018 at 93, just a few weeks after visiting campus for the annual Whitman Day. At the time of his passing,Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud said, “He was a role model for thousands of students here at Syracuse and elsewhere, and his legacy will live on through them."

THE EVOLUTION OF INNOVATION

There is no shortage of innovation at the Whitman School. Its student entrepreneurs create new business ideas. It works with other schools and colleges across campus to create interdisciplinary educational options that merge business with other interests. It creates initiatives that serve new topics in business, like the importance of mental health. The WhitmanSchool is always thinking, innovating and working to make sure its students are ready for the world beyond its doors.

According to Interim Dean Alex McKelvie, “Looking forward to seeing what can be added, improved or created in the face of driving change in the business world is always top of mind. Our emphasis on continuous improvement remains at the forefront and is critical to our success. Nothing is ever a done deal at Whitman when it comes to being innovative. We will never rest on our laurels because we know wecan continue to get better at everything.”One area that is essential to innovation is the Department of Entrepreneurship andEmerging Enterprises (EEE), established in 1994.

According to Syracuse University Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and Whitman Executive Dean J. Michael Haynie, Whitman had one of the first stand-alone entrepreneurship programs in the country in a field that was once not thought of as a business major.“One of the reasons I came to the University and the Whitman School as an entrepreneurship professor in 2006 was because the school sold me on its demonstrated commitment to growing its EEE program,” says Haynie. “Looking back, it is incredible to see the strides we’ve made and how students seeking to study entrepreneurship today are increasingly looking to the Whitman School for the academic excellence it has built through this program.”Current EEE majors can develop their own skills working with faculty, alumni and other partners, most of whom are also entrepreneurs with a rich list of businesses, patents, products and other innovations to their credit.

Many students who pursued entrepreneurship have walked away with both a degree and a business launched. Phoebe Gullingsrud ’24 (WSM/NEW) studied while also running POV, a digital marketing agency, which she grew at Whitman and continues to expand today. Natasha Brao ’22 (VPA), ’23 M.S., ’24 MBA started selling her product, Shooka sauce, while working on her graduate degrees at Whitman, using some of the winnings from various entrepreneurial competitions at the school as start-up funds. Today, her creation, a Mediterranean meal starter, can be found online and on retail shelves, as she continues to expand her product line.

CAPSTONE COURSE DIFFERENTIATES WHITMAN EDUCATION

According to Haynie, a differentiator in innovation at the Whitman School is the required Capstone course for all seniors. While other business schools have a culminating experience, few have an interdisciplinary course like Whitman’s that brings together those from all majors to work together on realistic business ideas ready to be launched.

Through the Capstone course, EEE faculty challenge students to create a concept for an innovative product, service or business model and include a novel approach to the creation of its economic value. The concept must be scalable and have the potential to achieve $3 million in gross revenue within five yearsand investments from outside sources that exceed$100,000. At the end of the semester, all teams participate in the annual Capstone competition, where they present their business plans to various panels of entrepreneurs made up of alumni, faculty and otherWhitman partners. Each group receives feedback ontheir business plan, and first-, second- and third-place winners are selected. 

“Capstone provides an exciting, high-stakes opportunity to showcase student accomplishments while getting a taste of what it takes to transform an idea into reality,” says Erin Draper, director of experiential programs, who coordinates the Capstone competition with EEE faculty. “The students produce business plans for outstanding ideas that have the ability to become successful ventures, innovative products or impactful services.”

Students also take their ideas to other competitions held both at Whitman and through outside associations. Two of the most popular Whitman competitions are the Orange Tank business pitch competition, which celebrated 10 years this fall; and the Panasci Business Plan competition, dating back to2000 through the generosity of Henry Panasci Jr. and his son, David Panasci ’80. Both competitions have become popular, not only for the prize money thatstudents can use to push their business plans furtherbut also for the prestige that comes with winning thesehighly anticipated entrepreneurial events.

In addition, the inaugural Whitman Dean’s SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Challenge was held at Whitman in spring 2024, coordinated byDraper. This experiential program inspired over 100graduate and undergraduate students from across theUniversity to think entrepreneurially about addressing key issues related to the United Nations sustainable development goals with real-world applications. Each team, which required at least one Whitman participant, chose one of the U.N. sustainability development goals and submitted a report from which judges named the “Elite Eight,” four undergraduate and four graduate teams. Faculty and alumni judges selected winners from both groups, who received case prizes totaling $ 25,000.

WHERE DOES AI FIT INTO INNOVATION?

What is the next innovation? The possibilities are endless, according to McKelvie. However, the next wave driving the continuous quest for innovation at the WhitmanSchool is sure to involve artificial intelligence (AI).

Interim Dean Alex McKelvie

“AI is already changing the world, but we are looking at it as an opportunity, not something to fear. The world of AI is going to affect everything we do in business, from the development of new and exciting professional roles to dramatic changes in established ways of doing business,” says McKelvie, who noted that over 70 faculty and staff members obtained Google AI certification this summer. “Whitman already has a large number of faculty who include AI tools and materials in their courses. As innovators, it is our job to prepare students, faculty and staff for this emerging technology by providing them with the most current information and skills possible. Our commitment to continuous learning will ensure that the Whitman School approaches AI with agility and the innovative mind set necessary to benefit our students both in the classroom and in their future careers."

Whether it’s developing an entrepreneurial mindset, offering the ability to work with diverse teams or interdisciplinary learning, or meeting the challenges of emerging technology, the Whitman School is committed to staying a step ahead of the ever-evolving world of business.

"We want potential employers to know that when they hire one of our students, they are going to get a highly trained, well-balanced individual who has the education, skills and agility instilled in them to get things done today and well into the future,” says McKelvie. “For example, the accounting curriculum recently was upgraded to be much more technical, analytical and technology-driven to reflect upcoming changes to the CPA exam. I suspect our other majors will also formally include these types of tools into their curriculums soon, too, as AI and technology are not going away.”

MENTAL HEALTH PRIORITIZED IN BUSINESS SCHOOL EDUCATION

Bauer, certified therapy dog

The Whitman School recently rolled out an innovative program that supports students personal and professional development at the intersection of business and mental health. Last year, David ’91 and Dina Nass ’91 (A&S) pledged$500,000 to the Whitman School to create an initiative that would promote greater work-life balance by teaching students to identify red flags associated with mental health, while also helping to destigmatize mental health issues students may face in a competitive workforce.“This kind of support for mental health-related issues is something we haven’t seen at many other business schools, despite it being increasingly important for young professionals to understand,” says McKelvie. “The programming we are creating through the generosity of the Nass family is forward thinking, innovative and rare, and we are grateful to them for helping Whitman make this possible.”The program will bring resources to graduate and undergraduate students through classwork, guest speakers, symposiums, technology and other information to promote solid mental health practices and avenues to seek help.As part of the Nass Mental Health Initiative, Whitman offered all students the option to participate in the 21-day Well-being Challenge, a mental health platform created by Olivia Bowser ’16, CEO of Liberate. This was offered last semester during finals week, a hectic time for students. Another option is Tuesdays with Bauer, when students can visit with a certified therapy dog, whose friendly demeanor and wagging tail give them a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of classes, deadlines and other obligations. Bauer is aWhitman favorite, often accompanying owner Assistant Teaching Professor Elizabeth Wimer to the school.

WHITMAN OFFERS EXTENSIVE LIST OF INTERDISCIPLINARY DEGREES

Interdisciplinary opportunities are another hallmark of the Whitman School, and the options for students to pursue business in concert with other interests continue to grow. Today, dozens of programs have been designed to allow Whitman students to earn two degrees either simultaneously or consecutively, depending on the requirements. This innovative approach doesn’t make students choose between business and another interest but instead works together across the colleges and schools on campus to give Whitman students a wider range of options at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.In the past year, the Whitman School announced several new signature options, including a master’s degree in sustainable organizations and policy with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and PublicAffairs; an undergraduate degree in the field of sport management/business, an undergraduate degree in public health/business, and a master’s degree in public health (M.P.H.)/MBA, all in conjunction with theDavid B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics; and an M.S. in biotechnology/MBA program with theCollege of Arts and Sciences.

THE EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH

Whitman’s research output and support have become comparable to top research schools over the past 10 years, according to Michel Benaroch, associate dean for research and Ph.D. programs and professor of management information systems. The school has covered a great distance through the leadership commitment to a culture that values, promotes and incentivizes faculty to produce research of the highest caliber. Leadership has committed significant financial resources to allow progress on multiple fronts, including hiring and retaining outstanding research faculty and providing them with the support necessary to excel, as well as the transfer of research outside of the Whitman School, which showcases thought leadership to numerous audiences. 

Benaroch joined Whitman prior to 2000 and notes that, while a level of research took place at the time, it was not  strong enough to compete with top research schools. Over the past two decades, he has been an active part of an effort that is generating growth that puts Whitman in the spotlight more often and exemplifies the school’s reputation for important business-related research. This latest level of success is due to improvements in the kind of faculty Whitman attracts by offering increased support for their professional development, providing additional research funding, flexibility of scheduling, public recognition of successful faculty and overall increased rankings of the Whitman School.

Over the past decade, Whitman has hired faculty already involved in valuable research. Two years ago, the school welcomed Si Cheng as an associate professor in the Department of Finance. Cheng’s research and publications on empirical asset pricing and delegated asset management appear in the topmost finance journals. This fall, Whitman welcomed Paul Momtaz as a visiting associate professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises. His research centers on entrepreneurial finance with a focus on sustainability and digital technologies. And, Ye Liu joined Whitman as an assistant professor of supply chain management after completing a Ph.D. at Washington University in St. Louis. As a Ph.D. student, Liu conducted extensive research in solving some of the operational issues of hog farming/pork production using foundations of supply chain management and has co-authored several papers on this topic.

According to Benaroch, key to Whitman’s success  is recruiting faculty involved in quality research, as those who are doing valuable work are often highly sought after by other schools. To this end, Whitman has allocated significant funding over the past five years to faculty research, which can now be used over the summer months, too, while also giving them more autonomy over how they use the funds in their work. 

“Fifteen years ago, the culture didn’t have the same level of trust that professional funds were being used responsibly,” Benaroch says. “But, since then,  a dramatic change in culture and thinking is getting results. Faculty members no longer have to make a case for their research or ask to publish or attend conferences. This has given them the independence and acknowledgement that their work is appreciated, which has clearly been a factor in retention. In addition, the amount of funding today rivals some of the best research schools out there.”

Funding isn’t the only measure of success, however, as today’s Whitman faculty also need both time and flexibility to balance their teaching with their research interests. Whitman faculty understand that leadership and the workplace culture support their need for teaching flexibility to provide adequate time blocks for research, as well as see their work as valuable and essential to facilitating the growth and reputation of Whitman among other business schools and throughout the business arena.

Meaningful research is most impactful when it is shared through publication in respected journals, presentations at prestigious conferences, before policymakers and business leadership, in the community and to the media.

Associate Professor of Management and department chair Lynne Vincent has been highlighted in the media about topics related to labor issues, strikes and four-day work weeks. Professor of Supply Chain Practice Patrick Penfield is a frequent face in the national media, including on outlets such as Good Morning America, discussing a variety of supply chain management issues like toilet paper shortages, the Baltimore bridge collapse, green energy, self-checkout policies and the semiconductor industry. Professor of Practice Kivanc Avrenli has been in the news speaking on his commercial aviation safety research in light of recent incidents with Boeing 737s and 787s.  

Michel Benaroch, associate dean for research and Ph.D. programs, professor of management information systems

We are aiming for a culture of knowledge sharing that will benefit faculty members’ own work, widen the educational  experience of our students, and shine a brighter light on the Whitman School as a place that is generating impactful thought leadership, while also raising our ranking to a top 25 business school with valuable research contributing not only to business but to making the world a better place,” says Benaroch.

“Today’s Whitman School has a much greater emphasis on sharing this information to our undergraduate students and getting them interested in participating in research experiences that they can add to their resumes in order to make themselves more competitive when they enter the workforce,” he adds. “We have been determined to evolve the culture of the school so that students who want the opportunity to work in research have access to faculty willing to take them on as part of their own research efforts, and this is a very big step in becoming a true research institution.”

Says McKelvie, “Research is one of the major components by which business schools are judged and where peer assessment by other business schools matters to rankings. Publishing high-quality research makes our scholarship more influential and shows the level of thinking and depth our faculty are making in regard to societal issues. Being able to communicate that information is part of a growing culture at the Whitman School. We have committed more resources and a greater budget, as well as the tools, systems and mentoring that faculty members need to do quality research. 

“The Whitman School has come a long way in its research output over the past 20 years, and that didn’t happen by accident but was a result of the school’s commitment and validation of talented people doing meaningful work,” he adds. “We’re excited to see a continuous output of research that will secure the Whitman School as one of the leading business schools in the country.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP FOR VETERANS SPARKED UNIVERSITY- WIDE MILITARY PROGRAMS

Inaugural EBV Class

Among Whitman’s many firsts over the past 20 years is the creation of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) in 2007, which continues to grow and provide those who served in the U.S. armed forces after 9/11 the skills to build a successful future through entrepreneurship. The EBV program has expanded to other universities across the country. It offers three phases, which include business fundamentals and research; a residency experience at one of the eight EBV consortium schools; and/or a year of support to assist in the creation of growth of a small business. According to Haynie, the EBV program was the starting point for the many innovative educational programs offered to veterans that exist on the University campus today, including the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), which was born at Whitman in 2011 and now operates as a stand-alone entity.

EEE PROFESSOR SHARES  RESEARCH IN CONGRESS AND IN CLASSROOM

David Lucas is the Edward Pettinella Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and a research fellow with the Institute for an Entrepreneurial Society. He has done extensive research on how specific policies and political ideologies affect entrepreneurial activity.

“I see the opportunity to do research at the Whitman School as a blessing I greatly enjoy, but one that comes with a responsibility to steward my role by working on topics that matter outside academia and developing insights that point to what is true,” he says.  

David Lucas, assistant professor of entrepreneurship

Lucas has drawn on his academic articles about homelessness to share about the role of policy and entrepreneurial efforts to engage this immense social challenge. “These efforts opened the door for me to testify before Congress in a hearing on homelessness, and I continue to think and write about how we, as a society, can turn the tide on this problem,” he says. 

Lucas’ research has also involved how legislation and private-sector certifications can interactively enable businesses to integrate values and benefit society. One such paper was recently named as a finalist for the 2024 Responsible Research in Management Award sponsored by the Academy of Management Fellows.

Lucas draws on this when teaching Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship. “It is very rewarding to equip students who already have a passion for real-world issues with the tools and a vision to see entrepreneurship as a meaningful vehicle for positive change,” he says.

THE EVOLUTION OF PHYSICAL SPACE

When the Whitman School opened its doors for the first time 20 years ago, it was an example of the latest business education had to offer in the early 2000s, with computer labs that allowed all students to access desktop computers and faculty offices that relied solely on landlines. But, since 2005, the orange and blue has faded a bit due to wear and tear from thousands of eager business students and busy faculty who has used the building every day since. Technology has advanced at a rapid pace, and the way the original spaces were meant to be utilized have, in some cases, become outdated. While the school has made updates through the years, 2024 marked a time for a much needed refresh that reflects how far the Whitman School has come in its use of technology and efficiency of space.

“The decisions made for how the Whitman School looked 20 years ago were the right ones back then because they reflected the space and equipment that were used at that time. Two decades later a lot has changed. It is time to maximize our investment in the physical space in the most useful, efficient, secure and technologically advanced ways possible,” says McKelvie. “It’s not just about sprucing things up. It’s about making data-driven decisions about the best way to use our space to continue to exemplify how the Whitman School is on a trajectory to be one of the top business schools anywhere, and part of that is making an indelible first impression on students, parents, alumni, donors and other people who enter our first-class building.”

Today, the first impression most people who walk into Whitman see are the changes that have been made to Flaum Grand Hall, a magnificent gathering space just inside the front doors. The highlight of the renovation is a 28-foot by 7½ -foot video wall that can’t be missed, showcasing digital images of a day in the life at the Whitman School and other important communication. The video wall includes integrated microphones and speakers, making it not only a welcoming space for students to gather, study or socialize, but also a place reconfigured to serve as a venue for meetings, competitions or alumni events. New terrazzo tile, along with furniture that can be reconfigured in different ways depending on the needs of the space, add to the overall “Wow!” factor. 

“It’s a terrific area that can’t help but welcome you to Whitman,” says McKelvie. “We are excited to make all kinds of use of the redesign in what has become the central living room at Whitman and a fine example of the kind of business education we offer here.” 

According to John Reedy, executive director of information services and facilities, who oversaw the building’s recent refresh, the project’s priorities focused on aesthetics, security, functional improvement and technology.

With an emphasis on showcasing the Whitman School, the main floor has undergone some of the most significant upgrades. A major investment in new carpeting for nine office suites, three conference rooms and a few other highly visible areas, including the fourth-floor hallway, the Dean’s suite and the Lender Auditorium, makes an impactful impression. In addition, many areas have been repainted, including a four-story wall in the central stairwell, adding a touch of Syracuse University spirit.

The Couri Hatchery on Whitman’s main floor has been reimagined with improvements that make the space look and feel like a professional business incubator with a setup suitable for budding entrepreneurs to work together with additional office space for faculty advisors, mentors and entrepreneurs-in-residence. 

Analog bulletin boards have been replaced by 10 86-inch digital signs in the hallways to streamline communication and direct people to the many events and activities happening inside the building. 

One of the biggest improvements in technology, according to Reedy, is the use of an advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system. Numerous RFID locks have been installed throughout the building, as well as 12 high-definition security cameras. Students, faculty and staff can now swipe in to certain spaces, while allowing other areas to remain restricted, if necessary. And use of RDIF technology will provide data to continue to assess the efficiency of space within the Whitman School. 

A new room reservation system allows students to reserve one of the 40-plus team rooms based on their program level and the time of the year. During the end of a semester, for example, the system allows access to rooms that were previously only reserved for graduate students. And the team room reservation system allows setup for recurring office hours for part-time faculty without assigned office space.

Other efficiencies have resulted in reconfiguring some classrooms to reflect current needs both recently and over the past couple of years. The number of computer labs has been downsized, as today almost all students bring their own laptops to class — and those without access have 100 laptops available on loan. Whitman has transitioned to Azure virtual desktop for its virtual lab infrastructure, which allows students to log in to a virtual lab machine that has access to the licensed software that they would normally have to access on a physical terminal. Now, they can log in from their personal devices. And two classrooms on the concourse level have been converted to 50-person flat classrooms in the past year, taking over some underutilized space and making them more disability friendly. 

IMPRESS PROGRAM OFFERS LEADERSHIP, TECHNOLOGY AND SOFT SKILLS EMPLOYERS SEEK 

Having a holistic learning experience at the Whitman School is much more than earning academic credits. So Whitman created a special experience through the the Goodman IMPRESS Program to give students the soft skills and other attributes that employers are looking for in a job candidate. 

“Employers want to see those who have confidence and leadership abilities, excellent business etiquette, certifications in things like LinkedIn Learning, great communication skills and more,” says Kari Morrow, program manager of the IMPRESS program.  

The incoming Class of 2028, is the 11th cohort to participate in this program, which was developed based on feedback from alumni and employers on ways that Whitman graduates could be more prepared for the professional world. The program’s success led to the creation of the Whitman Industry Readiness & Excellence (WIRE) initiative in 2020, which funded industry-recognized certifications such as Microsoft Excel and Google Data Analytics for students. The Goodman Leadership Academy was established in 2022-23 for a select group of sophomores seeking to further their leadership skills and build confidence and strategic thinking. Says Morrow, “The IMPRESS Program, Goodman Leadership Academy and WIRE not only enhance opportunities for our current students but also attract prospective students to the Whitman School, as well as catch the attention of potential employers looking for those who can bring these high-level skill sets to their companies.” 

THE EVOLUTION OF THE CAREER CENTER

While career advising has always existed at the school, the current Career Center began in the mid-2000s with only one part-time and three full-time employees. The Career Center has expanded to seven full-time advisors, along with additional staff, who help students make the most of their Whitman education. Two employees are specifically dedicated to assisting graduate students. 

According to Kara Primrose, director of the Career Services, “We build trust, respect and partnerships between students and advisors throughout their entire time at Whitman, not just when they are about to start their job search. Our primary purpose today is to future proof our students by guiding their choices of a major, a degree or career path and helping them understand all the options that are open to them, as well as introduce students to the continuously growing number of resources that can enhance their Whitman experience, and their resumes, to make them even more outstanding job candidates.”

Undergraduates are assigned an advisor when they enroll and are often in contact before the school year even begins. And, starting in their first year at Whitman, undergraduate students are typically matched with an advisor through their IMPRESS houses but can later switch to an advisor who has expertise in a specific major or career interest, making for a more specialized experience.

Kara Primrose, director of Career Services

Some students enter Whitman not sure of what major to pursue, while others are focused on a certain area of business. Whatever the circumstances, the Career Center attempts to meet students where they are. Advisors lay out students’ options — like how well-established majors, for example, accounting or finance, have expanded into new areas and offer opportunities that require special skill sets or technical knowledge that may not have even existed 20 years ago; or introduce them to some of the majors that Whitman has expanded on in recent years to reflect changes in the business world, like business analytics. Other opportunities include double majors (pursuing two majors simultaneously at the Whitman School) and dual majors (earning a degree from Whitman and another from one of the other colleges or schools on campus) which, are growing in popularity as the school embraces multi-disciplinary learning. 

“Today, the process of finding the right fit for a student is much more innovative and nuanced,” says Primrose. “The jobs that an incoming first-year student in the Class of ’28 might have when he or she graduates may not even exist right now, so we encourage students to have a certain agility to take what they learn in  the classroom and through various co-curricular experiences and apply that to new opportunities that will more than likely surface during their own careers. We want all of our students to prioritize curiosity and engagement both in and outside of the classroom.”

Unlike two decades ago, Whitman’s Career Center advisors now rely more heavily on data-driven information from expanded business-related resources, as well as information from recent Whitman graduates who are annually surveyed on their career plans, according to Primrose. This approach is vital to helping Whitman students fine-tune their expectations and understand what skills and experiences they need to stand out in a workforce that becomes more competitive with each passing year. 

Alumni from every area of business are also an important resource for the Career Center, as they share their experience as mentors, speakers, advisors share their experience as mentors, speakers, advisors and thought leaders, while also opening doors to their own workplaces for Whitman students interested in internships or job opportunities. 

“Our alumni are very generous with their time and access to knowledge,” says Primrose. “Orange blood runs deep around here, and our alumni want to keep Whitman students moving forward.”

EMPLOYER & INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS

The school and its students also benefit from fostering corporate partnerships with major companies like the Big Four accounting firms and other blue-chip corporations. While this responsibility used to fall to the Career Center team, in 2019, a corporate relations role was created to grow existing connections and develop new ones between corporations and the Whitman School through mentoring, internships, experiential learning, career panels and job opportunities.

Sara Garvey, director of employer & industry partnerships, works with existing Whitman partners to seek areas of growth, employment trends, new skill set requirements and other ways to increase the educational value and reputation of the Whitman School. In addition, she looks to make inroads with new corporate partners, particularly large, national or international public companies that might not yet include Whitman in their recruitment cycles.  

“This role has not only allowed the Career Center to focus more on our students but has shown a real commitment to fostering corporate partnerships that are mutually beneficial to companies and students. We have made progress through alumni and other Whitman supporters, and we’re looking to include more notable companies to the list in the future,” says Garvey. “Of course, companies want students from reputable, high-ranking business schools, but they also want well-rounded students who have both the academics and complementary skills that make them job ready on day one. We’re building a program so our corporate partners say, ‘I want a Whitman student.’”

“Candidly, I think we really are at an inflection point at the evolution of the Whitman School,” says Haynie. “We are working with the University to elevate  our brand, reputation and student experience at Whitman with the goal of being a top-25 undergraduate business school. We’re investing millions of dollars into physical renovations, the introduction of new technology, strategic hiring of faculty, particularly those who are bringing innovative research to our school, and promoting innovation throughout everything we do at Whitman.”  

“The future is very exciting for the Whitman School. Haynie adds. “Even as we celebrate 20 years of the Martin J. Whitman School and the many accomplishments we’ve had to date, we are continuing to lay out strategic plans to drive a continuous transformation plan that keeps us reaching for the next goal, the next need and the next evolution of the school. We have a bold vision for the future, and it is exciting to work toward what that will look like.”