Letter from the Dean
Spring is a season of new beginnings, and this spring at the Whitman School feels especially significant.
Since I last wrote to you in the fall, our community has accomplished a great deal, and the momentum we have built together is reflected in a variety of notable ways. This issue is also the first to be published exclusively in digital format, a change that reflects our commitment to reaching you wherever you are and engaging our community in the most timely and accessible way possible. It is one of many new beginnings we are celebrating this season.
Perhaps most exciting is the recognition our school has received in several major rankings this year. Poets&Quants ranked Whitman #37 among the nation's Best Undergraduate Business Schools in 2026 and, just as importantly, rated us #1 in the country for student participation in experiential learning programs. Princeton Review recognized our entrepreneurship programs as #11 in the nation and #2 in the Northeast for both undergraduate and graduate students. And Fortune Magazine ranked our Full-Time MBA program #47 in the United States, the first-time breaking top 50 in that publication. Each of these recognitions reflects the tireless work of our faculty, staff and students, and the very real progress we are making toward our Transformation 2030 goal of becoming a top 25 undergraduate business program.
This semester also brought the official launch of Whitman’s Experiential Center, a milestone the Whitman School should be enormously proud of. The center unites our signature hands-on programs, including global immersions, case competitions, live-client projects, simulations, the Orange Business Angel Network and more, under one coordinated team and office. The Experiential Center’s work is built around four pillars: Be Global, Be Innovative, Be Collaborative and Be Prepared. For the first time, these experiences are connected in a way that creates a clear, intentional pathway for every Whitman student, regardless of major or background. This supports our belief that modern business education needs to focus on meaningful and relevant experiences. This is just the beginning of what this center will make possible for our students.
This spring also brought a significant and exciting development for our broader University community. J. Michael Haynie, who has been a Whitman faculty member since 2006, the Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship, served as Whitman's executive dean, and as a transformational leader across Syracuse University, was named the next Chancellor of Syracuse University. Mike's vision, dedication to students and his belief in the power of this institution have shaped so much of what we are building at Whitman. We congratulate him wholeheartedly and look forward to the next chapter his leadership will bring to Syracuse University.
New beginnings are not just about what changes. They are also about what endures. Our commitment to preparing students for career success in a complex world has not wavered; if anything, it has sharpened. Our job placement numbers among graduating students remain very strong, despite a challenging job market. Transformation 2030 is our roadmap, and this semester's milestones are proof that the work is moving us in the right direction.
In the features that follow, you will read more about these stories and the many other ways our students, faculty, staff and alumni are making a difference. Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the Whitman School.
Best wishes,
Alex McKelvie
Interim Dean, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
Since I last wrote to you in the fall, our community has accomplished a great deal, and the momentum we have built together is reflected in a variety of notable ways. This issue is also the first to be published exclusively in digital format, a change that reflects our commitment to reaching you wherever you are and engaging our community in the most timely and accessible way possible. It is one of many new beginnings we are celebrating this season.
Perhaps most exciting is the recognition our school has received in several major rankings this year. Poets&Quants ranked Whitman #37 among the nation's Best Undergraduate Business Schools in 2026 and, just as importantly, rated us #1 in the country for student participation in experiential learning programs. Princeton Review recognized our entrepreneurship programs as #11 in the nation and #2 in the Northeast for both undergraduate and graduate students. And Fortune Magazine ranked our Full-Time MBA program #47 in the United States, the first-time breaking top 50 in that publication. Each of these recognitions reflects the tireless work of our faculty, staff and students, and the very real progress we are making toward our Transformation 2030 goal of becoming a top 25 undergraduate business program.
This semester also brought the official launch of Whitman’s Experiential Center, a milestone the Whitman School should be enormously proud of. The center unites our signature hands-on programs, including global immersions, case competitions, live-client projects, simulations, the Orange Business Angel Network and more, under one coordinated team and office. The Experiential Center’s work is built around four pillars: Be Global, Be Innovative, Be Collaborative and Be Prepared. For the first time, these experiences are connected in a way that creates a clear, intentional pathway for every Whitman student, regardless of major or background. This supports our belief that modern business education needs to focus on meaningful and relevant experiences. This is just the beginning of what this center will make possible for our students.
This spring also brought a significant and exciting development for our broader University community. J. Michael Haynie, who has been a Whitman faculty member since 2006, the Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship, served as Whitman's executive dean, and as a transformational leader across Syracuse University, was named the next Chancellor of Syracuse University. Mike's vision, dedication to students and his belief in the power of this institution have shaped so much of what we are building at Whitman. We congratulate him wholeheartedly and look forward to the next chapter his leadership will bring to Syracuse University.
New beginnings are not just about what changes. They are also about what endures. Our commitment to preparing students for career success in a complex world has not wavered; if anything, it has sharpened. Our job placement numbers among graduating students remain very strong, despite a challenging job market. Transformation 2030 is our roadmap, and this semester's milestones are proof that the work is moving us in the right direction.
In the features that follow, you will read more about these stories and the many other ways our students, faculty, staff and alumni are making a difference. Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the Whitman School.
Best wishes,
Alex McKelvie
Interim Dean, Martin J. Whitman School of Management