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Whitman Publications
Fall 2024 Magazine

Fall 2024 Magazine

From the Dean

The Whitman School is bubbling with excitement again. As I write this, approximately 550 new first-year undergraduate students, 85 transfer students and about 100 graduate students are early into their fall semester. There is a lot of energy — from both new and returning students — as they adjust to a new learning environment, reconnect with classmates, ponder the next steps in their careers or simply enjoy the beauty of the Syracuse University campus.

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

Collage showing Whitman from groundbreaking, to construction to finished building

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.

Whitman Briefings

Inaugural Whitman Dean’s Sustainable Development Goals Innovation Challenge Awards $25,000 in Prizes

Bandages that monitor for diabetic foot ulcers and creating safe spaces for conversations about sexual wellness and self-love were just some of the winning innovations presented at the Whitman School Dean’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Innovation Challenge on April 18.

Whitman’s New Assistant Dean Works to Realign Alumni Engagement and Advancement to Improve Outreach

In February, Michael Paulus joined Whitman as the assistant dean of advancement and external engagement. As Paulus settles into his role, he is focusing on realigning the structure of how Whitman communicates with its alumni, donors, parents and others as an essential part of the school’s goal of becoming a top 25 undergraduate business school.

Inaugural Panasci Local Leadership Initiative

The program — offered in conjunction with Leadership Greater Syracuse — emphasized important economic growth and future-looking areas to raise students’ awareness of what is available in Central New York. The longer-term impact of this program is to build community and have the students strongly consider launching their careers locally.

Whitman’s Panasci Business Competition Awards $40,000 to Emerging Entrepreneurs

From delicious new food items to cloud management solutions and an innovative digital platform to connect local food producers and consumers, this year’s Panasci Business Plan Competition showcased outstanding ideas from the most innovative, business-minded students across Syracuse University.

Student Spotlights

Being a Team Player Enhances Growth

As a senior at New Trier High School outside of Chicago, Evan Kalish ’25 set his sights on studying business in college. When he saw many of his classmates heading to different universities, he knew he wanted to chart his own path.

New Perspectives Bring Good Business

Chidinma Chikwe ’25 MBA aspires to be a business leader who not only drives profit but also prioritizes both the employees who power her company and the customers who trust her products.

Cable Executive Is an Advocate of Lifelong Learning

After three decades of leadership in the cable television industry, Nomi Bergman ’24 MBA expanded her horizons by taking on the role of an adjunct professor at Syracuse University’s iSchool, teaching Information Policy and Decision Making. Despite her extensive experience, she had reservations about not holding a master’s degree.

Studying the Impact of Digital Technologies on Marketing Strategy and Influence

As an undergraduate mechanical engineering student, Jaihyun Jeon ’26 Ph.D. worked in a robotics laboratory that focused on developing walking-aid rehabilitation tools for patients with disabled legs. Although he received two patents for products he developed, the experience turned him in a new direction.

Advancement and External Relations

Message from the Assistant Dean of Advancement and External Engagement

In this issue of Whitman magazine, you have read about the evolution of our school — the many ways Whitman has continued to transform as a unit and enhance the experience for our students since our founding and especially in recent years.

Five Honored With Annual Awards for Outstanding Commitment to Whitman

On June 13, the Whitman School hosted its annual evening of appreciation and recognition for engaged alumni, corporate partners and friends at The Westin New York Grand Central in New York City. The event is held to show gratitude for those who directly contribute to Whitman’s success each academic year.

Whitman Advisory Council’s Evolution to Bring Renewed Opportunities to Whitman and its Students

Since the Whitman Advisory Council (WAC) was established 50 years ago, its respected members and business leaders have been an instrumental resource to the Whitman School and its students. In response to a continuously competitive business world, the WAC is evolving the way it assists Whitman in achieving its mission.

Young Alumni Profile: Titilayo Otukoya '23

Meet Titilayo Otukoya ’23, who earned an MBA with a concentration in finance and marketing. She previously earned a B.S. in international law and diplomacy from Babcock University in her home country of Nigeria. Today, Otukoya is an associate at Goldman Sachs Ayco, a leader in company-sponsored financial counseling programs for employees.

Orange in the Family: Two Generations of Whitman Alumni Lead Family-Owned Business

For David Gelles ’76 and Matthew Gelles ’10, business is in their blood and so is Syracuse Orange. The father/son duo leads NEFCO, the construction supply company that David founded in 1981. And while they have much in common — like growing up in an entrepreneurial family with strong Syracuse connections — they each bring a different approach that has enabled their family-owned business to thrive over decades.

From Track Star to Trash Entrepreneur: Former Orange Athlete Gregory Lettieri ’04 Runs Fast-Growing Waste Management Tech Company

As a Syracuse student, Gregory Lettieri ’04 was a member of the track team. The consumer studies major and retail management minor in the Whitman School ran the 200-meter dash. Twice as long as the all-out sprint of the 100 meters, the 200-meter dash requires a combination of speed, strategy and discipline. It was the perfect event for Lettieri.

Putting People First on Every Team: Former Orange Soccer Player Sean Boyle ’01 Leads Through Relationships

Sean Boyle’s life revolves around relationships. Whether he’s talking about work, family or mentoring Syracuse student-athletes, it’s clear that he thrives on human connection.

Honor Roll

Thank you to our generous donors! View the Whitman honor roll from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

Class Notes

Learn about your classmates’ new positions, promotions, family additions, awards and recognition in the Fall 2024 Class News & Notes section.

Three Whitman Advisory Council (WAC) members: Michael J. Falcone ’57, Bernie Kossar ’53, L’55 and H. John Riley Jr. ’61 (ESC).

READ MORE

Former Whitman Professor Alejandro S. Amezcua G’05 (MAX), ’10 Ph.D. (MAX).

Focus on Faculty

Newly Chaired Professor’s Teaching and Research on How Business Creates Value Positively Impacts the Whitman School

After earning a Ph.D. from UCLA, Professor of Management Natarajan Balasubramanian joined the faculty at the Whitman School in 2009. Since then, he has contributed not only to educating Whitman students interested in the field of management but also in the ongoing effort to raise the profile of the school through his research, published works, awards, grants, presentations and service.

In the News and Trending: Partnership with NASA Brings Technology, Innovation, Creativity to Help Develop Tomorrow’s Thought Leaders at the Whitman School

Much is said about preparing today’s students for the continuously changing business world that awaits them. These next few decades will surely demand new thinking around innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, ideation and value creation. Thought leaders will need to be prepared to face new pressing problems and challenges head on. We expect that graduates of the Whitman School will be among these thought leaders, and it is our commitment to make sure they are prepared through industry skills and resources. One such resource that we are proud to share with our students is access to patented innovation from NASA.

Whitman Welcomes Four New Faculty in 2024-25 Academic Year

Whitman welcomes four new faculty in 2024-25 academic year, including real estate, marketing, supply chain and entrepreneurship faculty.

Assistant Teaching Professor Uses Flex Space to Maximize Learning

The refresh that the physical space at the Whitman School has undergone also boosts learning with the kind of flexibility that some faculty members use to its full potential.

Credit Cycles, Expectations and Corporate Investment

New research by assistant professor of finance Candace Jens and her colleagues tackles an old theory. In 1957, economist Hyman Minsky posited that recessions were, in part, driven by firms overborrowing and overinvesting, which created not only their own subsequent fragility but that of the overall economy.

What is the Effect of Regime Change on Early-stage Entrepreneurial Activity?

David Lucas, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and research fellow at the Institute for an Entrepreneurial Society, tackles this question in a new article in the Journal of Business Venturing.

Navigating the Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Effects of Ethical Voice

Approaching a supervisor with ethical concerns about the company and recommendations for possible improvements – a behavior called ethical voice – can feel risky. “You don’t know how this is going to be received,” says Joel Carnevale, associate professor of management and one of the authors of a new study forthcoming in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Incentives Help Bring Healthcare Products to Underserved Regions

Many existing health care solutions do not reach those most in need. Low- and middle-income countries, many of them in Africa, often cannot afford to pay for such life-saving products as malaria bed nets, viral load tests or contraceptives.

Are you interested in past issues of the magazine? Please visit our publications page here.

If you would prefer to receive the magazine digitally rather than in hard copy or you would no longer like to receive the magazine, please visit here.

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