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Whitman Publications
Spring 2025 Magazine

Spring 2025 Magazine

Letter From the Dean

As we conclude another academic year at the Whitman School of Management, I am excited to share more of the stories of success that underscore our commitment to offering cutting-edge education that prepares students for the dynamic world that awaits, our continued innovation and an unwavering emphasis on excellence.

Weaving AI into the Fiber of all Aspects of Business Education

Imagine a world without mass transit, electricity, the telephone or the internet. Over the past 200 years, each of these was considered a disruptive technology, as the horse and buggy were replaced by rail cars, candles were doused by lightbulbs, and almost no one today has a landline in their home, much less a set of encyclopedias. Each of these was an improvement, even if there were skeptics at the time.

Whitman Briefings

Syracuse University’s Second Annual ’CUSE50 Summit

The Whitman School had nearly 350 students in attendance for the 2024 ’CUSE50 Summit held Nov. 15, 2024.

Orange Tank Competition Marks 10 Years of Driving Entrepreneurial Success

The ideas showcased at the Annual Orange Tank competition definitely did not disappoint as the Whitman School marked 10 years of the competition on Nov. 1, 2024.

75th Annual Whitman Salzberg Awards

The Whitman School held the 75th Annual Harry E. Salzberg Memorial Lecture Program on Oct. 3, 2024. The Salzberg Medallion is one of the most prestigious awards in transportation and supply chain management.

IMPACT Speaker Series

The Whitman School hosted the second year of its IMPACT Speaker Series, bringing in global business leaders who shared their experiences and insights with the Whitman community on real issues happening in the business world today.

Whitman School Launches Whitman Leadership Circle to Support Students, Faculty and Transformation of the Educational Experience

Merit scholarships that retain top first-year students. Fellowships that allow faculty to pursue their interests and bring emerging knowledge back into the classroom. Funding for students to participate in experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom. Physical improvements to the Whitman School. These are examples of the impact that has come from the newly launched Whitman Leadership Circle (WLC), a philanthropic giving society created to transform the educational experience by harnessing the power and support of the Whitman School community.

Student Spotlights

Whitman Ambassador Thankful for Opportunities Syracuse Has Provided

Korean American student Enoca Shin ’25 was excited to visit Japan and South Korea as part of a Whitman School Business in East Asia Immersion trip at the end of her sophomore year.

Using Her MBA Experience as a Business LaunchPad

Growing up with a diabetic father, Tosin Alabi ’25 MBA was acutely aware of the dangers of foot ulcers for people with diabetes. Now, the Nigerian-born MBA student is poised to disrupt diabetes care through a smart sock bandage that helps detect early signs of diabetic foot ulcer.

Online MBA Student Co-Founds Historic Whiskey Brand, Shares Career Experience with Whitman Students

You might say that Keith Weaver ’25 MBA is taking things one sip at a time—with a number of fascinating business opportunities in whiskey, real estate development and hospitality that has taken him from his hometown of Los Angeles to the heart of Tennessee.

International Student Focuses on Digital Marketing and Social Responsibility

Marketing can achieve more than promoting a brand and driving sales. According to fourth-year doctoral student Xiaobo Lin ’25 Ph.D., “Marketing that reflects a company’s stance has the power to raise.

2025 Whitman Scholars

Whitman Scholars are chosen from the senior class each year through a competitive selection process. To be considered, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.65 and a demonstrated history of engagement and leadership at the Whitman School and Syracuse University. Here the 2025 Whitman Scholars share their thoughts on their experiences and the skills they gained at Syracuse University.

2025 Graduate Student Spotlights

Jude Azai, Donald Freenor, Bhavana Murthy, Mi Kelly Tran

Our 2025 Masters graduates share their thoughts on how Whitman has helped change their futures!

Advancement and External Relations

Letter from the Assistant Dean of Advancement and External Engagement

What a year for Whitman! As we near the end of the 2024-25 school year, I write to offer updates on the progress we have made this year in strengthening our connections with alumni, parents and donors; elevating our engagement opportunities; increasing philanthropic support for the Whitman School; and, most importantly, making an impact on the students and faculty of our school.

More Experiences: Whitman Opportunity Fund Opens Doors for Students

Internships, case competitions and career exploration trips play a crucial role in shaping the futures of Whitman School students. Through these experiences, students hone their skills and make valuable connections. Established in fall 2024 by a gift from Douglas ’86 and Susan Present, the Whitman Opportunity Fund ensures that these kinds of opportunities are within reach for all students. The need-based fund covers expenses related to student activities that aren’t normally included in scholarship funding, like living expenses during internships.

Influencing the Influencers: Impact on the Content Creation Industry

Despite their differing media backgrounds, Grubbs, Baevsky and Spina are each helping to shape the content we consume. They represent the impact of Whitman School students and alumni on the evolving content creation industry.

Whitman’s Southern California Alumni Represent Growing Presence on the West Coast

“Go West, young man!” This iconic statement credited to newspaper editor Horace Greeley in 1854 echoed a time when Americans were enticed by the country’s westward expansion and opportunities like plentiful farmland and the lure of the California Gold Rush. Meet three Whitman alumni who have found success in California, while still staying in touch with their East Coast alma mater.

From Flowers to Horse Racing: Bill Strauss ’80 Found His Way from the Post Position to the Winner’s Circle

Growing up in New Jersey, Bill Strauss ’80 never imagined his business savvy would lead him to a successful career that would take him to California to work in tech, run one of the country’s top e-commerce companies, partner in a popular San Diego restaurant and make a Run for the Roses at the Kentucky Derby.

Two Sets of Twins in Class of 2015 Doubled Down on Success with a Whitman Education

The chance of having twins is approximately 3% globally, but the chance of having two sets of twins enroll in the Class of 2015 at the Whitman School would certainly challenge even the most savvy statistician.

Class Notes

Learn about your classmates’ new positions, promotions, family additions, awards and recognition in the Spring 2025 Class News & Notes section.

The Growing Role of Whitman Parents: New Programs Build Meaningful Relationships

During the 2024-25 academic year, Whitman launched two initiatives, both of which play a role in an ongoing effort to increase the parents involvement: Parents Advisory Council and Whitman Leadership Circle (WLC).

A Strong Foundation: The Habayebs Provide an Endowed Fund

According to Elias Habayeb ’93, P’29, his Whitman School education gave him a strong foundation for a decades-long career in the financial industry. In 2024, Habayeb, along with his wife, Michelle, created a new fund to give future students the same foundation.

Focus on Faculty

Marketing Professor Champions Critical Thinking and Experiential Learning

During three decades of teaching, Eunkyu Lee, professor of marketing and associate dean for global initiatives, has witnessed marketing practices and consumer behavior impacted by revolutionary forces, including the creation of the internet, the development of smartphones, the founding of Amazon and, now, the adoption of AI.

Faculty Research

Combining Deep Reinforcement Learning with AI for Optimal Selling Strategies on Hog Farms

Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management Ye Liu and colleagues have developed a new, AI-powered approach to hog farm management. Their support tool, introduced in the Journal of Operations Management, builds on deep reinforcement learning and allows farmers to make better selling decisions in a complex environment.

How Does Hedging Affect Product Market Competition?

Professor of Finance and Michael J. Falcone Chair in Real Estate Erasmo Giambona and colleagues examine this question in an article in the Review of Financial Studies. They find that if life insurance companies have the opportunity to better protect their assets, they can price their products more competitively. This in turn allows them to gain market share and serve customers more effectively.

Examining Gender Inequality in Academic Publishing

Editors of academic journals hold an influential position in their field. They have decision making power over which authors and papers get published, set journal policy and help shape the trajectory of their discipline. It is also a role in which women are frequently underrepresented. Assistant Professor of Accounting Sebastian Tideman-Frappart and several colleagues set out to fill a knowledge gap about this issue in the field of management science by tracking gender diversity in world-leading management journals over time.

Entrepreneurs Create Businesses—and Meaning—for Life Satisfaction

Many entrepreneurs are motivated not simply by a desire to get rich but also by the wish to self-actualize by creating something meaningful. This idea is at the center of a new study by Al Berg Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship Johan Wiklund and co-authors Nadav Shir, lecturer and senior researcher in the Faculty of Business Administration of Ono Academic College in Israel, and Srikant Manchiraju, associate professor at Florida State University’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship.

Whitman School Professor Peter Koveos Remembered

Peter Koveos, professor of finance and Kiebach Chair in International Business at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, passed away on Dec. 20, 2024. He was 78.

In Memoriam:
Gary R. Gemmill and Badr Ismail

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

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