People and Places: September 2025

New Programs

Starting in January 2026, Católica Porto Business School at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa will offer a new postgraduate program in digital transformation and artificial intelligence. The program will give participants the skills to transform their organizations and generate value in an increasingly digital economy. The new offering incorporates modules on digital management and industry partnerships to enable students to develop both strategic vision and technical skills. In addition, Católica Porto Business School announced five master classes—on topics including startup ecosystems, cybersecurity, and impactful AI strategies—to support the new program. Amit Joshi, an AI, analytics, and marketing strategy professor at IMD Business School, and Manuela Veloso, the Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emeritus at the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University will deliver two of the master classes. 

The Eller College of Management and the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona in Tucson have designed a joint integrated business and engineering undergraduate degree. It is designed to develop holistic leaders with an engineering mindset and strong business, leadership, and entrepreneurial capabilities. The interdisciplinary program helps students seek careers in fields related to entrepreneurship, business analytics, and engineering design (for example, computer systems, software, and AI). 

The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business in Indiana has announced a deferred admission program that would allow prospective students with little or no work experience to secure admission in the Notre Dame MBA program before reaching the recommended work experience to enroll. To qualify, candidates can submit their application during their final undergraduate year and up to two years post-graduation. Throughout the deferral period, applicants can benefit from annual fall check-ins with a dedicated admissions contact, access to a professional development portal, and invitations to campus events to promote continued engagement with the Notre Dame community. 

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business will begin offering its MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program in a full-time, in-person format on the school’s Washington, D.C., campus. The 10-month, cohort-based program is tailored for recent graduates and early-career professionals who want to accelerate their careers in data-driven business leadership. The new offering expands Georgetown McDonough’s existing part-time online MSBA. The program’s new iteration integrates the technical aspects of data analytics with managerial business functions so students learn to “speak the language of data.” Students will have the flexibility to transition to the online program if their plans change.

Collaborations

The Case Writing Centre at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) has announced a new partnership with Harvard Business Impact, a division of Harvard Business Publishing, to release a collection of teaching case studies focused on all types of organizations—from startups to longstanding market leaders—and the dynamic, fast-moving markets in South Africa and other African countries. The flagship case collection was developed to empower MBA and executive education students with regionally relevant materials that cover core business topics and issues such as fintech, impact investing, artificial intelligence, agribusiness, and ESG. Each case includes an associated teaching note that provides additional context, research, readings, and recommended approaches for classroom discussions based on the expertise of UCT GSB faculty members.

The Institute for Deep Tech Innovation (DEEP) at ESMT Berlin in Germany is collaborating with science and technology company Merck to establish a cybersecurity innovation hub by 2030. DEEP and Merck will operate together to boost Europe’s long-term technological independence by expanding direct collaboration between startups and industry. The strategic partnership will also include the development of curated initiatives for structured exchange between business leaders, academics, and policymakers. “We want to place the entrepreneurial relevance of technological security solutions at the heart of the discussion and bring fresh thinking into executive suites. Cybersecurity must no longer be seen as a cost factor, but as a key driver of modern value creation,” says Thorsten Lambertus, the managing director of DEEP.

ESCP Business School has announced a new partnership with Hugging Face, an open-source AI platform, co-founded by ESCP alumnus Clément Delangue. Hugging Face platform’s Academia Hub will provide ESCP’s six European campuses with hands-on opportunities in learning, research, and entrepreneurship through free access to advanced tools, enhanced collaboration, and exclusive resources. The collaboration builds on the business school’s existing partnership with OpenAI. As part of that partnership, ESCP invited 1,000 volunteer students, professors, and staff, or “AI Champions,” to explore how ChatGPT can enhance learning, research, and operations. Delangue graduated from ESCP’s Master in Management program in 2012.

Grants and Donations

The Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) has received a 10 million USD dual-purpose gift from Jerald “Jerry” Kent, an alum and telecommunications entrepreneur, and his wife, Judy. Since 1998, the Kents have given millions to various programs at WashU, particularly through their support for scholarships. Half of the money will establish an endowed deanship, administered by the current dean, Mike Mazzeo, and all future deans. The second half will help fund Olin’s Business of Health initiative. The couple hopes the donation will be a catalyst for accelerating and elevating curricula, driving thought leadership, and enhancing commercialization efforts through program development and faculty recruitment.

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville has announced a 10 million USD gift from Doug and Shelley McMillon to permanently establish the McMillon Innovation Studio within the Sam M. Walton College of Business. The studio will provide students with the skills needed to build a creative mindset and connect them to mentorship opportunities. With its future-focused approach, the studio also empowers students to think boldly and lead organizational, social, and entrepreneurial change. Part of the McMillon Family Foundation funding will support the construction of a new facility for the McMillon Innovation Studio.

The Sellinger School of Business and Management at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore received a 1.5 million USD grant from the Maryland Department of Commerce. The state award was made possible as a match to a 1.5 million USD gift from alumni Nick and Susie Simon to create the Simon Professorship in Entrepreneurship.

The Herbert Business School at the University of Miami is receiving 1.2 million USD from Arnaldo and Yani Bomnin, owners of Bomnin Automotive Group, who currently have two children studying at the South Florida university. The endowed scholarship will annually support four local students from Miami-Dade County who are children of police officers, firefighters, active-duty military personnel, or veterans. In addition to their philanthropic efforts, the Bomnins are exploring opportunities to create internship and career pathways within their companies for Miami Herbert students, further strengthening their ties to the university.

The University of Maryland in College Park has received an undisclosed “generous” gift from Smith School of Business alumnus Kent Baker that will endow the H. Kent Baker Center for Behavioral Finance. The center will support faculty research studies that focus on psychological biases and human behavior in financial decisions and explore how these factors can lead to better decision-making. Baker is currently a finance professor at American University’s Kogod School of Business in Washington, D.C. A previous commitment from Baker established an award supporting Smith School doctoral candidates in finance, helping to cover the costs of attending academic conferences.

Centers and Facilities

Last month, the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno formally opened its new John Tulloch Business Building. The new 128,000-square-foot structure includes classrooms, collaborative study spaces, a 300-seat auditorium, a finance suite and trading lab with real-time stock market data, faculty offices, and a career development center. The Tulloch Business Building will also house several student and community outreach programs that promote entrepreneurship and creative solutions, including the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship. The building design incorporates numerous energy-efficient features, including natural light harvesting, high-performance insulation, and vegetation covering over 30 percent of the site.

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