Dear Alumni and Friends,

We are very pleased to bring you this issue of the Duquesne Business Leader, with a focus on Launching Transformative Experiences—for good reason. Students’ intellectual, moral and personal growth is at the core of everything we do at the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business.

Our total renovation of Rockwell Hall’s 4th floor is a catalyst for a remarkable transformation. Completed in late 2017, the new state-of-the-art facilities on the floor will reshape our students’ experiences for years to come and help position us among the best business schools anywhere. The 4th floor is the new home of Centers of Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Professional Selling and Supply Chain Management. These Centers support applied educational experiences for students and innovative research as well as promote interaction with local business leaders and entrepreneurs. Going forward, we want to give all our students the skills they need to act entrepreneurially, sell effectively and manage sustainable supply chains while also enhancing job creation and workforce development in the region.

During the Fall 2017 semester, we launched the First Year Innovation Experience. This intensive experiential learning course for all new freshmen pushes students out of their comfort zones and enhances their ability to recognize and seize opportunities. The centerpiece of the course is an “Innovation Challenge” involving an immersive experience that engages students with the Pittsburgh community, faculty and alumni.

In another story, our new Executive-in-Residence Program is bringing an applied focus to student learning as well as enriched interaction opportunities with business partners. From student research projects to relationship building to career advice for students, our executives-in-residence are making a difference.

There’s more to come! In Fall 2018, we are launching a new Master’s and Certificate Program in Supply Chain Management. Our outstanding faculty have created a distinctive set of new graduate offerings aimed at developing confident, well-rounded supply chain leaders who are guided by a strong ethical framework.

In this issue, I am also very pleased to share some prudent advice from our successful leaders—members of our Business Advisory Council and Investment Center Advisory Council. They all agree, “Success is best when it’s shared.”

We keep raising our game, raising our standards, and enhancing our visibility. Our next and most ambitious project in Rockwell Hall is the renovation of the 6th floor. This phase will focus on building Centers of Excellence in Ethics, Investment Strategy and Sustainable Business Innovation as well as gathering spaces for students.

After the 6th floor is complete, we also hope to upgrade, if not expand, our Rockwell bridge to the bluff. The idea would be to treat the bridge as an extension of the Institute for Sustainable Business Innovation and the School of Business with expanded spaces for events and collaborative work.

Most importantly, without dedicated alumni and friends, none of this would have been possible. We are very grateful to all our generous donors—your contributions are making a lasting impact! Each donor is vital to shaping the student experience, providing opportunities for new ideas and top-tier research, and supporting the unparalleled quality of programs that we offer. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Dean B. McFarlin, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor of Management