UConn Today – After a dozen remarkable years at the helm of the School of Business, Dean John A. Elliott will step aside next month and return to the accounting faculty.
Elliott’s many achievements include creating new academic programs, expanding hands-on learning opportunities, championing the development of entrepreneurship programs serving all students, and expanding business education at regional campuses in Stamford and Hartford.
He spearheaded the rapid and successful pivot from in-person to online education at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, something he described as one of his biggest challenges.
His impact extends well beyond UConn, having mentored three associate deans who went on to lead business schools at the University of New Hampshire, Michigan State, and DePaul during the last three years.
Sharing Highlights of a Successful, Innovative Year
The 2024 Dean’s Annual Report is just dropping, and I’m excited to share some of the highlights and accomplishments at the School of Business this year.
Throughout our 20-page report, you’ll find articles, photos, employment statistics, and evidence of the boundless enthusiasm of our students, faculty, alumni and staff. Some of you will receive it in the mail, but in the interest of saving trees and reducing cost, it is also available online.
The cover article highlights the experiences of alumna Patricia Margarido ’19 EMBA. When Patricia, an experienced respiratory therapist, wanted to take on greater leadership responsibilities with Hartford HealthCare’s LIFE STAR program, she recognized that she needed to broaden her skills.
“I needed to lead teams, understand budgets, and learn the business language that people were speaking,’’ she recalled. The UConn School of Business’ Executive MBA program gave her the knowledge she needed in her work. Today she is co-director of the LIFE STAR program, which oversees three helicopter-ambulances that transport injured and other seriously ill patients to tertiary care centers in Connecticut and Massachusetts. We are proud of our alumna and the work that she does, and equally pleased to have played a role in her career ascendance. Her story begins on page 6.
Our goal with his publication is to engage the reader in understanding more about what a modern business education entails and to offer a glimpse behind the scenes in our classrooms, student experiences, and innovative programs.
Of course, our faculty and staff are a tremendous piece of our success. On Page 12, you can learn more about six of our recently promoted faculty, all rising stars, and discover their teaching and research passions. Additionally, professor Lingling Wang describes how she shares her personal investment strategy with undergraduates to get them excited about finance. She also gives them a mini lesson in enjoying life’s precious moments. Read her story on Page 14.
Alumnus Rich Eldh ‘81, and his wife Joyce Eldh, have set a remarkable example of student engagement. This year alone, they have granted UConn academic- and cost-of-attendance scholarships to 13 students from Bridgeport. If that weren’t extraordinary enough, the Eldhs have developed a close bond with these students, taking them bowling, introducing them to business mentors, and hosting them at the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame celebration in April. You can read their story on Pages 18 and 19 and catch up on the Hall of Fame celebration on Page 9.
Our year has included some other fascinating work, including hosting a seminar on artificial intelligence for Connecticut businesses and offering a course that explores ideas for growing Hartford. We’ve been winning competitions, bringing high school students to campus to learn about financial literacy, and even brewing a special UConn beer. (See Pages 16-17.)
I hope you enjoy the report and the richness and perspective it provides. I want to thank you, our alumni and friends, for the many contributions you have made to the School of Business this past year. I am grateful for your support and encouragement of our students, and your partnership in furthering our commitment to excellence in business education.
UConn Today – The MSA program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, a significant milestone for the trailblazing program that consistently ranks among the best in the nation.
“I wish I could take the spirit, the energy, and the interaction that occurs in this program, bottle it and present it to potential students,’’ said accounting professor Steve Pedneault, who owns a forensic accounting firm and has been teaching in the program since 2007. “If they knew how special it is here, they would all come to UConn.’’
UConn Today – Accounting professor and department head George Plesko has been selected to serve on the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accounting Accreditation Committee, an appointment that reflects his educational expertise and engagement within the accounting industry.
The non-profit organization seeks to elevate the quality and impact of business schools worldwide. While nearly 900 colleges and universities hold AACSB accreditation, only 194 have AACSB-accredited accounting programs. The organization is considered the ‘gold standard’ of higher-education business accreditation.
UConn Today – Accounting Professor George Plesko along with two UConn Ph.D. graduates, now professors in their own right, traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to present the results of their highly regarded corporate tax research to the White House Council of Economic Advisors.
Plesko, who has served on IRS advisory panels for more than 30 years, has regularly participated in policy discussions with Congressional and Treasury experts.
Q: Why do you think 21% of people say that inflation makes them less interested in earning credit card rewards?
A: High inflation likely results in people avoiding spending (and thinking about spending). Thus, credit card rewards are likely less attractive during inflationary times.
Q: What advice would you give to consumers who are considering applying for a new credit card solely for the sign-up bonus?
A: Do not be myopic. Businesses that offer credit cards are rational, meaning they anticipate making money off the average consumer.
UConn Today – Alumna Medina Jett ’08 EMBA delivered a commencement speech to the Class of 2024 that emphasized something she knows well: the importance of being brave and thoughtful in the face of change, whether celebrated or not.
“I stand before you not only as a fellow Husky, but as someone who understands the challenges and triumphs that come with the journey of life,’’ Jett told some 700 enthusiastic undergraduates, their families, and friends on Saturday afternoon in Gampel Pavilion.
UConn Today – The UConn School of Business’ Hall of Fame Ceremony offered a collection of stories, both funny and poignant, an abundance of heart-felt gratitude, and enough great business advice to fill an Adam Grant bestseller.
UConn Today – A persistent commitment to innovation and unyielding high expectations have contributed to the Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program’s Top 10 ranking by U.S. News and World Report.
The publication released its 2024 rankings for online, non-MBA business graduate programs today, and the UConn MSA was ranked No. 9 in the nation. The program has been highly ranked for 10 consecutive years.
UConn Today – Five UConn School of Business alumni, who have excelled in fields as diverse as college basketball, power-tool manufacturing, and complex financial services, will be inducted into the School of Business Hall of Fame this spring.
