Dear GWSB Community,
I am very proud of the outstanding response of the entire GW School of Business community — students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents — to the challenges that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of us has worked together and done our part to help the GW School of Business continue to advance its mission of providing a world-class education despite the difficulties imposed by the current situation.
As the GWSB community continues to work remotely, I am happy to report that, thanks to the efforts of faculty and students and the vital support of our staff, the transition to online learning is going well. It has been a great demonstration of resilience and adaptability. The response has been truly exemplary of the GWSB SPIRIT and has brought out the best in us.
GWSB professors are also continuing to share their expertise with the world. In response to requests from alumni, I asked faculty to share their thoughts and informed opinions on the crisis.
- Herman Aguinis, Avram Tucker Distinguished Scholar, professor of management, and chairperson of the Department of Management, and Jorge Rivera, professor of strategic management and public policy, both answered the call. Dr. Aguinis’s “ Understanding COVID-19: A Behavioral Corporate Social Responsibility Perspective” and Dr. Rivera’s “Responding to slow onset disasters: the boiling frog syndrome” have been published by the Organizations and the Natural Environment Division of the Academy of Management, the Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability, the Group for Research on Organizations and the Natural Environment, the Network for Business Sustainability, and the Responsible Research for Business and Management Network.
- Annamaria Lusardi, Denit Trust Chair of Economics and Accountancy, and academic director of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC), has been extensively quoted about the financial impact of COVID-19 and wrote an op-ed column for CNBC on the importance of financial planning during the crisis, “The money will run short for many Americans. Start planning now for when it happens.” GFLEC also has prepared a “Financial Fragility Fact Sheet” for its website.
- Danny Leipziger, professor of international business and managing director of The Growth Dialogue, discussed the economic impact of the pandemic and the possible effects of the federal stimulus package in a GW Today article, “Q & A: What Does the Stimulus Bill Mean for the Economy? ”
- As I mentioned, all GWSB courses are now being conducted online — and Professor Mark Hyman’s “The Business of Spring Training Baseball” class is no exception. The class continues despite the postponement of the baseball season, as detailed in this Orange County Register article “Angels manager Joe Maddon uses coronavirus shutdown to connect with people -- Maddon is engaging with students and fans online to spread positivity and share his words of wisdom.”
These are just a few examples of how the GWSB community is continuing with advancing our community’s interests under most unusual circumstances. The George Talks Business series has also adapted accordingly. Although the majority of GTB spring 2020 sessions have been rescheduled for fall 2020, I am happy to report that we will be presenting a virtual GTB session with guest Ashley Goodall, senior vice president of leadership and team intelligence at Cisco, which will be streamed live on Wednesday, April 8, from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Please visit the George Talks Business page for more information.
It is more important than ever that we stay connected and engaged, so it was especially nice to see nearly 60 participants log on last weekend for an Online Happy Hour to discuss “COVID-19 Impacts on the Consulting Industry” with special guest Dustin Kaminsky, BBA ’07, senior manager of Deloitte Consulting, LLP.
Once again, thank you all for your efforts during this difficult time. Please stay safe and healthy — and informed — by continuing to monitor the GW COVID-19 page for the latest information and guidance. That is our best source for university updates throughout this evolving situation. If you have any questions concerning online classes, policy changes, or other GWSB developments, please visit the Virtual Teaching and Learning During COVID-19 page on the GWSB website.
All the best,
Anuj Mehrotra, Ph.D.
Dean