Dear GW Business Community,
There is so much buzz and excitement on campus as we commence the second week of classes! Walking into the transformed Duquès Hall lobby and seeing the modernized spaces — it is great for our students to experience the remarkable upgrades that have been made possible by the generous gift from Henry “Ric” Duquès (B.B.A. ‘65, M.B.A. ‘69) and Dr. Dawn Brill Duquès (B.A. ‘69). The lobby now boasts a renovated and technologically-advanced ambiance, featuring upgraded lighting, enhanced seating, and new high-definition display monitors. The new screens will provide a stunning way to spotlight events, activities, guests and life at the GW School of Business. If my initial conversations are any indication, it is clear that our students are loving this space.
As we extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students, and faculty and staff on our campus, this is also the time to celebrate the achievements of our colleagues. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Professor N. Sharon Hill who has earned her promotion to full professor in the Department of Management. She exemplifies excellence and the highest standards our community holds for promotion to the highest rank on our faculty.
The beginning of the new academic year provides us with an excellent opportunity to reflect on our mission. With an enhanced curriculum and exciting new initiatives planned ahead, this is going to be another fantastic semester fostering scholarship, pedagogy and learning as we aim to advance a Greater World.
To kick off these endeavors, I am looking forward to the opening session of George Talks Business featuring our university's 19th president, Ellen M. Granberg, tomorrow, Wednesday, September 6. We will discuss her professional journey in academia and industry, her early impressions and discussions with the GW community, and what leadership means to her at this pivotal moment in higher education. I hope to see you at this exciting event! President Granberg will also join us during our next faculty and staff meeting on September 8, which will be the first school-wide opportunity that we have to welcome our newest faculty and staff members.
I am delighted to share that our report for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) continuous improvement review is now complete. Whether in pioneering research, agile market-driven curricula, or experiential education, the report reflects a great deal of innovation that we have achieved together. The next step in our process will be to prepare for our AACSB peer review team visit, which will take place from November 12-14. If you have a moment to read our school’s latest annual report, you will get a nice snapshot of many of the updates that we will be focusing on as we complete our reaccreditation process.
One of my favorite events in the fall semester is our GW Alumni and Families Weekend. I am particularly excited to welcome many of our alumni and parents to campus at our annual Dean’s Open House on September 30. I invite our entire GWSB community to join us for this special event and look forward to celebrating our achievements together.
Stay safe and stay well everyone.
I'll see you around,
Anuj Mehrotra, Ph.D.
Dean