Startups

Organizations are driven by and dependent on data—and they need leaders who can protect that information and analyze it to achieve business goals. As companies demand innovators who understand big data, cloud computing and cybersecurity, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates opportunities in tech-related roles will grow by more than 500,000 jobs by 2026.

To address those challenges and meet the hiring demands that come with them, the school will launch a new degree program this fall. The Bachelor of Science in information technology and management will provide students with both technical and business skills, enabling them to leverage technology and deliver results for the firms that hire them.

The innovative curriculum is one of only a few nationally—and the only undergraduate program of its kind in the State University of New York system. Students will develop the skills to:

• Propose and create IT solutions with new applications.
• Manage databases and employ data modeling techniques to analyze information, make decisions and add value.
• Identify, evaluate and use emerging technologies to realize business opportunities.
• Communicate and present clearly and concisely to a wide audience.
• Be an effective project manager, collaborative team member and strong leader.

For more information, visit mgt.buffalo.edu/bsitm.

On a mission to create global leaders, administrators from the School of Management’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness (CLOE) visited Ghana, Africa, last summer to launch the new Global Center for Leadership and Social Innovation, in partnership with the African Rights Initiative International (ARII).

The two organizations are working together to deliver much-needed education and leadership-skills development, one of the biggest challenges facing Africa.

“This new center will develop our global capabilities and draw on our faculty and leadership expertise to address significant challenges in developing this high-potential region in Africa,” said Dean Paul Tesluk. “The African Rights Initiative International plays a critical role in addressing global poverty and we look forward to helping develop a strong foundation for their continued success.”

Areas of collaboration between CLOE and ARII include learning and building leadership capacity, sharing research data, organizational development and sustainability, collaboration and communication, and global partnership initiatives.

In addition, CLOE and ARII worked together to bring their first Social Innovation conference to Ghana’s capital, Accra. The event brought together more than 300 global and rising leaders from the business, nonprofit and academic worlds for a series of workshops and meetings where School of Management experts shared their knowledge in leadership, entrepreneurship and developing the next generation of leaders.

As a reader of Buffalo Business, you know the School of Management is on the rise. Our graduates carry their School of Management credentials through career accomplishments and personal triumphs in 87 countries worldwide. But we need your help getting the word out. Because alumni like you are our best ambassadors, we are asking you to help promote your alma mater pride by sharing our video with your family, friends, colleagues and especially prospective students.

Watch the video and share the link at mgt.buffalo.edu/about.

The School of Management recognized Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, as the 2018 Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year.

Dedecker accepted the honor at the 69th Annual School of Management Alumni Association Awards Banquet last fall.

Established in 1949, the award is presented annually to an individual who resides in or has a major impact on the region, and whose career has been distinguished by executive success and civic leadership. Dedecker was selected by a vote of past honorees and the alumni association’s board of directors, who lauded her as a strong, inclusive leader and force for positive change in the community.

In addition, the School of Management honored the following alumni for their impact on the community, the school and their industry:

• Jonathan A. Dandes, president of Rich Baseball Operations, for his service to the Western New York community. Dandes also serves as president of Be Our Guest Ltd. and the Canalside and Outer Harbor management groups, and chairs several community boards.
• Barry Goldstein, MBA ’80, chairman and CEO of Kingstone Cos., for industry leadership.
• Julia Jornsay-Silverberg, BS/MBA ’12, social media director at Telesco Creative Group and founder of Bravery Beats, for early career achievement.
• Christopher P. Maugans, BS ’10, JD/MBA ’14, associate at Goldberg Segalla, for his service to the school.
• Denise M. Neamon, CEL ’13, partner at The Bonadio Group, for entrepreneurship.

Last fall, Bloomberg Businessweek released a brand new ranking of MBA programs. Coming in at No. 78, the School of Management remains solidly in the top 10 percent of more than 800 business schools accredited by AACSB International.

The ranking was compiled based on surveys of students, alumni and employers. Under the new methodology, compensation is weighted at 38.5 percent, networking – 27.9 percent, learning – 23.1 percent, and entrepreneurship – 10.5 percent.

Of particular significance is the school’s No. 24 rank on learning—a fundamentally important part of its core mission of educating future leaders in business, and one of the most important components of success in today’s economy.

It is also noteworthy that in this critical learning component, the School of Management fared better than Cornell (No. 26), Wharton (No. 38), Harvard (No. 53) and NYU (No. 57). Closer to home, the school ranked higher than University of Rochester’s Simon (No. 45), Penn State’s Smeal (No. 70) and Pittsburgh’s Katz (No. 72).

“Ctrl C!” shouts a group of middle school girls in unison.

While moving through a series of obstacles, a UB student has suddenly gotten stuck, unable to move forward. The student, pretending to be a computer, can only move based on the exact instructions the girls have provided, but their latest command was not specific enough, resulting in an error. By calling out “Ctrl C,” the girls can stop the “computer,” rethink their “programming” and issue a new set of instructions to complete the obstacles.

The task was part of a series of workshops during the first-ever Girl Tech Day hosted by the School of Management in September. Sponsored by the UB President’s Circle, the free event was open to girls 10-14 from across Western New York to introduce them to basic coding and programming skills.

“We hoped to inspire young girls and show them all of the avenues they could pursue once they reach college,” said Destiney Plaza, a master’s student in management information systems, who spearheaded the event. “By the end of the day, participants told us they would consider going into engineering or computer science in the future—that was amazing.”

Student volunteers from the School of Management and the Computer Science and Engineering Department helped run the day’s activities.

“Excitement about STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] has to be fostered at an early age,” said Joana Gaia, clinical assistant professor of management science and systems, who co-founded Girl Tech Day with Plaza and fellow faculty member Sanjukta Das Smith. “The speed in which the girls grasped programming concepts was astounding, and parents particularly commented on how powerful it was for their daughters to learn those concepts from college-aged women who actually apply those skills every day.”

Read more at mgt.buffalo.edu/girltechday18.

Explore the redesigned website and our full-time UB MBA program at mgt.buffalo.edu/mba.

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