Management Department Year in Review

Chamu Sundaramurthy, Ph. D.,
Professor and Department Chair

We continued to focus our efforts in the 2020-21 academic year to support our students as they confronted challenges to learning imposed by the pandemic.  Our faculty’s extraordinary commitment to our students through this time has been remarkable.  In addition, I am proud of our many accomplishments during this academic year.

Virtual Advisory Board Meeting, Spring 2021

Active Management Department Advisory Board:  

• Our advisory board, chaired by SDSU alumus, Stan Sewitch, actively engaged virtually throughout the academic year.
• We significantly expanded virtual internship opportunities for our students under the leadership of SDSU Fowler alumnus and executive advisory board member, Matthew Guillory.
• In fall 2021, the department is launching a Management Major Career Pathways video series hosted by Andy Esparza, SDSU management alumnus and executive advisory board member.     
• Board members, alumni, faculty, and academic advisors offer advice to incoming upper division management students in a virtual orientation program.
• Thanks to Stan Sewitch’s generous gift, the department has its first named endowment dedicated to supporting faculty excellence.  

Curriculum Enhancements & Innovations: 

• Launching in fall 2021, the redesigned specialization in entrepreneurship offers additional meaningful hands-on experiences offered through cooperation with the Zip Launch Pad and the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center.  
• Launching in fall 2021, the Master of Science in Global Business Development (MSGBD), new graduate program developed jointly with SDSU’s marketing department.
• Introducing in fall 2021, an ethics course in the MBA curriculum.
• Redesigned core MBA classes in organizational behavior and strategic thinking will be offered in fall 2021.
• Launched in fall 2020, redesigned core undergraduate course in global business environment.
• Management faculty collaborated with faculty in School of Art and Design and the Music Department, respectively, to offer opportunities for students across disciplines to collaborate on entrepreneurial projects.

Gibran Mims (’20, MGMT)
creator and host of Speak Your Mind podcast

Student and Alumni Spotlights: 

• Student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) honors two alumni for their contributions to students: successfully nominated Andy Esparza for the 2021 Fowler College of Business Council Outstanding Alumni Award; and awards the 2021 SHRM SDSU Natasha Sandrock Arthur Outstanding Service Award to Stan Sewitch.  
• Alek Casillas, 2021 management major specializing in human resource management, received the Fowler College of Business Council Outstanding Representative Award.
• Grace Coulter, a current management major specializing in human resource management, is spotlighted for her summer internship with Bank of the West.
• Logan Lacher, a 2021 management major specializing in Entrepreneurship, has fully launched his company, LoginLegacy Inc.
• Lauren Lee, Outstanding Student in Management, also recognized with a university-wide Jim Malik Award for Outstanding Academic Achievements. 
• Gibran Mims, a management alumnus continues to inspire change through his video podcast, Speak Your Mind.
• Larry Gibbs, a management alumnus who is working as a manager at Nike headquarters is living his dream as a SDSU student-athlete.
• Carlo Di Dio and Bernadette Mirentxu Torres, leverage their management degrees and their passion for ballet to establish a dance-focused business.

Department Strategic Retreat, WD-40, Spring 2020

Management Faculty Accolades: 

• The department faculty collectively published over 25 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals such as Journal of Management, and Journal of World Business and Journal of Management Studies.
• Under the executive leadership and engagement of management faculty, the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center hosted its seventh annual California Educators’ Conference.
• Valerie Alexandra, Jeremy Bernerth, Taekjin Shin, and Congcong Zheng received the Assigned Time Awards for Research from the SDSU Office of the Vice President of Research and Innovation. 
• Multi-disciplinary projects led by Beth Chung (The Empathy Lens: Gaining Insights Through Immersive Learning) and another co-led by Martina Musteen and Ami Doshi (Food Security and Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A “Seed (and Sea) to Spoon” Ecosystems Approach) were included in the university-wide Big Ideas Project. 
• Michelle Dean, received the Assigned Time for Exceptional Service to Students Award.
• Tanya Hertz, received the Most Influential Faculty Award from the 2021 Outstanding Student in Management, Lauren Lee.
• Lori Ryan was appointed the inaugural Ralph V. Whitworth Endowed Chair in Corporate Governance. 
• Bill Sannwald, received the Most Influential Faculty Award from 2021 Outstanding Student in General Business, Mackenzie Enarson.
• Taekjin Shin, received the best paper award (2020) for his publication in Corporate Governance: An International Review. 
• Chamu Sundaramurthy received the Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Faculty Contributions to the University for 2021-22.

We are looking forward to returning to campus in fall 2021!

Chamu Sundaramurthy, Ph. D.,
Professor and Department Chair