Fall 2019

From the Dean

Throughout the past 100 years, the Carlson School has educated an outstanding community of individuals who have gone on to make an impact in their fields and change the world.

In the mid1930s, the first person to earn an MBA from our school was William L. Campfield, who went on to become the first African-American CPA/PhD in U.S. history, and was later inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame. Soon after, in 1940, Ethel Irene Hansen was one of the first six people to earn an MBA at our school--before many prominent universities even admitted women to their programs.

Throughout our proud history, we’ve made great strides in academic research, business education, and partnerships with global businesses, but our greatest achievement is the connections we have made with one another.

In this issue, we’re celebrating some of these outstanding faculty and alumni, past and present-as well as some of the students who are our future. The people we’ve chosen represent the breadth and depth of our community and are leaders whose work transforms the world using business as a force for good. These are the change-makers who connect us to tomorrow.

The Carlson School has a history of innovation. Our deep commitment to experiential learning in our Enterprises, global practicums, “in action” courses and action-learning labs goes back decades, founded on the close relationships our faculty built with the thriving business community around us.

Our faculty are accomplished, our programs are acclaimed, and our alumni lead organizations across industries and connect us to the world. In fact, our globally-ranked Master of Science in Business Analytics program grew out of our Management Information Systems academic program, which was established alongside the Management Information Systems Research Center in 1968. At the time, it was the first formal academic program--and the first formal research center--devoted to this new field. It’s no wonder that this program is ranked as one of the best in the world.

As we celebrate the growth and impact of our last 100 years, we look firmly toward the future and set our sights as high and steady as the North Star in pursuing ideas and innovations that will elevate our organizations, our communities, and our world. It is my hope that in doing so, we will raise the school to new heights and transform the lives of countless students--together!

Warmly,

Sri Zaheer, Dean
Elmer L. Andersen Chair in
Global Corporate Social Responsibility

Cover story

100 Faces of the Carlson School

The Carlson School has much to celebrate since its founding a century ago. The name of the school, the buildings its been housed in, and its curriculum have changed, but there’s a truth that has carried throughout our history: Our greatness comes from people. Throughout our 100 years, tens of thousands of faculty, students, and staff have shaped us into what we are today.