CHRONICLE - COLLEGE NEWS

Notable Speakers, Events and Program News

SETTING SIGHTS FOR A SECOND TERM
Dean Cremers Reappointed As Dean

Martijn Cremers was reappointed for a second five-year term as the Martin J. Gillen Dean at the Mendoza College of Business in May 2023. Cremers, the Bernard J. Hank Professor of Finance, previously served as interim dean from 2018-2019 before being named to the position for a five-year term in July 2019.

During Cremers’ first term as dean, Mendoza increased the strength and size of its faculty; established two doctoral programs for the first time in the College’s history; launched the Business Honors Program for undergraduate students; made significant changes to the Undergraduate Business Core curriculum to add flexibility and broader integration with the University; and saw growth in the College’s master’s programs.

In 2023, Cremers unveiled an ambitious strategic plan for the College focused on six areas: elevating research with relevance to business and society; preparing undergraduate students to contribute meaningfully to the world; elevating the flagship MBA program while offering market-relevant specialized master’s programs; developing innovative curricula that integrates business disciplines with a human-centered perspective; developing and retaining diverse, world-class faculty and staff; and cultivating an engaged and inclusive culture at Mendoza. 

Prior to joining Notre Dame in 2012, Cremers was a faculty member at the Yale School of Management from 2002 to 2012. His research and teaching areas are investment management, corporate finance, corporate governance, corporate law, business ethics and Catholic social thought.

Photo by Peter Ringenberg

SUNSETTING THE ONE-YEAR MBA

Mendoza will sunset the One-Year Notre Dame MBA as of the end of the 2023-24 academic year in order to better focus on and invest in the Two-Year MBA program as its core strategic priority. 

“While the One-Year MBA historically has attracted talented and dedicated students and remains financially viable, the decision to discontinue the program reflects the College’s focus on the Two-Year MBA as our priority and was informed by the ongoing strategic review aimed at optimizing and elevating Mendoza’s graduate program portfolio,” said Dean Martijn Cremers.

GLOBAL EMBA

A re-envisioned Notre Dame Executive MBA program will launch in fall 2024 to offer a deeper global leadership experience to working professionals. The program will be based on the South Bend campus with immersions around the world as part of the two-year curriculum.

“The Global EMBA is designed to leverage all of the strengths of our existing program — the curriculum, the faculty, the campus and the reputation for excellence represented by the Notre Dame MBA degree — while students also gain up to three international immersion experiences on three different continents,” said Gianna Bern, Global EMBA academic director and teaching professor of finance.  

H TO A

Mendoza’s iconic building footprint will be transformed from an “H” to an “A,” thanks to a new gift from an unnamed benefactor announced in July 2023. The construction of a three-story addition in the north courtyard of the main Mendoza building will add nearly 20,000 square feet of classroom space, team/seminar rooms, a large student lounge designated for undergraduate students and faculty offices. Groundbreaking is expected in 2025.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

The Undergraduate Business Research Program (UBRP) is set to launch in fall 2024 with the aim of broadening Mendoza undergraduates’ awareness of academic research related to business and providing opportunities to work on research projects. The program also provides a pathway to explore a graduate school-like experience, preparing them to be competitive in top doctoral programs. 

“Research engagement can be a very valuable part of the undergraduate experience, allowing students to go from being a recipient of knowledge to an active creator,” said Hal White, the Vincent and Rose Lizzadro Professor of Accountancy and UBRP faculty director.

LEADERSHIP AND SPORTS 

The Tom Mendoza Presents series kicked off the historic Notre Dame-Tennessee State University football weekend with a remarkable lineup of guests: Eddie George, TSU’s head football coach; Niele Ivey (ND ’00), the Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach of Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team and former Notre Dame All-American basketball player; and Derrick Mayes (ND ’96), former Notre Dame football captain and All-American player who currently serves on Patrick Industries’ board of directors. 

During the hourlong conversation hosted by Tom Mendoza (ND ’73), the guests discussed “Leadership, Culture and the Power of Diversity,” sharing leadership lessons and career advice from their own personal and professional experiences.

Photo by Matt Cashore (ND '94)

IN MEMORIAM: MICHAEL MONTALBANO 

Michael Montalbano, adjunct assistant teaching professor of management, passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 7, 2023, at his home in South Bend. He was 66.

A kind and engaged teacher, he was known to invite groups of students to his home for dinner with his family. As a business executive with more than 40 years of experience in marketing, strategy and executive development, Montalbano was well known and respected for his contributions to the local community, including organizing literary events, participating in local literary organizations, and supporting literacy programs for underprivileged youth.

AACSB Accreditation

Mendoza College of Business was re-accredited by AACSB International, a global nonprofit association that is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools. The College has been accredited since 1962 and the accountancy program, which is reviewed separately, since 1984.

SENIOR STAFF APPOINTMENTS 

In July 2023, a new senior administrative structure was announced as part of the College’s ongoing restructuring in light of the College’s strategic focus on research, program growth and the student experience:

Rob Kelly (MBA ’03, ND ’03), Chief Operating Executive
Ryan Retartha (ND ’07), Senior Director of Strategy and Planning
Kara Palmer (EMBA ’23), Senior Director of Student Experience
Tracy Biggs (BBA ’90), Senior Director of College Operations
Jennifer Wade, Senior Director of Marketing & Brand Strategy
Claire Fitzgibbon (BBA ’04), Senior Director of Graduate Enrollment

CUSTOM CURRICULUM

Mendoza Class of 2026 students are the first to be able to take full advantage of the College’s redesigned Undergraduate Business Core, first announced in spring 2022. The revised curriculum reduces the number of required business classes almost by half, enabling students to better design a curriculum suited to their particular academic interests and career aspirations.

The changes allow students to participate in other new developments at the College, including double majoring within the business school and adding a minor to gain experience and knowledge in specific areas or industries.