2023 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Fabienne T. Cadet, H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship of Nova Southeastern University

Fabienne T. Cadet

Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Nova Southeastern University

“Fabienne is an outstanding young full-time associate professor and a young academic leader in the field of marketing.  She impacts students within as well as outside of the classroom. She is very involved with the Presidential Scholar Program at NSU, recognizing the best of the best and providing them with leadership experiences and opportunities as well as continuous guidance. She is a frequent guest and mentor for the Huizenga Business Innovation Academy, and her dedication and leadership to educating, forming and mentoring students are unparalleled. She is driven by her mission and passion: student success and societal impact.” – Francois Sainfort, Chair and Professor

Fabienne T. Cadet, 36, is an associate professor of marketing at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

Her research is motivated by her interests in consumer behavior, services marketing, and digital marketing, and has been published in top journals such as the Journal of Business Research and the Thunderbird International Business Review. 

She was awarded two Societal Impact Seed Grants at the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship for her work on the impact of work-life integration on perceived productivity in times of disruption and higher education service quality. She has also presented at several conferences around the world. 

She was awarded the Best Practitioner Presentation Award finalist at the 26th annual Frontiers in Service Conference. Cadet has also authored book chapters in two books, one on the Transformative Potential of Marketing to Fight Child Poverty and the other on Cryptocurrency Bringing New Meaning to Purchase Power. Prior to her role as a full-time professor, she was both an adjunct professor and industry professional, holding various roles such as senior marketing manager and senior market analyst.  

BACKGROUND

At current institution since what year? 2020

Education 

• Ph.D., Hampton University, 2016
• M.B.A., St. John’s University, 2009
• B.S., St. John’s University, 2007

List of MBA courses you currently teach: Content Marketing for Brand Awareness, Strategic Internet Marketing

TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR

I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when… I always had a passion for the business field having been raised by parents who were both entrepreneurs. However, it was in my last semester of completing my M.B.A. that I realized my true calling. Watching my professor’s ability to inspire the students in the class blew me away and I knew immediately that I wanted to be able to do the same. I have always enjoyed teaching others and most of all, encouraging and motivating my peers to reach their full potential. I also had a keen interest in research. Very early on, during my high school years, I was a member of the science research program, where I became passionate about designing research projects, hypothesizing, acquiring data and putting my hypotheses to the test. So, combining my passion for business, desire to inspire, and interest in research, made becoming a business professor the natural choice.   

What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? I am currently performing research for two projects, both of which have the potential to bring forth disruption in two vital industries, healthcare, and education. In the healthcare space, I am researching the effects of physician empathy on both the physician and their patients. Empathy has been long regarded as a favorable trait for physicians to practice, however, the potential detrimental effects on physicians have been an under-researched area. In the education space, an overlooked segment of students, who make up an estimated 20-50% of students entering college, has been the “undecided”. At a time when universities are working arduously to increase enrollment numbers, adjusting the strategy to cater to undecided students may prove to be part of the solution.

If I weren’t a business school professor… I would be a career counselor. I truly believe every individual has a gift to share with the world. Unfortunately, oftentimes this gift slowly drifts away due to life circumstances and the need to provide for oneself and family members. The goal becomes making money, rather than cultivating passions and interests. In 2020, I created a social networking website, StudentProCONNECT™ where students, industry professionals, and entrepreneurs could connect, network, and most of all share insight and experiences with one another. I also launched a podcast, “The Real Deal with StudentProConnect”, where people could share their own personal experiences on their roads to success.  I do believe if I did not become a full-time professor, I would devote more time to expanding this initiative. 

What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? I believe that my ability to connect with my students makes me stand out as a professor. I see education as a collaborative process, in which as the educator, I draw out ideas in conversation with my students, rather than simply lecturing to them. It is important for me to get to know my students and understand what their goals are. Aside from teaching the content of the course, I also look to instill excitement and interest for the business field. My ultimate goal is to broaden my students’ overall perspectives as future business leaders by stimulating and enforcing their critical thinking skills. 

One word that describes my first time teaching: Jittery

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: Being a business school professor is not just about teaching, in fact, teaching is the easy part. It is not difficult to stand in front of a classroom and speak about a topic you are passionate about, which is essentially what teaching is. Aside from teaching, it is also the responsibility of a business school professor to stay abreast of new and upcoming trends in their field through research and lots and lots of reading. It is critical to understand what is trending in order to successfully prepare future business leaders. 

Professor I most admire and why: It is difficult to choose just one professor that I admire most, but I will say the one trait shared among all of the professors I have admired is authenticity. The one thing I remember most about the professor who ultimately inspired me to become one myself was her frankness and openness to demonstrate her imperfections. I also fondly remember the late Dr. Sid Credle, the Dean of my doctoral program.  His authentic and frank nature not only allowed me to discover my weaknesses but most importantly cultivate my strengths. 

TEACHING MBA STUDENTS

What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? I enjoy observing their eagerness to learn and embark on their career paths. The spark in their eyes when they have discovered what they would like to pursue as a career path is exciting and truly motivating as a professor. Also, as a marketer, I enjoy learning from them about the newest trends in the consumer market. They help keep me up to date!

What is most challenging? The most challenging task is keeping students engaged. Today, students are easily distracted by electronic devices and social media platforms, making it more challenging to both capture and retain their attention. I am constantly looking for ways to keep class sessions fun and interesting. 

In a word, describe your favorite type of student: Dedicated 

In a word, describe your least favorite type of student: Disinterested

When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… Fair. Students get out of my course, what they put in. I do not expect my students to be experts in the field by the end of the course, but I do expect them to be interested and committed to trying their best to perform well in the course. 

LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

What are your hobbies? Traveling, writing and baking

How will you spend your summer? Aside from traveling and trying out new activities with my family, I also go through what I call the “exploratory” time of the year, where I look for new research topics and put together plans for new research projects for the next academic year. 

Favorite place(s) to vacation: Anywhere tropical with a beach

Favorite book(s): The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou, Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson

What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? I have many movies I like, but one, in particular, I can watch over and over again is The Notebook. Aside from the enthralling love story, it also highlights the issue of classism, which is an issue that still plagues our society today.

What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I truly love and appreciate all types of music. One of my favorites is Compas, which is the music genre from my Haitian culture. 

THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS

If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this… Most class time would be spent outside the classroom. As a marketing professor, it is important for my students to witness first-hand how marketing impacts society. Aside from taking trips to companies, we would also visit places of business to observe consumer interactions. With the advent of virtual reality technology, the possibilities are endless. 

In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at… incorporating strategy to not only satisfy the short-term needs of individuals but also the long-term welfare of society. True value can only be realized from products and services that make people and the world a better place.

I’m grateful for… being able to do what I love.

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