Boston, MA: “Transformation is built into the Harvard Business School (HBS) MBA experience, but what does it actually look like? Do students part ways with, or reaffirm, long-held assumptions? Do they develop and refine their skills, or surprise themselves with entirely new perspectives? We asked members of the MBA Class of 2025 to reflect on how they’ve changed over the past two years.

Sam Berube (’25)

What’s one assumption you held before HBS that changed during your time here? “I used to assume that business school was primarily an opportunity to gain the hard managerial skills that would be directly applicable to a corporate or professional setting. And while that was certainly one of the outcomes, my time at HBS also reshaped how I think about leadership. Over time, I began to see it as something broader and more personal—as the way I show up for the people around me: my family, friends, and community. That realization came into focus during the fall of my second year, while I was recruiting and also taking Authentic Leadership Development. The course challenged me to reflect on my values, life story, and definition of success—both in my personal and professional lives. This pivotal combination helped me connect the dots between the life I had, the life I want to lead, and the career I’m building.”

Is there leadership lesson you didn’t expect to learn, but did? “There are two. The first is that leadership comes in many forms. I came to HBS thinking that leadership was tied to a title, a team, or a compensation package, but it’s much more than that. After HBS, I’m not stepping into a role with direct reports, but I still see my role as a leadership position. There’s thought leadership involved—rallying stakeholders, building trust with investors, and even motivating others around a shared goal. That, too, is leadership.

The second lesson I learned came from realizing how different everyone’s path to HBS can be. I assumed most students would be in a similar life stage to mine—having graduated college and worked for four or five years prior to business school. But after arriving to campus, I quickly met classmates who were parents, military veterans, or had switched careers from entirely different fields and countries. It helped me understand that leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all, and that it’s shaped by various experiences, contexts, and identities.”

Coming to HBS, was there a skill you were eager to develop? How did working on it shape your experience? “Before HBS, I was chief of staff for the new business ventures team at McDonald’s—an incredible role where I worked on various innovative, high-impact projects. But I had no formal finance or accounting training, and I felt that gap strongly. There were many moments during project meetings when the financial aspects came up and I didn’t know how to engage or contribute. The summer before HBS, I took an HBS Online accounting course and quickly realized how much I had to learn. So, I came to HBS determined to build that foundation.

During my first year, Finance 1 and Finance 2 quickly fascinated me because of how much I learned. The faculty and the case method made finance feel collaborative and accessible, even in a classroom filled with former bankers and private equity professionals. My second year, I doubled down on continuing to learn finance by taking advanced courses like Creating Value Through Corporate Restructuring. It was definitely one of the most challenging classes, but I learned a lot. Heading into my post-HBS role, I’m proud of the growth I’ve had in a field that once felt out of reach.”

To read about more Harvard Business School graduates, click here.

DON’T MISS: MEET HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2025

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Georgia’s Terry College Names Interim Dean

Athens, GA: “Santanu Chatterjee, a professor and associate dean for graduate programs in the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, has been named interim dean of the college, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost S. Jack Hu announced Friday.

“Dr. Chatterjee is a highly distinguished scholar and teacher, and his leadership has been instrumental in expanding the impact of the Terry College through its highly competitive graduate programs,” Hu said. “I am thrilled that he has agreed to guide the Terry College during this transition. Thanks to the commitment of its faculty, staff, students and alumni, Terry has built a well-deserved reputation as one of the nation’s best colleges of business, and I’m confident Dr. Chatterjee will provide the leadership to continue its impressive trajectory.”

Chatterjee, the Harold A. Black Distinguished Professor of Economics, also serves as director of both the full-time MBA and the Master of Science in Business Analytics programs in the Terry College. He will begin his tenure as interim dean on June 30. Benjamin C. Ayers, dean of the Terry College since 2014, was recently appointed UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.”

To read more, click here.

DON’T MISS: 2025 BEST & BRIGHTEST MBA: DOLAPO ADEGBITE, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (TERRY)

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University of Kansas Receives $10-Million to Build Entrepreneurship Hub

Lawrence, KS: “The University of Kansas School of Business received a $10 million gift commitment from an anonymous donor that ensures the construction of a new entrepreneurship hub building that benefits the greater KU community by teaching students to solve problems in meaningful ways.

The dynamic, purpose-driven facility will foster entrepreneurship and innovation and serve all KU students, regardless of their field of study. It will be built at 1420 Crescent Road, formerly the site of McLain’s Bakery and, previously, Jayhawk Bookstore.

The gift supplements the donor’s 2023 lead gift of $50 million to transform business education and research at the school, for a total gift of $60 million. The gift is the largest in KU School of Business history and provides funds to advance key initiatives supporting undergraduate student success — not just the entrepreneurship program but also career-focused opportunities within the school’s Business Professional Development Program, study abroad programming and academic enrichment.”

To read more, click here.

DON’T MISS: THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

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University of Toledo Names New Business School Dean

Toledo, OH: “An expert in organizational behavior and management with administrative experience in higher education has been named dean of The University of Toledo’s John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation.

Dr. Barbara Ritter, currently serving as dean of the Davis College of Business and Technology at Jacksonville University in Florida, will join UToledo on Monday, July 14.

“It is an honor to join UToledo and lead the Neff College of Business and Innovation,” Ritter said. “The college truly lives up to its name by championing forward-thinking and relevant business education in a rapidly changing world, and its commitment to transformative learning, innovative programming and strong partnerships with the business community make this a uniquely exciting moment to be part of its future. I look forward to working alongside the talented faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders to build on this momentum and further expand the college’s impact throughout the region and beyond.”

To read more, click here.