Wharton School (Via LinkedIn): “We are pleased to share that Erika H. James has been reappointed as Dean of the Wharton School through 2032, as University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson announced today.

Since joining Wharton in 2020, Dean James has led the School through a period of tremendous success, unveiling new programs, adding exceptional faculty, announcing record-breaking philanthropic contributions, and charting a bold new vision of future growth and achievement. With her reappointment, she becomes the first Wharton dean in the past two decades tapped to serve a second term.

“After reviewing Wharton’s investments in academic excellence, innovative new programs and initiatives, strengthened alumni relations, outstanding faculty and students, curricular reforms, revenue growth, and increased operational efficiency and effectiveness, the Consultative Committee unanimously endorsed Dean James’s reappointment,” said President Jameson. “I agree and look forward to all she and Wharton will accomplish in her second term.”

Erika James (Via LinkedIn): “I am deeply honored and grateful to be reappointed as dean of The Wharton School for a second term.

From my first day in this position, I’ve embraced the immense responsibility that comes with leading this institution. I’ve seen that responsibility requires a dual focus: continuing the legacy of excellence the school has built for over a century, while also propelling that legacy forward in ways that reflect Wharton’s bold, innovative spirit.

With support from the incredible Wharton community, I’m proud of all the ways we’ve accomplished both during my first term.

All progress comes with obstacles – some we can anticipate and some we cannot. In Wharton’s case, each challenge has demanded we take the opportunity to reflect, learn, and improve. I’m pleased with how we’ve done that together, too.

What lies ahead for Wharton, and higher education in general, cannot be known for sure but undoubtedly will continue to include change. Still, I remain convinced of the unique mission only American universities can advance: creating and defining the kinds of questions that will drive monumental changes in society.

I started my tenure by espousing the importance of “betting on yourself.” As I look forward, I now have the utmost confidence in saying that there is no one I’d rather bet on than Wharton to lead whatever comes next.”

To read the Wharton Magazine’s account of Dean James’s first term as dean, click here.

To read Dean James’s recent thoughts on AI, click here.

DON’T MISS: MEET WHARTON’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

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The Most Fundable Companies of 2026

Entrepreneur: “Congratulations to the 2026 Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s Most Fundable Companies® presented by the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship. In our ninth year, more than 2,100 early-stage US startups from across all 50 states vied for a space on the list. All 14 winners are worthy of serious investor consideration based on several variables, including financial projections, market opportunity, intellectual property, competitive advantage, and team-management expertise.

Serving as a free resource for startups looking to source capital and accelerate innovation across industries and communities, our program educates founders on investor diligence and provides critical business assessments. At Pepperdine Graziadio, we believe that developing purpose-driven leaders involves connecting early-stage companies with the resources needed to positively impact the business market. Supporting aspiring entrepreneurs is at the core of Graziadio’s mission, and our Most Fundable Companies assessment provides valuable insights on how businesses will appear to top investors—driving beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders.”

To read capsules about each of these 14 companies, click here.

DON’T MISS: PITCHBOOK’S 2026 TOP UNIVERSITIES, RANKED BY NUMBER OF MBA STARTUP FOUNDERS

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Dean of William & Mary’s Mason School Steps Down

The Flat Hat: “College of William and Mary Provost Peggy Agouris announced in an email that Dean of the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and T.C. and Elizabeth Clarke Professor of Business Todd Mooradian would resign from his position this fall.

Prior to his appointment as dean in August 2022, Mooradian worked as a faculty member at the College for 27 years, from 1990 to 2017. He also served as the Mason School of Business’ associate dean for faculty and academic affairs from 2014 to 2017. After working as dean of the University of Louisville’s College of Business from 2017 to 2022, he returned to Williamsburg, Va.

In the email, Agouris touted several of the Mason School of Business’ accomplishments under Mooradian’s leadership, including ranking No. 1 in military-friendly graduate education and the launch of a redesigned Bachelor of Business Administration.”

To read more, click here.

To read the provost’s statement, click here.

DON’T MISS: WITH $15M GIFT, ACCOUNTING STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT AT WILLIAM & MARY

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University of Iowa’s Tippie College Expansion Fuels $60-Million Construction Project

Daily Iowan: “The green, lively courtyard in the John Pappajohn Business Building looks different lately. Passersby will notice towering white screens and mounds of construction material littering the area. Scaffolding lines the front of the building, masking the work in progress.

The University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business is currently undergoing a $60 million construction project to accommodate rising enrollment numbers. The renovations will expand spaces for students, allowing Tippie to provide better resources and support.

Construction officially began on Aug. 18, starting the project of connecting the John Pappajohn Business Building with its nextdoor neighbor, Gilmore Hall. The renovations are set to be finished by Summer 2028.

The renovations will increase the Tippie College of Business’s size by 33 percent, adding more than 72,000 square feet.”

To read more, click here.

DON’T MISS: INCREDIBLE IOWA: HOW THE TIPPIE COLLEGE GOT BACK IN THE GAME AFTER ENDING ITS FULL-TIME MBA

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