Letter from the Deans

The Belk College of Business has seen continued growth and deepened connections over the past academic year, as we committed ourselves to generating useful knowledge and educating students to become leaders who are critical thinkers, ethically informed and globally aware, while also creating an inclusive culture.

We continue to evolve our programs to meet emerging needs. In fall 2022, the college launched a new online MBA with two technology concentrations and a new interdisciplinary undergraduate certificate in entrepreneurship, both of which immediately drew strong interest from students.

We are committed to preparing future leaders both in the classroom and beyond.  Last year, 62% of our undergraduates reported that they completed an internship in 2022. Students also gained insights from guest speaker sessions, business-guided projects, study abroad and other experiences with our 11 global academic partners and over 135 corporate partners.

The Women in Business Initiative drew nearly 326 student participants at face-to-face events, and over 1,000 students engaged electronically, with 100% of respondents saying the events were useful. In another initiative, 50 Black and Latinx business students and 33 alumni and business professionals attended the CONNECT mini-conference, while our National Association of Black Accountants student chapter was recognized as the Southeast Chapter of the Year.

In addition to teaching and mentoring students, Belk College faculty generated and shared new knowledge. They edited top journals, published over 100 papers — including many in elite academic journals  — and organized conferences and talks to share information with other researchers and the public. Faculty also provided expert commentary in news stories in over 60 local, national and international media outlets.

To better serve our communities, the college added two centers of excellence in the 2022-23 academic year. The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Center for Leadership Science joined the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate.

The end of the 2022-23 year brought a change in leadership in the Dean’s office, yet our shared commitment to the mission of the Belk College of Business is unwavering. We anticipate continued great success in the 2023-24 academic year as we continue to grow as a leading urban business school.