As the new dean of the Bill Greehey School of Business, it is my distinct privilege to share with you our plans for the future and your role in making it happen. I am thrilled to be a part of an environment that cares so deeply about its students and the community.

It is gratifying to see that not only are our students and faculty on the cutting edge of today's business practices, they put these skills to work for the larger community. True to St. Mary's mission, effective leadership requires an active engagement in the community and a commitment to giving back. In other words, it requires an adherence to the core values that distinguish the University. I was attracted to St. Mary's and to the Bill Greehey School of Business because of these values, and I believe that we are in a unique position to establish ourselves as one of the country's premier business schools.

A precedent of growth

Temperamentally, I have always been drawn to new challenges and innovative ideas. That is why I first decided to complete a bachelor's and master's degree in physics; I enjoyed the intellectual challenge of the world of science and technology. But I also tell people that by nature I am a dreamer and a risk-taker, which can explain why I decided to change my career. I wanted to move from the subatomic realm to the global one.

Since childhood I have been captivated by the topic of globalization—how countries develop and what makes one more successful than its neighbor. I have now been practicing in the fields of international strategy, marketing research and electronic commerce for almost 16 years. As professor and chair of the marketing department at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., I helped develop the globalization model for the College of Business and brought experiential knowledge to the classroom by working with global and Fortune 500 companies.

After 13 years at Northern Illinois, I was poised to take on another exciting challenge—to lead the Bill Greehey School of Business to a level of national prominence and academic excellence. I am confident that we can accomplish our goals because of our faculty's unique skills, a talented student body, the evolving demographics of our target population, and the economic and technological environment in which we operate.

An adaptive model of education

These are exciting times for business schools around the country and indeed around the globe. The educational environment today is profoundly impacted by globalization, shifting demographics, economic interdependence among countries, technology advancements, and a growing emphasis on social responsibility and sustainability. These changes bring with them significant opportunities and rewards but also pose unique challenges. At the most fundamental level, they require an adaptive model of education that is responsive, organic, and rooted in deep values.

Studies suggest that demand for management education in market economies will grow as globalization increases. Furthermore, demographic changes indicate that much of this new demand for management education will come from emerging countries such as China, India, Brazil and Russia. For example, in the year 2020, more than 60 percent of Asia and Latin America's population will be younger than 39 years old, whereas North America will see its share of the 39-and-younger population decline to around 52 percent, according to the Global Foundation for Management Education's 2008 data. As these emerging economies invest in human capital to achieve their economic and social goals, business schools must respond by tapping into new information and technologies, and by developing innovative curricula that reflect the social and economic context of these countries. As market economies develop internationally, demand for entrepreneurial talent will rise significantly and it will be the role of business schools to shape future business leaders who can build both countries and communities.

Our nationally ranked M.B.A. and undergraduate programs offer excellent tools to capitalize on these developments. Businesses are looking for talent that is knowledgeable of the global economy, is skillful in developing innovative solutions, and can hit the ground running once hired. In addition, our own country's current economic climate necessitates that students be not only skillful and experienced in domain knowledge but understand the ethical and social responsibilities of businesses.

Inspired by mission

The Bill Greehey School of Business' mission clearly states that students graduating from the school will have qualities that emphasize ethical leadership, technical excellence, global awareness and professional orientation. We believe that student experiences must involve experiential learning with a strong emphasis on technical and technological competencies. To the students' benefit, our faculty exemplifies these values in the classroom beautifully. After all, there are not too many schools in which undergraduate students work in a real trading room and manage a $1 million portfolio! From the Greehey Scholars Program to exciting international experiences, students have access to numerous opportunities that transform their personal and professional lives.

Offerings such as the Executive Lecture series, classroom projects that require students to solve actual business problems for real organizations, a school-wide emphasis on global knowledge, and a curriculum driven by ethics and social responsibility help us provide a valuable education based on real values.

I have spent my first semester at St. Mary's assessing and evaluating our core strengths and developing strategies for attaining our vision for the future. I have consulted with faculty and staff, business leaders in the community, our strong alumni base and University administration to develop new initiatives as we move forward to our vision of academic excellence, national prominence and premier status. We agree that in the next five years, our priorities will include a strong emphasis on our M.B.A. program, emphasizing the experiential learning component in undergraduate and graduate education, embedding technical and technological competencies in all our classes, nurturing the global business component of our curriculum, and embedding the ethics and social responsibility model seamlessly into our coursework.

Partners in progress

These efforts, of course, require that we promote ongoing interaction between the business community and the business school. It requires that we engage our alumni and supporters in our efforts, communicate our vision to our target audiences effectively, and secure financial resources that can make this vision a reality. As a first step, I traveled to China this past November to explore opportunities for student and faculty exchanges and executive training programs. I am delighted to report that so far three major universities have committed to further develop student and faculty exchanges. Also in the works is an executive education program which will serve as a forum for mutual learning and exchanging of expertise among St. Mary's faculty and global business leaders from several countries.

I have quickly realized that in addition to an excellent academic foundation our school also has a strong base of alumni and supporters who are eager to be partners in our endeavors. I have enjoyed getting to know this community of friends and supporters who will play an integral role in realizing the school's vision. Attaining our goals will not be possible without the support of University leadership and the faculty and staff of the Bill Greehey School of Business. But most importantly, it will require a continuing commitment from our alumni and friends. I invite you to see for yourself the energy and enthusiasm that is driving our vision by getting reacquainted with the Bill Greehey School of Business today. Come join the winning team!

Dean Tanuja Singh, D.B.A., earned an M.B.A. from Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., before completing a doctorate in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Prior to joining the Bill Greehey School of Business, she served as department chair and professor in the College of Business at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. She was also on the business faculty at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. Singh's teaching, research and consulting interests include global and cross-cultural marketing strategy, digital marketing, and public policy issues in marketing.

As dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET), a role I assumed this past August, I am privileged to be a part of the St. Mary's family and honored to serve the school and the University, following in the footsteps of Anthony Kaufmann, Ph.D., veteran dean and now Dean Emeritus.

SET today is comprised of six departments: Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics and Earth Sciences. We are housed in three buildings on campus – Garni Hall, the Moody Life Sciences Building and the Richter Math-Engineering Building. I imagine these names bring back memories to many of you. Our 41 fulltime faculty and seven staff members serve approximately 800 undergraduate and 100 graduate students with a range of outstanding programs. Over the course of our history, we have been the launching pad for more than 3,500 graduates who have distinguished themselves in their careers and done great things for their communities. We have an inspired and enthusiastic group of students, faculty members, staff colleagues and administrators, and I am energized by their dedication, hard work and leadership.

Taking grand challenges head-on

SET is the scientific and technological arm of our University, and we serve as the locus for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiatives at St. Mary's. As a nation we have become increasingly concerned about STEM education and our ability to field a competitive workforce in the 21st century and beyond.

The impetus that Sputnik provided to a previous generation now manifests itself in a different form – today we face major problems in energy, healthcare, environmental issues, information security and customized medicine, to cite but a few examples of areas that the National Academies and other bodies refer to as the Grand Challenges.

Schools like ours, with disparate disciplines under a single umbrella, are well positioned to play a significant role in addressing these and other of today's challenges, as well as the ones we will have to address in the future. In fact, more than half of the jobs listed in a November 2009 CNN report on the “Top 50 Jobs” are in STEM and related SET majors.

In addition to the advantages of an organizational structure that fosters interdisciplinary work, SET is blessed by several distinctive advantages that we will continue to emphasize. These include small class sizes and personalized attention from the faculty; rigorous programs that combine scientific education with the liberal arts; a dedicated and experienced faculty with a passion for student mentoring; classes taught primarily by full-time faculty or select adjunct professors from industry; active learning in well-equipped laboratories; and internship and undergraduate research opportunities that enhance the student experience. We embrace and are guided by the characteristics of Marianist education that call us to educate for formation in faith; provide an integral, quality education; educate in family spirit; educate for service, justice and peace; and educate for adaptation and change. In a world beset by turmoil, these characteristics are more relevant today than ever.

Zeroing-in on SET's future

My first months on campus have been spent in conversation with my colleagues and with our constituencies. While this dialog will be an ongoing part of our operations, it has helped set the stage for school-wide planning in support of Vision 2012, the University's strategic plan. Our 150- year heritage and our national ranking are not serendipitous occurrences; rather, they took and will continue to take sustained effort over time. Vision 2012 with its goals to nurture a vibrant Catholic and Marianist culture, advance academic quality and innovation, extend boundaries, assure viability, and enhance facilities and technology, helps us continue down that road of academic excellence and integrity. So, where is our focus as we contemplate our future?

• Raise the visibility of SET so that STEM excellence and St. Mary's are synonymous in our region and beyond.
• Build enduring, formalized relationships with our constituencies, so that we keep our finger on the pulse of the environment at all times.
• Effect recruitment and retention initiatives so that we continue to attract and graduate a viable number of quality students.
• Raise funds to support scholarships, equipment and facilities, student and faculty research projects, and outreach programs.
• Evaluate existing programs in order to ensure that they remain current, competitive, and responsive to the needs of our constituents.
• Explore new programs proactively so that we are responsive to the emerging needs of our constituencies.
• Support faculty and student research that fosters the formation of areas of excellence while adding value to the community at large.
• Implement outreach initiatives for middle and high school students and teachers in order to provide opportunities to the youth of our region and grow our STEM pipeline.
• Develop international activities and programs that project SET on the global stage through faculty and student exchange, study tours, articulation agreements and joint projects with foreign institutions.
• Plan for new, renovated and expanded SET facilities so that our school is positioned to be competitive and succeed, now and in the future.

Poised to realize our vision

By focusing on these 10 initiatives, I believe that the School of Science, Engineering and Technology is poised to become a distinguished provider of well-prepared graduates who will assume leadership roles in the STEM workforce of the future. Our students will be educated in a challenging, caring and vibrant learning environment that is rooted in the Catholic Marianist mission and tradition. Their education will be supported by modern, well-equipped facilities and laboratories, and enhanced by the formation of cooperative alliances with industry, graduate schools and professional schools sought by our students in the pursuit of their career goals. Our students and faculty will work together to conduct research through focused centers of excellence within the school and in partnership with other collaborating institutions. SET will be recognized as a leader in STEM outreach programming for middle and high school students in our region.

These are lofty goals and it is now time to begin the process of actualizing this vision. As I have said to many a colleague, this is not a sprint, it is a marathon! Moreover, we cannot accomplish any of this alone – we need the involvement and participation of our graduates and friends. We will be reaching out to our alumni, friends of the University, the corporate and professional community, philanthropic organizations and government agencies for partnership, guidance and support. Many individuals and agencies already support our work in so many ways, and for that I am profoundly grateful.

I am eager to hear from our SET alumni, and I look forward to working with you to strengthen our University and our school. Many good things are happening within the School of Science, Engineering and Technology and I believe that you will agree with me when I say that these are exciting times for SET.

Dean Winston Erevelles, Ph.D., has expertise in computer integrated manufacturing, robotics, manufacturing automation, rapid prototyping, reverse engineering and manufacturing processes. He is a program evaluator for engineering programs for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and is a member of the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Erevelles has taught at Kettering University and the University of Missouri-Rolla. He received his bachelor's degree from Bangalore University in India, and both a master's degree and doctorate in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla. Before joining St. Mary's community, he served as dean of the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science at Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania.