“The students just keep getting better”

Opportunities ahead

Dean Shelley Dionne, MBA ’94, PhD ’98, on SOM’s future

Shelley Dionne’s history with SOM runs deep. An alumna of its MBA and PhD programs, Dionne joined the faculty in 2001 and has served in several roles since, including as associate dean and associate director of the Bernard M. and Ruth R. Bass Center for Leadership Studies. Dionne began her responsibilities as dean in June after a nationwide search.

How has SOM’s reputation grown since joining the faculty?

Upinder [Dhillon, former dean of SOM] recognized that we had the potential to be a top-tier business school. He had a real passion for SOM and could see what we were capable of becoming. He became dean the same year I was hired, and I remember him saying at that first faculty meeting that SOM was going to become a top 50 business school. At the time we were ranked around 155. He had an ambitious vision, and we achieved all of that and more under his tenure.

How has the school changed over the years?

Technology is an obvious one. The rate of change and the incorporation of technology into management education over the past 25 years is just mind blowing. But the biggest change is that the students just keep getting better. It creates a cycle: the better the school gets, the better the students we attract, which makes the school even better, and on and on. We’ve had to constantly raise our game simply because the quality of our students is always getting better.

What are some opportunities ahead for SOM?

One of the most important is addressing diversity, inclusion and belongingness, and we’re just starting that journey. We’re educating students on how to lead as change agents, and we’re recruiting students, staff and faculty to help us become the organization we are aspiring to be. It also aligns with our mission as a public school. Public education is transformative and accessibility is key.

Another opportunity is research. I’d like to encourage more collaboration not only within SOM, but across the University. Hopefully this leads to more funded research. There are not many business schools with federally funded research. However this is likely to change as funding opportunities rely on interdisciplinary teams. SOM has experience in obtaining funded research and has potential to grow into a leader among business schools in this area.

What can alumni do to help?

The more alumni involved with the school, the better. This can mean anything from networking with students to speaking in our classes to sharing job openings in your organizations. SOM continues to excel despite not being as well-resourced as the major top-ranked public universities, and the way to continue excelling is to have more and more people excited about being SOM alumni. Don’t be shy! Talk about our accomplishments and our rankings and our placements. Encourage your friends and their kids to consider Binghamton. Show your SOM pride!

What did you learn from Dean Dhillon about leadership?

Absolute transparency is the most important thing. It’s something that he never came right out and said, it’s just who he was. He lived by example. He was an amazing person, and I can hear his voice all the time when working through situations. I will never forget him.