DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS, As this academic year draws to a close, it marks the closing of a chapter not only for our graduates, but also for me. As you have heard, I am leaving Goizueta after six exciting, inspiring and life-altering years as the dean. It has been a time for me to reflect on what we—alumni, faculty, staff and students—have accomplished over these last six years. My deanship at Goizueta was a return to a school where I served as a member of the faculty early in my career. That experience is the reason I remained in the academy—Goizueta inspired me. While I taught here, I had the fortune of working with highly collaborative colleagues and a dean who ensured we had the resources we needed to conduct interesting and important research and to connect with students in meaningful ways. When I returned as dean, I was determined to maintain that sense of community. I also wanted to help position Goizueta on the leading edge of business education, ensuring we had a diverse faculty with expertise in the areas students were prioritizing and in fields that were emerging as critical to business and business education, such as science analytics. Also, I wanted to ensure we were living up to the vision of our namesake, Roberto C. Goizueta, and producing talented, principled leaders intent on having a purposeful and positive impact on business and society. With your support, we have built a world-class business school with an impressive social conscience attended by a diverse group of extraordinary, ambitious students who are taught by some of the leading business educators in the world. Our reputation and our footprint are established and growing internationally, nationally and in our home community of Atlanta. We partner with leading corporations worldwide to supply expertise, interns and employees. We are providing promising local entrepreneurs in Atlanta with training, mentorship and capital to
start businesses that create opportunities in their communities. We have poured all that we have and all that we know into our students, partnered with companies in service to the important role they play in society and strengthened relationships with our alumni. We accomplished all of this while upholding the values of our namesake. I will always treasure this time and the unforgettable experience of being at Goizueta last year as we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the business school and the 25th anniversary of its naming for Roberto C. Goizueta. I am so proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful to have been a part of this tremendous community. To the future,
Erika H. James John H. Harland Dean Goizueta Business School Professor of Organization & Management @erikahjames
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