A Message From The Dean

Message From the Dean

Never before has the word "leader" been so used and misused. And yet, never before has the need for principled leadership in business, government, and the nonprofit sector been greater. At the SOM, answering this call drives our work every day.

Our rigorous MBA program prepares women to build successful and meaningful careers, with an understanding of the values and practices of principled leadership. We teach students how to mobilize teams, drive for economic results, and build strong organizations—while also staying accountable to employees, customers, suppliers, and the communities in which they operate. Through case discussions and hands-on coursework, SOM students learn to evaluate all decisions, large or small, against a code of ethics and to hold integrity as an explicit measure of success. Equally important, we encourage students to learn to match their commitment to short-term success with an unflinching assessment of the long-term impact of their enterprises on our society and the resources we bestow to future generations.

I’m proud of our outstanding faculty who are dedicated to teaching excellence and to providing students with the knowledge, judgment, and confidence they need to chart their path to leadership and attain their career aspirations. And I am proud of SOM graduates, who provide leadership from a wide range of positions and organizations, each dedicated to strengthening her organization and to making a difference every day.

For more than 30 years, the SOM has prepared women to lead and manage effectively and ethically in a world that deserves no less. I invite you to join our vibrant community.

Deborah Merrill-Sands
Dean; Co-founder, Simmons Center for Gender in Organizations
Ph.D., Cornell University