From the Edward Jones Dean: November 2020

Incredibly, we find ourselves nearing the end of our Fall 2020 semester. In just a few weeks, our students will take their final exams and complete the semester. Our students, faculty and staff have shown extraordinary compassion and responsibility in these past few months: While COVID-19 cases have drastically increased around the country, our SLU community has managed to hold in-person classes for the entire semester, which is no small feat. 

Dr. Rob Boyle, Assistant Dean and Professor of Management at the Chaifetz School, admires his students’ resilience and compassion in the face of a uniquely challenging semester. For their work to protect themselves and each other from the virus, he gives them “a solid A.”

Though the past few months have come with their share of limitations, our Chaifetz School community has stayed busy and productive. This semester, our Applied Project Management (APM) course introduced a new mentorship program that offers our undergraduate students direct access to leaders in the St. Louis region’s robust finance industry. Beyond the border of St. Louis, one of our alumni is representing us well: Meghan Loftus, class of 2019, was recently promoted to Junior Account Executive at Marc Jacobs in New York City, and started a podcast, Raw & Real NYC, to offer advice to fellow Midwesterners looking to begin a career in fashion. 

In other news, while the pandemic has been an obstacle for many entrepreneurs, some, like esports startup Mission Control (co-founded by three Chaifetz alums), have managed to successfully pivot to meet new demands, offering online platforms and virtual experiences to remain relevant throughout the health crisis. To assist local entrepreneurs, Dr. Jerome Katz, professor and Robert H. Brockhaus Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship at the Chaifetz School, analyzed the current state of business in St. Louis and offered pandemic-friendly tips for local business owners. 

We hope this good news encourages our December graduates. Given the unconventional nature of their senior year, they should be immensely proud of their accomplishment. I am confident that each member of our graduating class will excel in their chosen fields, and I wish them well as they take this exciting step in their lives. As always, our Career Services Center is on call to connect them with professional opportunities. 

Last, and most certainly not least, I share an excellent piece of news: Dr. Barnali Gupta, who currently serves as Associate Dean for Curriculum and Professor of Economics at Miami University, will be joining the Chaifetz School as our new Edward Jones Dean in January of 2021. While I am deeply grateful to have served as Interim Dean for the past year, I could not be more thrilled to welcome Dr. Gupta to this position. She is highly qualified for the role, and we look forward to the leadership, experience and insight she will bring to our Chaifetz School community. 

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and healthy holiday season,

Scott Duellman, Ph.D.
Interim Edward Jones Dean
Alfred V. Dunkin Endowed Associate Professor of Accounting
Chaifetz School of Business
Saint Louis University