Greetings From Dean Maxfield – September 2023

Dear Friends,

We start the fall semester a few days early at the Providence College School of Business, with an extensive two-evening orientation for new students in our graduate programs. We welcomed 118 students on Aug. 22 and 23, providing a series of opportunities for them to gain practical advice and – hopefully – inspiration, in a setting where they could get to know us, and each other.

Faculty members provided workshops on subjects ranging from remaining open to negative feedback by using meditation techniques to understanding more deeply the way digital marketing is present in our lives. Prof. Matthew Eriksen, Ray Butkus ’73 Professorship in Management and chair of our management department, provided the first night’s keynote address; Friar lacrosse coach, Bobby Benson was our primary speaker the second night, sharing his perspectives on game-planning and teamwork.

This orientation is a vivid illustration of how we bring cutting-edge business topics to PCSB students at every stage of their experience. It is our objective to optimize each student’s educational investment, ensuring that they finish their degrees – whether baccalaureate or master’s – prepared to succeed and carrying with them as many competitive advantages as we can provide. It is the expertise and initiative of our faculty that makes this possible, while their collective commitment to student success animates all that we do. The PCSB professional staff, with the help of so many enthusiastic collaborators college-wide, with Coach Benson as an excellent example, applies incredible creativity and diligence in transforming ideas into practical, engaging programming. I am proud of the entire team, and I know that this effort pays off for our students in more ways than we can count.

I would like to share some information about those who are joining the PCSB community for the first time this fall. The Providence College Class of 2027 numbers 1,200 students, the largest in college history. Thirty-nine percent are business majors, and I can report that those business students are, collectively, off to a good start – engaging with the PCSB faculty, staff, and other students on a daily basis and animating our work with their enthusiasm and energy.

We also welcome four new faculty members to our community of scholars this fall:

Woohee Choi, assistant professor of management
Steven Dannemiller, assistant professor of accountancy
Thomas Ptashnik, assistant professor of management
Rebecca Rabino, assistant professor of marketing

Each of these new professors bring noteworthy expertise and experience that will add measurably to the educational experience we provide to our students.

It is an exciting time at Providence College, and I hope you have the opportunity to visit us here soon, perhaps for Homecoming later this month. With our new School of Nursing and Health Science now fully operational (and construction beginning on the Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences building in our campus neighborhood), and so much more going on, there is abundant evidence of Providence College’s momentum. The commitment and engagement of our many alumni and friends continues to be a key factor in driving that momentum, and I am grateful to each of you for all you do for Providence College and its School of Business.

Sincerely,

Sylvia Maxfield, Ph.D.
Dean