Hankamer Hosts Texas Business Deans Conference

October 7, 2024
Council of Texas Business Deans Conference

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business (HSB) hosted the 2024 Council of Texas Business Deans Conference from Oct. 6-7. 

The event saw 27 business school deans from across the state unite in Waco to discuss common challenges, fundraising initiatives and the role of artificial intelligence in university operations, among other topics. 

“Texas has an incredible network of top-tier business schools making an impact in our state, nation and across the globe,” said Sandeep Mazumder, PhD, the William E. Crenshaw Endowed Dean of HSB. “It is a wonderful opportunity for us to host these leaders and showcase the strengths of Baylor Business.” 

The conference began with a dinner and socializing on Sunday evening at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. The deans were joined by HSB senior leaders and Baylor Vice President and Provost Nancy Brickhouse. 

On Monday, attendees gathered at the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation for a full day of thought-provoking discussions on topics impacting business schools worldwide. The morning session began with Dean Mazumder leading a panel discussion on what keeps deans up at night. He was joined by Bob Scherer from Trinity University, Jeannie Scott from the University of the Incarnate Word, Sameer Vaidya from Texas Wesleyan University and Rama Yelkur from Texas Woman’s University.

“By the nature of our roles in academia, there are increased deadlines and demands that have the potential of weighing us down and negatively encroaching on other areas of our lives,” Mazumder said. “I think it is important that we talk about these items, not just to discuss solutions, but to recognize that we aren’t the only ones facing these challenges.” 

Industry leaders were invited to speak on a student career success panel, discussing what qualities businesses look for in recent graduates, the importance of networking, and how business schools can support students in identifying and pursuing their career passions. Panelists included Shawn Gilbert from KPMG, Christopher Cervantes from Valorous Advisors, Michele Jones from J.P. Morgan, and Shannon Foy from IBM. 

Additional sessions saw HSB faculty present on ethical approaches to AI in research, teaching and administration, and the Baylor Entrepreneurship program's role within the Business School. The final session featured a panel of advancement professionals from across the state sharing their experiences and perspectives on development strategies. 

“The future of business education is bright, especially in Texas,” Mazumder said. “I look forward to continued growth within this community and the connections that come from it.”