July 2026 Message from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

Summer is well underway, and the energy across Michigan Ross has remained strong. While the rhythm of campus shifts during the summer months, faculty and staff continue to advance important initiatives, welcome new members of our community, and create opportunities to connect with one another.

One highlight was our annual Staff Summer Soirée, which brought colleagues together to celebrate the outstanding work taking place across the school. My thanks to our Events team for organizing another terrific gathering. We also held a Parents at Ross event, where faculty and staff invited their children to campus for a morning of activities. I read a couple of books to the crowd and it was fun to share our Ross community with the next generation. As we continue building community this summer, I hope you’ll join us for one more Dean’s Office Summer Gathering on Aug. 20 in the Dean’s Suite before the start of the academic year.

Over the last few weeks, we also welcomed our newest Summer Connection students to Ross. The program provides 34 incoming first-year students an opportunity to build relationships, explore campus resources, and begin acclimating to Michigan before the fall semester. In addition to academic study, students have worked with the Weiser Center for Real Estate to explore real estate careers and opportunities in the City of Detroit. They got an insider look at how development is started at Bedrock, discussed the power of community impact at the Piston’s Performance Center, and learned about new Real Estate potential with District Detroit. Students have also been working with the Zell Lurie Institute to pose innovative solutions to today’s business challenges. We look forward to seeing them thrive in the years ahead.

Thank you to everyone who is participating in this week’s summer strategy sessions. These annual discussions are an important opportunity for faculty and staff to help shape our strategic priorities. I especially appreciate the thoughtful input on our MBA Relook initiative as we reimagine the Full-Time MBA curriculum. Because our flagship MBA program touches nearly every aspect of the school, your perspectives are very valuable. I look forward to sharing updates on our progress in future communications.

Our faculty continue to advance the Ross reputation for research and thought leadership. This month, our Technology and Operations area hosted two major events at Ross. The fourth annual INFORMS academic conference brought together academics and practitioners from major global companies, including Netflix and IBM. Also, T&O faculty hosted an annual workshop to showcase the latest research in generative AI, operations, and technology and management. Special thanks to Stefanus Jasin, Jun Li, and Andrew Wu for organizing these opportunities for top scholars and business leaders from all over the world to come together to exchange ideas on the most important topics shaping business today.

We also continue to make strong progress on several strategic investments that will expand the Ross brand, visibility, reach, and impact for executive learners. Renovations to the Executive Learning and Conference Center are transforming Wyly Hall and the former Executive Residence into a premier executive education destination that will include the newly named Catalyst Hotel at Michigan Ross. At the same time, we are opening Michigan Ross Los Angeles. My thanks to our colleagues in Operations, Marketing, Ross IT, and our Aramark partners for the tremendous work behind both projects.

I am also pleased to see Ross receiving recognition for partnering across the university. A recent University Record article highlighted a partnership with our Business+Impact team and other units across campus to launch a north campus incubator this September. It is a great example of how collaboration across the university helps students turn ideas into meaningful action.

As always, I welcome the opportunity to connect with faculty and staff during my open office hours, which are listed on the Dean’s Office webpage. My next office hours will be held virtually via Zoom on July 29 from 4:15–5 p.m.

Thank you for everything you do to support our students, strengthen our community, and advance the mission of Michigan Ross. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back for the new academic year.

Kind regards,

Sharon