Dear Colleagues,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope you\u2019re enjoying the fall weather and the amazing colors around our building and across campus. Thank you to everyone who participated in our annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. It\u2019s a fun tradition and a great way to bring our community together this time of year. Congratulations to the Office of Advancement for their winning pumpkin, \u201cWelcome to Blockbuster & the \u201990s\u201d! You can check out all of the creative entries here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving as dean of Michigan Ross for another five years. It has been a tremendous honor to lead the school over the past four years, and I\u2019m proud of what we have accomplished together. From opening our Los Angeles campus<\/a> and advancing strategic initiatives like AI@Ross<\/a> to supporting transformative research and launching innovative academic programs \u2014 including our new undergraduate dual-degree program<\/a> with the College of Engineering and changes to the MBA experience \u2014 we are expanding Ross\u2019s reach, strengthening our reputation, and increasing our impact. I am excited about what lies ahead and the opportunities we have to build on our momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve also had an impressive lineup of events so far this semester. Thank you to all the faculty, staff, and teams whose hard work and collaboration make these programs possible. They are an important part of how we engage our students, connect with business leaders, and bring the Ross community together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last week, I also attended the AACSB board meeting and annual Deans Conference, where I connected with business school leaders from around the world to gather insights into emerging trends and challenges to help ensure Ross stays ahead of the curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Switching gears, I want to mention a special recognition. The University Record<\/em> highlighted the growth of our action-based learning programs<\/a> over the past year, which engaged more than 1,000 students and 173 sponsoring organizations involved in nearly 200 Multidisciplinary Action Projects and Consulting Studio projects. Please join me in thanking the faculty and staff who make these valuable experiences possible and help showcase the exceptional work happening at Ross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In closing, I want to encourage everyone who is able to vote to do so. You can find helpful information about voting on Election Day on this university web page<\/a>, including where Ann Arbor residents can vote in person before Nov. 3. Also, check out this month\u2019s feature story<\/a>, which highlights a few Ross community members about why voting is important to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As always, I welcome opportunities to connect with you during my open office hours. My next in-person office hours will be Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 4:15 p.m.<\/strong> in the Davidson Winter Garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for all that you do for Michigan Ross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kind regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sharon<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Colleagues, I hope you\u2019re enjoying the fall weather and the amazing colors around our building and across campus. Thank you to everyone who participated in our annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. It\u2019s a fun tradition and a great way to bring our community together this time of year. Congratulations to the Office of Advancement 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