I arrived in Chicago in late June after a 15-hour drive from the East Coast with one of my sons.  As we approached the city on I-90, the Chicago skyline came into view, and I became quite emotional. I had been anticipating this moment since my appointment as dean was announced in January, and now I was finally at DePaul!  

Chicago is full of energy and opportunity, and my optimism for the future has grown even stronger after finishing my first fall quarter at DePaul. I am excited to be among a group of new university leaders—including DePaul President Rob L. Manuel—who are eager to work with Chicago’s business, civic and nonprofit organizations to advance the success of our students and the community around us.   

At the Driehaus College of Business, four new directors and chairs have joined our college leadership team this academic year, bringing fresh perspectives to our strategic planning. Our team has three top priorities:  

• Strengthen our relationships with alumni and the business and nonprofit communities, with the goals of building visibility and mutually beneficial partnerships. This issue’s feature story tells how our collaborations with these communities are empowering career success for DePaul students from underrepresented communities, while expanding the pipeline of diverse talent heading into the business community. 

• Cultivate faculty, staff and student engagement. This fall, our college emphasized greater in-person learning and activities, including more career networking and recruiting events on campus. Our community has responded enthusiastically to these opportunities to reengage. 

• Comprehensively reviewing of our program portfolio. Our focus is on creating new, innovative programs and providing students with sought-after business skills. Our refreshed bachelor’s in business program curriculum and Driehaus Cup competition, which debuted this fall, and the college’s newly launched DePaul Executive Education programs, are examples of how we are addressing this priority. 

Support from our alumni, business and nonprofit allies is essential for our college to address all three of these priorities. That’s why I have been working with our Driehaus College of Business Advisory Council of alumni and business leaders to expand our college’s networks and partnerships, including several that are highlighted in this issue. I also welcome your suggestions for connections and collaborations that support our goals. Together, we can ensure that the DePaul mission continues to prosper for many years to come, benefiting both the future business leaders we educate and the business community that relies on DePaul talent. 

Sulin Ba
Dean
Driehaus College of Business
business.dean@depaul.edu