Robinson College of Business News

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has appointed and reappointed seven faculty at Georgia State with the designation of Regents’ Professor, the highest professorial rank within the state’s system of public colleges and universities.

According to Gary Lun, the skills he developed in Lynn Jones’ Tax Analytics course largely contributed to his landing a new position. Through hands-on assignments, he became proficient in Alteryx and Tableau.

Georgia Fintech Academy executive director Tommy Marshall has announced his intention to leave his directorship before the end of 2022.

After a nationwide search, Marian Higgins has been named the inaugural associate dean for culture, equity, and inclusion at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Likoebe Maruping has been named the new director of the Ph.D. Program at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. He will step into the role effective August 1.

Chris Hilario has been appointed director of the Executive MBA (EMBA) program at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. He brings more than eight years of higher education experience to the position.

Jen Bailey has been appointed the new associate dean for undergraduate programs at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

When exploring Ph.D. programs, Ty Leverty realized the research he found most riveting was coming from faculty at the same place: Robinson. He still collaborates with faculty from his studies.

While earning his JD from Georgia State, Jarter Gao worked in the College of Law’s Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. In collaboration with faculty and supervising attorneys, he represented clients unable to afford legal representation in federal income or employment tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service.

Jordan Smith has technically worked as a product manager for telematics at Cox Automotive Mobility for two years. But an official promotion hinged on thing: finishing his bachelor’s.

Georgia State University is one of four U.S. institutes to be awarded an almost $500,000 grant from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation to boost diversity, equity and inclusion in pathways toward graduate programs in STEM fields.

Peter Demerjian has been named director of the School of Accountancy (SOA) at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. He joins Georgia State from the University of Illinois at Chicago where he is an associate professor with tenure and acting head of the Department of Accounting.

Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business has redesigned the curriculum of its Regynald G. Washington Master of Global Hospitality Management (MGHM) to ensure graduates of the 12-month, three-semester program will not only gain a comprehensive understanding of the hospitality sector but also will learn how to integrate technology into business strategy.

The new university initiative establishes interdisciplinary research hubs to address some of society’s most pressing issues, including pandemic preparedness, climate solutions, crime victim protection, equity and access, and public health.

Distinguished University Professor Balasubramaniam (Bala) Ramesh has been appointed to the George E. Smith Eminent Scholar’s Chair in Computer Information Systems (CIS) at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the appointment on May 18.

Cancer has given Hans Rueffert (B.S. ’95) a new recipe for success.

Finance major Ayesha Bullock pushed herself to the limit to finish her B.B.A. She works part-time as a frontline supervisor at UPS and hopes to transition to a corporate role now that she’s graduated.

Planting a new Panther footprint for high-impact career advancement experiences, 20 undergraduate and graduate students recently set off for the inaugural launch of Panthers in Charlotte, a program of Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business supported by Truist, to meet with global fintech leaders and some of the hottest companies in the dynamic sector.

The program will include training on leadership theory and practice, one-on-one coaching, networking opportunities, a leadership summit, and residencies at three performing arts centers.

The Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund (MSESF) is a part of Georgia State’s effort to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem to support entrepreneurs and innovators.

Class of 2022 40 Under 40 Honoree Rejess Marshall (B.B.A. ’10, MBA ’19) is committed to creating diverse, inclusive environments in the workplace, in the video game industry — even in karaoke.

John K. Tien, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), met with Georgia State University students and faculty April 8 during a visit to Atlanta arranged by the World Affairs Council of Atlanta.

Through a 360-degree evaluation process, Sameer Ismailzada collected feedback from former supervisors and subordinates. With the help of a professional coach, he addressed two major weak points: perfectionism and indecisiveness. Now he’s happier than ever as both an executive and husband.

Four specialized master’s programs offered by Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are among the nation’s best in new graduate rankings from “TFE Times.”

Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business honored five alumni and an honorary alumnus at its 2022 Alumni Awards celebration on March 31.

Georgia State University’s Risk Management Foundation celebrated industry excellence and generosity at the eighth annual Risk Science & Insurance Leadership Awards (“The Riskies”) on March 29 at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium. Nine individuals were recognized for achievements in risk-related industries and the event raised $193,810 for the foundation.

Finance Professor Vikas Agarwal and Computer Information Systems Professor Veda C. Storey of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business have been named Distinguished University Professors in recognition of their sustained and outstanding records in scholarship and instruction.

Joseph Swearington currently works as an operations analyst at Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions, but he will join Truist as a commercial real estate analyst in mid-April.

Three specialty programs (information systems, commercial real estate, data science & analytics) and the part-time MBA program at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are ranked among the nation’s best programs in the 2023 Best Graduate Schools edition of “U.S. News & World Report.”

After seven years as a broker, Willie Ellington noticed something about the decision-makers in the business: they possessed either 15+ years of experience or an advanced degree. Hence his decision to enroll in our M.S. in Commercial Real Estate program. Now he can carry on an effective conversation about real estate with not only industry execs but also his grandmother!

Alaina Percival (B.I.S. ’02, MBA ’08), encouraged Georgia State students and alumni who have chosen technology as their career path to stay the course during a recent (March 23) virtual lunchtime conversation.

Robert Lockman is pretty tied to Minnesota, where he runs a real estate brokerage firm, a cabinetry business, and a home renovation company. He wanted to get a formal education in finance and build more skills, realizing the program best aligning with his goals is offered on the other side of the country at Robinson. But that’s not a problem since it can be completed online!

Through the lens of two documentary films, director Hal Jacobs (M.S. ’91) shows Georgia State as a catalyst for creativity and social justice innovation.

Georgia State Alumni Association 40 Under 40 honoree Donald Kirkland (B.B.A. ’10, M.Ed. ’12, MBA ’18) sees a growing influence in state government and Native American affairs.

Wesley J. Johnston, executive director of the Center for Business & Industrial Marketing (CBIM) and CBIM Roundtable Professor of Marketing at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, has received the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award of the Selling and Sales Management Special Interest Group of the American Marketing Association (AMA Sales SIG).

For Diona Jimmerson, enrolling in Robinson’s online B.B.A. degree completion program just made sense. She earned an associate degree from Perimeter College and applied those credits toward a bachelor’s at Robinson.

The Executive MBA (EMBA) offered by Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is No. No. 7 among U.S.-based programs and 23rd worldwide, according to 2022 rankings from “CEO Magazine.”

Healthcare executive Kevin E. Lofton, an alumnus of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, is among 27 champions of diversity and inclusion named to AACSB International’s Influential Leaders Class of 2022.

The online Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree completion program offered by Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business allows students to finish their degrees online at their own pace.

After 18 months of solely remote programming, the decision was made to move forward in the “next normal” and reinstate actual trips.

The program will equip graduates with the advanced analytical and managerial skills required to drive performance and effect positive change in the increasingly complex discipline.

Twelve graduates of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business are among the honorees named by the Georgia State University Alumni Association to its 2022 class of distinguished alumni under the age of 40.

Through a semester-long project, Michaela James realized her strength lies in project management, and started applying for different kinds of jobs.

The grant will fund a project that aims to address the growing need for a highly skilled national cybersecurity workforce.

One of Thoroughgood’s recently published studies unpacks the concept of oppositional courage, which occurs when members of the majority challenge discriminatory policies and procedures to promote a culture of equity and justice.

The 40 Under 40 program honors, recognizes and celebrates the most influential and impactful Georgia State graduates under the age of 40 who embody the values of the university.

Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake addressed the fall 2021 WomenLead cohort during its culminating event of the semester: a poster presentation session where students discussed their future plans and personal leadership strategies with executives, community leaders and faculty.

Seven hundred seventy students graduated from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business during fall 2021 commencement exercises, with 487 earning Bachelor of Business Administration degrees (Dec. 15), 276 earning master’s degrees (Dec. 14), and seven earning doctoral degrees (Dec. 13).

Veda C. Storey, Tull Professor of Computer Information Systems, has received a 2021 INFORMS Information Systems Society (ISS) Distinguished Fellow Award for Outstanding Intellectual Contributions to the Information Systems (IS) Discipline.

Simha Magal, clinical professor of computer information systems (CIS) at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, has received the 2021 Association for Information Systems (AIS) Award for Outstanding Contribution to Information Systems (IS) Education.

Arun Rai, Regents’ Professor, Howard S. Starks Distinguished Chair, and director of the Center for Digital Innovation at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, has received the Inaugural INFORMS Information Systems Society (ISS) President’s Service Award.

Five alumni who are business and community leaders have joined the Board of Advisors of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Professor and economic forecaster Rajeev Dhawan on inflation, supply chain issues and what the future holds.

The World Affairs Council of Atlanta announced today that Rickey Bevington, senior correspondent with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), will become its next president effective Jan. 1, 2022.

Professor Omesh Kini is the inaugural holder of the Bank of America Distinguished Chair in Finance & Risk Management at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

The Robinson College of Business mourns the loss of J.P. Shim, clinical professor of computer information systems and executive director of the Korean-American Business Center, who died Nov. 22.

The Georgia Fintech Academy, a collaboration between the state’s fintech industry and the University System of Georgia (USG), has transitioned to Georgia State’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Robinson was selected as the Fintech Academy’s institutional home after an incubation period with the USG.

In Georgia State’s Center for the Economic Analysis of Risk, faculty are researching the most effective channels for upward economic mobility in Atlanta and across the globe.

Second place winner of the 2021 Three Minute Thesis competition Osie L. Gaines III was invited to present his research on prescriptive and predictive analytics to the Board of Regents at its Nov. 9 meeting.

The analysis contradicts the conventional wisdom on the assumed benefits of collegiate conference switches, such as increases in athletic revenue, improved athletic performance, and enhanced university branding.

After starting his career at IBM and finding his footing as an entrepreneur, Mohammed Hasan Tarek (B.B.A. ’99) is focusing on his passion for cricket as the owner of one of the sport’s newest professional teams, the Atlanta Fire.

Milind M. Shrikhande, clinical professor of finance at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, has been appointed to the H. Talmage Dobbs, Jr. Professorship for Teaching Excellence in Finance.

The ultimate measure of student success is post-graduate career outcomes. Salaries have risen every academic year for graduates of Robinson master’s and MBA programs and are up 10.6 percent over the time encompassing the period since Robinson started waiving and then eliminating, GMAT/GRE test scores.

There’s A LOT to say about Milton Wilkes. For starters, saving lives is something he does on the reg. He manages a team of cardiopulmonary perfusionists at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital – the people who operate lifesaving ECMO machines for COVID-19 patients. Wilkes convinced hospital administrators to invest in updated equipment because the devices they had been using were janky and unsafe.

He already possesses an M.S. in Commercial Real Estate from Robinson, and has provided real estate asset management advisory services to clients. His passion lies here, which is why he’s also pursuing an MBA – so he can run his own real estate investment firm one day.

He’s going to New York with Panthers on Wall Street in December, too.

The guy’s busy! OH, and the skill that’s critical to his success? Empathy!

Undergraduate Kudzanai Maveneke and alumna Nuru Mugambi of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business are among the winners of Georgia State University’s 2021 International Education Awards.

John M. Dyer and Donna A. Lee, both graduates of the Executive MBA program at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, will receive 2021 Georgia State University Distinguished Alumni Awards at a dinner on Friday, Oct. 22 at The Biltmore, 817 West Peachtree St. NW.

It’s no exaggeration to say Regents’ Professor S. Tamer Cavusgil and coauthors wrote the book on emerging markets. Since its first publication in 2002, “Doing Business in Emerging Markets” has been the go-to international business textbook for thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, as well as executives helming global firms.

Leigh Anne Liu, a scholar renowned for her research on how culture and cognition influence negotiation, conflict management, and collaboration in international settings, has been appointed director of the Institute of International Business (IIB) at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Six years ago, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Among those goals: end poverty in all forms everywhere and eliminate hunger.

Five undergraduate offerings – four specialties and the overall B.B.A. – at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are ranked among the nation’s best in the 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges

The impact of COVID-19’s delta variant will delay but not diminish growth prospects, and a current surge in inflation will recede in 2022, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Eleven doctoral candidates successfully defended their dissertations and graduated this summer from the Ph.D. program at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. The group is Robinson’s largest Ph.D. graduating class since spring 2016.

Investment management corporation BlackRock is a huge champion of Robinson’s Panther Immersion Programs. The company supports all three immersion initiatives and provides customized opportunities to students based on what the local markets offer.

The Master of International Business (MIB) offered by Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is 5th in the U.S., according to 2021 rankings from Best Value Schools. The organization ranked the nation’s top 20 programs based on affordability and enrollment.

MBA alumnus Chris Railey joined the first-ever Panthers on Wall Street cohort in 2007. He says the program was foundational to the major career shift he made from sales engineering to finance leadership. He makes annual contributions to Robinson that cover the expenses for other students to participate in Panthers on Wall Street; that way, cost isn’t a barrier. His largesse also supports Panther Retention Grants, which are essentially micro scholarships for students who hit a small financial snag that would force them to drop out of school (think an unexpected medical bill or blown tire).

After a nationwide search, Lauren McDow has been named the new director of graduate career advancement at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

By the time Isiah Morgan had been in the tax field for more than a decade, he realized he needed to brush up on his technical skills. No matter where he worked, be it BDO, Deloitte Tax, or The Home Depot, a significant number of colleagues had earned Master of Taxation degrees from Robinson. Enrolling in the program seemed logical.

Robinson College and Honors College student Claire Sohn (B.B.A. ’23) will spend the 2021-2022 academic year in South Korea on a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad while gaining skills critical to national security and economic prosperity. Sohn discusses her plans.

Elle Ross had passed the CPA Exam and needed a few more course credit hours to get her CPA license. But instead of just taking a couple of classes to meet that requirement, she enrolled in the Master of Taxation program.

A major plot point in the classic film Scarface is protagonist Tony Montana’s arrest for tax evasion and money laundering. And Al Capone committed tax fraud, both in real life and as a movie character in The Untouchables.

Technology has turned the accounting industry, including the field of taxation, on its head. Tax professionals are using innovative tools to automate labor-intensive tasks, freeing them up to spend more time consulting with and advising their clients—a value add. To help students stay knowledgeable of the latest tools and bring relevant expertise to the table, Robinson has updated its Master of Taxation (MTX) program to include a required course in tax analytics.

In 2016 at age 26, just one year after completing her B.B.A. in management at Robinson, Wallace made her first gift. The generosity and frequency of Wallace’s altruism qualify her for membership in Robinson’s Dean’s Society, a group of benefactors who give $1,000 annually or a one-time $25,000 contribution.

Robert Hatcher’s (B.A. ’17, MBA ’20) company, Aurign, uses data and technology to make sure musicians and producers get the royalties they’ve rightfully earned.  

Chinwe Gaines earned her MBA/MHA alongside 40 of her colleagues. That group of students was called the “Wellstar Cohort,” as the hospital system sent a large number of its staff to Robinson to upskill. Gaines definitely built noteworthy new skills. Just six months after graduating, Northside Hospital recruited her to become senior chargemaster analyst.

Ms. Kost lost both parents by age 17 but stuck with her sisters, put herself through college, and now works as CMCO for Deloitte’s global tax and legal business. She established a scholarship at Robinson geared toward students who have faced adversity and have a metaphorical mountain to climb, hence its name: “The Hill We Climb Scholarship.” The scholarship also serves as a nod to Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem, which uplifted our nation during a low point.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute (ENI) of Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business has received the Excellence in Student Engagement in Entrepreneurship Award at the 10th annual Deshpande Symposium for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education.

Laura Howell played NCAA Division I golf at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, while earning a B.A. in interior design.

Kim Pitsko went from hiding her LGBTQ+ leadership to promoting it front and center on her resume. She talks about that in the story, along with what companies can do to earn their “rainbow stripes.” Hint: it goes a lot farther than posting a temporary rainbow logo.

S. Tamer Cavusgil, Fuller E. Callaway Professorial Chair and executive director of the Center for International Business and Research at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business (GSU-CIBER), has been appointed a Regents’ Professor, the highest academic recognition bestowed by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG).

Starting fall 2021, the Department of Risk Management & Insurance (RMI) at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business will offer its highly regarded Master of Actuarial Science (MAS) degree online, allowing working professionals from any location to study at the school ranked first in North America for actuarial science research.

A core value at Truist is advancing diversity and inclusion within the workplace. For the company, a major pipeline of talent comprises graduates from Georgia State University.

The Executive MBA at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is the top public university EMBA program in the state, according to rankings released by Poets & Quants on May 24.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ed Sherwood (B.A. ’68, MBA ’76) recounts a forgotten Vietnam War battle and memorializes lost comrades in a new book.

A Cloverleaf developer by trade, Borne already possessed knowledge of dynamic programming language Tcl. In her Introduction to Programming & Predictive Analytics for Business course with Charlotte Alexander, Borne became proficient in Python and R as well

Nitcelle Emanuels ascended several rungs on the corporate ladder by 2014. She had earned two degrees from Georgia State: a B.S. in human resources and policy development from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in 2003 and an MBA from the Robinson College of Business in 2011.

Rai is uniquely qualified for the appointment, which specified selection of a chairholder with an international reputation for scholarly excellence, a sustained record of high-impact and innovative research, and demonstrated achievement with potential for continued broad-based impact to shape the future direction of scholarship at-large and within the Robinson College.

Eight hundred fifty-five students graduated from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business during spring 2021 commencement exercises, with 683 earning a Bachelor of Business Administration, 157 earning master’s degrees, and 15 earning doctoral degrees.

Georgia State’s ENI was the only entrepreneurship center to take home two awards, both of which focused on the institute’s work supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Perry Binder, clinical associate professor of legal studies at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, received the George M. Sparks Award today (April 27) during the university’s 2021 service recognition ceremony.

When Angela Praseuth talks about the Atlanta spa shootings, she begins to visibly shake. On the same day and at the same time of the attacks, she and her sister were at a spa in another Atlanta suburb. What upsets her equally is how quickly the media moved on to the next story.

The 15th annual Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference highlighted 150 student research and creative projects in 35 academic disciplines.

Using big data analysis, associate professor Charlotte Alexander is decoding #MeToo defenses.

Lance Patterson recently decided to bring a senior analyst on staff at Patterson Real Estate Advisory Group, his commercial real estate capital advisory firm—specifically, a person of color with a few years of experience.

Georgia State University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute has selected a diverse and innovative group of founders for the second cohort of its Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund.

Glenn W. Harrison, C.V. Starr Chair of Risk Management & Insurance at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, has been appointed a Distinguished University Professor in recognition of his sustained and outstanding record in scholarship and instruction.

Junior IT whiz Ausar Simmonds cracked the code for getting the most out of college before the close of his first semester. Now he shares that wisdom while leading campus tours.

The insurance community recently came together virtually to honor outstanding students and members of the risk management community as part of The Riskies Awards, an annual event held by the Georgia State University Risk Management Foundation and the Department of Risk Management & Insurance (RMI) in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.

For Women’s History Month, WomenLead interviewed the three faculty members who hold the program’s endowed positions about their work on issues affecting women.

David Quintilio (MBA ’03) is senior vice president of healthcare logistics and distribution for UPS Healthcare. His job? To deliver critically important products to the world. ASAP.

An accident left Kyle Duran paralyzed from the chest down. But that won’t stop him from earning his B.B.A. in finance.

M.S. in Finance alumnus Blake Phillips went from being a personal trainer who knows nothing about finance to an investment banking analyst at Truist Securities—a coveted position that kids from Ivy League schools typically land.

Youssef Zniber was working full-time as a financial analyst when he enrolled in the QRAM program. His GRA position has enabled him to fully focus on his studies instead of “going through the motions” and merely passing. He’s completed some really interesting projects, such as calculating the cost of health insurance based on customers’ personal habits and traits as well as predicting the value of soccer players based on FIFA data.

Ariane is pursuing a dual degree in actuarial science and quantitative risk analysis & management. Because she’s an international student, applying for a loan would have been extremely difficult, so her GRA position has alleviated that burden. After Stephen Shore’s Theory of Risk Sharing class as well as networking with other risk professionals, she realized she wants to work in the risk department for a large corporation.

The Chubb Charitable Foundation has established the Chubb Robert M. Hernandez Scholarship for undergraduates studying risk management and insurance (RMI) at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business announces the appointment of Baozhong Yang to the H. Talmage Dobbs, Jr. Chair in Finance. Yang is an associate professor of finance and director of Robinson’s FinTech Lab.

Harold Weston, a clinical associate professor of risk management and insurance at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, has been appointed inaugural holder of the Wholesale Specialty & Insurance Association (WSIA) Distinguished Chair in Risk Management and Insurance.

With vaccine rollout underway and picking up steam concurrent to emerging virus variants, Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business said recovery remains “an economic tango led by the virus. Reaching a sustained recovery by early 2022 is contingent on the speed and efficacy of vaccinations by mid-2021.”

Dean Phillips discusses the biggest challenges Robinson faced while pivoting to the delivery of remote learning, how technology has permanently changed business education, and more.

When Christy Beers entered Robinson’s Master of Professional Accountancy program in 2015, she never even had heard of the internal audit sector. Now, six years later, she’s a VP and audit manager at Truist. It all started when her professor encouraged her to enter the IIA’s case competition. She’s gone from being a case competition participant in 2015, to a judge in 2018, to its chair in 2021. Things have come full circle!

Less than two percent of hotel owners are Black, and less than one percent of them are Black women. Georgia State University alumna Davonne Reaves is part of that one percent. But there’s more to her business model than acquiring real estate assets. Her goal is to create 221 Black hotel owners in the year 2021.

Fifteen faculty members at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are among the most cited business management researchers in the world and in the top two percent of their fields by citations, according to analysis published in the open access journal PLOS Biology.

People analytics has brought a layer of sophistication to the human resources (HR) function. As a talent scout at State Farm, Carla Vasquez leverages data insights to make better hiring decisions.

As senior manager of clinical services and operations at Emory Healthcare, Grace Bendinger strives to create a positive experience for patients.

With a new mobile app called Safe-xplore, leaders across an organization’s departments and functions can engage in focused, productive conversations on how to address risks like violent crime, communicable disease, and traffic accidents.

An accomplished scholar and award-winning educator, Tull Professor of Computer Information Systems Veda C. Storey is also a skilled musician whose seven children are following in her footsteps with a popular YouTube channel dedicated to their music.

The Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business has received a $2 million endowment from Deen Day Sanders to establish an immersion program in memory of her late husband, Days Inns founder and school namesake, Cecil B. Day, Sr.

Ross Cado is exploring how blockchain can be used across industries: securing the mobile voting experience, streamlining supply chains, and motivating people to complete daily chores.

Despite having no previous programming experience, Kennedy Crandell has picked up a lot of skills: Python, predictive models, linear regression, and the k-nearest neighbors algorithm.

Leadership of the U.N World Food Programme, the UPS Foundation and the World Food Program USA will discuss their emergency response to Covid-19 and how the private sector supports such humanitarian efforts during a Nov. 10 briefing hosted by the World Affairs Council of Atlanta.

Through his Innovation Studio course, Eric Scoggins not only built the technology back-end to make this happen but also developed a strategic plan to get colleagues on board.

The nonprofit arena is an incredibly competitive space. The more technology George Greenidge can use to reach new audiences, the better.

While moving up the ladder at companies like InterContinental Hotels Group and Salesforce, Love Hudson-Maggio noticed an alarming trend: senior professionals with 25 years or so of experience became, frankly, too expensive for their employers to afford, ultimately getting replaced with younger, cheaper talent.

Starr Insurance Companies, a global insurance and financial services organization, has renewed its partnership with the Institute for Insight

The Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) program at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is the top public university program in the Southeast, and 4th in the region, according to the Financial Times.

ICF Georgia, a charter chapter of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), has announced that the Executive MBA (EMBA) program of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business has won the 2020 Prism Award for coaching excellence, education category.

After a horrific motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, Ignacio Montoya (B.B.A. ’14) began developing one of the most advanced paralysis recovery therapies ever attempted. Montoya is his own patient, and he plans to walk again. After that, he wants to fly.

Dustin Reese is a case competition pro, and it shows. He was recognized as best presenter at the 2020 National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Case Competition. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles hosts the event annually in a major city, but this year, because of the pandemic, the contest went virtual.

Beginning in January 2021, Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business will admit new students to three stand-alone graduate certificate programs that address current and emerging market demand for innovation.

Held annually during the NBMBAA conference, the competition challenges student teams to analyze a complex business case and present solutions to business problems facing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Jayla Grant wants to combine her interests in social justice and technology to eradicate the school-to-prison pipeline. She is set to be the first graduate of the J.D./M.S.D.A. dual degree program.

Three undergraduate specialties offered by Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are ranked as national top-10 programs, according to the 2021 Best Colleges edition released this week by U.S. News & World Report.

Brian Basweti has overseen major construction projects for Imaran Group and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Kimberly Fleuridor works as a billing systems analyst at Comcast, and understands how processes flow throughout an entire organization.

Organizational psychologist and Georgia State associate professor Songqi Liu discusses how workers and organizations can adapt to the “new normal.”  

Lishi Yang spent 15 days hitchhiking from Sichuan, Chengdu to Tibet, Lhasa with only a backpack.

Robinson alumnus Andrew Burton-Jones has been named editor-in-chief of MIS Quarterly (MISQ), the leading academic journal in the information systems field. Burton-Jones completed his Ph.D. in computer information systems at Robinson in 2005.

M.S. in Marketing student Rachel Moten interned with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks for two consecutive summers, gaining skills in analytics and social media marketing.

Robinson welcomed 862 new graduate students this fall, a 78 percent increase over 2019’s incoming class of 484 students. They are enrolled in 14 degree programs.

I chose Robinson because of its emphasis on community and hands-on approach to learning. Atlanta has a special place in my heart. After working for a small digital marketing agency that focuses on Atlanta-based businesses, I knew I wanted to enroll in a program that gets its students involved with other great businesses in the area.

I chose Robinson because of the great experience I had during my undergraduate years. I know I will be challenged and guided by some of the best professors. Plus, the diversity the university offers is unparalleled.

I was originally on the fence about pursuing a graduate degree. However, with the career goals I want to achieve, l realized I need to take my knowledge to the next level.

This was an easy choice for me. I believe in the value proposition that Georgia State and the Robinson College of Business offer.

I believe college education is a significant financial investment, and Robinson’s practical way of learning offers more clearly defined opportunities in the job market.

I chose Robinson for many reasons. Robinson has outstanding recognition across the country and is internationally ranked in many different categories. Additionally, Robinson students experience outstanding success, especially after graduation; plus, the student body is exceptionally diverse.

Once a Panther, always a Panther! I knew by enrolling at Robinson, I could bypass the doubts and insecurities of pursuing a graduate degree at another school and still receive some of the top education in the country.

I recently earned a minor in hospitality administration from Robinson, and learned about a multitude of avenues within the hospitality industry where I might excel.

Incoming M.S. in Finance student Caroline MacMillan works as an FP&A analyst at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, where she has been exposed to financial models, financial reporting processes, and process automation.

The Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group (EBCS) received nearly $300,000 for a mentorship program teaching students advanced research skills.

These designations place Georgia State among an elite group of universities that meet the federal government’s criteria for demonstrating a commitment to cybersecurity research and training.

Georgia State University and Augusta University will provide grants totaling nearly $200,000 to support four research collaborations among faculty from both institutions.

With his food distribution business facing the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, René Diaz (B.B.A. ’87) still finds ways to serve customers and those in need.

Students in select programs at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business will be able to complete their courses through Robinson Anywhere, a digital teaching facility that provides high-quality remote access to Robinson’s graduate programs, beginning in the fall.

American Family Insurance has endowed in perpetuity a scholarship for students in Georgia State University’s WomenLead program. It is the first company-endowed scholarship for the undergraduate leadership development course.

Economic forecaster and professor Rajeev Dhawan discusses the lasting impact that COVID-19 could have on the economy.

Georgia State researchers have examined how to diminish economic losses from hurricanes. One solution: More mangrove trees.

The Career Advancement Center at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business will hold virtual career events the week of April 13 with Milletech Systems and the Georgia FinTech Academy.

The part-time MBA at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business jumped to 28th overall (up 20 spots) and 16th among programs at public universities in rankings released March 17 by U.S. News & World Report.

In one of the nation’s top cities for startups, Georgia State’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute has teamed up with The Marcus Foundation to fund, mentor and develop 21 new businesses.

The faculty of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are the most productive researchers in Georgia and fourth in the Southeast, according to 2020 rankings from the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

Having the Federal Reserve on hold for the foreseeable future, bipartisan agreement on fiscal spending and the signed phase-one tariff deal with China have reduced the uncertainty that typically bedevil growth prospects, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

TFE Times ranks the Master of Science in Quantitative Risk Analysis and Management (M.S. in QRAM) at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business as 16th in the nation among all financial engineering programs (up two spots), and 6th among public university programs.

A new conference presented by Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business will bring together senior marketing professionals from throughout the Southeast for a half day of learning with leading futurists and some of the nation’s most knowledgeable marketing executives.

The Master of Science in Finance at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business is the top public university program in the Southeast and 2nd overall in the region, according to new rankings from TFE Times (formerly The Financial Engineer).

Arun Rai, Regents’ Professor of the University System of Georgia and director of the Center for Digital Innovation at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, has received the LEO Award for Lifetime Exceptional Achievement

The ongoing global slowdown and the U.S.-China trade spat are fostering a deteriorating business investment climate, and a slowdown in job growth has made consumers wary of spending, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State’s Robinson College of Business.

The Executive Master of Business Administration program at Georgia State’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is the top public university program in the Southeast and 18th among U.S.-based programs, according to the Financial Times.

The colleges and universities are working together on research and teaching to improve understanding of the physical, economic and social impacts of climate change in Georgia.

Robinson’s team recently placed second in the National Black MBA Association Graduate Case Competition.

Trade tensions, a reduction in business investment and an earlier than usual presidential election swoon are contributing to a lowered growth path for 2020-21, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

Sophomore business major Malayna Valree spends her days shuffling between classes and dance practice with the Georgia State Pantherettes. In her free time, she performs alongside some of the music industry’s biggest stars.

Trade tensions, a reduction in business investment and an earlier than usual presidential election swoon are contributing to a lowered growth path for 2020-21, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

Delta Air Lines’ manager of international social media strategy and 40 Under 40 honoree Juanita Velez (M.I.B. ’13) has devoted herself to connecting people across cultures with opportunity and community.

Fastcase, a legal research service, honored Alexander for her work as director of Georgia State’s Legal Analytics Lab, an interdisciplinary unit that brings together the methodological expertise of the College of Business analytics faculty with the domain expertise of the College of Law faculty.

Guests enjoyed intimate and honest conversations from the panelists on their successes and failures with establishing and scaling their own ventures.

The 13-module program includes blockchain technology, smart contracts, ecosystem development, architecture, privacy and security, tokenization and venture design.

The U.S. economy is transitioning to a new growth path and production-level shocks in the system can derail its momentum, according to Rajeev Dhawan of Robinson’s Economic Forecasting Center.

Regynald G. Washington’s address to Robinson’s spring 2019 MBAs and specialized master’s graduates cited the wisdom of Walt Disney, Will Rogers, Confucius and Eleanor Roosevelt. But the hospitality executive’s most memorable words to the Class of 2019 were his own.

Robinson graduated 1,326 students this week: 940 undergraduates received B.B.A. degrees; 356 graduate students received MBA and master’s degrees; and 30 doctoral graduates earned a Ph.D. or Executive Doctorate in Business.

As cyber threats ramp up at home and around the world, Georgia State researchers are working to uncover how online criminals operate — and how to keep people, businesses and governments safe.

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has recognized the Legal Analytics Lab of Georgia State’s Robinson College of Business and College of Law in its 2019 Innovations That Inspire Challenge.

Georgia State’s Risk Management Foundation celebrated industry excellence at its fifth annual Riskies ceremony on March 7 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

The Marcus Foundation grant will fund the creation of the Georgia State University Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund, which will result in the creation of at least 10 new businesses in metro Atlanta by June 2020.

Georgia State Alumni Association 40 Under 40 honoree Alaina Percival (B.I.S. ’02, MBA ’08), CEO at Women Who Code, is on a mission to help women break the glass ceiling in the technology industry.

Robinson’s EMBA is No. 26 worldwide and No. 13 among U.S.-based programs, according to 2019 rankings from CEO Magazine.

Veronica Biggins, trailblazing corporate executive, presidential appointee, community leader and Georgia State University alumna (M.Ed. ’70), encouraged WomenLead students and alumni to “know what you believe in and stand by it” in an address at the inaugural induction ceremony for the undergraduate leadership program.

ATLANTA–Several prominent Atlantans will discuss gender equality progress and share their professional stories in a panel discussion at the fourth International Women’s Day breakfast presented by the World Affairs Council of Atlanta on Friday, March 8 at the InterContinental Buckhead.

The faculty of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business are among the most productive researchers in the world, according to 2019 rankings from the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

Georgia State University is part of a national group of leading innovative institutions that has received a $2.4 million grant from the Strada Education Network to redesign the college-to-career pathway.

The Department of Finance at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business will host its 6th Financial Leadership Symposium on Wednesday, March 13at the Georgia State University Buckhead Center, at Tower Place 200, 3348 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, Ga.

The 35-day partial government shutdown was likely economically insignificant except for those who suffered delayed paychecks, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

An app feature that takes the pain out of finding parking took top honors at the 2019 Marketing Awards for Excellence (MAX Awards), held yesterday (Feb. 20) at the Georgia Aquarium.

Four specialized master’s programs offered by Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business are among the nation’s best in new graduate rankings from TFE Times (formerly The Financial Engineer). Two programs rose in the rankings; two are on the list for the first time.

Hedge fund and asset management scholar Vikas Agarwal has been appointed inaugural holder of the Bank of America Distinguished Chair of Finance at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Veda C. Storey of the Robinson College of Business earned three academic distinctions in 2018.

Georgia State University alumna Ann-Marie Campbell, executive vice president of U.S. Stores at The Home Depot, is one of 33 business school graduates who have been honored by AACSB International, the world’s largest business education alliance, as a 2019 Influential Leader.

ATLANTA—Sixteen graduates of the Robinson College of Business are among the honorees named by the Georgia State University Alumni Association to its 2019 class of distinguished alumni under the age of 40.

A new semester brings fresh opportunities to achieve academic success. Georgia State is excited to welcome back all of our new and returning students for the spring 2019 semester.

Checkout charity, a phenomenon where cashiers or self-service technologies solicit charitable donations from customers during the payment process, is quickly becoming an established aspect of many retail and service experiences, including restaurants.

Denish Shah, director of the Social Media Intelligence Lab, talks about how social media insights are changing the way companies — even cities — operate.

Georgia State University is ranked the second most innovative university in the nation and second in the country for its commitment to undergraduate teaching in the 2019 Best Colleges edition of U.S. News & World Report magazine.

Stock market portfolios containing high-risk stocks generate about the same return as portfolios containing low-risk stocks in the long run, according to researchers at the Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

A phenomenon known as the “beta anomaly” has puzzled stock market experts for decades. Assistant professor Scott Murray has uncovered what’s behind it.

ATLANTA–Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business has opened a fintech lab spanning data analytics, finance, real estate, and risk management and insurance, the first business school-based fintech lab in Georgia and among the first in the nation.