Dean of Graduate & Professional Studies and the School of Business Najiba Benabess at 2022 ACBSP Deans Symposium
Elizabethtown College Dean of the School of Business Najiba Benabess recently served as a panelist at the 2022 Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Deans Symposium in Las Vegas from Nov. 14 to 16.
Dean Benabess, along with Dean and Professor of Economics at Bowie State University Lawrence McNeil, Dean of the School of Business and Management at City University of Seattle Sumantra Sengupta, and Chair of the ACBSP Board of Directors Paul Stumb spoke on the topic of, “Fundraising and the Deanship: Critical Foundation, Function for the Future.”
“Deans of schools of business are increasingly playing a vital role in fundraising at their institutions,” Benabess explained. “Deans are the best people to articulate the needs and vision of the school because they understand the college, student’s needs, the faculty research agenda and are able to articulate all of this to a donor.”
The panelists discussed the dean’s role in fundraising and where this fits relative to other priorities, while also touching on the importance of having an active Business Advisory Board.
“Being able to refer to your mission clearly and explain the list of your priority projects to a donor demonstrates that you have a plan, you know what you need, and you are going about it strategically,” Benabess said. “Fundraising is a way to help people create the change they want or to support the values they want in the world.”