Director's Message

A portrait of Greg Filbeck, the new director of the Black School of Business at Penn State Berhend

We’ve launched a new academic year with continued excitement around the programs of the Black School of Business, which now enrolls 2,000 students in resident instruction and online through Penn State World Campus.

In this publication, you will read about our expanded professional development program for students, including the increased role that our Business Advisory Board is playing in efforts to make us a business school of choice for employers looking to hire workforce-ready graduates. We launched a third mentoring program for students this fall geared toward cross-cultural exchanges.

Our executive in residence (EIR) program has expanded to involve four professionals this academic year. Steve Bugajski, chief information officer for U.S. Steel; Brad Postema, chief investment officer for Erie Insurance Group; and Dan Levstek, president of MDL International, have joined Ann Scott, community outreach manager for Erie Insurance Group, as EIRs for 2019-20.

We also grew our Bloomberg Terminals from one to twelve to meet increased demand for time on the terminals and give students greater access to the Bloomberg system for hands-on, in-class experiences. In addition to enhancing student learning, research conducted on the terminals is integral to management of the Intrieri Family Student-Managed Fund, which has a value of more than $800,000 at the time of this issue of Business News.

We hosted a highly successful alumni event at the Bourbon Barrel in Erie in conjunction with Parents, Families and Alumni Weekend. We’re proud of our alumni and appreciate all that they do from participating in professional networking to serving on our advisory boards.

Thank you for your support of the Black School of Business and our students.