Dean’s Innovation Fund

Launched in 2018, the Dean’s Innovation Fund in the College of Business & Economics provides seed money to launch and support new ideas in high-impact teaching and learning, groundbreaking research, and engagement with the business community. Backing the best new ideas with financial support allows the College of Business & Economics to model creativity and adaptability to new market opportunities that will be expected of our students when they graduate. Thank you for your support!

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Impact of the Dean's Innovation Fund - Examples

Women in Leadership

Women in Leadership

In 2019-20, the Dean’s Innovation Fund supported the pilot year of our new Women in Leadership program.  Management professor Asha Rao approached Dean Low with an idea to reduce the gender gap in leadership with three different elements: mentoring, training, and a leadership experience and he was able to provide seed funding for the pilot year. Ten graduate students were selected to participate and a number of successful women stepped forward as mentors and guest speakers. Five students completed meaningful leadership projects for non-profit partners, despite the pandemic. This year, our Women in Leadership program is expanding to serve 20 students and two leadership courses will be offered in spring. Read more.

 

VCIC

MBA Students Competed in Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)

The fund also helped pay the costs of travel and lodging for a team of MBA students and two faculty members to travel to Boston in February to compete in an international investment strategy contest. When Harvard dropped out of the semi-finals last year, we stepped in. Our students spent weeks preparing for the competition, despite their other responsibilities. They performed well in the competition and Cal State East Bay has been invited to compete in VCIC 2021 – virtually. Read more.