Lam Family College of Business Annual Report 2019-2020 (Pdf)
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The Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University is ranked one of the 50 Best Colleges for Business Majors in the country by Money magazine. The LFCOB ranked 35th among the 50 Best Colleges for Business Majors in the 2020 Money magazine ranking, which was based on “education quality, affordability, and the career payoff for undergraduate business majors.” 4 A Message from the Interim Dean 5 Our Mission, Vision and Strategic Initiatives 6 Making the Transition to Online Teaching and Operations 8 AACSB Re-Accreditation 10 Student Achievements 12 The Class of 2020 Honorees 16 Student Success 18 Career Services & Professional Development 21 Scholarships 22 Student Fellowship Programs 23 Center for Ethical & Sustainable Business 24 Faculty News Highlights 26 Faculty Awards and Research 28 New Faculty 29 Faculty Promotions 30 Faculty List 32 New Academic Programs 34 Special Event Highlights 41 Dean’s Development Council 42 Donor List & Amounts 44 Friend/Fundraising 46 Resources and Investments 47 Leadership Team A Message from the Interim Dean A Message from the Interim Dean Yim-Yu Wong, Ph.D. For many years, the Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB) at San Francisco State University has played a critical role in business education in the Bay Area. Our dedicated faculty and staff prepare and guide students for academic and career success. T WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT to say that 2019-2020 was an unusual year. We began the year with I a new name for our college – the Lam Family College of Business – to honor our alumnus, Mr. Chris Larsen (B.S. ’84), his wife, Ms. Lyna Lam, and her family, particularly her father, Mr. Quan Lam. Mr. Lam led his family of five children to escape from war-torn Cambodia, and he built a new beginning full of hope and promise for them in the United States. He will serve as an inspiration for our students, faculty, and staff for many years to come. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program was first accredited by the AACSB International in 1963. Over the past several decades, several other graduate and undergraduate programs also received accreditation. In March 2020, an AACSB Peer Review team visited us for the 2014-2019 accreditation cycle. As a result of our relentless efforts and commitment to our education mission, the college proudly received re-accreditation – an assurance that the LFCoB continues to uphold the highest quality of Yim-Yu Wong, Ph.D., Interim Dean business education. Lam Family College of Business On the heels of the re-accreditation, the COVID-19 crisis hit. We faced it with courage and grace. Our students, staff, and faculty pivoted from conventional in-person instruction and operations to virtual modalities. One of the most difficult moments for me was when I sent our graduating class of 2020 to a world of high uncertainty. But in my heart, I know that they have what it takes to overcome adversity and make us proud, along with their family and friends. As we closed out 2019-2020, many of us also gained new perspectives on life. To prepare for the new year, I have reflected on Mr. Quan Lam’s story and qualities. His “ingenuity, grit and determination are great examples of the attributes possessed by SF State students.” (SF State News, June 4, 2019). Our passion for seeing our students succeed remains the source of our motivation. I invite you to read all the wonderful stories that demonstrate the creativity, hard work and dedication of our students, faculty, and staff in this year’s Annual Report. Yours respectfully, Yim-Yu Wong, Ph.D. Interim Dean Lam Family College of Business 4 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY, LAM FAMILY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Our Mission, Vision and Strategic Initiatives Our Mission WE ARE SAN FRANCISCO’S PUBLIC BUSINESS SCHOOL. We embrace the area’s rich diversity and provide access to higher education. Our mission is to prepare students for professional success through high-quality teaching, innovative and relevant courses, discipline-based and pedagogical scholarship, and engagement with the academic and business communities. Our Vision WE ASPIRE TO BE ONE OF THE BEST PUBLIC URBAN BUSINESS SCHOOLS by applying sustainability and ethical perspectives to our understanding of business practice, global leadership, innovation, the economy and society. Strategic Initiatives We continue to invest in the quality of our faculty, our students and the visibility of our brand. Cultivating strong industry connections and advancing our friendraising and fundraising efforts keeps us active and relevant in the business community and allows us to provide transformative learning opportunities for our students. Invest In Faculty Build Corporate Connections and Academic Excellence The Lam Family College of Business reaches out to the corporate community in order to build a cohesive At the Lam Family College of Business, we pride ourselves connection between industry and academia. on our world-renowned faculty and invest in their scholarly work. We uphold academic excellence and commend Yim-Yu Wong, Ph.D., Interim Dean Cultivate Friend-Raising Lam Family College of Business each of our faculty members for their contributions to the college and the impact they have on our students. and Fundraising The Lam Family College of Business cultivates relationships Invest In Our Students Through with alumni and friends, and values their enthusiasm to Scholarships and Careers connect students to industry. These unique partnerships allow the college to make philanthropic investments that The Lam Family College of Business guides students as drive fundraising initiatives. they grow as leaders and contributors in the Bay Area and beyond. We acknowledge students’ academic and personal achievements and encourage continuous progress toward learning and career opportunities. Invest In and Leverage Our Brand to Sustain Competitive Advantages The Lam Family College of Business consistently invests in its brand to sustain a competitive advantage in the dynamic market. Brand visibility is key to growing new revenue from graduate enrollment, corporate partnerships and executive education. 2019 – 2020 | ANNUAL REPORT 5 Making the Transition to Online Teaching and Operations Assistant Professor Nasser Shahrasbi’s online class, BUS 782 Information Systems for Management, with MBA students. Making the Transition to Online Teaching and Operations As the COVID-19 pandemic reached the San Francisco Bay Area, the Lam Family College of Business, along with everyone at San Francisco State University, followed the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s initial Stay-Safer-At-Home order, issued on March 16, 2020, and ceased all in-person gatherings, including classes, events, and working on site at all of our campuses in an effort to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. TO HELP PROTECT OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY, we quickly transitioned our classes, activities, and all college operations to remote modalities by utilizing online technologies, such as Zoom and Microsoft-Teams, as well as the telephone. This shift to virtual operations was critical for three key reasons, according to Interim Dean Yim-Yu Wong: to protect community health, to help reduce the financial and emotional stress of the pandemic, and to continue to provide students with access to education and services in a safe way. 6 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY, LAM FAMILY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Making the Transition to Online Teaching and Operations This unprecedented shift from interactions,” MBA student Joanna in-person to online teaching and Poon reflected, “but my experience operations was made possible by with virtual learning showed me the dedication and collaboration of that amazing team work can still be our entire University community. “It done even if your teammates are was the strong ties and the amazing continents away.” Students balanced partners we have across campus to not only their classes, but virtual lean on for support and exchange internships, clubs, and leadership information, share skills and best opportunities. Finance student Brian practices that allowed us to not only Yoo, President of the Financial Analysis make this major transition, but do and Management Education (FAME) so without any disruption in service student organization, used digital tools to our students,” said Assistant to continue leading the group’s weekly Dean Jeffrey Chun. Faculty shared meetings on Zoom. “Being able to get videos, workshops, and consultations, an early start and have practice with overcoming the challenges of a virtual environment before doing it adopting virtual instruction by professionally definitely gives me an focusing on student success and upper hand,” Yoo said. “My biggest stepping up to help others. “The takeaway from online education is pandemic was a big disrupter in that you have to stay adaptable to be how we go about the business of successful.” education,” said Theresa Roeder, While the future of the pandemic is Ph.D., Interim Senior Assistant Dean uncertain, the college community has and Professor of Decision Sciences. proven we can not only persevere but “It turns out that a lot more is thrive during difficult times. “I am possible in online learning than many very impressed by the students, staff, of us thought.” and faculty for their commitment to Enabling students to continue overcoming the challenges brought pursuing their educational goals about by the pandemic,” said Dean did not stop in the classroom — Wong. “While the obstacles may student