Brandeis International Business School

Dear Brandeis International Business School Community,

It’s an exciting time to be at Brandeis. Classes are in full swing and we have several great events scheduled for students, alumni and friends — please see below for more details and be sure to mark your calendar!

We officially kicked off the Spring 2023 semester in India, with a select group of students traveling to Delhi and Mumbai in early January through the Hassenfeld Immersion Program. As always, our Hassenfeld fellows returned from their trip with a wealth of fresh insights and inspiration. Also in January, I traveled to Mumbai, Jodhpur and Udaipur with Prof. Debarshi Nandy to visit several of our partner schools and explore new partnership opportunities. Even 7,000 miles from campus, I always enjoy sharing stories about our tight-knit global community at the International Business School.

The inaugural Asper Center Pitch Summit on Jan. 27-28 was a big success. Over the course of three hours, student teams were tasked with identifying a new sustainable business venture in the fashion industry and pitching it to an expert panel of judges. The winning team pitched a clothing rental service named Design Your Eco Closet. On Feb. 3-5, the sixth-annual DeisHacks hackathon for social good drew record turnout, with more than 160 in-person and 238 virtual participants pairing up with local nonprofit organizations to solve real-world business challenges. This year’s winning team of student hackers proposed a community art exhibit to boost attendance at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham.

Our graduates continue to find career success. According to the latest statistics, 92 percent of jobseekers from the Class of 2022 have accepted employment. Starting U.S. salaries and bonuses reported by recent graduates have also increased 48 percent since 2018. We’re also continuing to improve and expand our academic programs, having received final approval from Brandeis University to launch an undergraduate finance minor this fall. Just as business and economics remain among the most popular majors at Brandeis, we anticipate that the new finance minor will be met with a positive response from students. Finance remains a strength at the International Business School thanks to the expertise and accomplishments of our talented faculty and alumni.

Finally, I encourage you to attend the following events. We’re also preparing for the university’s 75th anniversary — stay tuned for details regarding a special celebration on Oct. 13.

A Conversation with TED Speaker Simon Sinek ’95
Feb. 28 — Virtual

Join bestselling author and renowned TED Talk speaker Simon Sinek ’95, as he explores why the best companies are built around optimism. Register now.

The Economics of Climate Change
April 19 — In-Person (Space is limited)

Featuring Catherine Mann, David Hodes ’77 and Joram Cukierman ’98, MA’99. Part of our annual Business of Climate Change program. Learn more.

2023 Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship
April 27 — In-Person (Space is limited)

Featuring a conversation with honoree Robert Herjavec, entrepreneur, CEO, best-selling author and star of ABC’s Emmy Award-winning show, Shark Tank. This event is sponsored by the Asper Center for Global Entrepreneurship. Learn more.

I wish you a successful spring and hope to see you on campus soon. Thank you for all that you do in support of Brandeis International Business School.

Sincerely,Kathryn Graddy
Dean, Brandeis International Business School
Fred and Rita Richman Distinguished Professor in Economics