Pipeline, Retention and Graduation Rates

Leading Citizen Well-Being Through Business Research: Launching the Initiative for Global Business Impact

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 23:05:06 +0000

Leading Citizen Well-Being Through Business Research: Launching the Initiative for Global Business Impact Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 02/11/2025 - 16:05

Thanks to an anonymous gift, Leeds is investing $3.85 million to launch the Initiative for Global Business Impact this fall, accelerating the school鈥檚 world-class research infrastructure and academic reputation.

The new Initiative for Global Business Impact will take Leeds to the world and bring the world to Leeds. Human welfare is strongly affected by sustainability of practices by businesses and individual citizens, and by the quality of consumers鈥� financial decisions. But the solutions offered by businesses and governments differ dramatically across geographies, as do the apparent effectiveness of those solutions. The world needs next-generation leaders who can learn from those differences and act on rigorous evidence about what works.

Employers are seeking business professionals who can not only drive operational excellence, but who can also champion purpose-driven organizations that prioritize societal impact alongside profitability. With a focus on citizen well-being, the initiative's initial phase will prioritize consumer financial decision-making and sustainability.

鈥淭his generous gift provides Leeds with the opportunity to both broaden and deepen our inquiries by fostering connections with global communities, creating a meaningful impact on citizen well-being, businesses and society,鈥� said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business.

Leading the way

Khatri has appointed Distinguished Professor John G. Lynch Jr. as the inaugural director of the Initiative for Global Business Impact. Lynch was named the 2025 AMA-Irwin-McGraw-Hill Distinguished Marketing Educator, the highest honor in the field of academic marketing, recognizing "creative accomplishments, public service, research, teaching and service contributions."

Lynch was the founding director of the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making and served as senior associate dean for faculty and research at Leeds. His scholarship, extensive teaching experience, awards, mentorship and reputation in the world of consumer financial decision-making and marketing uniquely qualify him to advance Leeds鈥� position and academic reputation through this new initiative.

Solidifying Leeds鈥� research infrastructure

Leeds faculty are already addressing global societal issues through exemplary interdisciplinary research. To take Leeds global, the school will expand its research e铿€orts through global partnerships with scholars worldwide, enhancing its impact and solidifying its position as a global leader.

To bring the world to Leeds, Leeds faculty will have an opportunity to broaden their research scope to address critical global challenges. This will involve engaging esteemed Global Faculty-in-Residence and Global Postdoctoral Fellows whose expertise will drive intellectual growth and innovation, enabling us to tackle complex problems that address citizen well-being and produce meaningful research.

These e铿€orts will also support the development of global academic programs in collaboration with international business schools, preparing our students for leadership roles in a globalized economy.

Addressing global challenges through business innovation

Today鈥檚 rapidly evolving business environment is increasingly shaped by factors like climate change, poverty, population growth and geopolitical conflict, noted Khatri. In response, Leeds is closely following key trends in digital transformation, sustainability, economic shifts and the future of work to address the dynamic needs of business leaders.

鈥淪ince founding the Center for Financial Decision Making in 2009, Leeds has established itself as a leader in consumer financial decision-making and household finance. That experience has demonstrated how externally focused research centers can create an infrastructure for impactful work. With this new initiative, we will collaborate with leading global partners and scholars to build trusted business research that addresses large-scale societal challenges with solutions that really work,鈥� said Lynch.

"With this new initiative, we will collaborate with leading global partners and scholars to build trusted business research that addresses large-scale societal challenges."

John G. Lynch Jr., Distinguished Professor

The Initiative for Global Business Impact, focused on accelerating momentum in citizen well-being through business research, strengthens Leeds' ongoing efforts and aligns with the 2035 Leeds Strategic Plan, shaping the future of business over the next decade.

Thanks to a generous anonymous gift, Leeds is investing $3.85 million to launch the Initiative for Global Business Impact in fall 2025, advancing the school鈥檚 world-class research infrastructure.

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The Leeds Sustainability Case Competition: Business Students Tackle AI鈥檚 Energy Challenge

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 15:35:34 +0000

The Leeds Sustainability Case Competition: Business Students Tackle AI鈥檚 Energy Challenge Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 02/11/2025 - 08:35

Jane Majkiewicz 鈥� Video by Cody Johnston

The annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition brought together 39 teams from top business schools to develop solutions for sustainability challenges in the age of artificial intelligence.

As AI technology expands, its energy consumption is growing exponentially, raising urgent sustainability concerns. How can companies embrace AI without compromising environmental responsibility?

That was the central challenge that MBA students from institutions like the University of California, Berkeley (Haas), The University of Chicago (Booth), Duke University (Fuqua) and Columbia tackled at this year鈥檚 Leeds Sustainability Case Competition.

51吃瓜网鈥檚 "For the Bees" team from the Masters of the Environment (MENV) program took first place, while Leeds鈥� "The Green Beans" team secured second place.

鈥淎ddressing environmental sustainability will be crucial for businesses over the next decade,鈥� said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business. 鈥淟eeds is at the forefront of highlighting how sustainability is not only a competitive advantage for business, but also an opportunity to drive innovative solutions to global challenges.鈥�

A legacy of sustainability at Leeds

鈥淔or 25 years, the Leeds School of Business has prioritized sustainability, ethics and social responsibility, and our students come here because of that focus,鈥� said Mike Leeds (Fin鈥�74).

Since 2001, the Leeds Sustainability Case Competition鈥攆ormerly known as the Net Impact Case Competition鈥攈as provided students with real-world business challenges focused on sustainability. The competition brings together graduate students, executives and businesses that share a common commitment to business practices that yield positive social, environmental and financial returns.

A unique opportunity for future business leaders

鈥淭his competition is a unique opportunity because students work in cross-functional teams, collaborating with peers from different disciplines to develop innovative solutions to sustainability-related challenges,鈥� said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Leeds Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility.

With AI rapidly transforming industries, this year's competition demonstrated how business leaders can balance technological progress with environmental priorities. In addition to fostering an environment of creative problem-solving, the annual event also strengthens students鈥� professional networks, giving them essential connections as they become next-generation business leaders.

The annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition brought together 39 teams from top business schools to develop sustainable solutions to power the AI surge.

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Career Paths: How Luke St. John Became a Natural Networker

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 20:18:11 +0000

Career Paths: How Luke St. John Became a Natural Networker Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 02/07/2025 - 13:18

Luke St. John (Fin鈥�25) built a robust habit of networking while pursuing his passions at Leeds. That ultimately helped him secure a job before graduation.

For senior Luke St. John, launching his career this spring has boiled down to two things: Doing what he loves and talking to everybody.

This May, St. John will graduate and begin his new role as a business analyst at McKinsey and Company in Denver. He attributes this success partly to his involvement in various student organizations at CU. Since his freshman year, he has served as vice president on the board of the 51吃瓜网 Freeride ski and snowboard club鈥攖he largest student organization on campus. He has also been an active member of Leeds Student Government and has participated in the Leeds on Wall Street group.

Turning dreams into milestones

Joining clubs helped St. John navigate a challenging start to his freshman year, fostering friendships and cementing valuable connections to craft a positive college experience. His spring semester of junior year was another turning point: Realizing he had enough credits to graduate early, he took time off to pursue his travel dreams鈥攕kiing in Japan, surfing in Bali and exploring Europe. That didn鈥檛 thwart his plans to graduate鈥攂ut instead expanded his curiosity and confidence.

To fund his travels, St. John worked nearly every day at a restaurant for two months, a lesson in financial planning and perseverance. And navigating the unknowns of travel became a strong talking point during interviews. That semester off ultimately paid off. His new role at McKinsey will involve significant travel, and St. John feels ready for the challenge.

Follow your passions

St. John credits his parents for instilling in him an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for doing meaningful work. His father started a company more than 20 years ago building drift boats for fly fishing.

鈥淚 think that was so cool for me to see my entire life growing up 鈥� [my father] has been so focused and dedicated to his company. He has good days and he has bad days, and I get to see those firsthand. I know that deep down, he loves what he does.鈥�

His mother works as a curator and grant writer for the Steamboat Art Museum, a job she loves and one that has inspired St. John鈥檚 interest in nonprofits.

鈥淗aving both parents doing something they're so passionate about 鈥� it鈥檚 kind of hard not to think, 鈥楾hey made it work 100% doing that. So why can鈥檛 I?鈥欌€�

Network with peers

Early on, St. John recognized the value of Leeds鈥� career resources鈥攈e was in Leeds鈥� career coach Susan Brodnicki鈥檚 office at least an hour each week, he laughed. She worked tirelessly to help connect him with leads and contacts. Also, he never underestimated the power of collaborating with peers to practice and build skills.

His involvement with Leeds Student Government proved to be a fertile ground for learning and leadership. 鈥淚t was so cool that I could go in, and not really knowing much 鈥� the juniors and seniors were able to guide me to where I wanted to go, and then they let me take the reins on stuff that I was really passionate about,鈥� said St. John.

Through student government, St. John first learned about McKinsey from a junior who had secured a job there. That influenced his decision in freshman year to focus on finance and business. His involvement in the investment banking club starting sophomore year further honed his networking and interview skills.

"You need to put yourself out there. The worst that鈥檒l happen is people won鈥檛 respond."

Luke St. John (Fin鈥�25)

鈥淭hey trained us that you need to put yourself out there. The worst that鈥檒l happen is people won鈥檛 respond,鈥� said St. John. He learned how to 鈥渢ake that 鈥榥o鈥� and move to the next company or reach out to somebody else that might be more helpful.鈥�

Stick with it

St. John estimates he鈥檚 sent over 500 emails for coffee chats in the last three years.

鈥淚 probably had 30 or 40 calls with companies before I even got to McKinsey,鈥� he added. While he reached out to contacts from other schools, he found conversations with Leeds alumni to be the most productive.

鈥淥n other calls, they didn鈥檛 necessarily have the understanding about classes or looking out for me as much as people at Leeds,鈥� said St. John. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what鈥檚 so cool: Buffs looking out for Buffs.鈥�

When St. John had his first interview with McKinsey, he reached out to a couple of students in the Leeds Consulting Group, even though he isn鈥檛 a member. Those students happily devoted a couple of hours each to help St. John practice.

Explore options through internships

Internships helped St. John gain clarity about his career path.

鈥淚 knew I wanted to do something in finance, but I didn鈥檛 necessarily know what,鈥� St. John said. Interning with both private and nonprofit organizations allowed him to discover his preferences and envision his future. Gaining that professional experience has allowed him to feel confident going into his new role, knowing how to gauge expectations.

Looking ahead

St. John will spend two to three years as a general business analyst for McKinsey, following the company鈥檚 track to consultant, senior consultant and engagement manager roles.

No matter where the path ultimately takes him, St. John knows he鈥檒l benefit from the experience.

鈥淚 am incredibly excited just to be able to touch a variety of industries,鈥� he said. He hopes to pair the business knowledge he develops with his passion for the outdoors and sustainability. He dreams of starting a company to make skis, inspired by his father鈥檚 entrepreneurial journey.

One certainty: Networking will remain a cornerstone of St. John鈥檚 path. Here鈥檚 some proof: After the interview for this story, he followed up with an email to share contacts for other articles, including his younger brother, a current CU student transferring to Leeds this fall.

That鈥檚鈥淏uffs looking out for Buffs鈥� in action, which, for St. John, comes naturally.

Want to put your networking skills to work? Connect with the Leeds Career Development Office.

Luke St. John (Fin鈥�25) built a robust habit of networking while pursuing his passions at Leeds. That ultimately helped him secure a job before graduation.

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Harnessing Data Power: A Game-Changer for Supply Chain and Marketing Careers

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:06:50 +0000

Harnessing Data Power: A Game-Changer for Supply Chain and Marketing Careers Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 01/14/2025 - 11:06

Jane Majkiewicz

Leeds is at the forefront of data analytics with two new innovative master鈥檚 programs鈥攕upply chain analytics and marketing analytics.

Data is everywhere. The challenge isn鈥檛 collecting it but turning it into actionable insights and informed business decisions. That鈥檚 the vision behind Leeds鈥� new master鈥檚 programs in supply chain analytics and marketing analytics, beginning in 2025.

鈥淏eing able to launch marketing analytics and supply chain analytics degrees is exciting and supportive of the growth of the school and the opportunities we provide as students consider the changes occurring in business careers,鈥� said Kristi Ryujin, associate dean for graduate programs at Leeds. During her 11-year tenure, she has witnessed seismic changes in these two major areas of global business.

Transforming supply chain operations

Supply chains became a household topic during the pandemic, as shortages, price surges and logistical bottlenecks exposed vulnerabilities in global systems. Today, organizations must grapple with growing amounts of data to answer critical questions: Where should products be stored? How should production be timed? How can pricing and overhead be optimized? How will changing tariffs and regulations affect operations and revenue?

鈥淭hese are the kinds of questions we鈥檙e hearing,鈥� Ryujin noted. 鈥淒iscussions with industry partners show how far supply chain operations have come from the days of literally walking the lines in the warehouse. Now, we鈥檙e looking at things like performance over time, and it鈥檚 all data driven.鈥�

Leeds鈥� new Supply Chain Analytics master鈥檚 program builds on 10 years of expertise in core supply chain topics including procurement, logistics, inventory management and programming skills in Python. The new program replaces and updates the existing supply chain management degree, incorporating new technologies including AI and machine learning, and advanced technical skills.

The ability to predict demand, address inefficiencies and reduce risks can translate into significant cost savings and operational improvements for organizations. For example, supply chain analytics can help a food manufacturer forecast ingredient needs to avoid spoilage, streamline delivery schedules and align with sustainability goals in packaging and production.

鈥淟eeds is seen as a leader in sustainability,鈥� Ryujin said. 鈥淗aving a sustainable supply chain is part of the opportunity we have in guiding students.鈥�

鈥淭here will be consistent demand for people with this skillset.鈥濃€擪risti Ryujin, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs

Expanding career opportunities

As supply chains grow more complex, so does the demand for skilled professionals. The new master鈥檚 program is tailored to both full-time students and working professionals, offering flexible formats to accommodate busy schedules.

鈥淥ne of the things we pride ourselves in is that we develop talent,鈥� Ryujin said. 鈥淚f someone was an undergraduate psychology major, for example, and really likes numbers and data, we will prepare that student for success in the program.鈥�

High-demand roles in supply chain analytics include:

鈫� Demand Planner
鈫� Logistics Analyst
鈫� Operations Analyst
鈫� Procurement Agent
鈫� Quality Control Analyst

鈥淲e learned so much during COVID. And now we must think about the complexities and volatility of supply chain markets based on government changes, leadership changes, climate change and more,鈥� Ryujin said. 鈥淥ur ability to address these challenges is what makes our supply chain analytics degree so interesting and exciting,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here will be consistent demand for people with this skillset.鈥�

The growing role of marketing analytics

Leeds鈥� new Marketing Analytics master鈥檚 program builds on Leeds鈥� foundation of excellence in marketing research and teaching. The program is designed to prepare students for roles that require translating data into actionable insights, understanding customer behavior and optimizing marketing effectiveness.

The new program will expand upon Leeds鈥� breadth of marketing courses with the added technical skills to address evolving and emerging roles. These roles are becoming vital in helping companies understand their audiences, drive revenue growth and solidify their reputation as purpose-driven, sustainable organizations.

High-demand roles in marketing analytics include:

鈫� Marketing Analytics Manager
鈫� Marketing Analytics Senior Lead
鈫� Senior Manager, Marketing Insights and Analytics
鈫� Senior Manager, Digital Marketing
鈫� Senior Digital Engagement Administrator

Flexible learning options and the Leeds difference

Both new master鈥檚 programs offer full-time, in-person formats as well as an 鈥淥nline Plus鈥� option, which combines high-quality, customized videos, synchronous remote sessions and in-person faculty office hours. This flexibility makes it possible for working professionals to reskill, upskill or pivot their careers.

鈥淔or recent graduates or career changers, these programs offer a pathway to advanced opportunities,鈥� Ryujin explained. Many of Leeds鈥� undergraduate students take advantage of accelerated pathways, earning both undergraduate and master鈥檚 degrees through 3+1 or 4+1 programs. 鈥淭he important thing for students is to come in with curiosity, interest and a willingness to learn.鈥�

By solving critical business challenges and identifying opportunities to improve business processes and mitigate risks, these programs shape students into strategic thinkers in their industries. Leeds鈥� graduates not only leave prepared to adapt to ever-evolving business demands, but they鈥檙e also equipped with a competitive edge in anticipating future challenges and driving innovation鈥攕kills that set them apart as leaders.

At a Glance

	Master鈥檚 in Supply Chain Analytics	Master鈥檚 in Marketing Analytics
Program Options	Full-time: 10 months in person Online Plus: 2 years, paced for working professionals Starts in July 2025	Full-time: 10 months in person Online Plus: 2 years, paced for working professionals Starts in July 2025
Curriculum	Data-driven operational strategy and tactics with big data analytics.	Data-driven marketing strategies including specialized market intelligence, digital advertising and customer analytics courses.
Selected Courses	Fundamentals of Data Analytics Structured Data Modeling & Analysis Supply Chain & Operations Analytics Procurement & Contracting Modern Artificial Intelligence Experiential Projects	Survey of Business Analytics Machine Learning Advanced Data Analytics Market Intelligence Customer Analytics Digital Advertising Modern Artificial Intelligence Experiential Projects
Career Success	Graduates find roles in leading companies including鈥疉rrow Electronics, Boeing, Danone, Lockheed Martin, Walmart and more.	Graduates find roles in top companies like AB InBev, Alteryx, KPMG, Merckle, OptTek Systems, P2 Energy Solutions and Panasonic North America.

Leeds is at the forefront of data analytics with two new innovative master鈥檚 programs鈥攕upply chain analytics and marketing analytics.

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Pipeline, Retention and Graduation Rates

Leading Citizen Well-Being Through Business Research: Launching the Initiative for Global Business Impact

Leading the way

Solidifying Leeds鈥� research infrastructure

Addressing global challenges through business innovation

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The Leeds Sustainability Case Competition: Business Students Tackle AI鈥檚 Energy Challenge

A legacy of sustainability at Leeds

A unique opportunity for future business leaders

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Career Paths: How Luke St. John Became a Natural Networker

Turning dreams into milestones

Follow your passions

Network with peers

Stick with it

Explore options through internships

Looking ahead

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Harnessing Data Power: A Game-Changer for Supply Chain and Marketing Careers

Transforming supply chain operations

Expanding career opportunities

The growing role of marketing analytics

Flexible learning options and the Leeds difference

At a Glance

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