Press Releases

Bentley University Professor Dominique Haughton Elected as American Statistical Association Fellow

jhowarth — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:13:33 -0700

The American Statistical Association (ASA) has announced the election of Dominique Haughton, Bentley University professor of mathematical sciences, as an ASA Fellow. Fellows are recognized for their outstanding professional contributions and leadership in the field of statistical science. Haughton is one of 58 new fellows, hailing from 25 states, Canada, and Singapore. The fellows will receive their certificates on August 2 at the annual Joint Statistical Meetings in Miami Beach, Florida.

"With the coming of spring each year, we are excited and energized by the announcement of the new ASA Fellows," said ASA President Nancy Geller. "These 58 outstanding members, representing academia, government and industry, have made distinguished contributions to our profession and we congratulate them for this impressive accomplishment."

The Committee on Fellows evaluates candidates' contributions to the advancement of statistics, giving due weight to publications, the positions held by the candidates in the organizations in which they are employed, activities within the association, membership and accomplishments in other societies, and other professional activities.

"This is a great honor, given to just one out of 300 ASA members in any season," say Haughton. "Bentley has been very supportive over the years. I have been able to host meetings of the local ASA chapter, mentor graduate (including doctoral) students on statistics, apply for and obtain grant funding, and participate in national ASA committees -- which strengthened my case. Merci beaucoup to everyone who helped along the way!"

About the American Statistical Association

The American Statistical Association (ASA), a scientific and educational society founded in Boston in 1839, is the second oldest continuously operating professional society in the United States. For more than 170 years, ASA has been providing its 18,000 members serving in academia, government, and industry and the public with up-to-date, useful information about statistics. The ASA has a proud tradition of service to statisticians, quantitative scientists, and users of statistics across a wealth of academic areas and applications. For additional information about the American Statistical Association, please visit the association's web site at http://www.amstat.org or call 703.684.1221.

New Book, "Rethinking Undergraduate Business Education: Liberal Learning for the Profession," Features Bentley University for “Rare” Innovations in Business Curriculum

mwalsh1 — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:37:00 -0700

Rethinking Undergraduate Business Education: Liberal Learning for the Profession, a book emanating from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's national study of undergraduate business education, features Bentley University for its innovative integration of business and arts and sciences.

The book’s authors describe the efforts of a diverse set of institutions, including Bentley, to support the best elements of liberal arts learning integrated with students’ learning of business disciplines in order to develop wise, ethically-grounded professional judgment.

As the book attests, business is the largest undergraduate major in the U.S. and still growing. This reality, along with the immense power of the business sector and its significance for national and global well being, makes quality education for business students critical not only for them but also for the public good. The report asserts that “undergraduate business students need a strong liberal education” in order to be fully prepared for and successful in work and life. The Carnegie Foundation highlighted a small number of schools, including Bentley University, for “rare” innovations in the business curriculum at the undergrad level.

The book provides a timely response to the ongoing debate in the higher education media on which type of degree will prove most beneficial to college students -- business or liberal arts.

As Bentley Dean of Arts & Sciences Dan Everett states, “Students' professional objectives and education can be merged in a new educational fusion. This fusion is the integration of arts and sciences with business where philosophy, science, math, history, English, modern languages, etc. work in tandem with professional courses to provide a novel type of curriculum - one in which professional education and arts and sciences each add value to the other. Bentley University offers one strong example of a successfully integrated curriculum and we are pleased to be recognized in the Carnegie book.”

“Once given a solid foundation in the humanities, professionals will go on to educate themselves and maintain their interest. The 2010 job placement rate at our university — 99 percent of the responding graduating class is employed or in graduate school six months after graduation — illustrates this substantially. Business executives tell us often, "The basic business skills are what get you a job at our company. But to advance, you need the broad background of the liberal arts."

Every student at Bentley majors or minors in business while simultaneously enrolled in a basic core of liberal arts courses. Nearly 800 of Bentley's 4,000 undergraduates double-major in business and the innovative Liberal Studies major — which students complete by combining writing, faculty mentoring, and general education courses following a particular theme such as Ethics and Social Responsibility, Global Perspectives and Health and Industry.

Everett adds, “We should not portray the current crisis in American education as business versus the liberal arts. All of us in higher education recognize our responsibility to contribute to our students' quality of mental, social, and professional life. A business major is one of the best majors any student could choose. So is philosophy. But to combine and connect them in a single course of study might be the best of all.”

Bentley University Announces Associate Dean Appointments

kwalsh — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:33:09 -0700

Bentley University announces the appointment of three faculty members to the position of associate deans: Dorothy Feldmann, associate dean of business programs; Juliet Gainsborough, associate dean of arts and sciences; and Vicki LaFarge, associate dean of academic affairs.

Dorothy Feldmann, associate dean of business programs

Feldmann joined Bentley in 1992 and served as chair of the accountancy department from 2000 to 2005. She currently serves as associate professor of accountancy.

As chair, Feldmann was responsible for overseeing the undergraduate majors in accountancy and corporate finance and accounting, the masters in accounting program, and the accounting concentration in the MBA programs. She also played an integral role in the early stage planning of the doctoral program in accountancy and prepared the accounting maintenance report for a 2005 review from AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

Feldmann's recent research focuses on corporate governance, not-for-profits, and pedagogy. In the classroom, her teaching focuses on financial accounting and performance measurement. Her work developing the course "The Role of Community Service in a For-Profit Organization" with Bentley Accountancy faculty Karen Osterheld, Jay Thibodeau, and Rob Koulish earned her an Innovation in Teaching Award from Bentley and a Joint AICPA/AAA Collaboration Award from the American Institute of CPAs and the American Accounting Association in 2001. For her role, she also received a Curricular Service-Learning Faculty Award at Bentley in 2002.

"As chair, Dorothy conducted herself with a demonstrated concern for the best interests of the institution, as well as her department," says Roy (Chip) Wiggins, newly appointed Dean of Business and the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley. "Her responsibilities managing one of the largest departments and program menus on campus provide her with an insight that will be helpful as we take on the academic and program challenges ahead."

Feldmann holds a BA from the University of Virginia; an MSA from Northeastern University; and a DBA from Boston University.

Juliet Gainsborough, associate dean of arts and sciences

Juliet Gainsborough joined Bentley in 2004 and currently serves as associate professor of political science in the global studies department. She teaches courses on state and local politics, urban political economy, and social policy, and was the 2010 recipient of the Bentley University Award for Excellence in Scholarship. While teaching at the University of Miami, she received the School of Business' Excellence in Research Award.

"I am thrilled that Juliet has accepted the position," says Dean of Arts and Sciences Daniel Everett. "She brings energy and enthusiasm to her new position, committed to constant improvement in the educational experience for Bentley students."

Gainsborough's current research explores the way in which fast-growth metropolitan areas respond to regional challenges, with a particular focus on transportation planning. Her book on the politics of child welfare policy, Scandalous Politics: Child Welfare Policy in the States (Georgetown University Press 2010), explores the way scandals affect child welfare policymaking at the state and national level. This research was made possible in part by a 2008 fellowship from the Valente Center for Arts and Sciences at Bentley. Her first book, Fenced off: The Suburbanization of American Politics (Georgetown University Press 2001), looks at the way population movement to the suburbs has shaped national politics.

At Bentley, Gainsborough has served on the faculty senate since 2009. She was also coordinator for the politics minor, and a faculty adviser for the American studies concentration within the liberal studies major. From 2006 to 2009, she served as a member of the Bentley Institutional Review Board. Gainsborough completed her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and received a PhD from Harvard University.

Vicki LaFarge, associate dean of academic affairs

Vicki LaFarge joined Bentley in 1988. She has served as chair of the management department since 2001 and is an associate professor of management.

As chair, LaFarge created a facilitating environment for the faculty and students. Using her background in organizational behavior and managing teams in complex environments, she successfully brought together the various threads of a diverse department.

"In her tenure at Bentley, Vicki has worked energetically to strengthen ties across arts and sciences and business, always working for the good of Bentley as a whole and not simply for a single department or subset of the institution," says Dean Everett.

LaFarge also served as facilitator for the Joint Chairs Group and faculty coordinator for the first-year Day MBA. She introduced a core course in team effectiveness and skills for the Day MBA program and has taught the course since the inception of the program. She also co-taught the first required global business experience for the Day MBA's, in which students traveled to Hungary and Turkey in January 2011.

As part of the university's new general business core, LaFarge taught a section of the human behavior in organizations course. Her research and consulting interests include work team dynamics and effectiveness, interpersonal dynamics, organizational transitions and work place diversity. She contributed a book chapter to New Frontiers in Team Management and is published in the Academy of Management Learning and Education, Journal of Management Inquiry, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, and Journal of Management Education.

LaFarge is commended by colleagues for her trust and respectful presence as a leader. At Bentley, she received the Martin Luther King Diversity Award (2010); Academic Adviser of the Year (1996); and the Adamian Award for Teaching Excellence (1995). She holds a BA from Wellesley College; master's degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Yale University; and a PhD from Yale University.

Bentley Students Place First in Price Chopper Ultimate Innovation Competition

kwalsh — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:26:09 -0700

A team of Bentley University students placed first in the Price Chopper Ultimate Innovation Competition. The program challenges undergraduate and graduate college students to develop an original, creative, and innovative concept that would be relevant and meaningful to the northeast supermarket retailer. In addition to a formal written proposal, the team presented to company executives on May 11 at Price Chopper Supermarkets headquarters in Schenectady, NY. Bentley placed first among six finalist teams, and received an $8,000 award.

"Not only did the Bentley team have a great set of ideas, they were very professional and based their recommendations on thorough research," says Mark Chandler, vice president of supply chain at Price Chopper Supermarkets. "By winning, they have certainly set the bar high for future teams."

The submitted innovative ideas and concepts needed to focus on one of the following categories:

Retail store operations
Supply chain/distribution management (including warehousing and transportation)
Merchandising/marketing (including advertising or public relations)
Human resources (including training and recruiting)

Bentley's student team included: Brendan Gerrity and Chris Hayes (Class of 2011); Cody Normyle (Class of 2013); and Monika Aderbauer (Class of 2012). Their idea focused on innovative ways to increase the capacity of the cash registers during periods of high demand. Faculty advisers included Mark Davis, professor of operations management, and James Salsbury, senior lecturer in management.

"Winning first prize obviously reflects very positively on both the students and Bentley," says Davis. "What made the award even more impressive was that the judges voted unanimously to award the Bentley team first place. In addition, unlike many of the teams who received course credit for this competition, the Bentley student team volunteered to compete solely for the experience."

Bentley University Students Selected to Join Prestigious Internship Programs at Cannes Film Festival

jhowarth — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:09:28 -0700

Two Bentley University students attended the world-renowned Cannes International Film Festival in France as part of an elite group of students selected to participate in The American Pavilion Film Program and International Business Program from May 8 to 23.

"The opportunity reflects Bentley's commitment to provide students with an education that integrates business and liberal arts," says Liz LeDoux, senior lecturer in English and media studies and director of the Media and Culture Labs and Studio. LeDoux has helped develop and grow Bentley's popular media programs.

In recent years, the highly competitive internship program has specifically targeted international business students as participants, according to LeDoux. "The program previously focused on attracting film students, but interest and accomplishments of undergraduate business students from Bentley over the past several years helped to break ground for business student inclusion in The American Pavilion model.

This year's Bentley participants were:

James Ferguson - Weston, Mass.; Class of 2011 (fall); Liberal Arts major in English and Media Studies with a concentration in Media; accepted into filmmaker program.

Casey Zmudzinski - Hopewell Junction, NY; Class of 2012; Information Design and Corporate Communication major and Liberal Studies major with a concentration in Media Arts and Society; accepted into business program.

During the program, participants completed a work placement and participated in educational workshops, seminars, pitch sessions, roundtable discussions and screenings. Past roundtable discussions have featured noted filmmakers such as Stephen Frears, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Jude Law, Michael Moore, and Brett Ratner. Each program participant (approximately 150 per year) is allowed access to the Festival and Film Market -- otherwise available only to industry professionals. Prior to the start of the festival, students participate in a three-day orientation and tour of Cannes. During this time students attend workshops and seminars designed to help them gain a greater understanding of the business side of the film industry.

Bentley University Named to President’s Honor Roll for Community Service for Fifth Consecutive Year

kwalsh — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:29:46 -0700

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) honored Bentley University with a place on the President's 2010 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for support of volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement for the fifth consecutive year. Bentley is one of 28 Massachusetts colleges and universities to be honored. Announced on May 12, the award recognizes the initiatives of the Bentley Service-Learning Center (BSLC), which promotes academic learning through service.

"The Bentley Service-Learning Center is pleased to be listed on the President's Honor Roll as a leader in service-learning pedagogy. The distinction speaks to the combined efforts of Bentley students, faculty, and community partners in implementing quality service-learning programming in the greater Boston area," says BSLC Director Franklyn P. Salimbene.

"As members of the class of 2011 cross the stage to pick up their diplomas, more and more will be going into the world with a commitment to public service and the knowledge that they can make a difference in their communities and their own lives through service to others, thanks to the leadership of these institutions," said Patrick A. Corvington, chief executive officer of CNCS.

CNCS oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school's commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. For a full list of recipients and descriptions of their service, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll.

In particular, two Bentley service-learning programs were noted:

"give a year"

Bentley University and City Year joined forces in 2008 to launch the "give a year" program, a first of its kind partnership encouraging students to give a year of full-time service through City Year and receive scholarship support to Bentley and subsequent internship opportunities. As part of the program, Bentley provides $20,000 scholarships to defray the cost of tuition upon the return to campus for each "give a year" student. In total, Bentley has pledged tuition relief in an amount up to $200,000 per year for 10 Bentley "give a year" students and $1 million over five years for 50 such students.

During the term of service Bentley Corps Members also receive a weekly stipend and an AmeriCorps Education Award. The program is offered through the Bentley Service-Learning Center. The Bentley University/City Year model is now followed by 29 colleges and universities across the nation.

In 2009-2010, the first year of the program, two Bentley "give a year" scholars worked in Miami and Baton Rouge, working as teaching assistants in third grade classrooms during regular school hours and with first graders and kindergarten students in after school programs. The Bentley students also were assigned several third grade "focus students" in need of extra help for whom they did reading and math intervention, and assisted with homework. City Year's success in working in urban school systems is widely known and the Bentley students contribute to that success. For 2010-11, five Bentley students are in the program.

Kindergarteners Readers/Writers Workshop, Fitzgerald Elementary School

Bentley is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, a city with a foreign born population of 20.2 percent. With such a large number of non-native English speakers, a large number of children in the public schools do not learn English as a first language. To assist in developing English reading and writing skills for these and all students, Bentley student leaders designed a service-learning program for kindergarteners at the Fitzgerald Elementary School in Waltham.

Bentley students conducted workshops themed around the topic in the teachers' lesson plans for four kindergarten classes. The workshops were conducted for one hour each week in each class. After consulting with the teachers, Bentley students created an appropriate activity -- for example, making picture books and participating in spelling bees -- and then engaged the children in the activity. Following the workshop, the children returned to their regular class meetings where their teachers asked them to explain what they had learned in the workshop and to act out their activity for the whole class to see. The overall project, supported in part by CNCS funding, involved much interaction between Bentley students and the kindergarten teachers.

About the Bentley Service-Learning Center

This past year 1,100 Bentley students put their business skills to work volunteering at local organizations - making Bentley one of the top universities in the country for service-learning. More than 75 nonprofit organizations, government offices and schools in Waltham and surrounding communities are partnered with the Bentley Service-Learning Center (BSLC), with thousands of local residents benefitting from the volunteer work of Bentley students.

Bentley University Global Business Ethics Symposium Explores Global Challenges and Possibilities of Stakeholder Engagement

kwalsh — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:55:55 -0700

Bentley University partnered with Euromed Management for the seventh annual Bentley Global Business Ethics Symposium on May 23, 2011 at the Euromed Management campus in Marseille, France. The program was presented by the Bentley Center for Business Ethics and Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility, and sponsored by the State Street Foundation, the charitable grantmaking arm of State Street Corporation. Keynote speaker Richard Lacaille, global chief investment officer, State Street Global Advisors, addressed international academicians and corporate and civil society leaders to explore best practices and challenges in business ethics and ethics education. This year's event was also sponsored by the UN Global Compact and the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative.

The theme -- Stakeholder Engagement in Practice: Global Challenges, Possibilities, and Limitations - reflects the growing awareness of the critical nature of firm-stakeholder relationships.

"While most companies recognize the importance of managing these relationships, there are myriad challenges and questions we continue to face in identifying and engaging stakeholders, moving beyond a limited view of primary stakeholder groups, to understand the true nature of the problems and opportunities we are facing," says Tony Buono, professor of management and sociology and coordinator of the Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility.

The symposium explored both the moral imperatives that the stakeholder model raises as well as the pragmatic realities of managing multifaceted relationships in a complex, every-changing environment.

"As we have done in the past, by bringing together representatives from the corporate, academic and civil society worlds, our intent is to stimulate a thoughtful dialogue around these critical issues," Buono notes.

The day-long series of panels and discussion directly confronted daunting challenges faced by top industry professionals and experts such as the parameter of stakeholder engagement; strategies for identifying and engaging stakeholders; benefits and challenges of stakeholder engagement; and thoughts about the future of managing stakeholder relations, including trends and governance challenges.

Academic panelists at the symposium represented Bentley University; École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Étienne; Euromed Management; Green Mountain College; Rutgers University; Southern Methodist University; State University of New York (SUNY) System; University of Bath; University of Victoria; and University of Zurich.

Business panelists hailed from Adecco Groupe France; Alter Eco; Caux Round Table; CARE France; Comité 21; Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail (CFDT); Conscious Capitalism Institute; E&H (des Enjeux et des Hommes); Fair Trade International (FLO); La Poste; Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO); La Tribune; Novethic; ORSE (Study Center for Corporate Social Responsibility); Primagaz; Seché Environnement; Sodexho; Utopies; UN Global Compact; and World Wildlife Federation-France.

For more information on the symposium and the leading experts at each panel, please go to http://alliance.bentley.edu/symposium.

Established in Memory of Timothy B. Harbert '76, Chairman and CEO of State Street Global Advisors and Trustee and Alumnus of Bentley University, the partnership unites business and higher education to build a strong ethical foundation from which to serve our many constituencies and communities.

STATE STREET CORPORATION is the world's leading provider of services to institutional investors. With offices in 25 countries and customers in more than 100 markets, we understand the importance of being a socially responsible community leader and ethical business partner. We are proud to collaborate with Bentley University in this important endeavor.

The STATE STREET FOUNDATION is the charitable grantmaking arm of State Street Corporation and provides funding for our strategic grantmaking program, our disaster relief emergency assistance fund and our Matching Gifts Program. Through our grantmaking program, the Foundation works to generate and sustain positive change in the communities where we operate. We do this by supporting charitable organizations that provide economically disadvantaged citizens with the skills they need to be successful. In 2009, State Street Foundation grants totaled US$15.8 million.

EUROMED MANAGEMENT is one of France's highest ranked business schools. With campuses in three countries and nearly a third of its 5,000 students coming from abroad, Euromed is increasingly present on the international scene. Through its bachelor's, master's and continued education programs, Euromed aims to create diversity and innovative thoughts and solutions. Euromed's dedication to sustainable development is increasingly expressed in the school's mission to train "responsible managers" and in its continuous reflection on the extent of our responsibility as educators. It is the school's belief that through diversity and pedagogy we can educate managers that will respect ethical issues and promote sustainable development. Students leaving Euromed are expected to graduate with a cross functional and clear vision, as well as a positive and constructive attitude.

Bentley University Launches National Center for Women and Business

mwalsh1 — Mon, 23 May 2011 10:09:39 -0700

*Hear what prominent business leaders are saying about the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University and their reactions to the results of a nationwide survey of college-educated men and women ages 18-30 that explored their interest in pursuing business careers and their perceptions of how hospitable the business world is to women.*

Bentley University, one of the nation’s leading business schools, announced the launch of the Center for Women and Business to advance shared leadership among women and men in the business world and develop women business leaders.

“We have made significant progress over the past several decades, but now more than ever, we must work even harder to create the same kinds of opportunities in the corporate world for both men and women,” said Gloria C. Larson, president of Bentley University. “Through the Center, Bentley will engage with the business community to address the barriers preventing many women from succeeding in business.”

Simultaneously, the Center announced the appointment of Betsy Myers as its founding director. Betsy Myers was a senior adviser and COO to Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign and previously served as executive director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and as a senior adviser to President Clinton.

Recognized internationally as an expert on leadership in the public and corporate sphere, Myers is poised to drive the Center’s efforts. “We know that diversity in the workforce is not just a nice thing to do, it’s good for business. Corporate leaders are clamoring for strategies to ensure diversity from the entry level to the C-suite.”

In 2010, Bentley University received two major gifts to fund the creation and ongoing work of the Center from Bentley parents Jack and Pam Cumming and Bentley Alumni Steven '73 and Christine Manfredi '73.

In conjunction with today’s launch, Bentley University’s largest corporate partner, PwC, is announcing an additional $1 million gift to support the Center’s work.

"Sponsors are critical to professionals in their journey up the corporate ladder. Research by Catalyst indicates that women are over-mentored and under-sponsored," said Niloufar Molavi, chief diversity officer, PwC." Advocacy and sponsorship is an important issue we'll look to address in our collaboration with the Center for Women and Business at Bentley."

The Center will encourage both young women and men to enter the business world through innovative undergraduate and graduate business education that promotes learning opportunities for women and men as peers and instills in them the desire to make a difference in the working world. It will support women in their advancement towards leadership positions and work to expand opportunities for women to assume top leadership roles in the business, non-profit and public policy sectors.

The Center will also promote innovative academic research and further global discussions on the economic and social impact of shared leadership among men and women through education, thought leadership and advocacy.

In conjunction with the launch, the Center released the results of a nationwide survey of college-educated men and women ages 18-30 that explored their interest in pursuing business careers and their perceptions of how hospitable the business world is to women. The findings underscore that women believe men have an advantage in pursuing business careers and that there are significant hurdles for women who do so. The full survey can be found here.

Among the survey’s key findings:

More than half (52%) of the young women with corporate work experience say that little opportunity for advancement in the business world is very discouraging.
The largest proportion of both men and women (42%) say that the number one reason why women are less likely to reach very senior positions is because “business is dominated by men who tend to promote and give raises to other men.”
Both young men and young women believe that women still face a glass ceiling, but more women believe this than men (93% of women, compared to 80% of men).
Most men (59%) say they were interested in pursuing a career in business by high school, compared to just half of women (49%).

“This study clearly shows that young women today have very negative perceptions of business and are even less interested in pursuing business careers than those who entered the workforce a decade ago,” Larson said.

“Given the challenges recruiting and retaining high potential women, this is a trend that Bentley and the Center for Women and Business seek to reverse. It also confirms our belief that support at an early stage and throughout a person’s career is critical.”

THE CENTER FOR WOMEN AND BUSINESS at Bentley University has as its mission the advancement of shared leadership among women and men throughout the business world and, in particular, the development and retention of women leaders at every stage of their lives.

The Center will encourage young women to enter careers in business, seek to expand opportunities for women in business and support them in reaching top leadership positions. The Center will also promote innovative academic research and further global discussions on the economic and social impact of shared leadership among men and women.

The Center for Women and Business is a critical part of Bentley University’s strategic vision and commitment to promoting ethical, socially responsible leadership in the global economy throughout the entire learning continuum – from college student to CEO and beyond.

David Gergen, Prominent Commentator, Editor, Professor, Author and Presidential Adviser, Delivers Keynote Address at Bentley University May 21, 2011, Commencement Ceremony

hhenrichs — Sat, 21 May 2011 09:58:00 -0700

David Gergen, a prominent commentator, editor, professor, best-selling author and adviser to four presidents, addressed more than 1,000 Bentley University undergraduates at the 92nd commencement ceremony on May 21, 2011. Speaking to an estimated audience of 9,000 attendees, Gergen urged graduates to step up and become a new generation of leaders who can save America.

“What we’ve learned during this past year -- especially in the streets of Cairo and Tunis -- is you no longer have to consider yourselves the leaders of tomorrow, you can be leaders today,” said Gergen, who frequently appears as a senior political analyst for CNN, and currently serves as professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

“What’s going on now in our society is that there are all sorts of openings that are coming up and beckoning you to step forward at a very, very young age and become a leader right now,” he continued. “Don’t think about this as something you have to wait until you’re 40 years old, do it now. Make the impact now.”

Citing concern about a fading American spirit and the country’s decline as an economic power, he underscored the critical role of graduates. “Nations do not become great because they are lucky, nations become great because their citizens work hard … Your generation, the millennial generation, represents rising hope for America. I believe you are different: that you care about changing the way we live; that you think this [political] polarization is stupid; that you want to pull us together; that you are determined to turn over a new America to your own children. Not all of you, but enough of you to count. I see your generation bringing a renaissance in the American spirit.”

Gergen referred to Bentley’s integration of liberal arts and ethics into the business curriculum as he charged graduates to be mindful leaders. “You are also a generation setting out to redefine the role of business in our society. You understand that business does share in the responsibility for the devastation wrecked upon millions of families by our recent financial crisis. Business does share some responsibility. There was too much greed, too much recklessness. Yours is the generation that must bring fresh leadership to business – leadership that is socially responsible and accountable.”

He concluded, “You are entering a world that is deeply troubled, a world that worries whether America still has the right stuff, whether we could still embark on an impossible dream like going to the moon. But your generation, I believe, is one in which hearts are again touched with fire. All of us here today wish you well and hope, fervently, that you will become the country’s next great generation.”

Gergen received an honorary doctor of laws degree at the ceremony.

MCCALLUM GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

At the 36th annual commencement ceremony, Christopher Lynch MBA ‘91, a highly successful chief executive and serial entrepreneur, delivered the keynote address to more than 700 graduate students during the McCallum Graduate School of Business ceremony. Lynch currently serves as vice president and general manager of Vertica Systems, a Hewlett Packard company.

In an impassioned speech, Lynch recounted how early experiences shaped his choices. “I grew up modestly, but in a home full of love and so I was happy… therefore I never equated money with happiness. I never chased money; I chased love and connections to people. This continues to empower me to this day.”

He encouraged graduates to remain true to themselves and their passions. “Your success should be defined by you … my advice is to make it about who you love and what you love to do, not about your possessions or what you earn. It’s not about how much money you make; it’s about how you live your life.”

Lynch concluded by urging graduates to take risks and remain strong in the face of adversity. “… Accept no one’s definition of you but your own, and remember, the fear of failure is what holds people back from greatness. The future is yours and the future is now.”

Lynch received an honorary doctor of commercial science degree at the ceremony.

ABOUT THE GRADUATES

At the undergraduate ceremony, 980 bachelor of science degrees, 20 bachelor of arts degrees and five certificates were awarded to 1,005 students. (Students may earn multiple degrees and certificates so may be counted more than once. Figures include degrees and certificates conferred October 22, 2010, February 25, 2011, and May 21, 2011.)

At the McCallum Graduate School of Business ceremony, three doctoral degrees, 449 master of science degrees, 258 master of business administration degrees, seven dual MS/MBA degrees, and 68 certificates were granted to 718 graduate students. (Students may earn multiple degrees and certificates so may be counted more than once. Figures include degrees and certificates conferred October 22, 2010, February 25, 2011, and May 21, 2011.)

FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARDS

The Gregory H. Adamian Award for Excellence in Teaching was presented to Richard Cleary, professor and chair of mathematical sciences. The Bentley University Award for Excellence in Scholarship was presented to Mary Culnan, professor of information and process management, and Slade Professor of management and information technology. The Joseph M. Cronin Award for Excellence in Academic Advising was given to Helen Meldrum, associate professor of natural and applied sciences, and associate professor of psychology.

Student honorees included Alexa Kaklamanos ‘11, winner of the Professor Robert J. Weafer Award for Undergraduate Academic Excellence. The Professor William E. Dandes Award for Graduate Academic Excellence went to Ursula Ryan ‘11. Michael Delany was presented with the Outstanding Evening Student Award for Academic Excellence.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

David Gergen

David Gergen has an extraordinary record of bipartisan public service. He served in the White House as an adviser to four Presidents: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Most recently, he served in the Clinton administration, first as Counselor to the President, and then as Special Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State.
Gergen also works as a political journalist and analyst.

He was the first managing editor of Public Opinion, a magazine affiliated with the American Enterprise Institute, and from 1985 to 1986 he worked as an editor at U.S. News & World Report, where he also served as editor-at-large.

Gergen’s career in broadcast began in 1985 when he joined the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour for Friday night discussions of politics. Today, he appears frequently on CNN as an analyst for Anderson Cooper 360 and Situation Room, and regularly provides analysis on radio programs. He is also the author of the best-selling book, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton.

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Gergen is an honors graduate of Yale University, where he earned his bachelor of arts in 1963, and Harvard Law School, where he received his bachelor of laws degree in 1967. He is active as a speaker on leadership and serves on many boards including Teach for America, the Aspen Institute, and Duke University, where he taught from 1995 to 1999. He is a member of the Washington D.C. Bar, the Council on Foreign Relations, and holds 18 honorary degrees. He also served for three-and-a-half years in the U.S. Navy, where he was posted for two years to a ship home-ported in Japan.

Christopher Lynch

A veteran of both emerging and established technology leaders, Lynch was tapped by Vertica’s board in 2010 to take the company to the next level, extending its market leadership, channel partnerships, and international expansion. His successful record of leadership positions across a variety of top technology companies includes F5 Networks, where he was senior vice president of data solutions; Acopia Networks, where he was CEO; Cisco Systems where he was vice president of worldwide content delivery networking sales; and ArrowPoint Communications where he served as vice president of worldwide sales, marketing and support.

Lynch’s impressive accomplishments as an entrepreneur and visionary business leader made him instrumental in ArrowPoint’s initial public offering, leading the organization’s revenue growth from zero to $250 million sales annually over 18 months and establishing 60 sales and support offices worldwide. ArrowPoint was subsequently acquired by Cisco Systems for $5.7 billion in June of 2000. Prior to ArrowPoint, Lynch was vice president of North and South American sales for Lucent Technologies Gigabit Ethernet Products Unit, where he built a sales and channels organization that generated revenue at an annual rate of $40 million over a seven-month period. He joined Lucent from Prominet Corporation after the company was acquired by Lucent for $200 million in January 1998. With 25 years in the technology industry, Lynch has also held sales leadership positions at Bay Networks, Wellfleet Communications, and Digital Equipment Corporation.

Lynch earned his master’s in business administration from the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley University in 1991 and his bachelor’s degree in business management from Suffolk University. He serves on the boards of Tervela, Azuki Systems and RayV.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Further details on Commencement 2011 can be found on the Bentley University commencement web site at: http://commencement.bentley.edu/

Bentley University Students Assist Massachusetts Governor’s Council with Human Anti-Trafficking Policymaking

kwalsh — Tue, 17 May 2011 07:27:10 -0700

A team of Bentley University student researchers from the Bentley Service-Learning Center and the University Honors Program is working with the Governor's Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence to combat human trafficking in Massachusetts. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others. The students' findings were presented to the Council on May 4, 2011, at the State House in Boston. A final report will be published in June.

"As of May 2011, Massachusetts stands as one of only four U.S. states that currently lacks legislation specifying human trafficking as a crime, and we are ranked by the Polaris Project in the bottom tier of states in its commitment to combating trafficking," says Jeff Gulati, Bentley associate professor of political science and the study's faculty adviser.

Although there are many forms of trafficking-- for labor and organs, for instance - the Bentley report focused primarily on the trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

"We estimate that between 1,500 and 1,800 people were victims of human trafficking in Massachusetts in 2010," Gulati notes. "This amounts to the equivalent figure for forcible rape cases reported and ten times the rate of murder and manslaughter in the Commonwealth. Victims of trafficking crimes are at high-risk of becoming recruiters for traffickers of new victims and have children who are at high-risk of becoming involved in the sex industry."

According to Gulati, while there has been anti-trafficking policy activity in the U.S. and initiatives aimed at increasing international cooperation to combat trafficking and raise awareness, there is little research to evaluate recent policy initiatives and programs meant to combat human trafficking and address the effect on its victims.

"This is particularly problematic as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) is coming up for reauthorization in Congress this year, and legislators are looking to recent research to help identify effective efforts," he notes.

Bentley students enrolled in the Honors Group Capstone course helped fill this void by devoting their thesis to assist the Governor's Council, policymakers, law enforcement, and service providers in becoming more informed about the issue and the effectiveness of current policies and programs related to law enforcement and prosecution; victim protection programs; and prevention. Created by Governor Patrick in 2007, the Council is particularly interested in supporting a new "safe harbor" law and other policies that address the issue of domestic trafficking of minors for the sex industry.

"The key to this project is raising awareness - legislators, businesses, healthcare providers, and the public-at-large are all impacted in some way by human trafficking" says Bentley senior Katelyn Horowitz, project manager. "It is difficult to get individuals, most of whom have no idea that this happens right here in Massachusetts, to take action without a solid understanding the problem."

The presentation contributes new information to evaluate current policies, and details specific policy recommendations and alternative ways of thinking about the problem. Researchers recommended focusing initial legislation on designating human trafficking as a crime and imposing lengthy sentences for convicted traffickers rather than social services or prevention programs, since the former requires less financial support.

Other highlights include:

Prosecution: Increase the number of those convicted for soliciting prostitutes to attend a "john school," adding a location in Boston where most trafficking- and sex-related crimes occur.

Protection: Share information with court advocates to ensure that they are familiar with the law and victims' rights, in particular immigration law and rights for victims trafficked into the United States.

Prevention: Establish a designee to help businesses implement policies to prevent trafficking, including: monitoring their supply chain; suspending or terminating contracts with third-party vendors and suppliers that use trafficked labor; purchasing from fair trade organizations or companies with anti-trafficking policies; and providing training for employees in the travel industry to recognize signs of trafficking victims.

"This class truly opened my eyes to the terrifyingly widespread practice of this modern-day slavery," says Horowitz, who is majoring in Accounting. "I particularly appreciated the opportunity to study its relationship to the world of business ... a relationship that not many know exists."

Among the people on hand for the May 4 presentation were the Council's Executive Director, Sheridan Haines, and representatives from agencies and organizations such as the Massachusetts State Police Missing Child Unit, Boston Police Department and its Human Trafficking Task Force; Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County; City of Boston Women's Commission; Jane Doe Inc.; Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security; and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Bentley University Names Roy “Chip” Wiggins Dean of Business and the McCallum Graduate School of Business

jhowarth — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:43:00 -0700

Roy "Chip" Wiggins, PhD, has been named Dean of Business and the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley University, effective May 1, 2011. Wiggins began his Bentley career in 1996 as an Assistant Professor of Finance, and most recently served as Chair of the Finance Department and Director of the Bentley Microfinance Initiative.

"Following an extensive search process, I am confident that Chip is the right person for this important role," says Bentley President Gloria Cordes Larson. "During Chip's lengthy service to Bentley he has proven his strengths as an accomplished scholar, a beloved teacher, a thoughtful and effective leader, and a true champion for Bentley within our walls and well beyond our campus."

"I am thrilled and humbled to be a part of the Academic Affairs leadership team. The chance to work with the current cabinet and members of the Dean's Council in my new role is exciting and energizing as Bentley, like many pioneering schools, faces interesting challenges ahead. Market forces demand continuous innovation at all levels, but especially among Graduate and Executive Education programs right now. They are very important pieces of the business education puzzle as we prepare graduates for a corporate landscape that has changed more in the last five years than at any other time in recent history. But I have been at Bentley long enough to know that all of us - faculty, staff and students - have an amazing capacity to convert those challenges into opportunities. I look forward to playing an active role in helping to grow, enhance and promote the distinctiveness of the Bentley brand for a new generation of business leaders."

Wiggins has been actively involved in a number of programs at the McCallum Graduate School of Business, including the Graduate Council, which is responsible for monitoring adherence to standards and advising on new programs and other developments in the McCallum Graduate School. He managed the largest MBA concentration and three MS programs (Finance, Quantitative Finance and Real Estate Management), and was involved in all aspects of graduate program development. He played a similar role at the undergraduate level, as he collaboratively managed one of the largest major concentrations through three programs: Finance; Accounting and Finance; and Economics and Finance.

Wiggins is also founding director of the Bentley Microfinance Initiative, whose mission is to promote the awareness and the practice of microfinance through three components: a curricular agenda that includes courses and microfinance internships in Ghana; a student organization of over 60 undergraduate students who manage the loan fund; and a loan portfolio of $125,000 that targets local female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in Ghana (in partnership with Chapter 58 Trust).

As project director for a $205,000 Davis Foundation grant, Wiggins worked closely with Arts and Sciences leadership and faculty on the design, implementation and delivery of workshops to assist Bentley faculty in integrating critical liberal learning themes into their classes.

Through collaborative working relationships with Bentley Leadership Gift Officers in University Advancement, Wiggins also helped facilitate funding initiatives such as the Cumming Women's Leadership Fund, Cumming Family Scholarship, Micro Bank Loan Fund, Women's Leadership Institute, and the Distinguished Alumnae Speaker Series. He has worked closely with President Larson on program design and development that supports the diversity of students, faculty and staff.

Wiggins' research interests include board of director effectiveness and compensation, executive compensation, corporate expansion, and microfinance. His teaching focuses on microfinance, corporate and financial strategy, advanced corporate finance topics, and equity markets. In recognition of his work, Wiggins has received numerous awards for his work at Bentley including the Edward F. Gibbons Research Professor of Finance (2008 and 2004); and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Faculty Recognition Award (2007). He also received an Outstanding Article Award from the Journal of Financial Research in 2006.

Prior to joining Bentley, Wiggins taught at Georgia State University and Kennesaw State University, both in Atlanta, Georgia. He has designed and delivered executive education programs for schools including Bentley University, Georgia State University and Northeastern University; for companies such as Georgia Pacific, LL Bean, Arbella Insurance and Digital Equipment; and for professional/trade associations such as the Turnaround Management Association, the Northeast Gas Association and the National Investor Relations Institute. Wiggins earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in creative writing from Florida State University. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Science in Finance from Georgia State University.

Social Media Experts Gather at Bentley University for Going Local with Social Media Conference, May 6

kwalsh — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:36:10 -0700

The Center for Marketing Technology (CMT) at Bentley University will bring together leading experts and practitioners in social media for Going Local With Social Media on Friday, May 6, from 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Bentley, 175 Forest Street in Waltham. Author C.C. Chapman, Bentley professors, local businesses and prominent marketers and technologists from companies such as Groupon, Hubspot, Microsoft, Rue La La, and Scvngr will share their insights and guide the discussion on local and social marketing best practices.

"Social media and the Internet help consumers find you and do business with you," says Ian Cross, event co-chair and director of the CMT. "We believe the greatest potential for social media in many businesses is in serving local markets, taking a local approach to serving customers and delivering value."

The half-day conference -- geared toward marketing and business professionals from small and medium-sized businesses -- will explore how to leverage social media to serve local markets, deliver value to customers, and enhance profitability. Industry experts, practitioners and thought leaders will share their insights on:

Making sense of social media
Using social media to serve local markets
Deriving value through social media
Identifying important social media tools and best practices

Specific topics include:

Twitter
Facebook
"Deal of the Day" marketing
Location-based and mobile marketing
Consumer and Business to Business

In addition to representatives from organizations such as Daily Grommet, Groupon, Hubspot, Rue La La, and Scvngr, featured speakers include:

C.C. Chapman, author, consultant and expert in digital marketing and social media
Philip DesAutels, director of strategy at Microsoft, chairman of the Globe Award's Sustainable Innovation Award, and researcher at Lulea Technical University in Sweden
Glenn Gaudet, president and founder of GaggleAMP
Mari Anne Snow, CEO of SophiaThink and adjunct professor of marketing at Bentley University
Todd Van Hoosear, founding member and interim director of Boston Social Media Club
Dave Wieneke, digital strategist and director of digital marketing at Sokolove Law
Pierre Berthon (Conference Co-Chair) - Clifford F. Youse Chair of Marketing and Strategy and professor of marketing at Bentley University
Ian Cross (Conference Co-Chair), director of the Bentley Center of Marketing Technology
Bruce D. Weinberg (Conference Co-Chair), Inc Magazine's Netty Professor and Chair of the Marketing Department at Bentley University

Registration is $69 through April 29; and $99 after April 29 and at the door. The cost includes continental breakfast, parking, and opportunities to network. For more information and registration, please visit http://bentleygoinglocalwithsocialmedia.eventbrite.com; call 781-891-3115; or e-mail cmt@bentley.edu.

Bentley University Students Use Skype to Teach English to Students in Afghanistan

kwalsh — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:22:52 -0700

Bentley University students are using technology to help teach English to students in Afghanistan, and to break down cultural barriers. Founded by Robert E. McNulty, director of programs at the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley, the one-on-one tutoring program offers language lessons via the web-based live-video service Skype. The initiative was organized under the Pax Populi program of Applied Ethics, Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by McNulty, whose work focuses on advancing peace in Afghanistan through people-to-people, institution-to-institution, and community-to-community initiatives.

"English is the language of economic development and international affairs, and jobs that connect Afghans with the world beyond their borders require high proficiency," says McNulty. "Though some schools in Afghanistan do teach English, many students leave high school with few English language skills and no opportunity to improve."

McNulty initially proposed the program to the director of an Afghan school [whose name is undisclosed for security reasons]. Once accepted, he worked with Jeff Jorge, a skilled English as a Second Language instructor based in Seoul, Korea, to create guidelines for the tutoring curriculum and methods. An Afghan student handled the coordination from Kabul, and McNulty worked through the Bentley Service-Learning Center to recruit tutors, typically matched with students by gender in accordance with Afghan social norms. The program launched in September 2010.

Among the early participants was Bentley senior Surajdai Lokenath, a native of the Republic of Guyana and a Boston resident.

"At first we were both nervous, because of the cultural gap," she says of interacting with her Afghan counterpart. "But then we got to know each other and found we had a lot in common. I talked to her roommates, too. Her English got so much better . . . I just heard that she passed her TOEFL [Test of English as a Foreign Language]."

Similarly, the Afghan students have been extremely enthusiastic about the program, both for the opportunities to advance their English language skills as well as to have an opportunity to develop friendly relations with American students.

"What I find especially exciting about this program, is that both Afghans and Americans learn so much about each other's cultures," McNulty says. "Real understanding and friendships have developed through this program."

The tutoring program was relocated from the original school to another location following potential Taliban attack on the school for educating girls.

"We are, much more than we realize, truly brothers and sisters around the world, in a deep moral and spiritual sense," McNulty notes. "The project aimed to find a way in which ordinary people here in the United States can reach out to ordinary people overseas, especially where there are conflicts."

McNulty will present along with two-time Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times journalist, David Rohde, at the program, “Afghanistan: Surviving the Taliban and Finding a New Way Forward,” on April 30 at 7:00 p.m. at Abbot Hall in Marblehead, Mass. McNulty will discuss the work that led him to travel to Afghanistan in 2009 and propose steps to contribute to the development of a positive peace out of America’s longest war.

About the Center for Business Ethics (CBE) at Bentley University

CBE is a nonprofit education, research and thought-leadership organization, focused on business ethics and corporate responsibility. Based at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass., it is one of a number of innovative campus-based centers and initiatives that comprise the Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility. Founded in 1976 by W. Michael Hoffman, PhD, (who remains its Executive Director), CBE is credited with being a major influence in the development and success of the business ethics movement, both in the United States and around the world.

About Applied Ethics, Inc.

Applied Ethics, Inc. was established in July 2007 as a nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts with the mission of seeking ethical solutions to significant social issues through projects, education, counseling, and advocacy. The organization is a diversified nonprofit dedicated to the common good and carries out its mission through programs that focus on particular ethical domains.

About Pax Populi

Pax Populi is the people-to-people peacemaking program of the nonprofit organization Applied Ethics, Inc. Pax Populi seeks to advance peace through helpful people-to-people, community-to-community, and institution-to-institution cooperative endeavors. It is founded on the simple idea that for peace to flourish, we need to recognize in each other our shared humanity and dignity as brothers and sisters in the human family, and from a place of fellowship and goodwill seek mutually beneficial solutions to our problems. Rather than leaving peacemaking to politicians, Pax Populi looks to ordinary people - educators, businesspeople, people of faith, artists, scientists, and people of goodwill everywhere - to heed the call help advance peace.

David Gergen, Prominent Commentator, Editor, Professor, Author and Presidential Adviser, Speaks at 92nd Annual Bentley University Commencement

hhenrichs — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:41:00 -0700

David Gergen, a prominent commentator, editor, professor, best-selling author and adviser to four presidents, will deliver the commencement address to approximately 1,000 Bentley University undergraduate students on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. on the south campus of Bentley University, with an expected 7,000 in attendance.

Gergen, who will also receive an honorary doctor of laws degree at the ceremony, has been an active participant in American national life. Currently a professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Gergen also appears regularly as a senior political analyst for CNN.

“David Gergen has been a passionate advocate for our next generation of leaders. His ability to inspire and share personal and historical perspective with our graduates will make this commencement a very special event for all of us,” says Bentley University President Gloria Larson.

Christopher Lynch MBA ‘91, a highly successful chief executive and serial entrepreneur, who currently serves as Vice President and General Manager of Vertica Systems, a Hewlett Packard company, will deliver the keynote address to approximately 400 graduate students when McCallum Graduate School of Business degrees are conferred in the Dana Center on the south campus at 3:00 p.m.

Lynch will receive an honorary doctor of commercial science degree during the ceremony. Bringing more than 25 years of senior executive experience to the pioneering analytic database company, Lynch successfully led Vertica Systems into its recent acquisition by Hewlett Packard. His strong performance in leadership positions stretches across a variety of leading and emerging technology companies.

According to President Larson, “Christopher Lynch is such a significant success story for our graduate school. His track record of growth and success in so many technology ventures is a testament to his versatility, ambition, and leadership skills, and he will be an inspiration to our graduates.”

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

David Gergen

David Gergen has an extraordinary record of bipartisan public service. He served in the White House as an adviser to four Presidents: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Most recently, he served in the Clinton administration, first as Counselor to the President and then as Special Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State.

Gergen also works as a political journalist and analyst. He was the first managing editor of Public Opinion, a magazine affiliated with the American Enterprise Institute, and from 1985 to 1986 he worked as an editor at U.S. News & World Report, where he also served as editor-at-large.

Christopher Lynch

A veteran of both emerging and established technology leaders, Lynch was tapped by Vertica’s board in 2010 to take the company to the next level, extending its market leadership, channel partnerships and international expansion. His successful record of leadership positions across a variety of leading technology companies includes F5 Networks, where he was senior vice president of data solutions; Acopia Networks, where he was CEO; Cisco Systems where he was vice president of worldwide content delivery networking sales; and ArrowPoint Communications where he served as vice president of worldwide sales, marketing and support.

With 25 years in the technology industry, Lynch has also held sales leadership positions at Bay Networks, Wellfleet Communications, and Digital Equipment Corporation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Commencement 2011 takes place on the south campus at Bentley University. The undergraduate ceremony is held under the tent on the football field. Indoor viewing on large monitors is available in the Dana Athletic Center. The graduate ceremony takes place inside the Dana Center. Both events are held rain or shine. Buses will run from the parking lots on the main campus to the south campus.

Further details on Commencement 2011 can be found on the Bentley University commencement web site: http://commencement.bentley.edu/

Bentley University Marketing Chair Pierre Berthon and Visiting Scholar Philip DesAutels Selected to Serve on International Jury for Globe Award 2011, to be Presented May 12, Sweden

kwalsh — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:43:00 -0700

Bentley University visiting scholar Philip DesAutels served as chairman of the jury for the Globe Forum's Globe Award for Sustainability Innovation 2011, which will be presented on May 12 at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre in Sweden. Also serving on the jury of internationally recognized experts was Pierre Berthon, Bentley University marketing professor and Clifford F. Youse Chair of Marketing. DesAutels was also a featured speaker at the 2009 and 2010 Globe Forums.

The jury selected Southwest Windpower as this year's Sustainable Innovation Laureate for their economically, socially and ecologically viable innovations to make access to renewable energy affordable, accessible and open. Since its founding in 1987, the company has shipped more than 100,000 turbines to people in more than one hundred countries.

"Wind is a renewable energy source that Southwest Windpower enables people across the globe to access," observes Berthon. "They have changed the very nature of power production from closed and centralized to open and distributed. They stand out as a principled producer of sustainable renewable energy products that represent true innovation and generate long-term value for people and planet."

Founded in 2003 in Sweden, the Globe Forum is an international business network and marketplace for innovators, entrepreneurs and investors interested in sustainable business. The Globe Award was created to foster sustainable development in society and business. It is the world's preeminent sustainability honor and is awarded to Globe Award Laureates who serve as ambassadors and role models. The jury consists of highly experienced and internationally recognized experts. The overall chairman of all jury groups is Lars-Olle Larsson, partner, Sustainable Business Solutions, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sweden.

"This year's competition for the Globe Award for Sustainable Innovation was intense, with candidates from across the globe highlighting the very best sustainable innovations," says DesAutels. "They were more sophisticated in their approach and execution to address the challenges of achieving sustainability, and solutions spanned across multiple domains of innovation, with the very best addressing all four -- Technical, Biotic, Social, and Conceptual."

In addition to Berthon and DesAutels, jury members included: Charlotte Masiello-Riome, communication expert consultant for UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UK); Francesca Polini, founder and CEO of Wecare (UK) and former global communications director at Greenpeace; and M.S. Swaminathan, UNESCO Ecotechnology Chair; and chairman of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai (Madras), India.

Berthon's teaching and research focuses on electronic commerce, marketing information processing, organization and strategy, and management decision-making. He has written more than 70 academic papers, a number of which have won awards in the US and in the UK. He was Bentley Scholar of the Year in 2003.

DesAutels serves as Microsoft's Director of Academic Strategy and is a visiting scholar at Bentley University, where he is building on Bentley's long history of work in ethical and socially responsible business enterprises to understand the implications of sustainability on business in the 21st century. He also conducts research at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden.

Bentley University is Featured in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges”

jhowarth — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:16:00 -0700

Bentley University is one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S.A. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com). The well-known education services company selected Bentley for inclusion in the just-released second annual edition of its downloadable book, "The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges: 2011 Edition."

Created by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) (www.usgbc.org), "The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges" is the only free, comprehensive guidebook profiling institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The Princeton Review chose the schools for this guide based on a survey of administrators at hundreds of colleges that the Company polled in 2010 about their school's sustainability initiatives.

Released on April 20, just two days prior to the April 22 celebration of the 41h Anniversary of Earth Day, the guide has profiles of the colleges that provide application information plus facts, stats, and write-ups reporting on the schools' environmentally related policies, practices and academic offerings. The free guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide

The Princeton Review first created this one-of-a-kind resource for college-bound students in 2010 with the U.S. Green Building Council, which is best known for developing the LEED standard for green building certification. This past fall, USGBC launched its Center for Green Schools (www.centerforgreenschools.org) to increase its efforts to drive change in how campuses and schools are designed, constructed and operated so that all educational facilities can enhance student learning experiences.

Bentley joins the ranks of outstanding universities and colleges nationwide that are leading the "green" movement through their own special programs and initiatives. Bentley University is committed to creating and maintaining a sustainable campus and community. In 2007, the institution signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). In signing this commitment, Bentley has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality (or "climate neutrality") by 2030 and has already achieved a 7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and conservation measures. Sustainability practices, both in business and the environment, are infused throughout the Bentley curriculum and are an integral part of the educational experience. To learn more about sustainability at Bentley University, visit http://sustainability.bentley.edu

How Schools Were Chosen for the Book

The Princeton Review chose the 311 schools based on a survey it conducted in 2010 of hundreds of colleges across the U.S. and in Canada to tally its annual "Green Rating" scores (scaled from 60 to 99) of colleges for its school profiles in its college guidebooks and website. The survey asks administrators more than 50 questions about their institution's sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The Company tallied Green Ratings for 703 institutions in summer 2010. The 311 schools in this guide received scores of 80 or above in that assessment. (Note: The Princeton Review does not rank the schools in this guide hierarchically (1 to 311) according to their Green Rating scores, nor does it include those scores in this book's school profiles.) Information about The Princeton Review's Green Rating methodology and its "Green Honor Roll" list saluting schools that received Green Ratings of 99 is at http://www.princetonreview.com/green.aspx

About The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review (Nasdaq: REVU) has been a pioneer and leader in helping students achieve their higher education goals for more than 28 years through college and graduate school test preparation and private tutoring. With more than 165 print and digital publications and a free website, www.PrincetonReview.com, the Company provides students and their parents with the resources to research, apply to, prepare for and learn how to pay for higher education. The Princeton Review partners with schools and guidance counselors throughout the U.S. to assist in college readiness, test preparation and career planning services, helping more students pursue postsecondary education. The Company also owns and operates Penn Foster Education Group, a global leader in online education. Penn Foster provides career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education and select trades through the Penn Foster High School and Penn Foster Career School (www.pennfoster.edu). The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University and not a magazine.

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprised of 79 local affiliates, 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

About the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is how USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation. From the kindergartner entering the classroom to the Ph.D. student performing research in a lab, the Center provides the resources and support to elevate dialogue, accelerate policy and institute innovation toward green schools and campuses. Thanks in part to generous support from founding sponsor United Technologies Corporation (www.utc.com), the Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to live and learn, work and play. For more information, please visit www.centerforgreenschools.org.

Bentley University Presents Third Annual International Conference on Conscious Capitalism, May 17 to 18, 2011

kwalsh — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:13:44 -0700

Thought leaders in the Conscious Capitalism® field from around the world will gather at Bentley University for the Third Annual International Conference on Conscious Capitalism on May 17 to 18, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, Mass. The two-day conference will focus on the themes of conscious leadership and conscious marketing, with particular emphasis on the feminization of the culture. The conference is co-sponsored by the Conscious Capitalism Institute. For more information on cost, registration, detailed agenda and speakers, please go to: http://conscious-capitalism.bentley.edu/

This year's event will feature a blend of corporate leaders, academics and thought leaders who will together explore the frontiers of our knowledge on what it means to be a conscious business in the 21st century.

"The annual Conscious Capitalism conference has grow in scale and scope every year, as the idea of Conscious Capitalism gains broader acceptance globally and the need for a new business paradigm becomes ever more urgent," says Bentley University Professor of Marketing Rajendra Sisodia, who is the event chair. Sisodia is also chairman and co-founder of the Conscious Capitalism Institute.

According to Sisodia, the dual theme of the event will be addressed in the context of the feminization of the culture, which is driven by rising societal consciousness regarding past and existing inequities, growing global access to higher education, changing demographics, and fast changing societal attitudes and value systems.

Among the featured speakers are:

Joanna Barsh, senior director of McKinsey & Company, author of How Remarkable Women Lead
Linda Dunkel, president and CEO, Interaction Associates
Michael Gelb, author, leadership and creativity expert
Jeffrey Hollender, co-founder and former CEO, Seventh Generation
Juriaan Kamp, founder and publisher, Ode magazine
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, author and Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration, Harvard University
John Mackey, founder and CEO, Whole Foods
Linda Mason, chairman and founder, Bright Horizons Family Solutions
Srinivasan Pillay, author and CEO, NeuroBusiness Group, and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School
Faith Popcorn, author and founder, BrainReserve
Doug Rauch, former president, Trader Joe's, and fellow, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative
Alison Sander, director, BCG Center for Sensing and Mining the Future
Ron Shaich, founder and chairman, Panera Bread
Kip Tindell, co-founder, chairman and CEO, The Container Store
Marianne Williamson, spiritual teacher and author of A Return to Love

Speakers also include authors and corporate leaders such as Marti Barletta, author, speaker and consultant; Rúna Bouius, CEO, Rúnora LLC; Bill Breen, author and former editor, Fast Company; Kristin Engvig, founder, Women's International Networking; Partha Ghosh, founder, The Boston Pledge; Bettina Gordon, freelance journalist and columnist; Jean Kilbourne, author and filmmaker, Killing Us Softly; Trish Karter, co-founder and CEO, Dancing Deer Baking Company; Peter Larson, principal, Ashley McGraw Architects; Doug Levy, founder and CEO, imc²; Sandra March, chief marketing officer, Ashley McGraw Architects; Monika Mitchell, executive director, Good Business International; John Renesch, author and futurist; Peter Ressler, CEO, Ressler Mitchell Group; Vineeta Salvi, director of wellness and professional effectiveness, Conscious Capitalism Institute; Eva M. Selhub, MD, senior physician at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital; Shubhro Sen, co-founder and executive director, Conscious Capitalism Institute; Satish Thatte, director of modeling and simulation, Conscious Capitalism Institute; and Cindy Wigglesworth, president, Deep Change.

Academic presenters include Leonard Berry, Texas A&M University's Distinguished Professor of Marketing, M.B. Zale Chair in Retailing and Marketing Leadership, and professor of Humanities in Medicine; Ernest Cadotte, University of Tennessee professor of marketing; Valerie Gremillion, research assistant professor, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Philip Kotler, Northwestern University's S.C. Johnson & Son Professor of International Marketing; Gloria Cordes Larson, Bentley University president; Susan Linn, author and Harvard Medical School instructor in psychiatry; Ted Malloch, research professor, Spiritual Capital Initiative at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Yale University; Ann Mirabito, Baylor University assistant professor of marketing; Judi Neal, director of the Tyson Center for Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace, University of Arkansas; Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Chair of Marketing, Goizueta Business School, Emory University; and Rajendra Sisodia, Bentley University Professor of Marketing.

Women’s Leadership Institute at Bentley University Presents: “Gearing Up: Creating the Connections That Matter” Conference for Young Professionals

jhowarth — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:59:00 -0700

The Women's Leadership Institute at Bentley University will present its sixth annual career advancement conference for professional women in the first decade of their careers on Friday, May 13 from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in the Executive Dining Room in the La Cava Center at Bentley University.

This intensive one-day conference includes a keynote address by Dr. Bertice Berry, award-winning sociologist, author, lecturer, and entertainer. In addition, attendees will participate in two (out of five) interactive, skill-building workshops. The day will also feature a luncheon panel of highly accomplished business women who will share experiences along their own professional journeys. The panel is unique in that it presents three pairs of women; each pair is from the same organization-one senior executive, one middle level executive. New this year, Gearing Up will include an afternoon session on negotiation and influencing skills that will include role playing exercises and different scenarios based on real life work situations.

For more information or to register for this event, please visit http://wli.bentley.edu/content/gearing or contact Elisa Vincent at evincent@bentley.edu or (781) 891-2789.

Bentley University Buildings Earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR® for Superior Energy Efficiency

jhowarth — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:56:51 -0700

Bentley University's North Campus residence halls have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This signifies that the buildings perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

"Bentley University Facilities Management has worked diligently to improve building energy efficiency over the past few years, but this achievement was made possible by the entire Bentley community working together to reduce our energy consumption. Sustainability and conservation are now integrated into the academic curriculum and campus groups have been formed to promote environmental awareness and behavior change. This achievement shows that when a community unites, positive change is possible," says Bentley Energy Systems Engineer Jessa Marshall.

With an average ENERGY STAR rating of 83, the North Campus residence halls use 34 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Bentley University improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to the buildings. Bentley University has prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity use from 28 households for an entire year. Additionally, community outreach programs have been established to encourage students, faculty and staff to adopt energy conservation habits.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, Bentley University took the following actions:

WebCTRL, an advanced energy management system, was installed to control all heating and cooling systems within the building. It also controls exterior lighting and the interior lighting in the common spaces within each building.
Networked electric submeters were integrated with WebCTRL to automate electrical load shedding, which relaxes a building's setpoints during peak loads. The meters were also integrated with PowerLogic, an energy and power management application, to log and display real time energy consumption.
Occupancy sensors and individual thermostats were added to each apartment to allow setpoints to automatically relax when residents are not home while also providing residents the ability to adjust their setpoints.
To decrease water consumption, water saving toilets, low flow faucets and shower heads were included in a plumbing fixture retrofit.
Energy conservation through both building improvements and behavior change are supported at all levels of the university as a signatory of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).
The Office of Sustainability was established to promote energy conservation and behavior change to the Bentley community. Each residential building is assigned a student Eco-Rep to serve as a sustainability peer-educator.

EPA's ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA's 1-100 scale is eligible for the ENERGY STAR. Commercial buildings that can earn the ENERGY STAR include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, houses of worship, and warehouses.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR visit www.energystar.gov/buildings.

Bentley University Presents Steve Pagliuca, Managing Director, Bain Capital & Co-Owner of the Boston Celtics, on “The Ethics of Teams”

jhowarth — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:51:46 -0700

Steve Pagliuca, managing director of Bain Capital & co-owner of the Boston Celtics, will be the keynote speaker at the 16th annual Raytheon Lecture in Business Ethics at Bentley University on April 7, 2011, at 3:30 p.m. in Wilder Pavilion, Adamian Academic Center. Pagliuca will discuss how teams are engines of business that run best on the energy of ethics.

"Business may be tough and competitive, but business success is a team sport; businesses thrive on partnerships fostered in a climate of fair play. The best companies see their competitors as potential partners," says Pagliuca. "Companies will see the greatest gains when they are able to create a culture that promotes healthy team spirit."

Steve Pagliuca is a managing director at Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm based in Boston. He is also co-owner and managing partner of the World Championship Boston Celtics Basketball franchise. Pagliuca joined Bain Capital in 1989 and, along with his partners, built it into an international investment powerhouse with over $65 billion in assets under management. An active member of many charitable and philanthropic organizations, Pagliuca serves as the president of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, the chairman of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and a trustee of the Bain Capital Children's Charity. He is a frequent contributor on television, radio and print media of expert commentary on global economic issues.

About Bain Capital

Established in 1984, Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private investment firms managing approximately $65 billion in assets. Its affiliated advisors make private equity, public equity, leveraged debt asset, venture capital, and absolute return investments across multiple sectors, industries, and asset classes. Since its inception, the firm's competitive advantage has been grounded in a people-intensive, value-added investment approach that has enabled it to deliver industry-leading returns for its investors.

About the Raytheon Company

The Raytheon Lecture in Business Ethics is sponsored by the Raytheon Company. Raytheon is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 89 years, Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide and had annual sales of $25 billion in 2010.

About the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley University

The Center for Business Ethics (CBE) is one of the world's leading research and educational institutes in the field of business ethics. It is also among the first, having been established in 1976, when the field was in its infancy. Given its many contributions to the field, CBE is credited with being a major influence in the development and success of the business ethics movement, both in the United States and around the world. For more information about the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley University, please visit www.bentley.edu/cbe or call (781) 891-2981.