Dear Colleagues:

With our national search for a new dean in the College of Business nearing its conclusion, I’ve been reflecting on the remarkable tenure of Dr. Beth Walker, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to Beth for the legacy of excellence she leaves behind. She has been a passionate advocate for the college and CSU, a brilliant scholar and a cherished colleague. Beth’s decision last year to extend her leadership through June 30, 2026, was a final, gracious gift to this institution, ensuring a smooth transition.

As Beth has noted, a new dean will inherit a strong foundation to further propel the college forward. Since her initial appointment in 2015, Beth has worked with great strategic vision, defined by “Business for a Better World,” that has elevated the college’s national and global reputation and visibility. Under her leadership, the College of Business has received numerous recognitions for its outstanding work, faculty and curriculum. This includes:

• The Financial Times recognizing the CSU College of Business as among the top-five business schools globally, and the best business school in North America for advancing responsible business management education through its values-driven mission: Business for a Better World.
• Recently being named the No. 1 Online MBA program in Colorado by U.S. News & World Report for the ninth consecutive year. The program is the only one in Colorado to place among the Top 50.
• Corporate Knights, an international media and research company, named the college’s Online MBA the No. 1 Better World MBA among large schools in the U.S. in 2025.
  • The prestigious annual ranking is based on how well MBA programs incorporate responsible business and sustainability into their curricula. The College of Business’ MBA was designed to give professionals proficiency in five competencies, one of which is using business for a better world.
• Last year, for the fourth consecutive year, the College of Business was named a “transforming” institution by the Positive Impact Rating (PIR), an annual international report that recognizes schools’ societal impact and commitment to sustainability.
  • The college was cited in the report as one of seven leading PIR schools for making significant progress by incorporating student feedback into its Strategic Plan 2030. Selected as one of the report’s case studies, the college was also highlighted as a model example of governance, which PIR defined as an institution in which leadership is visibly and credibly committed to a societal purpose.

Under Beth’s leadership, undergraduate student enrollment in the College of Business has skyrocketed, increasing over 40% in just the last five years. The college now serves more than 5000 undergraduate, graduate and business minor students, including a record number of first-generation students this year. The impact and visibility of faculty and their research continue to climb, many recognized for their expertise on topics at the intersection of business and society.

In addition to these accolades, Beth is a nationally renowned scholar and higher education leader who is highly regarded and connected in the business world. She was appointed an American Marketing Association (AMA) Fellow in 2021 in recognition of her longstanding contributions to the research, theory and practice of marketing, and for her service to the AMA. She has served both as a member of the AMA Academic Council and its Board of Directors, a title held by only a few dozen distinguished scholars nationwide.

I am grateful to Beth on a very personal level as someone on whom I have leaned for wise counsel and friendship as a fellow dean. In her next chapter, Beth will spend more time with her family, enjoy more flexibility and pursue new dreams. Please join me in thanking Beth for her 11 years of exceptional service and leadership, and in wishing her well in her future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Lise

Lise M. Youngblade, Ph.D.
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President