As a new school year begins, the U. Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration finds itself headed in a new direction, with a new vision and a new leader.
Donde Plowman took over as the ninth dean of the college in July and is looking to increase the prominence of the business college across the nation.
One way she is working to achieve this is by reaching out to the Nebraska community, both to share with them the quality of a UNL education and to show them how they can help improve CBA.
She has already begun this mission with 44 one-on-one meetings with Omaha business leaders along with countless luncheons and meetings in Lincoln, Omaha and across the state. She also plans to spend, on average, at least one day per week in Omaha.
Along with reaching out to business leaders, she is working to reconnect some of the 31,000 CBA alumni to their alma mater. The college is hosting parties across the nation in cities with strong alumni bases including Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Dallas/Fort Worth. The alumni sources could help increase the college’s private money and be potential employers for current students.
Raising money is an important goal for Plowman, especially with difficult economic times. One place she would like to spend resources is on increasing the number of internship opportunities for interested students by helping businesses fund internships.
Internships are important for students looking to add relevant experiences on their resume and open doors to more opportunities.
Plowman’s deanship comes during a year of transition as UNL moves to the Big Ten. The move to the Big Ten has assisted Plowman in her work to raise the prominence of the college. She said Nebraska’s new peers in the Big Ten are among the most prestigious public business schools and that other land grant schools emulate them. Plowman was invited to a conference of Big Ten business schools about ethics education, which was “an opportunity to be part of the conversation about education with leaders of business education,” she said.
Plowman has a vision for CBA’s future and is working with staff to make it a shared vision.
“My philosophy of leadership is not to impose changes but to work with faculty, students and alumni to bring about change,” Plowman said.
She has met with 99 CBA staff and faculty members one-on-one and is now conducting strategic-vision meetings. She holds office hours Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for anyone who wants to meet with her.
Because of her meetings, Plowman said, “I have a more intimate knowledge of who our faculty are, their dreams, hopes, worries. While my schedule has been hectic, it’s been valuable. I know the faculty. They’ve poured their hearts out to me. I know the place so much better.”
Plowman is reaching out to students, as well, and plans to have one-on-one meetings with all of the CBA Student Advisory Board members.
“I love that she has voiced her desire to really get to know the Student Advisory Board. It’s her way to show that she really wants to get to know the students,” said Kara Lambrecht, a senior international business major and CBA Student Advisory Board president.
Plowman’s previous position was a business professor and head of the Department of Management at U. Tennessee – Knoxville. Though she has no past connections with UNL, she said she feels a deep connection with the state. She also feels she brings a fresh perspective that benefits the college.
“Colleges really benefit when faculty come from other places. They bring other experiences. That experience informs me,” she said. “A fresh balance of new ideas is good for a university.”
Ultimately, Plowman plans to build on CBA’s strengths so that it will have a strong future. She said CBA has three strengths: a well-trained faculty with international repute, a student body with high test and GPA scores and a loyal alumni base who loved their experience at CBA and their Husker football team.
Lambrecht said Plowman has already made quite an impression on the Student Advisory Board and on her personally.
“She’s full of energy. It’s really inspiring talking to her,” Lambrecht said. “She makes it feel like I’m getting a degree from one of the best business colleges in the United States. It’s the fact that she’s really invested in the students.”