Tag: Mark Taylor

I do a little bit of everything behind the scenes of Marketing & Communications, and part of that “little bit of everything” is analytics: Google analytics, Twitter analytics, Facebook insights, etc. So of course I was curious to see which blog posts piqued the most interest in 2016—and unsurprisingly, several of them had to do with leadership changes at Olin, as Dean Gupta stepped down and Dean Mark Taylor joined the Olin family. IMHO, the list is very reflective of the most important and influential moments from 2016.

Take a look back at Olin’s eventful 2016 through our 10 most popular blog posts:

10. A chance encounter with Tom Cruise

When a group of students studying abroad in February visited a London pub to watch the Super Bowl, they didn’t expect to sit next to Tom Cruise. “About 20 minutes into the game, we realized all at once that the man sitting at the table not 5 feet to our right was Tom Cruise, intently watching the game with some friends. Like a group of pre-teen girls at a One Direction concert, we were kind of freaking out; enough, in fact, that the manager of the restaurant came over to our table informing us with a wink that we were not to take pictures ‘of any guests,'” wrote then-Junior Colin Wells. However, the group did end up with a photo—and a great story from their time abroad. This was also pretty popular on social media—apparently, this attracted the attention of several Tom Cruise fan groups on Twitter.

9. Revised MBA rankings

A mathematical error led to a revised Poets & Quants MBA ranking and a 7-spot jump for Olin to #23. Poets & Quants’ annual ranking “combines the five most influential rankings and weighs each of them by the soundness of their methodologies,” according to P&Q editor John Byrne. Rankings are always a popular subject for current and prospective MBA students—particularly when they come with “Top 25” bragging rights.

8. The reality: 2 years after business school

“Real talk” is always popular, especially about something that is a large investment of your money and effort—and some weekends—like an MBA. MBA alumnus Abhishek Chakravarty reflected on the two years since he graduated from Olin’s Full-Time MBA program, and what he’s learned in post-grad life (This includes one of my favorite nuggets: “You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s okay.”)

7. Student startup wins multiple top honors

Medical device startup InVitro Select had a very successful year. By April the student-founded startup had already won top honors in three competitions. We are always excited to see students finding success—and the readers of the Olin Blog appear to be, too.

6. Gupta to step down June 30

The year started off with some unexpected news. Dean Gupta announced in January 2016 his decision to step down and focus on his teaching and research. Gupta, who was appointed as dean in July 2005, has served on the Olin faculty since 1990. During his 25 years at the school, he has continued to teach and has been awarded nine Reid Teaching awards by students. Dean Gupta left a legacy of international collaboration, high student job placement rates, a refocusing on entrepreneurship, and new experiential learning opportunities.

5. New Dean named; Dirks to serve as interim

In May, Chancellor Wrighton announced that then-Dean of Warwick Business School Mark Taylor had been appointed as Olin’s next leader, following Dean Gupta’s announcement in January. “In Mark Taylor we have found a strong leader with the vision, wisdom and experience to take Olin Business School to new heights,” Wrighton said. “He is well qualified not only as a scholar, but also as a practitioner in global business and finance. I have no doubt he will strengthen Olin’s presence and reputation in the domestic and international arenas.”

4. Risks of sole-sourcing

This blog post from 2013 continued to gain enough pageviews in 2016 to land it a #4 spot in our Top 10 Most Popular Posts. Eli Snir, lecturer in management, analyzes the fragmentation of the supply chain and answers the question, “When does sole-sourcing make sense?”

3. Grad programs in U.S. News top 25

Olin’s Professional MBA, Full-Time MBA, and Executive MBA programs ranked in the Top 25 of U.S. News’ Best Graduate Schools rankings, with PMBA earning #19, MBA earning #21, and the EMBA landing #20. PMBA, in particular, jumped 5 spots from the previous year.

2. New hours for Bauer Cafe, Starbucks, Einstein’s

It might seem out of place for a post on Bauer Cafe, Starbucks, and Einstein’s to be one of the most read blog posts this year. But due to my own love/dependency for Starbucks’ Lattes and Einstein’s Asiago bagels, I understand.

1. Olin ranked #1 undergraduate business program by Poets&Quants

Earning the #1 spot in Poets & Quants’ new ranking of Best Undergraduate Programs was a great way to end the year (and head into our Centennial), and it happened within a week of Olin welcoming Dean Mark Taylor. Plus, a #1 ranking is always a great excuse to eat Ted Drewes, celebrate with friends, and take full advantage of a selfie booth.

What big changes are in store for Olin next year? I anticipate that when we dive into analytics next year, many of 2017’s most popular posts will be related to our Centennial (and hopefully more top rankings). Instead of waiting for a roundup, I’d encourage you to follow and engage with the Olin community in real time on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn (and of course, submit to the Olin Blog). See you next year!

Hundreds of students, faculty, and staff gathered at the Knight Center on Thanksgiving day for the 21st Annual Olin Feast. There was turkey, of course, with all the trimmings: mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn casserole, green beans, gravy, and pumpkin pie! There was also apple pie and bread pudding, and soft serve ice cream with cookies. More than 400 people reserved places at the event and the Aramark staff always plans for more walk-ins. For many of the international students it was their first Thanksgiving experience and first time to try the traditional food unique to the American holiday.

Dean Emeritus Stuart Greenbaum, who held the first Thanksgiving Feast in 1995, and his wife attended the 2016 event, as well as Interim Dean Kurt Dirks and his family. Dean Designate Mark Taylor also celebrated his arrival in the U.S. from the U.K. when he sent his very first tweet from the festive dining hall:

Click on images below to expand. Photos by Mary Butkus/WUSTL Photos.

His first official day on the job is several months away, but the Chancellor and Provost were eager to introduce new dean designate Mark Taylor to faculty and staff during his visit to campus this week. Taylor, who is currently dean at Warwick Business School was welcomed at a reception in the Frick Forum on June 6.

In brief remarks at the gathering, Taylor said WashU’s collegiate Gothic architecture made him feel a bit at home with its references to the great halls of his alma mater, Oxford University. He acknowledged Dean Gupta’s achievement of establishing a strong “platform upon which we can build.”

Taylor takes office Dec. 1, 2016. Kurt T. Dirks, senior associate dean and the Bank of America Professor of Managerial Leadership at Olin, will serve as interim dean from July 1 through November. Related post.

In addition to being one of the most cited researchers in the areas of economics and finance, Taylor’s career has included positions at Citibank, the International Monetary Fund, and BlackRock. In addition to his academic honors and numerous degrees in social sciences, he holds a Master’s degree in English literature with a focus on Shakespeare.

Taylor said he welcomes the opportunity and challenge to lead Olin. As he prepares to take the helm of the business school and steer it successfully into its second century, he cited these lines from the bard to conclude his remarks:

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves
Or lose our ventures.
Julius Caesar, Act 4, Scene 3

Reception welcoming new dean Mark Taylor:

Click on thumbnail to expand image. Photos by Sid Hastings, WUSTL Photo Services.