Insights and Inspiration from Our Dean
Each month, Dean Andrew Karolyi highlights how our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are making an impact around the world. His monthly blog posts also share insights, reflections, and announcements.
Impactful Research. Immersive Learning. Engaged Communities.
The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business empowers our students to become principled leaders and innovative thinkers poised to create lasting positive change.
Kristinko Mato ’24 helped Ithaca landlords switch to clean energy and reduce expenses for low-income renters. Heather Henyon MBA ’03 champions female entrepreneurs through her firm Mindshift Capital. Professor Todd Schmit conducted research that proved the viability of farm-to-school food programs. The examples are endless.
Our students and faculty members make positive impacts in communities near and far through research and community-centered learning. After graduation, our alumni tackle big challenges by joining—or founding—mission-driven organizations that use business as a force for good.
Impact across Our Schools
United by a shared ethos of engagement and driven by mottos that embody impact, our three iconic schools make their mark on society in many ways.
Learning with Impact at Dyson
The Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management
“Our Business Is a Better World”
A hallmark of the Dyson School academic experience is the Grand Challenges program. This multiyear endeavor culminates with a capstone project that aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Engaged Learning at Nolan
The Cornell Peter & Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration
“Life Is Service”
A pioneer in hospitality business education, the Nolan School continually finds new ways to bring about positive change in the industry. Examples include using technology to develop more sustainable business practices and conducting research about food access.
Impactful Experiences at Johnson
The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management
“Turn Ambition into Impact”
With funded fellowship and leadership development programs, the Johnson School empowers its students to become purpose-driven professionals. Immersive learning opportunities often partner students with local and global organizations.
Rising to the Challenge
The directive from college leadership is clear. The time is now for business schools to drive societal change.
“The world is changing at an ever-accelerating pace, delivering unprecedented societal challenges. Business education must not only address those emerging challenges, but must do so considering the impact on people and the planet at the forefront.”
— Andrew Karolyi, Charles Field Knight Dean, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
Our Impact: From the Individual to the State and across the Globe
Impact across New York
In support of Cornell University’s Land Grant Mission, we advance the lives and livelihoods of New York state citizens through teaching, research, special programs, and public service.
Making an Impact: Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
Our core values of inclusion and impact intersect as we develop innovative solutions to pressing local and global issues. Diversity initiatives across our three schools aim to close equity gaps in education, industry, and the world at large.
Engaged College. Engaged Community
Every student at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is encouraged, if not required, to complete a community-based learning experience. An ideal example of the Engaged College Initiative is the Dyson School’s Grand Challenges, a four-year program rooted in doing business for good.
Freedom of Expression: A University-Wide Initiative
“Freedom of Expression” is the guiding theme for Cornell University in the 2023-24 academic year. From its founding, Cornell has stood for free and open inquiry and expression. All year long, the campus and broader community can participate in university-wide events and opportunities related to the theme.
The Marketplace of Ideas
Aligning with the university’s theme, the SC Johnson College launched The Marketplace of Ideas: The Value of Free Exchange. Throughout the academic year, our college is hosting lectures, conferences, workshops, and other events that demonstrate how the free exchange of information is critical to a well-functioning marketplace.
Research with Impact
Impactful research responsibly connects business scholarship and education with a social purpose. These are just a few of the many stories about our impact on society.
- Better Business Chronicles
- Commitment to Antiracism
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Ethics
- Faculty
- Organizational Behavior
- Research With Impact
- Thought Leadership
Persistent questioning of knowledge takes a toll
Dyson Assistant Professor Laura Niemi's research shows regular exposure to even subtle prejudice and discrimination degrades physical and mental health.
- Better Business Chronicles
- Faculty
- Operations Technology and Information Management
- Organizational Behavior
- Research With Impact
- Thought Leadership
Worker mobility can impact adoption of new technology
The research team found that increased worker mobility can negatively impact a business’s ability to adopt new technology such as artificial intelligence.
Promoting Thank-you Gifts Can Boost Charitable Donations
For some charitable donors, the extra incentive of a gift is an important lever for opening pocketbooks SC Johnson College of Business research finds.
Faculty Research. Expanded Reach.
In 2022, our faculty participated in 459 research collaborations across 160 cities and 32 countries. They published 250 articles in scholarly journals. Our Research with Impact report highlights and celebrates these accomplishments. In a faculty video series, our researchers share how their scholarly work connects to the world.
Beyond the Classroom: Faculty Expertise in Industry and Policy
Industry involvement. Community engagement. Expert opinion. For many scholars, service is second nature. Our faculty members serve on boards, advise civic organizations, and contribute their expertise to the media.
Our faculty are cited in more than 15,000 media stories annually.
Nine of our faculty advise civic commissions and councils.
Our faculty hold 89 seats on corporate and nonprofit boards.
Innovation Takes Collaboration: Our Interdisciplinary Themes
Solving complex societal problems takes innovation and collaboration. Our interdisciplinary themes connect diverse faculty from across the college to inspire research.
The Impact of Our Centers and Institutes
The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is home to more than 20 centers, institutes, and special programs, each with a distinct vision and purpose. Not only do these hubs provide rich learning and community engagement experiences for our students, but they collectively serve as an expansive ecosystem of societal impact.
Bringing Industry Expertise to Campus
Hundreds of business leaders, industry experts, and other inspirational professionals visit campus each year for speaking engagements or to help shape our programs by serving on advisory boards.
360+
industry leaders and speakers share their expertise annually.
290+
executives serve as members of our invitation-only C&I advisory boards.
Collaborating for a Positive Impact
We take our land grant mission across the globe, encouraging collaboration and entrepreneurship that creates sustainable, shared prosperity. Here’s how we do it:
News and Updates: Stories of Societal Impact
Explore how we’re turning ambition into impact every day. Our BusinessFeed showcases the experiences and achievements of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, partners, and friends.
April 24, 2024
Community Conversations Offer Safe Space For Exchanging Ideas
The “Food for Thought Series,” a program launched in the fall of 2023, is intended to destigmatize lived experiences and offer the chance to address controversial topics.
April 19, 2024
Persistent questioning of knowledge takes a toll
Dyson Assistant Professor Laura Niemi's research shows regular exposure to even subtle prejudice and discrimination degrades physical and mental health.
April 15, 2024
Artificial Intelligence Could Soon Make Management Decisions
AI chatbots can help with customer service, financial transactions, and more. Soon business leaders will use AI to make management decisions.
How to Contact Us
For more information about efforts and initiatives related to societal impact, contact the Office of External Relations and Engagement or Linda Barrington, associate dean for strategy and societal impact.