Brandeis International Business School

Dear Brandeis International Business School Community,

I hope your year is off to a great start. Students, faculty and staff are happy to be back on campus after a well-deserved winter break. For our first-year students, after a whirlwind fall, the spring offers an opportunity to settle in and explore everything Brandeis has to offer. Meanwhile, many of our second-year students have graduation — and all that comes next — on their minds. It’s an exciting time here at the International Business School, and I’m confident the Spring 2025 semester will be filled with academic achievement, personal growth and career accomplishments. We’re also eager to continue partnering with Interim Brandeis University President Arthur Levine ’70 to help ensure that Brandeis remains positioned for long-term success.

In early January, a select group of students traveled to India as part of the Hassenfeld Immersion Program. This once-in-a-lifetime experience, established through the generosity of Board of Advisors member Alan Hassenfeld, HHL’20, is wholly funded and allows students to participate at little or no cost, which is unique to Brandeis. This year’s Hassenfeld fellows came away inspired after visiting some of India’s most innovative companies. “Our options are more than we can imagine!” one student wrote upon her return. “Trips like these open our eyes to all of the possibilities.”

Also in January, the business school sponsored DeisHacks, which is one of my favorite events because it truly embodies the mission and founding values of Brandeis University. Now in its eighth year, this hackathon for social good paired 118 student “hackers” with Waltham-area nonprofits seeking solutions to real-world business challenges. DeisHacks offers students an important lesson: Sometimes harnessing the power of business for global good means making a difference in your own backyard.

In more great news, career outcomes for recent International Business School graduates remain strong. According to the latest statistics from the Career Strategies and Engagement Center, 92 percent of jobseekers from the Class of 2024 accepted employment or started their own business within six months of graduation. This includes 100 percent employment for our most recent MBA class! Starting U.S. salaries and bonuses reported by recent graduates of all programs have also increased by 20 percent since 2019.

Finally, I am excited to announce that iconic shoe designer and entrepreneur Stuart Weitzman will receive the 2025 Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship. Stuart is a great friend of Brandeis who has generously shared his insights about fashion, business and philanthropy with our students. All Brandeis University students, alumni and friends are invited to join us April 10 as we honor Stuart at a special event sponsored by the Asper Center for Global Entrepreneurship. Register now.

I wish you a successful spring and hope to see you on campus soon. Thank you for all that you do in support of Brandeis International Business School.

Sincerely,Kathryn Graddy
Dean, Brandeis International Business School
Fred and Rita Richman Distinguished Professor in Economics