Event celebrates School of Management’s 40 years of leadership in social innovation

On Sept. 24, 1982, Clark University marked the launch of the Graduate School of Management with a daylong symposium, “The United States in Today’s Competitive World.”

This week, another daylong event will celebrate 40 years of management education girded by the principles of social responsibility, sustainability, and ethical business practice.

The School of Management (SOM) — “graduate” was dropped from the name in 2020 — has always provided a solid business education with a social innovation focus, says Dean Alan Eisner, but over the years, big corporations have also become more community-minded.

“They want to be connected to the society they’re a part of,” Eisner says. “We’re helping to create the next generation of leaders who understand the social fabric of the business.”

The School of Management, one of the less than 5% of business schools accredited globally by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), is a signatory to the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Education (PRME), which reflect a commitment to education, research, and collaboration that fosters sustainable social, economic, and environmental change.

According to Will O’Brien, SOM professor of practice, the goals of the conference are to put Clark on the map for thousands of business school deans while connecting virtually with external faculty and students; to emphasize SOM’s connection to the University as a whole by inviting faculty from various disciplines to participate in the on-campus event; and to demonstrate to members of the campus community SOM’s leadership in social innovation, while identifying opportunities for additional transdisciplinary collaboration.

The April 21 “Social Innovation Conference at Clark University” — being held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Tilton Hall — will include speakers from across the disciplines at Clark and beyond, with sessions addressing climate finance; sustainable business branding and marketing; environmental, social, and governance investing; and community engagement and social impact. The in-person event, which will kick off with comments by Clark President David B. Fithian, will also be livestreamed.

While registration is not required, it is strongly encouraged. Learn more and register now »

Panels and speakers include:

ESG Investing

Moderator: Fei Feng, assistant professor of finance

• Steve Hatfield, head of US ESG for the Carlyle Group
• Eric Kane, director of ESG research, Americas, for Bloomberg Intelligence
• Steve Ng, associate professor of practice at SOM
• Sitikantha Parida, associate professor of finance at SOM

Climate Finance

Moderator: Will O’Brien, SOM professor of practice

• Steve Sacco, vice president of safety, environment, and real estate at Schneider Electric
• James Salo ’02, MBA ’03, head of environmental research & ESG modeling for S & P Global Sustainable1
• Ed Carr, professor and director of Clark’s International Development, Community, and Environment Department
• Christopher Williams, professor of geography and director of Clark’s Environmental Sciences Program

Branding/Marketing and Sustainable Business

Moderator: Atefeh Yazdanparast, associate professor of marketing

• Holly Baumgart, vice president of new platform development at Sargento Foods
• Kristen Anthony, vice president of finance for the Denver Metropolitan Area
• Tom Murphy, associate professor of practice at SOM
• Emilee Cocuzzo ’18, MBA ’19, senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton

Community Engagement & Social Impact

Moderator: Joseph Corazzini, vice president of government and community affairs

• Mike McAuliffe, CEO, Middlesex Savings Bank
• Quintus Jett, Ph.D., author of “Manage the Mission”
• John Dobson, associate professor of practice at SOM
• David A. Jordan, MPA ’02, president of Seven Hills Foundation and Affiliates
• Domenica Perrone, director of Community Engagement and Volunteering at Clark