July 2020
You know what they say: in real estate it’s all about location, location, location.
When it comes to business schools, I’ve always believed it’s all about people, people, people.
And nowhere has this been as clear as at the Rotman School of Management. In my first month as Executive Director, Advancement, I have had the privilege of meeting (virtually) with many of the faculty, students, alumni and donors. It’s the people that bolster community, and I’m impressed with the leadership and dedication of the Rotman community.
What struck me isn’t just how warm and welcoming everyone is — it’s also how resilient, enthusiastic and solution-oriented they are.
Even our Interim Dean Ken Corts has told me how impressed he has been with the ideas and solutions that so many Rotman community members have brought forward over the last few months.
Students are reaching out not so much out of concern for their grades or job prospects— but with ideas about what Rotman can do to tackle the challenges facing our society today. And not only that – they’ve come with action plans! Rotman really is a catalyst for positive change.
(And Ken, of course, is all ears.)
When we’re living and working in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, facing questions, challenges and uncertainty on so many levels — that’s when real leadership is in high demand.
And the Rotman community delivers. From students and faculty to alumni, donors and staff, we share a can-do attitude, a willingness to dream big, and a commitment to driving positive change and creating value for society.
It’s this core commitment that enables Rotman to respond so quickly and effectively to pressing societal needs. As just some examples, Rotman students, alumni and faculty are applying management and leadership skills to take on the growing problem of the country’s PPE shortage, and to rapidly transform scientific innovations into COVID-19-related solutions through CDL Recovery.
Or consider the Rotman Catalyst Fund, which provides seed funding to new Rotman initiatives every year, including to COVID recovery initiatives, digital and financial innovation and business design this year. The fact that we have our own venture fund within the School to test new ideas is another example of how we are geared for impact.
And with so many Rotman alumni making a difference as leaders in business and society – and giving back to the community as mentors, advisors, speakers and supporters. I’m so proud of the impact we continue to have on a global scale.
I’m eager to learn more about you – about your experience at Rotman, and what the alumni community means to you. Over the next 30 days, it is my goal to meet many more members of the Rotman community. In fact, I will be challenging myself to have at least 100 “thanks-a-latte” meetings with alumni from around the world. I welcome the opportunity to connect with you and encourage you to reach out. Please send email to alumni@rotman.utoronto.ca. I would love to hear from you.
I’m also looking forward to meeting you virtually October 2 and 3 at Rotman’s Homecoming. I hope you will join me at Reunite at Rotman 2020!
And back to my point about real estate. I’ll be moving from Calgary to Toronto soon and would welcome your advice on locations in TO!
By Linda Dudek | Executive Director, Advancement
Linda Dudek is Executive Director, Advancement at the Rotman School of Management. Linda has over 12 years leadership experience in fundraising, campaigns and business development in various sectors, notably university advancement. She joined Rotman from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, where she was the Director of Development.