ftabak Archives - Giving to Mary Washington

Dean Filiz Tabak brought a broad portfolio of expertise when she came to lead the University of Mary Washington’s College of Business (COB) last summer. It helped her guide the college through a successful reaccreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB.

Dean Filiz Tabak recently guided UMW’s College of Business through AACSB reaccreditation.

“This is a significant milestone signifying our commitment to academic excellence and the highest quality standards in business degree programs and in student success,” said Tabak in the announcement last week, thanking faculty, staff, and administration for their collaborative efforts in achieving this prestigious honor. Only 6% of business schools worldwide have received this international recognition, she said, which COB first earned in 2018.

During the lengthy reaccreditation process, Tabak relied on the extensive knowledge base she built during her years at Towson University’s College of Business & Economics, where she taught courses in organizational leadership, management, and more – while publishing research in countless peer-reviewed journals. There, she rose through the ranks, becoming graduate program director, department chair, and acting associate dean.

Yet, her background goes beyond business. As a first-generation college student, Tabak earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and a master’s degree in marine physics and chemistry before working at Henkel. Getting a glimpse into the multinational corporation’s inner workings helped her discover a passion for organizational behavior, a field she focused on while earning an MBA at Bogazici University in Turkey and a Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University.

“My multidisciplinary background was a major asset, because I thought differently from my peers,” said Tabak, who sees the same multifaceted approach through the liberal arts at Mary Washington and her prior work at Towson.

Besides reaccreditation, at UMW, she has been charged with developing innovative undergraduate and graduate curriculum, strengthening partnerships, creating a Dean’s Student Advisory Board, revamping the Executive Advisory Board, initiating a strategic plan for the college, and more.

Now in her second semester as dean, Tabak shares COB’s recent accomplishments and what’s in store for 2024.

What goals will you be focused on this year?
The College of Business is getting ready to launch a new major in entrepreneurship and management this fall and is streamlining the entrepreneurship minor. We’re working closely with UMW’s Center for Economic Development to provide training and internships and connect students with alumni entrepreneurs and area small business owners. We’re also promoting our 30-credit MBA program that can be completed entirely online, but still offering face-to-face graduate courses.

How would you describe the strategic planning process?
It was initiated under the umbrella of the University’s strategic plan and will help guide COB’s direction for years to come. Business schools must meet certain standards to keep AACSB accreditation, including focusing on social impact and digital knowledge. We’re looking for alumni, students, faculty, and staff, as well as community leaders, who want to join this effort and provide insight and feedback to help the college continue to achieve success.

What events are planned for 2024?
We’re excited to host our Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society induction ceremony on April 4, followed by the sixth annual Strategy Case Competition on April 18, in which student teams will analyze a comprehensive business case and present recommendations to an alumni panel of judges. Andrew Blate ’04 and his business partner, Craig Schneibolk, started an endowed fund for an annual $5,000 award to be split among the winners.

In the fall, we’ll host our Alumni Awards as well as our Meet the Firms event. Last semester, we hosted nearly 70 students who met with representatives from over a dozen firms to learn about internships and employment opportunities. We plan to expand the event to include more organizations.

UMW's College of Business, housed in Woodard Hall, recently completed a successful renewal, extending its AACSB accreditation for another five years. — UMW’s College of Business, housed in Woodard Hall, recently completed a successful renewal, extending its AACSB accreditation for another five years.

How can alumni help students achieve success in college and after Mary Washington?
Alumni can join our COB Executive Advisory Board, Young Professionals Group, or the strategic planning focus group. Alumni and advisory board member perspectives are invaluable and can help us shape the future of the college. We’re always happy to spread the word if you’re looking to hire an intern or a UMW graduate.

One of your goals is to start a Bloomberg Finance Lab. How will this benefit students?
These labs provide applied learning in up-and-coming areas like finance, financial planning, and business analytics, which we’d like to introduce as majors in the future. It’s critical that UMW students acquire comprehensive skills in these areas to compete well against other business school graduates in the market.

Why are your plans to create more faculty research opportunities and endowed professorships important?
Faculty research and knowledge creation increases the profile of the college, attracts prospective students, and improves the visibility of our outstanding faculty. UMW strikes the right balance between putting talented and engaged faculty in the classroom while nurturing an environment with opportunities to produce high quality scholarship.

How do you spend your free time?
I love exercising at the UMW Campus Recreation Fitness Center alongside our wonderful students and enjoy visiting downtown restaurants, the farmers market, and art galleries. I also train and board dogs, and I’m a canine photographer. I was chased and terrorized by a stray dog as a child, so I got a puppy to get over my fears about 20 years ago, and that was it; I fell in love with dogs and anything dog-related! But my side gig is on hiatus now that I’m a dean!

Read more about UMW’s College of Business.

– Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04

Senior Aniya Stewart ’24 sharpened her skills before taking part in the Mock Interview Competition at the University of Mary Washington last month. She researched how to answer the toughest questions and reflected on her past performances when applying for jobs.

Still, she was surprised when she was declared the winner. “My shock wore off when the judges explained their reasoning and gave feedback,” said Aniya, a mathematics major at Mary Washington. “I was elated after that and called my mom to share the good news.”

Aniya, who is already looking for her first post-college position, said she feels more prepared than ever after participating twice in the competition, held every other year for UMW Student Alumni Ambassadors, or SAAs. The event equips students with strategies and techniques to nail any interview – and hopefully, the job.

Along with Network Mary Wash, it’s one of many initiatives organized by the Office of University Advancement and Alumni Engagement to introduce UMW students to the vast network of graduates whose guidance can help them launch their careers and lives after college. A recent Mary Talk held on Nov. 15 featured Associate Provost for Career and Workforce Kimberly Young discussing the key competencies the University has adopted to prepare students for Life After Mary Washington.

Aniya Stewart ’24, winner of the 2023 Mock Interview Competition. Aniya is a mathematics major and a member of the Student Alumni Ambassadors, who participate in the biennial competition. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Shadwick Yoder ’25, an SAA and a finalist in the 2023 Mock Interview Competition. Shadwick is a political science major and an environmental sustainability minor. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Natalie Baca ’24, an SAA and a finalist in the 2023 Mock Interview Competition. Natalie is a biomedical sciences major and neuroscience minor. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

This year’s interview competition saw 16 participants vie for a job as a program assistant in UMW’s Office of Student Activities and Engagement. While the position was fictional, Aniya will get a real recommendation from Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Katie Turcotte and an overnight stay at a regional alumni event.

A finalist during her senior year, Assistant Director of Annual Giving Cadiann Treviño Pinto ’22 serves as staff advisor of the SAA program, which fosters relationships between alumni and students. “I provide pointers like ‘dress to impress, come early, and look for verbal and nonverbal cues,’” she said, but ultimately, the students are responsible for matching their qualifications to the job description.

“This is an essential experiential learning opportunity for UMW students, preparing them to succeed in the real world,” said College of Business Dean Filiz Tabak, who served on a panel of alumni, faculty, and staff judges who evaluated the participants over two rounds. While all the students were “well-prepared, personable, and professional,” Dean Tabak said, Aniya’s confidence, authenticity, and comfort with taking risks helped her stand out among her peers.

Michael Gilchrist ’20, who also served as a judge, said that being a former finalist in the competition helped him distinguish a good interview from a great one. His own mock interviews as a SAA helped him secure his current position as a global client and project manager at D.C.-based ROI Training. “Even to this day, I use the feedback I received to better position myself among other applicants.”

Junior Shadwick Yoder ’25 may have fielded a few curveball questions, but he said that making it to the final round gave him the confidence he needs to pursue his future career.

“Being an SAA has given me many firsts in the realm of professional development,” said Shadwick, a political science major and environmental sustainability minor, who applied to the program during his first semester at Mary Washington. “All of the skills I’ve gained are extremely valuable, no matter what field I enter.”

Learn more about the Student Alumni Ambassador program at the University of Mary Washington by contacting Assistant Director of Annual Giving Cadiann Treviño Pinto ’22 at ctrevino@umw.edu or 540-654-1153.

Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04

ftabak

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Mock Interview Competition Preps UMW Students to Land the Job