International intrigue is in the air now that the dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business has been appointed to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International’s board of directors.
Amy Hillman, who has been the school's dean since 2013, said she looks forward to the new position.
"I feel like we're at a very interesting time in the future of higher education and the future of business," Hillman said. "It's exciting to get to be on the board and try to shape the direction of where the organization is moving."
AACSB is an organization that votes on the accreditation of business schools around the world, Hillman said. This process includes a visitation of three deans to the school every five years.
Hillman began her career in business by working as a general manager of a retail and manufacturing business while also studying for her Master of Business Administration on nights and weekends. She has been with ASU for 20 years.
"I think that there's an overall change in people's perception around the value of a college education, overall," Hillman said. "I think right now as the economy is recovering, we have an opportunity to really look at our curriculum."
While continuing her work as dean, Hillman said she hopes to continue dialogue with corporate partners "around the kinds of tools that they’re looking for and to make sure that we’re innovative."
Kay Faris, the senior associate dean of academic programs at W. P. Carey, said she thinks Hillman is an outstanding leader and that her appointment will be helpful for W. P. Carey as well.
"I think having Amy on the AACSB board really provides for us additional insight into advances in business education," Faris said. "It also provides a great deal of positive exposure for W. P. Carey nationally and around the world."
Faris said she believes Hillman has demonstrated her creative qualities as well as her ability to come up with unique solutions throughout her different roles at ASU.
"When she was chair of the management department, one of the things that I watched was her ability to work very collaboratively with all the different groups of people," Faris said.
Michael Goul, professor and associate dean for research at W. P. Carey, said Hillman is a strong researcher and that she promotes faculty innovation.
"If you have ideas, she helps to bring them to the front if you have new program concepts," Goul said. "She has helped to mold those and basically make sure that they’re fitting what the community needs."
Hillman said her goals are to improve the overall reputation of the school, and she hopes to take this opportunity to focus on the future.
"I think it’s going to be very helpful for me to meet with peers and have an opportunity to think about where things are headed and how we can best respond to them," Hillman said.
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ASU dean directs W. P. Carey school with female-led administration
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