Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1525985
A doctor of marketing who has literally written the book on sports sponsorships (and many other topics), Norm O'Reilly is busy with his first semester as the inaugural Dean of UNE's new College of Business. With his substan al background in marke ng, sports business, and educa on, he's working with his team to launch truly innovative business programs that deliver job-ready graduates to the business world. We sat down with him for a brief conversa on. Q: Why is UNE star ng a College of Business now? Great ques on! Disrup on characterizes the business world today, more than in any period since the end of World War II. In re- sponse, organiza ons are forced to change rapidly. These disruptions range from teleworking to AI to changing consumer preferences. As a result, the demand is significant for a new breed of professionals who are skilled and ready to drive impact from day one. In our region, the need is above average, due to our demographics, with new and exis ng ventures ac vely seeking young talent ready to work in such a challenging environment. To meet this need, UNE is launching a College of Business, unifying new and exis ng programs — and leveraging new technologies. Led by industry veterans and academic experts from across the country, the college will offer degrees in sought-a er business specializa ons like marke ng, finance, and accoun ng, as well as in niche areas such as sports management, sustainable business, and marine entrepreneurship. Q: You men oned an evolving business world. What are some trends that are shaping your degrees? It's an interes ng me! Unprecedented opportunity and vola lity are reshaping the business landscape, fueled by emerg- ing technologies as well as economic change. We're developing niche programs in high-demand areas, offering deep expe- rien al learning through internships and skills training, and empowering produc ve rela onships to newer tech like AI. We're commi ed to preparing graduates to lead in this dynamic environment. Q: Tell me more about how the College is preparing students for all this change? We think of it this way — that students should begin their professional journeys while earning their degrees. Our stu- dents gain prac cal experience while a ending school, and we intend to in- crease that going forward. Perfect examples of this are the two new industry-focused hubs — the Center for Sales Excellence and the Center for Sport and Business Innova on. These centers are guided by industry leaders and structured around student expe- riences, to provide students with spe- cialized skills and industry connec ons. By bridging theory and prac ce, we'll train sought-a er candidates who are ready to work on day one. Q: How does the College of Business align with UNE's mission? UNE's mission is to support the health of people, communi es, and the planet. We believe that strong business can be beneficial. A er all, a healthy economy leads to healthy towns and people. Beyond that, we champion the triple bo om line, teaching students to drive economic prosperity while suppor ng community and environmental health. Plus, our students work on interdisci- plinary projects with students in other programs — from health to analy cs to environmental science — to further inte- grate us with UNE's role in New England. Q: What's your ideal vision for graduates of the College of Business? Our vision is that you'll be highly em- ployable, now and into the future. You'll land ready to make an impact, and have a set of transferable skills that allow you to adapt. You'll also have an ethical base to make good decisions that'll make your community and world be er, even as you help your organiza on generate resourc- es. We're proud of who our students are, and of who they will become. S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T UNE's new College of Business Ask the Expert The College of Business is located on the coast in Biddeford, Maine. Norm O'Reilly, the inaugural Dean of UNE's College of Business, is a successful author of 20 books and more than 160 management journal publica ons. A prolific researcher and career educator, he has an accoun ng designa on and a Ph.D. in marke ng.