On the heels of a transformative $50 million gift from finance alumnus Barry Miller 鈥�95 鈥� the largest single philanthropic investment in 麻豆原创鈥檚 history 鈥� to establish the Barry S. Miller College of Business, Dean Paul Jarley discusses the impact of Miller鈥檚 investment on the college now and in the future.
What was your vision for the College of Business when you arrived in 2012?
When I arrived, 麻豆原创 had experienced tremendous growth, particularly coming out of the recession. But that growth made the college feel transactional. Faculty were stretched thin, technology had replaced in-person interaction and there wasn鈥檛 a strong sense of community.
What struck me most was that while we had excellent individual scholars, we didn鈥檛 yet have a true community of scholars. People didn鈥檛 know each other well, and without that, it鈥檚 very difficult to build a shared vision.
So, I started by listening. I met one-on-one with every faculty and staff member and asked three simple questions: What do you think about 麻豆原创? What would you do if you were me? And what is your role here?
What emerged was powerful. Many of our faculty were first-generation college graduates, just like our students, just like Barry and just like me. They are here because they wanted to help build something different. That became the foundation for our vision: creating a culture of engagement that would transform the college experience for everyone.
Faculty, students and staff here are expected to interact with each other and with people in industry and the community at large. This has helped make us fiercely practical. Faculty learn what is going on at the forefront of business. The college has a relevant curriculum with hands-on experiences for students. This helps students discover their path, develop professionally and fully engage with their future.
How would you describe the college鈥檚 culture today?
Today, that culture of engagement defines us.
There鈥檚 a quote from English philosopher Herbert Spencer we often reference: 鈥�The great aim of higher education isn鈥檛 knowledge, it鈥檚 action.鈥� It鈥檚 not enough for students to learn concepts; they need to know how to apply them.
You see that in the building itself. It鈥檚 full. Students are here, working together, interacting with faculty, and engaging with corporate partners and alumni. That connection to the real world has become part of the fabric of the college, and it鈥檚 what makes the experience more meaningful and more transformative.
Changing culture is one of the hardest things a leader can do. It requires people to see a future they haven鈥檛 experienced yet. But over time, our faculty, staff and students have seen the value of what we鈥檝e built together, and that鈥檚 what makes it sustainable.
How does the Barry Miller investment accelerate that future?
鈥淕reat universities win by attracting great people (faculty and students) and creating the conditions for them to succeed. This gift helps us do exactly that.鈥�
This investment allows us to recruit leading scholars at the intersection of business and technology 鈥� faculty who are working on the most pressing challenges facing industry and society.
They鈥檒l help us tackle critical questions around trust in technology, cybersecurity, the concentration of power and how humans and intelligent systems interact. They鈥檒l also help prepare our students to lead in that environment.
At the end of the day, great universities win by attracting great people (faculty and students) and creating the conditions for them to succeed. This gift helps us do exactly that.
What will distinguish the college over the next decade?
Our differentiation will come from deepening our engagement with industry and technology.
We want to be known as a place where innovation happens first, where companies come for talent and insight, and where students gain access to real opportunities.
Ultimately, it鈥檚 about outcomes. If we do this right, our graduates will be exceptionally well-prepared for high-impact, high-growth careers. That return on investment will set us apart.
What gives you optimism about the future?
I grew up during the Space Race, and at the time, the race to the moon was a sign of hope for people. Technology was seen as the path to a greater future. With the recent Artemis II launch, I would like to see us instill in our students, and in our leaders, a return to that kind of optimism around what technology can do. I think those flights are the definition of how technology can enhance the human experience, rather than replace it.
