Dean H. Rao Unnava: March 2025

Dean H. Rao Unnava's March 2025 edition of the Big 3 features:

Professor Beth Bechky Named Editor-in-Chief of Top Journal ASQ

Bechky, who holds our Stephen G. Newberry Chair in Leadership, takes the helm of ASQ on July 1 as the top-five journal celebrates 70 years of shaping organizational studies. This month she co-hosted the Davis Conference on Qualitative Research, drawing top scholars. View video >

AI is Top of Mind at California B-Schools Deans' Conference at UC Davis

How artificial intelligence is transforming management education was a hot topic for deans and leaders at the 5th California Business Schools Deans' Conference we hosted this month. The main takeaway: collaborate and adapt to AI or risk falling behind.. Read more >

100% of Master of Professional Accountancy Grads Land Job Offers

Career outcomes for our students aren’t just a metric—they’re a result of our strategic, high-touch approach. For the third consecutive year, 100% of our Master of Professional Accountancy graduates secured jobs within three months of graduation. Read more >

Video Transcript

• Professor Beth Bechky Named Editor-in-Chief of Top Journal ASQ
• AI was top of mind at the California Business School Dean’s Conference
• Our latest Master of Professional Accountancy graduates enjoyed 100% job placement.

Welcome to the March 2025 edition of the Big 3 Video Newsletter.

Professor Beth Bechky will be the next editor-in-chief of Administrative Science Quarterly (ASQ), one of the world’s top five business journals. On July 1, she takes the helm as ASQ celebrates 70 years of shaping organizational studies.

Beth, who holds the Stephen G. Newberry Chair in Leadership, has been a longtime ASQ contributor and recently wrote about the impact of generative AI on academic publishing. She argues that organizational behavior is at a crossroads and calls for reforms to protect scholarly integrity.

A hands-on researcher, Beth has immersed herself in film, biotech, and semiconductor jobs to study collaboration and technological change. She also co-leads the Davis Conference for Qualitative Research, which she hosted this month for its 25th anniversary, bringing top scholars from around the world to campus.

Beth is also a Microsoft Research AI & Society Fellow, exploring how AI is transforming creative work. We’re proud to see her leadership recognized globally.

AI Takes Center Stage at the California Business School Dean’s Conference

The explosive use of artificial intelligence was top of the minds of 30 deans and leaders who gathered this month at the fifth annual California Business Schools Deans’ Conference at UC Davis.

Together, we explored how AI is reshaping management education, with Distinguished Professor Hemant Bhargava challenging us to adapt or risk falling behind. Our discussions focused on integrating AI into curricula, leveraging AI tools for teaching, and ensuring our students graduate with the skills to use AI effectively.

UCLA’s Tony Bernardo reminded us that despite the disruptions AI and policy shifts may bring, business schools play a critical role in shaping leaders and adding value to society.

We also discussed pressing challenges, including the future of international student enrollment and how each of us is addressing these changes. As UC San Diego Dean Lisa Ordóñez noted, “Unlike corporate America, academia thrives on shared knowledge.”

Master of Professional Accountancy Graduates Achieve 100% Job Placement

Career outcomes for our students aren’t just a metric—they’re the result of a strategic, high-touch approach.

For the third consecutive year, 100% of our Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) graduates secured jobs within three months of graduation. Let me repeat that—for the past three years, every one of our graduate accounting students has landed a job offer, many within the first quarter of the nine-month program.

Our success starts early—before classes even begin—with resume prep, recruiter networking, and a rigorous Career Builder Bootcamp. We connect students directly with top employers, including the Big Four, regional firms, and key government agencies, through exclusive recruiting events like Meet the Firms.

What truly sets us apart is our network. Our MPAc alumni, faculty, and career advisors provide mentorship and opportunities that propel our students into top-tier accounting careers. The result? Proven, consistent success. Our graduates don’t just land jobs—they launch rewarding careers.

Thank you for watching this issue of The Big 3.