Gerald Cavanagh, S.J., interim dean of the College of Business Administration

Dear Alumni,

The mission of the College of Business Administration challenges us to "…serve business organizations and society with competence, compassion and conscience. The College champions academic excellence and good character by encouraging intellectual, spiritual, ethical and social growth." I wholeheartedly support this mission with the following goals.

My first goal is to help students gain the knowledge, skills and wisdom they will need in the global marketplace. Students learn in the classroom and from peers who come from 45 countries. Working together in campus organizations enables them to practice leadership skills in an environment that is similar to that in which they will spend their lives.

Moreover, dealing with ethical issues, the impact of business decisions on others, and providing service to the poor in the city introduces them to those less fortunate, and also enables them to see new business opportunities for people around the world.

To help us accomplish this, we will continue to enlist our alumni. The College has educated many of the most successful business leaders in the Southeast Michigan area. These men and women are successful both in business and in their personal lives and possess moral maturity. They help us to provide personal attention and mentoring to our students, support their intellectual, spiritual, moral, and social growth, and promote the development of sound judgment and good character.

We challenge our students to think critically and to plan their personal lives and goals so that they are not swept up in what others are doing, in what is being advertised, or what is currently "cool". Our students will have the resources and perseverance to become both financially and personally successful by providing sustainable products and services, which will enable all of us to survive and prosper for generations to come. Such leadership requires self-knowledge, sensitivity to the needs of others, and creativity.

Additionally, we want our graduates to ask themselves, "How can I make the world a better place?" We hope they will see that their goal—and that of the market in which they will function—is to provide goods, services, and jobs to people around the world. A global market will make our country and our world more prosperous, healthier and safer for individuals and families.

As our graduates become known for their competence, compassion, and conscience, University of Detroit Mercy's College of Business Administration will be the most respected business school in our area.

Sincerely,

Gerald Cavanagh, S.J.
Interim Dean, College of Business Administration

[For more on Fr. Cavanagh's vision, please see his book, American Business Values (Prentice Hall, 2006; 6th edition in 2009).]