About Smeal
Strategic Plan: Top 5 in 5
Smeal's Top 5 in 5 strategic plan outlines the college's priorities for becoming a top-five U.S. public business school by 2030.
Five years. Five priorities. One vision.
In January 2025, we launched a strategic planning process to answer one question: What will Smeal look like in 2030 — and how will we build it together?
Business education faces unprecedented challenges: demographic shifts, AI transformation, evolving credentialing models, and eroding trust in higher education. To compete, Smeal must deliver unmistakable value, relevance, and impact. These pressures united our community around an ambitious vision.
More than 2,500 stakeholders — faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners — participated in this comprehensive, data-informed effort. The result is a focused strategy anchored in a bold vision: to become a top-five U.S. public business school within five years. This plan sets clear priorities and measurable initiatives to empower student success, reimagine teaching and learning, advance research excellence, invest in talent and technology, and expand our impact.
Now the exciting part begins. I invite every member of our community to lean in with ideas, energy, and support as we turn this plan into measurable impact for Smeal, Penn State, and the world.
Corey C. Phelps
John and Karen Arnold Dean
Smeal College of Business
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Invest in the future of Smeal College of Business and help us achieve our goal of Top 5 in 5.
Strategic Plan Participants & Committee
The Steering Committee played a pivotal role in guiding the strategic planning process, ensuring alignment with the College’s mission, and synthesizing input from stakeholders. The members included:
Brian Cameron, Associate Dean for Professional Graduate Programs & Executive Education
Jamie Campbell, Associate Dean for Diversity Enhancement Programs
Rebecca Cianci (Project Liaison), Assistant Dean for Administration
Shawn Clark (Steering Committee Co-Chair), Clinical Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the Farrell Center
Jennifer (Jen) Eury, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
Terrence Guay, Clinical Professor of International Business, Associate Dean, Director of Center for Global Business Studies
Matt Gustafson, Professor of Finance
Steven Huddart (Steering Committee Co-Chair), Senior Associate Dean for Research & Faculty
Vilmos Misangyi, Professor of Strategic Management
Corey Phelps (Executive Sponsor), John and Karen Arnold Dean
Ashley Rippey, Director, Business Career Center
Dawn Sauer, Marketing Strategist
Eva Steiner, Professor of Real Estate
Salo Sredni, Member, Board of Visitors
Lara Warner, Member, Board of Visitors
Hui Zhao, Professor of Supply Chain Management
The strategic planning process emphasized inclusivity by engaging a wide range of stakeholders. Participants included faculty, staff, students (undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D.), alumni, corporate partners, and university leaders. Input was gathered through various channels, such as:
Focus Groups: Interactive sessions with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and advisory boards.
Surveys: Comprehensive surveys designed for internal and external audiences to capture a wide range of ideas and perspectives.
Interviews: One-on-one discussions with key stakeholders, including corporate partners and university leadership.
Town Halls: Open forums to update the community and gather feedback on the evolving plan.
By uniting these voices, it ensures the plan reflects the aspirations and priorities of the entire Smeal community. This collaborative effort highlights the College's commitment to inclusivity and shared vision as we collectively shape the future of business education.