Moore School Magazine - Fall 2023

MOORE

INTRODUCING NEW DEAN ROHIT VERMA

A scholar and leader well-versed in the Moore School’s international, multidisciplinary and innovative approach to business administration

MOORE MAGAZINE SPECIAL EDITION

Rohit Verma — Dean

Bo Hart — Senior Director of Alumni Engagement

Adam Brown — Director of Marketing and Communications

Editors: Adam Brown, Marjorie Riddle Duffie

Contributing writers: Marjorie Riddle Duffie, Sydney Hankinson

Photographers: Jason Ayers, Jeff Blake, Michelle Rashid

Designers: Gracie Newton, Hunter Sim

Office of Alumni Engagement

Darla Moore School of Business

University of South Carolina

1014 Greene Street

Columbia, SC 29208

sc.edu/moore/alumni

On the cover: Rohit Verma

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, sex, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetics, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.

DEAR ALUMNI, STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS,

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new dean of the Darla Moore School of Business. My academic journey to this point has been quite the adventure — from India to Salt Lake City, Chicago, Ithaca, and, most recently, Hanoi, Vietnam. I’ve now happily landed in Columbia, ready for this incredible new chapter alongside my wife, Amita, and our dog, Teddy.

I want to express my gratitude to former Dean Peter Brews, Interim Dean Jan Bass, the leadership team, faculty and staff for their dedication to the Moore School. It’s an honor to be part of this vibrant community, a true gem of South Carolina.

Looking ahead, my vision is to work with all of you to take the Moore School to new heights. Together, we’ll build on the exceptional foundation that’s already in place. Read Page 7 to learn about some of my first priorities as dean.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at rohit.verma@moore.sc.edu. My door is always open.

Here’s to an exciting journey ahead!

Warm wishes, Rohit Verma

TAKING THE HELM

New dean has sights set on further prominence and impact for the Moore School

When incoming Dean Rohit Verma considered applying for the position, he said his academic and administrative experience aligned remarkably well with the Moore School’s international, multidisciplinary and innovative approach to business education.

“USC is an excellent university with a solid reputation for strong programs, high-quality research and excellence in teaching,” Verma said. “With USC’s new forward-looking leadership, there is excitement and energy for the future and an openness to work together and bring fresh ideas forward. The timing worked very well — the Moore School was a perfect fit for what I was looking for.” Verma said his leadership approach brings together diverse groups of people to develop a common sense of purpose, priorities and direction.

“Having worked with academic and administrative leaders across various disciplines and in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, I feel confident about being able to build strong, collaborative relationships to support and further the reputation of the Moore School and to build on its strong legacy of excellence,” he said.

“Dr. Verma is an award-winning teacher, a successful researcher, and an innovative leader, and we are pleased to welcome him to the Carolina family. His excellent academic record and his international perspective will be great complements to the leading-edge work of the Darla Moore School of Business.”

- MICHAEL AMIRIDIS, USC president

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur, India)

Master of Science, University of Utah

Ph.D. in business administration

– operations management and marketing, University of Utah

RESUME AT A GLANCE

VinUniversity (Hanoi, Vietnam)

• Founding provost and chief academic officer

• Project leader for the Smart Ocean City Educational Hub

• Dean of the College of Business and Management

• Vice provost for research & innovation

Cornell University (Ithaca, New York)

• Dean of external relations, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

• Professor of operations technology and information management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

• Executive director of the Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures

• Professor of service operations management and Singapore Tourism Board Distinguished Professor, School of Hotel Administration

• Executive director of the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

University of Utah (Salt Lake City)

• Professor of operations management

DePaul University (Chicago)

• Associate professor of operations management

linkedin.com/in/rohitverma.

Although Verma has been involved with building centers and launching an international university, he sees himself first and foremost as a teacher and a researcher — one who cares deeply about teaching quality; student experience and learning; and impactful, rigorous research.

As the new dean, Verma plans to draw on his extensive experience with academic communities — each with distinct personalities and constraints. Verma emphasizes collaborative leadership and closely working with faculty to foster innovation, excellence and a shared sense of purpose.

Verma’s top priority as dean: to be an avid listener. He aims to engage with faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, well-wishers and other stakeholders to learn about their motivations, aspirations, perceived opportunities, constraints and challenges.

“Every institution is unique,” he said. “Even though I have been in academia for over 25 years, I am determined to not assume anything and to listen to everything.”

The timing of his appointment is fortuitous as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the renowned international business program and the 25th anniversary of the school being officially named the Darla Moore School of Business. Verma envisions these milestones as excellent opportunities for celebration and exploration.

“I hope we can together leverage our excellent foundation to launch new initiatives in research, degree programs and teaching innovations,” he said. “We will also enhance our approach to fundraising, expanding external partnerships, engaging with the community and creating a lasting impact.”

“Dr. Verma is a world-class leader whose experience and success at both Cornell University and VinUniversity have prepared him to add tremendous value to the Moore School. I look forward to working with Dr. Verma to uphold and enhance the Moore School’s outstanding international reputation, and to continue advancing the incredible contributions the school is making to the world of business.”

- DONNA ARNETT, USC provost

Creating VinUniversity

Verma brings a unique perspective to his new position at USC. As the founding provost of VinUniversity, he got a 360-degree view of university life; not just as a faculty member or student, but also at — quite literally — the ground level of building a university from scratch.

VinUniversity, a Vietnamese university founded in 2019, is a collaborative effort between Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, VinGroup — a multi-billion dollar company created by first-generation Vietnamese citizens — and the Vietnam government. When it was initially conceptualized, Verma was the dean of external relations for Cornell and took a leading role in the VinUniversity venture.

Receiving the proposal for VinUniversity, Verma said the concept for a new university was unlike anything he had previously seen.

“Vietnam is a remarkably dynamic and aspirational country; it is also a very young country with more than half of its people younger than 25 and about three-quarters of the population born after the Vietnam War,” Verma said. “The Vietnamese government, corporate and community leaders and international aid organizations determined that for Vietnam to meet its aspirations of becoming an economic powerhouse in Asia, the quality of higher education needed to be significantly improved.”

He said the best Vietnamese students were leaving Vietnam to study abroad in the U.S., Europe and Australia. Local university graduates often lacked job readiness, analytical problem-

solving and entrepreneurial skills needed for a prosperous future.

After months of discussions about the vision, mission and logistics, Cornell leaders agreed to become the primary mentors to help create the Vietnamese institution. Verma himself visited Vietnam about a dozen times between 20172019 before the university was officially launched.

“I had never been to Vietnam before,” Verma said. “In meeting after meeting with the Vietnamese delegation, we were struck with their sincerity, passion and commitment for building this first nonprofit university that would create a new path forward for current and future generations.”

As the founding provost, Verma was involved in every aspect of VinUniversity’s creation, including establishing bylaws, policies, procedures and assessments; developing the college campus; developing curriculum and experiential learning pedagogy; and hiring faculty and staff.

The first group of 230 students began attending classes in 2020, right in the throes of the highly disruptive COVID-19 pandemic. As the VinUni community rallied to overcome the challenges, it continued to grow and thrive. As Verma wrapped up his work with VinUniversity in June 2023, the community comprised about 1,000 students, 100 faculty and 100 staff.

Leading at Cornell

Before creating VinUniversity, Verma was part of an initiative to integrate three separate business schools at Cornell into one college. As dean of external relations in this new college of business, Verma oversaw several international collaborations: helping to create VinUniversity and launching new educational programs in Rwanda and in Kyoto, Japan.

By building stronger ties with more than 500 corporate partners, government entities and nonprofits, Verma and his external relations team raised several million dollars each year for the college.

LEARN MORE ABOUT VERMA’S CAREER AT CORNELL: bit.ly/vermacornell

INTERNATIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE

During his career, Verma has taught as a visiting faculty member at institutions in Germany, Korea, China, The Netherlands, Spain, Finland, India, Norway and Australia. He also taught at three U.S. institutions: Chicago; Salt Lake City; and Ithaca, New York. His last post was in Vietnam.

Research

TOPICS:

• Service design and innovation

• Health care delivery

• Patient experience

• Quality improvement

• Wellness programs

• Hospitality industry

• Operational improvements and efficiencies

Verma initially chose engineering as his career path with a Bachelor of Technology and a master’s in engineering.

“Growing up in India, I was good at science and mathematics and got accepted into a well-reputed university,” he said. “I realized that while the specific subject matter did not appeal to me, I did like the applications of mathematics, specifically optimization and statistical techniques to understand the complexities of problems and develop solutions for them.”

Discovering his passion for optimization and problem-solving, Verma was encouraged by a mentor in his master’s program to consider specializing in operations management.

Over the years, Verma has broadened his research focus to include service design, which considers external factors like technology level and sustainability. His later research has linked service design with health care.

Verma on what’s next at the Moore School

As Verma continues getting acquainted with the Moore School’s programs and initiatives, he would like to explore four key areas for the school:

1: ENHANCE DEGREE OPTIONS

Build on the strong portfolio of current programs to include other minors, more multiple-degree options in collaboration with other USC colleges such as engineering, hospitality and health sciences and other U.S. and international institutions.

2: STRENGTHEN THE TEAM

Strengthen and nurture the team of faculty and staff through priority recruitment, professional development, opportunities for growth and exploration, and networking with distinguished visiting faculty, researchers and industry experts. Encourage continued top scholarly research across all departments.

3: MAXIMIZE FINANCIALS

Generate additional resources through corporate partnerships, philanthropic giving, research grants, creative fundraising ideas and optimizing costs where possible.

4: EMPHASIZE BRAND VALUE

Highlight the Moore School brand through promoting Moore School accomplishments and initiatives in media outlets, including through online media, news media, impactful events, community engagement and collaborative partnerships.

Family

Rohit Verma met his wife, Amita, more than 30 years ago as an undergraduate student at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India, and later they came to the U.S. as graduate students. Amita has an M.S. in engineering from the University of Utah and an MBA from DePaul University. She has worked for several large corporations including American Express, where she was a Master Black Belt in Six-Sigma, the operations management industry’s premier certification. Amita has also taught yoga classes as a certified instructor.

With Dawn Staley and the championship trophy in his first week

DEAN ROHIT VERMA

Amita was the director for academic integrity at Cornell University for more than 10 years. At VinUniversity, she was part of the founding team and played many roles required in a start-up university. She was the director of research and for the Teaching and Learning Excellence Center. While in this role at VinUni, Amita said she became so interested in the science of learning, the impact of education policies and systems on learning, and retention and motivation that she decided to pivot her career to focus on learning. She begins in fall 2023 as a Ph.D. student in USC’s Educational Leadership program.

Amita and her husband both love to travel and cook. Rohit said his other hobbies include all the “racquet” sports like badminton, tennis and table tennis as well as cricket, volleyball and basketball. Football will be a new hobby for the Vermas.

“I have never watched a football game live in a stadium, and we are really looking forward to cheering on the Gamecocks from the stands. Go Gamecocks!” Rohit said.

He said he also enjoys watching Star Trek and other science fiction movies and TV shows. His reading interests include science fiction on one hand and Jack Reacher on the other!

Rohit and Amita have two children, a daughter, Pooja, who has an undergraduate degree from Cornell and a Master of Dietetics and Nutrition from Ohio State University. Pooja is presently getting her MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She previously worked as a clinical dietician at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

“Having studied at two Big 10 football schools, Pooja is an ardent football fan. Football season will be interesting in our house; loyalties will be divided, and sparks may fly!” Rohit joked.

Their son, Rishi, graduated from Cornell with a degree in operations research and engineering — following in his dad’s footsteps! After teaching middle school math for Teach for America for two years, Rishi is currently working on his dissertation in the systems engineering Ph.D. program at the University of Washington in Seattle.

“Since everyone in the Verma household, besides me, will be a student for the next couple of years, I am worried that our family dinner conversations will center around homework, exams and unreasonable teachers,” Verma joked.

Adding to the Verma clan, Rishi recently got engaged to his high school sweetheart; the couple intend to marry in fall 2024.

The Verma family is kept on their toes by their beloved 11-year-old Bichon Frise, Teddy. A solid member of the Verma family, Teddy also loves to learn. With the help of many treats and belly rubs, he is learning how to navigate an obstacle course, play hide and seek, and dance.

“The move from Upstate New York to the U.S. Southeast is a big one for us, but Amita and I have received such wonderful hospitality and care from everyone we have met here so that we already feel at home,” he said. “Thank you for making us feel welcome into your community. We look forward to meeting and getting to know the USC community and establishing new roots in our new home in Columbia.”

2023

PROMINENT INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL AWARDS and

Incoming dean, professor recognized by international society for career accomplishments

Congratulations to Moore School Dean Rohit Verma and Sanjay Ahire, Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor in management science, who were recipients of prestigious career achievement awards from the global Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) at their annual meeting in May 2023.

Verma was selected as a POMS Fellow

The POMS Fellow is the most prestigious honor awarded and is given for life. It is intended to recognize members who have made exceptional intellectual contributions to the POM profession through research and teaching. Verma is a thought-leader in the field and has demonstrated commitment to furthering the objectives of POMS. There have been fewer than 50 POMS Fellows in its 32-year history.

AWARDS

Ahire was selected as one of two winners for the Excellence in Industry Engagement Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize faculty excellence in engagement with industry to motivate research, enhance students' learning and collaborate with industry-government initiatives to support students' success and create value for universities and other stakeholders. Ahire, also a co-director for the Moore School’s Operations and Supply Chain Center, has played a key leadership role in designing USC’s industry-focused operations and supply chain program 17 years ago and taking it to a No. 3 ranking in North America, according to 2022 Gartner rankings. He has championed uniquely effective models of academic-industry collaboration for the past 25 years at three universities, including USC.

SEC Faculty Achievement Award

International business faculty win scholar awards from management organization’s international division

Congratulations to Tatiana Kostova and Joao AlbinoPimentel, who were selected for prestigious awards from the Academy of Management (AOM) International Management Division. Kostova and Albino-Pimentel were honored with their awards at the AOM annual conference in August 2023.

Tatiana Kostova, Moore School Carolina Distinguished Professor, Buck Mickel Chair and professor of international business, was the recipient of the 2023 Academy of Management (AOM) International Management (IM) Division Hyundai Motor Eminent Scholar Award.

The Academy of Management IM Division recognizes lifetime achievement in international management scholarship with the Hyundai Award.

Joao Albino-Pimentel, international business assistant professor, was the recipient of the 2023 Academy of Management (AOM) International Management (IM) Division FIU Business Emerging Scholar Award.

The Emerging Scholar Award recognizes the contribution to international management scholarship by a junior academician, who has completed their Ph.D. or an equivalent degree within the previous eight years, at the time of nomination.

Congratulations to management professor Robert Ployhart for receiving a Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award. Ployhart is the only business school faculty member across the SEC to receive the distinction. Ployhart was selected by the Office of the Provost as USC’s SEC Professor of the Year among the nominees in each of the university’s 15 colleges and schools.

Ployhart is also the Bank of America Professor of Business Administration and faculty director of the Master of Human Resources program.

THANK YOU!

Celebrating the Moore School's top 25 hiring companies

Amazon

Bain & Company

Bank of America

Boeing

Citibank

Deloitte

Eastman Chemical

Equitable

Ernst & Young

Goldman Sachs

IBM

JEAR Logistics

J.P. Morgan

KPMG

Manhattan Associates

McKinsey & Company

Oracle

Pw C

Qualtrics

Smith & Nephew

Textron

Truist Financial

UBS

Vanguard

Wells Fargo

The business school was officially named the “Darla Moore School of Business” on March 27, 1998.

Darla Moore, ‘75 USC political science, has contributed more than $100 million to the Darla Moore School of Business — first in 1998 with a $25 million dollar gift to name the school, and several years later when she offered a challenge gift of $45 million to encourage substantial investment from other alumni and friends. Her investments in the Moore School continue to provide essential support for student scholarships, fellowships and programmatic support. Moore, a financier once described on the cover of Fortune magazine as “The Toughest Babe in Business,” is known as a formidable businesswoman, a generous philanthropist and a supportive mentor to students. Moore was awarded the Moore School’s 2019 Centennial Distinguished Service Award.

MAKING HISTORY thanks to Darla Moore

I remember recognizing that the ‘Darla Moore’ name being given to the business school was a historic moment, especially to be the very first business school named after a woman. Darla Moore’s legacy is the lasting impact she’ll have on the lives and well-being of students that will carry forward into the future for generations to come.

-JAN BASS, who served as Moore School interim dean from January through July 2023 and has been part of the USC community since 1987 as an economics faculty member. She resumes her role in August 2023 as senior associate dean of undergraduate programs and economics professor.

At the time of the gift and naming of the school in 1998, the international area of the business college had engaged in a significant effort to expand the scope of our partnerships and programs throughout the world. In the same year, the international business undergraduate program was ranked No. 1 in the nation, a ranking sustained to this day. The enhanced global visibility through these events — and certainly amplified by Darla’s investment in the new Moore School building a few years later — helped propel what is now the most prestigious set of global partners and international program collaborations in the world for a university.

- KENDALL ROTH, ’86 Ph.D. international business, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and currently the executive director of the USC Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER). He also serves on the board of directors for the Folks Center for International Business. Roth has served the Moore School since 1986 in a variety of capacities, including his last role as senior associate dean for international programs and partnership.

Darla Moore’s generosity has allowed the school to improve in so many ways, ranging from the facilities to the people — students, faculty and staff. Lending her name to the school has enhanced the exposure and recognition of the school worldwide. Even on a daily basis, her impact is apparent as students commonly refer to the business school as ‘Darla.’ For example, students will say ‘Let’s meet at Darla.’

-GREGORY

associate dean for faculty advancement and finance professor who has been with the Moore School for more than 30 years.

current Moore School building. More importantly, the students are recipients of Darla Moore’s generosity. She means everything to this school, the students, faculty and staff! Having worked closely with visitors in the Welcome Center, I can say that visitors are excited to see the building and learn about Darla Moore and her connection to the school’s successes.

-JEANETTE ROSS, executive assistant in the dean’s suite who has worked at the Moore School for close to 50 years.

Without a doubt, Darla Moore’s tremendous investment 25 years ago was and is transformative. The Moore School benefits not only from her philanthropy, but also from her reputation: a strong, confident, business-savvy, enormously successful woman from rural South Carolina. That is impactful and resonates with many — including me. At the time of the naming in 1998, the business school had achieved many accomplishments, but she set the bar higher. Her success and generosity serve as an inspiration, especially to Moore School students, of what can be accomplished with hard work regardless of where you begin.

-MARIE BERRY, ‘92 USC political science, ‘99 USC MPA, director of donor relations for the Moore School who has worked at USC for more than 30 years, beginning as a student assistant in the business school’s development office.

As a long-time faculty member, I am grateful for the generous donation in 1998 from Darla Moore, who has made it possible for our university to construct a stateof-the-art business school building. The building features well-equipped teaching classrooms and comfortable and conducive discussion rooms. The building is environmentally friendly with a beautiful architectural layout. It helps enhances the quality of education and research for our students and faculty.

During the naming ceremony 25 years ago, the sun was shining and so was Darla Moore! It seemed like a red-carpet day! The naming of the school led to more national recognition, more donors and eventually the

NIEHAUS,

-CHUCK KWOK, international business professor who has been with the Moore School since 1984.

To celebrate this milestone, inspire the next 25 years of business education.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS of Global Business

50 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY.

Four rigorous, multidisciplinary programs — two are ranked No. 1 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. An immersive experiential learning community.

Research-driven business insights. A collaborative global network of students, faculty, corporate leaders and alumni across the world.

We're sharing our story. We want to hear yours.

SAVE THE DATE for the IB 50th celebration: April 18-19 — more info coming soon!

CURRENT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Undergraduate international business major International MBA

Master of International Business Ph.D. in international business

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTERS

Center for International Business Education and Research (founded in 1990)

Folks Center for International Business (founded in 2015)

Major Milestones in the past 50 years

1974

The Master of International Business Studies (MIBS) is established. MIBS later becomes part of the International MBA program.

The undergraduate international business program is ranked No. 1 for the first time by U.S. News and World Report.

1998

2022

The undergraduate international business program reaches its *24th consecutive year at No. 1, according to U.S. News & World Report.

*The 25th-year rankings will be released in September 2023.

The school is ranked as one of the top three graduate international business programs in the United States for 34 consecutive years by U.S. News and World Report. The IMBA has been the No. 1-ranked program for 10 consecutive years.

2023

Studying international business goes beyond coursework. For 50 years, we’ve bridged culture, context and borders for an immersive, multidisciplinary understanding of the global economy.

When I think of the international business program, I think of one word: COMMUNITY. The bonds and friendships created in the IB program last a lifetime and transcend programs after graduation; that’s why we have IB undergrads mixing with IMBA and MIB students. Over the past 10 years, we have worked hard to create a real community among current students, taking hundreds of IB students camping, participating in community service and going to American cultural events like the local haunted house, corn-maze and dirt-track car racing. The community that has grown over the past five decades is one we should all be proud to be part of — whether as an IB alum, staff or faculty member.

- GERALD MCDERMOTT, Sonoco International Business Department chair and professor, faculty director for the Folks Center

-DANIEL OSTERGAARD, ‘16 Ph.D. international business, international business clinical professor who has been on the Moore School faculty since 2010.