LeBow College of Business - Drexel University

Leaders. Innovators. Problem-solvers.

This week, LeBow's Executive MBA and Doctor of Business Administration students gathered for on-campus residencies, giving them a chance to collaborate, share industry expertise, and explore research-backed approaches to today's business challenges.

The strength of the EMBA and DBA experience comes from the accomplished professionals in the room, bringing perspectives from across industries while building the leadership skills and networks that drive organizational impact.

🚚 From LeBow to Amazon.

After nine years as head of supply chain and operations for an online grocery company in India, Venkatesan Narayanan came to Drexel LeBow ready for the next step in his career.

Narayanan completed his MBA in 2025 and joined Amazon as a Supply Chain Manager, where analytical skills, statistics, Python and supply chain expertise are critical to the role. He says LeBow courses in management information systems and supply chain digital transformation helped prepare him for the technical and business challenges he encounters today.

Narayanan says of Vice Dean and Professor of MIS Murugan Anandarajan, “He has updated the coursework with relevant information on applying Artificial Intelligence to business problems,”. “Amazon is scaling up with AI. If you are not using it, you cannot keep up.”

“The MBA program gave me the confidence to face these challenges, and to position myself better in this work culture.”

🔗Read more - https://ow.ly/Q20h50Zwjbe

The twelfth floor of Gerri C. LeBow Hall is now home to the Fisher Family Conference Room. Named in honor of Philip W. J. Fisher, MBA ’74 and Suzanne C. Fisher; Joseph M. Fisher, MBA ’85; and Andrew R. Fisher, MBA ’13, this space was officially dedicated this spring, with members of the Fisher family and the LeBow community in attendance.

The Fisher Family Conference Room regularly hosts meetings by teams and organizations from throughout the College, including the LeBow Dean’s Council and Dean’s Advisory Board, and offers impressive views of the Center City skyline, the neighborhoods of West Philadelphia and the green spaces of Fairmount Park.

🎓 LeBow College of Business has been named to The Princeton Review's Best Business Schools for 2027.

LeBow was recognized among 208 institutions nationwide on the Best On-Campus MBA Programs list, while its Online MBA was also named among the Best Online MBA Programs.
For the second year in a row, LeBow ranked #1 for Most Competitive Students, reflecting a culture of academic rigor, leadership development, STEM-designated MBA concentrations, case competitions, and innovation, including the integration of generative AI technology.
🔗 Learn more - https://ow.ly/tVKC50ZtAZE

This summer, 25 high-achieving rising juniors and seniors were already tackling real-world real estate development challenges at LeBow. 🏙️

Through the CREDA-Drexel Summer Commercial Real Estate Program, students explored what a career in commercial real estate looks like. Working with industry professionals, students gained firsthand experience in commercial real estate development and tackled a real Philadelphia development challenge, building valuable presentation, collaboration and business skills along the way. For their final project, six teams reimagined a vacant historic building at the Navy Yard, pitching feasible redevelopment plans to a panel of judges.

Experiences like these reflect LeBow's commitment to connecting students with industry, hands-on learning and career-ready skills from day one. Thank you to the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (CREDA) for helping inspire the next generation of real estate leaders and for its commitment to diversifying the talent pipeline.

Drexel LeBow alumnus Matias Knudsen, BSBA finance ’22, MBA ’23, is drawing on lessons from his business studies to build a professional squash career, attract sponsors and grow his social media following. Ranked 46th in the world, Knudsen has also built the most-followed account on the PSA Squash Tour after growing an audience through trick-shot videos and content created while competing around the globe. Knudsen credits Drexel LeBow with helping him treat his career “almost as a startup.”

“At the end of the day, it’s a business I’m running. It’s performance-based, and I’m both the operator and the product.”

From finding an image and leveraging that image on tour to securing sponsors, Knudsen is applying business education beyond the classroom and onto the international stage. “Your studies really can help you become a professional, because it builds your mind in a way where you can run your own business.”

➡️ https://ow.ly/sK9G50Zrxyo

Congratulations to Mustafa Eren '27 and Niyam Acharya '26 on being named 2026-27 National Association for Business Economics (NABE) Scholars! Their studies in LeBow's School of Economics, along with involvement in the Drexel Economics Society and the College Fed Challenge competition, helped them earn this nationwide honor, which will provide mentorship, access to NABE conferences and courses and professional networking opportunities.

➡️ https://ow.ly/H7U750Zq5IV

Work-life balance has been widely studied and discussed yet can still remain difficult to achieve.

Taking time away from work to address physical or mental well-being brings additional layers of complexity, as shown in research by Liza Barnes, PhD, assistant professor of management. Her paper, recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, carries significant recommendations for paid-leave policy at the federal, state and corporate levels.

Read more ➡️https://www.lebow.drexel.edu/news/making-personal-health-priority-close-look-impact-medical-leave-policy

With global touches from the audience to the stage and inspiring words from featured speakers, LeBow celebrated the graduates of the Class of 2026 in a joyous, forward-looking ceremony.

https://www.lebow.drexel.edu/news/lebows-class-2026-embraces-optimism-takes-world-commencement

Congratulations to the Drexel LeBow Class of 2026! 🎓🐉

In a joyful celebration stretching to the farthest seats of the Highmark Mann Center, over 800 students from LeBow's undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs were recognized at the college's Commencement ceremony on June 11.

After remarks from University and college leaders and inspiring thoughts from keynote speaker Lenny Comma ’92 and student speaker Arianna Cabrera ’26, graduating students made their way across the stage to cheers from family, friends, faculty, professional staff and their fellow classmates.

Whatever the next chapter for these graduates holds, they will be