To commemorate the Day of Caring’s founding year, the entire UC San Diego community showcases its loyalty and support with 1960 minutes of giving. Between May 12 at 6 a.m. through May 13 at 2 p.m., supporters can choose their cause, share stories, and make a gift to UC San Diego that will impact the world now and for generations to come. For 2022, Dean Ordóñez has personally committed to match all gifts to any area of Rady, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000 with a gift to the Rady School Career Management Center.
The Rady School’s programs prepare the next generation of diverse, innovative leaders of technology-driven companies through education, experiential learning, mentorship, and venture funding.
The unique experiential learning opportunities that provide students with the opportunity to explore the many sides of innovation and entrepreneurship include:
The nonprofit StartR accelerator offers six focused tracks, including programs for diverse groups and veterans, to participate in focused, hands-on company development.
Pitch competitions: Triton Innovation Challenge and Border Innovation Challenge focus on bringing to the spotlight promising solutions and technologies to address environmental issues and meet the efficiency and security challenges of the region’s ports of entry.
Rady Innovation Fellows program deploys teams of Rady graduate students to support the commercialization of new technologies and assist entrepreneurs in various stages of development.
Our mentorship program DRIvE (Developing Rady Innovation Entrepreneurs) connects teams with high‐level mentors who provide guidance in the early phases of their startups.
The Rady Venture Fund offers investment capital to entrepreneurs as well as education and experience in venture capital management, including opportunities to invest in Rady alumni startups.
Visit giveto.ucsd.edu to choose any gift fund OR click below to support these Rady funding priorities:
In May of 2021, the Rady School community raised $12,905, including funding for Undergraduate Clubs, including the UC San Diego Speech and Debate team, fellowships, MPAc program, and greatest needs.
Powered by your support, we will prepare future leaders for new venture creation and growth, bringing to market solutions for global good and impacting the economy through job creation, revenue growth, and increased diversity.
Since its founding in 2012, the StartR non-profit accelerator program has provided resources, mentoring and access to funding opportunities to more than 230 teams. The program is offered in six tracks—Rady, Inclusion, Impact, Veteran, Teen and Blue, each providing unique opportunities to learn from experts and receive guidance for building a sustainable business. In total, companies that have participated in StartR have gone on to raise more than 158 million dollars.
Traditionally, twice a year, StartR teams have the opportunity to pitch their startups in front of the San Diego business community at a live event called StartR Demo Day. While the event will not occur in-person due to social distancing guidelines, the show will go on February 16th in a virtual format. Get familiar with the StartR teams below, and RSVP to attend Demo Day here.
MPact International
A scalable platform designed to measure and understand diversity of perspectives, openness to change, and psychological safety in organizations. Because when employees feel valued and safe, customer value grows too.
Rooted Reusables helps companies meet zero waste goals by providing reusable food ware products and services. We are rooted in our mission is to eliminate the dependence on single-use plastics and other single-use alternatives.
Microdosed, cannabis-infused seltzers with 2mg THC and 6mg CBD for a light, uplifting, social buzz; whether for celebrating, socializing, or hanging out, Lift Seltzer is here to provide a refreshingly new type of experience.
TrueVote is a social platform for empowering Americans to be politically informed and engaged, in order to increase trustworthiness, accountability, and ultimately effectiveness throughout our political ecosystem.
Zack Doherty
Kryos
We are developing the most powerful portable cooling garments for personal and industrial use.
José Ricardo Suárez
Learn more about the Rady School’s California Institute for Innovation and Development and StartR Accelerator Program here.
Meet the Teams of StartR Demo Day February 2022 was last modified: February 9th, 2022 by Camille Cannon
We are proud to once again recognize the exceptional students and faculty selected by the graduating cohorts for recognition. These members of the Rady community are thought leaders and changemakers, and they uplifted those around them during the challenging circumstances of the past year.
The Robert S. Sullivan award, named in honor of the Rady School’s first Dean, recognizes students for a high level of leadership and contributions to the Rady School and larger UC San Diego community. The Dean’s award is given to students who epitomize our school values ofinnovation, impact, collaboration, integrity and risk-taking.
This year, a third student award, the Daniel J. Reed Memorial Prize for Innovation, was created in honor of FlexEvening student Daniel Reed, who passed away during the course of this academic year. Daniel embraced a full life, and he was passionate about technology and innovation. This award recognizes a student or group of students who have demonstrated a commitment to entrepreneurship, technology and innovation.
The student and faculty honorees listed below will be recognized during commencement ceremonies on Sunday, June 13th, 2021 at 10 a.m. Join us for a livestream of commencement here.
UC San Diego’s Day of Caring, U.Care, takes place May 13-14th 2021. As part of our effort to support student success, we have highlighted UC San Diego’s Speech and Debate team and undergraduate clubs for your giving consideration. All gifts in support of UC San Diego Speech and Debate during u.care will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000 by an anonymous donor.
Growing up in Topeka, Kansas, Robert (Coach) Campbell idolized University of Kansas basketball star Wilt Chamberlain. Young Coach had dreams to follow in Chamberlain’s footsteps: representing his university across the country and filling trophy cases with hardware that glimmers like a college kid’s own smile after a hard-fought win. Coach achieved all of the above, but he did not do it on the basketball court. He became the winningest debater in the University of Kansas’ history. Since 2018, the seventy-five year-old Campbell has been building a nationally recognized speech and debate program right here at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management.
It’s not common to find a collegiate speech and debate organization connected to a business school. Campbell, who ascended to executive positions across seven different industries, has taught undergraduate business ethics and marketing courses at the Rady School for over a decade. “I can credit my whole career to public speaking success,” he says. A Northwestern MBA graduate, Campbell built his career in financial services, ultimately becoming Chief Operating Officer of a billion-dollar bank. With more than 20 years banking experience, he then transformed companies including California’s second-largest insurance brokerage—developing strategic plans and negotiating deals that spared businesses from bankruptcy. Campbell also coaches UC San Diego’s Adwave and Commercial Real Estate teams.
Campbell’s professional expertise and experience are an invaluable component of the Rady School’s mission to develop future business leaders. In concert with a strong quantitative curriculum, opportunities such as speech & debate cultivate the public speaking and critical thinking skills essential to succeeding in business. It’s a sentiment that Coach believes in firmly and relays often. So much so, that his message on the importance of effective communication echoes from his students to their peers outside of the classroom.
Coach Campbell
In 2018, Coach was approached by two undergraduate students (who were not in his classes but had heard about his communications expertise) to resurrect their student-run speech and debate organization, which would be forced to disband without the support of a faculty advisor. “I’d been thinking about this since I came to Rady,” says Coach. “I took this as a sign.” Any fledgling organization needs wings to fly, and Coach agreed not only to be the club’s advisor, but their head coach, too.
Campbell’s impact on this team extends beyond both of those titles. He has invested innumerable hours over the past three years building a program that is now ranked third in the nation, Junior Division, by the National Parliamentary Debate Association. In his good humor, Coach jokes that his role is that of “a leader, a cheerleader and a sheep dog,” a combination that encompasses his passionate dedication to the success of these students. In pre-pandemic times, one would often find Coach on campus leading speech and debate practices until 11 p.m., holding court at a café for the team’s general business meetings, driving the team to competitions throughout Southern California (in “Ruby,” his red Ford Explorer and the adopted team mascot), and walking for miles across said competition sites to celebrate each student.
The speech and debate team celebrates their success (photo taken pre-pandemic)
“The amount of work that goes into coordinating this team is beyond a full-time job. The fact that he does all of this is unbelievable,” says Vice President of Coaching Jasmine Moheb. “He is my superhero in every way possible.”
Moheb, who studies political science and international relations, first fell for speech & debate while in high school in Woodland Hills, CA. She joined the UC San Diego team in the fall of 2018, and has helped shape the organization as lead coach to her fellow student coaches, working closely with Campbell. In addition to building a close community, Moheb says that helping other students build their public speaking skills has been the most fulfilling part of her speech and debate experience. “It’s a really exciting feeling to think that you’ve made a positive difference in someone’s life, that now they’re more confident or want to pursue a new path because they have these skills,” she says.
Jasmine Moheb
Earlier this year, Moheb was selected as an alternate in the prestigious Fulbright Cultural Exchange Program, and she credits her own speech and debate experience for her interest in policy work. Her long-term goal is to become an intelligence analyst in Washington D.C. “Debate is much more than picking a side and sticking to it. It requires you to think critically and articulate your thoughts. It requires you to stay informed and get a deeper understanding of the issues. You develop a drive to seek knowledge constantly,” Moheb says.
The pandemic put the team’s critical thinking skills to the ultimate test. As speech and debate programs across the country shut down, Moheb, Campbell and their team transitioned online. They continued to practice several times a week, and they introduced new styles of debate to their repertoire. Their persistence, as well as the now-virtual nature of competitions, led the team to debate against highly competitive institutions on the East Coast and abroad, such as Oxford University.
The team holds their annual banquet on Zoom in 2020
“The most rewarding part of this all is the pride I see on the faces of these kids when they realize they’re representing UC San Diego, and they’ve won,” Campbell says. “We started with a dozen kids in fall 2018. This year we surpassed 50, and next year we expect 50-70 as our reputation grows.” The organization is open to undergraduates and graduate students, and includes students across diverse disciplines and majors. Unlike some established debate programs, Coach runs his team as a “no-cut sport,” welcoming all students who have an interest, regardless of experience. “If you haven’t done it before, we’ll make you good at it. If you have, we’ll make you great,” he says. He’s not kidding. In the past year, team members participated in 20 tournaments and earned more than 60 awards, including 13 in first place.
As we inch closer to a more open world, the speech and debate team is anxious to build on a successful year in cyberspace. Growing this organization in size and status rests the on team’s ability to travel to competitions outside of Southern California (when safety guidelines permit). Ultimately, Coach says, this requires resources beyond what the team can expect as a student-run organization. His hope is that the team will be recognized as an official campus program, granting it more permanence and stable funding. “I feel a sense of urgency,” he says. “At 75, I may be running out of time!”
Much like he did for the University of Kansas, Campbell has led this team to many victories, as a full trophy case at the Rady School goes to show. More so, he has helped shape dozens of future leaders to engage in critical thinking, sharpening their communication skills and preparing them for successful careers.
“It’s purely out of his passion because he feels like it’s his calling to help this team,” says Moheb. “We need to find a way to really celebrate him. The world really needs to know what he’s done. But more than that, we need to implement the learnings he has taught us into our everyday lives. That is how we can truly honor Coach Campbell and the life-changing impact he has made on this community of students.”
UC San Diego Speech and Debate Team Ready for the Next Stage was last modified: May 10th, 2021 by Camille Cannon
Dean Lisa Ordóñez made history becoming the Rady School’s second-ever dean in 2019. Previously Vice Dean and professor at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, Ordóñez is the first woman and first person of color in the role.
Ordóñez, who earned a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in marketing, and a Ph.D. in quantitative psychology all from UC Berkeley, is a recognized expert in the field of ethical behavior in organizations. She received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to support her work, and her research has been cited in numerous media outlets including New York Times, Forbes and The Economist. While Vice Dean at Eller, she also co-chaired the university-wide strategic plan.
A “double first gen” graduate—Ordóñez, who grew up in rural California, was the first in her immediate family to graduate both high school and college. Early in her career, she says that she struggled with impostor syndrome, feeling like she did not belong in academic and professional settings where her achievements had landed her.
Ordóñez is frequently asked to speak about her expertise and experiences, including many discussions of women in leadership. “There have been so many women’s leadership conferences over the past several years. This indicates that we are working on changing organizations to support and encourage more female leaders,” she says.
“We as women may unconsciously go into these discussions and think we are the problem. I don’t want us to think that we need to be ‘fixed,’ and that doing so would make the issues we face go away. Change needs to occur on multiple levels: 1) supportive organizations; 2) male colleagues as allies, 3) and yes, where we have the most direct control, develop ourselves as leaders.”
Recently, she presented a talk called, “Advice for All of Us,” at the 2021 WACUBO Women’s Leadership Forum. Inspired by the advice she says she needed to hear when she was younger—Ordóñez shared the lessons below for other women who may be feeling alone in their leadership journey.
You belong and you are entitled.
Childhood in rural California
I grew up in rural California. My parents did not finish high school, and I became a first-generation college student. When I got there, I didn’t feel like I belonged. Even in graduate school, most of my classmates had parents who were professionals. I doubted if I should be there.
The truth is that you do belong. You are entitled. Why do I use the word entitlement that often has a negative connotation? Malcolm Gladwell discusses the positive side of entitlement in his book “Outliers.” Everyone should feel entitled to information and help.
You are entitled to ask questions and get answers. You are entitled to ask for help and to receive it. You are entitled to feel like you belong.
Learn to accept help.
Professor at the Eller College of Management
When I was a new professor, a colleague Terry Connolly wanted to do research with me, but I was afraid that others would not see me as competent if I worked with a senior researcher. So, I initially said no. Luckily, he was persistent and we became great research partners. I owe him a great debt as an early mentor.
A friend of mine, a highly published economist and the current Provost at the University of Minnesota Rachel Croson, received an NSF ADVANCE Grant. She put together a networking and mentoring program to help women faculty in economics rise in the ranks. She received too many applications, so, being the excellent research that she is, she randomly assigned women in and out of this program and then measured the results. Women were more likely to receive tenure and move up the ranks who completed this program.
As women, we might have to ask for help. It’s important to make connections and receive it. No one does this alone.
Put people first and empower others.
Vice Dean at the Eller College of Management
When I was first appointed Vice Dean at the University of Arizona Eller College of Management, my husband asked me how I was preparing for this new role. He laughed at me when I said I was working on a new time management system so I could get more done. He reminded me of the leadership expert Marshall Goldsmith’s famous book title “What Got You Here Will Not Get You There”, which meant that I had to do more than get tasks done.
One of my faculty members came to me complaining about her salary. I was not prepared, and I said something to the effect of not being able to do anything for her then. She left the conversation upset with me for not taking the time to listen to her. I quickly learned that it wasn’t about getting work done– it was about considering people and their needs. They needed to know that I cared more about them than anything else.
You got this!
Dean at the Rady School of Management
When I was interviewing for my current role, the recruiter asked me if I was nervous about my upcoming campus visit. He seemed surprised when I confidently said, “no.” I told him that I was just going to present me—if “me” worked, great. If “me” didn’t work, that was fine since I had a great job already with people who cared for me.
It’s not that I am hubristic about my abilities in my new position. I just know that I am prepared. I know what data I need and what questions to ask before making big decisions. More importantly, I now know how to listen.
Leadership can be hard. People do expect you to have the answers. How do you truly listen and take advice while “having all of the answers?” I don’t pretend to know everything. Remember that you set the tone as a leader. If you push or cross the line, so will those watching you. You don’t need any advice from people on what to do when you feel that pang in your gut. Do the right thing.
Lessons Learned as a Leader
Never act on the first story you hear– triangulate with others.
Staff and some faculty do not have tenure and often need coaxing to share their opinions.
No one cares how much you get done if they don’t think you care about them.
Make integrity your true north– everyone is watching and will mimic your behavior.
Learn how to be comfortable with conflict and how to find solutions that benefit the organization.
Be comfortable not knowing everything by working through the expertise of others.
Remember to laugh and have fun– we spend too much time at work to be miserable.
We are excited to announce that our Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) degree has been recognized as a STEM designated field of study beginning this fall. Students who complete the MPAc degree will now have the opportunity to qualify for an additional two-year STEM extension of theirpost-completion OPT work permission. The Rady School MPAc degree is now one of only 24% of specialized masters programs in the U.S. to earn STEM designation. Our Master of Science in Business Analytics and Master of Finance are also STEM designated programs.
The MPAc program is the Rady School’s newest graduate degree. This program was created with the guidance of world-class faculty to address the evolving educational needs of the accounting industry. With a focus on a personalized career plan and accessible, supportive faculty, the MPAc program at the Rady School is designed to prepare you for an accelerated career in accounting.
We are proud to share that the Rady School is recognized as a Top-Veteran School by U.S. Veterans magazine. The list of schools was compiled from market research, independent research, diversity conference participation and survey responses.
Earlier this month, the Rady School also announced a new partnership with San Diego Military Advisory Council. We will provide research support for the annual Military Economic Impact Report (MEIR), for which associate professor Sally Sadoff will lead a data analysis, supported by a group of Rady School MBA students. The MEIR is an independent annual study to comprehensively quantify the impact of defense-related expenditures on the San Diego region’s economy.
The Rady School is proud to offer benefits to our Veterans, including:
We will waive the application fee current and former members of the military applying to any Rady MBA program. Please contact Graduate Admissions to receive the application fee waiver before submitting your application.
In the Spring and Fall, we offer complimentary GMAT Prep courses to eligible military veterans or active duty personnel.
As part of the Yellow Ribbon Program, we partner with the Veteran’s Administration to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the tuition and fee amounts payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Our StartR Veteran program is a commitment to provide Veterans with entrepreneurial programs, resulting in greater confidence and increased skills as they transition into the civilian world. The program utilizes a “Veterans helping Veterans” approach, providing participants with inspiration, support and mentoring throughout the 10 session program.
The Rady School’s small size means that our career management center can provide individualized attention as you assess your strengths and explore the career path that is right for you.
Hear from Rady Veteran alumni about their experience:
“Being accepted to Rady was a life-changing experience and really solidified the transition plan I had from the Military to the civilian world.” – Robert Sweetman II (MBA ’19)
“Being a former counterintelligence agent, I’m very inquisitive. I’m always asking questions and I always want to understand what makes things work and why. When I was able to see the touchpoints that the Rady program has relative towards healthcare, technology, broader sciences and business, [it was clear that] they don’t just you these individual disciplines. They teach you how to blend them all together in order to actually make it function. That’s what the Rady experience was for me. That was the most valuable thing they gave me: to take a dream and turn it into reality.” – Clay Treska (MBA ’19)
Rady School Recognized as a ‘Top Veteran-Friendly School’ was last modified: June 23rd, 2020 by Camille Cannon
Teigan MacDonald was working on her application to the Rady School’s full-time MBA program while sitting in a hotel hallway in Fall 2018. She had traveled to Marietta, GA, to compete with her rugby club, the San Diego Surfers, in the Women’s Premier League National Championship. Teigan scored the first try of the match (like football’s touchdown) and the Surfers defeated the Glendale Merlins 34-28. That championship marked the second of three in Teigan’s rugby career, and the beginning of her new career.
Born and raised in Modesto, CA, Teigan earned a B.S. in biology and minor in economics from UC San Diego. When she began her undergraduate studies, she thought she might like to work in a bioengineering lab. “I took my first lab class and I absolutely hated it,” she says. “I hated not having windows and not being able to talk to people. It’s a very individualized experience.” Having spent most of her life playing–and thriving–in team sports, Teigan realized that the lab environment wasn’t for her.
Inspired by family members who’d studied economics, Teigan began taking coursework that blended her interests, such as economics of the environment and economics of healthcare. “I loved that you could take a class [on these subjects] and apply business concepts to them,” says Teigan. She’d found her niche. Before she graduated, Teigan’s dad, a stock broker, recommended that she take a personal finance class, one of the Rady School’s undergraduate offerings.
“I remember walking into Wells Fargo Hall and thinking, ‘Why have I not been here the whole time?’” Teigan says. “‘Whatever I need to do, I want to [study] here.” she says. “I was able to meet Joe Pecore, a great instructor. I went to his office hours and he really helped me figure out what I wanted to do and why I should go get an MBA.”
Teigan began the full-time MBA program in Fall 2019. “What I’ve enjoyed the most so far about is the holistic experience I’m getting at a graduate school,” she says. “My undergraduate experience at UC San Diego was great, but I didn’t really have career networking or resume workshops. I wasn’t really close with my classmates because I was in classes with 300 students. When I came to Rady, I thought, ‘Wow, this is more than just going to school. This is building a career.”
This summer, Teigan begins a new role in sales support at ACADIA pharmaceuticals, where she works part-time as a commercial operations analyst. She says that working closely with Rady career advisor Stephanie Sindt earlier this year helped prepare her for a new challenge. “We had internship meetups every week before COVID. It was a great way to crowdsource and work as a group and get Steaphine’s expertise. We would prepare for interviews and work on our cover letters and resumes.”
Ultimately, Teigan says that her dream job is managing sales teams for a biotech or pharmaceutical company. It’s a role that combines the competitiveness she’s fostered throughout her life in sports, the knowledge she’s gaining in her courses, and the collaboration and experience she receives among her peers.
“People forget that you try to interact with people just like you. This program encourages you to work with different people and learn how other people operate and work,” she says.
Teigan says that her favorite Rady experiences so far include her fall marketing class, the career treks organized by the Life Sciences Club to San Diego companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific and ResMed, and conversations before and after class with her fellow students. Despite the current challenges and activities on hold–including rugby–due to the pandemic, Teigan remains optimistic about her future.
“When I land an interview or get a chance to talk to a company I’m interested in, I feel like I’ve scored a try, because it’s just one step closer to my goal.”
Meet National Rugby Champion and Full-Time MBA Student Teigan MacDonald was last modified: July 20th, 2020 by Camille Cannon
The Rady School has partnered with the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) to provide research support for SDMAC’s Military Economic Impact Report (MEIR). The MEIR is an independent annual study to comprehensively quantify the impact of defense-related expenditures on the San Diego region’s economy.
“The Rady School is the premier business school in the region with faculty recognized for their research,” said Mark Balmert, SDMAC Executive Director. “We are honored to partner with the Rady School on this important project. The school and Dean Ordóñez have been incredibly supportive and we look forward to continuing this collaborative and strategic partnership.”
On June 18, Dean Ordóñez and UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla are featured guests on an SDMAC webinar. This webinar will discuss the role of the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on UC San Diego and active duty and veteran students.
“At the Rady School, we are committed to our active duty service members and veterans,” said Rady School Dean Lisa Ordóñez. “Our partnership with SDMAC for the MEIR study will deliver a vital, independent look at the military’s impact on our local economy. Our faculty and student analysis of the SDMAC data provides clarity to local, state, and national elected officials who use the report to demonstrate the importance of the military on our region.”
Associate Professor Sally Sadoff
Sally Sadoff, an associate professor of economics and strategic management, will lead the analysis of the data provided by SDMAC, supported by a group of Rady School MBA students. The report will examine the economic impact of San Diego’s military cluster on jobs, income, direct spending, supply chain, and consumption. The report will also provide analysis of military personnel counts and wages and benefits for military branches, reserves, retirees, and the VA.
Once completed, the results of the report will be shared with the community via a press conference and distributed to key groups. The report will also be available online at SDMAC.org.
In addition to the Rady School’s partnership with SDMAC, the school offers unique programs to support service members and veterans, like the StartR Veteran accelerator program, which offers mentorship, support, and inspiration from other veteran entrepreneurs. For more information on the school’s support for service members and veterans, go to: https://rady.ucsd.edu/programs/masters-programs/mba/military/
Rady School Partners with SDMAC for Military Economic Impact Report & Webinar was last modified: June 16th, 2020 by Rady School