
This past July, Joan Phillips-Hernandez was selected as dean of the NIU College of Business.
“Phillips-Hernandez brings experience as an innovative and visionary academic leader who has served as a dean, associate dean, department chair and graduate program director,” said NIU Executive Vice President and Provost Laurie Elish-Piper, who oversaw the national search that drew outstanding candidates. “She shares NIU’s commitments to access and equity, and she is a passionate advocate for first-generation students, impactful research and student success.”
Before coming to NIU, Phillips-Hernandez worked for nearly three decades in higher education; first as an assistant professor, associate professor and professor of marketing, then with increased leadership roles including dean for the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Barry University. She also previously served as an associate dean for Loyola University Chicago and was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow at Purdue University Northwest.
“I share my passion for student success with my colleagues on the College of Business team,” said Phillips-Hernandez. “Together, it is our goal to leverage technology and use the most effective pedagogy to give our students the best business education possible.”
She noted that she is eager to see the college grow from here, acquiring the best technology to ensure students are ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The recent grand opening of the HAVI Center for Analytics and Technology demonstrates the college’s dedication to providing cutting-edge resources and spaces.
“We are excited about these opportunities, and I am delighted that so many of our spaces and resources are interdisciplinary, meaning they can be used by students and faculty across campus. We also offer them to alumni for lifetime learning opportunities,”
Phillips-Hernandez said.
Phillips-Hernandez earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University at Albany, her M.B.A. in general management (marketing) from the University of Virginia and her Ph.D. in business administration (marketing and statistics) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
After so many years in higher education, she believes NIU’s approach speaks for itself.
“The result of our experiential learning philosophy shows in the continued success of our Huskie network,” Phillips-Hernandez said. “This web of support is made up of many talented and engaged faculty, our 60,000 accomplished and passionate alumni, corporate partners, executives and friends who come together to keep our promise to you and future generations of students. I am so proud to be a part of that.”
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