Now that 2020 has come to a close, we reflect on the exciting work and accomplishments that our Lerner College students, faculty, staff and alumni were able to achieve during this unique and challenging year. From student success to new faculty research, here are our top stories from 2020 at Lerner:
1. The Power of Black Women’s Voices
Hundreds of people from the UD community and beyond spent part of Juneteenth 2020 listening to and learning from a panel of Black women leaders and professionals at a webinar, “Addressing Racism: Advancing Justice in Times of Crisis.” The webinar, co-hosted by the Women’s Leadership Initiative and the Lerner Diversity Council, explored a wide range of topics while also serving as a call to action.
2. Lifelong Lerners: The Class of 2020 Series
The Lerner College Class of 2020 was not able to have the typical final semester or commencement at UD due to the coronavirus outbreak. These students showed incredible resilience, maturity and spirit while adjusting to the many unexpected changes that they encountered in their final year at UD. Each installment of this series profiled an outstanding member of this class, showcasing their achievements, experiences at UD and what it means to be a Blue Hen.
3. Five Tips for How to Job Search in Uncertain Times
In order to support our students and alumni during the coronavirus outbreak, Jill Gugino Pante and Sarah Baker Andrus from the Lerner Career Services Center shared expert advice for how to pursue a job search during this uncertain time.
4. Cycling Into The New Normal
Starting a business while still a college student isn’t an easy feat in any circumstances, but just two weeks after UD senior entrepreneurship major Blake Armentano opened his new business, the Oh-So Cycle spin studio, in March, the state of Delaware shut down many businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Armentano didn’t let this stop him from continuing to share his passion for fitness with the community.
5. Blue Hen Honored for Global Career and Local Impact
Edmond (Ed) Sannini, UD Class of 1978, has traveled the world throughout his illustrious career as a leader in the global finance industry. However, this Delaware native has found his way back home to his alma mater, becoming one of the University of Delaware’s top volunteers and supporters. The UD Alumni Association named Sannini a 2020 recipient of the UD Alumni Wall of Fame Award for his outstanding professional and public service achievements, as well as his tireless commitment to UD.
6. Lerner Builds Community Through Nests
The first year of college is a unique time where students, who are starting the next phase of their lives in a new environment, create connections that will carry them through four years and beyond. With the coronavirus pandemic leading universities to move most classes online, leadership at the Lerner College decided to make sure that Blue Hens starting their college career virtually would be able to form connections and begin to build their own community online through the Lerner Nest program.
7. The Top of the Glass Ceiling
As recent protests across the United States and the world have put a magnifying glass on issues of diversity and equity, new research from UD’s Laura Field explored the ways in which these issues go all the way to the top of the corporate ladder. In “At the Table but Can’t Break Through the Glass Ceiling,” published in the Journal of Financial Economics, Field and her coauthors found that even when corporate boards include directors who are women and/or racial minorities, these diverse directors are significantly less likely to serve in positions of leadership.
8. My Summer Internship Series
During the global coronavirus pandemic, students from the Lerner College discovered new avenues through which professional preparation is attainable in unprecedented circumstances. In the summer of 2020, Lerner College students pursued an array of remote internships, externships and other professional development opportunities. Each profile of our “My Summer Internship” series provides a glimpse into one of these unique experiences.
9. UD Marketing Professors Pay It Forward During Coronavirus
In March 2020, the coronavirus, which was quickly becoming a global pandemic, landed in Newark, Delaware. As UD announced that it was suspending classes and beginning an extended spring break, marketing professors Anu Sivaraman and Suresh Sundaram, immediately took action to offer help to students who were in need.
10. CEEE Continues to Educate Through Coronavirus Pandemic
While the coronavirus pandemic has led many businesses and institutions to a standstill, the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship serves one of the sectors that must keep operating: education. Throughout 2020, the CEEE worked remotely to support and fortify the K-12 educational community in Delaware and promises to continue to do so.