Bizzell Award
The winner of the 2025 Bizzell Award, which was presented on June 9 in Santa Fe, was the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University for their program, "Fostering Holistic Development and Belonging in First-Year Pre-Business Students: A Peer Leader Program."
Submissions for the 2026 Bizzell Award are now being accepted from member institutions.
Membership Info
We are now accepting memberships for 2025-26. Please click on "Become a Member" on the home page to renew or to join us!
Marilyn K. Wiley, 2025-26 SWBDA President
Dean, G. Brint Ryan College of Business
University of North Texas
Message from the SWBDA President
Dear SWBDA members (and prospective members),
If you joined us for our last Annual Meeting in June 2025, then you know what a worthwhile use of your time it was. SWBDA is a focused, friendly gathering of deans from business schools and colleges across the Southwest and beyond. Last year's meeting included an inspiring keynote from a noted author on communicating with today's students, a presentation of award-winning curriculum innovations, an overview of international enrollment trends and issues, AACSB updates, interactive discussions, and more. If you weren't there, you missed a great opportunity to engage, and I hope you will join us this year, June 14-16, at the Hotel Valencia on the San Antonio Riverwalk.
As deans, we face many challenges and competing demands for our time. With reduced travel budgets, it becomes more difficult to choose what to attend. This one should be on your list. One of the advantages of a regional group is the ability to address common political and governance issues that affect our funding. This year's meeting will include breakout workshops by state to focus on these important questions.
SWBDA is a compact meeting that is packed with information and interaction. Our sponsors help us keep costs low, and our hotel is intimate and full of charm. More importantly, we are a community of leaders heading schools large and small that share common challenges and opportunities. Together we are stronger.
I would love to hear from you if you have questions or would like to know more. Please consider joining SWBDA or renewing your membership, and mark your calendar for June.
Testimonials
FINLEY GRAVES
FORMER DEAN AT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS, NOW RETIRED PROVOST
Those who attend regularly state that they enjoy the intimate feel of the meeting and the philosophy of practical application that guides the content of the sessions. The Association encourages the attendance of Associate Deans as well as Deans, since much in the topics covered is relevant to their work.
ED BASHAW
DEAN, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Members tell me they enjoy the intimacy that our conference offers as we typically have 60 to 75 in attendance. Those numbers and the friendliness of the participants allow conference attendees to get to know each other well. One measure of success is the number of productive relationships forged between members who can share ideas, opinions, and data that help us all improve our B-schools.
TANUJA SINGH
FORMER DEAN AT ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY, NOW PROVOST AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS
What makes the Southwestern Business Deans' Association one of the best values for the money is the quality, relevance, and timeliness of the topics that are discussed at the annual meeting. Many of our members have also told me that what draws them to the SWBDA is its friendly, intimate, and close-knit community-like structure. Each year, participants comment on the value they derive from sharing ideas, data, opinions, and above all, friendships.