Episodes

  • S8E3: Empowering Student Success: The Impact of Experiential Education feat. Ruchi Watson and Maya Jolley

    S8E3: Empowering Student Success: The Impact of Experiential Education feat. Ruchi Watson and Maya Jolley
    Apr 24 2025
    In this episode of the Eccles Business Buzz podcast, host Francis Johnson welcomes Ruchi Watson, Managing Director of the Goff Strategic Leadership Institute, and Maya Jolley, Director of Student Experience and Marketing and Communications at Goff.Together they discuss the importance of experiential learning in the student experience at the David Eccles School of Business. They delve into how hands-on learning opportunities set students up for post-graduation success, and how the Goff institute can assist students to land and succeed in their first internships. The episode explores diverse examples of practical learning, from internships to multidisciplinary team projects, and discusses the impact of strategic leadership in student development. With the elevation of the Goff Strategic Leadership Institute, these programs aim to extend their reach across campus and beyond, fostering a mindset of continuous growth and value creation among students.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Episode Quotes:The Goff Institute provides unique experiential learning that goes beyond the classroom.[02:44] There's so many different methods of engaging in experiential learning. I think one thing that we try and really do here at Goff is provide that self-reflection for those students to say, “Hey, you're here on this campus, and there are more opportunities than maybe you even realize that you're already engaging in to practice and build your resume and build your life skills and learn more about yourself so that you can be better set up for success after graduation.”On building students’ confidence through experiential learning.[05:33] 51% of Gen Z graduates are not feeling prepared to enter the workforce right now. So, a lot of what we're doing is trying to bolster that so that we can say, "You're growing in confidence, you're getting these experiences here so that when you go into the workforce, you really know already a little bit of what you're good at, what to expect, and then also can really succeed in your future careers."Impactful experiences that students won’t find anywhere else but at Eccles School.[10:55] People don't understand necessarily, if I go to a classroom and I learn something, is that valuable? When you pair what you learn with how you do things, then that really is magical. And experiential learning takes you to that place of taking what you know and figuring what to do with it to make it valuable. And so, as we think about that, that is really game changing and something that isn't necessarily happening everywhere. It's really unique to the Eccles School to have experiential learning not only baked in to the core required classes, but a student who's interested in impact investing can go do something at the Sorenson Impact Institute. A student that's interested in, gosh, policy could go work at the Gardner Policy Institute. We have a number of different experiences that you really cannot find anywhere else that are right here at the Eccles School. And that makes us really differentiated and something that, to be honest, not only do we not see in other places, but as we've worked with consultants and other folks that have come in to evaluate what we do, they've said they're not seeing it elsewhere, either. So, it's really exciting to talk about the things that we're doing because you're really not going to find it at other institutions the way that we have it here.Maya discusses how experiential learning pairs well with leadership training. [17:06] I think really blending the leadership education with teaching the how and learning to do is so key and because our programs are multidisciplinary, you're getting engineering students working next to psychology students, working next to finance students to really tackle these huge strategic challenges that are faced by our community partners, which might be a one person startup all the way up to a multi-billion dollar company. So they're working together to tackle these truly, really amazing and nitty gritty and ambiguous challenges. And that is the real world, right? We're not going to leave college and be working on our own. I mean, sure there are certainly silos in the real world, but our own academic silos, we're prepping these students to be able to speak across disciplines to be able to understand the value of acknowledging our own strengths and then acknowledging the strengths of our team members. Show Links:Ruchi Watson | David Eccles School of BusinessRuchi Watson | WebsiteRuchi Watson | LinkedInMaya Jolley | David Eccles School of BusinessMaya Jolley | LinkedInGoff Strategic Leadership Institute | David Eccles School of BusinessDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) | InstagramUndergraduate Scholars ProgramsRising Business LeadersEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) | Instagram Eccles Experience Magazine
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    32 mins
  • S8E2: Transforming the University Experience and Elevating Student Success feat. Jessica Taverna

    S8E2: Transforming the University Experience and Elevating Student Success feat. Jessica Taverna
    Apr 10 2025
    Season 8 continues with a conversation about the new strategic direction at the David Eccles School of Business with a particular focus on student success. Jessica Taverna is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs at the David Eccles School of Business. Frances and Jessica explore the department’s comprehensive approach to enhancing the student experience, including new programs, retention strategies, and the importance of developing durable skills such as communication, resilience, and critical thinking. Jessica elaborates on reimagined programs like Business Scholars and Rising Business Leaders, emphasizing the need to create an integrated student experience that prepares students not just for immediate academic success, but for long-term career accomplishments and personal growth.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Episode Quotes:Jessica discusses what it means to have student success as the leading strategic priority in the planning process of the Eccles School[03:16] Looking at ways that we can involve students in faculty research. Involve students in the work that our centers and institutes are doing that are impacting the community or in corporate partners, but also have a space for students to be part of that experience. And that's really one of the great ways that we can leverage those things to enhance the student experience.Embedding students in a community[07:37] We really focus on the whole student and we really think about, how do we embed students in a community, which supports them in developing some of these other skills, like resilience, for example, that makes getting through the classes easier? It makes getting to graduation in a timely manner easier if you're also being supported and feeling like a whole person and a well person and someone who belongs to a community. And then that community experience, you're in classes with people, you're joining clubs with people, you're interacting with faculty and staff in workshops and luncheons, that then translates into your network, which I think is the other main thing that we deliver that is key to student success, is this group of people that are going to be, you never know who's going to be that person that's going to help you get that first job or the second job or the internship. [08:43] I think universities and the business school, the programming, both in the classroom and outside, creates this environment where you get embedded in a community and then that community becomes your network.Eccles School addresses the skills gap by equipping students with essential durable skills employers need[06:43] Employers highlighted one of the key challenges with what they're seeing with college grads is a lack of these durable skills. And I really love that term. We're talking about things like communication, interpersonal skills, even things like resilience, a little bit of grit, understanding how to bounce back from challenges, critical thinking, creativity, right? All of these things that we've, again, previously called soft skills, but are really core to life. And I love the term “durable” because I think it signifies, one, these endure through all aspects of your life. This isn't just even about your job. It's also things that you need in personal relationships. And if you're volunteering, other roles that you might have and they endure throughout your life. And so, a university education in a space like the Eccles School is differently positioned to actually do the work of building those kinds of skills in students.Equipping the students with a learning mindset to prepare them for the future.[34:55] I think the most important thing is mindset, and it's a learning mindset. What we need to be doing is helping students understand that at the end of the day, the most important thing is less that you've mastered a specific software tool or specific AI platform or model, but that you understand how these things work in general. Show Links:Jessica Taverna | LinkedInJessica Taverna | Faculty Profile at the David Eccles School of BusinessDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) | InstagramUndergraduate Scholars ProgramsRising Business LeadersEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) | Instagram Eccles Experience Magazine
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    33 mins
  • S8E1: Harnessing the Potential of the Eccles School feat. Allison Boxer

    S8E1: Harnessing the Potential of the Eccles School feat. Allison Boxer
    Mar 27 2025
    Season 8 of the Eccles Business Buzz podcast kicks off with a conversation about the school's recent strategic planning process, and the newly identified priorities of student success, societal impact, and legacy and reputation.Allison Boxer is the James Lee Sorenson Presidential Endowed Chair in applied research at the Eccles School, as well as an assistant professor at the Department of Entrepreneurship and Strategy and the Sorenson Impact Institute. Allison played a key role in guiding the planning process of the new strategic direction of the David Eccles School of Business.Frances and Allison discuss the importance of strategic planning, the school's focus areas for the future, and the efforts to gather extensive stakeholder input. The episode delves into the three strategic priorities of student success, societal impact, and reputation and legacy, and outlines the ongoing steps toward implementation.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Episode Quotes:Why having new strategic plans and priorities now is important for the Eccles School.[02:28] The real point of strategic planning is to bring clarity to what's most important to an organization and align everyone, staff, faculty, [and] students around key priorities so that we're all rowing in the same direction. And especially when an organization has a new leader, as we do with Dean Dirks, a strategic planning process can really help set the context and lay out the key priorities so we're all on the same Putting student success as the top strategic priority[10:41] I think our job or the job of strategic planning is to synthesize those [differing] perspectives. And we can't take every perspective, but there is a lot of coalescence into specific ideas. And so that's really what we're looking for. The other point of strategic planning is to make choices. We said at the beginning we can't be all things to all people. So, look at the context and all of the data and decide where it might be the best direction to go. These three, I'm really excited about these priorities. For the business school, the first and foremost is driving student success. That is number one. There is no question about it, and it is due to our mission. We are here for the students. The students are the reason we exist. I think the students are the reason every faculty and staff member comes to work every day. So, the students are central to everything we do at core to our mission. The key here is really helping every student seek and reach their peak. Creating future leaders who will make a lasting impact in Utah and beyond.[11:42] We are seeing across the country in a fantastic way, universities, higher education institutions, really taking on this second mission area, which is creating societal impact. For a business school in our setting, thinking about our context, it's really about extending our reach beyond campus to help people, businesses, and the economy thrive in Utah and beyond. We think of this in a couple ways. We think of it as an academic impact. The research has long-term impact on how things are done, as well as business impact and how, the number one way we do that is by creating amazing graduates who go into the workforce and the economy. But there's so many other connections that we can have beyond campus walls to really have an impact on the business community in Utah and beyond. How Allison envisions these strategic plans to be implemented. [23:40] I want the strategic plan to be dirty, not dusty. I don't want this plan to sit on a shelf and gather dust. It was a really cool exercise we did for that one year. I want it to be on people's desks with dog-eared pages and coffee stains as a sign that it's a part of their daily life and being referenced and that we're really using it. I think that's the key implementation as this document lives over the coming years.Show Links:Allison Boxer | LinkedInAllison Boxer | Faculty Profile at the David Eccles School of BusinessAllison Boxer | Sorenson Impact InstituteDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) | InstagramUndergraduate Scholars ProgramsRising Business LeadersEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) | Instagram Eccles Experience Magazine
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    28 mins
  • The Eccles Business Buzz Podcast is Back for Season 8!

    The Eccles Business Buzz Podcast is Back for Season 8!
    Mar 13 2025

    I’m so excited to welcome you back for Season 8 of the Eccles Business Buzz Podcast! In just a few short weeks, we’ll kick things off with fresh conversations about the new strategic priorities for the David Eccles School of Business and how we’re building on our successes to reach ambitious new goals.

    This season, I’ll take you behind the scenes of our strategic planning process, explore how our programs and experiential learning are shaping confident leaders, and dive into the cutting-edge research that’s transforming the world of management. Plus, I’ll check in with Dean Kurt Dirks as he reflects on his first year on the job.

    The first episode drops March 27th, with new episodes every other Thursday. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite a friend or fellow alum to tune in with you. I can’t wait for you to join me!
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    2 mins
  • S7E10: The Role of AI in Sustainable Business Growth feat. Jay Barney

    S7E10: The Role of AI in Sustainable Business Growth feat. Jay Barney
    Jan 23 2025
    We conclude our series of conversations about Artificial Intelligence and how it's changing the world around us. Today’s episode focuses on the use of AI by businesses, specifically as a sustainable competitive advantage, and why AI may not be the magic pill that it seems like at first.Here to help untangle the whole issue is Jay Barney. Jay is the Presidential Professor of Strategic Management at the David Eccles School of Business.Jay addresses common misconceptions about AI's ability to provide a competitive edge, likening its impact to previous technological innovations such as personal computers and the steam engine. He asserts that while AI can drive innovation and efficiency, it cannot by itself offer sustainable competitive advantage as it is widely accessible. Jay emphasizes the importance instead of unique organizational processes and the human element in maintaining a competitive edge, and discusses the potential pitfalls for early AI adopters. Frances and Jay also explore how businesses can leverage AI within the context of strong organizational processes and culture to generate real value.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Episode Quotes:Will Gen AI be a source of advantage or disadvantage for firms?[02:51] We're not arguing that Gen AI is not going to have a profound impact on the way we do business. In fact, because the impact is going to be so profound, all firms will have to respond to it. And that's not likely to be a source of advantage by itself for any firm. That's the great irony.What benefits do companies gain in deploying Gen AI? [14:59] Jay Barney: There are millions of things that Gen AI can do. Most of them fall in a couple of big buckets, right? One of them is pulling costs out. And by the way, how are you going to pull costs out? By taking human beings out of the process. Now, that has huge social implications. This started by the way in the sixties with lean manufacturing. We're pulling people out and using automation robots and supply relationships and all those things. And it's a continuation of that long-term trend of reducing human contact in our business, which, by the way, points to how important that residual human contact is. The stuff that's left over, all this other stuff…[15:39] Frances Johnson: Gets even more important.[15:41] Jay Barney: Even more important. Exactly right. And another one is going to be an innovation.Skills students need in the age of Gen AI[17:15] Frances Johnson: As you think about the students you're teaching, the students we have at the Eccles School, our recent graduates and alums who need to make themselves competitive in that leftover 10%, what do you see as the skills or the capabilities that are critical for them to have?[17:35] Jay Barney: Well, this is not specific to this Gen AI conversation, but it's all about building socially complex relationships among individuals so they are willing to share, work together, [and] create ideas that only come out of those kinds of human processes. For example, "Go Gen AI, give us a list of seven toothbrushes." Great! "How do we make those?" Ask Gen AI. It'll give you 15 choices on how to get them made, how to distribute. But at some point, someone is going to have to make creative decisions about, "Is there really demand out there?" Gen AI doesn't know that because it can only analyze what is, not what might be. And so, that's going to require another set of skills that may be even more human in nature. So, I think that the ability to build a team, to generate a sense of commitment to each other, to the organization, its purpose, to inspire are sources of sustained competitive advantage. I have yet to be inspired by a Gen AI experience, amazed, shocked, amused, entertained, uninspired.Show Links:Jay Barney | LinkedInJay Barney | Faculty Profile at the David Eccles School of BusinessJay Barney | jaybarney.orgJay Barney | Amazon Author PageDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) • InstagramEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) • Instagram Eccles Experience Magazine
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    31 mins
  • S7E9: Using AI Agents and Models Effectively feat. Derek Egan

    S7E9: Using AI Agents and Models Effectively feat. Derek Egan
    Jan 9 2025
    We continue our series of conversations about Artificial Intelligence and how it's changing the world around us. In today’s episode, Frances talks to an AI engineer at Google about the ins and outs of the newest crop of AI models and agents.Joining the show to give an insider’s perspective is Derek Egan. Derek is on the Vertex AI team at Google Cloud where he works on helping developers build generative AI-powered agents for their own applications. Derek is also a graduate of the David Eccles School of Business with a degree in Operations Management. David and Frances discuss the difference between models and agents, and why humans are still very much integral to the process. They address the strengths and weaknesses of these types of systems and the ways in which they might be used by organizations most effectively to help them work more efficiently. Derek speaks to the realistic worries of some AI critics and gives some of his own real-life examples of how AI agents help streamline his work life and personal life. Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Show Links:Derek Egan | LinkedInVertex AI | Google CloudMaster of Science in Business Analytics - The David Eccles School of BusinessDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) • InstagramEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) • Instagram Eccles Experience MagazineEpisode Quotes:Google Cloud invests in explainable AI and safety filters to build AI that benefits everyone[09:06] How can we build AI that's beneficial for all is a critical question. At Google Cloud, we take that really seriously for responsible AI. It all starts with a set of AI principles that translates into multiple things in practice as we build these products and up front and not as an afterthought. A few examples of that are ethical reviews. So, internally, there are dedicated teams that essentially conduct ethical analysis and risk assessments for any new product that's going to launch and their job is to identify potential biases. [09:57] We haven't been perfect here and no one has been perfect here because it's a process and we're all learning. And that's also why, as we gain learnings and learn how to interact with these models and how to control the types of responses, we're also building explainability into the models themselves. That's really important. AI will not take away your job but someone who uses it better might. 18:35 If I'm a student at the University of Utah right now in the David Eccles School of Business or an alumni, I would be pretty anxious about this, right? Like, hey, how does AI impact my job? What I would encourage people though, is to think about reframing that question. And the way I reframe it is I don't think AI is going to replace your job, and I don't think you're competing directly with AI for your job. I do think you're going to compete with other people who can competently use AI to do your job and that will lead to disruption. That will lead to a change in the way that works done, day in and day out. So, my guidance, my invitation would be to try it out, embrace AI and start using it. See how it can make you more productive. See how it can take the nitty gritty tasks off of your plate and help you to automate them on your behalf.Derek shares a developer's guide for building AI applications.32:39 If you are a developer and you want to build an application, my guidance would be to identify something that's fairly low hanging fruit, fairly simple, where you're going to get started. And where it's going to be an interaction between the person and the agent and not something that's going to go run autonomously and not have the right feedback loop. And then you can measure and get a sense for how helpful is that agent, and then iterate on it. And I'd encourage you to check out some of the use cases. We have like 185 customer use cases on a blog post published from Google Cloud. But there's a bunch of examples out there and there's a bunch of documentation that we offer as well to help people get started.
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    26 mins
  • S7E8: Human in the Middle: AI Insights feat. Jessica Ellett

    S7E8: Human in the Middle: AI Insights feat. Jessica Ellett
    Dec 26 2024

    We continue our series of conversations about Artificial Intelligence and how it's changing the world around us. Today’s episode focuses on the use of AI in the financial sector and both it’s potential strengths and weaknesses.


    Joining the show to help us start making sense of it all is Jessica Ellett. Jessica is a senior manager and lead modeler at Cambridge Technology, a financial services technology startup. Jessica is also an MSBA graduate from the David Eccles School of Business.


    Jessica shares her insights on developing AI-operationalized applications for large banks, highlighting tools like loan processing applications, financial report generation, and predictive trade outcome models. Frances and Jessica cover the concept of 'human in the middle' AI and the importance of human involvement in AI processes. Jessica also touches on concerns around AI bias, data privacy, and the critical need for business-led AI projects. Jessica also looks forward to what she predicts the landscape of her industry could look like in five years.


    Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.


    Show Links:
    • Jessica Ellett | LinkedIn
    • CTFSI - Cambridge Technology Financial Services Inc.
    • Master of Science in Business Analytics - The David Eccles School of Business
    • David Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) • Instagram
    • Eccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) • Instagram
    • Eccles Experience Magazine


    Episode Quotes:


    How the MSBA programme equipped Jessica to be a voice in the AI space


    [37:02]: When I first finished in 2018 with the MSBA program, I got multiple job offers afterwards when we moved here to Charlotte, North Carolina. And, often, it was kind of an undefined structure. Hey, what can you help us do? What can you help us know or ask? Help us do this in a better way, or help us ask the right questions. And so I think it's still young enough—I mean, the whole program, data science programs, MSBA programs—within the last 10 years, I would consider that a really young program. And so new talent coming out of those are going to be the thought leaders on how AI gets adopted and how these programs run at different companies. And think about that. So you come out of this program and you think, "Well, I don't know much. I just got this degree, or I don't have a lot of application." But people are willing to listen to you because you've had focused study on this topic more than they have, so for better or for worse, you're going to be a voice in that space.


    How AI works best with people by having the human in the middle


    [07:24]: Think of AI as the best assistant you've ever had, but you need the right systems or processes in place to interact with that assistant to get the most out of them, right? So, it's not just building or designing the perfect assistant. It's when am I going to use them? How am I going to use the output? How do I give it the right information to get out of it? What I want—all that interaction. That's human in the middle. You have to design that well to get the most out of it.


    Why do AI projects need to align with business goals?


    [41:18]: I'd say AI projects need to align with the business goals, not just tech advancements. You have a shiny new tool, and you want to use it but don't lose sight of what the business goal is. Using a shiny new tool could be expensive. If you suddenly have to build the whole machine that it fits with, that could get expensive. So, I'd say that transformation has to have a business-led approach because it has to align with the business goals. And if none of the business goals are ready or positioned to need AI—which is hard to believe—but it could be possible, then it doesn't fit in the plan or the goals.
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    32 mins
  • S7E7: Navigating the New AI Frontier feat. Mark Sunday

    S7E7: Navigating the New AI Frontier feat. Mark Sunday
    Dec 12 2024
    Today we are starting our series of conversations about Artificial Intelligence and how it's changing the way we learn, work, and even play. AI is a hot topic with the potential to do a lot of good. But there are also a few pitfalls that we should all be aware of.Joining the show to help us start making sense of it all is Mark Sunday. Mark spent 20 years as the CIO at Oracle/Siebel, and prior to that role, he spent 10 years at Motorola. Retirement hasn't slowed him down one bit. He is still very engaged in the tech industry and currently serves on the boards of Vutility, Quantum Metric, Chassis, Kaltura, and 1440. He is also a member of the Eccles Advisory Board here at the David Eccles School of Business and was appointed by the Governor to Utah's STEM Action Center. He sits down with host Frances Johnson to dive into the evolution of AI technologies, the challenges of bias and discrimination in AI data, and the opportunities AI presents for enhancing human productivity. Emphasizing the importance of retraining and upskilling, this episode highlights the steps organizations and educational institutions must take to integrate AI into their curricula and work environments.Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Episode Quotes:Examining the risks of AI9:00 When I just type the word “Google,” it comes up with stuff that's relevant. Like, for me, I'm a big Michigan football fan, so Michigan football, AI, [and] a number of other topics. I like that it's showing me stuff, but I hate, hate that, based on what people have demonstrated they like, it's really limiting what information and news and opinions that people get to experience. So, I think it's created an incredible amount of divisiveness within our country. While data can buy a bias, but also using real data, and then just repeating patterns, whether it was hiring male engineers, whether it was suggesting that Black inmates are more likely to create repeat crimes or just creating a filter bubble where we're only exposed to opinions that support or reinforce opinions that we've had, I think is hugely problematic.How should individuals and institutions respond to the rise of AI?11:42 We've always faced this, whether it be computers or the internet just has to change. Yes, jobs are eliminated, should be eliminated. It was underemployment to have people pump your gas, and then, when it became legal in all states except for Oregon, until very recently to be able to pump your own gas, I look at that as underemployment when people aren't reaching the potential of the contribution that they can do. So, what's going to happen is roles are just going to have to change. We need to be aware of that. As individuals, we need to take personal responsibility. But also, as organizations, we need to invest in retraining because there are a lot of new jobs that are created—AI trainers, data scientists, ethics officers. But we're going to have to upskill and adapt.Despite the risks, Mark urges students to embrace AI’s game-changing potential.21:11 We need for our students to be the very, very best at leveraging this technology. It's game-changing. It's as if calculators came out, and when I went to school, nope, we're going to have to select the slide rules, or computers came out and it's going to do the work for all of us, or the web came out and now people can do Google searches. This is far, far bigger. In fact, when we are recruiting for our new dean for the business school, I’m convinced that higher ed will change more in the next 10 years than it has in the previous 100. And AI is going to be the reason for that. And so, as we think of what we're going to be as a business school, as we think of what we're going to be as a university, we need to be prepared for this huge, huge transformation.Show Links:Mark Sunday | LinkedInOracleKahlert Initiative on Technology - The David Eccles School of BusinessSTEM Action CenterDavid Eccles School of Business (@ubusiness) • InstagramEccles Alumni Network (@ecclesalumni) • Instagram Eccles Experience Magazine
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    30 mins
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