News & Stories
In other news: September 2025
Welcoming a new program cohort
UNC Kenan-Flagler’s very first Master of Science in Management (MSM) cohort joined Full-Time MBA, Master of Accounting and Undergraduate Business Program students as they arrived on campus this August.
The MSM class includes 39 students whose undergraduate majors range from economics, math, science, humanities to communications and more. They represent 16 different institutions, including 22 students from Carolina. Thirteen students are current or former UNC varsity student athletes, representing nine sports.
Thought leaders
- Research from Professor Christine Porath, published in Academy of Management Annals, offers a new integrative definition of community and highlights its growing importance as a remedy for societal loneliness.
- The Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise’s Empowering American Cities project, led by Chief Economist Gerald Cohen, ranks the Raleigh-Durham area fourth in GDP growth among 150 U.S. metropolitan regions, driven by strong productivity and a thriving tech and biotech industry mix.
- In a recent National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, Professor Elena Simintzi finds that childcare frictions hamper women’s career progression and the allocation of human capital in the labor market.
Awarding outstanding faculty
Karin Cochran, professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and executive director of STAR (Student Teams Achieving Results), received the 2025 Kit and Turner Bredrup Faculty Excellence Award. The award recognizes faculty who excel in business engagement within their research and/or teaching.
Through her courses and work on STAR, Cochran has championed experiential learning that bridges the classroom with the business world at UNC Kenan-Flagler for over a decade.
Organizational Behavior Professor Tim Kundro received the 2025 Bullard Faculty Research Impact Award, which recognizes faculty whose research has had a significant impact on business practice.
Kundro has published 12 papers in top journals, with 10 as the first author. His research centers on how people respond to moral situations in the workplace.
Standout students and alumni
- Pace University named Ajay Khorana (PhD ’94) dean of its Lubin School of Business. In a LinkedIn post, Khorana shared that he is excited to return to his academic roots after 18 years at Citi Bank.
- Alex Brandwein’s (MBA ’20) Brandwein’s Bagels earned a shoutout in Southern Living’s weekend guide to Chapel Hill, which highlights local favorites from breakfast spots to boutique hotels. The Paul J. Rizzo Conference Center, the home to UNC Kenan-Flagler Executive Development, also received a mention.
- Haley Lundeby (MBA ’26) shared her journey in a Vanguard careers blog post. “It is imperative to take the time to know your values, know what matters and not waver from them over the years. Then, when the opportunity presents itself—say yes!” she wrote.
- Sarah Young (MAC ’08) was named chief financial officer of Bell Partners. She joins with nearly two decades of experience guiding real estate investment decisions and fund strategies.
- Tammy Coley (BSBA ’88) has been appointed to the North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners by Gov. Josh Stein.
Spotted on social
- The Undergraduate Business Program launched a LinkedIn page where they spotlight students and share program updates, career opportunities and more.
- Faculty in the Organizational Behavior area at UNC Kenan-Flagler attended the Academy of Management Conference and celebrated two of their author team wins on LinkedIn.
- In this video by the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, Dean Mary Margaret Frank (BSBA ’92, MAC ’92, PhD ’99) highlights why a well-trained workforce is essential for meeting modern-day challenges. Join her and other thought leaders at the 2025 Frontiers of Business Conference on Oct. 9 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.