From the Dean

Dr. Sanjay Ramchander
Dean, McCoy College of Business

Dear Friends, 

What a year this has been. 

As I sit down to write this note, I keep coming back to the same thought: the energy at McCoy College right now is simply electric. We serve 6,200 degree-seeking students at McCoy College (i.e., undergraduate and graduate) and educate more than 11,000 students when you count the number of pre-business and business minors. Every day I'm reminded that behind each of those numbers is someone's dream, someone's future, someone's shot at transforming their life. 

That's really what keeps me going after 30 years in this profession, the stories. And this issue is filled with them. 

I think about our students who just earned second place at the HSI Battle of the Brains competition, Texas State's first top-three finish in five years. They spent 24 hours straight solving complex business challenges alongside teams from across the country. I think about students securing competitive internships at companies like Amazon, Caterpillar, Dell, Goldman Sachs, and Walmart, many of whom convert those experiences into full-time offers. I think about our marketing team winning the national American Advertising Federation championship. When students from our Center for Professional Sales, ranked #1 worldwide, compete on the national stage, or when our Centers for Banking & Financial Services, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and a soon-to-be-announced center focusing on family business create pathways to opportunity, I see the tangible impact of everything we're building together. 

I think about graduates like Michael Nguyen, who turned a delayed job search into a five-month solo journey across 14 countries. He built a network of Texas State alumni connections in every city he visited, took job interviews in computer cafes in Taiwan while fighting a cold, and ultimately secured his dream position with FactSet. His story reminds us that the path forward isn't always linear and that's okay. 

And I think about alumni such as Wendy Rentschler, whose story you'll read in these pages. She worked late-night bartending shifts on 6th Street in Austin to pay her tuition in cash, attended evening classes between shifts, and never gave up. Today, she's the Global Head of Corporate Citizenship at BMC Software, was just named a Top 20 Chief Sustainability Officer in North America, and has established a scholarship at McCoy College for first-generation students, paying forward the opportunity that changed her life.

Chelsea Jackson also comes to mind. A cum laude BBA graduate who is now in our Master of Accountancy program, whose leadership in the university’s NABA chapter, hands-on roles at Deloitte and Calvetti Ferguson, and upcoming Amazon finance internship reflect the best of McCoy College. Her resilience in the face of a lupus diagnosis, commitment to financial literacy, and service as a Texas Society of CPA graduate ambassador and valued member of our dean’s office show how Bobcats turn challenges and opportunities into impact for our community.

You will read about Lorenzo Quiroz, whose unconventional path has led to vast opportunities at McCoy College. An accounting junior who juggles 5 a.m. shifts, a full course load, and campus involvement, all while winning a Suitable challenge in January this year after attending about 50 on-campus events. His passion and focus on small steps that lead to significant outcomes — from FMA and the Dean’s Leadership Academy to marathon training and a KPMG interview — show the kind of grit and momentum we celebrate at McCoy College.

These stories aren't outliers. They're who we are. 

Behind these student and alumni achievements is another story equally worth celebrating: our faculty are conducting research that's reshaping how we understand business and society. Take Dr. Robert Giacalone's recent work on moral outrage in the workplace. His research reveals that employees who get angry about unethical behavior aren't troublemakers. They're canaries in the coal mine, warning signals that something needs to change. This kind of scholarship doesn't just advance academic knowledge. It also provides managers with practical insights for building more ethical organizations. Across all business domains, our faculty are exploring AI's impact on business, sustainable practices, leadership transformation, and bringing those insights directly into the classroom, where students benefit immediately. 

This momentum shows up in our national recognition. We've broken into the Top 50 undergraduate business schools among public universities, and our MBA programs continue their rapid ascent in rankings. Those numbers matter most because they reflect the quality of education we're delivering and the confidence employers place in our graduates. 

You will also read about associate professor of marketing, Aditya Gupta, who reminds us of the importance of humanity and connection in an increasingly technology-driven society. He pairs rigorous research with real-world practice to show students that sales starts with relationships, ethics, and preparation. His work with our Center for Professional Sales (from AI role-play to guidance during disruption) equips Bobcats to blend data literacy with human connection, the competitive edge that defines McCoy College.

We're also preparing to meet the future with new programs, including a minor in AI in business accessible to every student and an executive MBA in Austin. As technology reshapes the workplace and entry-level positions become more competitive, we're ensuring our students develop both technological fluency and the human-centered judgment that cannot be automated. 

This transformation wouldn't be possible without our alumni, donors, and community partners. You open doors. You share your wisdom. You mentor our students. You believe in our mission. And because you do, we're not just preparing students for the future, we're empowering them to create it. 

I hope as you read through this issue, you'll see yourself in these stories because your support makes every single one of them possible. When talented people unite around a common purpose, there are no limits to what we can achieve. The future isn't just bright, it's brilliant, and we're the ones making it shine. 

With gratitude and excitement, 

Dr. Sanjay Ramchander 
Darren Casey Professor of Business 
Dean, McCoy College of Business 
Texas State University 
Sanjay.Ramchander@txstate.edu