By Wisconsin School of Business | Photography by Paul L. Newby II
December 22, 2020
A picture is worth a thousand words, as the adage goes, and that certainly held true for 2020, a year marked and shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in the midst of historic disruption, the Wisconsin School of Business community demonstrated resilience, innovation, and achievement. Below are some favorite photos from WSB senior photographer, Paul L. Newby II.
In January, WSB alumnus Mitch McMahon (BBA ’19) (far right) came back to campus on a recruiting trip as a Kraft Heinz “Hotdogger” for the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. While visiting, McMahon gave Dean Sambamurthy and WSB colleagues a lift around town. Also along for the ride was Bolz Center for Arts Administration benefactor Jack Bolz (second from right), who is Oscar Mayer’s grandson.
Terry Brimley (MBA ’20) was featured in WSB’s Report to Investors last spring. Brimley, who received a scholarship through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, plans to use his MBA to give back to the community.
Students network with corporate leaders during the Wisconsin Evening and Executive MBA 6th Annual Corporate Connections social event at Grainger Hall.
Luis Otero (MBA ’11), is featured in Update magazine’s “8 to Watch Under 40” series. As director of strategic initiatives for Exact Sciences, Otero uses his engineering and marketing skills to bring life-saving products to the market.
Brittany Michelle Edmonds, assistant professor of Afro-American studies, speaks during a Diversity Lunch and Learn hosted by the Wisconsin School of Business.
With in-person commencement canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WSB celebrated Spring 2020 graduates in a new way. Grainger Hall was illuminated with the “1,094 Business Badgers Light the Way Forward” live stream.
Terry Wise, media systems specialist, upgrades audio equipment in a classroom at Grainger Hall. With Grainger Hall closed all summer, Wise was part of a small team of staff that kept the building and its equipment clean and operational.
Tim Bent Jr. (center), director of facilities and event services, works with his crew to prepare Grainger Hall for the safe return of students in fall.
Student worker Taylor Vehlow moves furniture in the Learning Commons to ensure that seating arrangements are physically distanced.
Student worker Tea Jackson-Strong places stickers on chairs in Grainger Hall’s Morgridge Auditorium to mark where students can sit at a safe distance from one another.
Students and visitors to the Wisconsin School of Business enter Grainger Hall and use a sanitizing station on the first day of class. Masks are mandatory for all students, staff, and faculty per UW–Madison policy.
Fabio B. Gaertner, associate professor of accounting and information systems, teaches a finance class to Wisconsin MBA students in one of WSB’s collaborative learning classrooms.
Lecturer Tim Buhl teaches a marketing course in the Morgridge Auditorium. The room normally has a capacity of 280, but is now limited to 46 as students sit a minimum of six feet from one another.
Emeritus Professor Jack Nevin teaches a virtual supply chain management class from his office space in Grainger Hall.
Entrepreneur April Weir (MS ’07, MBA ’13) made a quick pivot in the early days of the pandemic, switching from making 3D-printed violins to face shields in response to product demand.
Chad Brown (BBA ’01), featured in the Fall 2020 issue of Update magazine, earned his way through college by working at a bike shop. He’s now in his dream role as CFO at Trek Bicycles.
Karen Stroud-Felton, director of student success and pre-college programs, finds silver linings in shifting WSB’s pre-college program online, as shared in the Fall 2020 issue of Update magazine.
Dean Sambamurthy puts safety first—along with his Badger pride—by wearing a face mask.
