Dean's Academy : Isenberg School of Management : UMass Amherst

Students Leading the Way

As part of Isenberg's effort to attract and support exceptional students, Dean Massey invites approximately 30 newly admitted students annually to join the Isenberg Dean's Academy. During their first year at UMass, the students—chosen based on outstanding academic achievement in high school as well as potential for success at Isenberg—will participate in weekly seminars with the director of the Dean’s Academy; meet with prominent alumni, corporate executives, and industry leaders; and have regular sessions with the dean and other Isenberg faculty. Additionally, Dean's Academy students have the option to take a couple of their core business classes in sections of smaller size.

Community-building events—such as the Move-in Day Reception, Dean’s Academy Retreat, and the Dean's Academy Family Reception—allow members to form friendships, develop leadership skills, and transition to their college experience.

In the fall, Dean’s Academy students attend Isenberg’s Leaders of Impact event in Boston. This allows them the opportunity to meet alumni, talk with Isenberg faculty, and hear from the keynote speaker and distinguished leaders about their paths to success.

Past Dean's Academy Speakers

Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner
Charlie Baker, President of the NCAA
Robert Epstein ’67, President & CEO of Horizon Beverage Group; University of Massachusetts Trustee
Earl Stafford ’76, CEO of The Stafford Foundation
Rob Hale, Co-Founder & CEO, Granite Telecommunications
Ken Bouyer, EY Americas Director of Inclusiveness Recruiting
Zaileen Janmohamed, SVP, Head of Commercial Development & Innovation, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties
Anne Massey, Dean
Bill Brown, Senior Associate Dean

Being invited to the [Isenberg] Dean’s Academy was the main element that drew me to UMass. Through this community, I’ve met some of my closest friends and built meaningful connections not only with Isenberg faculty, but also with executive-level professionals across a wide range of fields, whether they are UMass alumni or leaders beyond the university. The opportunities for mentorship, friendship, and growth have profoundly shaped my college experience.

Madison Spencer

I chose to join the [Isenberg] Dean's Academy because it offered a unique opportunity to build my network early in my college career. Connecting with Isenberg leaders, distinguished alumni, and business executives has been instrumental in shaping both my academic and professional growth.

Nick Bedoya

I got into the Dean's Academy, that's mainly what drew me in [to Isenberg], I knew that I was going to have so many amazing opportunities.

Vanya Shikapuri

Joining the Dean’s Academy gave me an immediate sense of community at Isenberg. Connecting with faculty, alumni, and industry leaders so early on helped me jump-start my leadership journey and adjust to college in full swing. The experiences, from meeting inspiring speakers at the Leaders of Impact event in Boston, to visiting Fenway Park with my cohort, made the program unforgettable. Being invited to the Dean’s Academy was a major reason I chose Isenberg, and I’m so grateful I did.

Olivia Lewis

[In the Isenberg Dean's Academy] we have more networking opportunities, engage with alumni, and make connections for any future endeavors that we go into.

Kevin Small

Director of the Isenberg Dean's Academy

Oscar Lopez

Lecturer

Oscar Lopez View Profile

2025 Dean's Academy Students Hayden Melino, Daniella Kazotti, Vale

2025 Dean's Academy Students

Hayden Melino, Daniella Kazotti, Valerie Magill, Aiden Furget, Christopher DiStasio, John Tryba, Arthur Do, Reda Benhafoun, Jason Elhilow, Brady Wright, Christopher Hereford, Sofia Villanueva, Rebekah Ruiz, Tienna Phan, Isabella Federico, Rian Villareal, Sofia Villanueva, Humberto Felipe Souza Oliveira, Keissa Arias, Emma Kelley, Sophia Encarnacion, Ian Hughes

2024 Dean's Academy Students

Gbemisola Adeniyi, Alexandra Arellano, Sophia Balestracci, Reese Bankston, Luke Brower, Lihana Bryan, Drew Carter, Wellsley Da Silva, Jessamine Duverne, Stella Lunati, Mike Mandell, Walter Medina-Rodrigues, Estefani Medrano, Adam Mogawer, Joshua Ozuna Ozuna, Charles Porterfield, Philipe Ribeiro, Andrea Silva Basilio, Daniel Silva, Railyn Tejada, Andrew Tollman, Natalia Valencia, Kamila Velez, Ava Vernadakis, Sam Waugh, Aidan Yauckoes

2023 Dean's Academy Students

Alexis Aakjar, Adriana Avila, Lance Campinha, Benjamin Corbin, Michael Costa, Sophina Dhakal, Richard DiPietro, Dima Djotova, Jack Dunn, Yannik Dzialas, Jackson Ehwa, Connor Ferguson, Jackson Gagnier, Eva Gannon, Emily Harris, Andrew Lang, Jessica Li, Herminia Lima, Lindsey Liman, Maximus Linares, Molly Maguire, Ava Marino, Juan Martinez, Joseph McEachern, Asa Miller, Alayah Moreta Medina, Jacob Nevins, Carina O'Donnell, Daria Piwowarczyk, Anthony Pulsifer, Say Reh, Madeline Robertson, Preston Sanderville, Davien Sawyer, Marianna Tamayo Palacio, Emily Vaz Falcao, Marcos Whelton, Tia Wright, Josie Wu, Ryan Wyngowski, Angeline Xie, Tammie Xu

2022 Dean's Academy Students

Pasant Abdelmesih, James Aquino, Nicholas Bedoya, Keana Brown, Mitchell Cruz, Kevin Cummings, Jasmine Duong, Matthew Farmosa, Ryley Fernandes, Diego Garcia, Travis Hoose, Ryan Hu, Joshua Irons, Manoela Kawasaki, John Lacey, Olivia Lewis, Fiorella Marchan, Meghan McCarthy, Jeremy McCormick, Caitlin McGarry, Jared Muñoz, John O'Shea, Nathaniel Packer, Antonio Santiago, Aashir Shafiq, Vanya Shikapuri, Kevin Small, Madison Spencer, Arianna Stevens, Marcy Suarez, Gowri Vellanki, Yang Zhang