Allison Burgess Duke PhD MBA

ALLISON BURGESS DUKE PHD MBA has been named to succeed Ray Eldridge DBA MBA as dean of the College of Business within Lipscomb University in Nashville, as-of Jan. 1, 2025.

In Lipscomb's Dec. 12 press release, Lipscomb President Candice McQueen PhD MEd said Duke's "visionary leadership as senior associate dean and her passion for excellence have helped shape the College of Business into a nationally recognized program that equips students to lead with both competence and character. Her commitment to excellence and her ability to foster strong partnerships within the university and the broader business community make her the ideal choice to lead the college forward..."

That praise was reinforced in the release by Lipscomb Board of Trustees chair Richard G. Cowart, who is chair of the health law and public policy department of Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz.

Richard Cowart

Cowart was quoted saying, "Dr. Duke is an accomplished leader whose influence extends beyond the walls of Lipscomb University. She is fully invested in our business community and will ensure that Lipscomb's College of Business graduates are well-prepared to thrive in today's competitive marketplace. I am excited to see how she will continue to build on the college's strong reputation."

Inbound Dean Duke, herself, said in last week's release, "I am honored and excited to step into this role and continue building on the incredible legacy of the College of Business at Lipscomb University. Our commitment to academic rigor, faith-based values, and innovative programming creates a unique environment where students are prepared to lead with purpose. I look forward to working alongside our exceptional faculty, students, and partners to advance our mission and make a lasting impact in the business world and beyond."

Venture Nashville took this opportunity to check on some particulars that were not mentioned in the university's press release.

Ray Eldridge DBA

We learned, for example, that it was during Eldridge's decade of tenure -- first briefly as interim dean, then as dean -- that the College of Business earned accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Colleges of Business (AACSB), a goal Lipscomb had pursued across several cycles, since 1988. Related VNC coverage.

It was also on Eldridge's watch that the College of Business shepherded the creation of its Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), which invites, among other things, all Lipscomb students' participation in entrepreneurial pitch competitions.

Upon returning to faculty ranks, we understand that Eldridge -- who, prior to academe, served 21 years as an officer in the U.S. Army (then jump-qualified) -- is likely to focus on teaching and researching not only management and leadership, but also supply chain issues.

Related: VNC today learned that healthtech entrepreneur Ernie Clevenger of Brentwood, who serves on the Lipscomb Board of Trustees, will this spring become the benefactor supporting Lipscomb's student entrepreneurial pitch competition, which was for several years supported by former Board of Trustees Member Marty Kittrell.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Duke in 2007 earned her PhD in management at the University of Mississippi, having earlier earned an MBA (Leadership) at Lipscomb, and a bachelor's in business education at Murray State University, in her native Kentucky.

Duke's contributions: The future COB dean, who now serves within the College of Business as senior associate dean and professor of management, is credited in the Lipscomb release with having served "in leadership roles in the College of Business since 2010 and as professor of management for 18 years. She has been instrumental in developing and implementing strategies that led to the College of Business achieving national recognition for excellence in undergraduate and graduate business education; earning and actively maintaining AACSB, CAHME and ACBSP accreditations, directing graduate programs to meet evolving market demands, introducing 10 new programs since 2010; partnering with colleges across the university to create market-relevant programs including Master of Management/PharmD, MBA/MS in Sustainability, Financial Markets minor for Math majors, business courses for Fashion Design and Music Industry Studies majors, and integrating business principles into the College of Education's Educational Leadership program; and creating the Initiative for Purposeful Business to encourage students to view business with a missional perspective, integrating faith into their career path."

Although her LinkedIn page has no reference to entrepreneurial employment, online postings by Duke's clearly very proud husband -- serial entrepreneurial tech team member Kyle Duke -- suggest they and their children may know more than most about the venture sector.

Lipscomb's release (PDF) described the 107-year-old university as "a vibrant Christian, liberal arts community with a student body of nearly 5,000 students that offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. Located in the heart of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a Christ-centered community preparing learners for purposeful lives through rigorous academics and transformative experiences. The institution also includes Lipscomb Academy, a PreK2-12th grade college preparatory school of nearly 1,300 students."

Other VNC coverage of Lipscomb University here. VNC

.last edited 1700 16 December 2024