A Note from John Cribbs, Dean of the Wentworth School of Management

by John Cribbs
a group of people hold a sign that reads "Sweeney Programs of Construction Management"

Students and industry partners from the School of Management's 2025 Construction Management capstones.

What a year 2024-25 was for the School of Management! As we begin a new academic year, I am delighted to share the following highlights from the previous one with you. 

 

Inside the Classroom: 

 

  • We had more than 120 students complete their capstone and final research projects and presentations during the last week of July. These projects spanned the development of business management ideas and entrepreneurial ventures, computer information systems integrated solutions to solve real-world industry problems, detailed proposals for construction management services for both vertical and horizontal projects, as well as facilities management and commercial real estate development projects and investment pitches! These projects brought more than 30 business/industry professionals (half of which were Wentworth alumni) to campus who engaged throughout the semester in the capacity of guest lecturer, mentor, and final presentation panelist.  
     
  • Internationally, our programs continued the tradition to send students overseas on study abroad semesters to locations in Ireland and Spain, where they were immersed in the local culture and educational experience. As part of their time abroad, many were engaged in guided tours to locations across Europe, including cities throughout Portugal and across Spain. 

 

  • 15-plus students from various programs within the School of Management were recognized as recipients of industry and professional organization scholarships, as a result of their pursuit of academic excellence and consistent high marks in their classes. With scholarship awards ranging from $500 to $12,500 each, this is a testament to the strength of our programs and collective focus on student support and success.  

 

  • As a result of active and engaged recruiting and program messaging, we have seen exciting growth within our American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) accredited graduate program in Construction Management (Master of Science in Construction Management)! With a recent record number of applications and our highest enrollment this decade, we look forward to welcoming a new cohort of students (+133% y/y) this coming fall semester! 

 

  • As part of a class project in the Group Processes and Team Building course, led by our newly hired lecturer for the Management Programs (and longstanding adjunct), Jill Kearney, Business Management students hosted a fundraiser event on Wentworth Institute of Technology’s campus this summer, to raise funds for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA).  Their efforts resulted in almost $1,000 being raised and donated in just a few short hours. 

 

 

  • Faculty member Farzam Maleki has been integral in helping to develop and deploy an institute-wide Honors Program, which seeks to “foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning.” 
     
  • Site visits are critical to the education of Construction Management students. As such, faculty member Kushagra Varma was able to capitalize in this area through his engagement with industry professionals and companies tied to our Construction Management Industry Advisory Board, to allow students the opportunity to explore live construction sites throughout Boston, as part of his coursework during the entirety of the academic year. 

 

Outside the Classroom: 

 

  • A team of Business Management students competed in the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) Region 1 Case Competition for the first time and took home the grand prize! This accomplishment highlights the hard work of our students and the dedication of our faculty to deliver high-value education that is immediately applicable to real-world scenarios. These students were coached by faculty member Hossein Noorian. 

 

 

  • The Sweeney Programs of Construction Management further solidified engagements with industry organizations including The Moles Organization and the Design-Build Institute of America, as student interest in the fields of infrastructure management and alternative project delivery methods has seen significant growth. These collaborations will bring to campus opportunities for students to participate in additional student competitions, guest presentations, conference events, site visits and networking events with leaders in their field. 

 

  • With a vision and connections from Business Management faculty member, Michael Mozill, eight combined teams from Wentworth Institute and Hult International School of Business engaged in the inaugural International Business Challenge, where they focused on creating new business strategies and solutions within specific countries with a focus on “Culture and Technology.” 

 

Faculty Expertise Around the Globe: 

 

  • Nine School of Management faculty members were involved in publishing and presenting regionally, nationally, and around the world including at conferences and event venues located in Canada and Spain. Topics spanned affordable housing, energy efficiency, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cutting-edge pedagogical methodologies, and novel approaches to support non-traditional learning within higher education, among others.  

 

  • Expert Business Management faculty members were invited to deliver presentations, including a keynote speech by Professor Rick Trilling—on topics such as cybersecurity—as well as to serve on national entrepreneurship and business competition panels. 

 

  • Construction Management faculty members shared opinions and perspectives with local and national media outlets throughout the academic year on topics such as affordable and sustainable housing, which resulted in articles being published by the Boston Business Journal and This Old House, among others.  

 

  • Continuing the tradition of presenting scholarly work within the context of the Wentworth community, the Academic Excellence Showcase offered an opportunity for more than half a dozen School of Management faculty members to highlight innovative teaching methods and cutting-edge research endeavors. 

 

  • School of Management faculty were recognized across the academic year through the receipt of both internal and external grants and faculty rank promotions. Among these recognitions is Cristina Cosma’s receipt of the Summer 2025 Bistline Grant for a project focused on Artificial Intelligence and Robots in the Built Environment. Furthermore, faculty member Payam Bakhshi was promoted to academic rank of professor, and faculty members Sharon Brown and Hariharan Naganathan were promoted to academic rank of associate professor. 

 

  • Interdisciplinary research was on display between the undergraduate Construction Management and Computer Information Systems programs, as faculty members Sharon Brown and Hollis Greenberg collaborated to build construction estimating tools that are meant to improve technical competency through interdisciplinary projects within the classroom environment. 

 

Curricular Efforts & Updates: 

 

  • The School of Management is proud to share that the Wentworth Institute of Technology Sweeney Programs of Construction–Undergraduate Construction Management Program–has been granted re-accreditation by the American Council for Construction Education, Inc. (ACCE) for a period of seven years! The official announcement was made at the ACCE Annual Conference held in Nashville, Tenn. at the end of July. ACCE plays a vital role in shaping the future of construction education by setting high standards and supporting programs committed to academic and industry excellence. This achievement reflects the dedication of our outstanding faculty, staff, and administrators, who continue to provide a high-quality, student-centered education that prepares our graduates for success in the construction industry. 

 

 

  • Furthering our pursuit of high-value learning and academic excellence, the School of Management is officially underway with a self-study process for submission to the Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education (GAC), which is tied to the Project Management Institute (PMI). This self-study process spans both the undergraduate and graduate Project Management degree programs at Wentworth. Our letter of Intent (LOI) has officially been accepted by the accrediting organization. Along with this effort, we now have School of Management team members approved to engage site visits at other institutes of higher education pursuing accreditation with the GAC! 

 

  • Leading efforts to help towards the development of an interdisciplinary degree program tied to Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI), faculty member Santiago Umaschi was integral in putting forth a Business Management domain proposal that seeks to lay the groundwork for incoming students to explore how technology is truly impacting the business world and the future of many industries! Additionally, faculty members Cristina Cosma and Hariharan Naganathan spearheaded the development of a Construction Management domain proposal that seeks to prepare students to apply cutting-edge AI tools to challenges in construction planning, safety and project delivery. 

  

I am excited to continue planning efforts for a strong start to the upcoming 2025-26 academic year and to also welcome our visiting faculty members, Laura Davis and Arlene Marcus (Business Management Program), as well as Sarah Williamson and Farnaz Jafari (Construction Management Program)! 

  

As a final note, thank you to all School of Management faculty for continuing to focus on student support and academic excellence! Additionally, I would like to thank all School of Management administrators and staff members for all the behind-the-scenes work that enables these great achievements for our programs, the school, and the institute-at-large! 

I look forward to the opportunity to provide further announcements regarding our collective School of Management successes, as we look to capitalize on the momentum that we have built over the last few academic years! 

 

Thanks! 

 

John Cribbs, Ph.D., CDT, LEED AP 
Dean, School of Management