School Notes: School of Management
May/June 2022

Students aid Ukrainian refugees

Two SOM students with deep ties to Eastern Europe spearheaded efforts to help refugees fleeing Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion. Tim Marian ’23 and Alexandra Platon ’23 led fundraisers and housing assistance campaigns that, as of early March, had raised $20,000 and helped hundreds of refugees. Both Marian and Platon are students in the MBA for Executives program.

Marian partnered with the University of Bucharest, area churches, and government contacts in Romania to house refugees in empty university dorm rooms and in local homes. Platon also assisted refugees fleeing into Romania. She established a Venmo account, Facebook and PayPal fundraisers, and a Revolut account to collect donations. She encouraged prospective donors and volunteers to visit her website.

Alumni named Donaldson Fellows

Yale SOM named five alumni as Donaldson Fellows for 2021–22, recognizing them as embodying the school’s mission. The newly named five are: Lori Hotz ’94MES/MBA, cofounder and co-CEO, Lobus; Jane Mendillo ’80, ’84MBA, former president and CEO, Harvard Management Company; Amanda Skinner ’98MSN, ’08MBA, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England; Catherine Smith ’83MPPM, board member, Global Atlantic Financial Group; and Josh Wright ’98MBA, executive director, ideas42. Members of the Yale SOM community nominate alumni as fellows. 

Podcast focuses on supporting Black businesses

A new podcast series from Yale SOM explores ways to foster Black-owned and Black-led businesses. The series is the latest season of CitySCOPE, a podcast created by Professor Kate Cooney and students in her Inclusive Economic Development Lab. “Supporting and Scaling Black-Owned and Black-Led Businesses,” based on research conducted during the spring 2021 semester when students in Cooney’s lab collaborated with New Haven businesses and organizations, features national thought leaders.