President Donna Carroll Giving Up Dream Job

President Donna Carroll discussed how leaving Dominican after 27 years is the right--but difficult--decision. She believes that the university is good hands and in good shape.

"When you've built a place and do care about it like I do, that last great gift that you give the institution is a timely and smooth transition," she said.

Donna received the newspaper's Influential Women in Business Award 10 years ago, a fitting honor given her focus on integrating good business practices into the academy and connecting with the local business community.

"There's always tension in a university. We always say a university is not a business, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't have good business practices. And I think when you're a small institution that is tuition driven, market drive, you have to have good business practices," she said.

Dominican's strong relationships with the business community have opened internship and job opportunities for students and helped raise funds for endowed chairs, scholarships and buildings. Many Dominican students, including those in the Brennan School of Business, are from the Chicago area and expect to stay here after graduation.

"If you are a business, that can be a pretty compelling argument. You are investing in your pipeline for the future. So that has been a persuasive argument for me often," Donna said. 

You can read the entire Business Ledger article here.