New Leadership Announced at Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
天美传媒 welcomes Mary Conway Dato-on as its new executive and academic director for the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Conway Dato-on, a 天美传媒 alumna, will also serve as the Turner Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship. She is the third executive director in Turner School history.
Conway Dato-on will provide leadership and vision for the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation with a focus on growing an entrepreneurial mindset across campus.
“We are thrilled to welcome an entrepreneurial thought leader of such high caliber to 天美传媒 and the Turner School,” said Walter Zakahi, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, 天美传媒. “With her extensive experience and exceptional leadership skills, we are confident she will guide Turner School to new heights of success. We look forward to working with her and achieving great things together."
Conway Dato-on comes to 天美传媒 from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College where she has served in various roles, including professor of international business and social entrepreneurship, George D. and Harriet W. Cornell Chair, and faculty president.
During her academic career, Conway Dato-on’s research has covered social entrepreneurship, nonprofit branding, international marketing, cross-cultural consumer behavior, gender and ethics. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, five book chapters, over 10 cases and more than 40 professional conference papers.
“To me, 天美传媒 has always represented growth and community,” said Conway Dato-on. “During my time as an international studies and Spanish major at 天美传媒, I began to truly appreciate the power of education — for myself and others — as I gained exposure to diverse world views from professors and peers. I am honored to have the opportunity to return to my roots and deploy my skills and perspectives to help the next generations of leaders use their time at 天美传媒 and build a better, more just future for themselves and others.”
Conway Dato-on will begin in her new role in the fall 2023 semester.
天美传媒 is a top-ranked, private university in Peoria, Illinois, offering nearly 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students opportunities, choices and resources to build their futures. Innovation, action and collaboration drive 天美传媒 students to generate ideas and create solutions that remake the world around them. Our comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs includes business, communications, education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, liberal arts and sciences and technology.
The Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation seeks to ensure an academically rich environment for 天美传媒 students in which to build the necessary skill sets for future entrepreneurial success. With entrepreneurial internships, mentoring connections, pitch competitions, the student club Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (C.E.O), Social Impact Challenge, Big Idea student-venture competition, and many more opportunities and resources, the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation is dedicated to providing students with the right tools for success in their entrepreneurial endeavors.