After six years of service to the AU community, John Delaney will be stepping down as Dean of the Kogod School of Business on June 30, 2022. During his tenure, John has led Kogod with a clear focus on excellence, diversity, innovation, and commitment to the school’s students, while serving as a valued member of AU’s senior leadership team.

Dean Delaney has presided over a substantial rise in Kogod’s US News & World Report rankings—a testament to the growing strength of the school’s academic programs. The Kogod online MBA became a top-40 program in 2022 (up 60 spots since 2018) and its full-time MBA improved 25 spots (from No. 113 to No. 87) over that same span.

John’s commitment to inclusive excellence has yielded Kogod’s most diverse faculty body yet, growing minority faculty representation in the school from 23% to 34%, increasing its proportion of women faculty, and establishing the school’s first Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion. In 2021, Bloomberg Businessweek ranked Kogod the 9^th best full-time MBA for diversity, following on Times Higher Education’s 2018 designation of the school as the 6^th most inclusive business school in the world.  

Kogod’s recent scholarly and operational achievements illustrate Dean Delaney’s embrace of the nimble and innovative spirit that defines American University. Since 2017, faculty grants and premier journal publications have both grown by 300%. Recently, Kogod implemented a new in-house online program and piloted marketing and recruitment technology that will position the school for success in the years ahead.

Finally, Dean Delaney’s leadership is defined by his care for the Kogod community and his drive to provide Kogod’s students with outstanding experiential learning opportunities. He has struck an exclusive partnership with WeWork and created a unique program for pro bono student projects and co-ops. He has also implemented an impressive student satisfaction measurement program to guide and manage the school’s support for students. 

We are grateful for all that John has done to place the Kogod School of Business on a trajectory for future success and look forward to his returning to the Kogod faculty after a well-deserved sabbatical. Please join me in thanking him for his contributions.

In the days and weeks to come, we will be announcing a nationwide search for the next dean of the Kogod School of Business.