Bed-Stuy Resident Named Dean Of SUNY Old Westbury Business School

Dr. Shalei Simms, a resident of Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, was named dean of the School of Business at the State University of New York Old Westbury.

Having served as the acting dean since the summer of 2021, Simms officially takes the reigns of the school, which offers accounting, business administration and other majors to over 700 students. 

"Over the past more than two years, Dr. Simms has provided tremendous leadership and vision for the School of Business," said Dr. Dorothy Escribano, interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at SUNY Old Westbury. 

"Most notably, she and her colleagues in the School of Business prepared for and executed the application and site visit that resulted last summer in our campus having earned accreditation from AACSB International, the world’s most prestigious accrediting body for schools of business."

Prior to her new appointment, Simms previously held key roles, including director of graduate programs for the School of Business, vice-chair of the campus' faculty senate, and interim assistant vice president of academic affairs.

Simms — whose academic credentials include a Ph.D. from Rutgers University and a B.A. from Wesleyan University — was recently honored by Long Island Business News with its "Diversity in Business Award" for "actively supporting the growth of diversity and equality in the Long Island community," according to SUNY Old Westbury.

Simms said she is excited to help mold young minds in the field of business.

"The business faculty at SUNY Old Westbury has been preparing students for careers in business for more than 45 years," said Simms. "I am proud to work with my colleagues as we pursue our mission to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and values to think critically, communicate effectively, and act responsibly in the constantly changing landscape of business today."