Duke named dean of Lipscomb University’s College of Business
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University has appointed higher ed veteran and human resources expert Allison Duke as dean of its nationally recognized College of Business.
Duke is senior associate dean and professor management in the college. She will begin her work as dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business on Jan. 1, 2025.
“Dr. Allison Duke’s visionary leadership as senior associate dean and her passion for excellence have helped shape the College of Business into a nationally recognized program that equips students to lead with both competence and character,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “Her commitment to excellence and her ability to foster strong partnerships within the university and the broader business community make her the ideal choice to lead the college forward. I am confident she will continue to build on its remarkable success and expand its influence locally and nationally.”
Duke has served in leadership roles in the College of Business since 2010 and as professor of management for 18 years. She has been instrumental in developing and implementing strategies that led to the College of Business achieving national recognition for excellence in undergraduate and graduate business education; earning and actively maintaining AACSB, CAHME and ACBSP accreditations, directing graduate programs to meet evolving market demands, introducing 10 new programs since 2010; partnering with colleges across the university to create market-relevant programs including Master of Management/PharmD, MBA/MS in Sustainability, Financial Markets minor for Math majors, business courses for Fashion Design and Music Industry Studies majors, and integrating business principles into the College of Education’s Educational Leadership program; and creating the Initiative for Purposeful Business to encourage students to view business with a missional perspective, integrating faith into their career path.
“Dr. Duke is an accomplished leader whose influence extends beyond the walls of Lipscomb University,” said Lipscomb Board of Trustees Chair Richard G. Cowart, one of the leading healthcare attorneys in the nation and chair of the health law and public policy department at Baker Donelson. “She is fully invested in our business community and will ensure that Lipscomb’s College of Business graduates are well-prepared to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace. I am excited to see how she will continue to build on the college’s strong reputation.”
Prior to her work in higher education, Duke served for nearly a decade in the corporate sector in human resources for several organizations. In addition, she has a portfolio of consulting clients in a variety of industries including health care, revenue cycle management, and energy and sustainability.
Duke is involved in a number of community organizations including serving on the Youth Encouragement Services executive board committee, including as past board president; volunteering at Room in the Inn and Nashville Rescue Mission; leading a Lipscomb MBA Business and Mission Course in Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and participating in the Nashville Business Journal’s Mentoring Monday program. She has received numerous awards including the Nashville Business Journal Woman of Influence, Nashville Emerging Leader Award, Lipscomb University Outstanding Teacher of the Year and MT-SHRM Partner of the Year.
The Cadiz, Kentucky native has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Murray State University, a Master of Business Administration from Lipscomb and a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. She will begin her appointment as dean on Jan. 1, 2025.
“I am honored and excited to step into this role and continue building on the incredible legacy of the College of Business at Lipscomb University,” said Duke. “Our commitment to academic rigor, faith-based values, and innovative programming creates a unique environment where students are prepared to lead with purpose. I look forward to working alongside our exceptional faculty, students, and partners to advance our mission and make a lasting impact in the business world and beyond.”
Lipscomb University’s College of Business is consistently recognized nationally as a leader in business education. This spring it was ranked in the top 50 undergraduate programs in the nation for the eighth consecutive year by Poets&Quants and named a Business Program of Distinction. In 2020 Poets&Quants selected the College of Business as one of ten undergraduate business schools in the nation to watch and ranked Lipscomb as the top undergraduate business program in Tennessee. The publication named two students among the top 100 students in the Best & Brightest Class of 2024.
Last year, the undergraduate business program obtained the U.S. News Best Business School status, listed as third in Tennessee behind only Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. In addition, Lipscomb’s MBA program acquired its first U.S. News ranking, placing among the top five business schools in Tennessee, and in 2023 Niche.com ranked Lipscomb’s business program No. 1 and No. 3 in accounting in Tennessee. The College of Business is accredited by AACSB International (AACSB), the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
The College of Business offers a variety of undergraduate degrees and through its Pfeffer Graduate School of Business a variety of graduate programs. Learn more at www.lipscomb.edu/business.
Lipscomb University is a vibrant Christian, liberal arts community with a student body of nearly 5,000 students that offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. Located in the heart of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a Christ-centered community preparing learners for purposeful lives through rigorous academics and transformative experiences. The institution also includes Lipscomb Academy, a PreK2-12th grade college preparatory school of nearly 1,300 students. For more information, visit www.lipscomb.edu.