Artificial Intelligence & Human Connections

The Bauer College Alumni Association (BCAA) put a spotlight on artificial intelligence this spring as they launched a new networking breakfast series that brings together C. T. Bauer College of Business alumni, students, faculty and industry experts to discuss timely topics. 

Held on campus in March, the first event in the series focused on how business schools like Bauer College can develop a workforce ready to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving AI-driven business landscape, with a panel titled “The Age of Intelligence: Charting AI’s Path Forward” that included experts from the college sharing their perspectives on the subject: 

• Emese "Mesh" Felvégi - Senior Professor of Practice, Department of Decision & Information Sciences; Executive Director, Office of Digital Learning 
• Amy Vandaveer Novak - Senior Professor of Practice, Department of Marketing & Entrepreneurship   
• Michael Kraten - Accounting Program Initiatives Director, Department of Accountancy & Taxation  
• Josh Kaisen - Post-Doctoral Fellow and Director of Outreach and Education, Human-Centered AI institute  
• Shazia Panjwani - MBA and MS in Management Information Systems Candidate 

“Artificial intelligence, and generative AI specifically, changes daily,” Felvégi said. “It’s such a recent disruption in the past three to four years that even if you graduated within that time span, it has changed since. It’s one of those significant disruptions that is reshaping how we interact with the internet.” 

In addition to topical discussions, the BCAA event series provides attendees with significant networking opportunities.  

“Alumni and students who attended gained some insight into some of the changes in AI while connecting with peers and learning about mentorship opportunities for alumni,” BCAA Events Chair Raza Chawdhary (BBA ’09) said.  

Michael Chan (BBA ’83), a founding member of the Bauer student organization Management Information Systems Student Organization (MISSO), was among the alumni in attendance. With decades of experience integrating new tech-forward workflows into business, Chan emphasized the importance of fostering connections across generations. 

“We need to continue to see the future of the industry and by understanding the students’ side and helping them grow and build,”  Chan said.  “MISSO has been around for 40 years, and many of its graduates are now directors and vice presidents of major corporations. They’re the ones leading conversations like today’s.”