When asked to describe what motivated her to lead the MBA program as its new assistant dean, Rebecca Monro replied, “The Lundquist College offers rigorous academics and a truly distinctive hands-on program facilitated by a top-tier faculty. It simply felt like a perfect match." Blending academic knowledge with real-world learning in a vibrant higher education experience is an ongoing career theme for Monro. She comes to the UO from the University of Minnesota's Institute for Research in Marketing, a first-of-its-kind program at the Carlson School of Management that brought together marketing students, faculty, and practitioners to develop partnerships and novel research. "The Oregon MBA is already an exceptional program, and I am enthusiastic about working with our team to raise the Oregon MBA profile and expand it in line with Dean de Kluyver's vision," said Monro, who started in her new position on January 17. Already forging connections with colleagues and current students, Monro is eager for actionable feedback from the program's graduates: "I look forward to hearing from alumni. Sometimes the best ideas come from those we already know. If you're an Oregon MBA alum, I hope to meet you or hear from you in the near future."