Broad College announces new hires to advance ethics and entrepreneurship

Here at the Broad College, we have our sights set on being a top-of-mind business school, as reflected by the recognition of our brand, the reputation of our people and the rankings of our programs. As we work toward this vision, we embrace our strategic themes — digital transformation, global mindset, entrepreneurship and innovation, ethics and social responsibility and diversity, equity and inclusion — in all that we do.

This year, the Broad College announces two new hires that directly align with our ethics and social responsibility and entrepreneurship and innovation themes, advancing this critical work. Effective August 2022, Beth Hammond joins the college as the inaugural managing director of the Center for Ethical and Socially Responsible Leadership and Laurel Ofstein joins as the faculty director of the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Beth Hammond

Hammond comes to Michigan State University from Eastern Illinois University, where she served as director of civic engagement and volunteerism. She brings a wealth of experience creating volunteer service, co-curricular learning and service-learning opportunities to the college.

“I am excited to develop the center into a place that influences the students and prepares them to be ethical and socially responsible leaders when they leave MSU,” Hammond said.

Hammond understands the start-up nature of our center — which officially launched in March 2022 — and what it will take to get it up and running. Before working at EIU, she co-founded a local council of Girls on the Run, a nonprofit that designs programming for third- to eighth-grade girls’ social, emotional, physical and behavioral skills to successfully navigate life experiences. Her creativity and energy will help bring the center to life.

“I am looking forward to meeting with the faculty and staff of the Broad College of Business to understand how students are currently being taught ways that ethics are infused into the world around us as individuals as well as future leaders in their fields,” she said. “I want to find partners throughout our community to be able to give our students hands-on opportunities to learn what ethical and social responsibility looks like action.”

Laurel Ofstein

Ofstein not only joins the Burgess Institute’s leadership team but will also have a primary appointment in the Department of Management as an associate professor. She joins us from Western Michigan University, where she served as the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She received her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a focus in entrepreneurship from the University of Illinois Chicago in 2013.

“The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has achieved great success in shepherding hundreds of student business ideas each year, in stages from initial ideas through fully operating ventures,” Ofstein said. “The entrepreneurship minor and related coursework engage students from across campus with approximately 750 students in the minor and thousands of students participating in entrepreneurship courses in our Princeton Review Top 20-recognized program. As faculty director, I look forward to continuing to grow the minor and highlighting the important role that entrepreneurial thinking can play in supporting students in all majors across the university.”

In her new role here, Ofstein will direct the academic and programmatic strategy for the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, including teaching entrepreneurship courses, overseeing the minor and conducting research on entrepreneurship. As she takes on this work, Ofstein is eager to further solidify MSU’s standing as one of the best destinations for future entrepreneurs.

“This academic year, I look forward to working with the Burgess Institute staff on continuing to improve the entrepreneurship minor curriculum and related experiences,” she said. “Other priorities for me include working with each college to highlight and support their faculty- and student-focused entrepreneurship initiatives and connecting with Michigan State University alumni to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of all Spartans.”