Interim Dean Marylou Shockley and Dean's Medalist Sarah Walter
Dean's Message for June 2025
Dear friends,
As I write this final message as Interim Dean of the College of Business, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and pride. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of celebration and reflection, culminating in our joyful Commencement ceremony on May 17th, where we proudly watched over 2,200 graduates—many from our College of Business—cross the stage and step into their next chapter. Seeing the smiles, excitement, and accomplishment in our students’ eyes reminded me once again of why we do this work.
One privilege I am particularly honored to execute is bestowing the Dean's Medal on a deserving student. This year's Dean's Medalist is Accounting major Sarah Walter. Congratulations, Sarah!
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have made these last several weeks so meaningful. I am truly touched by the many thoughtful retirement celebrations you’ve organized—it has been humbling and uplifting to be surrounded by so much kindness and community. Your warm wishes, generous words, and shared memories will stay with me as I enter this next chapter.
I will continue serving as Interim Dean through August 1st, and I am delighted to share that Dr. Suzanne Zivnuska will officially take over as Dean of the College of Business on August 4th. I know she will bring tremendous energy and vision to our College, and I look forward to a smooth and successful transition.
Serving at CSUMB, first as Business Department Chair from 2006 - 2019, and then as Interim Dean for these past 6 years, has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life. I am proud of what we have accomplished together—advancing accreditation, broadening our student support, strengthening partnerships, and building a vibrant, inclusive culture of excellence.
Thank you all for your trust, collaboration, and heart. Here's to the bright future ahead for the College of Business!
With gratitude,
Dr. Marylou Shockley, Ph.D.
CSUMB College of Business Dean (Interim)
About Marylou Shockley
Dr. Marylou Shockley joined the College of Business in 2006 as Business Department Chair. She brings her passion for leadership, international business, and organizational behavior to her role as Interim Dean. She is the author of several books and her work in the fields of diversity and social application of network technologies is well-known and is based on her significant business experience with AT&T and Pacific Bell.
Dr. Shockley earned her doctorate in management from Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford in England.
July 1, 2021 – With the announcement of the retirement of Dr. Shyam Kamath, College of Business Founding Dean, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Marylou Shockley will serve as Interim Dean in the College of Business, effective July 1, 2021. Dr. Shockley is well-prepared to advance the priorities of the College, in particular the continued progress toward AACSB accreditation.
Dr. Shockley served as department chair for the College of Business since joining CSUMB in fall 2006. Marylou co-developed and successfully launched the MBA program with Dr. Murray Millson in 2008, designed nine courses for the College, and secured over $1.4 million in grant funding. While serving as chair, she has continued her research and consistently published. Marylou has participated in countless committees throughout the College of Business and CSUMB campus.
Outside of the College, she served on the University RTP committee for four years. She served on ASEC for the last four years, on faculty affairs for two years, and was part of the Senate Curriculum Committee Counsel as the College of Business representative for the previous six years. Before Dean Kamath arrived in Fall 2013, Marylou helped establish the Tanimura Family Foundation, an annual scholarship that provides full tuition to four agribusiness students. In addition, Marylou worked with Carol Davis to set up the Friends and Family Scholarship. She recently helped establish and donated to two faculty fellowships and one staff award, given annually. In the local community, Marylou has served as president and board member for the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation, has been involved with the Small Business Development Center, and has served as an external reviewer of "Salute to Small Business" applications for the KSBW news station.
Dr. Shockley earned a bachelor's degree in business and economics from the University of Hawai'i; a master's degree in business administration from the University of Southern California; and a Ph.D. in philosophy-business from Oxford University in England.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Marylou Shockley to her new role at CSUMB.Katherine A. Kantardjieff, PhD
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
California State University, Monterey BayMay 19, 2021 – Marylou L. Shockley, Interim Dean of the College of Business, is the first CSUMB employee to establish endowed fellowship awards for fellow employees.
In March 2021, Provost Katherine A. Kantardjieff announced three endowment awards created by Shockley and her family members through the Foundation of CSUMB.
“I feel that the CSUMB team that serves students is dedicated, hardworking, and caring,” Shockley said. “We couldn't fulfill the Otter Promise to students without all of us as a team.”
The inaugural awards and their respective recipients are:
- 2021 Callie Chastain Distinguished Staff Award: Sathyan Sundaram, research analyst in Institutional Assessment & Research
- 2021 Marylou L. Shockley Faculty Fellowship: Megan Sulsberger, assistant professor in the Department of Education and Leadership, College of Education
- 2021 Davis, Froshman, and Shockley Lecture Faculty Fellowship: Jennifer Lucido, lecturer in the School of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Read the full article by Walter Ryce.
December 14, 2021 – CSUMB Provost Katherine Kantardjieff and Vice President for University Advancement Barabar Zappas hosted a ceremony unveiling two special plaques commemorating donations by College of Business Interim Dean Marylou Shockley. The plaques are displayed in the Business and Information Technology Building and are inscribed as follows:
- Classroom 112: "Shockley Family in Memory of Raymond and Sandra Shockley"
- Room 316 - Staff & Faculty Workroom: "With appreciation to Marylou L. Shockley for her support of CSUMB and the generous snack donations to the College of Business Faculty Breakroom over the years."
Since joining the College of Business in 2006, Dr. Shockley has been a generous supporter of the students, faculty, and staff.
Dr. Kamath is the Founding Dean of the College of Business, serving from 2013 through July 2, 2021. He has more than 35 years of experience in international education, international development and management, sustainable enterprise formation, global business consulting, and university teaching.
The College’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development grew its Startup Challenge event series into a regional powerhouse of entrepreneurial startup development. The College—and, by extension, the university—vastly expanded its connections with the regional business community, built international relationships, and established the vision of Responsible Business. And finally, the long and laborious process toward AACSB accreditation has been brought to imminent completion. The College has become AACSB’s shining example for best practices in assessing learning outcomes.
Dr. Shyam Kamath, Ph.D.
Dr. Kamath has held academic and administrative positions at leading universities in the U.S., Canada, Asia, and Europe. He is the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards including the Distinguished North American Lasallian Educator of the Year in 2012, the prestigious Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education and multiple outstanding professor and educator awards. He teaches classes in international business, global management, and economics. Previously, he was an entrepreneur, as a co-founder of three start-ups, has pioneered a number of academic start-ups, and has worked for leading international firms in the energy, equipment, and consumer goods areas. He has been a consultant to four governments and over 100 companies and non-profits worldwide.
He has published over 80 articles in leading peer-reviewed scholarly and trade journals and is the author or co-author of three books: Excellence in Exporting (Govt. of Canada Press, 1986), Political Economy of Suppressed Markets (Oxford University Press, 1992), and Corporate Governance Failures (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011). In addition to his academic responsibilities and work, Dean Kamath serves on the boards of four non-profits and one for-profit company, including being the CEO of a Monterey-based non-profit organization.