Chatham University launches School of Business & Enterprise and Sports Management degree
Chatham University is pleased to announce the launch of a new School of Business & Enterprise (SBE) in the upcoming 24-25 academic year. This innovative new school will equip students with a robust foundation of core business skills enhanced by critical thinking and analysis. The school will offer distinctive programs and applied learning opportunities in the pivotal areas where business intersects with sustainability, healthcare, and sports management. Leading this new academic venture is Debbie DeLong, Ph. D., professor of marketing and business department chair at Chatham, who has been appointed the inaugural Executive Director of the school.
As a part of SBE, a new Bachelor of Science in Sports Management degree will begin recruiting this year for the inaugural fall 2025 cohort. This sports management major will provide students with data analytics, finance, marketing, and leadership skills tailored to the professional and collegiate sports industry. Coursework and experiential learning will foster expertise in athlete representation, event planning, facility management, and sports promotion, paving the way for a new generation of leaders in the sports industry.
“Professional and collegiate sports continue to play a key role in driving economic growth and quality of life in our greater Pittsburgh region,” said Kevin Acklin, President, Business Operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. “As a Chatham Trustee and SBE advisory member, I’m excited for the opportunities the School of Business & Enterprise and its new Sports Management degree will create for Chatham students to further the business of sports in our city and beyond.”
The new school will also house Chatham’s current business programs, including undergraduate programs in accounting, economics, management, international business, data science analytics, and marketing. At the graduate level, SBE will offer the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in hybrid and online formats, along with a dual Master of Sustainability and MBA program housed at and in partnership with Chatham’s Falk School of Sustainability & Environment.
“The new School of Business & Enterprise will leverage Chatham’s current business strengths while also increasing collaboration with our nationally recognized programs in health, sustainability, and our research centers, such as the award-winning Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship and Women Business Center,” said President Rhonda Phillips. “I am excited to see the school produce resilient and adaptive business leaders creating positive change in their fields and our world.”
Dr. DeLong has been a Professor of Marketing at Chatham University since 2006. Before joining Chatham, she was a Clinical Professor of Marketing at Tulane University, where she developed and instructed experiential learning programs for undergraduate business and MBA students. Before academia, Dr. DeLong led consumer and business analytics efforts for Entergy Corporation’s regulated and competitive energy markets. She also directed competitive intelligence and marketing research programs at Bozell & Jacobs for clients across numerous industries. Dr. DeLong regularly presents her research at professional and academic conferences. With a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Nebraska, she has published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Marketing Education Review, Public Personnel Management, Journal of Marketing Education, and other outlets. Dr. DeLong is the Editor of the Marketing Management Journal and, in 2022, was awarded the American Marketing Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The School of Business and Enterprise will help our students develop a deep understanding of applied sustainability principles combined with the practical skills and expertise they need to thrive in today’s volatile business climate,” said Dr. Delong. “I am thrilled and honored to collaborate with an exceptional team of academic and practitioner colleagues who, like me, could not be more excited to get started on this next step in the evolution of our programs.”
Contact communications@chatham.edu for media inquiries or additional information.