Larisa Genin (pronounced JENN-IN), associate dean of the School of Economics and Business
Administration at Saint Mary’s College of California, has been named dean of the W.
Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University, effective June 17, 2019.
“In Dr. Genin’s visits to Wichita this spring, and in discussions with those who have
worked with her, we were impressed with her accomplishments, strategic approach, focus
on student success, communication skills and vision for the Barton School,” said WSU
Provost Richard Muma, who appointed Genin. “Faculty, staff, students and members of
the business community who met her thought she would be an excellent fit for the university
and the city.”
Muma said he has asked Genin to prepare to focus immediately on connecting the Barton
School’s faculty and staff to WSU’s focus as an urban public research university by
increasing enrollment opportunities and helping business and industry solve some of
their most pressing issues.
Developing innovative curricular approaches and applied learning experiences for students,
as well as raising money to support the Barton School programs, are additional priorities,
Muma said.
Genin succeeds Anand Desai, who is retiring after four years as dean and 25 years
in the Kansas public university system.
“I am very honored and excited to serve as the next dean of the Barton School,” Genin
said. “I am confident that together as a team, we can take the school to unprecedented
heights of excellence, with special emphasis on applied learning and research.”
“The WSU Foundation campaign’s tagline, ‘Shock the World,’ resonates with me,” Genin
said. “I appreciate the donors who have provided strong financial support for a new
business building, and I’m excited about working with students, faculty, staff and
the business community to turn this vision into a launching pad for student success.”
In her role as associate dean at her current school, she provides leadership in the
areas of strategic planning, accreditation, enrollment, marketing, curricular development,
student experience and success, academic standards and alumni relations.
Genin has been instrumental in co-leading the development and implementation of the
school’s five-year strategic plan, doubling undergraduate enrollment, redesigning
academic programs, and strengthening the student experience.
She also successfully led the school’s efforts in obtaining and maintaining accreditation
from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Genin was a 2014-2015 participant in the American Council on Education Fellowship
Program – a premier leadership development program focusing on preparing the next
generation of senior leaders for the nation's colleges and universities.
Her scholarly interests focus on the areas of globalization, innovation, online marketing,
personal branding and marketing education.
The Barton School of Business is home to the largest selection of AACSB-accredited
programs in the state and is one of the few schools in the nation to have all of its
undergraduate and graduate business and accounting programs fully accredited. Students
have secured high-profile internships with companies such as Microsoft, Google, Koch
Industries, the Mayo Clinic and the White House.
The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the
greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly
15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas
of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master's and
12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State's Innovation
Campus is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use
areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to
the university's vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on
Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.
