New Farmer School of Business dean Jenny Darroch answered five questions from the Cincinnati Business Courier's Liz Engel recently. Darroch moved into her new role in July, amidst the coronavirus pandemic that led to a very different fall experience for Miami University students. She talked about her experiences so far and her goals for the future.

On being the first woman to lead the Farmer School: "It’s not lost on me the fact we’re still pioneering. That the Farmer School is still a male-majority school. We know when we talk to our female students they often don’t feel like there’s a pathway for them. But we also know, by showing up as female leaders, we can start moving the needle."

On moving into her new role: "I think the thing I will always hold onto as my best memory of moving here is the level of support I’ve had from everybody. From staff to faculty to alumni ... When you walk in as a new person, you sometimes feel like everyone is watching. I feel this incredible sense that we’re all in this together."

On the future: "We have to start questioning our core assumptions, who we are, what our purpose is, how we deliver our courses, how we charge for our courses. I see this as an inflection point for higher education, for the school and the university, where we can take the best of what we have been doing through COVID and apply it to our future."

Read more from her interview (subscription required)