Building Our Collective Future

Dream, plan, prepare oneself, create value, take risks, give back

This was the late Jon M. Huntsman’s challenge to Huntsman School of Business leadership and students, scrawled on a notepad more than 15 years ago. Dave Patel keeps a copy of this note on his wall, and has lived by its directive every day in his efforts to transform the School into one of the premier business schools in the Intermountain West.

Patel joined the Huntsman School in 2010 and immediately identified the need to modernize outdated processes and reporting systems to better serve student interests. He introduced online scheduling and optimized technology to streamline additional student services and centralize reporting, improving operational efficiency and the overall student experience. Later, he led the creation of an alumni database to build and maintain relationships with HSB alumni. He organized efforts to involve successful alumni who generously share their time and talents to build the school and support recruitment by teaching, mentoring students, and creating internships and job opportunities.

As Associate Dean for Student & External Affairs, Patel was closely involved in the building of Huntsman Hall which opened in 2016. In 2017 he was named Executive Director of the Huntsman Scholar Program where he reengineered a holistic student experience centered around rigorous coursework, close mentorship by faculty, and student participation in business clubs and experiential learning opportunities to build professional skills.

“I had a great experience as a student at USU. I learned more from experiential opportunities, such as serving as student body vice president and as a student-athlete, than from any one class. I learned from amazing teachers and mentors like Carolyn Rhodes and Randy Simmons,” says Patel. “My experience served as a guidepost to create a platform whereby all students could benefit from teachers and mentors and from experiential opportunities.”

Patel quadrupled student participation in the Scholars program to 400 students and designed a 4-year co-curricular program that included ten core classes and four learning labs based on the School pillars of ethical leadership, analytical rigor, entrepreneurial spirit, and global vision.

Patel led the development of the Freshman Academy to expand a culture of excellence to the entire Huntsman School student body. From the first day in the School, incoming freshmen are challenged to develop an academic plan for career success immediately upon graduation. They are encouraged to take advantage of the investment of faculty time and School resources in their education by participating in leadership labs and student clubs that focus on professional development.

Preston Naegle, Sam Nelson and Charity Johnson served with Dave in the Huntsman Scholars program and recall the deep impact he had on their educational experience.

“Dave’s profound dedication to students and his unwavering commitment to their success have significantly impacted both me and the Huntsman School of Business. He played a pivotal role in driving the school toward Jon M. Huntsman’s vision of becoming the top undergraduate business school in the nation. Not only did he increase the value of my education through his work, but he took the time to personally guide and mentor me,” recalls Naegle.

Says Nelson, “I had the privilege of learning from many incredible mentors at Utah State, and Dave Patel stands out among them. His sincerity and genuine desire for my success were always evident, and he left a lasting positive impact on my life. He made me believe in my potential to achieve great things.”

“Dave was a great mentor and leader in the Huntsman School. He wasn’t the type to sit in an office; he was out among the students almost every time I saw him. He also made an effort to know the students, including me, personally. He knew my name when we spoke, was interested in my life, and was always cheering me on. That kind of support is invaluable as a student,” says Johnson.

“I think my entire journey through Huntsman has been about reengineering the student experience,” says Patel. “From small, mechanical things like an automated process to make advising appointments, pioneered at Huntsman and then adopted across USU, to integrating classroom instruction and experiential learning to create a holistic platform of opportunities for all students. And thinking about how we involve and engage our alumni and friends in this process, so it’s not just faculty and staff interacting with students, but an entire community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends building our collective future.”

His efforts to transform the student experience have led to increased enrollments and the School’s ability to attract the best and brightest students. Greater student participation in professional clubs and growing success at competitions has attracted the recruiting efforts of large corporations nationwide, with students being recruited in higher numbers and to higher placements.

Douglas D. Anderson, dean of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, notes, “Dave Patel has been an excellent partner, friend, and colleague at the Huntsman School. His impact on this college and Utah State University has been profound.

“As I consider Dave’s many contributions, I am amazed at what he can accomplish in a single year. Add those years together throughout his tenure, and it is simply astonishing.

“He is a deep, holistic, and strategic thinker. He is not satisfied with ‘good enough.’ He strives for excellence in everything he does. He takes initiative. He imagines a better way, a bolder ambition, a nobler ideal and then figures out how to make it happen. He truly exemplifies our motto, ‘Dare Mighty Things.’”

After almost 14 years at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Patel has accepted a call from the University of Utah to serve as managing director for strategic economic partnerships, working directly with President Taylor Randall.

“Our community of students, faculty and staff colleagues, alumni, and friends have all been the beneficiaries of his commitment to excellence. The University of Utah is indeed fortunate to have attracted Dave Patel to this new challenge. We wish him well in the next phase of his career,” says Anderson.

In announcing his decision to accept this new challenge, Patel said, “I am excited for this new chapter in my professional journey because the State of Utah opened its arms to my family when we immigrated to Salt Lake City in 1978. This position affords me an opportunity to pay that forward in a way by facilitating economic development that leads to greater prosperity for all Utahns.”

left quotation Dave was a great mentor and leader in the Huntsman School. He wasn't the type to sit in an office; he was out among the students almost every time I saw him. He also made an effort to know the students, including me, personally. He knew my name when we spoke, was interested in my life, and was always cheering me on. That kind of support is invaluable as a student.
-Charity Johnson