Dean Filiz Tabak brought a broad portfolio of expertise when she came to lead the University of Mary Washington’s College of Business (COB) last summer. It helped her guide the college through a successful reaccreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB.
“This is a significant milestone signifying our commitment to academic excellence and the highest quality standards in business degree programs and in student success,” said Tabak in the announcement last week, thanking faculty, staff and administration for their collaborative efforts in achieving this prestigious honor. Only 6% of business schools worldwide have received this international recognition, she said, which COB first earned in 2018.
During the lengthy reaccreditation process, Tabak relied on the extensive knowledge base she built during her years at Towson University’s College of Business & Economics, where she taught courses in organizational leadership, management and more – while publishing research in countless peer-reviewed journals. There, she rose through the ranks, becoming graduate program director, department chair and acting associate dean.
Yet, her background goes beyond business. As a first-generation college student, Tabak earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and a master’s degree in marine physics and chemistry before working at Henkel. Getting a glimpse into the multinational corporation’s inner workings helped her discover a passion for organizational behavior, a field she focused on while earning an MBA at Bogazici University in Turkey and a Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University.
“My multidisciplinary background was a major asset, because I thought differently from my peers,” said Tabak, who sees the same multifaceted approach through the liberal arts at Mary Washington and her prior work at Towson.
