“I love the Faculty’s mandate to inspire solutions. When you think about the function of a Faculty of Management in the University, no other Faculty has quite that same mandate – we take ideas from inspiration to realization. That is our talent set and intellectual project. It is exciting to be in a place that is so actively engaged in making the world a better place one organizational or individual decision at a time.”
Kim Brooks
Dean, Faculty of Management
Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law
Dalhousie Faculty of Management’s incoming dean, Kim Brooks is excited to connect with alumni and friends across the country. In a recent virtual interview with CEGE Connection, Kim shared her thoughts on embracing a new adventure and her plans for the coming year.
Tell us a little about yourself:
I was born in Saskatchewan and I have lived in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. If you track back a couple of generations, one strand of my family came from Freeport, Nova Scotia. The great thing about that is that no matter who I meet from Canada, I usually have some connection to where they live!
I went to University of Toronto for my undergraduate degree, where I had a double major in English and Economics. From there, I studied law at UBC and then completed a Masters in Taxation at Osgoode (York University). I practiced tax law for a while in Toronto at Stikeman Elliott. But I missed the varied discussions that you find at the University – I love talking to people about everything from astronomy to psychology to engineering.
What attached you to the FoM Deanship position?
I love the Faculty’s mandate to inspire solutions. When you think about the function of a Faculty of Management in the University, no other Faculty has quite that same mandate – we take ideas from inspiration to realization. That is our talent set and intellectual project. It is exciting to be in a place that is so actively engaged in making the world a better place one organizational or individual decision at a time.
What are your goals and vision for the faculty?
I do not think I personally have any goals or vision: I think our project is to work together to elevate our game. We have this fantastic vision already – where will it take us in the next three to five years?
Top priority over the next year?
Survival? No! More seriously, I think we have lots of experience with online teaching and learning in our Faculty, so we are so much more prepared for this moment than lots of other institutions. A major priority internally is to support colleagues as we try to make this year great for students in the face of some substantial challenges. But I also think we have room to move strategically as a Faculty. I would like us to be the faculty of choice for students, staff, faculty members, policy makers, organizations and communities who want to generate real world solutions.
What message would you like to convey to students starting their academic career with Dal’s FoM?
This year is going to be different: see if there are differences that are appealing to you. Think about how you learn and whether there are ways that virtual and online options might enable you to structure your life in ways that you would not have expected. Do not be reluctant to reach out to your profs and fellow students and build community. We are here to support you and make your time at Dal extraordinary.
Kim Brooks
Dean, Faculty of Management
Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law
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