December 2025

Vol. X Issue 2

I continue to be energized by the momentum and innovation that define the Rohrer College of Business. This month’s highlights showcase the remarkable achievements of our students, faculty, and programs—each a testament to our shared commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, responsible leadership, and real-world impact.

We are proud to celebrate Rowan’s Entrepreneurship Program once again being named a Top 50 program by The Princeton Review, reaffirming our national leadership. That entrepreneurial spirit was on full display at our inaugural Roots Market, where student and alumni founders transformed Business Hall into a vibrant marketplace of ideas and enterprises.

Our students continue to excel globally. Marketing and entrepreneurship student Nick Denzer earned second place at the Global Pitch Competition hosted by CEO, standing out among nearly 300 international entrants.

We are equally excited to welcome Dr. David Park to the RCB faculty. His research on organizational behavior, entrepreneurial well-being, and institutional change brings fresh insight to our scholarly community.

Together, these accomplishments reflect a thriving ecosystem where ideas advance, talent flourishes, and innovation takes hold. Thank you for your partnership and support. I look forward to the months ahead.

Warm regards,

Matt Sarkees, Ph.D.

Dean, Rohrer College of Business

Student founders from RCIE's AccelerateRU Summer Accelerator Program pictured with Chancellor Tony Lowman, RCIE Director Jessica Vattima, and Managing Partners Shawn Hill and Michael Connallon of Garden State Venture Partners.

Still growing: Rowan's Entrepreneurship program again named a "Top 50 by the Princeton Review

The Princeton Review, which annually scores the top entrepreneurship programs in the country, has once again included Rowan University’s popular, dynamic and results-oriented entrepreneurship program among the Top 50 in the U.S.

Centered in the School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the Rohrer College of Business, Rowan offers two undergraduate entrepreneurship majors – a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship that’s based in the RCB and a B.S. in Engineering Entrepreneurship through the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering – along with an entrepreneurship minor and several interdisciplinary Certificates of Undergraduate Study. Additionally, inter-college partnerships with the College of the Arts, the Ric Edelman College of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences, the College of Education, the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, and the School of Earth & Environment expand opportunities for students to think and act entrepreneurially.

Sweet Thang Boutique Cakery, and founder Yvonne Taylor, was one of the companies selling their products at the inaugural Rowan Roots Market

From the ground up: Inaugural "Roots Market" draws dozens of budding Rowan business people

The Rowan Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship welcomed dozens of student and alumni businesses to the inaugural Rowan Roots Market Nov. 4, celebrating the creative, community-minded spirit taking root among Rowan’s small business community.

RCIE Director Jessica Vattima said the event within Business Hall hosted nearly 40 student- and alumni- owned businesses and, limited only by space, could have taken many more.

“We had 80 applicants and accepted 37,” Vattima said. “They are all Rowan-grown, hidden gems from across campus.”



The event featured creators from across Rowan’s colleges – bakers, artists, authors, engineers and designers – each bringing their unique craft and entrepreneurial spirit to market. Drawing nearly 400 attendees throughout the day, several vendors sold out of product, some just three hours after the doors opened.

RCB student takes second place at global pitch competition

Rohrer College of Business marketing and entrepreneurship senior Nick Denzer made Rowan University proud by earning second place out of nearly 300 global applicants at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Global Pitch Competition held in Tampa, FL.

Denzer, founder of Pharma Connect Navigator, impressed judges with his innovative platform designed to help biotech and pharmaceutical innovators connect with the right manufacturing partners (CMOs and CDMOs) faster. The AI-driven system streamlines the matching process by aligning project needs, such as molecule type, development phase, and production scale, with verified manufacturer capabilities. Pharma Connect Navigator already has 22 biotech companies ready to match with qualified CDMOs, demonstrating strong early traction and industry relevance.

Denzer credits much of his success to the support he received from the Rowan Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (RCIE), housed in RCB's School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which provides mentoring, resources, and experiential learning opportunities to help student founders bring their ideas to life. “The RCIE community has been instrumental in helping me refine my pitch, develop my business model, and connect with mentors who guided me through each stage,” Denzer said.



The CEO Global Pitch Competition, hosted annually by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, brings together the world’s most promising student entrepreneurs. Denzer’s second-place finish reflects not only his personal innovation and drive but also the entrepreneurial mindset and technological agility championed by the Rohrer College of Business and RCIE.

New Faculty spotlight: Dr. David Park brings cutting-edge research to RCB

This fall, the Rohrer College of Business proudly welcomed Dr. Myeongho David Park, a rising scholar whose research sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship and stakeholder theory. In just his first semester at Rowan, Dr. Park has already made a remarkable impact—presenting three major studies at prestigious national conferences and contributing fresh insights into how entrepreneurs and organizations manage diverse stakeholders under complex institutional environments.

Dr. Park’s fall research agenda kicked off on September 6 at the Wharton People and Organization Conference at the University of Pennsylvania, where he presented “The Deterrent Effect of Interorganizational Mobility on Employee Misconduct: Evidence from Physician Overbilling in Medicare.” This collaborative work with Dr. Eunkwang Seo and Dr. Christopher Dinkel examines how employee mobility influences misconduct. This working paper is also a finalist for the 2025 SMS Best Conference Research Paper Award.

On October 12, Dr. Park took the stage at the Strategic Management Society Conference in San Francisco to present his study, “Institutional Change and Entrepreneurial Well-Being: The Impact of Minimum Wage Hikes on Entrepreneurial Depression.” This paper shows how institution-driven stakeholder management can influence the well-being of entrepreneurs.

Rounding out an exceptional fall, Dr. Park presented a third paper on October 24 at the Southern Management Association Conference in Greenville, SC. His work, “A Theory of Institution-Driven Stakeholder Management in Entrepreneurship,” offers a theoretical framework explaining how institutions shape stakeholder management practices in entrepreneurial settings.

In just a few months, Dr. Park has demonstrated a strong commitment to research excellence, academic engagement, and the advancement of knowledge in entrepreneurship, stakeholder theory, and institutions. The Rohrer College of Business is thrilled to have him on board and looks forward to the continued impact of his scholarship on our students, the region, and the broader academic community.

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