The Memorial experience
A long-time member of Memorial University’s business faculty has taken on a new leadership role.
Dr. Mary Furey is the new associate dean of undergraduate programs and accreditation at the Faculty of Business Administration.
But she began her time at Memorial as a student before progressing through roles as a staff member in several departments, per course instructor in Computer Science and Business, and full-time faculty member in Business.
Her most recent staff position before shifting to academia was manager of the business faculty’s information technology (IT) unit.
“I welcome the opportunity to continue to work in a strong environment that empowers and motivates employees.” — Dr. Mary Furey
Dr. Furey holds two undergraduate degrees in science and education from Memorial as well as a master of business administration from the business faculty.
She earned a PhD in crisis management and decision-making in virtual environments from Strathclyde University in Scotland.
“As a staff member, I enjoyed the interactions of working with my unit to be a support for faculty, staff and students as well as helping the IT team grow and evolve,” Dr. Furey said. “I miss being part of a team that supports offices running smoothly, and I welcome the opportunity to continue to work in a strong environment that empowers and motivates employees.”
Navigating nuances
Dr. Travor Brown, dean, says the role of associate dean is broad, and that Dr. Furey’s experience in all aspects of the Memorial experience – from student to alumni and staff to faculty member – will help her navigate its nuances.
“Our undergraduate programs constitute our largest number of students as well as our largest alumni group,” said Dr. Brown. “This role is critical to the success of these programs, as well as to the continuous improvement necessary to ensure we consistently prepare students for the modern working world.”
“Her diverse experiences will also help her not only relate to employees, faculty and students in their different roles, but also better understand the specific needs and challenges of them as well,” he added. “We’re excited to have Dr. Furey leading our undergraduate programs and accreditation processes.”
Teaching and service
Dr. Furey has been teaching business management, computer science and information systems since 1998.
In recent years, her research has focused on the impact of virtuality on crisis management.
During her time as a faculty member, she’s served on the Senate Committee on Course Evaluations and the executive council for the Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty Association (MUNFA).
“These roles allowed me to learn a lot about work across the university and different working conditions, grievances that people have and the sources of people’s problems,” she said. “It was also interesting to look at the different methods of gathering student feedback as feedback is critical to improve our programs.”
Memorial’s business faculty has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) since 2002.
It’s the global standard for quality business education, with only six per cent of business schools around the world earning this mark of distinction.
The faculty is also accredited by Chartered Professionals in Human Resources, Newfoundland and Labrador, Co-operative Education and Work-integrated Learning, Canadian Professional Sales Association and Supply Chain Canada.
Learn more about the faculty’s accreditations and partnerships here.