Meet the Dean of Opus College of Business
Laura Dunham, Ph.D.
About the Dean
Laura Dunham became the dean of the Opus College of Business on July 1, 2022.
Prior to her dean appointment, Dunham served as the associate dean of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, capturing national attention as the school has risen to become a top-25 undergraduate entrepreneurship program in the country. During her tenure, the Schulze School went from unranked to No. 23 on the Princeton Review's list of undergraduate entrepreneurship programs, as well as the nation’s top Catholic and Minnesota’s No. 1 undergraduate program.
Dunham joined St. Thomas in 2003, starting as an assistant professor in the Entrepreneurship Department and rising to associate professor. In addition to her academic responsibilities, she served as the vice chair and chair of Opus College of Business faculty and department chair in the Entrepreneurship Department.
Dunham has been actively engaged in advancing equity and inclusion on campus and across society. She has been instrumental in developing new partnerships between the Schulze School and local organizations to combat racism and expand entrepreneurial opportunities to emerging business leaders of color.
Dunham's focus on principled leadership, which has defined her career, led her to form a consortium with entrepreneurship professors at Stanford and Duke to train scholars and business leaders on better addressing the ethical challenges entrepreneurs face due to the pressures of engaging and persuading investors.
Dunham is a trusted and sought-after consultant, with major corporations such as Polaris, U.S. Bank, 3M, and Medtronic seeking her expertise, as well as leading organizations in the Twin Cities business community, from the Women's Health Leadership Trust to the Metro Regional Arts Council.
Dunham holds a Master of Business Administration and a doctorate in entrepreneurship and ethics from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from Miami University.
Read more about Dr. Laura Dunham.
“At the Opus College, we build on a foundation of excellence. We have an outstanding faculty and staff dedicated to delivering high-impact educational experiences for our students and creating meaningful value for our alumni, business partners, and community.”