A peer-to-peer discuss with the Dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics at California State University Northridge.

🎙️Being a student-centric Dean is no easy feat—especially when serving a population where 70% of students are the first in their families to attend college. In Deans Counsel Episode 82, Dean Chandra Subramaniam of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics at CSUN joins panelists Jim Ellis and David Ikenberry to discuss the specialized resources, programming and experiences that bridge the professional gap for their students.

Beyond the curriculum, Dean Subramaniam shares their unique approach to measuring outcomes and defining success—a strategy that is driving tangible results and creating lasting positive change for one of the nation’s most diverse student populations.

"So much of what we have thought about at the college has been: How do we make sure we take this set of students and make them successful? We need to provide the social skills and professional development, but beyond that, we need to find another pathway if they are going to be competitive." — Dean Chandra Subramaniam

In this episode, Dean Subramaniam details the oversight of Nazarian’s VITA program, which facilitates over $16M in annual returns and provides massive regional economic support. He also shares strategic insights into maintaining an ecosystem that yields 900 professional internships annually for students balancing significant external work mandates.

Furthering this commitment to experiential learning, Subramaniam breaks down the clinical model behind the nation’s only business school-led Low Income Tax Clinic, where students navigate real-world negotiations in U.S. Tax Court. The conversation also provides a roadmap for scaling industry-recognized micro-credentials—growing from 80 to over 4,500 in just four years—to ensure graduates possess the "hard skills" required for immediate market entry.

This episode serves as a powerful reminder that higher education is a vital force for social change and remains an essential case study for academic leaders seeking to leverage their institutions as primary drivers of upward mobility.

Listen to the full conversation here:

Photos courtesy of CSUN

Learn more about Chandra Subramaniam here.