New dean guided by listening and focused on student success
Steve Elias brings passion for promoting student success through immersive education and enthusiasm for relationship-building to his new role at the Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business (MCB).
When he arrived at the University of Northern Colorado in July, Steve Elias, Ph.D., already had a slate of meetings scheduled. And that’s just how the new dean of MCB wanted it. Throughout his career in higher education — including long tenures at New Mexico State University and Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado — he discovered his greatest strength lies in building meaningful relationships.
“A priority for me is getting to know everyone across campus and in the community,” Elias said. “How I interact with students, alumni, faculty, the president, provost, community members and everyone else is the same. When people know you and your interest in working with them, it goes far.”
Whether he’s taking an overseas call from a faculty member at 6 a.m. on a Saturday, meeting with alumni on a weeknight or talking with students or staff during business hours, Elias prides himself on being available. He maintains a three-tiered open-door policy: if the door is wide open, it means come right in; if it’s cracked, knock first and he’ll likely stop what he’s doing for a brief chat; if the door is closed, he’s probably in a meeting.
With over 24 years in higher education, Elias has developed vast expertise. He has taught leadership and organizational behavior, managed administrative procedures, advanced efforts that promote student, faculty and staff success and cultivated and stewarded lasting alumni and donor relationships.
“All of those skillsets involve working with other people and nurturing relationships. I treat people the way I would want to be treated,” he said.
For Elias, the move to Greeley is like coming home. While earning a doctorate in Applied Social Psychology from Colorado State University, he met the love of his life. They’ve been married for 22 years and have twin 17-year-old boys. Before making Colorado his home, Elias earned a master’s degree in Applied Psychology from Auburn University Montgomery and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida.
When he talks about leading MCB, his excitement is palpable.
“I am passionate about interdisciplinary hands-on education because I understand its importance. Immersive education gets at the depth of learning because it leads students to think and experience things differently. The skills they develop will serve them even as their professions evolve,” he said.
Most recently, he held leadership roles at Fort Lewis College (FLC) and New Mexico State University (NMSU). At FLC, where he served as business school dean for eight years, he secured the school’s most significant gift, a $10 million endowment to name the school. He was instrumental in establishing the college’s largest endowed scholarship, first endowed professorship and the entrepreneurial-focused Center for Innovation — a community-facing center dedicated to start-ups and small business development throughout southwest Colorado.
Prior, he was at NMSU’s College of Business for nine years, serving in several roles. He directed the doctoral program; headed the management department, where he also was a professor; was interim associate dean for research; and directed the Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership program.
His short-term plans for MCB involve listening and preserving the college’s “phenomenal foundation” by ensuring everyone is on the same path. Long-term, as dean, he’ll set the course that everyone will navigate together. As he develops those plans, the perspectives of students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors are key.
“We stand to benefit tremendously from stable leadership, so that’s going to be a priority. Another priority is going to be listening. The programs we launched at Fort Lewis were successful because we listened. Whether it was an alumnus or business community member talking about what we could do differently or faculty and staff discussing whether we could do it,” Elias said.
While he acknowledges that the job of dean is not a nine-to-five position, he said it’s fun 99% of the time, allowing him to connect with people and create new opportunities. When he isn’t working, he enjoys live music and traveling with his family.
He said that with today’s rising tuition costs, many people question the value of higher education, even when a leading business school provides it.
“The value of higher education is there when higher ed is done correctly. It sets students up for future success because they’re able to think critically and be adaptive as time goes on. It’s just so important,” Elias said. “With those key skills they’re able to be successful, while also having a positive impact on society.
“To me, that is a clear demonstration of the value of higher ed, and I am very excited to lead a college that places such a high emphasis on creating value for our students and community.”
—Brenda Gillen
