Welcome

Steve A. Varela, PhD

with iSteve

Steve considers himself an accomplished corporate executive and current management scholar whose academic experience ranges from large public research universities with 80,000 down to intimate, 600-student private colleges. Similarly, his broad executive experience included managing US$330M joint ventures with partners from Brazil, Mexico, Italy, and Venezuela, utilizing state-owned suppliers from China and Russia.

The nature of his faculty appointments span a wide spectrum, from institutions in democratic Taiwan to counterparts in Mainland China’s one‑party system, all shaped by a shared Confucian heritage. He designed and delivered several contextualized courses for executives in Asia, and similarly crafted courses on East West Negotiation for North American Students.

Across Europe, Dr. Varela has taught Leadership and Strategy to U.S. and NATO forces in the CENTCOM theater, as well as First Year Studies and Principles of Management to skin divers in the African Niger Delta.

He now brings those broad expereinces to his department designing curriculum, cross-border programming, crafting faculty rank and tenure programs, and estabishing practices for authentic shared governance.

Stepping back from these wildly different environments, he points to a single, universal takeaway: regardless of background, people overwhelmingly want to elevate themselves and support the common good.

iSteve serves as his digital teaching assistant.

Professor

Dr. Varela's passion is in the classroom designing high-value learning environments that address today's managerial challenges in ways that produce good goods that serve the common good and prepare indiividuals for dignified, satisfying lives. Yes, these individuals will be able to both sleep at night and provide for themselves and their families.

Chair

Designing strategic programming that offers high value transformation draws on Dr. Varela's 17+ years delivering coursework that traverses the management discipline. This integration is also integrated with the needs of individual flourishing and societal development to form brighter futures.

By the Numbers...

Impact and Experience

45 + 5

Countries & Continents of Exeperience

US$330M+

International Joint Venture Management

3

Fulbright Scholar Awards

2,000+

EMBA, MBA, and BBA Students Served

45%

Of Adult Life as an Expatriate

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