What the change in leadership could mean for the university’s future
Following a competitive hiring process, current East Texas A&M Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sri Beldona has been selected as the new Dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Business. He will replace the current Dean, Dr. Dean Johnson, on Jul. 1, 2026. Coming off of over 20 years of academic experience and an additional six years in the private sector, Beldona aims to provide strong practical experiences to students and to foster further interconnectedness between the College of Business and other academic bodies at MTU.
“I want the College of Business to be integrated in a way with the entire Michigan Tech ecosystem where every student graduates with what we call an ‘entrepreneurial mindset,’” said Beldona in an interview with The Lode. “You might be working within a company, but having that kind of spirit makes you much more valuable.”
Beldona expressed an appreciation for programs at Michigan Tech that fuse practical business experience with academics, such as the Enterprise Program, and the interdisciplinary degree programs in Engineering Management and Construction Management.
Beldona stressed his aims to collaborate with others while seeking to improve upon College of Business programming. “I also want to see what current faculty have in mind,” said Beldona. “What are they considering, in terms of newer programs to bring to the student body, to ensure that we are always teaching relevant programs?”
Prior to his current role at East Texas A&M, Beldona previously served as the Dean at a different business college, the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University, as well as another previous administrative role at the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas. Prior to receiving his doctorate in Business Administration, he studied Marketing and Mechanical Engineering at multiple universities in India and the United States. He is also an experienced professor, having taught marketing courses and overseen senior capstone projects. Beldona has expressed interest in continuing to teach while in his new role at Michigan Tech.
The leadership transition in the months to come is not likely to significantly impact College of Business operations. More information on Beldona and his transition into the role of College of Business Dean can be found in the issue of Tech Today published on Mar. 6, 2026.
