One of the strategic priorities at the Lam Family College of Business is Community Engagement. We dedicate resources to developing strong and sustained connections and working collaboratively with the business, academic and alumni communities. Through these efforts, we execute specialized programs, events, research projects and other engaging activities that expand the knowledge, skills, opportunities and networks of our students, faculty, staff, and any of our external community members.
Our annual flagship event, Women’s Emerging Leadership Forum (WELF), provides an engaging environment for participants to enhance their leadership skills, learn insights on career advancement and expand their professional network. This is an externally-focused event and open to everyone! Every year, WELF features a series of accomplished speakers and interactive activities that leave participants feeling inspired and empowered. Its vision includes stepping outside of our campuses to establish collaborations with corporations and to be able to connect with a diverse group of business and community members.
We celebrated WELF's 10th year anniversary with a sold-out crowd on October 25 at LinkedIn! We are grateful for all of our speakers, all participants, and LinkedIn for being part of the growing WELF learning community! Check out the links below to learn more.
WELF 2024 Event Page, News Story, and Photos.
WELF 2023 Event Page, News Story, and Photos.
The CE Initiative extends annual mini-grants to faculty in order to support, motivate and help produce community-engaged research and teaching activities. Applications are evaluated by a committee along several dimensions, including but not limited to: the project’s potential direct impact on its community stakeholder, along with its focus on diversity, inclusivity and equity; the project’s innovativeness; its potential to succeed; and the continuation of its impact in future years.
The biannual Community Engagement Performance Awards recognize selected faculty and staff for outstanding achievements in community engagement activities that have a meaningful and positive impact on a community.
Association of National Advertisers & Advertising Educational Foundation Conference
Date: November 21, 2024
Location: LFCoB Downtown Campus
- "Inclusive Marketing in the Age of AI" Join us for an exclusive, in-person one-day conference designed for ANA members, focused on how companies are driving marketing inclusivity in the age of AI. Hosted by the Lam-Larsen Community Engagement Initiative at the Lam Family College of Business, San Francisco State University, Downtown Campus, this event will showcase strategies from industry leaders who are embedding inclusivity into their marketing practices. Sessions will explore how inclusivity enhances media investments and measurement, helping to minimize bias and create more objective, effective marketing decisions. From case studies to actionable frameworks, attendees will gain insights into making inclusivity a cornerstone of their marketing strategy in today’s AI-driven world. Please see the event website for details. The agenda is in progress.
- Limited complimentary seats maybe available for interested faculty and students. Please email gulnur@sfsu.edu to be added to the list.
Personal / Professional Development Workshop for Our Students:
Date: Spring 2025 Academic Semester
Date: SFSU Main Campus, LFCoB, @the HUB
- VEKITA Personal/Professional Development Workshop
- Organized by LFCOB Community Engagement Initiative, Career Services and Professional Development Center, and Nicole Serena Silver, author, entrepreneur, and Forbes contributor.
- Students who complete all the modules will be given a certificate.
- Limited seats.
- Contact cobcareer@sfsu.edu to be added to the list.
Executive Development HR Event, Silicon Valley Executive Education
Date: January 24, 2024
Location: LFCoB Downtown Campus
- Lam-Larsen Community Engagement hosted the second Executive Development Community event by Robert David, Founder & Professional Faculty at Silicon Valley Executive Education and Shelley Greenwald Director, Global Leadership Development at Palo Alto Networks featuring a dynamic discussion by best-selling author and thought leader, John Hagel III on his most recent book “The Journey Beyond Fear” that addresses the psychology of change and how to navigate through change, followed by an engaging fireside chat with Shulagna Dasgupta, Senior Managing Director, Accenture on maximizing workforce potential while incorporating authentic compassion.
- Speaker: John Hagel
Internal Community Events with Alumni, Faculty, and Staff:
Date: June 11, 2023
Location: Zoom
- "Money Talks: Insights into Planning, Investing and Financial Psychology"
- Speaker: Bugra Bakan (MBA, '02), CFP
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a national Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-sponsored, volunteer-based initiative that provides free tax preparation to eligible individuals, including low-income taxpayers, students, the elderly, individuals with limited English proficiency, and those with disabilities, within the VITA scope. The SF State VITA program is co-sponsored by the Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB), the University Corporation, SF State (UCorp), United Way Bay Area (UWBA), and the IRS, and has been serving the community for nearly 20 years. With 50 IRS-certified student volunteers annually, it assists over 700 clients each year, making it one of California’s largest VITA programs. The program offers support in up to 20 languages and is led by Lena Yang, Assistant Professor of Accounting at LFCoB.
Visit the SFSU VITA program webpage to learn more: https://cob.sfsu.edu/VITA or contact the VITA Team at vita.sfsu@gmail.com during the tax season.
- Do you have a project/idea you’d like to share with our faculty and staff?
- Do you want to be in the loop with our WELF event?
- Do you want to be considered to be a speaker at one of our events?
- Do you/your company wish to consider sponsoring a project or an event?
We would love to hear from you! Please email gulnur@sfsu.edu.
Initiative Leadership
Gulnur Tumbat
Professor of Marketing
Director, Lam-Larsen Community Engagement Initiative
Lam Family College of Business, San Francisco State University
Email: gulnur@sfsu.edu