Muhlenberg College is welcoming new faculty to teach in its Department of Accounting, Business, Economics, and Finance (ABEF). Grace Simon (above left) will join the college as an assistant professor of business, and Rupsha Dey (above right) will join the college as an assistant professor of finance.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Dey and Dr. Simon to our faculty,” says Provost Laura Furge. “From an exceptionally strong pool of candidates, they distinguished themselves through their teaching, scholarship, and vision for engaging students in the evolving fields of finance and business. Their work will strengthen our curriculum and expand opportunities for students to pursue research, internships, and real-world industry experience.”
Their work will strengthen our curriculum and expand opportunities for students to pursue research, internships, and real-world industry experience.
Simon comes to Muhlenberg from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where she is wrapping up a doctorate in management and organizational behavior. Prior to that, she earned a master’s degree in management from Wharton and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Haverford College. Her research interests include prosocial behaviors, emotions, and interpersonal support at work, and she’s looking forward to mentoring students as they develop their own research projects or become involved with hers. Her industry experience includes roles with M&T Bank and Domino’s Pizza corporate headquarters.
“As someone shaped by a liberal arts education, returning to this kind of environment has been a dream of mine,” Simon says. “I am excited to teach in small classrooms where relationships can form and students can engage in hands-on, experiential learning — something management and business topics are uniquely suited for. On my visit day, I was so impressed by the students I met, many of whom were double-majoring or taking classes across many departments. That range of interests Muhlenberg students bring into the classroom will lead to richer discussions about how workplace dynamics actually unfold in different settings.”
Dey will defend her dissertation in economics at the University of New Hampshire’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics in May. Prior to that, she earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Calcutta and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Scottish Church College (both in Calcutta, West Bengal, India). Her research interests include financial economics, macroeconomics, macro-finance, and international economics, and she’s looking forward to collaborating with colleagues on a way to thoughtfully incorporate AI as a learning tool. Her industry experience includes research positions at NielsenIQ and the Centre for Development Research, Sustainability and Technical Advancement.
“I am thrilled to join the ABEF department at Muhlenberg College and be part of a community that values strong teaching and close student engagement. I truly enjoy teaching and working with students, and I look forward to creating an interactive classroom where students actively engage with economic concepts and discuss recent economic events,” Dey says. “In my classes, I like to use the think-pair-share technique, which allows students to reflect individually, discuss ideas with their peers, and then share their perspectives with the class. I believe this approach encourages participation, builds confidence, exposes students to different viewpoints, and helps them think more deeply about what they learn.”