Dayle Smith, dean of LMU College of Business Administration, has been honored with the 2025 Patricia M. Flynn Distinguished Woman in Business Education Award. This annual award recognizes female thought leaders whose leadership, research, and educational initiatives have profoundly impacted women and made a significant difference in business education.
The prestigious accolade was presented at the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International Conference and Meeting in Vienna, Austria. Established in 2016 by Women Advancing Management Education (WAME) – AACSB’s largest affinity group – the award is named in honor of Patricia M. Flynn, professor emeritus of management and economics at Bentley University, who was the inaugural recipient.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this award and be recognized by my peers,” said Smith. “A heartfelt thanks to the WAME selection committee. I am so proud to be a part of this amazing affinity group of women and allies in business education who continue to open doors and pave the way for other women business school leaders.”
Throughout her career, Smith has been dedicated to fostering innovation, generating impact, and empowering the next generation of business school leaders. She is a former chair of WAME and continues to make an impact through its steering committee.
Monica Adya, WAME chair and dean at the Rutgers School of Business, shared: “We congratulate Dayle and thank her for the tremendous impact she’s had on business education through her leadership and service!”
Smith is president of the International Association of Jesuit Business Schools (IAJBS) and serves on the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). She also sits on the Advisory Board for World Trade Center Los Angeles (WTCLA), the Board of Governors for Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society, and the Board of Trustees for the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI). Smith previously served on the AACSB Innovation Committee, participating in strategic dialogue around inclusivity, technology, and the impact of business education on society. She is a founding member of Women in Business Education (WiBE) and has been named five times to the LA500 “Most Influential People in Los Angeles” list by the Los Angeles Business Journal.