Student Engagement

Carla Mandell is a hybrid thinker, where design thinking and strategy blend with business practice. She brings a diverse background in higher education, accounting, nonprofit planning and program development, event management, as well as project and data management. 

Before joining OSU, she spent seven years at Rutgers University, where she focused on continuous improvement processes and helped students develop professional skills, including through experiential learning opportunities. She specializes in entrepreneurship, innovation, and developing employable skills. She continues to serve as an adjunct instructor at Rutgers University and at Thomas Jefferson University, where she teaches graduate courses in Design Thinking and New Product Development.

Carla earned her Ed.D. from Northeastern University, where her research focused on The Future of Business Education: Connecting Value and Relevancy. She received her MBA in Strategic Design and BS in Accounting from Thomas Jefferson University. She also earned her CPA and certificates in Professional Meeting Planning, Online Teaching, and Social Entrepreneurship.