John Shearn Chair and Professor of Business Debika Sihi was chosen by the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) Member Institutions and Board of Directors as one of their 2026 Connectors That Change Lives. The award expands CTCL’s tradition of uplifting student-centered leaders to faculty, staff, students, and administrators across CTCL member institutions whose dedication, leadership, and care profoundly shape student experiences and campus communities. The Connectors That Change Lives Award honors those whose contributions exemplify student centered values, community engagement, and a belief in education as a transformative force.

Alumna Katie Markey ’25 and Professor of Business Debika Sihi led a special session at the American Academy of Advertising (AAA) 2026 Annual Conference, held in Austin from March 26–29. They developed a workshop based on their research examining how AI is transforming marketing and advertising practice. In the session, they introduced participants to the CRAFT framework (Curate, Refine, Assess, Frame, Transform), a structured approach for guiding effective engagement with AI-generated outputs.

Professor of Business Debika Sihi presented on complementing data intensive coursework with outdoor experiential learning at the Marketing Management Association Conference, held March 19–20 online… thus, #1 dog Winston could listen along with the other faculty. In addition, she moderated a session on innovations in marketing education, examining customer prediction models and the use of generative AI in brand messaging, as well as another session on sales education.

For the first time, Southwestern University was represented at the 2025 HSI Battle of the Brains, a premier national competition that brings together top student talent from across the country to solve real-world business and technology challenges. Southwestern’s inaugural team included eight exceptional students: Asin Allavudeen ’27, Santiago Cuevas ’26, Cassidie Gomez ’26, Julyssa Hernandez ’27, Yeva-Mariya Hayko ’26, Anna Hulett ’28, Alyanna Martinez ’27, and Juan Carlos Martinez Varela ’27. Selected through a competitive internal application process, the students participated in a 24-hour cross-disciplinary challenge integrating computer science, marketing, finance, and sustainable business strategy. They also engaged in professional development workshops led by industry leaders from Dell Technologies, eBay, Thrivent Financial, Capital One, and The Home Depot. Southwestern’s team earned first place in the Video Marketing Challenge, an interactive activity sponsored by Kickin It ATX that tested their creativity and collaboration under a time constraint. In addition, Juan Carlos Martinez Varela was awarded scholarships from both Dell Technologies and eBay in recognition of his outstanding academic and professional accomplishments and his ability to make a lasting impression on company representatives throughout the event. Special thanks to the faculty and staff who coordinated the team’s participation: Hispanic Academic Success Coordinator Amalia Merino, Director of the Center for Career & Professional Development Adrian D. Ramirez, Associate Professor of Spanish Abby Dings, and Professor of Business Debika Sihi. Gratitude is also extended to the blind judges who assisted with the internal selection process, Assistant Vice President of Admission Christine Bowman, Director of Admission Jaime Gonzalez, and Professor of Kinesiology Scott McLean, as well as Visual Content Producer Todd White for photography and videography of the event.

Professor of Business Debika Sihi had her chapter titled “Advertising and Connected Experiences Through Smart Home Devices” accepted for publication in the forthcoming book Developing Digital Narratives in Marketing Communication. This chapter examines how smart home devices like speakers, TVs, and appliances create marketing opportunities through personalized, interactive ads. While convenience and relevance are benefits, challenges include privacy concerns and ad fatigue. Both marketers and consumers stress the need for trust, non-intrusive design, and ethical, transparent strategies as device adoption grows amid evolving privacy rules.