Carrying Forward the Sharma Legacy

For the past 15 years, Dean Sanjay Sharma and Dita Sharma have dedicated themselves to the Grossman School of Business. Through their vision and leadership, Grossman has become a top-tier business school where students receive a world-class education that prepares them for successful careers.

From 2011 to 2025, the Sharmas transformed the school into a nationally and globally recognized leader in business education. Under Dean Sharma’s leadership, the school was named in honor of the Grossman family, launched the Sustainable Innovation MBA — ranked the #1 Green MBA in the U.S. for eight consecutive years and #2 globally by Corporate Knights — and elevated its Master of Accountancy program to the Top 5% nationwide.

Grossman has consistently ranked among the Top 30 business schools in the U.S., the Top 10 globally for societal impact, and the Top 25 worldwide for its Family Business program. Enrollment has grown 25% above UVM’s target, ten endowed faculty positions were created, and Ifshin Hall was built as the university’s only 100% donor-funded building. Dean Sharma also championed experiential learning, establishing the Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition and other signature programs that connected students with business leaders worldwide.

At the close of this academic year, Dean Sharma will retire, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, excellence, and care for students. In honor of his leadership — and the shared commitment of both Sanjay and Dita — we invite you to celebrate their impact by supporting the next generation of business leaders at UVM.

This campaign was launched in Summer 2025 with a generous $1 million gift to support scholarships for Grossman students — and now we’re asking our entire community to join in showing their support as we look to the future.

As the Grossman School of Business enters this time of transition, your support matters more than ever. By giving to the area at Grossman that inspires you most, you join a community of alumni, parents, and friends who are investing in the school’s future.

Our initial goal is to reach a milestone of 250 donors by the end of the academic year. Every gift — no matter the size — not only honors the legacy of Sanjay and Dita Sharma, but also ensures the school and its next leader have the resources needed to thrive in the years ahead.

The Sharmas’ work has been made possible through the generosity of alumni, parents, and friends, and your continued support will help build on this success.

We invite you to consider supporting one of Grossman’s top priorities:

• GSB Endowment & Dean’s Fund: Provides flexible resources that allow the school to grow and adapt.
• Experiential Learning: Builds on the Sharmas’ emphasis on initiatives like the Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition and other student competitions.
• Career Services Fund: Ensures students are well-prepared for successful careers after graduation.
• Scholarships: Keeps a Grossman education accessible and affordable for all.

To reach our goal, we need your help. Please consider signing up as an Advocate and encouraging your network to make a gift.

If you get another donor to give using your unique Advocate link, we’ll send you a special Grossman-branded YETI when the campaign ends in May!

To become an Advocate, scroll down to the Advocate section of the campaign page and select “Become an Advocate.” From there, you can create an account or log in if you already have one with GiveCampus, our social fundraising platform.

Once you’re set up, you can generate a custom link to share with your network. Post it on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn, or copy and share it however you’d like.

As long as someone gives using your link, you’ll receive credit for their gift.

If you have any questions or need us to manually credit you for a donation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Wil Nelms, Executive Director of Annual Giving, at wnelms@uvm.edu or (802) 656-5736.

Thank you for your advocacy!