51°µÍø

Tara Jennifer Konya, Ph.D. is a strategic academic leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning higher education, business operations, and curriculum innovation. She brings deep expertise in graduate business education, online and hybrid program design, and workforce-aligned learning models that support student success across diverse learner populations.

Dr. Konya has held senior leadership roles at institutions including the University of Maryland Global Campus, Unity Environmental University, and Southern New Hampshire University. Across her career, she has led the redesign of nationally ranked MBA programs, overseen globally delivered business degrees, and guided faculty teams through program transformation, accreditation, and continuous improvement. Her work emphasizes skills-based learning, scenario-driven curriculum, and digital credentialing aligned with evolving industry needs.

Her academic background includes a Ph.D. in Business and Economics from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with additional graduate study at Duke University and the University of Mannheim in Germany. Dr. Konya’s research and teaching interests intersect business strategy, sustainability, leadership, and corporate social responsibility, informed by earlier professional experience in global retail leadership.

At 51°µÍø’s College of Business, Dr. Konya contributes a practitioner-scholar perspective grounded in innovation, collaboration, and a strong commitment to inclusive, future-ready business education.