Lissa Cupp
University of Dayton
“Professor Cupp has been such an incredible role model for me. She is the academic advisor for Women in Business and has always shown such an incredible care for each and every one of us involved. She always made me feel empowered and gave me the confidence to believe I myself might be able to one day become an entrepreneur like her.” – Colette Ulepic
Lissa Cupp, 56, is a senior lecturer of marketing at the University of Dayton. After a twenty-year corporate career that included serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Berkshire Hathaway’s media group and Senior Vice President at Angie’s List, she now brings that real-world perspective into every class she teaches.
She also held senior digital and e-commerce leadership roles at Scotts Miracle-Gro, and Mead/ACCO Brands, giving her deep expertise in digital transformation, subscription models, omnichannel strategy, and consumer behavior. Those experiences now serve as the foundation of the hands-on, applied learning she creates for students.
At Dayton, Cupp designs her courses around real projects, real clients, and real accountability. Students build social campaigns for nonprofits, create omnichannel strategies for live partners, and present their work to professionals who often become mentors or internship supervisors.
She advises the Marketing Club and Women in Business, serves as the Professional Faculty Representative to the Academic Senate, contributes to the Faculty Affairs Committee, and facilitates leadership and professional development programs for the University of Dayton Center for Leadership, including Big Rocks of Life, Power of Purpose, Career Reinvention for Women Leaders, Marketing Day for Emerging Leaders, and Leading Change at the First Level.
Cupp has led multiple study abroad programs in Spain and Ireland that integrates company work, cultural immersion, and global business exposure. Her study abroad experiences are known for moving beyond the classroom, giving students meaningful opportunities to engage with international businesses (Google, Pinterest, and others), media organizations, and community partners.
She is also a sought-after consultant and coach with Blue Engine Collaborative, supporting Meta and Google News Initiative programs around the world. Her work has taken her across the United States, Brazil, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Italy, Belgium, and more. Cupp regularly helps startups, nonprofits, news publishers, and e-commerce companies build digital strategies that grow revenue and audiences. In addition, she works with EverScholar, a global lifelong learning organization that creates immersive programs centered on history, politics, philosophy, culture, and ideas.
Cupp created Big Rocks of Life, a personal and professional development platform built around helping people prioritize what matters most. She also founded Goal Driven Women, a community dedicated to encouragement, accountability, and leadership growth for women at every stage of their careers.
She serves on the Boards of Trustees for Clothes That Work and The Human Race Theatre Company. She has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Women of Impact by the Women in Business Network, a distinction honoring leaders who make significant contributions to business and community life.
She is currently completing her PhD in Educational Leadership at the University of Dayton. Her research explores the role of faculty-led networking, guest speakers, and project-based learning in shaping student success, confidence, leadership development, and early career outcomes.
BACKGROUND
At current institution since: 2016
Education: PhD in Educational Leadership (in progress), University of Dayton; MBA, Bowling Green State University; BA in Business Administration, Capital University
List of Undergraduate courses: New Product Development, Omnichannel Marketing (course creator), Social Media Marketing, Digital Marketing
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when… I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when I finished my MBA and realized it qualified me to teach. I already had the corporate role the MBA typically leads to, but I found myself most energized when I was mentoring others. I started teaching one class a semester while serving as VP of eCommerce at Scotts Miracle-Gro and kept teaching while climbing into C-suite roles.
Later, while serving as Chief Marketing Officer of Berkshire Hathaway’s media group and commuting between Omaha and Ohio every week, I continued to teach because it gave me purpose and balance. When Berkshire Hathaway exited the news business and I returned to Ohio to consult, I added another class during the pandemic and enjoyed it more than ever. When a full-time faculty role opened, I didn’t hesitate. It remains one of the best and most life-changing decisions I’ve ever made.
What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you have made from it? My current research examines how faculty-led networking, guest speakers, and company-based projects influence student success, leadership confidence, and early career outcomes. The clearest discovery so far is that when professors act as connectors, students begin to see themselves differently. They gain confidence, professional direction, and access in ways that traditional coursework alone does not provide.
This research is closely tied to my own journey. I grew up without a built-in network, and I learned early that relationships are created through curiosity, preparation, and intentional outreach. Those habits helped me rise from a latchkey kid to a C-suite leader and now to a senior lecturer. I see pieces of that story in my students every day. Many rely heavily on job boards until I remind them that networking is a verb. It requires action. When students reach out to guest speakers, alumni, and project partners, often with a little guidance and a few introductions, the opportunities open up almost immediately.
My dissertation builds on that lived experience by contributing to the scholarship on how proactive networking and experiential learning can influence student confidence, career outcomes, and in some cases, socio-economic mobility. I expect to defend within the next year and a half, and I hope this work strengthens the way business schools prepare students for careers built on connection, possibility, and real-world engagement.
If I weren’t a business school professor, I’d be… Leading marketing for a brand I believe in. I loved the pace, the creativity, and the challenge of my marketing career, and those experiences still shape how I teach. I was energized by building teams, solving problems, and connecting with customers, and that work continues to inspire the way I help students grow into their own careers.
What makes you stand out as a professor? I bring the real world into the classroom in a way that helps students understand both the strategy and the people-aspect of business. I give them a true peek behind the curtain, not only into how companies build marketing plans, but into how decisions are influenced by customers, leadership dynamics, competing priorities, and the internal politics that can shape outcomes. I talk openly about what actually happens inside organizations, including the challenges, tradeoffs, and moments that never make it into a textbook.
I see this method as my strength. My career gave me a front-row seat to how strategy comes to life, and I share those lessons with students so they can enter their own careers with insight, confidence, and a realistic sense of how to navigate professional environments. My goal is to help them feel prepared, informed, and ready to contribute from day one.
One word that describes my first time teaching: Exhilarating.
Here’s what I wish someone would have told me about being a business school professor: I wish someone had told me how much behind-the-scenes creativity and coordination go into designing a great class. The planning, the guest speakers, the activities, the real examples, and the hands-on projects all take time and thought, but they are also incredibly rewarding. I have learned that strong teaching is built long before anyone steps into the classroom.
Professor I most admire and why: I admire two professors who shaped my thinking in very different ways. One was an early college professor whose name I no longer remember, but whose message I never forgot. He told our class that we could become anything we chose. When we laughed, he walked us step-by-step through how someone could become a brain surgeon in ten years by breaking down every requirement. It was the first time anyone had shown me how a big dream becomes possible through smaller, intentional actions. That moment stayed with me and continues to influence how I coach students to think about their own goals.
The second is Professor Akhil Reed Amar of Yale. I have been fortunate to work with him in recent years and admire him both professionally and personally. He is one of the most respected constitutional scholars in the country, yet he also stays fully engaged in the world around him. He writes, teaches, records weekly episodes of the Amarica’s Constitution podcast, and contributes to national conversations with clarity and conviction. He is a scholar who remains at the forefront of his field, not only interpreting history but helping shape how people understand it today. His blend of intellectual rigor, public impact, and genuine curiosity is a model for the kind of relevance I strive to bring to business education.
TEACHING BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students What I enjoy most is seeing learning become real for students. There is nothing better than the moment when a concept clicks and they can immediately see how it applies beyond the classroom. A student in my omnichannel class once told me that his internship manager asked him to walk through what we were covering each week. They used our class discussions to shape their marketing approach for the quarter. Hearing that a student is influencing real work in real time because of something we covered together is incredibly meaningful.
I also love talking with students about their goals and helping them imagine the careers they want. Watching them gain confidence, pursue internships, and take the next steps in their journeys is one of the most rewarding parts of this job. I especially enjoy when they reach back out months or even years later to share where they landed.
And, I truly love the rhythm of the academic year. In my corporate life, there was no natural beginning or end, just a constant cycle. Academia moves with a different kind of intention. Each semester has its own energy, its own milestones, and its own sense of renewal.
What is most challenging? The most challenging part is the amount of behind the scenes work that goes into creating the kind of learning experiences I want my students to have. Designing projects that connect to real companies, coordinating guest speakers, updating content to reflect what is happening in the industry, and giving meaningful feedback all take time. But this is also the work that turns a class into something students carry with them beyond the semester. It is a big investment, but it is one I make gladly because it shapes the kind of experience I want them to have.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Curious. The students who lean in, stay alert, and show they are thinking deeply about the material, whether they speak up or not, are the ones who make teaching incredibly rewarding.
In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Distracting. I understand that not every student will love every topic, but behavior that pulls focus from others’ learning is the only thing that truly challenges the classroom environment.
When it comes to grading, students would describe me as Fair, with high expectations. Students know I want them to understand how to apply concepts, not just memorize them. I give thoughtful feedback because I want them to grow in their skills and confidence. They would probably also say I am perpetually “working on it” when it comes to grading, but that the feedback they receive is worth the wait.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? I love taking sunset walks with our dog on the golf course behind our house. It is the quiet part of my day when everything slows down and I can take a breath. I have also fallen into a bit of a jigsaw puzzle phase, which makes me wonder if I am slowly becoming my grandmother, but I find it both calming and oddly addictive.
I enjoy hosting friends and family for dinners, celebrations, or just an excuse to get people together. I love to read, and I am a big fan of anything in the entertainment world. Movies, theatre, and comedy are my favorites, and I can happily spend way too much time going down an IMDb rabbit hole.
How will you spend your summer? Traveling. I will be teaching study abroad in Ireland again next summer, which has become one of the most energizing parts of my year. In years past, I have taught in Spain and Ireland, and I love watching students experience business and culture through a global lens. While I am abroad, I also take time to explore nearby places like Paris, London, Italy, and Germany, and I enjoy visiting friends around the world whenever I can.
Favorite place to vacation: Italy. My family is from Cavasso, a small town near the Alps north of Venice, and returning there has been one of my favorite travel experiences. Visiting Venice, exploring the countryside, and spending time on the Amalfi Coast are memories I treasure. Italy is a place I am always excited to visit again.
Favorite book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek. I return to this book often because it captures something I talk about constantly in my classes and consulting work. Understanding your “why” shapes everything from how you serve customers to how you lead teams and make decisions. The core idea aligns closely with my own philosophy, especially in my speaking engagements and Big Rocks of Life work, where I encourage people to focus on purpose and put their most important priorities first.
Favorite movie or show: My favorite movie is Hidden Figures, especially the story of Dorothy Vaughan. I use it often when speaking about women in leadership. I love how she recognized that NASA’s future was changing, found a programming book at the library, and taught herself the skills she needed to stay ahead. She was talented and ambitious, but what stands out most is how she brought her entire team with her when she stepped into a new role. Her blend of courage, curiosity, and generosity is the kind of leadership I want my students to see.
Favorite music or artist: My favorite artist is Billy Joel, and I have a real love for piano bars. There is something special about the singalong energy and the camaraderie of a room full of people enjoying the same song. For my 50th birthday, we even hosted a piano bar party at our home with a hired “piano man” for an unforgettable evening.
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this… The business school of the future will thrive when it continues to elevate innovation and real-world application. Students should graduate with a portfolio of meaningful work that shows what they can create and the problems they know how to solve. That includes deeper partnerships with organizations, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and more opportunities for students to engage with real projects and real challenges.
I am proud that the University of Dayton is already moving in this direction, and I am excited to be part of the ongoing conversations around curriculum development as we look for ways to keep adapting. Our focus on experiential learning and industry collaboration gives students the confidence and skills to contribute on day one. Expanding this approach across business schools would prepare graduates to lead with insight, adaptability, and purpose.
In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at… Innovating, testing, learning, and adapting. Change is constant, and the pace of technological and business transformation is accelerating. Organizations need to build cultures where experimentation is encouraged, feedback is valued, and teams are comfortable evolving their approach as the world shifts around them.
I’m grateful for… I’m grateful for a lot, and gratitude is something I practice intentionally. Each November I write a Gratitude Month blog and share something every day, which has become one of my favorite traditions. I am especially grateful for my family, meaningful work, good health, and the fun and connection that fill my life. And of course, I am grateful for all my “big rocks,” the priorities that keep me grounded and focused on what matters most.
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