Alabama’s Kay Palan: “We’ve always been a student-focused institution. We write it into our mission statement — that we’ll do things on a personal interaction basis.” Courtesy photos
Before Kay Palan became dean of the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business, she was a nurse — trained to think fast, adapt under pressure, and never lose sight of the human being in front of her. That mindset has guided her leadership of one of the largest and fastest-growing business schools in the South.
Since Palan took the helm in 2016, Culverhouse has reached record undergraduate enrollment, improved its national standing, and embedded real-world skills into every stage of the student journey. Yet even as the college now serves more than 10,000 students, Palan insists on maintaining a distinctly personal, student-first culture.
“We’ve always been a student-focused institution,” she says. “We write it into our mission statement — that we’ll do things on a personal interaction basis. But how do we maintain that culture at this scale? That’s the question we ask ourselves every day.”
GROWTH ROOTED IN PURPOSE
Kay Palan: “We’re always going to put students at the center of what we do”
The University of Alabama set a new enrollment record in fall 2024 with more than 40,800 students, and the Culverhouse College of Business is one of the school’s largest and most visible academic units. Of the college’s more than 10,000 students, the overwhelming majority are undergraduates — drawn by programs in finance, marketing, economics, accounting, management, and more.
In the latest rankings, Alabama’s undergraduate business program placed No. 31 among public institutions and No. 53 overall, a testament to its growing national presence. But Palan emphasizes that quality isn’t just measured by metrics. “We keep attracting amazing students,” she says. “But the real question is, are we preparing them for what comes next — in their careers and in life?”
That commitment to preparation is baked into the curriculum from day one. All Culverhouse undergraduates participate in a required three-year professional development program, focused on leadership, communication, career readiness, and soft skills.
“They’re not just learning business theory,” Palan says. “They’re practicing how to lead a team, how to handle conflict, how to show up in a professional environment. These are the things employers expect, and we’re building them in across the entire college.”
TEACHING THAT EVOLVES WITH INDUSTRY
Relevance, Palan argues, is critical to serving students well. That means staying close to industry — especially when it comes to evolving technologies like AI and data analytics. Culverhouse has embedded analytics into the undergraduate curriculum and is now incorporating AI-driven tools and discussions into more courses each semester.
“We keep asking: What is industry looking for?” Palan says. “If it’s data skills, we respond. If it’s AI fluency, we respond. But we can’t just tack it on. It has to be built into the way we teach.”
To that end, Culverhouse faculty are encouraged to innovate — and many already are. Students encounter data and decision-making frameworks in introductory courses and build on them through electives, co-curriculars, and research projects.
A PERSONAL TOUCH — AT SCALE
At many large public institutions, student experience can feel impersonal. Palan is working to ensure Alabama’s business students don’t feel that way. From small-group advising to team-based courses to industry mentorship programs, Culverhouse’s undergraduate experience is designed to feel close — even as the college grows.
“It’s a balancing act,” Palan says. “We want to keep expanding opportunity — more students, more resources, more reach — while preserving what makes this place special. That sense of belonging. That sense of connection.”
Her background in nursing and crisis care has shaped how she views that responsibility. “In healthcare, you learn to care deeply — and to keep calm under pressure,” she says. “Those are good skills for higher ed, too.”
MOVING FORWARD, STAYING FOCUSED
Looking ahead, Palan sees continued growth in undergraduate business enrollment, but also increased pressure to innovate quickly. “Higher ed tends to move slowly,” she says. “By the time we launch something new, the bus may have already left.”
Still, she remains focused on what matters most: preparing students for meaningful, successful lives.
“We adapt. That’s leadership. That’s life,” Palan says. “And we’re always going to put students at the center of what we do.”
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