Dear MIT Sloan colleagues,
I am writing to share an important update on MIT Sloan’s communications functions as we look ahead to the school’s strategic priorities.
For many years, communications at MIT Sloan have been managed through a combination of the school’s Office of Communications and decentralized efforts by individual centers or programs across the school. To ensure greater coordination and consistency of messaging, we are bringing communications and external engagement closer together. Effective July 1, 2026, Kathy Hawkes, Senior Associate Dean for External Engagement, will add the Office of Communications to the portfolio of activities that she oversees. In this new structure, Kate O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Communications, will report to Kathy.
We are at a pivotal moment—one in which what we communicate, and how we communicate, has a direct impact on our visibility, impact, and engagement with the world. To meet this moment, I have asked Kathy and Kate to work closely with units across the school to build a more unified, strategic, and streamlined approach to messaging and communications practices. As part of this realignment, the school has made the difficult decision to cease production of MIT Sloan Management Review, reflecting broader shifts in how audiences engage with management ideas and publications. This decision follows a series of reviews that the school has undertaken over the past year as we increase our focus on strategic priorities and areas of greatest impact. We are working closely with the SMR team to ensure a thoughtful wind down of the publication and to provide support to the team members affected by this transition. We are grateful for the entire team’s dedication to MIT Sloan and their work to share management ideas with practitioners around the world.
The school will continue to deliver thoughtful, engaging content that draws even more heavily on the important work of our MIT Sloan faculty, showcasing a variety of platforms including digital newsletters, short-form video, social-first content, and podcasts. At the same time, a more coordinated approach to communications across MIT Sloan will benefit from the expertise of our External Engagement and Office of Communications leaders. We will strengthen the school’s voice, elevate the quality and reach of our content, and better serve all of our constituents—faculty, staff, and students, as well as alumni and global business leaders. In an increasingly competitive and crowded information landscape, it is essential that our audiences clearly recognize, understand, and value what MIT Sloan contributes as a school.
MIT Sloan holds a distinctive position as MIT’s school of management. I am excited about the move to a more centralized and consistent communications model and about our continued collaboration as we clearly and boldly communicate the school’s thought leadership and impact in the world. Together, and in alignment with MIT’s broader priorities, we will continue to work together to invent the future of management education and management practice.
As we move forward, please email sloancommsquestions@mit.edu with any questions.
Regards,
