DBA Program Graduates Members of First Cohort

Two graduates made history at the Robert H. Smith School of Business during the May 19, 2026, Commencement. Takesha Brown, DBA ’26 and Brendan Dunne, DBA ’26, became the first graduates of Smith’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program. It’s something both Brown and Dunne said they take great pride in.

Smith introduced the new three-year advanced degree program for working professionals in 2023 to help them advance their careers and become leaders in business and government organizations. The DBA program is structured around the problems practitioners are already living, developing the rigor to study them, and the judgment to act on what they find.

Both Brown and Dunne completed the Information Systems track, which develops fluency across the comprehensive research and technology stack, from quantitative methods and programming to data mining, predictive analytics, and AI strategy, equipping graduates to work the problem from evidence to execution.

When Brown, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, discovered Smith’s DBA program, she was considering an MBA, but having already earned a master’s degree, she decided on something at the doctoral level. “I started researching things I could do full time, or I could do while working,” and she said Smith’s DBA program was the perfect fit.

Dunne was also looking for something to build on the undergraduate and MBA degrees he had already earned while serving in the U.S. Army. He wanted something that could continue to build on his experience in technology and take him to a new chapter after serving in the military for over 20 years.

“The DBA had literally everything I wanted to study at the doctoral level. Artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and just information systems at large,” Dunne said.

"Brendan and Kesha tackled very different questions through very different methods - yet both capstones speak directly to issues practitioners care about,” said Paulo Prochno, director of the DBA program. “Together, their work illustrates what the DBA experience is designed to enable: the freedom and support to pursue questions that matter, approached with genuine rigor. There is no single template for a DBA capstone, only the expectation that it generates insight capable of making a real impact on organizations and society.”

Both Brown and Dunne saw value in being part of the first cohort of Smith’s DBA program because of the collaboration involved. “Having the ability to put your stamp on the program, that really attracted me to the program,” Dunne said.

“I take a great sense of pride in that,” Brown added. “Not only that, we paved the way for incoming cohorts after us, but I guess we paved the way for the entire program,” she said, noting that as the first group, their input added to the program. “I’m proud of that.”

Dunne said every professor he encountered in the program was “top-notch” and dedicated. Brown added that the camaraderie of the cohort, which included three other students who are continuing the program, was also a benefit and encouraged prospective students to invest in those relationships as well.

“Build those relationships early on. It doesn’t matter the background or experience — it helps,” Brown said, adding that during the program, many students experienced life changes, and having the support of fellow students was helpful.

Dunne said, at the end of the day, the sacrifices he made during the program were worth it. “Any program of this caliber is going to be a lot of work. What you put in, the reward you are going to get will stay with you,” Dunne said.