We are thrilled to share that Professor Gerlinde Berger-Walliser, head of the UConn School of Business Marketing Department and a founding force behind the Master of Science in Social Responsibility and Impact in Business (MSSRIB) program, was recently featured in the International Child Art Foundation’s ChildArt Magazine.
In the interview, Professor Berger-Walliser reflects on her journey from a small, music-filled town in Germany to an international career in business law and social responsibility.
“Music played a significant role in church life and was at the heart of my community,” she shared. “I loved playing music so much that I was seriously considering a career in the performing arts.”
Her passion for creativity and the arts eventually merged with her interests in law, history, and languages, guiding her toward a career in international business law and, later, academia. Today, she champions the belief that empathy and creativity are essential to ethical business leadership.
As the inaugural director of UConn’s MSSRIB program, she helped design a degree that prepares students to align business success with social good. “If, like me, you’re drawn to the arts, you can also have a fulfilling career in business,” she told ChildArt. “To do well in business, you must understand how to ‘do good’ for workers, customers, and society. This is why we created the MSSRIB program.”
With a global career spanning Germany, France, and the U.S., Professor Berger-Walliser continues to bridge law, business, and sustainability – reminding students that doing business well means doing good.
“It makes me feel good that what I do is relevant at UConn but also beyond,” she said.
Professor Berger-Walliser continues to inspire MSSRIB students to bring heart and imagination into the world of business.
Read the full UConn Today feature on Professor Berger-Walliser’s inspiring journey.