Biography

Maru Etta-Nkwelle, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Howard University School of Business

Dr. Maru Etta-Nkwelle is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Howard University School of Business(HUSB). In this role, she oversees the integrity and innovation of academic programs, manages faculty appointments and tenure processes, and collaborates on strategic initiatives to enhance learning outcomes and ensure alignment with AACSB standards. With over two decades of experience in higher education and financial management, Dr. Etta-Nkwelle previously served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Finance and International Business(HUSB) where she led efforts in faculty recruitment, curriculum innovation, program assessment, budgeting and international academic collaborations, including student study tours and consulting projects in China, India, Ghana, and South Africa. Prior to Howard University, she served as Chief Financial Officer for the Alliance Health Benefit Plan, and as a Financial Analyst for USAID’s Africa Venture Capital Project, where she advanced financial oversight and program development for multi-million-dollar initiatives. Dr. Etta-Nkwelle’s research spans international economics, development finance, and applied econometrics, with publications in journals such as Journal of Financial Education, International Advances in Economic Research, Journal of the Academy of Finance and Journal of Applied Financial Economics to name a few, and she has secured multiple grant funding to support curriculum internationalization and faculty research and development. A committed educator and leader, Dr. Etta-NKwelle holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Howard University, and an M.A. in Development Banking from American University in Washington, D.C.