Encourages students to think outside the box.
Alka Bramhandkar is a retired Professor of Finance and International Business at Ithaca College's School of Business, where she dedicated over 40 years to teaching, research, and administration. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Finance (1989), M.A. (1984), and M.B.A. (1974) from the State University of New York at Binghamton, as well as a B.Com. in Commerce, Accounting, and Economics (1972) from the University of Mumbai, India. Bramhandkar began her academic career at Ithaca College in 1984 as an Assistant/Associate Professor of Finance and International Business, achieving full professorship in 2008. Throughout her tenure, she served as Chair of the Department of Finance and International Business from 2015 to 2020, Associate Dean of the School of Business from 2010 to 2011, and Interim Dean from 2020 to 2022. Earlier professional experience includes roles as a Financial Consultant at Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. in Binghamton, NY (1999–2000), instructor positions at SUNY Binghamton, University of Dubuque's MBA programs in Hong Kong and Singapore, and Budget Executive at Richard Hindustan Ltd. in Bombay, India (1975–1981).
In recognition of her expertise, Bramhandkar was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant to teach at the Facultad de Economia y Negocios, Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile during Fall 2022, and she visited the Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France in March 2013. Her scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed articles such as "Intellectual Capital and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Study of the Pharmaceutical Industry" (Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, 2008), "Socially Conscious Investing: Do Good Deeds Get Punished?" (Social Responsibility Journal, 2018), "Discrimination at Places of Public Accommodation After Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission" (North East Journal of Legal Studies, 2019), "ROSCAs Remain Strong in India despite Greater Financial Inclusion" (International Journal of Management & Sustainability, 2014), and "Sustainability Strategies of Leading Global Firms and Their Financial Performance: A Comparative Case Based Approach" (Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 2012). She has delivered numerous presentations at prestigious venues such as the Association for Global Business annual conferences, North East Academy of Legal Studies in Business, and New York State Economics Association meetings, covering topics from cash payouts in mergers to peer-to-peer marketplaces and green building litigation.
