Thank You, Dean Mills

A 6-Year Sprint That Shaped McCombs: Through Record Fundraising, a Transformational Future Home, and a Personal Connection to Students

Leading Through Crisis
Mills began her deanship in 2020 at the height of COVID-19, guiding McCombs through rapid disruption while maintaining focus on students, faculty, and the school’s long-term mission. 

When Lillian Mills became dean in 2020, she stepped into one of the most challenging moments in higher education and immediately set a different pace. What followed was six years of forward momentum, defined by ambitious goals and a leadership style that moved “at full speed.” 

Under Mills, the McCombs School of Business reached new heights: record-breaking fundraising, expanded programs, and a strengthened national reputation built on top-ranked academic offerings and world-class research. Her tenure also helped advance major capital projects, including the school’s future home in Mulva Hall — a transformational investment designed to elevate the student experience for generations to come. 

But numbers alone don’t define her impact. Mills built a culture grounded in respect, collaboration, and gratitude and made a school of thousands feel surprisingly personal. Whether in classrooms, campus events, or informal conversations with students, she showed up. And in doing so, she created a legacy measured as much
in connection as in accomplishment.

Mills is now taking a one-year sabbatical and will return to the faculty in the Shulkin Department of Accounting. What follows is a visual record of her time as dean: a series of images tracing how Texas McCombs evolved during her tenure, capturing the momentum, ambition, and community she helped shape along the way.