Our Story

The Gordon Institute stands as a testament to the power of practical innovation in higher education. For four decades, we have championed an approach to business and leadership education that prioritizes real-world application, practitioner expertise, and immediate impact.

Our history reflects a consistent commitment to bridging the gap between academic knowledge and professional practice. From our founding as an independent institute serving one company’s engineers, to our current position within Tufts University, we have remained true to our core principle: an applied business approach prepares you for today’s needs.

The following timeline traces our evolution and the milestones that have shaped our distinctive approach to applied business in action.

1984
Founding of the Gordon Institute

Bernard M. Gordon, founder and CEO of Analogic Corporation—the company that developed the first portable CAT scanner—identified a critical gap in graduate engineering leadership education.

In response, Gordon established the Gordon Institute in Wakefield, Massachusetts, as the nation’s first graduate program dedicated exclusively to developing engineering leaders. The inaugural cohort consisted of primarily working professionals from Analogic, who could immediately apply their learning to real-world challenges.

This founding principle—that business leadership and management education must be grounded in practical application—established the foundation for what would become known as Applied Business in Action.

1989
First Engineering Management Minor Conferred

Tufts conferred its first Engineering Management Minor, marking a significant milestone in undergraduate business education for engineers. This pioneering program brought practical management education to undergraduates, establishing a foundation that would later expand across all disciplines at Tufts.

1992
Integration with Tufts University

Recognizing the value of embedding practical leadership education within a comprehensive research university, Bernard Gordon donated the Gordon Institute to Tufts University. The Institute began the School of Engineering’s first part-time graduate program, a Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) degree, pioneering a model that allowed working professionals to pursue advanced degrees while maintaining their careers.

Under the leadership of Professor Arthur Winston, the first Director of the Gordon Institute at Tufts University, the Institute refined its distinctive approach: practitioner faculty, real-world projects, and immediate application of learning to workplace challenges.

1994
First MS in Engineering Management Conferred

The Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) degree was formally approved and conferred, offering a comprehensive curriculum that integrated technical excellence with business acumen and leadership development. The program’s innovative structure, featuring evening classes or weekend classes, set new standards for professional graduate education.

1997
Introduction of Entrepreneurship Education

Professor John Hodgman, then President of the Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation, the state’s first venture corporation, introduced Tufts’ first entrepreneurship course through the American Studies department, recognizing that innovation and venture creation transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. This interdisciplinary approach would become a hallmark of TGI’s educational philosophy.

2002
Establishment of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies Minor

Under the vision of Dean of the School of Engineering Yannis Miaoulis, TGI launched the Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies (ELS) program. Pamela Goldberg was appointed as the program’s first full-time director. Under her leadership, an array of entrepreneurship courses were created that ultimately became the foundation for the Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies (ELS) Minor, which would grow to become Tufts’ most popular undergraduate minor program.

2007
National Academy of Engineering Recognition

The MSEM program received the prestigious Bernard M. Gordon Prize from the National Academy of Engineering for innovation in engineering and technology education. This recognition validated TGI’s pioneering approach to leadership development through experiential learning and practical application.

2016
Launch of the MS in Innovation & Management

Responding to demand from recent graduates seeking purpose-driven leadership development, TGI introduced its first full-time, on-campus master’s program—the MS in Innovation & Management (MSIM). This program provides hands-on training in venture creation and innovation leadership for early-career professionals who want the skills to drive change and lead innovation, whether in a startup or within an established organization.

2018
Transformation to Tufts Entrepreneurship Center

In recognition of the strong interest in entrepreneurship across Tufts, the Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies Program was rebranded as the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center. Under the leadership of Director Jack Derby, it took on responsibility for both the Entrepreneurship Leadership Studies minor, as well as all the co-curricular entrepreneurial programming. The Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies Minor was renamed the Entrepreneurship Minor, and the Entrepreneurship for Social Impact Minor was introduced shortly afterwards.

2020
Digital Evolution and Program Expansion

In response to global workforce needs, TGI launched a fully online version of the MSEM program. The new offering combined asynchronous digital learning with immersive in-person experiences, making TGI’s transformative education accessible to professionals worldwide.

2021
Establishment of the Derby Entrepreneurship Center

A transformative $10 million gift from Jack Derby rebranded the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center as the Derby Entrepreneurship Center, significantly expanding resources to ensure the expansion of entrepreneurial programming for all of Tufts. Program growth included expanding the Entrepreneur-in-Residence team, growing the internship program, and deepening the summer accelerator.

2022
Derby Entrepreneurship Center Receives Award for Innovative Curriculum; first Pre-College Programs and Foundation for Future Leadership (FFL) Minor Offered

Derby Entrepreneurship Center (DEC) received the Deshpande Symposium Excellence in Curriculum Innovation in Entrepreneurship Award. The award recognizes an exemplary commitment to, and success in, developing and offering innovative educational courses or programs that foster entrepreneurship education. 

Additionally, TGI launched its first pre-college programs in entrepreneurship, marketing, and business, extending its reach to high school students globally and creating mentorship opportunities for current graduate students. An 8 credit Foundations for Future Leadership (FFL) Minor was also launched as an option for School of Engineering undergraduate students to declare. 

2023
Launch of the Auster Center 

A $4 million gift from Charles Auster (A’73) established the Auster Center for Applied Innovation and Research, adding to TGI a center dedicated to fostering transdisciplinary applied innovation and research. Filip Čučkov was brought on board as the inaugural director and Professor of the Practice of Applied Innovation.

2024
MSTML Launch and Strategic Expansion; the Business, Management, and Leadership Minor Established

The MS in Technology Management & Leadership (MSTML) officially commenced, extending TGI’s applied business education to technology professionals across all domains—from product management to data science to digital transformation leadership. 

Additionally, responding to demand from undergraduate students, the Foundation for Future Leadership (FFL) Minor was expanded to a 15 credit minor and renamed the Business, Management, and Leadership Minor increasing the availability of applied business programming for undergraduate students across the School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering.