Dean's Message - Fall 2012

We are off to a great start with strong enrollments and a number of fresh initiatives. I thought I’d take this opportunity to share a little about one of our new initiatives which allows us to develop a focus area in Supply Chain Management.

With the continued development of the Port of Charleston and an influx of supply chain oriented companies into the Charleston area, we have identified a demand by employers and students for a program highlighting supply chain management and logistics. Under the direction of Dr. Carl Betterton, we are developing coursework and related experiential activities that will prepare students for careers in these areas. Assisting Dr. Betterton this semester in the effort is Dr. Sergey Ponomarov, a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville doctoral program. Together they bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences that will be of great benefit to our students.

Initially, our efforts will focus on classes offered to students in our evening programs. These programs primarily consist of students who are working adults from the region completing degree requirements for our Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree or evening baccalaureate degree in business administration. Many of these students will be able to utilize these acquired skills in the workplace to support the economic development efforts of the region. We eventually plan to offer the same coursework to our cadet students as resources become available. As this program develops, we plan to establish partnerships with regional businesses willing to offer the experiential learning opportunities that our students desire.

Eventually, we anticipate expanding to five Focus Areas for the School of Business Administration: Supply Chain Management, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Financial Services, and Sales and Marketing. We feel that these five areas will provide our students with growth and development opportunities in support of their future professional endeavors.

As always, we welcome your comments and ideas for the CSBA Bulldog Business Blast. If you haven’t already, we ask that you “like” us on Facebook so you can keep up to date on the daily happenings in the school.