Message from the Dean

Bob Wood

The poet Eliot may have been slightly mistaken saying that April is the cruelest month; a better modify for the Mitchell College would be busy.  As the semester winds down, the frequency of events accelerate.

Aaron Beam concluded our 2016-2017 Executive Leadership Series.  The first CFO of HealthSouth shared his story of the trappings of success and the bitter consequences of unethical behavior with students, faculty, and community leaders.  The following week he shared the story with graduate students.

Don Keeler, Vice President of Human Resources at Austal, Tim Smith, Managing Partner at Smith, Dukes & Buckalew, and David Trent, Site Director of Airbus Engineering Center joined us for Professor of the Day on April 4.  They spoke to classes and met with students and faculty over lunch.  James (Jake) Gosa, former Chairman of American Woodmark, is our Executive in Residence later this month.  He has a busy schedule of classes and student meetings during his visits.

The month will culminate with our annual Scholars Banquet, a celebration of our scholarship recipients and donors.  As we begin our fiftieth anniversary commemoration, we will also recognize our first class of Alumni Fellows at the banquet.  This award recognizes individuals whose personal lives, professional achievements, and community service exemplify the highest ideals of the College and University.  We are excited about our first class and look forward to introducing them to you in next month’s letter.  In addition to this event, we will welcome new members to Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi chapters.

Of course, none of these events could occur without the generous gifts of time and funding from our alumni and other supporters.  If you’d like to be a part of these and other activities, please let me know.  I look forward to updating you next month.