Message from the Dean
May 2018. The end of another academic year. Another summer to spend preparing for the next academic year. The cycle continues. In reality, it’s one of the best things about life as an academician; the annual satisfaction with things completed and the excitement about things to come.
We marked the College’s 50th Anniversary in 2017. Needless to say, it wasn't a typical fall. In addition to our normal activities—the football tailgates, Get Connected Day, USA DAY, and other activities—we held a 50th Anniversary Gala where 50 of our alumni received Mitchell College of Business IMPACT awards. The group included attorneys, accounting professionals, family business owners, CEOs and other senior corporate executives, entrepreneurs, government executives, physicians, and faculty members whose lives have positively influenced others. In addition to their contributions to their chosen professions, recipients have donated their time and talents to a range of community organizations.
The fall semester also marked the beginning of a co-op and internship partnership with Austal. In addition, the College offered a retail certificate program to students for the first time. The Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Center for Real Estate and Economic Development also jointly sponsored their first Digital Marketing Boot Camp. To close the semester, Dr. Alvin Williams led a group of students to Sydney for an international immersion experience.
This spring the College submitted its AACSB Fifth Year Continuous Improvement Review (CIR) report and welcomed the review team to campus. The review focuses on educational improvement, strategic management, and the fulfillment of the College’s mission. Review team members are other College of Business deans and administrators that volunteer their time to facilitate the accreditation process. We appreciate their willingness to volunteer their time and share their knowledge and experience in the process.
Our annual Scholars Night was moved to a new location this year due to campus space constraints. The event, held at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, recognized the largest number of scholarship recipients in the College’s history. We also recognized our second class of MCOB Alumni Fellows.
We continue to our international footprint. Dr. Joe Hair presented a series of invited lectures to students in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand in early spring. We also added Hong Kong Baptist University as an exchange partner. This summer’s international immersion experience destinations include Rome and London. More recently, Elizabeth Smith, a May 2018 graduate, was awarded an International Postgraduate Scholarship from Hong Kong Baptist to pursue a Masters of Science in Applied Economics this fall.
All in all, a not-so-typical typical year. We look forward to next year. Have a great summer.
Best Regards,
Bob G. Wood