Message from the Dean

Bob WoodIt’s October on the Gulf Coast—fall has arrived.  Unfortunately, no one bothered to tell Mother Nature.  The heat and humidity of summer continues.  Oh well, one out of two is not bad.  The University was closed last Monday in the aftermath of Nate.  Not bad as hurricanes go.  Some minor flooding and power outages but all in all relatively harmless.  Only seven more weeks of hurricane season to go.

We are in the middle of our 50th Anniversary celebration.  We’ve hosted alumni events in Mobile, Birmingham, and Orange Beach; upcoming events in Pensacola, Biloxi, and Chicago.  The 50th Anniversary Gala invitations are out and our 50 Impact individuals have been notified.  We are looking forward to the evening of October 28.  Pictures and more to follow next month.

Last week alumnus William “Dean” Lee shared his experiences as our Executive Leadership Speaker.  A recently retired Vice Admiral, his last command was as Commander, Atlantic Area for the U.S. Coast Guard.  His area of responsibility covered all operations between the Rocky Mountains and the Arabian Gulf.  An OUTSTANDING address; we will post a link to his talk in the near future.  Check it out. 

Next week we have our annual recognition of National Business Women’s Week.  A number of professional women from across industries will be in classes to share their perspectives.  Some of the presenters will mark their fourth year in a row for participating.

We also kick off our first Digital Marketing Program Boot Camp on October 20.  The camp will cover topics including digital presence, social media, and online advertising and will be highlighted by Francie Strong of Evernote and Rachel Smith of Google.  Registration for the event ends soon.  Visit our website to learn more.

Also, the deadline for our Causeway Pitch is fast approaching.  Our version of an elevator pitch, it has two rounds.  In the preliminary round, teams prepare posters summarizing their ideas.  A number of community judges narrow the field.  The second round pitches take place on a Gulf Coast Duck.  A unique experience—selling a business to a group of judges while afloat.

See you next month.