This edition of the Walker College of Business Dean's Update is one in a series of monthly publications for Walker College faculty, staff, stakeholders and Appalachian State University community members. Please share your news items for inclusion in this and other publications of the Walker College of Business. For up-to-date information, please check the news section at business.appstate.edu.
Although summer enrollment at Appalachian is steadily increasing, Peacock Hall is relatively quiet this month. On campus, summer enrollment is approximately 37 percent of semesterly enrollment, and is one percent higher this summer session compared to summer 2015.
Despite the relative quiet, our excellence in teaching, research and service continues, and the summer is an ideal time to plan for the future. We are busy with strategic planning and event planning, setting dates for the fall 2016 semester. Please mark your calendar for events and activities of interest, including Business for Good on August 19, Walker Business Connections on September 28, RMI Career Fair on October 20, COB Football Gameday on October 22, the Boyles Distinguished Lecture Series on October 28 and the Entrepreneur Summit on November 11. For a complete list of dates, please view the calendar on our homepage.
As we prepare for the fall semester, I am delighted to announce that Dinesh Davé, Mike Dotson, and Delbert Goff have accepted the role of interim department chair for the Department of Computer Information Systems and Supply Chain Management; the Department of Marketing; and the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance, respectively. They will assume their chair duties July 1. I am very pleased to have each individual in their new role in the college. With their vast years of experience and previous leadership roles, their transitions into the interim chair roles should be virtually seamless.
Also effective July 1, I'm happy to report that Pete Groothuis, Bill Baker, Chris McNeil, Pia Albinsson, Dana Clark, Dave McEvoy and Joseph Cazier have been awarded professorships in the college. Each professorship recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding performance in instruction, scholarship and service. Many of the professorships are named in honor of significant benefactors to the college.
Several professors were highlighted in a multi-media piece from May 2016 Commencement. In the video, students share their memories of their favorite professors, and faculty share why they are passionate about imparting knowledge. Students can be seen and heard describing how: Marketing Lecturer Chuck Ciaramita "went above and beyond expectations and helped me get a job after college," Insurance Professor Dave Wood "inspired us... wanted us to be the best we could be," Executive-in-Residence Leigh Dunston "opened my mind to so many things," and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs Sandra Vannoy "treated me like an equal." Watch the video, and read more from the spring commencement activities.
On commencement day, staff from the BB&T Student Leadership Center continued a tradition of collecting data from graduating seniors. The center's first destination survey contains entry fields for whether the student has secured employment and in what field. Staff continue to collect data through phone calls and visits over the course of the next six months, then the data is compiled, analyzed and reported. Last year, 94 percent of graduates responded to the survey, and 92 percent of class of 2015 respondents reported having successfully reached their first destination (full time employment, graduate school, or other desired placement.) Review the data.
I take pride in these data - that our placement rates surpass the national average - and I celebrate that the Walker College excels at preparing our students to be ethical, innovative, and engaged business leaders who positively impact our global and local community. In closing, Happy Birthday to the following colleagues who positively impact our local community:
June 3: Doug Roberts, Accounting
June 5: Carol Pollard, CIS & SCM
June 5: Dave Wood, Finance, Banking & Insurance
June 5: Nathalie Turner, Academic Advising
June 9: Charlie Chen, CIS & SCM
June 9: Ken Corley, CIS & SCM
June 10: Tim Perri, Economics
June 11: Rachel Shinnar, Management
June 11: Pia Albinsson, Marketing
June 12: Amy Odom, BB&T Student Leadership Center
June 15: Karen Wilkinson, Academic Advising
June 19: Rich Pouder, Management
June 20: Ken Peacock, Accounting
June 21: Marty Meznar, International Programs
June 25: Maira Compagnone, Management
Four Appalachian State University faculty members and one staff member in the Walker College of Business have received the college’s 2016 Sywassink Award for Excellence
Four Appalachian State University faculty members and one staff member in the Walker College of Business have received the college’s 2016 Sywassink Award for Excellence