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Astrid Sheil,  Ph.D., Dean
540-545-7253, asheil@su.edu

Michael Magro, Ph.D., Interim Associate Dean
Halpin-Harrison Hall, Rm. 157
540-535-3537, mmagro@su.edu

Theresa G. Golding, Assistant Dean for Student Success  
Halpin-Harrison Hall, Room 138 
(540) 665-5428, tgolding08@su.edu

Bernadine Dykes, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs
Halpin-Harrison Hall 137
(540) 665-4572, bdykes@su.edu

Explore the School of Business on our university website.

Mission

The mission of the School of Business is to educate its students to become successful, principled leaders with a global perspective.

Students in the School of Business will graduate with confidence in their ability to solve problems, be effective communicators and work successfully as individuals and team members. The undergraduate curriculum prepares students to operate in a dynamic global business environment.

It provides a broad-based study in the liberal arts, which marks the educated citizen. In addition, working toward the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree will provide students with knowledge in the fields of accounting, finance, information systems and technologies, global business, economics, management and marketing.

This academic preparation, linked with communications skills, ethical decision making, entrepreneurship, and understanding the importance of working with a diverse workforce, will make the graduate a valued member of any organization. Students will have the opportunity for study-abroad experiences, internships, participation in student organizations and other activities, including active management of a student investment fund. The BBA is a part of a lifelong learning process for students that will lead to a better society, a better citizen and a better business leader.

Vision

The School of Business will become recognized as a provider of individualized business education driven by entrepreneurial thinking, global understanding and ethical practice.

Guiding Principles

The School of Business carries out its mission through its commitment to four guiding principles — learning, integrity, recognizing the contributions of others and continuous improvement.

Undergraduate Degree Program Learning Goals

The learning goals for the BBA program are driven by the business school’s mission statement, which is to “educate its students to become successful, principled leaders with a global perspective.” It includes the following concepts:

1. Successful: to be able to make and communicate effective decisions.
   1. To be able to identify the objectives and constraints in making a decision. [Knowledge]
   2. To be able to interpret causes and potential effects of elements pertaining to a decision in order to identify key decision drivers. [Understanding]
   3. To be able to gather, validate, structure and communicate information in support of decision making. [Application]
2. Principled: to be able to act ethically.
   1. To be able to define and distinguish among the philosophical theories that represent the principles of ethical decision making. [Knowledge]
   2. To be able to understand concepts associated with business ethics. [Comprehension]
   3. To be able to apply ethical foundations to the role of business professionals with respect to governance issues and social responsibility. [Application] [Analysis] [Synthesis]
3. Leaders: to be able to demonstrate leadership qualities.
   1. To recognize and comprehend common leadership models. [Knowledge] [Comprehension]
   2. To recognize how leadership skills are developed. [Comprehension]
   3. To be able to create an action plan for developing leadership skills. [Application] [Analysis] [Synthesis]
4. Global Perspective: to be able to function effectively in a global business environment.
   1. To be able to identify and describe the elements that distinguish global business from domestic business. [Knowledge]
   2. To be able to analyze the opportunities and challenges associated with global business expansion. [Understanding]
   3. To be able to demonstrate the ability to adjust business goals to global changes [Application]

Internships

The internship program provides a hands-on bridge for students to enter into the business world as they work simultaneously to complete their academic work. The program works to augment and expand available internship options for undergraduate and graduate business students. International and domestic internships are available to students attending the business school.

The Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program

The GEL program provides students with the opportunity to study and travel abroad in faculty-guided, credit-bearing educational experiences. GEL destinations change each year, but previously included Russia, China, Spain, Ireland, Thailand, England, France, Argentina and Chile.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

The Society for Human Resource Management’s student program was created to promote mutually beneficial interaction between Human Resource Management (HRM) students and practitioners. Membership offers students the opportunity to supplement their classroom education with real-world knowledge and hands-on experience. The SHRM chapter in the School of Business has regular meetings with scheduled programs designed to help members learn more about current developments in the business world and how they will impact future workers. Additional activities allow students to learn more about HRM while building relationships with local professionals and other students.

Student Advisory Board

The business school’s Student Advisory Board offers the dean advice on one basic topic: how to build a higher quality business school. Regular meetings take place during the fall and spring semesters with approximately 20 students participating in these discussions. The board promotes the mission of the school and serves as an important liaison between the student body and the office of the dean.

Student Investment Fund

Several years ago, a businessman provided initial funding to establish a Student Investment Fund in the School of Business. The objective of the fund was to provide students with hands-on experiences managing an investment portfolio that would yield a rate of return greater than that achieved by a broadly diversified portfolio of common stocks. The current market value of the fund is more than $250,000. Through this experiential learning opportunity, students meet throughout the academic year to learn about advancing career opportunities and employment options in the investment field.

Byrd Distinguished Lecture Series

The Byrd Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 1983 to provide a forum for the presentation, consideration and discussion of critical issues on the local, regional, national and international scene. This series provides students in the School of Business the opportunity to hear and question some of the most interesting business, social, educational and governmental leaders of the day.

Institute for Entrepreneurship Distinguished Speaker Series

The Institute for Entrepreneurship in the School of Business sponsors the Distinguished Speaker Series. Successful entrepreneurs are brought to campus to share their experiences, lessons learned and expertise with students, faculty and the business community. Innovative business leaders provide enriching conversations for the student body during both the fall and spring semesters of the academic year.

Executive-in-Residence and Senior Executive Counselor Programs

The mission of these programs is to enhance the academic excellence of the School of Business through the practical experience of veteran business executives. Executives provide mentoring and counseling services for students, deliver classroom lectures and provide students with job-search advice as well as career and job-performance counseling.

Programs

• Business Administration, Accounting Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Aviation Studies Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Digital Marketing Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Economics and Finance Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Entrepreneurship Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Esports Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Healthcare Management Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Information Systems and Technologies Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Management Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Marketing Concentration (B.B.A.)
• Business Administration, Sport Management Concentration (B.B.A.)
• General Business Administration (B.B.A.)

• Esports (B.S.)

• Business Certificate in Cybersecurity
• Esports Coaching Certificate
• Esports Management Certificate
• Sustainable Business Certificate

• Business Administration Minor
• Economics Minor
• Entrepreneurship Minor
• Esports Management Minor

Return to: School of Business