Dear friends,
Here at the college, fall is one of the busiest but most rewarding times of the year. Many of these rewards come from work we do before the students start their semester. This issue of eDividend highlights many of the ways we invest in our students to ensure each gets off to a strong start.
Preparation for our 3,640 Carson College students is underway well before school begins. In our Featured Stories section, you will read about how our dedicated team of advisors works diligently throughout the summer with WSU Alive!, a freshman and transfer student orientation program. Here, students may get their first glimpse of a global business perspective when they learn about our impressive lineup of study abroad options, including three new programs in Ecuador, Austria/Slovenia, and Tanzania.
We’re working hard at growing our international business program with the addition of Jessica Cassleman, new assistant dean for international programs. I’m proud to share we were recently ranked among the 15th best undergraduate international business programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Several student testimonials show the value of learning to think globally, and more information on supporting these opportunities can be found in Jessica’s editorial.
We’re bringing exciting new talent to our college ranks. In the New Hires section, you’ll meet 16 faculty and 17 staff members who have joined the college over the last year. Each new hire helps us progress toward our goals. Foremost among these, we’re aiming to establish our undergraduate programs as the top choice for students who want to study business in the Pacific Northwest.
The excitement of incoming students and new colleagues, combined with the energy behind President Schulz’s new “Drive to 25” initiative, have created a sense of momentum that can be felt across all WSU campuses. WSU is aiming for the top tier among public research universities by 2030, and working together with our new President as we reach for the top will amplify our aspiration to be THE business school for tomorrow’s land grant university.
I hope the content featured in this issue speaks to you in some way. I encourage you to consider investing in scholarships, internships, or other opportunities that make the Carson College the first choice for students in the Pacific Northwest.
Go Cougs!
Chip Hunter, Dean