Dear friends,
As 2020 draws to a close, I’m proud to share that our brand recognition and the value of a Carson College of Business degree continue to grow in the Pacific Northwest.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment in our online MBA programs is surging, extending our mission to serve working professionals where they are. In addition, The Next Carson Coug undergraduate program is off to a roaring start with remote instructional delivery across all our campus locations. Our innovative approach to learning and career readiness helped us hold on to many prospective students who were initially unsure if a remote WSU experience during the pandemic would be right for them. Among prospective students and their families, there’s a growing recognition that the Carson College offers the region’s leading undergraduate business program.
This issue of eDividend also celebrates how the college is making a difference in the lives of our students and the region’s economy.
A profile of ASWSU President Curtis Cohen shows how his management classes are helping him lead the WSU student body during COVID-19. In a feature about PhD student Natalie Liberman, you’ll learn how the college is training the next generation of business faculty.
The new Carson Business Solutions program is helping companies respond strategically to COVID-19 while giving students experience as small business consultants. And our annual holiday shopping survey has become a “must read” for gauging Pacific Northwest consumer trends and shopping preferences.
We also hope you’ll join us in celebrating a generous gift from Tom and Linda Nihoul, longtime Carson College supporters who have funded the Tom and Linda Nihoul Bloomberg Financial Laboratory. The lab, first launched with the support of the Dean’s Catalyst Fund, houses 12 Bloomberg terminals, giving students and faculty access to real-time news and financial data. The Nihouls’ support has taken the lab from proof of concept to a sustainable experience for our finance majors.
I’m also pleased to announce that Nicholas Delaney has joined the college as our new chief development officer. Delaney, a WSU grad, most recently worked at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and he’s looking forward to getting to know members of the Carson College community.
As a college, we have much to be grateful for in 2020. In a year marked by the global pandemic and an economic downturn, I’ve drawn inspiration from the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other supporters of the Carson College.
Through your words of encouragement and investments of time and funds in the Carson College, you are making a difference and helping us advance toward our goal of becoming the top choice for a business education in the Pacific Northwest. Your year-end gift to the Carson College Fund is a critical resource that enables the college to continue to deliver its transformational education experience.
From all of us at the Carson College, I wish you a happy holiday season.
Go Cougs!
Chip Hunter, Dean