Dear friends,
As the dean of the Carson College of Business, I often think about the hard work and leadership that came before me. The December 2021 passing of Professor Rom Markin, who memorably served our college as dean for 15 years, provided an even deeper opportunity to reflect on the legacy the college’s current leadership is working to leave to future generations.
This is especially relevant in 2022, as we celebrate the 90th birthday of the college’s School of Hospitality Business Management. Our program was recently ranked 2nd in the nation by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, a mark of excellence we’ll strive to continue into the future.
The collective efforts of past and present leadership established the Carson College as a place where students from varied backgrounds can earn a great business education. We continue to build on this vision of excellence through high-impact learning opportunities that set our students up for success. These include internships, professional mentoring, business consulting for small companies, and study abroad. Through high-impact learning, our students apply their classroom knowledge and gain professional skills in areas like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
This commitment tells you a lot about why the Carson College continues to see steady enrollment in undergraduate programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and why our online MBA programs are the graduate business programs of choice in the Pacific Northwest.
In this issue of eDividend, you’ll learn how the Carson College is making a difference in the lives and careers of our students.
Hailey Crow’s goal is to work in hospitality management for the Suquamish Tribe. Crow, an enrolled member of the tribe, was a server at the Kiana Lodge on the Port Madison Reservation when her manager—a WSU alumna—spotted her as an emerging talent and encouraged her to attend WSU. Crow will graduate with a hospitality business management degree in May.
After a hiatus earlier in the pandemic, the college restarted study abroad programs on a limited basis this past fall. Nicole Dalton spent a semester in Switzerland, studying international business through the lens of the European Union’s history and politics. She’s now applying for internships in Europe.
You’ll also learn how our MBA program influenced the careers of a Spokane County judge and a Boeing engineer, who each needed business knowledge to get ahead in their professions.
This issue also features our annual Business in the Northwest report, which surveys industry leaders and employees about the region’s business climate. While corporate revenue and profitability appear to be rebounding from the impacts of COVID, business leaders are struggling with labor shortages and reduced production. Employees, meanwhile, want to work for companies that care about their well-being and whose values match their own.
As a college, we have so much to celebrate from the past, as well as goals and dreams for the future. If you would like to be part of the college’s commitment of providing Carson Cougs with an amazing educational experience and life-long skills, please consider a gift to our student scholarship funds.
As alumni and friends of the Carson College, we appreciate your support, which has a lasting influence on the success of our students and contributes to the growth of the Pacific Northwest’s economy.
Go Cougs!
Chip Hunter, Dean