A Message from the Dean
Dear friends,
It was not business as usual over this past year as we navigated through the pandemic, but one thing that remained consistent was our focus on providing access to a great business education while keeping the well-being of students and staff at the forefront.
Our cover story highlights some exemplary efforts from the University during the pandemic. From providing Wi-Fi access and free computers to students across the state to a student emergency fund that supplied financial assistance for those who didn’t qualify for CARES relief, WSU provided resources to ensure students were not left behind.
Delivering an amazing educational experience despite COVID has been the challenge on the minds of everyone in the Carson College. We have continued to make progress, keeping our sights on creating opportunity for every student who wants to do the work we expect, and on directing our students’ and faculty’s talents toward serving the state and region. I’m excited to share just some of our many accomplishments in 2020.
One thing you’ll notice in this issue are stories of collaboration toward our goals. You’ll read about the recent introduction of the bachelor’s degree in business administration at WSU Everett. Chancellor Paul Pitre and I are working together to promote post-secondary education for Everett’s industrial community. You will also learn how our student consultancy programs at the WSU Vancouver and Pullman campuses are improving local organizations like Washougal’s Humane Society, a men’s clothing store in downtown Pullman, and many others. Our undergraduates are benefiting from industry workshops, and over 70 of our online MBA military-affiliated students, along with alumni, industry experts, and community partners, participated in a recent panel exploring the value of veterans in the future workforce.
Part of preparing students for twenty-first-century success is ensuring they are ready to navigate a diverse, global economy. This past year, the college worked with the WSU Martin Luther King Program and the University’s Office of Outreach and Education to give students and the WSU community a window into the professional experiences of people in underrepresented groups. Dipra Jha, our hospitality school’s assistant director, created a new online global class with faculty partners at Ukraine and Kosovo universities that allows participants to discover new geographies and cultures. The feature on faculty member Michelle Carter’s research highlights her leadership on a project to increase the number of women professors in information systems. You’ll also learn about our new scholarships supporting underrepresented students in achieving their academic goals.
Our section on alumni and donor engagement contains inspiring testimonies about the impact Jack and Molly Thompson, Jon and Tammy Hossfeld, and Molly Philopant have made by supporting The Next Carson Coug program. We also highlight recent efforts of our National Board of Advisors. We are excited to share Isaac Fontaine and Fanny Chen’s story that illustrates the value of their business degrees as well as the rewards of giving back. As you read this issue and reminisce about your own Carson College experiences and memories, I ask you to consider how you might join our efforts to provide our students with the best business education in the Pacific Northwest.
Go Cougs!
Chip Hunter
@ChipHunterWSU
