National Board of Advisors:
Why I support THE NEXT CARSON COUG
Established in 2019, The Next Carson Coug (TNCC) undergraduate curriculum is our promise to complement our historic strengths—technical skills, a work ethic, and a spirit of community—with a new focus on professional skills students need to be competitive. Below, members of the college’s National Board of Advisors (NBoA) share personal reasons why they support this program that is changing the face of tomorrow’s business leaders such as those featured in the following pages.
Matt Larson
Chair | National Board of Advisors
The past two years have filled me with immense pride in the Carson College and optimism about our future. The manner in which our students and faculty adjusted to remote learning while keeping TNCC moving ahead should make every one of us proud. Furthermore, the college’s commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion will give our students, as tomorrow’s business leaders, a great foundation for the future. I’m excited to support TNCC because it’s a way for me to directly impact our commitment to extend students’ growth beyond the classroom. TNCC, including the Amplifier program, will uniquely distinguish our students in the business community, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it. Working together and with our Coug work ethic, tenacity, and grit, we have an exciting and bright future ahead!
Shannon Flynn
Vice chair | National Board of Advisors
TNCC’s new approach to business education is a huge advantage to our students and the communities we serve. I was a new member of the NBoA when the dean asked us to help identify what employers wanted to see from our graduates. These were early conversations but helped inform the direction TNCC is moving toward today. I don’t know of any other program built with so much industry and alumni feedback, and I am excited about the impact it will have in setting our graduates apart when looking for jobs. The experiences TNCC students are getting through innovative teaching, new expectations for presentations, engaging in classes, and the Amplifier program’s networking and professional development opportunities are like nothing I’ve seen before. I am so excited about TNCC and the positive impact I’m already seeing in the professionalism and workforce preparedness of our students.
Tammy Hossfeld
Immediate past chair | National Board of Advisors
TNCC is such a different approach to traditional curriculum and benefits our students as they move forward toward their careers. TNCC emphasizes career and self-development, communication, leadership, and professionalism—soft skills that truly set graduates apart. They will leave WSU knowing the basics of the business world but also be able to collaborate, manage projects, and think analytically. The quality of our students is even better because of the high impact learning experiences and cocurricular activities they complete before graduation. Students prepared for tomorrow’s business world are part of the Carson College legacy of adding value to the world. I support TNCC because the world is ever changing, and this new approach addresses gaps that traditional college curricula have overlooked. I commend the college for being proactive in how they are shaping the student experience.
To learn how you can get involved in TNCC, please contact ccb.development@wsu.edu.