Alan T. Shao, Dean of the School of Business

Welcome to our first e-newsletter.  While e-newsletters are anything but new, I am still excited to launch it because now we have a channel to deliver the latest updates straight to your Inbox.  I trust that you are interested in staying current on what’s happening in your business school and with the 1,800 enrolled students.

Since I became dean in March, 2009, one of my top priorities has been to establish relationships with key stakeholders, alumni and business community partners.  Communication is key to these relationships.  SBNews is an important platform that allows us to clearly explain and highlight the vision for the School of Business and bring you brief insights into what’s shaping our students…and our future.  My hope is that you want to be engaged.

In the next edition, we will debut a leadership blog.  This space will be reserved for the faculty and directors in the School of Business who are building our reputation for national prominence.  Alumni may recall some of these familiar professors from your classes here.  Howard Rudd, Steve Litvin, Linda Bradley, Mike Cipriano, Rene Mueller, Rhonda Mack, Marcia Snyder, Frank Hefner, Jocelyn Evans, Bob Frash and Kent Gourdin.

These professors and other department chairs and program directors will take the helm and share with you how we are growing in areas such as our Accountancy and MBA graduate programs and Global Logistics and Transportation, Hospitality and Tourism Management, International Business, Accounting and other undergraduate programs.

As I write this, I’m also finalizing my itinerary for a trip to China and Vietnam to finalize academic exchange programs at prominent universities in those two countries.  Developing global partnerships is a key strategy for the School of Business to better prepare our students for the reality of today’s business world.  Watch for progress on our global partnerships in future editions of SBNews.

For now, let me share with you three key messages that you will hear consistently throughout SBNews.  Distinct quality programs.  Student focused learning.  Preparation to succeed.  These three core principals are the foundation of our educational experience and are essential as we prepare our students for a borderless business world.

In addition, we will provide helpful insights and ways to continue your learning through the School of Business.  For example, check out this edition’s story on the Certified Global Business Professional accreditation.

Please post your comments in The Buzz section or email me at SBNews@cofc.edu.  I welcome your feedback and plan to use it to continuously improve our communication with you.

Alan T. Shao
Dean, School of Business
Jack Tate Distinguished Professor