Recently the University of Alabama defeated LSU to win the College football Bowl Championship Series. As an alum of the Crimson Tide, I was happy with the final score (21-0). So what makes a championship football team? To me, it’s the same thing that makes an excellent business school. First and foremost, you must have an excellent team to lead the way in their areas of expertise. A portion of my first three years as the dean of the School of Business was spent putting together a great team of leaders to achieve a common goal (i.e., student excellence). If we fast forward to today, our organizational chart is 80% different from what it was in March 2009. We now have a cast of all-stars in positions that create excellence in each program. Here’s a few of the integral pieces of our new leadership team:
- Rhonda Mack- Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Programs; Director of MBA Program
- Jocelyn Evans- Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs
- Marcia Snyder- Assistant Dean of Student Learning
- Sandy Funk- Director of External Relations
- Colby Rankin- Director of Development
- Roger Daniels- Director of the MS in Accountancy Program
- All new department chairs
- Many new directors of Centers and Programs
Beyond our core faculty and staff, we also have the business community to draw from to add to our drive toward excellence. I am particularly thankful for my advisory board, known on and off campus as our Board of Governors. Led by Buddy Darby, CEO of Kiawah Development Partners, we have 47 incredible minds assisting us in student development, faculty development, fundraising, community relations, and public relations. They are truly among Charleston’s best and brightest.
I have always believed that when you surround yourself with great people, great things will happen. Our dream team consisting of faculty and staff, our board of governors and a supportive campus administration will impact many more generations of lives than any football national championship. Our students are our future. We must make sure that we’re giving them our best…which we are doing.