dean | The Pulse

Charleston School of Business Faculty & Staff Updates

Words Matter

Cultured Confidence – have you heard those words before? How about these: There is a depth and balance to life’s experiences that you get from learning in a place that approaches business a little differently. A thoughtful polish, personality, and a true appreciation for relationships. It’s the embedding of a personal responsibility and power into…

Teammateship

Last week, while discussing the topic of leadership at an event, I shared the thoughts of one of my mentors, Austin Bunch, who was passionate about followership. Leadership and followership are two concepts that get a lot of attention. This conversation was on my mind when I listened to Simon Sinek’s conversation with Shane Battier….

The Company You Keep

One of my favorite authors is Patrick Lencioni. His books are so easy to read and enjoyable, making me think. Over the weekend, I read his most recent one, The Six Types of Working Genius, and took away some interesting insights. I’ll post about it once I digest it a bit more. I also enjoy…

Civil Discourse

When I saw the announcement about Michael Lee’s appointment as Director of the Civil Discourse Initiative at CofC earlier this week, I smiled. That’s something we need, and CofC can lead the way. How cool is that? Then, I reflected on last Thursday’s Faculty Meeting. There were a lot of thoughts shared and it wasn’t…

Inspiring People

I’ve had the privilege of attending two inspirational events in the last week. Last week, it was the Women For Women Summit where Anita Zucker received the Woman of Courage award. Every engagement I’ve had with Anita has been inspirational. Her story is compelling, and she has incredible insights, but the authenticity of her as…

AI on Our Minds

Is it just me? Not a day goes by that I am not engaged in at least one, typically more, conversation about Generative AI. I won’t rehash the discussions – you’re having these conversations, too, which are meaningful. This recent Advice Column in the Chronicle is thought-provoking and provides an excellent perspective of the opportunities…

P3: Power in Partnerships

At the Provost’s suggestion, today, I am at the P3 EDU conference in Denver. Public-private partnerships have had my attention for a long time. This is a continuation of the partnership theme I experienced last week with the Chamber. The stories and examples are inspirational. I am learning a lot and am encouraged about how…

Beyond CHS

Greetings from Austin, Texas. I am currently at The University of Texas as a part of the Charleston Metro Chamber’s Metro Leadership Visit. It’s a jampacked couple of days, but I am spending time with Charleston business leaders and learning more about the great things happening in Austin. Austin is a city that Charleston can…

Demographic Cliff

We’ve been discussing a pending enrollment/demographic cliff for years. Declining birth rates, an aging population, economics, and other factors mean fewer traditional college-age students in the future. As academics, we understand that the data supports this conclusion. It’s happening. We need to have strategies to deal with it so we can control our own destiny….

Leading with Lollipops

You’re busy, but can I ask you to take 6.5 minutes to watch a Ted Talk? TEDxToronto – Drew Dudley “Leading with Lollipops” – YouTube The video is a great reminder that even in all this busyness, we can have an impact – and sometimes we don’t realize it. It doesn’t have to be something…

Hurricane Thoughts

First and most importantly, I hope you and your loved ones are well and were minimally impacted by the storm. Many people have asked me if this was my first hurricane – forgetting that I’ve lost count, having lived in Florida and Eastern NC. Despite my familiarity, each storm is a new experience and gives…

ROI & Student Success

Seeing all the movement on campus and hearing the engagement is extraordinary. I am continually amazed at how you do what you do. We are a school of business at a public institution, and we’ve learned to leverage our resources. Then, when we think we can’t leverage them anymore, we do. And still, we provide…

Kicking Off the New Academic Year: We’ve Got This!

Can you believe it’s that time of the year again? Beatty is buzzing, students are moving in, and we’re about to embark on another incredible academic journey at OUR Charleston School of Business. A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane Okay, quick throwback – remember all those successes from last year? The challenges that turned into…

Launch Sequence

It’s hard to believe that there are only 12 days until the start of the semester. This time next week, we will be kicking off the semester together in Wells Fargo. Often, we view the start of a new semester as a launch. This semester is no exception, and we are watching closely with a…

Journey of Belonging

Last week at the Charleston Metro Chamber’s 4th Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference, we had a table representing the Charleston School of Business. It was a good day for numerous reasons. It reinforced that we are blessed to work with great people looking for ways to make us better. None of us were required…

Why?

Why do you do what you do? Why do you invest in your research? Your teaching? Your service? Over a decade ago, in his Ted Talk, Simon Sinek asked the “why?” question, and I’ve been pondering it ever since. In relation to my academic career, I found myself asking these very questions as I wrote…

Future Thinking (AI)

“Stop educating for their past and start educating for their future.” In a recent Fireside Chat with Boston College: Generative AI in Education, hosted by Grammarly, the above statement resonated with me, because it’s true. In between all the “stuff” that summer brings to the Dean’s Office, I’ve been thinking a lot about our future,…

Fall Kick Off

Save the date – August 17th from 10:00 – 12:00 with lunch to follow. It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year, we are well into the summer, and the fall semester is right around the corner. Where did the time go? One of our goals is to start each year with a review…

Stepping Up

Please join me in thanking Robert (MSA), Alexis (MBA), and Angie (EDBA) for stepping up to graduate leadership positions in the School of Business. While the overall Higher Education landscape changes quickly, change has remained constant in Graduate Business Education. Think about it. The Centre for Innovative Management at Athabasca University launched the first fully…

Center Stage

We are blessed with excellent centers doing meaningful work that makes an impact across the region. When was the last time you checked out what they are doing? I’d like to encourage you to take a look at their annual reports: Center for Public Choice and Market Process Office of Tourism Analysis Certiport Authorized Testing…