December is a month I associate with family, giving, reflection – and what lies ahead.
As I reflect on all we’ve achieved in 2019, there’s no better place to give credit where it’s due, than to the Clemson Family — our students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends who are connected to us through their love of being a Tiger.
Our dedicated faculty and staff have created an outstanding learning environment for the college’s growing student population. Undergraduate applications increased 11 percent in 2019 from a year ago, leading all colleges at the university. And, our enrollment grew by nearly 7 percent from 2018. These positive numbers are indications the college is growing in the right direction as we work toward raising awareness of the quality of business education at Clemson.
Fundraising has been another bright spot as we look toward 2020 and beyond. With our new business school state-of-the-art building opening for classes in fall 2020, generous donors have given at record levels, providing funds for the building and support of business education’s top priorities. It is a testament to the power of the Clemson Family that 2018-19 fundraising exceeded $21.7 million. In fact, Clemson’s first four Academic Cornerstone Partners have generously given to the College of Business — the Chapmans, Erwins, Garrisons, and Phyfers.
The college’s top educational priorities are moving forward, including Leadership, Business Analytics and the Sales Innovation Program, led by Dr. Ryan Mullins in our Department of Marketing. Students are actively engaged in the program’s expanded curriculum and are taking advantage of the research and activities that generous donors are helping to fund. The Thomas F. Chapman Leadership Scholars Program expanded and welcomed its first group of university-wide scholars, highlighting the importance of a business acumen and leadership in all disciplines.
I am so proud of what our students have accomplished this year. From the winners of our 2019 Student Awards, to the leadership of our active Student Advisory Board and student groups such as the Minority Business Student Association and Women in Business, our students are the best example of our bright future.
Two of our stellar undergraduate students in Accounting and Finance brought home a national title this fall by flexing their collective muscles in Business Analytics. Emma Lee and Chris Breemen beat out 40 other teams nationwide to win Cisco’s Leaders in Finance and Technology Case Competition. Their analytical solution to a merger and acquisition case study was recognized as the best among all other competing universities.
Faculty accolades are far too many to list, but a number of accomplishments stand out. In the last year, faculty publications in research journals increased, as did citations. Management’s Phil Roth received the coveted Schmidt-Hunter Award for his meta-analysis research. Zeki Simsek, also representing our management faculty, was recently named a senior associate editor in a premier publication, the Journal of Management.
Graphic Communications’ Erica Walker was one of seven university scholars to receive a Clemson University Research Foundation grant for research on producing color-correct images for Jumbotrons. And, Patrick Warren’s collaborative research involving Russian trolling on social media networks continues to receive worldwide press coverage. Many additional faculty achievements were recognized in 2019.
Our MBA program continues to lead growth in the College’s advanced degree programs. The debut of a completely online MBA degree helped boost the program’s enrollment by 9 percent this year. And the Phyfers’ Cornerstone Partner gift added to the program’s resources through an Innovation Hub and the MBA’s new Pawdcasts.
The College’s centers and institutes also had banner years, topped off by the Erwin Center for Brand Communications’ inaugural CMO Summit, which drew rave reviews from attendees. The Hayek Center for the Business of Prosperity debuted a couple of innovative and collaborative workshops, and the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism’s Lyceum Scholars Program continues to draw record applicants.
Image Credit: Erin Tetterton
Clemson’s rich military history was front and center in the nation’s capital earlier this year when I had the honor of presenting videos of veterans’ military service remembrances to the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, where they will forever be preserved.
These many achievements merely touch the surface of all that we accomplished in 2019. But they are all great examples of the strong foundation from which our future strategic initiatives will grow and elevate business education at Clemson and the university’s national brand.
What’s done, and what is to come, is only possible because of your commitment and dedication. With your help, the College of Business will go far in achieving a standard of excellence befitting this hallowed institution. I am blessed and privileged to be on this journey with you, and anxiously look forward to all we have yet to accomplish.
I sincerely hope the holidays bring you peace and happiness and that you return in 2020 energized and ready to experience another exciting year.
Go, Tigers!
Wendy York
Dean, College of Business
