The Thurmond Review
Semester Newsletter of The College of Business Administration
Summer 2013
this issue
Dean’s Message
Successes and Spotlights
News and Events
Alumni Information
Message From the Dean
The programs offered at Winthrop and the College of Business Administration (CBA) are intentionally designed to offer distinctive opportunities for our students, faculty and partners. The key that creates the distinction is the variety and blend of choices available to students, and the
relationships the college has created to open the world to Winthrop business students.
The distinctiveness begins with the programs themselves. Our Bachelor
of Science in business administration program is broad in its coverage to
introduce students to all aspects of contemporary global organizations. At
the same time, the program allows students to enter a level of discipline with a specific focus
through one of the many concentrations available. The CBA also offers even more specialized
tracks within certain majors, like corporate finance and certified financial planning, to further the
opportunities that are available. We even offer a B.S. in computer science and a B.A. in economics, as well as a complete MBA program. The innovative B.S. in digital information design
is yet another way our programs allow unique opportunities for students to focus on a specialized
career path.
CBA also has a centralized focus on student professional development, an amazing opportunity
for students in itself. Additional academic opportunities include access to multiple data resources and advanced technology, including multiple Bloomberg terminals and GIS, all centrally
located in the Vivian M. Carroll Hall.
Field-based learning opportunities occur when as many as 30 professional organizations per
year, ranging from local to international, bring their research and consulting needs into CBA
classrooms. Another outstanding dimension for students, businesses and our community is the
incredible diversity in a Winthrop classroom. The CBA classrooms will have about equal numbers of men and women, one third minorities, and an astonishing number of international students. Our efforts to build global partnerships attract almost 150 international students from 26
countries.
The opportunity to study with a globally representative group of students is often supplemented
by short term study abroad for our students to learn about culture and alternative business practices with the cooperation of a local partner to help pave the way. Recent study trips have taken
students to many locations, including China, India, France, Spain, Thailand and the microfinance
trip to Bolivia that is featured in this newsletter.
Continuing this kind of rich agenda is our most important strategic initiative. The three recently
hired professors are evidence of our strength in national recruiting. They are here to work on
continuing opportunities. We are implementing a new MBA curriculum and putting the finishing
touches on a revised B.S. in business administration core. We are constantly striving to maintain
our programming, and we welcome your support as we work on developing new opportunities
for a new generation of business leaders.
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CBA HIGHLIGHTS
 Technology focus-GIS
 Three new faculty to be welcomed for fall
2013
 New healthcare management certificate
being offered
MBA HIGHLIGHTS
 Information sessions being offered: July
17 and August 6 at 2 p.m., DiGiorgio
Campus Center
 Winter break trip: Cambodia and
Vietnam: December 27-January 4
 Globalization of students through diversity: 25 percent of the MBA population
is international
College of Business Administration
Thurmond Building
Rock Hill, SC 29733
Phone: 803/323-2186
Web: www.winthrop.edu/cba
The Thurmond Review
Student Spotlight
CBA SUCCESS STORIES
Keslie Blackwell ’13
Students, Alumni, and Faculty
Jane Thomas, Ph.D., and professor of
marketing, earned the 2013 LaRoche
Graduate Faculty Award.
The LaRoche Graduate Faculty Award is
given to a faculty member who holds the
rank of associate or full professor, has a
record of outstanding teaching at the graduate level, and has made a significant
contribution to the quality of graduate
education at the university.
Marilyn Smith, Ph.D., has been named the
university’s 2013 Distinguished Professor.
The Distinguished Professor Award is the
highest honor Winthrop can bestow upon
a faculty member. It is presented in
recognition of exceptional skills in teaching, significant research or creative effort,
high standing among professional colleagues, and service to the university and
community.
Student Award Spotlight
presented at Honors Awards Ceremony
Sharain Hemingway
Dean’s Award for Meritorious Service
MEET OUR NEW FACULTY
Stephanie Lawson
Marketing
Andrew R. Besmer
Computer Science
Glyn J. Winterbotham
Accounting
Stephanie Lawson has a 2006 Ph.D. from Florida State, and she was most recently on the faculty at
Suffolk University in Boston. She has taught consumer behavior, services marketing, marketing
research, international marketing and marketing strategy.
Andrew Besmer, ABD from UNCC, has areas of interest in security, privacy, social networks, access control and human computer interaction. He has taught in human computer interaction and
infrastructure and interned on the Security Team at Google.
Glyn Winterbotham earned his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, passed the CPA exam in
Massachusetts, and was most recently serving on the faculty of the University of Texas at Arlington. He has taught financial accounting at many levels and has some experience in managerial accounting.
Keslie Taylor Blackwell of
Florence, S.C., received the
Tillman Award at Winthrop
University’s spring commencement exercises on
May 4 at Winthrop Coliseum. The Tillman Award is
the university’s highest
academic honor. Established in 1940 to honor
former S.C. Governor Benjamin Ryan Tillman, the
award recognizes the graduate who has most consistently met the demands of academic excellence.
The business administration major, whose degree had a
concentration in health management, will be working at
Piedmont Medical Center as an operations accountant.
Keslie had this to say about her experience at Winthrop: “Before coming to Winthrop, I was continually
reminded by family and friends that these four years
would be the best years of my life. After reflecting
upon my time at Winthrop, I realize how true that
phrase is. My Winthrop experience brought about both
intellectual and personal growth. Winthrop provided
me with the opportunity to challenge myself like I never had before. By pushing myself to the limit, I gained a
deeper understanding of my aspirations and strengths.
More importantly, my studies at Winthrop helped me
uncover my purpose and drive to impact the health care
industry.
“Furthermore, I feel quite blessed that I find it difficult
to name just one professor that shaped my academic
career at Winthrop. Of course, a large portion of my
gratitude goes to Dr. Keith Benson and Dr. Michael
Matthews for providing me with a strong foundation in
health care management. However, I believe that all of
the College of Business professors played a large role
in my academic experience. From providing guidance
through course material to aiding in my job search,
each professor contributed to my overall Winthrop
experience. Before my undergraduate education, I had
never encountered a more committed group of faculty
that genuinely cared about their students’ success. My
friends that attended larger institutions were surprised
to know that my professors knew my name and often
times other personal information. Winthrop is one of
few universities that offers their students the opportunity to form close relationships with their professors.
“Overall the challenges I encountered and the relationships I developed made my four years at Winthrop
invaluable to my next transition. In my opinion Winthrop represents more than just an enjoyable four years,
but symbolizes academic excellence and a strong commitment to students.”
The Thurmond Review
New Healthcare Management
Academic Certification
Winthrop University recognizes the need for
healthcare professionals to have a bridge between their professional degrees and the management aspect of the clinical industries and is
announcing its new Certificate in Healthcare
Management.
For more information contact Mike Matthews or
visit www.winthrop.edu/cba/healthcare/
certification
Financial Markets Seminar
This past May, Professor Charles Alvis had the distinct pleasure to take a group of 24 students enrolled
in BADM 402 and BADM 602 to New York, N.Y.,
for an educational experience in financial markets.
These students had the opportunity to hear presentations by industry leaders and executive leadership
from companies such as Bloomberg, L.P., Charles
Schwab, Global Wealth Management, and PIMCO—
just to name a few.
Plus, the class included a lecture on and a tour of
the New York Stock Exchange and the
NASDAQ Exchange. This year, for the first
time, the course included a special presentation
by William Ivey Long and a tour of his costume
design facility for Broadway plays. Long lectured on the business of Broadway. This was an
exceptional experience especially given that
later in June Long received the 2013 Tony
Award for Best Costume Design for his work
with “Cinderella” by Rogers and Hammerstein.
This trip is an invaluable learning experience for
students, regardless of major, and one that each
student in the College of Business Administration should consider taking!
Technology Focus
GIS
Geographic Information System technology utilizes demographic information and analyzes
customer data, preferences and purchasing habits so that businesses can gain valuable insight
about their region and customer base in certain
areas. Businesses are then able to map out areas
that are ideal locations for their specific business
based on that data.

GIS is currently being used in several marketing classes to help students develop business plans

BADM 581 offered by Barbara Fuller, Ph.D.,
is completely focused and dedicated to GIS
technology.
Outstanding Faculty Honored
Bolivia-May 2013
Laura Ullrich, Ph.D., and professor of economics, took
a group of 14 students to Boliva to study microfinance.
They visited Lima, Peru and Cochabamba, as well as
Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to learn more about entrepreneurship and sustainable business in Latin America.
The focus was specifically on smaller businesses in
Bolivia, many of which are funded via microfinance. In addition to learning about these businesses,
they also had the opportunity to loan up to $4,000,
donated by Willams & Fudge Inc., to business owners. After conducting research on each company, the
students decided to loan money to a small restaurant in
Cochabamba, and a high-tech startup that is developing
a payment machine that will allow for the rapid payment of utility bills.
This was an amazing experience and students brought
back a significant amount of knowledge and a thirst to
learn more! Our hope is that Winthrop can establish a
permanent relationship in Bolivia, and that this is just
the beginning of the wonderful things our students and
faculty can do there.
At the annual Honors Award Breakfast on May 4, 2013, three
exceptional faculty members were honored for their commitment, service and excellence in the College of Business Administration.
Jim McKim was awarded the Wells Fargo Excellence in Teaching Award for his exceptional performance in the classroom
and his attention and care for his students.
Steve Frankforter and Clarence Coleman were presented the
Springs Industries Research Award for their academic dedication to research and publication of their research.
Emma Jane Riddle was awarded the Excellence in Service
Award for her commitment to service in the community as well
as within the university and the College of Business Administration.
~ Congratulations to our outstanding faculty ~
The Thurmond Review
Alumni Spotlight
Shane Duncan ’98
The “Winthrop Experience” doesn’t
end at graduation…
For Credit Internships
Summer 2013
Jessica Covin-MGMT
DLA Piper Chicago
Carole Ward-MBA
International House
Shieanne Miller-MBA
Daimler Trucks NA
Pang Moua-MBA
Positec Tool
Dionne Jaques-INBU
U-Save
Jacquelin DeLeonMGMT
Management Recruiters
Steve Rivard-INBU
ZUUK International
Jennifer Riley-BADM
Town of Mt. Pleasant
Deja Frederick-MBA
ConAgra Foods
Yasmine Alkema-INBU
The Meadow Club
Robert Lowe-HR
Charles Lea Center
John Kim-INBU
Coca-Cola Bottling
Teja Durante-MBA
Waddell & Reed
Carla Timmons-MBA
Expedited Driveway
Elliott Jeter-MGMT
WGIV103.3 FM
Liran Levy-ACCT
Bank HypoAlim NY
Natalie Becker-ACCT
Manulife Financial
Ryan Turner-MGMT
Fastenal
Steven Cherry-CSCI
Resolute Forest Products
Upcoming Events
Summer Sessions
May 13-August 7
Being part of a team to help grow a
business, Shane Duncan ’98 knows
the value of relationships. Relationships, both external and internal, are
what make things happen. “As Business Development Manager for M33
Integrated Solutions, a Greenville,
S.C., based logistics technology and
lead logistics provider, I engage,
develop and cultivate long term
relationships with potential clients to
grow our business. Internally, I work with my support team to execute flawless implementations to ensure client expectations are met to garner lasting partnerships with our customers.
The experiences I had at Winthrop laid the foundation for what I do daily in my career: ask
good questions, listen intently, develop relevant solutions and execute strategic plans.
“As a business major with a concentration in marketing, I recognized during my time at
Winthrop, the key to being successful was working with others. I continue to see that same
lesson play out daily in my professional role with M33 Integrated. I don’t think you can get
very far in today’s competitive environment without interpersonal skills. The market today
is heavily focused on relational marketing and how people feel about doing business with
others.
“Winthrop was the perfect college choice for me; it provided the right student-to-professor
ratio to encourage interaction as well as the right balance of extracurricular activities to
apply and enhance the lessons learned in the classroom. Professors like Drs. Jane Thomas,
John Robbins, Charles Alvis, and many others helped lay the foundation for my career in
sales and management. They really took the time to know their students and give them applicable classroom experiences.
“Winthrop offers lifelong opportunities to create and maintain friendships, grow your professional and personal networks, expand your circle of influence and give back. With hundreds of clubs, associations and groups, Winthrop students have the opportunity to involve
themselves in a variety of diverse organizations across campus. Through classroom learning
and campus involvement, students create their own Winthrop Experience that will launch
their career and stay with them as they advance. Motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar
said it well, ‘You can get everything you want, if you will just help enough other people get
what they want.’ It’s about serving others, giving back and paying it forward.”
While at Winthrop, Duncan served the university through involvement in several organizations, including Winthrop Cheerleading, Winthrop Ambassadors, French Club, Student
Alumni Council, Inter-fraternity Council, and the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Since graduation, he remains close to his alma mater, having served on the Rock Hill/York County
Alumni Club Board and the WU Alumni Association nominating committee. Today, Duncan continues to serve as a member of WAAV – Winthrop Alumni in Admissions Volunteer
and on the Executive Board of the Winthrop Alumni Association, working with Debbie
Garrick and her team in the Office of Alumni Relations. Duncan was recognized in 2006
with the Most Outstanding Young Alumni Award.
Welcome Week
August 16-25
Convocation
August 19, 4 p.m.
Add/Drop
August 19-23
Fall Classes Begin
August 20
The College of Business Administration