A Message from the Dean

I’m sure you have noticed our new information monitors on the lower, first and third atrium levels. We hope they will enhance communication, allow us to welcome visitors in a more sophisticated way, and also bring the business world---in real time-- into our building.  But to make this work we need your help: Please take advantage of the new website entry system to tell us about your special guests or activities, so we can include them on the monitors.  More details about this are included in a later feature in this newsletter.

You may be wondering how we were able to afford this new system.  We owe thanks to our corporate and alumni donors.  Afni had included technology support as part of their campaign pledge to the college, and we combined that with campaign contributions from three alumni donors: John Rigas, Tom Reedy, and Warren Schmidgall. We are grateful that with these resources we can provide more high-tech communication throughout the building.

The Business Week Committee is completing plans for Business Week 2007, April 2-6. Oour keynote address this year will be delivered by Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens.  A native of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, he graduated from North Carolina State University, in 1973 with a Ph.D. in economics before joining Caterpillar. The keynote address and time were adjusted this year to allow us to invite Dr. Owens. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear from a very successful and personable corporate leader, whose remarks on leadership in changing times will certainly tie into your class discussion topics.

The keynote address is Tuesday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. in Braden Auditorium.  Caterpillar is one of the world’s most successful corporations and a great partner to our college and university. We all hope you are marking your calendars, and that all faculty and staff will encourage and possibly reward your students’ participation in this and other Business Week events.

 

Dixie