Strong academic year for business education at Sewanee
05.28.12
Three members of the Class of 2012 were honored at graduation for successful completion of the University's business honors program. From left, Michelle Qian, Corbin Allen, Samarth Chaddha, Economics Department Chair and pre-business advisor Doug Williams, and Babson Center Director Chip Manning.
The graduation of 19 business minors in the Class of 2012, including three honors graduates, wrapped up the 2011-12 academic year for the Wm. Polk Carey Pre-Business Program for business education at Sewanee.
Components of the pre-business program include the interdisciplinary business minor, University-wide co-curricular events at the Babson Center for Global Commerce, Carey Fellowships for honors students, Beecken Scholarships for summer bridge programs at major business schools, and business skills and career development activities.
At a special ceremony on commencement day, three graduates were awarded certificates to recognize their successful completion of Carey Fellowships. Requirements for the fellowships include additional coursework, business skills training, and a semester-long paid internship. Carey Fellows are required to maintain a 3.33 GPA throughout the program.
The honorees -- Corbin (Corey) Allen, from Sevierville, TN; Samarth Chaddha, from Dubai, UAE; and Michelle (Yujia) Qian, from Suzhou, China -- compose the second group of graduating Carey Fellows.
Chaddha and Qian are both members of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and best-known academic honorary society in the United States.
Five students are on course to graduate as Carey Fellows in 2013, and seven Class of 2014 students have been selected for the honors program.
Sixteen members of the 440-strong sophomore class had declared business minors by mid-April, making business the most selected minor by members of the Class of 2014. Spanish and education were their second- and third-ranked choices. Seventy-four sophomores have thus far made minor declarations.
The University offers minors in 35 areas. Students are allowed to declare minors throughout their junior and much of their senior years.
Among the 66 business minor graduates since business was approved as a minor in 2008, economics is the most popular major (43). The business minor has attracted majors from across Sewanee’s broad liberal arts offerings, including six psychology majors, four English majors, and students with such diverse academic interests as art history, biology, mathematics, and physics.
Five students won 2012 Beecken Scholarships for summer study programs at some of the nation’s most prestigious business schools. The scholarships provide as much as 75 percent of program costs up to $7,500, depending on the overall expense of the program selected. Since 2008, 33 Sewanee students have received Beecken Scholarships.
Throughout the academic year, the Babson Center’s public outreach programs gave students, faculty, and the Sewanee community numerous opportunities to learn from business leaders and innovators:
- Internet business innovator and executive David Mason, C’ 95, the 2011-2012 Humphreys Entrepreneur in Residence, described how his undergraduate studies as a history major started his career arc to business success.
- Banking executive John Allison, the first of two Bryan Viewpoints Speakers for the academic year, dissected the causes of the financial crisis in the United States.
- Michael Keiser, greeting card entrepreneur turned golf course developer, discussed the elements of success in his peripatetic business career during his Viewpoints presentation.
- The 2011-12 Graham Executive in Residence, marketing innovator Joey Reiman, argued for the importance of corporate culture as a driver of long-term business success.
- Two Smith Career Conversations brought students interested in business careers face-to-face with senior business leaders for advice on how to build careers. The first Smith Conversation focused on careers in finance, and the second featured a wide-ranging roundtable discussion among four Sewanee-graduate CEOs.
In January 2012, the University and the Babson Center marked with sorrow the death of Wm. Polk Carey, whose generous gift helped bring business education to Sewanee.
