GRADUATE PROGRAMS GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH STAFF AND RESEARCH STAFF
Cele Burt
Associate Director for Graduate Business Programs
Dr. Jason Xiong
Associate Dean for Advanced Studies in Business
Dr. Robin Romanus
Director, Master of Science in Accounting Program
Donna Lindabury
Graduate Programs Administrator
Michelle Brown
Graduate Programs Career Coach
Kim Kirby
Graduate Programs Events and Social Media Manager
Dr. Neel Das
Director, Master of Business Administration Program
Dr. Ed Hassler
Director, Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics Program
Graduate Programs Advisor Gabriella Rodrigues
MASTER OF BUSINESS MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION
MBA program ranks within top 21% of nationwide programs
AppalachianStateUniversity’sonlineMBA programwasrankedwithinthetop20%of schoolsbyUS News&WorldReport The programwasrankedinthe‘2025BestOnline MBAPrograms,’continuingitsstrongnational standingamongonlinegraduatebusiness programs.
New AI master’s degree tracks
In 2025, the Walker College of Business launched new AI-focused concentrations within the MBA and MSADA programs, expanding opportunities for graduate students to build advanced skills in artificial intelligence and datadriven strategy. The curriculum emphasizes applied AI, ethical technology governance, and strategic innovation, preparing App State graduates to lead in an increasingly AI-enabled business environment.
MASTER OF SCIENCE MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN APPLIED DATA ANALYTICS IN APPLIED DATA ANALYTICS
App State earns R2 Carnegie Classification
App State received a Research Activity Designation of Research 2 from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education the nation’s leading framework for categorizing U S higher education institutions This new designation is awarded to institutions with high research activity and doctorate production.
A best in-person data analytics program
Fortune Magazine ranked App State’s Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics (MSADA) program as the 7th best in-person data analytics program in the United States, recognizing the program’s academic rigor, industry relevance, and strong career outcomes for graduates.
A most affordable data science program
Fortune also named App State’s MSADA program No. 13 in the nation on its “Most Affordable Master’s in Data Science for 2025” list, highlighting the program’s value and accessibility for students pursuing advanced training in data analytics
MASTER OF ARTS IN INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL
MASTER OF ARTS IN INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Psychology meets business: An interdisciplinary path
The Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management Program is an Interdisciplinary Master of Arts degree, offered by the Departments of Psychology and Management, to prepare professionals for work in business, industry, and government. As part of the only cross-disciplinary master's degree program in the nation, students have the unique opportunity to leverage the application of I-O Psychology to business.
Top-ranked for excellence across student experience and outcomes
In the most recent rankings of I-O graduate programs, the IOHRM program was rated highly by multiple independent research teams:
First for overall student satisfaction
First for resources provided to students
Second for program culture (Acikgoz et al., 2018),
Third highest-ranked program overall based on student ratings (Roman, Barnett, & Eatough, 2018)
Environmental, social, and governance issues for CPAs
Professor Tammy Kowalczyk has an article forthcoming in Today’s CPA titled “Assessing the Materiality of ESG Risks – Guidance for CPAs ”
Credit ratings, supplier performance, and investor perception
Assistant Professor Wenye Tang, along with co authors Aaron Nelson and Eva Liang, recently published “Positive Externalities of Credit Ratings: Customer Downgrades, Supplier Performance, and Investor Perception” in Accounting & Finance.
Assistant Professor Tyler Johnson has published several research articles examining how state tax policy particularly corporate income tax conformity with the federal tax code shapes state revenue systems. How state tax policy shapes revenue stability
Faculty–student research collaboration published
Professor Ken Brackney and App State MS in Accounting student Megan Temple '22, '23 co authored an instructional case entitled “Instructional Case: Investigating the Predictive Accuracy of Acquirers’ Pro Forma Earnings Disclosures.”
Read these stories and more: accounting.appstate.edu/news
Faculty-student research collaborations
Student research in the CIS Department was showcased through both competition and campus presentations during the academic year. Dr. Jeff Kaleta mentored a student who earned recognition in App State’s Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Faculty demonstrated engagement in interdisciplinary scholarship through presented research at RECAPP - the university’s annual Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian.
Building on curricula in the department and college, the Department of Computer Information Systems plans to launch a new Artificial Intelligence concentration, beginning in Fall 2026. Designed for students in the CIS and cybersecurity majors, the concentration will equip graduates with the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly data-driven, AI-powered world. Students will learn how to build, apply, and ethically manage AI tools while gaining practical, business-ready expertise in automation, analytics, and decision support.
Dr Ed Hassler was named director of the MS in Applied Data Analytics program in the Walker College of Business Hassler, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Information Systems, joined App State’s faculty in 2016.
Advancing AI in clinical care and health equity
Assistant professor of economics, Dr. Shishir Shakya, pictured with arms crossed, was recently appointed as a Research Fellow in the NIH funded AIM AHEAD Bridge2AI program. The researchers are developing agentic artificial intelligence (AI) systems for clinical care and health equity research
Exploring how personality shapes moral decisions
Economics Professor and Walker College of Business Research Excellence
Professor, Dr David Dickinson, published an article in the European Economic Review examining how personality traits influence moral and ethical decision making
Faculty-student collaboration on NCAA recruiting imbalances
Drs. Peter Groothuis and Dennis Guignet, along with App State MBA now alumnus Adam Houston, published an article, Competitive Recruiting Imbalances Between National Collegiate Athletic Association Conferences, in the Journal of Sports Economics.
Examining competition, effort, and strategic sabotage
Dr. Kyung Hwan Baik published research in Journal of Public Economic Theory examining contests in which groups compete for shared outcomes. The study finds that equilibrium behavior may include either productive effort or sabotage, depending on incentives, with important implications for competition and group decision-making.
Revealing how debt influences CEO pay design
A study from Assistant Professor Dr. Jonathan Bitting was recently published in Contemporary Accounting Research, examining CEO short term incentives and the agency cost of debt and analyzed how creditor pressure shapes executive compensation design
Advising on life insurance and well-being
Examining economic policy uncertainty and lending costs
Research from Associate Professor Dr Justin Cox was recently published in Accounting & Finance. The work examines how state level economic policy uncertainty affects bank loan pricing in the United States.
Teaching strategy in sports law education
Exploring how outside board roles affect firm outcomes
Associate Professor Dr. Alex Holcomb recently published research in Financial Review examining how non-CEO executives’ outside board service affects firm performance.
Sabina Pandey and coauthors published in Financial Planning Research Journal on life insurance’s role in retirement security. The research finds it improves both financial outcomes and individuals’ confidence in their financial well-being
Joey Long published research in Southern Law Journal exploring essential questions as a teaching strategy in sports law. The study shows this approach helps business students build both technical knowledge and critical thinking skills
Lori Medders, with co-authors, published in The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance on catastrophe insurance resilience. The study highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in sustaining markets and sharing risk Insuring against
Management faculty earn top research honors
Assistant professors of management Dr Jacqueline Tilton, second from right, and Dr Justin Kent, right, earned the first-place Dean’s Club Research Prize Assistant professor of management Dr Mark Bolinger, left, earned second place, as did Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management colleague Dr Lubna
Nafees The awards were presented during the Sywassink Awards for Excellence Program and Dinner on April 29, 2025 Two more management employees were honored – Sywassink Special Faculty Awareee Bond Jones and Sywassink Staff Awardee Lauren Stansberry.
Research on agile virtual enterprises
Associate professor of management and honors program director Dr. Santosh Nandi coauthored a study in Production Planning & Control examining how agility and virtual collaboration shape Agile Virtual Enterprises during crisis conditions The findings show these capabilities help organizations maintain supply continuity and respond effectively in both stable and disruptive environments.
Research with real-world impact
Exploring strategies in dynamic environments
Assistant professor of management Dr Tiberiu Ungureanu co-authored research in the Strategic Management Journal exploring how firms should adapt exploration strategies in dynamic environments. The study finds that while organizations should consistently broaden where they explore, how much they explore depends on internal decision-making processes.
Dr Shinnar recently published research in International Journal of Management Education examining how Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) enhances students’ cultural intelligence, with the strongest benefits seen among those with limited international experience She also co-authored a study in Management Decision exploring how government relief programs influenced entrepreneurs during COVID-19, finding that men were more likely to start businesses while women tended to pursue paid employment, underscoring the need for gender-aware policy. In recognition of her work, Dr Shinnar received the University Global Leadership Award
Faculty featured at RECAPP
Marketing and Supply Chain Management faculty and students were part of Appalachian State University's Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian (RECAPP) Pictured are Marketing Faculty Members Pia Albinsson, Brittany Beck, Stephanie Lawson, and William Northington.
Marketing faculty among those connecting through Appalachian Research in Business Symposium
Faculty and staff connect with Appalachia counterparts for Appalachian Research in Business Symposium
Nafees earns Dean’s Club Research Prize
Dr. Lubna Nafees, second from left, recently received a Dean’s Club Research Prize recognizing her work in digital marketing, AI, and sustainable consumption. She is widely published in leading journals and active in major academic conferences.
Department News: Online marketing program launches through Flight Path
Faculty research led by marketing scholars examined how online platforms influence user interactions and community responses, with findings presented in university research forums and competitions. The work highlights how digital content creators shape engagement patterns, offering insight into marketing strategy and online consumer behavior.
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This edition was created by App State graduate assistant Sawyer O'Donnell with leadership from WCOB Director of Research Tanga Mohr and support from Director of Communications Haley Childers
