College of Business & Technology Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-2025

Highlights and key strategic plan updates from the academic year © 2025

LETTER FROM DR. GOETTE, INTERIM DEAN This year has been a time of extraordinary progress for the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology.

As Interim Dean, it has been an honor to serve this college and community. The dedication of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and industry partners continues to shape us daily as we increase our impact. Together, we’ve celebrated meaningful milestones that demonstrate our commitment to innovation and excellence.

One of our proudest accomplishments was launching the Business Executive in Residence program, which brings senior leaders to campus for immersive visits. This year, we welcomed Barry Wolfe in the fall and Kevin Neary in the spring. We look forward to hosting Kristina Turner in October and Sam Rauschenberg in April.

We also relaunched the Executive Forum, a speaker and dinner series that connects our students and faculty with local business leaders. Kevin Neary and Mike Ciabattoni were featured in Spring 2025, and we are excited to welcome Kristina Turner and Lou Childs this fall. These initiatives strengthen the bridge between academic learning and real-world application, expanding our students’ networks and perspectives.

Inside the classroom, we continue to enhance the student experience with high-impact learning opportunities. This year, we proudly opened the Bobcat Boardroom and Bobcat Trading Room, two state-of-the-art spaces that are already being put to great use by students in finance, information systems, and other areas. Outside the classroom, we’ve made time to connect and celebrate. We hosted a CoBT Night at the Bobcat baseball game in April, and we’re planning tailgates for volleyball and soccer this fall. We hope to see many of our alumni at these events as we build a stronger, more connected community.

Our momentum is also reflected in our numbers. In Fall 2024, the CoBT enrolled 2,189 students, up from 1,830 in Fall 2022. Georgia College’s total enrollment rose from 6,315 to 7,097 in that same period. With this growth we are welcoming new faculty this August. They will be introduced in the next issue of From the Desk of the Dean.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the continued engagement of our alumni, partners, and supporters. Whether you mentored students, judged Elevator Pitch competitions, hosted interns, spoke in a class, or gave generously of your time and resources—thank you. Your investment has lasting impact.

Looking ahead, I am excited about what’s next. With your continued support and the momentum we’ve built, I’m confident the CoBT will continue to thrive and lead.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tanya Goette Interim Dean Professor of Management Information Systems

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Vision The J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology aspires to be the preeminent business school among public liberal arts colleges and universities by delivering innovative programs of excellence.

Mission The mission of the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology is to develop agile business professionals and socially responsible citizen leaders who embrace intellectual inquiry through critical and analytical thinking, quantitative reasoning, technical competence, and effective communication, while building upon the attributes of a public liberal arts education.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

LIGHTING A PATH FOR OUR FUTURE BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD THE 2022-2027 STRATEGIC PLAN

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1: FOCUS ON ACADEMIC INNOVATION Key Initiatives: Develop and implement a BS in Finance Expand and enrich high impact practices Ensure technology currency across academic disciplines Grow and sustain graduate enrollments

Academic innovation reflects both responsiveness to demand in the market and relevance to broader societal needs. A business education, as fully integrated with the public liberal arts, sets the environment for transformative listening, learning, and leveraging.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2: CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETAL IMPACT Key Initiatives: Develop partnerships with large employers Design and implement a Center for Innovation Visit gcsu.edu/business/strategic-plan to read more about our Strategic Plan.

We foster collaborative engagement and meaningful stakeholder connections. Our goal is positive and measurable societal impact for our various constituents including students, faculty, staff, local organizations, entrepreneurs, and regional employers.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

By the Numbers 2024-2025

13,129 # of living CoBT alums who have graduated since 1950

$461,084

#1

#1

Raised during the 2024-2025 fiscal year

Undergraduate Business Programs Among Regional South Universities according to U.S. News & World Report 2024

Undergraduate Computer Science Program Among Regional South Universities according to U.S. News & World Report 2024

$49,931

2,100+

5

Economic impact of CoBT volunteer hours

Students enrolled in the College of Business & Technology

Of the Top 10 Majors at GCSU are in the College of Business & Technology

$20k

94

25+

Raised during the Annual Giving Challenge

Honors College Students

Students engaged in Undergraduate Research

Graduating Students Reported

72%

of students participated in high-impact practices

14%

of students participated in study abroad or study away programs

$62,887

average salary upon graduation

146

Internships were completed

97% of students were satisfied with their internships

90% of students rated CoBT faculty quality as high or very high

These numbers are based on undergraduate senior exit exams and information from the GCSU Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Faculty Publications 2024-2025

ACCOUNTING & BUSINESS LAW Accounting Research Journal | Atlanta Journal Constitution | Barrons | Cheeseman Business Law | EDPACS | Forbes | Fox News | Global Business Review | International Journal of Behavioural Accounting & Finance | International Journal of Disclosure and Governance | International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT 20 | International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting | Journal of Business Finance & Accounting | Newsweek | New York Times | Oregon Law Review | Southern Journal of Business & Ethics | Strategic Change | The Accounting Educators’ Journal | The Hill | USA Today | US News & World Report | Wallstreet Journal | World Politics Review

ECONOMICS & FINANCE Agricultural and Resource Economics Review | Economics Bulletin | Associated Press | EconEd News | Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management International | Journal of Financial Education | Journal of Financial Research | Journal of Information, Communication & Ethics in Society | Journal of Sports Economics | Management Science | Review of Economics of the Household | The American Economist | The Annals of Regional Science, Germany | WABE

COMPUTER SCIENCE & INFORMATION SYSTEMS Application Scholarship, Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance | Behaviour & Information Technology | Business & Professional Communication Quarterly | IEEE | Information Technology for Development | International Journal of Business Communication | Issues in Information Systems | Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges | Privacy in the Digital Age: Challenges and Solutions | Science, Technology & Society | The Agile Network | The Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges

MANAGEMENT, MARKETING & LOGISTICS American Journal of Gastroenterology | American Journal of Management | Cardiology Research | First Monday | Group & Organization Management | Industrial Marketing Management | International Journal of Production Economics | International Journal of Technology Marketing | Journal of Cardiac Failure Journal of Organizational Behavior | Journal of Product & Brand Management | Journal of Public Policy & Marketing | Journal of Service Research, International | Logistics Management, USA | Management Decision International | Marketing Education Review | NPR | Psychology & Marketing | Public Relations Review | Tokyo Broadcasting Company | Transportation Research

82+ Total Number of Publications Disclaimer: This list is not comprehensive and is based on information recorded in Faculty Success for this reporting period. It includes media interviews, features, publications, other quotes in the press, and publications outside of CoBT disciplines.

Conferences 2024-2025

2024 AICPA Accounting Pipeline Diversity Symposium 2024 American Accounting Association Conference 2024 Annual Meeting of the Financial Management Association 2024 Atlantic Marketing Association (AtMA) Conference 2025 Annual Global Finance Conference 2025 Leadership in Accounting Education 4ATL: Creativity & Belonging in Atlanta Conference AACSB Deans’ Conference Academy of Economics & Finance Academy of International Business Academy of Management Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference AMA Winter Academic Conference Administrative Professionals Day Conference American Association of Advertising Agencies Conference American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) American Economic Association Meetings American Institute of CPAs Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management ASUG Campus Connect Beta Alpha Psi National Meeting CCSC South Central CCSC Northwest Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Conference Decision Science Institute (DSI)

62

Number of CoBT Faculty

Eastern Finance Association European Decision Sciences Institute Conference Frontiers in Service Conference Georgia Association of Accounting Educators Annual Conference Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference Global Finance Conference Grace Hopper Celebration High Impact Practices Summer Institute IEEE Southeast Con 2025 Information Systems Security Association Gala International AAA Conference International Association for Computing Information Systems International Collegiate Sales Competition International Information Management Association RNMKRS Salesforce AI Summit Social Dilemmas Working Group Society for Marketing Advances Society of Economic Educators Southern Economic Association Southern Finance Association Southwestern Finance Association SRC Annual Conference Tapia Conference 2024 USG AI Conference World Finance Conference

8

Undergraduate Majors

4 Master’s Programs

Disclaimer: This list is not comprehensive and is based on information reported in Faculty Success for the reporting period. The data may not capture all activities, achievements, or contributions during the reporting period.

Company Collaborations Internships

Guest Speakers 94th Logs Readiness Airforce Audit Agency Alex Gregory, Former CEO of YKK AmericasMart Amici’s Milledgeville Aon Rewards Asset Management Aprio Baldwin County Crime Center Bank of America Barclays Barracuda Network Bennett Thrasher Betty Gene’s Bodyplex Milledgeville Burton Bond Carr Riggs & Ingram Capala Celonis Central Garden & Pet Chick-Fil-A Clifton Larson Allen ClubCar CW Holdings LLC Delta Deloitte Dickey Broadcast Company 680 Draffin Tucker Eisner Amper Enterprise Ernest & Young Global Limited (EY) Exchange Bank Fan Creations Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Focus Brands Forvis Mazars

Projects

Competition Judges Fouts Bros Inc. Frazier & Deeter Fulton & Kozak Georgia Department of Audits & Accounts Georgia Department of Banking & Finance Georgia Ports Authority Good Agriculture Grant Thornton Guided by Good Gulfstream Hall Boys Inc. Hancock Askew Home Depot Howard Moore McDuffie IBM WatsonX Interface IRS Criminal Investigations Division Jackson and Coker Jimmy John’s Kubota Lake Country Gymnastics Litner Deganian Law Firm Lockheed Martin Macon Bacon Mansfield Energy Marketing Georgia Mauldin & Jenkins McNair, McLemore Middlebrooks, & Co. Med South Milwaukee Tool/TTI Morgan Stanley Morning Grind Coffee MS Tiller National Tree Company Nichols Cauley

Northwestern Mutual Northrup Grumman Orcawise Peach State Pride Pennington Pettigrew & Pettigrew Qrypt Remote Security Solutions Robins Air Force Rodel & Partner SAP Sageworx Slalom SlumberPods Smith Agency Smith+Howard Soliant Syfan Logistics Symphona The Agile Network The Masquerade The Meat Locker The Talk About Money Thiele Kaolin Threadkore Tomorrow Digital Marketing UPS United Distributors Inc. Vietcom Bank Vulcan Materials Wal-Mart WBL Windham Brannon Wipfli YKK

* This list is not comprehensive and is only a sampling of companies that the College of Business & Technology collaborates with.

Accounting & Business Law HIGHLIGHTS BETA ALPHA PSI

Accounting Career Fair

BAP is an honors organization for financial information students and professionals. Beta Alpha Psi exists to encourage & give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems; providing opportunities for self-development, service & association among members & practicing professionals and encouraging a sense of ethical, social & public responsibility.

BAP achieved Silver Status Attended BAP Annual Meeting in Orlando Initiated 24 new members in 2025 Many events for BAP and accounting students are sponsored by the Accounting Advisory Board

HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES Accounting Day on Front Campus | Accounting Board Interaction with students | Business Writing Skills Sessions | Fraud Night | Kickball Challenge | Meet the Firms Events | Mock Interviews | Networking Events | Resume Workshops | Scholarship Application Parties | Two Accounting Career Fairs | Voluntary Mentoring Program | Where do I Fit? Seminar

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM

BAP students at Accounting Board Meeting

$35,000 in savings 66 program participants 96% participant satistfaction rate 500 CoBT student service hours

Chaired by: Dr. Herbert Snyder

ALUMNI Eric Neas ‘12, ‘13

Eric climbed from audit associate to audit partner at Aprio after graduating from Georgia College with accounting degrees. At Aprio, he found a supportive environment that fosters growth and prioritizes employee development.

Read the full story.

Kristina Turner ‘09, ‘13

Kristina made history as Georgia's first female deputy state auditor after graduating from GCSU with accounting and MIS degrees. She is slated to serve as Georgia College's fall Business Executive in Residence.

Read her interview in our newsletter.

FACULTY Dr. Mohammad Jizi Dr. Jizi, an Associate Professor and CoBT GC Journeys Fellow, brings six + years of PricewaterhouseCoopers experience to GCSU. He has published more than 20 papers, is among the top 2% of accounting researchers according to ScholarGPS, and strategically aligns Column Society talks with college goals.

Read his biography in our newsletter.

Professor Jehan El-Jourbagy Professor El-Jourbagy, associate professor of business law and ethics, won the prestigious Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award. Her innovative teaching methods blend community service, professional networking & hands-on learning.

Read the story in FrontPage.

*Dr. Herbert Snyder retired at the end of 2024-2025.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Economics & Finance HIGHLIGHTS STUDENT MANAGED INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE (SMIC)

2024-2025 SMIC Executive Board

The $100,000 given to the Student Managed Investments Committee is now officially invested.

The student organization consists of an executive leadership board and 10 managing directors who oversee groups of analysts, with the 45-person membership requiring interviews and financial knowledge testing.

Read the full story in FrontPage.

MENTORED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Students and faculty presented their original research at the annual conference in Pensacola, Florida.

Read the full article in FrontPage.

HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES

AEF Student Presenters

Conference presentations | MURACE Undergraduate Student Research | Finance Club Economics & Debate Club | Omicron Delta Epsilon | NUDGE Unit: Psychology + Economics PURSUING HIGHER LEVEL DEGREES

30% of economics graduates pursued advanced degrees in the past five years. In 2024-2025, Economics graduates were accepted to: Florida State University, Emory University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Wyoming, & Tapei School of Economics & Political Science.

Trading Room Open House

Chaired by: Dr. J.J. Arias

ALUMNI Mackenzie Yaeger ‘14

Mackenzie, Director of Global Privacy Counsel at Vialto Partners and GCSU economics graduate, built her career from corporate finance to privacy law. She credits her economics degree with providing the analytical foundation for law.

Read the full story in our newsletter.

Sam Rauschenberg ‘07

Sam, Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness at Achieve Atlanta and GCSU economics alumnus, uses data to support students earning postsecondary degrees. He joined Achieve Atlanta in 2018 after teaching and earning his master’s at Duke University.

Read the full story in our newsletter.

FACULTY Dr. Xiaomeng Lu Dr. Xiaomeng Lu serves as faculty advisor for the CFA Institute Research Challenge, has published groundbreaking research in Management Science Journal, and brings expertise in Empirical Asset Pricing and Corporate Finance.

Read about Dr. Lu in our newsletter.

Dr. Cullen Wallace Dr. Wallace is the former recipient of the Laurie Hendricks McMillan Faculty Award, created a study-abroad program on capitalism and communism in Germany, and has published papers focusing on child welfare and adoption.

Read more in our newsletter.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Information Systems & Computer Science HIGHLIGHTS

HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES

AI Club

AI Club | GC WI | MIS Explore | Mentored Undergraduate Research | 24 students attended Grace Hopper Celebration | Scrum Master Training | IT Career Fair | Upsilon Pi Epsilon | Halle Foundation and grants | Pickleball clinic | Service Learning Projects | Capstone Projects | Celonis Center of Excellence | Scrum Master Certification | MMIS Double Bobcats | ASUG Student Connect Event in Atlanta | ERPSim Sustainable Manufacturing National Competition – placed 9th

STUDENT CERTIFICATIONS Undergraduate Students 17 earned Celonis Rising Star Digital Badges 27 Earned SAP Student Award Certificates

MMIS Student at Grace Hopper

Graduate Students 36 earned Salesforce Digital Badges

ITAB BOARD INVOLVEMENT 130+ students & professionals attended the professionalism etiquette dinner 115+ students & professionals attended the professionalism networking night These events & others sponsored by IT Advisory Board

Students Preparing for Study Abroad

Chaired by: Dr. Jeannie Pridmore

ALUMNI Kali Kimball ‘19 Kali, a computer science alumna, landed her first job at ADP through the Grace Hopper Conference with GCSU IT Advisory Board funding. Now at Slalom as a consultant, she emphasizes persistence, open-mindedness, and communication skills for CS students.

Read the full story in our newsletter.

Hayden Helms ‘17

Hayden, a Georgia College MIS graduate, serves as senior endpoint support analyst for Auburn University's Office of the President and Provost.

He credits his MIS degree with providing strong technology and business foundations.

Read the full story in our newsletter.

FACULTY Dr. Jeannie Pridmore Dr. Pridmore, Chair of the Information Systems and Computer Science Department, was selected for the USG Executive Leadership Institute. This year-long professional development experience will enhance her leadership skills and broaden her network.

Read more in FrontPage.

Dr. Joy Godin Dr. Joy Godin, WebMBA Coordinator, SAP Lab Coordinator, and Professor of Information Systems, was accepted into Georgia College's Women's Leadership Faculty Fellows Program.

This opportunity provides dedicated time to develop leadership skills and understand higher education challenges.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Management, Marketing & Logistics HIGHLIGHTS ELEVATOR PITCH

2025 Spring Elevator Pitch Winners

Every semester, the elevator pitch asks students to answer the prompt, “tell me your story” in 60 seconds. The competition was initiated in 2012. The competition helps students hone skills in networking, public speaking, and professionalism. The competition serves as a way to involve industry volunteers, recruiters, and alumni, who volunteer as judges, and provides students with an opportunity to improve their pitching abilities. The elevator pitch is organized by Ms. Kendra Evans.

560+ participants in the elevator pitch competition for the 2024-2025 academic year

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGIATE SALES COMPETITION

International Sales Competition

The former president of the Sales Team, Michael Champa, placed second in the Speed Selling category in Fall of 2024.

HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES

Entrepreneurship Club | Marketing & Advertising Club | AmericasMart field trip for students | Elevator Pitch Competition | Sports marketing partnerships on campus | Partnerships with Sodexo for class projects | International Collegiate Sales Competition | MLSCM Double Bobcats

AmericasMart Field Trip

Chaired by: Dr. Scott Manley

ALUMNI Nora Powell ‘19

Nora, GCSU marketing graduate, joined Soliant's Talent Acquisition after Georgia Tech Alumni Association. She's earned two promotions, launched University Relations in 2024, and now helps graduates navigate job searches while building college relationships regionally.

Read more in our newsletter.

Lukas Bright ‘19 Lukas, Georgia College marketing graduate and Professional Selling Team founding member, advanced from TTI Field Sales Representative to Milwaukee Tool National Account Manager, achieving his five-year career goal ahead of schedule.

Read more in our newsletter.

Zach Mullins ‘11

Zach launched his career after winning Dr. Poddar's sales competition, leading to Cox Media Group. Now Chief Strategy Officer at Locality, his team generates one-third of company revenue. Former two-term SGA President who helped launch the campus wellness center and homecoming concerts.

Read more in our newsletter.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Management, Marketing & Logistics HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR

FACULTY Dr. Mary Rickard Under Dr. Rickard's mentorship, Georgia College sales students consistently rank top-10 nationally at RNMKRS and International Collegiate Sales Competition against thousands worldwide.

Dr. Rickard earned top 1% coach recognition nationwide.

Read more in our newsletter.

Dr. Chris Serafin

Dr. Serafin brings marketing expertise from his DBA and six years teaching experience. He launched Andrew College's marketing concentration, developed seven courses, contributes to World History Encyclopedia, and is pursuing his third master's degree in law.

Read more in our newsletter.

Dr. Chris Lowery

Dr. Lowery brings 33 years of expertise to business statistics and analytics, having published 37 academic articles and presented internationally. Beyond academia, he's an ultramarathon champion who has completed nearly 70 races including fifteen 100-mile events.

Read more in our newsletter.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

CoBT Graduate Programs HIGHLIGHTS GRADUATE ASSISTANTS The College of Business & Technology has graudate assistants, better known as GAs, across Atkinson helping with the accounting lab, elevator pitch, social media, and more. This year, our graduate recruiter, Cassie Napier, held weekly meetings at the Max to build a sense of community among our graduate assistants. A shout-out to Sodexo for making this possible!

Monday Morning GA Breakfasts

With the restructuring of Graduate Admissions, Ms. Napier is now housed in Graduate Admissions and located in Parks Hall 108C.

DOUBLE BOBCATS GROWTH & PROGRAM INNOVATION Double Bobcats is a graduate dual enrollment program that has driven significant growth in our MMIS program.

This year, MLSCM launched a spring cohort for both students without work experience and for the new Double Bobcats participants. MLSCM also piloted eightweek courses, allowing students to focus on one class at a time instead of juggling two concurrent 16-week courses.

Outstanding MLSCM Graduate, Abbie Turner GRADUATE ENROLLMENT BY THE NUMBERS

Overall enrollment in all four CoBT programs has increased by 25% since Fall of 2022 Total students enrolled in Fall 2024: 149 Program with the largest amount of growth: MMIS with 170% increase Outstanding MBA Graduate, Andrew May

Graduate Programs Overview

The J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology offers affordable, accessible, AACSB-accredited graduate degrees. We offer online programs in logistics, information systems, and business administration, as well as a face-to-face program in accounting.

GMAT/GRE waivers are available for qualified applicants.

Email grad-admit@gcsu.edu to learn more.

MBA Master of Business Administration A member of the WebMBA Consortium offering accredited, affordable, and asynchronous degrees with exponential networking opportunities.

MMIS WEB MBA

Master of Management Information Systems Experience online convenience on a first-name basis with embedded certificate options at no additional cost.

Outstanding MMIS Graduate, Chen Zhou

MLSCM

MACC

Master of Logistics & Supply Chain Management Most well-established logistics program in Georgia, with experienced industry leaders on our faculty and fully online course delivery.

Master of Accountancy Earn the credits you need while studying to pass portions of your CPA exam in a face-to-face environment.

gcsu.edu/graduate

Center of Technology & Empowerment Making AI Accessible for Students

Established in December of 2024, this center is a leading hub for innovation, learning, student empowerment, and community advancement by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and fostering strong partnerships.

This proposal outlines the establishment of a multi-faceted center grounded in three core pillars: Industry Engagement, Student Empowerment, and Stakeholder and Community Advancement.

Read more about the Center of Technology & Empowerment.

Overview HEC ERPSim Manufacturing Sustainability faculty challenge IBM WatsonX TutorBots AI Prompting AI Chat Bot competition

The Inaugural AI Promptathon sponsored by the CTE’s Distinguished Practitioners, Michael and Karen Schmidt, was held with Dr. Ward Risvold and his AI Club facilitating the event.

MIS students during the ASUG Meeting at Microsoft

AI Lab | SAP Next-Gen Lab | E-Commerce Design Lab gcsu.edu/business/iscs/center-technology-empowerment We foresee the CTE playing a critical role in providing students with innovative educational experiences, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthening community partnerships.

Dr. Tanya Goette

Center Directors Dr. Ward Risvold Dr. Ward Risvold serves as Co-Director of the Center of Technology & Empowerment and AI Lab Coordinator at Georgia College. Holding a Ph.D. in English with areas of emphasis in digital humanities and social network analysis and certified as an Artificial Intelligence Management Professional, he brings unique expertise combining humanities and technological innovation.

He oversees AI-powered virtual tutoring, GCSU’s AI Community of practice, specialized workshops, and hosts an influential technology podcast. The CTE serves as a comprehensive technology hub addressing the growing tech talent shortage through hands-on experience and industry partnerships.

Read his biography here.

Ms. Caroline Collier he

Caroline Collier serves as Co-Director of the Center of Technology & Empowerment and E-Commerce Design Lab Coordinator at Georgia College. With over two decades of web development and technology education experience, she oversees hands-on student initiatives in website development, social media management, and e-commerce solutions. Previously serving as CODEC Director from 2014-2023, she advocates for broadening participation in computing and received the 2023 Irene Rose Community Service Award for her extensive consulting work with businesses and organizations.

Read her biography here.

Dr. Nicholas Creel Dr. Nicholas Creel serves as the Director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Dr. Creel holds a PhD and MA in Political Science, a JD, an LLM in International and Comparative Law, a MA in International Relations, and a BBA in Economics. Dr. Creel has mentored first-place Global Scaling Challenge winners, co-authored Newsweek articles with undergraduates, served as University Senate Presiding Officer, secured $400,000 NSF grant, leads solar certification program, and has 50+ media publications including Fox News, Forbes, and USA Today appearances.

Read about the center here.

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a multifaceted operation that launches programs by tapping into the creative talents in and around Georgia College & State University to enhance the positive societal impact of the university.

Overview Bobcat Business Builder Bootcamp Global Scaling Competition Solar Panels grant $100,000 for inclusive innovation $25,000 Georgia Power business accelerator grant Solar for All Rural Youth in Business Venture Capital Competition EPIIC Grant Business Incubator Venture Capital Competition

Solar for All participants installing solar panels

Grants | Community Outreach | Competitions gcsu.edu/business/center-for-innovation

The primary goal of the center is to unlock the latent entrepreneurial talents of our student body and surrounding community. We also develop industry partnerships, giving students and faculty opportunities to collaborate with private industry in mutually beneficial ways.

Dr. Nicholas Creel

FACULTY & STAFF HIGHLIGHTS ATKINSON HONORS AWARD RECEIPIENTS Dr. Brent Evans Recipient of the CoBT Teaching Excellence Award

Dr. Mary Rickard Recipient of the CoBT Excellence in Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Award

Dr. Adel Almasarwah Recipient of the CoBT Excellence in Scholarship & Creative Endeavors Award

Dr. Brooke Conaway Recipient of the CoBT Excellence in University Service Award

Dr. Xiameng Lu Recipient of the Laurie Hendrickson McMillan Faculty Award

Ms. Leigh MacLeod Recipient of the CoBT Staff Excellence Award

Visit the Atkinson Honors Virtual Photo Album CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

ADDITIONAL FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR Dr. Brooke Conaway Current President of Academy of Economics & Finance (AEF) and 2022 recipient of the Felton Jenkins Jr. Hall of Fame Award.

Read about Dr. Conaway here.

Dr. Navid Safari Dr. Navid Safari earn designation as a certified Chartered Financial Analyst Level III, a prestigious recognition for finance and highest distinction possible.

Ms. Kendra Evans Kendra Evans now serves as the chair of the GCSU Alumni Association Awards and Recognitions Committee.

Dr. Mehrnaz Khalaj Hedayati Dr. Mehrnaz Khalaj Hedayati was selected as Cohort 110's WebMBA Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year.

Dr. John Swinton Dr. Swinton won the Center for Economic Education Director of the Year Award in June 2024. This academic year the center was reconfigured into a chapter affiliate of the Georgia Council of Economic Education.

Dr. Juan Ling Professor of Management and CoBT assessment coordinator Read Dr. Ling’s article in The Colonnade.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

ADDITIONAL FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR

Bobcat Alums

Fun fact: Several our faculty members were once GCSU students!

Dr. Brooke Conaway Ms. Caroline Collier Mr. Dean Copelan Dr. Scott Cox Dr. Brent Evans Ms. Kendra Evans Dr. Brad Fowler

Dr. Joy Godin Dr. Tanya Goette Ms. Roberta Gorham Dr. Eric Kobbe Dr. Kelly Lee Dr. Eddie Thomas Dr. Cullen Wallace

Dr. Brent Evans, Mace Bearer at 2025 CoBT Commencement

Drs. Scott Cox & Stephen Rutner

Dr. Scott Cox & Dr. Stephen Rutner received the Matthew Sonfield Research Award

WebMBA Faculty & Staff Dr. Leng Ling, Dr. Juan Ling, Dr. Tanya Goette, Dr. Joy Godin, Dr. Whitney Ginder, Dr. Sina Amiri, Dr. Bob Duesing, Ms. Cassie Napier, Dr. Jeannie Pridmore Not Pictured: Dr. Mehrnaz Khalaj Hedayati & Ms. Deanie Waddell

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

Business Executive in Residence Read about Barry’s visit on campus.

“By initiating our Business Executive-in-Residence program, we are allowing our students to hear directly from individuals in the field,” said interim dean Dr. Tanya Goette. “Students start to understand how the concepts they learn in class are used in the business world, because the executive is on campus for more than a class presentation.” This program featured Barry Wolfe, former director of labor and employee relations for Dean’s Foods and Dairy Farmers of America, and Kevin Neary, CEO of Orcawise, for the 2024-2025 academic year. Both executives spent multiple days on campus visiting with students, speaking to classes, and sharing their expertise.

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Read about Kevin’s visit on campus.

PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

Executive Forum This quarterly program facilitates an open dialogue between community leaders and those who make a difference in our state and region. Speakers have expertise in a variety of areas including economic development, technology, business innovation, and other areas of interest.

Our 2025 Forums included: An AI Road Map for Business Leaders Kevin Neary, CEO of Orcawise From Blight to Bright: A Blueprint for Community Rejuvenation in Central Georgia Mike Ciabattoni, Managing Partner, CW Holdings LLC Register to attend next year’s forum: gcsu.edu/business/forum

PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

Unique Student Opportunities GCSU BIZCAST Founded in February 2022 and advised by Dr. Ward Risvold, the GCSU Bizcast is a podcast that hosts provocative conversations with business leaders and educators, providing our audience with valuable insights into the business world.

Our mission is to enlighten and deliver business-topic gems to our community through quality discussions on corporate ethics, stakeholder capitalism, the future of marketing, and much more. Students have the unique opportunity to converse with some of the most influential individuals in business.

Listen to the Bizcast on Youtube.

COLUMN SOCIETY Led by the GC Journeys fellow, Dr. Mohammad Jizi, the Column Society connects students with alumni and other professionals. The society provides programming throughout the academic year on topics such as personal finance, attitudes, workplace professionalism, technology, and changes in the business environment. This year, with involvement from the CoBT Leadership Board, we had several speakers and 170+ students attend the engagements.

Mark Bailey, Director of Information Technology at Thiele Kaolin

Dale Alexander, CFP & Benefits Broker, presented, “The Talk About Money”

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

CoBT College-Wide Student Organizations Dean’s Student Advisory Board

The Dean's Student Advisory Board (DSAB), is comprised of CoBT club and honor society presidents plus students recommended by faculty. These students serve as the voice to improve education quality and facilitate interaction among students, faculty, alumni, and administration in the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology. This organization is advised by Ms. Nancy Finney.

DSAB: Pi a Professor

DSAB Members 2024-2025

Delta Sigma Pi

Delta Sigma Pi is a professional fraternity that fosters business study, encourages scholarship and student advancement, and promotes closer ties between students and the commercial world while advancing commercial ethics and community welfare. Delta Sigma Pi is advised by Dr. Aric WIlhau.

Delta Sigma Pi Members CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

DSP @ CABFEST

PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

Employer Education Partnership: Fouts Bros Inc. The College of Business & Technology has an official partnership with Fouts Bros, Inc., providing company access to top students and ensuring an annual dedicated class project. This year, our Software Engineering & MIS students developed an application for Fouts Bros, Inc., culminating in a final presentation showcasing collaboration between the company and the MIS Analysis & Design class, with project completion handled by the CS Software Engineering class. This experience benefited our students and our industry partnership. Special thanks to Dr. Eric Kobbe, Mr. Frank Richardson, and Ms. Caroline Collier for their collaboration. Companies interested in becoming official partners should contact the College of Business & Technology. Email: collegeofbusiness@gcsu.edu Read about Dr. Eric Kobbe’s career & role in our newsletter.

SOCIETAL IMPACT:

LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Through numerous community programs and partnerships, our faculty, staff, and students visited: The GCSU High Achievers Program, Youth Leadership Baldwin, Create Inc. with the local chamber, Keep Our Republic, Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber, Future Business Leaders of America, and many schools across the state. GCSU shared information about cybersecurity, careers in business and accounting, and even economics and politics.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

ALUMNI & COMMUNITY AWARDS ALUMNI AWARDS Pierre Clements ‘86

Managing partner of Inside Group International.

Clements is a member of several organizations including GCSU Foundation Board of Trustees and 100 Black Men (Atlanta Chapter).

Alex Gregory ‘78,’79

Gregory is the former chairman, president and CEO of YKK Corporation of America. He serves on the GCSU Foundation Board of Trustees.

He’s also a retired commander of the U.S. Naval Reserves after 28 years of service.

Trailblazer Dove Award

GCSU Heritage Award

Virgil Miller ‘92 Miller is president of Aflac, Inc. Miller served as a U.S. Marine and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm. He holds a master’s degree in business management from Wesleyan College and a doctorate in humane letters from Gammon Theological Seminary.

Jeff Wansley ‘87

College of Business & Technology Alumni Achievement Award

Wansley has a 35-year career in politics and government relations. He is committed to his community with Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and Hearts and Hands Society. At Georgia College & State University, he serves as chair of the Foundation Board.

Alumni Service Award

BOBCAT PARTNER AWARD Thiele Kaolin This university-wide award recognizes a business or organization that, although not a part of Georgia College & State University, helps the campus community achieve its mission and goals as if it were a member of the team.

Thiele Kaolin is an exemplary corporate partner, truly deserving of the GCSU Bobcat Partner Award. Each year, Thiele generously sponsors key student success events including the IT Career Fair, GC WIT Day, and the ISCS Student Networking Event.

Read more about the Alumni Awards in FrontPage.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Atlanta, Augusta, Dublin, Gainesville, Savannah

Student Leadership Tour Ten J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology students travelled across Georgia. ­T hese high-achieving students represented disciplines across the college to businesses, alumni and government leaders throughout the state. Selected through a rigorous application and interview process, these students toured 15 businesses, Students learned about a variety of industries, including aerospace, energy, supply chain, and agriculture. The week of travel included panels at accounting firms, networking events with financial services companies, tours of factories, seeing the largest jet engine model made in the world, and piloting flight simulators.

Read the full story here.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Study Abroad: Ireland, Germany, France

International Design Thinking & Artificial Intelligence Drs. Joy Godin and Jeannie Pridmore led MIS students on a transformative journey across Europe, where they earned AI certifications from Orcawise in Dublin, collaborated with German IT company Viadee on a sustainability Design Thinking project, and visited SAP Headquarters in Walldorf. The students immersed themselves in local cultures, from exploring the Cliffs of Moher and sailing in the Irish Sea to climbing Cologne Cathedral and touring the Louvre in Paris. This hands-on international experience combined rigorous academic work with cultural exploration, preparing students for global careers in technology.

Read the full story in the newsletter.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Study Abroad: Ireland, England & France

AI Education Meets Cultural Immersion Dr. Ward Risvold and Ms. Caroline Collier led 22 students on a 20-day study abroad program, combining cutting-edge AI education through partnerships with Orcawise and distinguished guest speakers from Novartis, Global Payments, and others across Dublin, Oxford, London, and Paris. Students earned certifications in AI literacy, governance, and advanced technical skills like RAG development while immersing themselves in experiences ranging from High Table dinner at Oxford's Keble College to touring the Louvre and Palace of Versailles. This transformative program developed technical AI expertise and cross-cultural communication skills, preparing them for leadership roles in the rapidly evolving global AI landscape.

Read the full story in the newsletter.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Study Abroad: Switzerland & Germany

European Economics & Finance

Dr. Cullen Wallace and Dr. Brent Evans led 23 students abroad to Berlin and Zurich to deepen their understanding of international economics and finance. In Berlin, they explored the foundations of capitalism and communism through visits to historically significant sites, including the impactful Berlin Wall Memorial. They attended lectures on the city’s economic history, which provided essential context for understanding the legacy of divided economic systems. In contrast, their time in Zurich focused on the European financial and banking systems, where they studied how they differ from those in the United States. Highlights included a visit to the UBS headquarters and a lecture on Zurich’s role as a hub for cryptocurrency innovation. This experience broadened students’ global perspectives and gave them valuable insights into international business operations.

CoBT 2024-2025 Annual Report

Sports + Business

Faculty & students involved with athletics through projects & research

Baseball + Data Analytics Dr. Daniel Wu has developed an exciting data science program at GCSU, working closely with the baseball team to create data visualization tools using Tableau and machine learning techniques. His research on baseball analytics was published at the IEEE Southeast Conference 2025, and he mentored Grant Jones, GCSU's first Data Science graduate, whose project was featured at Research Day. Wu is currently developing an AI framework for sports management that could transform how teams make decisions, with plans to implement predictive models for GCSU's baseball program.

Softball/Baseball + Marketing For 15 years, Dr. Joanna Schwartz has taught Sports Marketing, which includes an assignment to market a Georgia College & State University baseball or softball game during spring semester. Dr. Schwartz is teaching two sections of sports marketing this spring, each with about 70 students. In the first week, the students formed groups of four and chose either a baseball or softball game to promote during the spring season.

Read the full article in FrontPage.

Sports + Economics Dr. Brent Evans conducts economics research related to sports and was featured in the following publications: Show me the money! The immediate impact of name, image, and likeness on college football recruiting, featured in the Journal of Sports Economics. Read the story here.

WABE article and radio story on a proposal to eliminate state taxes on Name, Image, and Likness (NIL) contracts. Read the story here.

Associated Press article titled, "Missouri sports betting ballot measure highlights national debate about tax rates." Read the article can here.

NFL quarterback development—the role of competing quarterbacks, rookie playing time, and team quality" was accepted by The American Economist. Read the story here.

Check out our CoBT athletes

Dr. J.J. Arias, Faculty Athletics Representative throwing first pitch at CoBT baseball tailgate

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT

PLATFORM REACH 289K

Facebook

358K

Instagram

89K

LinkedIn 0

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Number of Impressions in Thousands Newsletter Subscribers: 10,000

Average Open Rate: 63%

Top Post of the Year

Content Engagement

Through collaboration with graduate assistants, GCSU’s Department of Communication, & numerous marketing majors, 1,700+ reels, stories, videos, & posts were made this academic year.

Post Reactions 9K FACEBOOK

16K INSTAGRAM

6K LINKEDIN

Faculty & Staff Directory 2024-2025 ACCOUNTING & BUSINESS LAW *Herbert Snyder, Chair & Professor, Accounting Susan Whittle, Administrative Assistant Adel Almasarwah, Assistant Professor, Accounting Scott Burns, Lecturer, Accounting Dean Copelan, Sr. Lecturer, Business Law Nicholas Creel, Associate Professor, Business Law Jehan El-Jourbagy, Associate Professor, Business Law Roberta Gorham, Sr. Lecturer, Accounting Mohammad Jizi. Associate Professor, Accounting Susan Manrodt, Sr. Lecturer, Accounting ***Harilaos Sorovigas, Lecturer, Business Law Sandria Stephenson, Assistant Professor, Accounting Eddie Thomas, Associate Professor, Accounting

MANAGEMENT, MARKETING & LOGISTICS ***Scott Manley, Chair & Professor, Management Leigh MacLeod, Administrative Assistant Sina Amiri, Associate Professor, Management Bo Beadles, Professor, Management Scott Cox, Associate Professor, Logistics Sanford Dennis, Lecturer, Management Bob Duesing, Professor, Management Kendra Evans, Lecturer, Marketing Whitney Ginder, Associate Professor, Marketing Kent Hill, Lecturer, Marketing Mehrnaz Khalaj Hedayati, Assistant Professor, Management Juan Ling, Professor, Management Chris Lowery, Professor, Management Karl Manrodt, Professor, Logistics Mohsen Mosayebi, Assistant Professor, Management Heather Patterson, Assistant Professor, Marketing Mary Rickard, Associate Professor, Marketing *Stephen Rutner, Associate Professor, Logistics Ania Rynarzewska, Assistant Professor, Marketing **Chris Serafin, Lecturer, Marketing Joanna Schwartz, Professor, Marketing Aric Wilhau, Assistant Professor, Management *Retired during AY25 **Hired during AY25 ***First year at GCSU

COMPUTER SCIENCE & INFORMATION SYSTEMS Jeannie Pridmore, Chair & Professor, Information Systems **Linda Bailey, Office Coordinator Hussain Al-Ibrahim, Assistant Professor, Computer Science Caroline Collier, Sr. Lecturer, Information Systems Brad Fowler, Assistant Professor, Information Systems Margaret Geddy, Sr. Lecturer, Business Communications Joy Godin, Professor, Information Systems Gongbing Hong, Associate Professor, Computer Science Yu-Hsiang "John" Huang, Assistant Professor, Information Systems Eric Kobbe, Lecturer, Information Systems Yi "Cathy" Liu, Professor, Computer Science Bryan Marshall, Professor, Information Systems Emuesiri Oduaran, Lecturer, Data Science Frank Richardson, Lecturer, Computer Science Ward Risvold, Assistant Professor, Business Communications *Paige Rutner, Associate Professor, Information Systems ***Daniel Wu, Assistant Professor, Data Science Jeng-Foung Yao, Professor, Computer Science

ECONOMICS & FINANCE J.J. Arias, Chair & Professor, Economics Susan Whittle, Administrative Assistant Chris Clark, Professor, Economics Brooke Conaway, Professor, Economics Brent Evans, Assistant Professor, Finance Jessie Folk, Sr. Lecturer, Economics Tom Frye, Assistant Professor, Economics ***Donghun Kim, Assistant Professor, Finance Kelly Lee, Lecturer, Economics Leng Ling, Professor, Finance Xiaomeng Lu, Assistant Professor, Finance Navid Safari, Assistant Professor, Finance John Swinton, Professor, Economics Cullen Wallace, Assistant Professor, Economics

DEAN’S OFFICE Tanya Goette, Interim Dean Deanie Waddell, Office Coordinator Nancy Finney, Business Outreach Coordinator Cassie Napier, Graduate Recruiter Haleigh Purser, Development Officer

Thank You We hope you find this Annual Report insightful and valuable for learning more about the College of Business & Technology.

Interested in supporting our future business leaders? Visit https://linktr.ee/gcsu.cobt

REPORT COMPILED BY:

Nancy Finney

Business Outreach Coordinator

478-445-5497 www.gcsu.edu/business