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by Rebecca Zisch
The Business Administration program in the School of Education has seen some of Nevada State College’s most consistent enrollment growth over the past five years, as well as innovations in extra-curricular opportunities for students. Over 20 students have graduated with degrees in Business Administration since NSC opened its doors, but currently 165 students are declared majors in the department and attending classes.
Since October, the Student Learning and Growth Series has been enriching classes in NSC’s Business Administration program. Grace Thomson, Lecturer in the School of Education, says that we should be looking at the Business Administration program the same way you would look at any business every company should have a learning and growth strategy, so we should, too.
To help coordinate the series, Thomson turned to SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business a nonprofit agency that provides free education and counseling for entrepreneurs and business professionals nationwide. Series events are presentations by business professionals, including SCORE volunteers and NSC staff that occur during class time but are also open to the entire Nevada State College community and the public at large.
According to Thomson, speakers give a real-life situation to discuss no lesson is in a vacuum the speakers come to enhance the learning that is already going on in the classroom.
So far, during the series, seminars such as Managing Cash Flows, the Heart of a Business and How to Deal with Bad Debt? have been drawing an additional 30% audience over and above enrolled students. These topics relate to students studying business administration, but also to anyone who is currently working in the world of business or just trying to maintain financial health in his or her own life.
Everyone deals with business no matter what their major or career, says Thomson. Everyone deals with human resources, clients, promotions and debt. This series enhances the holistic learning of other fields for everyone.
For those who are interested, there are still Student Learning and Growth Series presentations coming up on the fall semester events calendar. Click here for more information.
In addition to partnering with SCORE on the Student Learning and Growth Series, the Business Administration program has been able to encourage its students to take advantage of community opportunities with other organizations.
ACTION, the Association of Nevada State Certified Interpreters and Translators recently awarded its first ever ACTION Nevada scholarship to Giancarla Santana, a sophomore Business Administration major at NSC. The ACTION Nevada scholarship was awarded based on an essay contest that asked students how they use their foreign language skills in school and work. Santana’s winning essay titled Helping Others: An Experience that Changed my Life details her experiences using foreign language to tutor teenagers and her desire to start her own nonprofit tutoring program after earning her bachelor’s degree. A native of Mexico, Santana has found that the business of tutoring has not only been rewarding to her professionally, but it is also a means of advancing her own English language skills as she completes her degree and plans her future.
Santana appreciates the encouragement and opportunities that she has at Nevada State College. Professors at NSC really care about the students and communicate everything that is going on around campus; they make you feel a part of it the Business program helped me build more confidence, has given me opportunities to help the community and to grow as a person the program has lit up my path in Business.
Other students have also had the opportunity to learn more about business around the world. Mindi Jensen and Perla Buendia were both encouraged by Professor Thomson to assist with research for the Global Text Project. This is a web-based project developing content for electronic textbooks to be available free to students in third-world countries. One of the first textbooks being produced through the Global Text Project is Business Fundamentals. Around the world, academics, professionals and students alike are participating in its development.
Mindi Jensen explained the benefit she has gained from working on the project. I learned a lot about becoming an entrepreneur, not only here in the United States, but in Third World Countries, as well. I have thought about opening a small business myself one day, and I now understand the finer details that taking on a task like this would require It sounds cliché, but this project has really opened my eyes to a lot more problems in the world than just the ones that are known to all.
Jensen started her college education at a different institution, but transferred to NSC after one semester and says, she has never been happier the professors are amazing, and I feel I am truly learning from them. Their experiences give me a little taste of real-world problems that need to be solved.
The Business Administration program at Nevada State College is just one example of innovation in learning and encouragement of students to challenge themselves beyond the classroom. According to Thomson, NSC really cares. We encourage all of our students to do their best. We see all students as individuals with potential not just as numbers and transcripts and grades.