by Rebecca Zisch
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
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.
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.
Jensen started her college education at a different institution, but transferred to NSC after one semester
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.