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TSU hospitality program places graduates at iconic Las Vegas Resorts

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Las Vegas Strip, with its posh hotels and unlimited attractions, is always a top destination for tourists. The next time you plan your trip, check-in, or have fine dining at the popular location, a Tennessee State University graduate could be your customer service representative. That’s because two recent TSU grads are now a part of the world-renowned Wynn Resorts after completing the university’s new Hospitality and Tourism Management program in partnership with the iconic company.  

Monique Darvin and Tavion McCullough will soon start their new careers in the hospitality industry as managers in training for one of the leading high-end casino and hotel resorts. Darvin, who graduated Dec. 3, will work in hotel operations, while McCullough, who graduated in spring 2022, will be assigned to fine dining and food and beverage. 

Monique Darvin

“This is a very huge accomplishment in my life,” said Darvin, a business administration major with concentration in hospitality, from Nashville. 

“I have found a huge passion in the hotel industry.  So, to now be a part of the most vibrant hospitality city in the country is truly a blessing.” 

TSU’s Hospitality and Tourism Management is offered as a concentration with the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in the College of Business. The program includes courses in the following areas: hotel management, restaurant management, country club management, convention and event planning, corporate travel management, and catering management. The curriculum is taught by TSU faculty with top industry experience and includes classroom and hands-on field experience. 

McCullough, who received his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a hospitality concentration, credits his professors and TSU training for his success, which he said has led to several job offers since his graduation. 

“I love my university for this, and for opening new doors of opportunity for me,” said McCullough, of Atlanta.  

Tavion McCullough

“This is the epitome of why people come to TSU. My personal connections with Dr. (David) Baker and Dr. (Chunxing) Fan provided me with the tools to succeed that opened the door for so many opportunities after I graduated.” 

Darvin and McCullough completed the Resorts’ Professional Development Training Series held in the College of Business, as part of a partnership between Wynn Resorts and TSU. The initiative began in September 2022, with the Professional Development Series, and provides scholarships for business majors. Davin and Mccullough were part of the inaugural class. 

Dr. David Baker, professor of business administration and head of the hospitality program, said the TSU hospitality program provides students with “unique opportunities to work in Las Vegas, the number one resort capital in the world.” 

“I am proud that an outstanding company such as the Wynn Resorts saw the potential in our students,” Baker said. “This partnership will open numerous work and career opportunities for our graduates that chose Las Vegas to work and advance their careers.” 

For more information about the TSU, Wynn partnership, please contact Dr. Retta Guy, Associate Dean and Wynn Program Coordinator, at rguy@tnstate.edu. To learn more about the TSU Hospitality and Tourism Management program, please visit http://www.tnstate.edu/businessadmin/. 

The College of Business is among the largest academic units on campus, with approximately 1000 undergraduate and graduate students. 

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TSU students to compete as finalist in Morgan Stanley HBCU Wall Street Exchange Case Competition

Four students from the college of business department of economic and finance will be headed to New York next year to compete as finalist in a Morgan Stanley HBCU Wall Street Exchange Case Competition.

Dr. Izadi and finalist during the Exchange Case Competition.

The students who were selected to advance in the next round of the competition are Leandra Sanchez and Jalen Hatton, who are both seniors studying finance, from Taos, NM, and Columbus, OH. Mylan Townsel, a senior from Memphis, majoring in economics and finance, and Julian Mitchell, a junior from Jackson, MS, also studying economics and finance.

Tennessee State University is one of four finalist out of 13 HBCUs who participated in the competition.

Hatton said he is more than proud to be a finalist representing the university. “It was a real team effort and we did our best,” Hatton says. “It’s a blessed feeling. The case scenario was a real world example … and it took a lot of collaboration and research.”

Students were given a case study to present and had three weeks to prep for the first round of judging. Morgan Stanley’s central regional judging committee selected four university’s as finalists to attend the Professional Development Bootcamp and Regional Case Competition.

TSU’s competition team sent a PowerPoint and video of their presentation for the finance scenario case study and were selected to advance to the next round in New York.  

Townsel said with many other HBCUs being apart of the competition, he was in shock when he was notified about being a finalist. “It was much of a surprise,” Townsel said. “We worked hard and put in a lot of effort and time. I look forward to meeting with Morgan Stanley representatives and getting able to go to New York.”

Dr. Selma Izadi

Dr. Selma Izadi, assistant professor of finance, in the college of business formed and advised the finance team of undergraduate students. “The team worked very diligently on the Wall Street Exchange Case … this is a great opportunity,” Izadi says. “The students invested a lot of time, including late night meetings, doing research, preparing this report, and recording the video.”

The case study was presented to Morgan Stanley representatives via zoom earlier this semester.

TSU alum Chuck West, who is a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley, is apart of the companies HBCU initiative committee and his goal was to ‘advocate for TSU students.’ “This opportunity is getting more kids to work for Morgan Stanley,” West says. “This is  just a small step on the grand scheme of getting our graduates hired.”

Chuck West

The students will have an all-expense paid trip to New York to present their case study findings and networking opportunities to land employment after graduation.

TSU students will be competing against Texas Southern University, Jackson State University, and Florida Memorial University. The official date of when the competition will take place in New York has not been announced as of Dec. 2022.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a financial services company. Corporations, organizations, and governments rely on Morgan Stanley as a global leader in investment banking. The company advises clients on transactions including mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, initial public offerings (IPOs), convertibles, share repurchases, debt offerings, derivatives and more.

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TSU’s College of Business prepares students for Nashville’s booming tourism industry

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s Hospitality and Tourism program in the College of Business is helping students capitalize on the state’s multibillion-dollar tourism and hospitality industry.

Last year, Nashville took in $7 billion from tourists, according to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation.

Zuhair Al-Bunni, a TSU junior majoring in business administration with an emphasis in hospitality. (TSU Media Relations)

TSU has been a leader among other local colleges in providing education in Tourism and Hospitality to meet the needs of the booming industry in Nashville.

“The partnerships we’ve cultivated with businesses and organizations across the city have been vital to our success as educators,” says TSU President Glenda Glover.

“From the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., to the Music City Center, to a long list of hotels and entertainment attractions across Davidson County, these community partners have helped launch careers for area university students. In return, these organizations receive ambitious, energetic young minds who help meet a growing employment need as the Music City’s brand continues to draw millions from across the globe eager to experience our rich and friendly culture.”

Dr. Millicent Lownes-Jackson, Dean of the College of Business at TSU, echoes President Glover’s sentiments that the university is in a unique position to provide students the very best education and workforce preparation in the industry. 

“We are fortunate to be located in a city that is on the move!” says Dr. Lownes-Jackson. 

“In 2018 alone, 15 new hotels and 131 new restaurants opened and Nashville was repeatedly named as one of the best travel destinations of the year. This represents a tremendous opportunity for our students to grow and lead within an industry that is thriving in Nashville.”

The College of Business dean adds that TSU’s Hospitality and Tourism program combines “rigorous academic training with real-world experience in the industry.”

Zuhair Al-Bunni is a junior majoring in business administration with an emphasis in hospitality. Through TSU’s Hospitality and Tourism program, he currently has an internship at a local hotel, and plans to one day be a general manager at one.

“The program at TSU is helping to give me real-world experience,” says Al-Bunni. “The market is expected to keep on booming. So when I graduate, I will have all I need to be successful in this industry.”

The university’s Hospitality Management program in particular gives students the opportunity to build their entrepreneurial, managerial, functional, operational, and analytical skill set to maximize their success.

Because of Nashville’s lucrative tourism industry, they are able to benefit from a dynamic local, national, and global competitive environment. 

“The College of Business has partnered with the leaders of Nashville hotels, restaurant groups, and others within the tourism industry to provide our students with a forward-thinking experience that will prepare them to lead within the industry,” says Dr. Chunxing Fan, chair of the Department of Business Administration.

There were 71,140 hospitality industry jobs in Nashville in 2018, and 15.8 million visitors traveled to the Greater Nashville area in fiscal year 2019, a 7 percent increase over FY18’s 14.8 million, according to NCVC.

“It is no secret that Nashville’s economic boom is intimately tied to its growing hospitality and tourism community,” says Marie Sueing, NCVC’s vice president of multi-cultural community relations. 

“A professional workforce is critical to the continued success of this industry, and great programs such as the one offered at Tennessee State University will help to prepare individuals for the many career opportunities available in the hospitality and tourism field. Of equal importance, is having a rich and diverse workforce to ensure that visitors from all over the world feel welcome in all of our communities. TSU will play a significant role in helping to fill the need for these leadership positions throughout Music City.”

To learn more about TSU’s College of Business Hospitality Management curriculum and its other programs, visit www.tnstate.edu/business/index.aspx.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU hosts Opportunity Zone training session

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Business partnered with the state Department of Economic and Community Development on Wednesday to educate local stakeholders on the benefit of Opportunity Zones.

Mayor David Briley welcomed prospective investors to the Opportunity Zone training session in the Avon Williams Campus auditorium and encouraged them to take advantage of the legislation, particularly in Nashville.

The Qualified Opportunity Zone community development benefit was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed last year. The federal benefit is designed to encourage long-term investment in low-income communities through Qualified Opportunity Funds.

There are 176 tracts in Tennessee that are approved Opportunity Zones. Twenty of the zones are in Nashville, and TSU’s main campus is located in one of them.

“This Opportunity Fund concept gives us another vehicle to attract investors, so that we can do targeted developments in our communities,” said Isaac Addae, an assistant professor in TSU’s College of Business.

Isaac Addae, assistant professor in TSU’s College of Business, thanks Mayor Briley for attending session. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)

Investors choosing to re-invest their capital gains into opportunity funds can earn three types of federal capital gains tax benefits: temporary deferral, a step-up in basis, and permanent exclusion on capital gains accrued after the initial investment. Additionally, Opportunity Zone investments can be paired with almost any federal, state or local incentive. Qualifying investments include multifamily housing, industrial development, brownfield redevelopment, retail development, operating businesses and a variety of other investments.

According to state officials, the goal of the training session (one of several across the state this month) is to educate stakeholders on how Opportunity Zones can be implemented throughout the state. Each session pairs potential investors with projects, reviews various use case scenarios and provides time for open discussion.

Jack Armstrong, a commercial real estate broker, attended the session at TSU and said it was beneficial.

“It’s a good opportunity for us brokers and people in the real estate world to get a better understanding of what’s out there and how we can better service our clients,” said Armstrong.

To learn more about Opportunity Zones, visit https://www.tn.gov/ecd/opportunity-zones.html

To learn more about TSU’s College of Business, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/business/.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 7,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

 

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TSU marks historic milestone during fall commencement with Executive MBA Program graduates

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University added another page to the institution’s historical achievements when its first Executive MBA class walked the stage at the 2018 fall commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 8.

The 22-member group received degrees in August, but wanted to mark the special moment by participating in the graduation exercise.  The significance of their achievement was highlighted when TSU President Glenda Glover acknowledged the class and asked them to stand.

“It was extremely exciting and gratifying to see the first cohorts of the TSU executive MBA culminate this historic journey by participating in fall commencement,” said TSU President Glover. “TSU is Nashville’s only 4-year public institution and it just made sense that we have a business program tailored for the corporate community, the working professional. Our executive MBA has national and global appeal, as evident from some of the students that were from as far away as Colorado, and also internationally, representing Italy.”

The 12-month program, which started last fall, was delivered in a hybrid format consisting of both in-person and online course offerings. One local student was Dr. Anita Sykes-Smith. Dr. Sykes-Smith has a long and successful career as a dentist and medical school professor. However, she felt something was missing professionally, and looked to Tennessee State University to fill that gap.

Last August, she joined the 21 other cohorts of career professionals, industry executives, a college dean and independent consultants for the inaugural class of the newly launched TSU Executive MBA program. Like Sykes-Smith, they were also looking for that missing link with the desire to move their careers to a higher level of success — and TSU provided it.

“The opportunity to attend a 12-month MBA program that provided a world-class management education while continuing my career is priceless,” said Sykes-Smith, a general dentist and assistant professor at Meharry Medical College.

“I believe the program accomplished its goal of inspiring participants to be constantly learning, building new skills, and stretching to take on new challenges.”

Sykes-Smith added that the program helped enhance her skills and knowledge by providing insight into management strategies and analysis for problem solving, which she believed will be extremely beneficial to her career.

Business professors and seasoned professionals with industry and business background such as current and former company executives, taught the program. Among them was President Glover, a certified public accountant with a high level of experience in the corporate world.

Program participants also had the opportunity to spend 10 days studying outside the United States to broaden their understanding of global leadership.

David Pelton, a member of the graduating class, has been in the business world as an independent consultant in marketing and government relations for more than 20 years. But just like Sykes-Smith, he needed a brush-up in accounting and how to deal with personalities in the workplace. He said the TSU MBA program was just what he needed.

“This program helped me gain knowledge and develop better skills and understanding of things I thought I knew in serving my clients,” said Pelton. “I travel quite a lot in my business and the program design worked perfectly to do class work, as well as serve clients.”

Dr. Millicent Lownes-Jackson, dean of the College of Business, said the goal of the EMBA program was to offer an affordable, convenient, accredited, business curriculum for busy business professionals.

“Congratulations to our first graduating class of outstanding individuals for their achievement,” Lownes-Jackson said. “In one short year, EMBA program participants have acquired critical business knowledge, along with readily applicable global business and leadership strategies that will enable them to make an immediate and profound impact.”

Anis Mnif, director of graduate programs in the College of Business, agreed.

“The Executive MBA provided participants a strong foundation for a thriving career,” Mnif said “It combined cutting-edge research results and theory provided by our renowned faculty and real-life practical examples made available through the rich executive-level experiences of the program’s Executives in Residence.”

Other members of the inaugural EMBA graduating class included: Joyce A. Barbour, Janet E. Blakemore, Rosalyn D. carpenter, JoAnn A. Carter-Almore, Frederick W. Cawthon, Samuel K. Hargrove, Bradley C. Jackson, Debbie Jacobs, Latrisha Jemison, Marrecco D. Johnson, Tonya C. Kilpatrick and Matthew W. Muterspaugh.

Also graduating were: Stefania Placentini, Sharon W. Reynolds, Yvonne J. Sanders, Leah Sarnicola, Wilma K. Sharpe, Deborah K. Williams and Grant L. Winrow.

A second class for the TSU EMBA started in August and had 20 cohorts. For more information on the TSU Executive MBA program, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/mba/e_mba.aspx or call 615-963-7295.

NOTE: Featured photo by Ramona Whitworth-Wiggins

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 7,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU College of Business hosts Opportunity Zone training session

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Business is partnering with the state Department of Economic and Community Development to educate local stakeholders on the benefit of Opportunity Zones.

An Opportunity Zone training session will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 12, in the Avon Williams Campus Auditorium downtown. Nashville Mayor David Briley is scheduled to speak.

The Qualified Opportunity Zone community development benefit was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed last year. The federal benefit is designed to encourage long-term investment in low-income communities through Qualified Opportunity Funds.

There are 176 tracts in Tennessee that are approved Opportunity Zones, and TSU’s main campus is located in one of them.

“This Opportunity Fund concept gives us another vehicle to attract investors, so that we can do targeted developments in our communities,” said Isaac Addae, an assistant professor in TSU’s College of Business.

Investors choosing to re-invest their capital gains into opportunity funds can earn three types of federal capital gains tax benefits: temporary deferral, a step-up in basis, and permanent exclusion on capital gains accrued after the initial investment. Additionally, Opportunity Zone investments can be paired with almost any federal, state or local incentive. Qualifying investments include multifamily housing, industrial development, brownfield redevelopment, retail development, operating businesses and a variety of other investments.

According to state officials, the goal of the training session is to educate stakeholders on how Opportunity Zones can be implemented throughout the state. The session will pair potential investors with projects, review various use case scenarios and provide time for open discussion.

“We place a heavy emphasis on attracting and expanding businesses to Tennessee’s low-income communities, and with the assistance of the Opportunity Zone benefit, these communities will have another advantage to grow and create more jobs and opportunities,” said TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe.

To learn more about TSU’s College of Business, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/business/.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 7,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Business Student Receives Three-Year $75,000 Scholarship from Toyota and Jesse Jackson PUSH Program

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Dominique Davis always thought that making good grades would be her pass to free college education. She was right! Davis will not have to worry about fees for the rest of her college career.

On July 18, Davis, a TSU sophomore business administration major, received a $75,000 scholarship offer from Toyota through the Jesse Jackson  Rainbow PUSH Excel program.

Dominique Davis

“I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as a new Jesse Jackson Fellows Scholar and are being awarded a $25,000 scholarship for the 2018-2019 academic year,” a letter from PUSH said. The scholarship is renewable each year for a maximum of three years.

“I am so excited; this is unbelievable,” said Davis, who is from Danville, Illinois. “I have been praying for this and it finally came through.”

Davis is one of only 10 students from a group of 20 semi-finalists to be selected for the scholarship made possible through a partnership between Toyota and Rainbow PUSH Excel. Applicants must be engineering or business majors, have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average, with demonstrated participation in community service, and must show need for financial assistance.

As part of the scholarship, Toyota offers successful applicants the opportunity to work at one of their facilities across North America to gain valuable real-world experience, as well as be paired with mentors from Toyota management to help guide the students through the next three years of college. Davis is currently an intern with Nissan in Nashville.

Davis, who has a 3.8 GPA with a concentration in supply chain management, said a family member told her about the scholarship program.

“I immediately said this is a great opportunity,” Davis said. “So I filled out the application and sent it in. I got a call back to go the next step, which included an interview with Toyota. I passed the application phase with the Jesse Jackson committee. I got another call back. And I got the scholarship.”

The third of four children, Davis said from elementary school she always made all A’s.

“Coming out of high school my GPA was great. I told my parents we are not going to pay for college,” Davis said, but her plan did not quite materialize the first year. Although she could have received a full ride to any college in Illinois, Davis said she chose TSU, out of state. As a result, funds she received were not enough to cover her full out-of-state fees.

“We had to take out a loan in my freshman year, and that was hard because my sister had just graduated from the University of Illinois-Champaign, and my parents were stretched,” she said.

Davis said she chose TSU because of the HBCU experience. All through elementary to high school, she had attended predominantly white schools.

“I wanted to attend an HBCU,” said Davis, who credits her parents and her late grandfather for the motivation to do well. “I wanted to get a feel of the culture and Tennessee State felt like home. It felt like the right move to come here. It has been a great experience.”

Davis’ goal is to own a charter school.

“I want to start my own charter school to help kids and make sure they have opportunities that so many other kids may not have,” she said.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Executive MBA students have earth shaking experience in Japan

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Participants in Tennessee State University’s Executive MBA program experienced much more than they expected during their recent visit to Japan as part of an 11-day global immersion program.

The 10-member group, which returned to the U.S. June 22, were among those who felt the earthquake that registered 6.1 on the Richter scale.

“It was indeed the most frightening experience of my life,” said Grant Winrow, a member of the group and special assistant to the President of TSU.  “What only lasted 10-15 seconds, felt like 10-15 minutes.”

TSU Executive MBA global immersion participants gather for a photo during their visit to CMIC Holdings Company in Japan. Seated, from left, are: Stefania Placentini, Leah Sarnicola, Janet Blakemore, Joyce Barbour, Anita Sykes-Smith and Tonya Kilpatrick. Standing, from left, are: Marrecco Johnson, Grant Winrow, Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, Philip Trella (Executive In Residence), Frederick Cawthon, CMIC Holdings’ Senior Management Executive Officer Phiilippe Auvaro, Dr. Melvin Johnson (Faculty), and Anis Mnif (EMBA Program Director). (Submitted photo)

The quake hit the Japanese city of Osaka at about 8:15 a.m., on June 18, the ninth day of the immersion program, but was felt 27 miles away in Kyoto where group members were having breakfast.

“We were at the hotel … and all of a sudden, the ground started shaking,” said Anis Mnif, group adviser and director of Graduate Studies in the TSU College of Business. “Since our hotel was located above a train station, we thought it was a train. To our surprise, it was not. The hotel crew came to us and said, ‘Hey, follow us but don’t panic.’”

Fortunately, no one in the group was injured, and they still made the most of their visit.

The global immersion program is part of the 12-course inaugural EMBA program intended to give participants real-world, real-life experience of international culture and business operation.

TSU Executive MBA students, program dcirector and faculty member visit a shrine during their 11-day global immersion visit to Japan. (Submitted Photo)

A business faculty member, an industry executive board member to the College of Business, and the EMBA program director led the visit. As part of their experience, participants were immersed in the Japanese culture through food cuisine, visiting historical temples and shrines. They also visited five leading corporations and held discussions on topics such as R&D and emerging trends in the automotive industry; core business and global development strategies and prospects for growth; and communications, public relations and marketing in Japan. Companies visited included Coca Cola, Mitsubishi, the Ritz Carlton, SAMCO and CMIC Holdings.

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering and a student in the EMBA program, said the global immersion was very enriching.

“We learned about global business operations, consumer behavior, mergers and acquisitions, and marketing strategies,” Hargrove said. “These definitely add to the outstanding credentials and knowledge obtained in the innovative and experienced-based EMBA program.”

In addition to Kyoto, the group also visited Tokyo, and Kamakura, Nashville’s Japanese sister city.

According to Mnif, the global emersion experience is an optional component of the EMBA program. As part of the Global Residency course offered during the summer, program participants have the opportunity to spend 10 days studying outside the United States to broaden their understanding of leadership in a global economy and to experience firsthand the business practices and cultures of a foreign country. For those students who cannot travel, they have the option of taking the Global Challenges Class at TSU, Mnif said.

Dr. Melvin Johnson, professor of economics and the only EMBA faculty on the trip, said Japan was selected because of its unique and deep history and culture, and as “a global leader in innovation and business development strategies.”

“Japan’s natural barriers of unique heritage, language and business culture and customs create a challenging and positive learning experience for students that sharpen their abilities to operate successfully worldwide,” said Johnson, who is also a former president of TSU.

Philip Trella, an Executive In Residence, also accompanied the group.

Other EMBA students on the global immersion visit were: Joyce Barbour, Janet Blakemore, Frederick Cawthon, Marrecco Johnson, Tonya Kilpatrick, Stefania Placentini, Leah Sarnicola and Anita Sykes-Smith.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Tennessee State University Business Students, Faculty Offer Free Tax Service in Partnership with IRS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – For more than 16 years, Sonya Nicole Martin used private accounting firms to prepare her IRS tax return for a fee.

But the last two years, Martin got a break and is now getting her returns done for free by certified IRS tax preparers, thanks to a program in the College of Business at Tennessee State University.

“This is a big help,” says Martin. “It is saving me a lot and I am able to give back to my family and spend that extra money that I am saving on other items.”

A few years ago, TSU partnered with the United Way of Metro Nashville to administer VITA, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, an IRS initiative to offer free tax preparation services for low to middle-income individuals making $66,000 or less per year. Accounting students and other business majors in the COB, who have been certified by the IRS, along with their professors, administer the program.

The free tax service is available every Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the Avon Williams Campus. It will continue to the end of the IRS tax-filing deadline.

“The College of Business is very pleased to offer this free service to the community,” says Dr. Millicent Lownes-Jackson, dean of the college. “This is also an ideal service-learning initiative of the college where our accounting majors are able to get practical hands-on experience while helping others.”

According to officials, between 30-40 returns are prepared each Saturday, and this filing season it is projected that 400-500 returns will be prepared. That’s up from 300 last season. Sixteen undergraduate and four graduate students are helping this year as part of their class work.

Professor John R. Powers, who coordinates the VITA program at TSU, right, works with senior accounting major Kathy Grant. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

To participate in the program, volunteer students must take and pass Tax-1, Individual Income Tax, a required course and be certified by the IRS. Students get three hours of college credit as an accounting elective.

John R. Powers, a CPA and adjunct professor of accounting and business law, is the coordinator of the campus VITA program. He is responsible for the final quality of returns and files the completed returns electronically.

“Although this is a free service, we try to maximize the refund of any client, and that’s where I come in with my years of experience,” says Powers, majority owner of a Nashville accounting firm, who has been in the business for more than 30 years.

For the students, Power says, this is life experience whether they want to go into the tax field or not, it prepares them from a professional development standpoint.

Kathy Grant has met all requirements to participate in the VITA program and is helping for the first time this year. The senior accounting major says she is enjoying the “double” benefit the program offers.

“I am doing something to give back to the community, and I am also learning in the process,” says Grant, of Nashville, who wants to become a CPA “This is not just class, it is a business because I can use this education as I step out into the workforce.”

For Mariam Sadat, a senior, human resources major from Cairo, she is encouraged by the satisfaction people get from the services she and her fellow students provide.

“They are just too happy to know that they have avoided all the potential headaches with the free service,” says Sadat. “This is also a good practice for me to get this experience.”

Dr. Stephen Shanklin, CPA and interim chair of the Department of Accounting, who supervises the VITA program, says great emphasis is put on the quality of students selected for the program.

“Students with As and Bs are the ones we are looking for,” he says. “They can be from any discipline whatsoever in the college, but they have to have at least completed that course and have a desire to be tax preparers. And even at that they are not eligible until they interview with Prof. Powers.”

“In essence, we are preparing these students for the workplace,” adds Powers. “It is very important helping the community because we realize that the tax refund, no matter what amount, they are truly needed by the people who come here. So we prepare our students to do everything in accordance with the IRS code.”

For more information on the TSU VITA program and the free tax service, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/business/contact_us.aspx

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Tennessee State University holds open house for new Executive MBA program

Nashville, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Business held an open house on May 11 to showcase its new Executive MBA program.

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Dr. Millicent Lownes-Jackson, dean of TSU’s College of Business, speaks to open house attendees. (Submitted photo)

The event, which had a strong turnout, took place at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville. The hotel will also serve as the program’s weekend residency.

“TSU’s Executive MBA Program enhances the vibrancy of the Nashville area’s graduate education tapestry by offering an affordable, convenient, accredited, business curriculum for busy business professionals who desire to catapult their careers to a higher level of success,” said Dr. Millicent Lownes-Jackson, dean of the College of Business. “In one short year, EMBA program participants will acquire critical business knowledge, along with readily applicable global business and leadership strategies, that will enable them to make an immediate and profound impact.”

The 12-month program, which starts in the fall, is delivered in a hybrid format consisting of both in-person and online course offerings. Program participants also have the opportunity to spend 10 days studying outside the United States to broaden their understanding of global leadership.

Frederick Cawthon of Nashville was among those who attended the open house. The 48-year-old, who works in product management, had a daughter to graduate during TSU’s undergraduate commencement earlier this month, and another is a TSU sophomore seeking a degree in business.

unspecified-3While he likes the idea of keeping TSU in the family, Cawthon said the university’s EMBA program is appealing because he believes it will make him more competitive in the workforce.

“It’s an opportunity to network, to become more knowledgeable, more talented; to raise the bar,” Cawthon said.

Dr. Steve Shanklin is one of the program’s instructors. He will be teaching a managerial and decision-making course that he said provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of good decisions.

Shanklin believes Nashville businesses will benefit from TSU’s EMBA program, as well as the participants.

“Every small firm in town, every medium-size firm, and even those that are world-class operations in our city,” Shanklin said, “they’re strengthened by having stronger people with better decision skills and a dedication to the Nashville area. TSU plays a big part in that.”

Jim Schmitz, area president for Regions  Bank, agreed.

“Tennessee State University’s Executive MBA program will strengthen Nashville’s workforce by providing participants with the knowledge to be even better business leaders,” Schmitz said.

Dr. Mark Hardy, TSU’s vice president for academic affairs, said the program’s instructors are top-notch.

“We believe that with the caliber of individuals who will be teaching, the program is going to be very exciting,” he said.

 For more information about the EMBA program, visit www.tnstate.edu/mba.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.