Business Leaders Magazine 2010

An annual publication of the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University • www.business.appstate.edu

Walker College ofBusiness Leaders MAGAZINE 2010

Best All AroundSenior David Towarnicky isn’t just one of Appalachian’s finest on the baseball diamond. As Walker’s “top student” of 2010, he hit home runs in the classroom too.

• Noteworthy Faculty Research• Alumni in China• Economic Update

Also inside:

Walker College of Business Leaders Magazine

Leaders Magazine is published annually by the Dean’s Office for

alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the Walker College of Business.

DeanRandy Edwards

Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs

Heather Norris

Assistant Dean, Graduate ProgramsJoseph Cazier

Assistant Dean, International Programs

Marty Meznar

Development OfficersRob HudspethGerry Smith

EditorHaley Childers

Contributing WritersJane NicholsonRob RobertsonASU Athletics

Contributing PhotographersMarie FreemanMike Rominger

Troy Tuttle

On the CoverAppalachian Senior David Towarnicky, pictured in his baseball uniform, was nominated for the

2010 national “Lowe’s Senior Class Athlete” competition. Photo by University

Photographer Troy Tuttle.

Appalachian State University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees on the basis of race, color, na-

tional origin, religion, sex, age, disabling condi-tion or sexual orientation. Appalachian also actively promotes diversity among students

and employees.

20,000 copies of this document were printed at a cost of $8,842 or 44 cents per copy.

September15 The Annual Appalachian Classic Scholarship Golf

Tournament sponsored by Beroth Oil and 4 Brothers Food Stores will be held in Clemmons, NC.

17 The Ethics Conference will focus on Business and Environmental Ethics and will be held at the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center.

18 The College of Business Football Game Day Reception will give Walker College alumni and friends an opportunity to tailgate at Farthing Hill before the Mountaineers take the field against NC Central.

October08 The 9th Annual Carole Moore McLeod Entrepreneur

Summit will host more than 40 entrepreneurs on campus. Twenty students will be selected to pitch their ideas to a panel of entrepreneur judges in the “Pitch Your Business Idea in 90 Seconds” contest.

09 The College of Business Homecoming Reception will give Walker College alumni and friends an opportunity to tailgate at the Duck Pond Field before the Mountaineers take on Elon.

12 The Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture and Reception will bring Mr. James Rogers, President and CEO of Duke Energy, to campus as the featured lecturer.

29 The Scholarship Reception will provide a forum for student recipients to meet their scholarship donors at the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center.

November12 The Accounting Alumni CPE Conference will be held at the

Broyhill Inn and Conference Center.

December12 Appalachian State University Commencement

Information on Upcoming EventsFor more information on these and other events, please call: (828) 262 - 2057, email: [email protected] or visit us online at www.business.appstate.edu.

2 Appalachian State University

Upcoming Events

3Walker College of Business

10 Hitting Home Runs How Senior David

Towarnicky wins games while setting the classroom standard

16 Noteworthy Research from Economics

Professor David Dickinson and Marketing Professor Pia Albinsson

22 Alumni Feature: China! Brian White living and

working in Shanghai

4 A Message from the Dean Dean Randy Edwards

highlights upcoming events and recent activities

6 Student Spotlight Showcasing the

achievements of Walker College students

14 Focus on Faculty Awards, Honors and

Publications

15 Economic Update “The Really Bad Numbers

Are Behind Us”

18 Around Raley Recent activities in Raley

and around campus

20 Alumni and Friends Briefs and news about

College alumni and friends of the University

24 Connect Join the conversation by

connecting with fellow alumni via online social media

16 2422

10

In Every Issue

Features

Walker College of Business Advisory Council Members

Richard G. Sparks ’76, ’78, ChairPresident & CEO, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System

Marshall A. Croom ’86, Vice ChairSr. VP & Chief Risk Officer , Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

J. Cantey Alexander III ’86President - Triad Region, BB&T Corporation

Roger L. Beahm

CEO & Chairman, Beahm & Associates, LLC

Winfield Beroth ’65President, Beroth Oil/4 Brothers Stores

Ryan Bolick ’01 Business Improvement Lead, Turner Broadcasting

H. Edward Boyles, Jr.Managing Director, Wells Fargo Securities

Robert G. Darst

Retired, Burlington Industries, Inc.

Robin H. Gagnon ’82, ’95Partner, We Sell Restaurants

William R. HollandChairman, EnPro Industries, Inc.

Helen Hollifield ’87

Tax Partner, Deloitte & Touche

Thomas H. Hudspeth, Jr. ’82, ’83, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Doug Johnson ’77

CEO, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp.

Scott Lampe ’94 CFO, Hendrick Motorsports

Lynn MingesAssistant Secretary for Tourism, Marketing and Global Banking,

NC Department of Commerce

Charles V. Murray ’87CEO, Murray Supply Company

Phillip Ostwalt ’83Partner, KPMG, LLP

Kim Price ’77

President & CEO, Citizens South Bank

Kenneth G. Reece ’73Sr. VP - Private Client Svcs. & Wealth Management

First Tennessee Bank

John Roos ’84Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, BCBS of North Carolina

John E. SilviaChief Economist, Wells Fargo

Allan Singer

Manager, McNair Law Firm, PA

Frank H. Skidmore, Jr.Retired Managing Principal, IBM Global Services

Gerry Smith ’70

Retired First VP Investments, Smith Barney

Hayes Smith ’82 Second Creek Development Co.

Richard Stroupe Sr. VP - General Manager, NCI Information Systems

Carmen ThorpeDirector, North America Transition & Transformation Svcs.

IBM Global Services

Mark E. Trivette ’83Partner, Transaction Advisory Svcs., Ernst & Young LLP

Brad Wall ’99 Sr. VP, Supply Chain Operations, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Members EmeritiWilliam S. Creekmuir Jeffrey A. Shepard William G. Ervin Mike Steinback Joseph F. Freeman, Jr. G.A. Sywassink ’94 Jamie Harris ’84

Welcome to our most recent issue of Business Leaders Magazine. As you read through this publication, I hope you share our pride in the Walker students who have excelled in national competitions, who have become entrepreneurs, and who have trav-eled abroad to make a global impact.

Our College is changing constantly – we’re creating new classes and programs to meet the needs of today’s business student. Research from our faculty continues to be recognized nationally. We’re pleased that the Princeton Review again named the Walker College as one of its best business schools and that Appalachian rose again in the US News & World Report’s 2010 American’s Best Colleges Guide.

As always, our campus will be very busy during the fall months. The tradition of great Harlan Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series speakers continues as the President & CEO of Duke Energy, James Rogers, comes to campus on October 12. This year, our Ethics Conference will focus on business ethics and sustainability and will be held on September 17. The upcom-ing football season promises enjoyable fall afternoons. We’ll hold our College of Busi-ness Game Day and Tailgate on Farthing Hill (across Rivers Street from Raley Hall) on September 18. We hope you’ll make plans to return to campus for that game and for the homecoming game tailgate on Duck Pond Field on October 9.

Although this budget year has im-proved over last year, we continue to expe-rience residual effects of an unstable econo-my. Jobs remain scarce, and as our students march toward graduation each year, we call upon you to “hire Appalachian.” Addition-ally, we face funding challenges, which you can help us overcome. One way to meet financial challenges is through our annual fund – the Walker College Deans Club. I invite you to join and make a difference in the lives of our outstanding students. Fund-ing from the Deans Club is used in areas of greatest need such as scholarships and other support for students and faculty. For more information about joining the Deans Club, see the inside cover of this magazine. You may also contact Director of Develop-ment Rob Hudspeth ([email protected]), Advancement Specialist Gerry Smith ([email protected]), or me ([email protected]).

It’s my sincere hope that you will be an active part of the Walker College team. Get involved by calling, emailing, or going online today. On the back cover you’ll find more information on connecting with us and your fellow Appalachian Alumni. Thank you for your involvement and support!

Randy Edwards, ’77, ‘78Dean

The Walker College is accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB accreditation represents the highest

standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Less than one-third of U.S. business school programs and only 10% of business school programs worldwide meet these rigorous standards. The Walker College is one of 593 accredited member

institutions and has been accredited since 1976.


A Message from the Dean

The Business Advisory Council (members listed opposite page) is composed of businessmen and businesswomen who meet twice a year to advise Walker College administrators on matters relating to the needs of the business community. Opportunities are provided for students to interact with council members when they are on campus.

The purpose of the Council is to assist in the planning, evalua-tion, and strengthening of the programs of the John A. Walker Col-lege of Business.

Current council members represent a wide spectrum of the busi-ness community including professionals in accounting, manufactur-ing, retail, home furnishings, advertising, banking, management consulting, law, and health care.

Walker College has seven additional advisory boards, which provide real-world, real-time advice on specialized programs and majors. They are:

• Accounting Advisory Board• Brantley Risk & Insurance Advisory Board• Center for Entrepreneurship Advisory Board• Computer Information Systems Advisory Board• Finance Advisory Board• Health Care Management Advisory Board• Supply Chain Management Advisory Board

Giving Good AdviceWALKER COLLEGE’S EIGHT ADVISORY BOARDS

Members of the Supply Chain Management

Advisory Board, right, and below, from top,

members of: the Center for Entrepreneurship

Advisory Board, the Finance Advisory Board

and the Brantley Risk Management and

Insurance Advisory Board


CIS Students Win National AwardsStudents and faculty from the Association of Information Tech-

nology Professionals (AITP) club won multiple awards at the AITP National Collegiate Conference (NCC) recently in St. Louis, Mo., including one of four regional Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year awards. This is the fourth consecutive year the AITP student chapter from the Walker College of Business has won awards at the conference. This year 674 students, including 12 from Appalachian, competed in AITP NCC. For the Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year award, Appalachian was among four chosen from more than 250 student chapters. Winning students were awarded cash prizes or gift cards that ranged from $50 to $200. Those awards and students are listed below.

Student Papers Competition Best Tech / Geek Video Contest1st Place, Susie Franse 1st Place, Eric Herman 3rd Place, Myles McConkey 4th Place, Andrew Crenshaw

AITP National Faculty Advisor of the Year Dr. Scott Hunsinger

AITP National Chapter of the Year Appalachian State University

GamingYOUR CLASS SCHEDULE

In 2007, the gaming industry generated a record $18.85 billion in total domestic sales. The next year - though a recession hit - sales broke $20 billion. In early 2009 there was a small drop in demand, but internationally the industry continued to boom. One report estimates that, by 2012, international sales will hit $68 billion.

With those sales come countless job op-portunities, whether in programming, hard-ware development or simply support. But before one can truly join that marketplace, it helps to understand its history. Walker Col-lege is filling that need.

Beginning Fall 2009, Walker College is offering CIS 4533 - Introduction to Gaming. It is taught by Dr. Dawn Medlin, chairperson for the Department of Computer Informa-tion Systems. Here is how she describes the course:

Students in the Introduction to Gam-ing class work in teams, made up of majors from several different areas such as history, geography, and anthropology. The project-management, teamwork, networking, pro-gramming, and presentation skills that the course requires are valuable assets even for students not planning gaming-design careers. Because students prepare documentation and make frequent classroom presentations on their progress, the course develops many business and computer skill sets.

New Supply Chain Management MinorThe main goal of supply chain management is to improve an or-

ganization’s profitability while delivering a quality product/service to the customer at the lowest possible cost. The Supply Chain Manage-ment minor provides a multi-disciplinary curriculum in supply chain management to complement functional business majors within the College. Dr. Dinesh Dave coordinates the minor.

Appalachian State University’s Association of Information Technology Profession-als (AITP) club won multiple awards at the AITP National Collegiate Conference

in St. Louis, Mo., recently. Pictured with the students is Dr. Scott Hunsinger, third from left, who was honored as AITP National Faculty Advisor of the Year. (Photo

submitted)


Student Spotlight

Bowden Investment Group Completes 10 Years of InvestingOUTPERFORMED S&P IN 2009

In 2009, the Bowden Investment Group (BIG) beat the market. The student group, which meets as a class and receives course credit, completed its 10th year of investing by again besting its benchmark index, the S&P 500. The Bowden Investment Fund had an annual return of 28.93 percent in 2009, compared to 26.45 percent for the S&P, according to its annual report.

The fund consists of stocks from numerous industrial sectors including: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, health care, industrials, information technology, and materials industries. No in-dividual sector is to make up more than 20% of the portfolio’s hold-ings. The BIG has recently chosen to stay away from the financial industry as many companies in that sector continue to recover from the crisis of 2008 and face greater governmental regulations that will likely have negative effects on profitability for some time.

The report also explains that, “In January of 2000 the BIG began with an account balance of $10,678.21, and has grown to an end-ing balance on December 31st, 2009, of $71,651.83. While the BIG would like to take sole credit for the growth of the fund, the invest-ing decisions of the group as a whole over the last 10 years is only a part of the reason for the success and growth of this fund. Over the last 10 years, the Bowden Investment Group has been the recipient of financial donations from our generous supporters which have allowed us to grow the value of our portfolio, expand our investing options, and enhance the educational experience of group members.”

COB Honors Students Present Research

Students participating in the Walker College Honors Program presented their theses April 28 in Raley Hall.

Presenters and topics were:

Jennifer Callahan Women in Information Technology

Ivey Gaskin Poverty Alleviation Through Microfinance

Brittany RoblesHotel Advertising: The Impact of Price & Advertising Appeals on Purchase Intention, Value, and Attitude Towards the Hotel

George Tully St. GermainEstimating the Economic Effect of Crime Rates

Stephen Van DelinderIntegrated Research on Information Technology Cluster Expansion: Solving the Unemployment Crisis in Catawba County 2010-2020

Catherine WoodThe Modern Glass Ceiling: The Unnatural Disadvantage of 21st Century Women in Corporate America

Faculty members, College adminis-trators, and family members of the stu-dents were in attendance for the presen-tations and for a reception afterwards.

College of Business honors is a selective program for students maintain-ing at least a 3.4 GPA. The application process begins during the spring semes-ter of a student’s sophomore year. To graduate with honors, a student in the program must complete 15 hours of hon-ors courses and an honors thesis.

2009 Bowden Investment Group students boasted an annual return of 28.93 percent, compared to 26.45 percent for the S&P.


Learn the secrets to success, on a one-on-one basis. That’s the mission of the Dale Tweedy Mentoring Program for Entrepreneur Scholars.

Each year, Appalachian students are chosen to have the opportunity to personally shadow a successful entrepreneur. The students meet with their mentors on campus and discuss college, career and life choices.

This year 20 students have been selected to participate. Fourteen are new to the program.

The Dale Tweedy Mentoring Program for Entrepreneur Scholars is coordinated by the Center for Entrepreneurship, but it is open to all students regardless of their major.

Dale Tweedy ‘89 is a lifelong entrepreneur in the technol-ogy and business consulting world, and a current partner with Centdev Properties based in Cornelius. He provides financial support for the program. The 2010-2011 Tweedy Scholars and their major areas of study are listed below.

20 Students Named Tweedy ScholarsSELECTIVE PROGRAM FOR 2010-2011

Student Entrepreneur of the Year Announced

New MembersNathan Bost Entrepreneurship

Evan Buckingham Accounting

Carson ColeEntrepreneurship

Matt Dawson Economics & Entrepreneurship

Erica Doe Accounting & Entrepreneurship

Sarah HostykCommunications

Justin James Entrepreneurship

Sammy KluttzManagement

Justin Lowder Appropriate Technology graduate student

Eric LippertMarketing & Entrepreneurship

Travis McKenzie Appropriate Technology graduate student

Amanda Nemitz Family and Consumer Sciences

Logan Parce Marketing

Aaron SherwoodEntrepreneurship

Returning MembersDenny Alcorn Management & Entrepreneurship

Mara Herman Hospitality and Tourism

Connor Holland Hospitality and Tourism

Jeff Krause Finance and Banking

Kelly Penick Hospitality and Tourism

Chelsea Winch Hospitality and Tourism

Ryan M. Klinger of Troutman, a senior industrial design major, was named the 2010 Stu-dent Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

The $2,500 scholarship award is presented annually by

the Center for Entrepreneurship to recognize exceptional entrepreneurial achievement by a student. It was presented during the 2010 Young Entrepreneurs Symposium, which was sponsored by Backyard Burgers on Feb. 4.

Klinger was selected by a panel of judges for his outstanding entrepreneurial achieve-ment in technology, design and business en-deavors. “His accomplishments border on the impossible,” said one of his nominators.

Klinger’s entrepreneurial endeavors began at age 9 when he collected and sold baseball cards. At 16, he became a licensed wholesale car audio system distributor and created sys-tem packages that he installed at competitive prices.

Klinger continued his professional entre-preneurial journey when he and two friends entered the “Juicy Ideas” creativity competi-tion sponsored by Google and AdvantageWest. The competition was a nation-wide initiative to encourage entrepreneurship and communi-cate a message of environmental responsibil-ity. Klinger’s team’s entry, a bicycle built out of recycled water bottles, won first place in both the regional and national competitions. The team was recognized in Asheville, Chica-go and at Google’s headquarters in California.

Other student nominees were Ryan Bar-ringer, Eric Lippert, Nicholas Seligman, Kelly Penick, Kelly McRell, Thomas Brigman, and Michael Roper.


Ryan M. Klinger

Congratulations. You’ve been accepted to college. But do you know what you want to do?

Approximately 20 percent of in-coming students come with no major selected. Among the 80 percent that do, two out of three will change their minds at least once. Many students don’t make a decision until exposed directly to the potential job market.

With that in mind, the Walker College of Business has created a new program for potential Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) students. Called the Building In-surance Talent (BIT) program, it is designed to encourage minority undergraduate students to consider a major and career in RMI. It will provide students with a real-life view of available careers in the industry through career shadowing, industry speakers, career fairs and conference and meeting travel.

“The program’s primary goal is to establish relationships between students and RMI professors, career counselors, and industry profession-als,” said Michelle Boisclair, Brant-ley Center Associate Director, who coordinates the program. “Our hope is that these students will have a real-life view of the exciting careers available to them in insurance after graduation.”

Boisclair has 10 years of mentor-ing program management experience within the academic and business communities. She has personally developed and implemented four successful mentoring programs prior

to the BIT program.The program is intended to foster

a welcoming and supportive environ-ment within the College of Business for 30 freshmen and sophomore students from African American, Asian and Latino families. With the generous support of the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina, the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers’ Foundation for Agency Management Excellence and Liberty Mutual Insurance, the BIT program is being piloted over the Spring 2010 and Fall 2010 semesters.

In January, 15 freshman and sophomore students were selected for the program. By March, two students made the decision to add the Risk Management and Insurance major. BIT students who don’t pur-sue the RMI major will leave with a better understanding of insurance and the vast opportunities that exist

in the industry.Fifteen additional students will

be served by the program in the up-coming fall semester.

Current RMI majors are involved in mentoring activities through various events. Formal campus and industry-based opportunities are pro-vided monthly and include: Career Fairs; Professional Panels; Career Shadowing; Faculty Interaction; Tailgates; Industry Speakers; and Conference and Meeting Travel.

Student participants must have completed 12 or more semester hours at Appalachian, have at least a GPA of 3.0, and a genuine interest in learning more about the insurance and risk management industry. To learn more about the program, visit business.appstate.edu/brantley/talent.php or contact Michelle Boisclair at 828-262-6179.

New Program Offers Real-life View of Careers ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO MAJOR IN RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE


Students participating in the Building Insurance Talent Program, part of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center, participated in the Eastern Independent Insurance Agents of North

Carolina (IIANC) Conference in Raleigh in February.

David Towarnicky’s grade point average is higher than his batting average. That’s fine with Towarnicky, and it’s also fine with Chris Pollard, head coach of Appalachian State’s baseball team.

It’s not like Towarnicky’s batting average is below the Mendoza Line. Far from it. The Appalachian State senior first baseman bat-ted .303 this spring with nine home runs, 11 doubles and 50 RBIs.

Towarnicky is a four-year starter at first base and one of just four Mountaineers who did not miss a game this season. The left-handed hitter has generally batted some-where between fourth and seventh in the Mountaineers’ lineup and has never hit lower than .278 at Appalachian, that coming in his freshman year.

Academics, however, are equally im-portant to the New Bern native. Towarnicky carries a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in December with a double major in finance and banking and risk management and insur-ance from the Walker College of Business. He may not be at the top of a baseball draft list, but he could probably get a job on Wall Street within a few months after graduation making a six-figure salary.

Towarnicky Mixes Baseball with BusinessHow Senior David Towarnicky Wins Games While Setting the Classroom StandardBy Steve Behr of the Watauga Democrat

Senior David Towarnicky hits home runs in the classroom as well as on the baseball field.


The academic awards follow the classroom work. Towarnicky is a member of the College Sports Infor-mation Directors of America (Co-SIDA)/ESPN The Magazine District 3 Academic All-District team. That gives him a chance to be named an Academic All-American.

Closer to home, he was honored by Walker College as the college’s top overall student and top banking and finance major. He also earned an academic achievement award from the Wall Street Journal.

Additionally, while being a member of ASU’s Chancellor’s List, Dean’s List, Walker College of Business honors program and Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, Towar-nicky was also named the recipient of the Southern Conference’s Camp Champs graduate scholarship earlier this spring.

Yet Towarnicky will be trying to make money not just for him, but also for others who may not have opportunities like entrepreneurs in America. Towarnicky wants to go overseas and try to raise capital for potential business owners in third-world countries.

The process is called microfi-nancing. It involves providing capital for potential entrepreneurs who want to start a business in a developing country, but may not have the start-up capital to make that happen.

Towarnicky would be somebody who could help get them that capital.

“With the kind of the position I’m in, I feel I can affect change af-fect the world for the better, Towar-nicky said. “I feel that baseball and the things I’ve done at Appalachian have kind of built me a platform for

that. I have access to some resources and with the resume I’ve built up, I can go out there and affect change. That’s really what I want to do with my life. I want to wake up and be excited and passionate about what I’m doing. Whether it’s running a surf shop on a beach somewhere, or in microfinance, I want to be happy. If I can affect change in a positive manner, that’s even better.”

Towarnicky said that although his preference is going overseas, mi-crofinancing is also done in America.

“A lot of it is in Africa, but it’s done everywhere,” Towarnicky said. “It’s even done in Chicago. There are cases of some microfinance people doing work here in the United States. It’s done in South America, so the opportunity is global and there’s a need for it all over the world.”

He also said not to cry for him about lost salary.

“It’s not just charity work,” he said. “It’s a real business and there

are people who make a lot of money doing it. If I can affect change at the same time, that would be awesome.”

Towarnicky certainly has the academic resume for such an en-deavor. Several universities known for their academics heavily recruited him, including Davidson, Harvard and Princeton. He took an official visit to Princeton and Harvard, and was offered a chance to play baseball and football (he was a two-year start-ing quarterback at New Bern High and part of the team that reached the state 4-A finals in 2006) at Davidson.

Towarnicky was actually very interested in signing with Harvard, but things changed in an abrupt way.

“I was really close to going to Harvard,” Towarnicky said. “I had it down to Harvard and Appalachian State. I made an official visit (to Harvard) and just really loved the university. Then a couple of weeks before I was going to sign with them, the coaches quit calling me. I called

Top College of Business Student David Towarnicky with Dean Randy Edwards and Honors Convocation speaker Jeff Mick


the athletic department and they told me that the coaches had retired. So, I was kind of stuck out high and dry, but I love it at Appalachian. It’s been a great experience for me and I wouldn’t change it, looking back.”

Harvard’s loss was Pollard’s gain. “He played some (IMPACT Baseball) tournaments here at the old Red Lackey,” Pollard said. “We saw him and liked him here. We were in the mix with some very academic schools, which is a credit to Ap-palachian for the academic school that we are. He was looking at the Davidsons and the Harvards and the Vanderbilts. We have one of the best business programs in the country, and he liked the direction he was going. He liked the direction of the baseball program, so it was a good fit and he’s done a terrific job.”

Towarnicky did not rule out graduate school, possibly at an Ivy League college, as an option after December. He said he could also do the research needed to be successful overseas while attending graduate school at the same time.

That’s Towarnicky, setting a higher standard all around.

All American and Lowe’s Sr. CLASS Nominee

Towarnicky became the first Appalachian State University stu-dent-athlete in 18 years to receive first-team Academic All-America recognition when he was named to the College Sports Information Di-rectors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-America 2010 baseball first team.

He is only the fourth student-athlete and second baseball player in

Appalachian history to earn Aca-demic All-America honors. Football player D.J. Campbell was ASU’s most recent first-team Academic All-American in 1992. Baseball’s Jamie Harris and football’s Gil Beck received the recognition in 1984 and 1977, respectively. Beck was inducted into CoSIDA’s Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2004.

For his efforts on and off the field, Towarnicky is one of 10 nationwide finalists for college baseball’s prestigious Lowe’s Se-nior CLASS Award, which will be presented at June’s College World Series to the player with the most notable achievements in four areas of excellence — classroom, character, community and competition.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Stay-ing in School™, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

Towarnicky is the only Southern Conference representative and the lone player from the state of North Carolina on this year’s baseball Aca-demic All-America first, second or third teams.

One of Appalachian’s newest student groups aims “to unite graduate students seeking to network, organize events and further develop their business skills.”

The Net Impact Club, lead by MBA student and club presi-dent Miriam N. Makhyoun, is dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable business practices.

Net Impact is an interna-tional non-profit organization with a mission to inspire, edu-cate, and equip individuals to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmen-tally sustainable world, accord-ing to netimpact.org.

“We feel that our class of 45 students is very dedicated to using our business acumen to better our surrounding commu-nity, which is why this club was the best fit for us,” Makhyoun said.

MBA Program Makes a Net Impact

2010-2011 MBA Students and members of Net Impact Club


Laura McMinn, a Walker College rising senior living in South India this summer, is completing an internship in community development. She’s sharing her stories on her blog, A Whole New World, which can be found online at: http://newworld411.blogspot.com

Laura is pictured above with members of her Indian host family.

A Whole New WorldAN APPALACHIAN STUDENT BLOGS FROM INDIA

The Adventures of the Holland Fellows in China

The 2010 class of the William R. Holland Fellows Program, of which P.A. Rowe is a part, recently visited China. A rising senior and president of the Student Government Associa-tion, he wrote about their time in the Far East on his blog: A Chinese Adventure. Here’s what they were doing when they bumped into a fel-low Mountaineer.

“Our first day in Qingdao began with a company visit to a joint venture between Coca-Cola and Cofco. It was surprising when we en-tered the facility to see an American as our host. I soon found out she was a fairly recent Appalachian graduate who had been working in China for about eight months. We were able to tour the facilities and learn about her time spent in China. This was great to give us perspective about working abroad in a truly global sense.

After we finished touring, we went and shared lunch in the company cafeteria on site. It was a nice meal and after it was done we departed for our next stop. Our next visit was a hilltop in the city that overlooked a portion of the shoreline and the surrounding area. It provided a perspective about how large of a city Qingdao is exactly.”

Rowe also blogged what the Holland Fellows experience meant to him and the group.

“The depth of the relation-ships that we now share between all the Fudan students and partners, along with our fellow ASU Holland Fellows, was evident throughout.

Hearing what was said, it was hard to imagine many other programs that can build cross-cultural relation-ships that have the richness of what we share. It really is a feeling that is hard to put into words, but we are all thankful to share it. Being able to travel to each others’ countries, host our partners, learn about one another, share new experiences, and collaborate on an in depth research project together, allowed us to fulfill the motto of the program by becom-ing “friends forever” (it is corny we know, but once you experience the program nothing is more true).”

Many of the Fellows will return to China to begin internships there. Rowe blogged what he will be doing.

“Today we began our activities by doing a company visit at China.org.cn. The company is a government partially sponsored news website that specializes in sharing Chinese news in foreign languages. After we finish in Hong Kong in early June, I will return to Beijing with one other Holland Fellow to intern at the web-site. After our visit, I am extremely excited about being able to have this opportunity later in summer for two months. It was a very impressive visit. The company has a very nice headquarters and operates with many young and eager staff members.”

For more information about the Holland Fellows Program, visit business.appstate.edu/hollandfellows


Walker College Economics Department Ranks Among Top 25 Percent in Country

RePEc, short for Research Papers in Economics, defines itself as “a collabora-tive effort of hundreds of volunteers in 70 countries to enhance the dissemina-tion of research in economics.” Recently, the group listed its top 25 percent US Economics Departments, as of April 2010. Of the 111 universities listed, Appalachian State was ranked 91st.

The rankings are “based on data about authors who have registered with the RePEc Author Service, institutions listed on EDIRC, bibliographic data collected by RePEc, citation analysis performed by CitEc and popularity data compiled by LogEc.”

Other North Carolina-based schools on the list include Duke University (No. 23), UNC Chapel Hill (No. 75), and NC State (No. 102).

Appalachian also ranks among the top 10 percent in other RePCc lists, in-cluding 56th in Environmental Econom-ics and 30th in the field of Experimental Economics.

For the third consecutive year, research from Appalachian State is being honored as a “best paper” at an upcoming national management meeting, and this year, the research ranks number one in the Manage-ment Education Division.

Walker College professors Jacqui Berg-man, Joe Daly and Jim Westerman, along with Appalachian State psychology profes-sor Shawn Bergman, are coauthors of, “Are Business Schools Creating Narcissistic Employees? An Examination of Business Student Narcissism.” The report will be pub-lished as a “best paper” at the 2010 Academy of Management Meeting.

Only the top 10 percent of submitted en-tries are published in the Best Paper Proceed-ings.

“We are very honored to be considered for inclusion in the Best Paper Proceedings and excited to share our research with an international audience in Montreal,” said Westerman.

In their latest research report, the writers sought to investigate “narcissism among un-dergraduate students and its effects on class-room performance and career expectations. Results indicate that today’s students have significantly higher levels of narcissism;

business students are more narcissistic than psychology students; and narcissists expect to have more success in terms of finding a job, salary and promotions.”

The 2010 Academy of Management Meeting is in Montreal, Canada, August 6-10. The Academy of Management is a leading pro-fessional association for scholars dedicated to creating and dissemi-nating knowledge about management and organizations.

Focus on Faculty

This Year’s “Best Paper” EXAMINATION OF BUSINESS STUDENT NARCISSISM


Jacqui Bergman

Joe Daly

Jim Westerman

Four Economics Faculty Members, from left, Pete Groothuis, Steve Millsaps, David Bruner and John Whitehead.

Hearing Dr. Harry Davis discuss the economy can be depressing. He sites tremendous amounts of personal debt, high unemployment, continued deficit spending and low consumer confidence. The Walk-er College banking professor and economist for the NC Bankers’ Association insists, however, that all those bad stats are in the past. He’s really optimistic about the coming months, according to a recent speech he gave at the First Enterprise Banquet in Franklin, N.C.

During his address, Davis cautioned his audience that though the worst of the current economic recession is over, recovery will take a long time. “It’s been awful anyway you want to measure it,” he said of the recession, noting that since 2008, the decline in GDP has been the worst since 1938. Due to job cuts, Americans have seen the largest drop in salaries and wages in 60 years, according to Da-vis. And while consumer confidence has made some gains in recent months, it is still extremely low. Davis explained that a major factor in the slow recovery will be consumer debt. “Consumers are in debt up to their eyeballs,” he said.

While some in the audience felt the economist’s predictions were bleak, Davis maintained that his view of the future is optimis-tic. “The really bad numbers are behind us. The numbers are going to get better. It’s just that they’re going to get better at a slower pace than we would like and at a slower pace than we’ve seen in the past.”

Davis predicts that growth will improve in the first half of the current year and reach 3.25 or 3.5 percent by next year. “The prob-lem is we need a growth rate of 5 percent to put a dent in the unem-ployment rate,” he said.

The Impact of a Walker College Economics Blog

A recent study of economic bloggers concluded that a Walker College blog has an impact in the blogosphere. Environmental Eco-

nomics is maintained by Dr. John Whitehead, chairman of the Department of Economics. He primarily blogs about environmental is-sues from an economic perspective.

According to Blogometrics, the blog ranks 17th among “top economics blogs by scholarly impact of contributors.” Also, the report ranks the blog 22nd among “top eco-nomics bloggers by scholarly impact.”

Visit the blog at env-econ.net.

The Really Bad Numbers Are Behind UsDAVIS COMMENTS ON THE ECONOMY In Remembrance

Dr. George Edward Lyne, Jr., Pro-fessor Emeritus, age 83, of Fox Cove Road, Boone, the Foscoe community, died Tuesday afternoon, May 25, 2010 at home.

He obtained his PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1973, after which he joined the management department of Walker College of Business at Appala-chian State University. He taught gradu-ate and undergraduate courses in orga-nizational behavior, organization theory, strategic management and other subjects.

During his career he was selected as an ‘Outstanding Educator of America.’ He was named director of the Center for Management Development which offers training for personnel in business orga-nizations. He was instrumental in devel-oping training for members of the NC Savings and Loan League, equipment rental managers, public accountants, and others.

He also coordinated implemen-tation of an MBA degree program at Winston-Salem State University. George held a number of administrative posi-tions during his twenty-three years at ASU, including acting chairman of the management department for three years and permanent chairman from 1992 until his retirement in 1996.

Always active in student affairs, he led the process to re-establish a chap-ter of Beta Gamma Sigma, the national honor society in business and served as president of the chapter. He chaired the University Admissions Committee and was alumnus advisor for the Kappa Alpha fraternity.


John Whitehead

Famous cartoonist Bill Wat-terson, the genius behind

Calvin & Hobbs, once inked his protagonist to remark, “I know the world isn’t fair, but why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor?”

Simple. Maybe because he doesn’t get enough sleep. That’s a conclusion suggested from re-search by Walker College econom-ics professor David Dickinson and Loughborough University profes-sor Clare Anderson. Their report, entitled “Bargaining and Trust: The Effects of 36-hour Total Sleep Deprivation on Socially Interactive Decisions,” has been published by the Journal of Sleep Research.

The researchers used 32 young people, split evenly by gender, to review how individuals react in a social context when lacking a night’s sleep. Half of the group was made to stay awake for more than one 24-hour period, then participate in a gaming exercise. The other participants were a control group, playing the same game before and after a traditional night’s rest.

The game involved groups of four players who were anonymous-ly matched as partners. The game involved real financial incentives, with the reward amounts depen-dent upon decisions made by both by an individual player and their anonymous partner. Researchers found that participants who had not slept the night before tended to “interact more aggressively.” They believed their anonymous partner

was not working in their interest. There was no trust.

“Our results suggest that individuals’ social preferences are more concerned with avoid-ing betrayal of different sorts following TSD (Total Sleep De-privation), even by anonymous counterparts. In both simple bar-gaining and trust experiments, significant behavioural effects are found on only one side of the interaction, but in both envi-ronments the result is consistent with an increased defensiveness following TSD.

If trust is an important com-ponent of a well-functioning modern society, then reduction of trust in an increasingly sleep-deprived society holds signifi-cant implications. Indeed, many important institutions function on a certain level of trust (e.g. banks for solvency, informal credit markets, marriage).

Clearly, the full cost of TSD effects on the quality of social interactions is beyond the scope of this study, but our results are suggestive of behaviours that have been unexamined in a TSD context. They indicate that mistrust and defensiveness may become more prevalent as our social preference decisions become more controlled by the emotional part of the brain that has heightened awareness of possible exploitation when under TSD.”

The Power of Sleep in Social InteractionsDON’T SNOOZE AND YOU’LL LOSE

Economics Professor David Dickinson


Everybody has stuff. When it comes time to get rid

of personal items, people have a variety of outlets in which to sell them: ebay, yard sales, flea mar-kets, etc. Sometimes people simply give away their stuff, either free or through barter. What motivates these instances of altruism, when something once worth owning is now something to be given away?

Marketing professor Pia Albi-nsson may know. She coauthored a research paper, “From Trash to Treasure and Beyond: The Mean-ing of Voluntary Disposition” that was published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Con-sumer Behaviour.

Albinsson and her co-research-er, B. Yasanthi Perera of New Mexico State University, inter-viewed a variety of people living in a “southwestern American uni-versity town” who “were of differ-ent socioeconomic statuses, and of varying ethnicities and ages.” They participated in clothing exchange events, which involved “swapping items while socializing.” The re-searchers categorized the individu-als by their motivations to donate their items, and listed the nature of the items donated (”Sentimentality/Memories,” Economic Value” and “Condition”).

With these definitions, Albins-son and Perera interviewed a group of people prior to donating items. They also interviewed people during the actual giveaway event, then interviewed them afterwards.

Among the researchers’ conclu-sions:

“Based on individual char-acteristics, particular consumers may prefer a specific mode of disposition such as donating to charity, sharing items among friends and family, recycling through internet free-cycle websites, exchanging, or simply ridding. However, our analysis indicates that although individu-al characteristics influence both disposition decisions and mode of disposition, the community and item characteristics drive most disposition decisions.”

People have a desire to give, but they may not act unless given opportunity and items they see as desirable by others. On that latter note, much of the researchers’ re-port details how those interviewed perceived their belongings, and how those perceptions changed.

Leesa, who resisted discard-ing expensive clothes because of the money and effort expended in purchasing them, exemplified consumers’ value related to money. Another informant shared that she had trouble giving away expensive items, even if unneeded.

Other informants noted that responsible consumption, sustain-ability, or the opportunity to do good drove their giving. Leesa and another informant, Sarah, also spoke about the difference in individuals’ values with the state-ment ‘‘someone’s trash is another’s treasure.”

What Motivates People to Get Rid of Their StuffIS ONE MAN’S TRASH REALLY ANOTHER’S TREASURE?

Marketing Professor Pia Albinsson


AroundAround Raley

Today’s business graduates should be willing to work across international borders to build a successful career.

“Go abroad,” said Corning Cable Sys-tems CEO Clark Kinlin, when asked where graduates should look for career opportuni-ties. “There is very little product or service or institution in this country that doesn’t have some connection to the global world. Recognize that you most likely will be work-ing with, around or for foreign colleagues at some point in your career.”

Kinlin was the guest speaker at the March 2010 lecture of Harlan E. Boyles Dis-tinguished CEO Lecture Series.

Kinlin joined Corning Incorporated, known worldwide for its Pyrex cookware and other glass products, in 1981. He led the

company’s telecommunications expansion in Japan and China in the mid-1980s and 1990s. Corning, with its facilities in North Carolina, is now the largest producer of optical fiber cable in the world.

To underscore the importance of gaining international work experience, Kinlin told of the time he was transferred from Corn-ing’s headquarters in New York to Japan in the early 1980s. “This led to access to senior management for me at a young age and even-tually led to larger roles in our global busi-ness,” he said. He later was named general manager of Corning’s operations in China. While some of his coworkers considered the assignment a type of exile, the experience led to further promotions within Corning.

“Which one of you will see the oppor-tunity when asked to join a company over-seas,” he asked?

Kinlin urged students to seize their own global opportunities. “The challenge for you as you plan your entrance into the working world is to find the inflection points – periods of opportunity where you have the chance to be on a team that builds something new or fixes an old problem,” he said.

New market opportunities are emerging in countries such as Vietnam, India and East-ern Europe, Kinlin said. “I know the oppor-tunities that will emerge from these tumultu-ous times will be huge, and I hope some of you grab the opportunities created by these global trends.”


SCENES FROM THE LECTURE

Clockwise, from top: Senator James Broy-hill, Chancellor Pea-cock, Corning Cable

Systems CEO Clark Kinlin, Dean Randy

Edwards and Edward Boyles; Clark Kinlin; Clark Kinlin speaks

to MBA students.

Boyles’ Spring Lecture Brings Corning CEO to CampusCLARK KINLIN SAYS GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES AWAIT TODAY’S COLLEGE GRADUATE

Mark Your Calendar for the Fall 2010 Lecture:

Tuesday, October 12, 2:00pm Farthing Auditorium

Featuring: James Rogers CEO, Duke Energy

Matthew Szulik, chairman of Raleigh-based Red Hat, an open source software company, offered advice to students and others at-tending the Annual Carole Moore McLeod Entrepreneur Summit. The keynote speaker said there has never been a better time to start a business than today.

“Why shouldn’t you start a com-pany? What’s the worst thing that can happen, failure?” he said.

Szulik spoke of Red Hat’s evolu-tion into a software company that focuses on the enterprise computing market. The company saw its stock prices soar from about $12 a share when it was first traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1999 to more than $300 a share before the dot-com bubble burst in 2001.

And despite the company’s ups and downs, it continues to grow and receive honors from the software industry. The company has more than 65 offices worldwide and has been ranked one of the top vendors deliv-ering value in business application

software for six consecutive years.“This company grew from noth-

ing in the tobacco fields of North Carolina, was built on the backs of 21-, 22- and 23-year old kids, and today is an S&P 500 company,” Szulik said.

Szulik said entrepreneurship was important to the state’s economic health, particularly during the current economic downturn when few com-panies are hiring employees.

“If you don’t become productive, then what happens to the economic climate of this great state? What hap-pens to the dependencies you create on taxpayers? What happens to the investment you and your family have made to try and get an education?” he said.

Szulik said the only thing stand-ing in the way of future college graduates and their entrepreneurial dreams is their unwillingness to take the opportunity and to make the deci-sions now to start their own business.

There is No Better Time Than Now to Become an Entrepreneur...

“This is the greatest opportunity that you have ever been given. You are living in the most advanced country in the world that’s going to allow you to start something, to be a business creator, to leverage the talent and the relationships that you have spent four years cultivating. You don’t get a second chance, so why not seize it.”-Matthew SzulikChairman, Red Hat

AroundRaley


SCENES FROM THE CAROLE MCLEOD ENTREPRENEUR SUMMITMatthew Szulik addresses students and community members at the Valborg Theater on Appalachian’s campus. Below, Summit Namesake Carole McLeod is pictured with “Pitch Your Idea in 90 Seconds” Contest Winner Christopher Nordelo.

Richard Sparks ’76 MGT, ’78 MBA James “J.K.” Reaves ’93 FIN

3tailer Finds a New NicheONLINE BUSINESS HITS “BOOMING” NEW MARKET

Jon West ’06 CIS and Chad Ledford ’06 MGT started 3tailer in 2005 while students at Appalachian. The original focus was on the young, hip and Internet savvy. The business has since expanded to target a much differ-ent market - baby boomers. Business is good, according to a recent profile in Charlotte Observer:

The company’s hottest products these days? Crutches, canes, hospital beds, diabetic socks, and … autopsy saw blades. Says Jon, 26, “Rather than try to sell cool stuff, we decided that we should sell more boring stuff that people actually need.”

Unlike Gen X-ers and Gen Y-ers, boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) tend to view the Internet as a practical tool rather than a source of entertainment. Understanding that distinction has helped 3tailer grow from its initial $1,000 invest-ment in late 2005 to an expected $10 mil-lion in revenues this year.

At launch, the company sold every-thing from futon covers to neon clocks to hookahs. These days, with 35 sites selling some 300,000 products, the company has shifted its focus to mostly medical prod-ucts. “What we noticed was how a lot of the medical companies are old-fashioned and don’t understand the Web,” says Jon. “So what we’re doing is taking an older industry and putting it online.”

To be sure, 3tailer, which sells and buys niche products through a variety of websites that it builds, is true booming business.

Richard Sparks ’76 MGT ’78 MBA and James “J.K” Reaves ’93 FIN were both honored recently by the Appalachian Alumni Association during its Spring Alumni Awards Banquet.

Sparks, president and CEO of Appalachian Regional Health-care System, was awarded the Outstanding Service Award. The honor recognizes individuals for their exceptional service to the University. Reaves, senior vice president and manager of BB&T’s Life and Financial Planning Department, was given the Young Alumni Award. That honor goes to individuals under the age of 40 for their exception-al service to the University and accomplishments in their career.

An invaluable volunteer for the university, Reaves helps secure private donations for student-athlete scholarships by recruiting new members to the Yosef Club, of which he is currently president, and en-couraging existing members to

increase their giving levels. He has participated on panel discus-sions in the Walker College of Business, sharing with students information about his career in banking and offering tips for job interviews. He has established the J.K. Reaves Financial Plan-ning Annual Scholarship, the first scholarship established in financial planning.

Sparks is known for his service to the university. He has served on search committees, been a guest speaker in business classes and has mentored and provided internships to students interested in a health care career. He is chair of the Walker College of Business Advisory Council and has been a council member, since 2001 helping the college strengthen its academic pro-grams. Sparks also has served on the Health, Leisure and Exercise Science Advancement Board since 2004. He is a member of the Health Care Management Program’s board of advisors.

Alumni and Friends


Business Alumni HonoredSPARKS AND REAVES RECOGNIZED

Finance Professor Harry Davis Helen “Frankie” Willis,’84 FIN

The Walker College Class of 2010 heard about failure and suc-cess on May 8, as speaker Helen “Frankie” Willis ’84 FIN shared her career perspective during commencement ceremonies. Willis, President and part-owner of Georgia-based Trucks, Inc. and active in many community organizations, spoke to approxi-mately 400 graduates.

She was introduced by Walker College finance professor Dr. Harry Davis. Willis credited Davis with being a major moti-vator in her business success.

“I have been asked to talk about my life successes, but I’d rather talk about my failures. Failures are what made me who I am today,” Willis said.

Willis went into banking after graduation, but after six years she became unemployed as the economy turned and mergers occurred. She had read the book “Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want” by Barbara Sher, which urges readers to list

the 10 most important goals in their life.

“The book completely reprogrammed my mind about how I think about goals and how to get them,” she said. “I was unemployed and broke, but had a vision to where I wanted to go,” Willis said. That list included international travel, being finan-cially secure and owning her own company.

She relocated to Georgia in 1990 and, with a business partner, purchased a 50 percent interest in Trucks Inc. at age 27. Today, the company operates more than 300 trucks and 1,400 trailers and employs more than 400 individuals with five termi-nals in Georgia and Florida.

“As you graduate, you will be facing some tough competi-tion,” Willis said. “If you have a vision about where you want to go, and you’re working toward that, eventually you will get there.”

A Generous GiftTrevor R.

McRorie of Char-lotte walked away from graduation with more than a diploma. The management major won a two-week trip to Europe,

courtesy of Frankie Willis. Like others in the audience, McRorie was listening to Willis talk about how international travel improves education when she announced that she was going to give a graduate a two-week trip for two to Europe.

McRorie’s name was drawn from ap-proximately 400 graduates in attendance. His award includes airfare, a Eurorail train pass, lodging and spending money. “This is how strongly I believe travel can influence your education,” Willis told students when announcing the award.

“I was speechless and didn’t know what to say or do,” McRorie said when his name was called. “I knew there were two students named Trevor graduating that day and didn’t get excited until I heard my middle name.”

Thanks to the immediacy of text messaging, McRorie was soon getting messages from friends in Charlotte and other cities who had learned of the award from those in the audience.

McRorie plans to travel with a child-hood friend to Italy, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, France and England. Willis has provided him with tips on things to see and do while he is overseas.

McRorie said he is excited about learning different cultures while on his first trip to Europe and says it’s an expe-rience he had always hoped for.

Willis Speaks to 2010 Graduates“FAILURES MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY.”

Trevor McRorie, ’10 MGT


Brian White loves talking about his job. But even more than that, he loves talking at his job. An American living in China, he knows the local lingo.

“The most rewarding part of my job is using Mandarin as a commu-nication tool in my daily life,” said White, who works in Shanghai as a liaison between the UNC System and Fudan University. He represents the 16 UNC public universities, includ-ing Appalachian, and facilitates fac-ulty and research exchanges between US and Chinese schools.

“Each day I am able to commu-nicate with my colleagues using Chi-nese, whether we are talking about exchange programs we are working on or communicating through email, it definitely feels good to know that I have adapted.

“I still have my Chinese note-book, from my freshman year at Appalachian, to remind me how far I have come,” he said.

White has always had an interest in the Chinese language and Chinese culture. They led him to take advan-tage of the international programs offered by the Walker College of Business, including the Holland Fel-lows Program. A member of the 2008 class, White discovered firsthand the internship opportunities in China.

“I chose to do an internship in Beijing. This provided an excellent opportunity to immerse myself in Chinese language and culture,” he said. “I believe doing an internship abroad is a great way to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and learn about the world and yourself.

White, a native of Greensboro raised in Raleigh, received his BSBA in International Business in May of 2009. He then interned at the China Internet Information Center, or China.org.cn. It is an English lan-guage web portal that offers Chinese news and information about Chinese

culture, history, politics and economics.

“From my internship I gained invaluable experience working cross culturally, and it prepared me for using Chinese in the work place,” Brian said.

The internship, as well as classes he took at Appalachian, helped prepare White for his current work representing the UNC System.

“The toughest part of my job is starting up and coordinating new programs,” he said. “Currently, I am trying to help develop a video lecture series/virtual classroom between Fu-dan and the UNC schools. The goal is that this program will increase interest in both Fudan and the UNC system and spur communication ex-changes between the universities.

Alumni Focus: ChinaBRIAN WHITE LIVING AND WORKING IN SHANGHAI

Brian White ’09 in the Gobi Desert

White in Yangshuo, Guangxi Province

Brian White works full-time in China representing the UNC System. He’s found time to explore the country, visiting the Gobi Desert (left), Shanghai (opposite page) and Guangxi Province (above).


“I hope we can use video confer-encing as a medium for collaboration between specific departments, lan-guage exchanges for students study-ing Chinese (or English), opportu-nities to learn about one another’s cultures, and so on.”

In his free time, White attends classes at Fudan University. He is also busy with wedding plans. His fiance, Kristina ’09, and he are to be married in Summer of 2011. Friends since middle school, both graduated from Appalachian (Kristina in 2009 with a degree in Psychology), and both spent the past year in China. She interned at an expat hospital and is attending nursing school at the Medi-cal University of South Carolina.

Someday, White hopes to earn an MBA, but for now he’s comfortable in China, a world away from what he originally had planned.“I definitely think that the most valuable experi-ence any college student can have is to travel abroad. Whether it’s a week or a year, it can provide valuable experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life,” White said. “Students should take advantage of many of the opportunities and orga-nizations on campus such as AIESEC or INTapp, the Holland Fellows Program and the International Entre-preneurship program, just to name a few. There is a plethora of opportuni-ties out there, you just have to find the one that is right for you.

“To students studying Chinese, or any language: don’t give up! It is easy to feel overwhelmed, but it takes persistence and patience to learn a language. It is a life-long pro-cess and you will always be learning new things, so have fun with it!” Posing in front of the Pearl Tower in Shanghai, China


Office of the DeanAppalachian State University Box 32037

Boone, NC 28608

ConnectConnect with other Walker College alumni through an array of social media sites. Stay wired on what’s happening on campus. Utilize our network of Appalachian Family Members. Find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Take time to update your university profile at www.alumni.appstate.edu/goldbook and visit the COB blog at business.appstate.edu/blog

www.business.appstate.edu

��

Documents

Business Leaders Magazine 2010