Black MBA - Winter 2007/2008 - (Page 31) college will teach economics and finance within its liberal arts curriculum, Tatum said. “The program is designed to be interdisciplinary, including international relations and economics while looking at the role of women in global finance and economic development,” Tatum said. “We want our students to be well-prepared to be problem solvers who think critically and look at the big picture.” A search currently is under way to find a director for the program. This new director will work alongside the Spelman provost to develop the program. Some courses could be offered as early as fall 2009, Tatum said. Spelman attracts thousands of applicants each year, and this number could increase once the new program is in place. Still, Tatum said the college plans to maintain its current enrollment level. “We do not plan to increase our student population with the new program. We do feel that more young ladies who see business and fi nance as a career goal will consider applying to Spelman,” Tatum said. PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE FUTURE The Hampton University School of Business has more than 30 corporate friends, and these friendships turn into jobs and internships for students, as well as contributions to the program each year, said Dean Credle. Leaders at HBCUs say it’s the partnerships such as the Dean’s Qualified Firms at Hampton and the Lehman Brothers Center for Global Finance and Economic Development at Spelman that will give their graduates and their programs the boost they need. In college, business students need internships – opportunities to get hands-on experience and work alongside successful managers and entrepreneurs. Once they graduate, they need jobs with good pay, benefits and opportunities for advancement. Credle and FAMU’s McKinleyFloyd said that business partnerships are an integral part of their programs. Many of the successful FAMU grads come back to campus regularly, McKinley-Floyd said. Because they have presence and position in major corporations, it reflects well on the SBI. They also recruit and support the school with contributions, she said. The Dean’s Qualified Firms at Hampton contribute $10,000 to $30,000 to the school each year, and they frequently agree to provide internships for students. With the help of 34 firms last summer, Hampton was able to place 250 students in internships in the U.S. and abroad. Credle has a goal of placing 400 students this summer. “We’re constantly looking for opportunities for our students,” Credle said. “We want to get the best students and train them in the best way for success.” TOP HBCU BUSINESS SCHOOL OPTIONS Here’s a sample of top business schools at historically black colleges and universities and what they have to offer. Morgan State University Baltimore, Md. Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management Bearing the name of a man synonymous with African American business and entrepreneurship, the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management has more than 1,500 students enrolled in graduate and undergraduate programs, including fi nance, business management, human resource management, accounting and fi nance. In addition to the traditional programs of study, this business school offers the Center for Entrepreneurship and Strategy (CES) and the Entrepreneurial and Development Assistance Center (EDAC). The CES provides undergraduate and graduate level courses while also producing research and publications on entrepreneurship and assisting local area entrepreneurs and business ventures through information dissemination and consultation. The EDAC helps small business owners and individuals with a variety of challenges, including writing business plans and even improving credit scores. turn to page 34 BlackMBA • Winter 2007/2008 31 Tuskegee University
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