Spring 2008 issue of Terry Magazine - (Page 5)

dean’smessage Terry family shows its intense loyalty s my first anniversary as dean approaches, I would like to share some of what I learned about the Terry College family as I traveled the state from Atlanta to Jekyll Island delivering the state forecast as part of the recent Economic Outlook Luncheon series. The first thing I was struck by is the intense loyalty that alumni feel for the Terry College. I expected people to be happy to see Terry presenting an economic forecast pertinent to their area, courtesy of research conducted by Terry’s Selig Center for Economic Growth. But the level of enthusiasm took me by surprise. The reception I received at various stops along the 10-city EOL tour was impressive to say the least. The EOL series began with the Dec. 4 Atlanta event, which was attended by 1,000 people at the World Congress Center. I was thrilled to be part of such an influential event with Gov. Perdue and President Adams participating and with well-known economist David Wyss delivering the national forecast. And, I must confess that as I stepped to the podium to deliver the state economic forecast, I was amazed to see a crowd of that size gathered together in one place to hear an analysis of the American economy. That is a real point of pride for the Terry College. As an index of how popular and influential the Economic Outlook series has become, I am pleased to announce that Steve Forbes, who drew a record crowd of 1,400 to the forecast luncheon in 2006, has agreed to deliver the national forecast at the next EOL on Dec. 3, 2008, in Atlanta. My travels around the state have also included a number of alumni receptions and small-group briefings on the prospects for a new Terry College complex, and I am pleased to report that our supporters believe Terry is an excellent business school. Having said that, a number of people who attended these events were not aware that Terry has the No. 2- and No. 3-ranked programs in the country in risk management and real estate, respectively. We are equally proud of the fact that graduates of Terry’s J.M. Tull School of Accounting ranked No. 5 in the country in first-time CPA exam pass rates. I can give you an example of two qualities that major employers recognize in our students that I believe you will agree is worth sustaining. First, when prospective employers evaluate Terry students’ education, real-world preparation, and intellectual ability, they recognize that our students can compete with their counterparts from any business school in the country. Second, Terry students typically leave the impression Dean Sumichrast delivered the state forecast at the kickoff that they are eager to succeed in the workplace, and that they don’t expect anything event of the Economic Outlook Luncheon series in Atlanta. to be given to them. Our students’ attitudes should serve as an inspiration for where we want to take the Terry College — and how we’re going to do it. Other business schools are improving rapidly. If we continue to do the same as we’ve done in the past — as impressive as our history has been — we’ll fall behind. For too long we’ve been defining ourselves by how we compare to public business schools, when we are really competing against business schools, period. I’d like to thank all the people I met during my travels who have reinforced my perception that Terry students, faculty, and alumni possess the desire and the work ethic to compete on a national stage. ■ uga photography roBerT T. SumiChraST, Dean Terry College of BuSineSS Spring 2008 • 5

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Terry School of Business - Spring 2008

Terry School of Business - Spring 2008 Contents Quick Bites Research & Innovation Gatherings Best CEO in America An Unlikely Rock Star Fire & Flavor Beyond the Bench Terry Memo Economic Scorekeeper Class Notes

Terry School of Business - Spring 2008

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