Mercer Business

"The best part of my job in Mercer's School of Business is not only forming a relationship with students, but also watching them progress and grow through college as well. It’s extremely rewarding to work with students and see them gain a better understanding and real-world application of what we’re working on. Meet John Wilson Gordon, Lecturer of Finance from Rochelle, GA and Double Business Bear! He graduated from Mercer University with a BBA in Marketing and Finance in 2014 and with an MBA in 2016. When Gordon is not in the classroom, you can catch him on the golf course or spending time with family and friends! Check out this recent photo of John Wilson Gordon and when he was a student at Mercer! #ThrowbackThursday

At Mercer, we understand how important your relationships with faculty are, so we offer a mentorship program within the School of Business. Today we're highlighting mentor and mentee pair Dr. Tammy Crutchfield and Sarah Beth Amos. This pair has worked together over the past few years as a team for Traffick Jam, which is a group of Mercer students that seeks to educate Macon youth on the importance of sex trafficking prevention. Sarah Beth says "Dr. Crutchfield has always taught beyond the classroom. Some of my favorite memories with Dr. Crutchfield are our rides to the Columbus Rotary Club to present our research, which provided hours to learn more from each other. She is more than just my professor, but she is someone I look up to and consider a friend."

At Mercer, we’re committed to developing innovative leaders. Through the Mercer Innovation Center, students have the opportunity to grow as aspiring entrepreneurs. Meet Jason Hickman, one of the Mercer Innovation Center’s Fellows and CEO of Hickman Marketing, a marketing company built for small businesses and organizations. Hickman Marketing offers fully customizable management plans to businesses for websites, digital advertising, and measurement tools. Jason Hickman expla...ins how Mercer has given him the resources and challenges to become successful and explore his skills for his agency. Mercer connected me with programs and mentors that would help me along my journey as a Mercer Bear. The Innovation Center has provided numerous networking opportunities and a collaborative space where like-minded entrepreneurs can thrive. After a summer internship, Jason Hickman identified the dilemma many small businesses face with operating social media and websites. From that, Hickman Marketing was born with the goal to help small businesses increase their online presence. Hickman Mercer Innovation Center

Although Homecoming may look different this year, we hope you are celebrating those who have impacted your life over the years with the same wonderful Mercer spirit! #mercerhomecoming2020 [Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic]

Delta Sigma Pi is the nation’s largest and first co-ed professional business fraternity, and Alpha Tau is Mercer’s chapter. Since March 26, 1927, Mercer's chapter has initiated over 700 diverse brothers. The business fraternity offers student-leaders the opportunity to grow and develop within the field of business. Delta Sigma Pi strives to foster the study of business in universities by encouraging scholarship, social activity, research, experience in the business world, and equality in the workforce and surrounding community. Mercer students live out the fraternity's purpose by hosting events, participating in service events in the local community, and practicing their networking skills. [Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic] Alpha Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi

Our students have the opportunity to apply what they’re learning at Mercer both inside and outside of the classroom. Take a look into one of our undergraduate finance classes that provides students with real-life investment experience using real money via the Student Managed Investment Fund. Students are taught by Associate Professor of Finance, Dr. Geoffrey Ngene, and act as financial analysts. Dr. Ngene teaches his students how to perform equity research on public companies and compile it into sell-side investment banking reports. At the end of each semester, students present recommendations to buy, sell, or hold different stocks and investment ventures to Mercer's Board of Trustees.

Are you a current business student interested in seeing what your professors are up to outside of class? Many of our faculty and staff are conducting stand-out research that we are showcasing through our Stetson-Hatcher Research Seminar Series! Join us this Wednesday, October 28 for Dr. Agnieszka Shepard and Dr. Briana Stenard's presentations. At 10:00 a.m., Dr. Shepard will address Getting Even with Unpleasant Customers, and at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Stenard will discuss research on Human Capital and Transitions Out of Self-Employment. Learn more tomorrow via Zoom: https://mercer.zoom.us/j/3502114896

Accomplishing goals on a growing to-do list is a common challenge for many professionals. Discover how to focus on your organization’s most important goals so that you can translate strategy into action through our virtual Agile Execution with Predictable Results program. Learn about the 4 Disciplines of Execution and how to produce extraordinary results for your organization over four days of in-depth instruction beginning on November 2. Invest in your professional development and register: https://business.mercer.edu//executive-ed/open-enrollment/. [Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic]

Our final remote internship spotlight of the week presents Destiny Shaw, BBA in Marketing '21 with minors in psychology and statistics. This year Destiny is working for Honnisoul Personal Chef Services, which is an Atlanta-based company that specializes in personal, corporate, and private dining. She manages all of Honnisoul’s social media accounts, pricing, graphics, and branding. The most challenging part of her internship was adjusting to a remote setting. Destiny prefers face-to-face contact, so working from her apartment was an adjustment. Her biggest suggestion to those working remotely would be to plan ahead and stay on top of your tasks!

Our Business Bears are on campus and staying busy this semester! Meet Eliza Miller, BBA in Accounting '20, who is balancing her accounting course load with an internship at Prime Advocacy. She is working virtually for the D.C.-based company and is organizing events, lodging, travel, and scheduling for government legislators. Her small and dynamic team has made working from home fun with virtual networking events. Eliza has learned how to stay on-task and organized while achieving business objectives. She advises all people working from home to become best friends with their planner as a way stay motivated. After graduating in December, Eliza will be moving to D.C. to continue working in the advocacy industry.

This week we’re highlighting some of our outstanding students who are excelling within their virtual internships. First up, Nadia Pressley 21’, is interning for R3, a blockchain software company based in New York City. As a digital marketing intern, she produces content for the website, social media, newsletters, and more! While working remotely is different than what she originally expected, the R3 intern program is making a lasting impact for Nadia and she is making wonderful connections with those in her work community through digital communication. Nadia’s key for a successful virtual internship is to make a schedule and stick to it!

Stepanie Bui, BBA in International Business, '21, has enjoyed being a Mercer business student for the last four years because all of Mercer's professors serve as mentors and want to help you succeed and learn. Stepanie says that The professors are personable and caring, so those mentor relationships grow naturally. One of her professors, Dr. Ania Rynarzewska, helped her find an internship that started her marketing career. During her time as a Mercer business student, Stepanie has gained more experience by studying abroad and learned hands-on about international business in Thailand. There are many different opportunities to further your education at Mercer, and Stepanie's biggest suggestion would be to look into anything that seems interesting!

Mercer invites leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers to join us for our Women in Leadership workshop series next Thursday, October 22 and Friday October, 23. Get hands-on experience developing skills in areas including developing effective negotiation skills, validating business opportunities, practicing mindfulness as leaders, and identifying strategies for leading teams. These workshops will hone your skills, so you can continue extending your influence as a leader. Registration ends this Friday, October 16 at 5:00 p.m. For more information and to register for one or both days, visit business.mercer.edu/women