Recent News
Center for Professional ExcellenceNew Name For College
Building Renovation
COBA in London/Summer Program
BA Alumnus of the Year
Center for Professional Excellence
In the Spring of 2012, the Carter College of Business announced the "Center for Professional Sevices." This new center focuses on the needs of our business students in relation to career service, student development, and alumni relations. Our goal is to connect these three areas for the betterment of our student and alumni.
More specifically, the center helps students with internships and full time placement opportunities. This office invites numerous companies to come to campus, hosts several career fairs, as well as helps makes connections with other companies unable to come to campus. In addition, this office organized several student development activities and events to better prepare our students for their career. Finally, this center reaches out to our alumni all over the world to find out how we can involve them and support them through student involvment. All three of these areas connect strongly under this new "Center for Professional Excellence" under the direction of Nate Copeland.
For more information contact Nate Copeland, nbcopeland@harding.edu or 501-279-5555
New Name for College
The Harding University Board of Trustees announced at the May 2010 Commencement the naming of the college of business to the "Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration." "Paul was an icon in Arkansas business leadership, and we thought it was highly appropriate to name the College of Business Administration in his honor," said Dr. David B. Burks, president of Harding. "He was an outstanding Christian business leader."
Paul was a wonderful Christian business man who loved Harding University and the College of Business Administration. According to Dr. Bryan Burks, dean of the College of Business, "Among other involvements, Paul loved to speak at our annual Leadership Seminar. He would tell stories about the history of Wal-Mart and other special events in his life. His stories brought laughter and even tears to our students as they hung on every word." Paul Carter began his career with Wal-Mart in 1977 as controller. Throughout his career, he held various titles such as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, President of Wal-Mart Realty Company, and eventually was named to the Board of Directors for Wal-Mart. He worked closely with Sam Walton for many years and was part of the leadership team that instituted a strong work ethic built on family values.
Paul Carter became a member of the Harding University President's Council in 1967. He became a member of our Harding University Board of Trustees in 1985 and served as chairman for four years and also served as treasurer and worked on the executive committee. He continued his role on the board until his death in October 2009 following a long battle with cancer. He served as an elder at the Bentonville church of Christ for many years. His wife, June, and three children who all attended Harding and studied business, have been strong supports of our work at Harding University and the College of Business Administration.
Building Renovation
The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Business Building, which has housed the college since 1982, received an addition and renovation during 2010 and 2011. We added new classrooms, a
finance trading lab, expanded student common areas, break-out rooms for group projects, faculty offices, expanded lobby, and a center for alumni networking.
More specifically, we added four new classrooms, one of which is a larger multi-purpose room. We also added several new faculty offices and an expanded work room for our faculty and staff. In response to our students, we created several breakout rooms that could be used as meeting rooms or study rooms. The students also desired a larger student cafe, the "COBA Cafe", which was designed with a patio on the back of the building and a coffee/snack shop. The newly expanded front lobby overlooks the newly created finance lab to the right and the newly refurbished dean's office to the left. The stock tickers, technology panels, and welcome center enhance the technology and global aspect of today's business environment. When students and visitors walk into the new lobby, it should be obvious that this is a professional yet comfortable building for our students to learn business.
COBA in London / Summer Program
London is the economic center for European business and one of the three global giants—along with Tokyo and New York. It is the 6th largest world economy and home to the world's largest international banking center, handling half of all European activity.
The London study program provides exposure to broad international businesses, multi-cultural diversity, and extensive history. With the primary language being English, travel and information exchange are easy.
Students will meet with, and learn from, such business as Murphy Oil, Cargill, ASDA, Tate and Lyle, Thames Refinery, Deloitte, Wimbledon, Leeds, the BBC, Sky Television, Jaguar, and similar companies. It is an opportunity to see how businesses perform in a vast global environment.
You will have an opportunity to experience the international lifestyle and culture on a daily basis. Cultural and historical visits include such landmarks as the 900 year old Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, the Borough Market, Portobello Road, the British Museum, London Eye, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Imperial War Museum, The Royal Pavilion, castles, the British Open, and even the streets walked by Jack the Ripper. In past years, our arrival time has corresponded with the final rounds at Wimbledon and students have been able to spend a day at the world's most famous tennis tournament.
The Business Study Abroad Program includes a six week program with 8 semester hours of credit. Students are involved in four weeks of study, business visits, and travel in London and the surrounding area as well as two weeks of individual free travel throughout Europe (free travel time can be adjusted by traveler at personal cost).
If you are interested in this opportunity or would like more information, please contact Jim Shelton, jgshelton@harding.edu or 501-279-5685
BA Alumnus of the Year:
The Paul R. Carter Business Administration is honored to have Lynn Wright as our Alumnus of the Year. Lynn Wright has been with Regions for 28 years and is currently Area President for Arkansas, which includes the entire state except for border markets in southern and eastern Arkansas.
Wright joined Regions (First Commercial) in 1984 as a staff accountant, and then served as Treasurer from 1988 until 1992 and Chief Financial Officer until 1998. Wright became Regions’ Chief Operating Officer in the Western Region in 1998 before assuming his current position in 1999. Prior to joining Regions, he was a staff auditor at Arthur Young and Company.
Wright holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Accounting from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Wright serves on the board of Youth Home, Inc., and the board of the Arkansas Bankers Association. He also serves on the National Advisory Board for the Harding University American Studies Institute, and is a member of the University Builders Circle.