April 2026 Desk of the Dean

What an exciting and busy end to the academic year! To be candid, the College of Business & Technology hasn't been able to stay out of the press, and for all the right reasons. I'm thrilled to share a few highlights with you.

Tax season is in full swing, and it turns out AI can't quite handle it, but our accounting students can! Read the full story about the role AI is (and isn't) playing in taxes this year.

We celebrated a fantastic Venture Capital Competition, open to students across all majors. Competitors had just five minutes to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges, and the energy in the room was electric. Our winner, marketing major Savannah Goode, impressed the judges with TraySync, an innovative solution for managing trays in dental hygienist offices. Savannah will now represent GCSU at the USG's Innovation and Entrepreneurship competition this April, where $25,000 in cash prizes are at stake. We're rooting for her!

We are excited about our 2026 commencement speaker, Dilanka Seimon, Chief Commercial Officer at BKV Corporation. A proud Georgia College & State University alumnus, Dilanka leads commercial midstream, gas marketing, and new products teams and brings expertise in carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration. In addition to his BS in Economics from GCSU, he holds an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business and completed Harvard Business School's General Management Program. We know he will inspire our graduating class.

Our final Executive Forum of the academic year brought a wonderful conversation on entrepreneurship, featuring Rob Betzel, GCSU alumnus and entrepreneur and founding member of SparkMacon; Robert Grant, Executive Director of SparkMacon; and Kara Lassiter, President & CEO of the Milledgeville-Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. If you've never attended an Executive Forum, we hope to see you in the fall!

On a personal note, this community has been incredibly welcoming to me this year, and the story of junior economics major, Erin Young, beautifully captures the spirit of what makes this place so special.

Congratulations are also in order for Dr. Bob Duesing and Dr. Chris Lowery, both of whom have been awarded the distinguished title of Professor Emeritus in recognition of their outstanding service and contributions to GCSU and the CoBT. It is an honor well deserved by two remarkable colleagues.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all of our generous sponsors for WIT Day and the Annual Alumni Giving Challenge. Your support makes experiences like this possible for our students. Read more about the day in Front Page.

Sincerely,

Dr. Faye McIntyre

Interim Dean

College of Business & Technology

Venture Capital Competition Winner, Savannah Goode, presenting her idea to judges.

The Department of Management, Marketing & Logistics offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for exciting careers in very high-demand fields.

We offer two majors: a B.B.A. in Marketing and a B.B.A. in Management, and at the graduate level we offer the Master of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (MLSCM). We also provide minors in entrepreneurship, management, marketing, and logistics. The department is home to numerous student organizations, including the Marketing and Advertising Club and GC Entrepreneurs, and hosts the Elevator Pitch Competition.

In the Classroom & Community

• Lauren Roth Consulting visited the Marketing Club to discuss influencer marketing.
• Lillian Smith, owner of the Smith Agency, joined Dr. Whitney Ginder's Retailing courses to share insights on consumer behavior trends, wholesale apparel and gift markets, professional selling, and resume advice.
• A new student organization, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), has launched under the leadership of Dr. Aric Wilhau.
  
  

• Students Grace Arp and Joby Reese McDonald, led by Dr. Mary Rickard, competed in the National Collegiate Sales Competition at Kennesaw State University — one of only 72 universities from the US, Canada, and the Netherlands. Both students received job offers. An incredible result from countless hours of preparation!
• Keaton Prior, management major, earned the National Pitcher of the Week designation from NCAA Division II. Congratulations, Keaton!
  
  

Faculty Research & Recognition

• Dr. Scott Manley presented at the Academy of Business Research conference in New Orleans, sharing research, “Gender, entrepreneurial orientation, and entrepreneurial motivation: What really matters?”, co-authored with Dr. Heather Patterson. He also co-presented a workshop on SmartPLS 4.0 software with Drs. Joe Hair and Misty Sabol.
• Congratulations to Dr. Ania Rynarzewska on her recent publication: "Breaking the Spiral of Silence: Enhancing Marketing Education with DEI Certification for Greater Classroom and Societal Impact." We are proud to celebrate this meaningful contribution to marketing education research. Dr. Rynarzewska also served as a local partner to provide insights into marketing and social media marketing for The Perry Startup Summit and was a guest speaker for the Eatonton Chamber of Commerce where she presented on marketing and social media marketing to local businesses.
• Congratulations to this year's summer grant recipients: Dr. Whitney Ginder (Summer Research Grant) and Dr. Cherie Rains (Summer Teaching Innovation Grant). Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal — the quality of applications this year was excellent.

A Soldier First

Before Dr. Bob Duesing ever set foot in a college classroom, he had already led thousands. His full career in the U.S. Army, serving in Infantry, Armor, and Cavalry units worldwide, took him through progressive leadership roles with organizations of 20 to 17,000 soldiers. That foundation of discipline, strategy, and people leadership turned out to be the perfect preparation for what came next.

Bringing Leadership to the Classroom

When Dr. Duesing transitioned to academia, he brought that same orientation to Georgia College, where he has spent his career teaching Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including the WebMBA program. His academic credentials are equally impressive: a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from Oklahoma State University, an MS from the University of Southern California, and a BBA from the University of Cincinnati.

Research That Reaches Beyond Campus

His research has taken him across the US and Europe, with 14 published articles in journals including the Journal of Managerial Issues and the Journal of Strategic Management Education. But Dr. Duesing has never been content with keeping his expertise in the classroom or on the page. He has consulted with small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individual startups, including many former students striking out on their own, and has provided community seminars on strategic management for years.

Building the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Perhaps his most lasting contribution to student life at GC is the GC Entrepreneurs Club, which he founded and has led for years, bringing in speakers from across the region to inspire the next generation of business leaders.

A Record That Speaks for Itself

And then there's Capsim, the business simulation platform where GC students manage every functional area of a virtual company over an eight-year cycle, competing against thousands of teams worldwide. Dr. Duesing has coached over 40 teams to top 10% finishes globally. It's a quiet statistic that speaks volumes.

Beyond the Office

When he's not in the classroom or consulting, Dr. Duesing can be found exploring. He has visited every state in the US and nearly every country in Europe.

We are proud to celebrate Dr. Bob Duesing as he heads into retirement and receives the title of Professor Emeritus, a recognition as well-traveled and well-earned as the man himself.

Some careers follow a straight line. Carlee Schulte's took the scenic route, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

A Pivot That Changed Everything

Carlee started her journey right here at GCSU as a Mass Communication major, but a fear of public speaking sent her pivoting fast. "My younger self was absolutely terrified," she laughs. She switched to Marketing, and as it turns out, that split-second decision changed everything.

Finding Home and Taking the Leap

After graduating, Carlee jumped into the working world as a staffing agent with Randstad in Alpharetta, sharpening her sales skills in the fast-paced city. But she and her husband quickly discovered they were small-town people at heart. A transfer to the Milledgeville office brought her home, and home is where her real story began. When the 2009 recession hit and she was laid off, she found herself with an unexpected gift: a year at home with her two-month-old son. When she was ready to return to work, she stumbled across an administrative secretary position with Milledgeville Main Street. The director hinted it could lead somewhere bigger. Carlee took the leap.

Fifteen Years of Building Something Beautiful

What happened next was almost storybook. The director who hired her resigned, and Carlee, after a brief stint as Interim Director, was handed the keys. For fifteen years, she led downtown Milledgeville's transformation into a thriving retail, restaurant, and entertainment district, earning some of the most prestigious honors in the industry along the way, including the Great American Main Street Award from the National trust for Historic Preservation and Downtown of the Year from the Georgia Downtown Association. Both are national recognitions for a creative program she positioned for success. Not bad for someone who just wanted to avoid public speaking class. If you walk around downtown, or attend Milledgeville's First Fridays events, you can see Carlee's work in action.

A Mentor, A Model, A Message

Through it all, one GCSU professor stayed close. Dr. Renee Fontenot, (now retired), whom Carlee calls "the hardest yet best teacher I had at GCSU," became both a classroom challenge and a long-time career mentor. "She pushed us to really know the material," Carlee says. The relationship is a perfect example of the advice Carlee now gives to students: the connections you make here matter long after graduation.

Welcome Back to Campus

Just four months ago, Carlee returned to the GCSU campus, this time as Director of University Events. "Coming back has been a full circle experience," she says. And while the role is new, her philosophy is the same one that has guided her all along: be flexible, embrace the stumbles, lean on your relationships, and always keep the human element front and center, whether in marketing, events, or life.

For current students, her message is simple: get involved, start building your network now, and enjoy every moment of it. After all, you never know where those hallways might lead you.

Faculty Learning Community

• Dr. Bryan Marshall led "Why I Built My Own Textbook (and LMS) — And How AI Made It Possible"
• Dr. Jeannie Pridmore led "Responsible AI Use in Higher Ed"

Center for Technology & Empowerment: Cybersecurity Day 2026

Featured guests:

• John Coltier, 30-year CIA veteran, now Director of Strategic Intelligence at The Coca-Cola Company
• Dana Madson, Former CIA cybersecurity program leader, now Director of Cybersecurity Programs at Georgia Tech
  
  

• Co-presidents Abigail Hardt and Grace Jones placed 3rd in the Best Practices Competition at the Mid-year meeting in Cincinnati, presenting on the chapter's Midway Hills Academy supplies drive. Through a dedicated website, accounting interns, the local Chamber of Commerce, faculty, and student groups, the chapter collected hundreds of dollars in school supplies and pantry staples — plus $1,100+ in cash donations for uniforms. Members also volunteered with Midway Hills' after-school program on February 19.
• Dr. Ward Risvold led a Business Writing Seminar for Beta Alpha Psi students, sponsored by McNair McLemore Middlebrooks.
• Beta Alpha Psi and the Finance Club co-hosted Trivia Night, emceed by Mr. Scott Burns and sponsored by Wipfli.
• Fraud Night featured Cera Matta, a manager in Bennett Thrasher's forensic accounting practice, who discussed her career path and fraud investigation.
• What's The Scoop? was an Ice Cream Social and Registration Help event where upperclassmen helped accounting majors plan future coursework, sponsored by Pettigrew & Pettigrew.

Faculty Publications & Presentations

• Dr. Emuesiri Oduaran had a paper accepted for publication in Springer Nature (acceptance rate 17–21%) and presentation at the 2026 AIR-RES Conference: "Governing the Path to Artificial Superintelligence: AI Governance as a Strategic Imperative for Mitigating Near- and Long-Term Risks of Advanced Artificial Intelligence," co-authored with Dr. Erica L. Oduaran (Lander University).
• Dr. Adel Almasarwah presented two papers: "Behavioral Determinants of Accounting Fraud: A Machine Learning–Integrated Analysis of Moral Disengagement" at the All-Ohio Accounting Conference, and "Detecting ESG Manipulation Using Artificial Intelligence" at Jackson State University.
  
• Professor El-Jourbagy spoke to entrepreneurship students on the legal forms of business.
• Dr. Nicholas Creel published "Faculty are right that AI output is mediocre. They’re wrong about why"Times Higher Education, and "Suing Social Media Won't Protect Our Kids" in Newsweek.
• Dr. Stephanie Austin presented "Risky Business: Executive Compensation Attribute and Enterprise Risk Management" at the Academy of Business Research Conference in New Orleans.
• Dr. Ward Risvold presented "The Readiness Gap — Why AI Literacy Isn't Enough" at The Enterprise Agility Network Inaugural Conference, and also presented on AI topics for the Column Society, the GCSU Writing Center, and Menlo College in California.
• Ms. Lilian Alfaro presented research on minimizing student cognitive offloading through higher ed assignment design in the age of AI at the Southern Association of Information Systems Conference.
• Drs. Thomas Frye & Eddie Thomas received an Academic Affairs grant for their report, "How Auditor Competence Shapes Independence of Thought"
• Prof. Jehan El-Jourbagy attended the 2026 North American Sustainability and Responsibility Summit (NASRS), a three-day conference for chief sustainability officers and ESG leaders from companies including Tesla, GM, Johnson & Johnson, Netflix, and others.
• Dr. John Swinton's second editions of Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics are now available on the Top Hat platform.
  
  

• Senior economics major, Lauren Decker has received Ph.D. program scholarship offers from West Virginia University, Florida State University, Clemson University, University of Tennessee, Ole Miss, and the University of Miami, with offers exceeding $30,000 — including a $37,000 offer from Clemson. Congratulations, Lauren!
• Senior economics major, Zachary Novo has received funded graduate study offers from University of Denver, Ohio University, and Old Dominion University.
• Kate Jenkins ('25) is attending law school at Georgia State University, where she finished her first semester in the top 30% of her class and earned a merit-based scholarship and Graduate Research Assistantship covering tuition for her second and third years.
• The GCSU Team of IS & CS Students placed 4th in the SAP North American ERPsim Competition and ranked #1 among United States universities that competed. Throughout the experience, these students developed valuable skills in using reports and analytics to make strategic, data-driven decisions that impact net profits and overall company valuation. The students have been coached by Dr. Joy Godin since Fall 2025. Congratulations to our award winning team members: Tucker Balch, Andrea Barnett, Ashley Beaty, Carley Perez, Ezra Ryall, and Gracie Taylor!
• MIS students attended the Americas Super User Group Georgia Chapter Meeting in Atlanta, connecting with SAP industry professionals.
• Students Tucker Balch, Carley Perez, and Gracie Taylor, presented a research paper at the Southern Association of Information Systems Conference 2026, mentored by Drs. Joy Godin and Jeannie Pridmore.
• The AI Club is leading students through IBM's AI Skills Build courses.
• GC WIT & AI Club hosted Elizabeth Alume, Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, who discussed the STAR method of interviewing.
• The annual ITAB Etiquette Dinner brought together 70 IS, CS, and Data Science students with 44 business professionals for an evening of networking and career development.

Beta Alpha Psi students at the Annual National Meeting. From left to right:Keeley Casalou, Will Turner, Kylie Crabtree, Abigail Hardt, Grace Jones, Avery Treadwell, & Emma Morris.

Women on the Move: Atlanta Business Chronicle

Several of our faculty members were featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle this month to commemorate Women's History Month. Many women in our faculty were celebrated for the People on the Move section of the Atlanta Business Chronicle. We invite you to read about

• Dr. Juan Ling, Professor of Management
• Dr. Whitney Ginder, Associate Professor of Marketing
• Ms. Caroline Collier, Senior Lecturer of Management Information Systems and Co-Director of Center of Technology & Empowerment
• Ms. Kendra Evans, Lecturer of Marketing
• Ms. Jessie Folk, Senior Lecturer of Economics

The WebMBA at Georgia College & State University offers professionals the opportunity to earn an AACSB accredited online MBA degree without interruption to their work and personal lives. The affordable program ($23,000 total) has been established since 2001. The accelerated format allows you to finish in 20 months. Apply today!