Numerous questions fill the minds of prospective students once they decide to seek a career in business. With the overwhelming amount of business schools out there, students must research to find the best school that provides the right program to help them reach their educational and career goals. They can ask business school graduates and look through business school websites to find information on tuition, courses, campus locations, online offerings, faculty bios, number of credit hours required, experiential learning opportunities, and on-campus activities. But what about the underlying story that isn’t posted on the website? What drives the program? College Consensus took a moment to connect with Dr. Stacy Hollins, Dean of the Anheuser-Busch School of Business at Harris-Stowe State University, to hear the story.
“Change happens here.” This statement defines what Harris-Stowe State University, located in St. Louis, Missouri, strives toward with every program, event, and activity it offers. The University’s roots are traced back to 1857, over 160 years ago, when it became the first public teacher education institution located west of the Mississippi River. It weaves its core values of respect, diversity, personal growth, innovation, and excellence throughout every degree program, while it works hard to “create work-ready graduates.” Students find 59 undergraduate academic options, including majors, minors, and certificate programs within three academic colleges that cover education, arts and sciences, and business. The Higher Learning Commission regionally accredits the University.
Business students benefit from small classes averaging a 13:1 student-faculty ratio. The Anheuser-Busch School of Business provides programs accredited by the ACBSP, a highly-regarded business accrediting organization. The undergraduate degree programs prepare students for both the professional world and to apply for graduate school. The ABSB offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting; Finance; Business Administration with emphasis options in Management, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing; Healthcare Management; Information Science & Computer Technology with emphasis options in Management Information Systems and Computer Science; and an accelerated BS in Business Administration for adults with four years of business experience. The BS in Healthcare Management can be completed on-campus or online.
College Consensus: Please tell us about the Anheuser-Busch School of Business and what makes it unique?
Dr. Hollins: The Anheuser-Busch School of Business is unique because we are incredibly agile and regularly engage our scholars with just-in requests to help companies solve current and relevant problems. Our highly engaged scholars are sought after by businesses and organizations around the world.
College Consensus: What do you look for in successful business school applicants?
Dr. Hollins: Business school applicants should be prepared for rigorous classroom experiences and high engagement outside of the classroom. In addition to traditional coursework, our scholars obtain stackable credentials, such as badges and certifications, while earning their degree.
College Consensus: How do you support your business students to leverage them into a career after graduation?
Dr. Hollins: We work diligently to build strategic business partnerships which create a pipeline for our scholars into their chosen field. All scholars in the School of Business are required to complete a discipline-specific internship, which often leads to full-time employment. Representatives from organizations visit class sessions and share information about current positions, often exposing scholars to new fields. We utilize Handshake and host a career day requiring our scholars to attend the Annual Career Fair.
College Consensus: Is there anything going on within your business education community that you are particularly excited about?
Dr. Hollins: We are very excited about new programming coming to the business school, including a new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, Computer Science Degree, Cybersecurity degree and Operations Center, and Business Data Analytics degree.
College Consensus: What can you tell us about your online offerings?
Dr. Hollins: We have an online Healthcare Management Program. Our new programs will also be offered online, increasing the number of online programs in the Anheuser-Busch School of Business.
College Consensus: Anything else you’d like to say about your programs and school?
Dr. Hollins: The Anheuser-Busch School of Business feels like family. We are small but mighty. We know our scholars and deeply care about their success.
Crucial Characteristics
Career Support: Prospective students typically have an idea of what type of business career they want to pursue as they complete their undergraduate business degrees. Business schools need to provide a variety of career support options that assist students in thoroughly preparing for and finding job opportunities and career success. Through the University, the Anheuser-Busch School of Business offers its students incredibly helpful resources in helping them figure out, set, and reach their career goals.
As Dr. Hollins mentioned, students are required to attend the Annual Career Fair and complete an internship related to their specific degree and career path. These two things are huge aspects of the career preparation process that business students experience. They also benefit from an entire office devoted to career engagement and experiential learning, professional workshops, career engagement open houses, and the Handshake app. On top of all of these resources, students get several chances to connect with professionals and mentors through the Regional Business Council, which provides connections with local CEOs and presidents, and the Mentor Network, which pairs business students with RBC companies’ executives. There are even professionals that visit business classes to talk about their experiences.
New Programs: The world of business constantly changes. We are surrounded by endless innovations, advancements in technology, and evolutionary business ventures that require relevant knowledge and skills to navigate. It is essential for business schools to continuously grow and improve their standards, procedures, and programs. This process can culminate in an updated curriculum, additional course offerings, and even new degree programs.
The Anheuser-Busch School of Business has risen to the occasion. Like Dr. Hollins mentions, the business school is about to offer multiple new programs. These programs are specific to business areas that are rapidly growing in popularity and purpose in modern society. An Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, Cybersecurity Operations Center, Cybersecurity degree, Computer Science degree, and a Business Data Analytics degree will deeply educate students in these advancing areas of business. They will significantly increase the impact ABSB graduates have on their communities and the world. Many employers are seeking out graduates that have acquired advanced knowledge in these areas. Each of these new degree programs will be available to complete online, increasing the number of students that can benefit from this excellent educational institution.