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Wang Becomes a U.S. Citizen
from Statesboro Herald
Weikang “Ken” Wang, originally from China, was the one confirmed Statesboro resident among the newly naturalized citizens. Now in his second year as a lecturer on management in the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University, he previously taught for 14 years at Northwood University in Michigan. He attained his bachelor’s degree at Anhui University in China, his Master of Science at Washington State University and his Master of Business Administration at Henderson University.
“Wonderful,” said Wang, now almost 65, when asked how it felt to become a U.S. citizen.
“I’ve been admiring this country for a long time; even my daughter’s middle name means ‘George Washington,’” he said, “and I admire George Washington as the founder of this country. He won the vote but he voluntarily retired and gave up the office. Remarkable! No politician had ever done that in history.”
Wang first came to the United States in 1987, then returned to the China in 1994, working for an American company, before returning to stay in 2007.
“It’s a long process, but I enjoyed it,” he said of the steps leading up to the naturalization ceremony, and specifically of his study of U.S. history and geography. The test included 100 questions, but he said he already knew the answers to about 60 before he started studying specifically for it.
His wife, “Hope” Xuhong Zhang, a lawful permanent resident, was with him, and their daughter “Melody” Shengy (“Washington”) Knopf Wang, now lives in Michigan.
To learn more click here. Congratulations, Ken!
Accounting Student Selected as One of Three GRSP 2024 Oslo International Summer School Scholarship Winners
from Georgia Rotary Student Program
Accounting student Joshua Youmans has been selected as one of three Georgia students to spend six weeks this summer studying at the International Summer School at the University of Oslo. The opportunity is the result of a partnership with the university, the Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP), and Rotarians in Oslo.
Joshua volunteers leading tennis camps and clothing drives through his church. He has also built an aquaponics system with fish and crops designed to be made into sandwiches and provided as free food to hungry students. A teaching assistant at Georgia Southern, he strives to serve others, protect the environment, and be a good steward of finances.
Member of the Statesboro Downtown Rotary Club and lecturer of management, Ken Wang described Joshua as the best student in his two management classes, scoring the highest grade in all of the three major exams. “I cannot recall any student with such consistency of excellence in my 20 plus years of college teaching,” he said.
A native of Hoboken, Joshua stated he has always wanted to travel but has not had the opportunity. “This scholarship would allow me to meet a diverse group of new people that I would likely never get to see otherwise,” added Joshua. “It could work well to broaden my mindset and help me understand the way of life for people outside my small town in Georgia. I believe this scholarship would open the opportunity for me to have an experience that would very positively impact me, as well as the people I meet along my journey.”
Click here to read the entire story.
FA Hosts Gulfstream’s Justin McCartney
On February 21, the Finance Association (FA) hosted Justin McCartney of Gulfstream Aerospace as part of the Spring 2024 Guest Speaker Series. Justin is director of operations in finance in Gulfstream’s customer support organization. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and master’s in accounting, both from the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University.
Justin began by presenting students with a brief overview of financial operations at Gulfstream, detailing global operations and client interaction and informing students of his day-to-day experience. Next, he talked about his professional career, which included working for Merrill Lynch as well as Nike. Justin continued, explaining how he came to work for Gulfstream as well as his progression at the company. While walking students though his career, Justin shared the wisdom he picked up along the way. He discussed his experiences during the global financial crisis, the value of learning transferable skills, relationships he has built over time, the importance of working long hours at the start of one’s career, and, of particular importance to finance students, striving to truly understand the truth and meaning behind the numbers. Justin continued speaking about Gulfstream’s aircraft and research and development efforts that enable the company to stay ahead of the competition.
The event concluded with a student question and answer session. Topics included the cyclicality of demand for Gulfstream’s products, Gulfstream’s logistics and operations, how Justin’s decisions factor into market reactions to General Dynamic’s (Gulfstream’s parent company) stock price, hedging foreign exchange rate exposure, and what Gulfstream offers as an employer. Justin provided excellent answers to all questions raised by the students, ending with a dialogue on the importance of persistence and networking for young finance professionals.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is an American aircraft company headquartered in Savannah. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. Gulfstream designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and services business jet aircraft. The company has produced more than 2,000 aircraft since 1958 and employs more than 19,000 people.
Message from the Dean – February 2024
Winston Churchill once noted, “we shape our buildings, thereafter, they shape us.” It’s a powerful idea, the interdependence between the spaces in which we work and the people we become by working in them. We need look only at recent experience, with the pandemic, the shifts to remote and hybrid work, and the resulting shifts in the ways we live and expectations about how we work.
Think about the time, effort, and expense companies put into the design and construction of their buildings, not just for the efficient use of space but for the aesthetic and symbolic messages they send as well. With soaring atriums, expansive windows, glittering façades, with lighting that conveys excitement and activity, even as people push for remote work, buildings are evolving to draw them back to the office. I’ve visited the headquarters of our corporate partners and seen the investments in open, flexible plazas, food courts, and gardens, not to mention the gyms, recreation, and daycare centers. Many of these offices would rival the most modern and attractive airports, museums, or shopping centers; they are dynamic, welcoming, and stylish with enhanced functionality and ergonomics. Firms make these investments because they believe better spaces enable better work. Whether through a sense of creative energy, an air of engagement and belonging, or the conveyance of tradition and strength, people feel and respond to the messages they receive from the spaces around them. And good spaces tend to attract, hold, and sustain the energy, effort, and enthusiasm of good people whether they be athletes, politicians, or accountants.
Why talk about buildings and the relationship between the work we do and the spaces in which we do it? Well, because the principle applies here, too, even though the work we do involves research, teaching, and learning. How we work, and how well we work, is influenced by the spaces in which we work. That’s why we strive continuously to improve our building. Finished in 1995, this building was designed before the Internet and built to accommodate 2,400 majors. Make no mistake, it was a step forward—in 1995. But that was 30 years ago, and the business world had changed in those 30 years; our aspirations have changed as well. We want the Parker College to be among the very best in the country. We want to attract, retain, and graduate the most talented and motivated people, and we want to develop and foster their creativity, energy, confidence, and determination. Moreover, it’s our responsibility to model and prepare students for the future and for the spaces in which they will work.
Alumni Spotlight: Chris Ford
Chris Ford (MKTG & GraDes, 2008) was recently awarded 40 Under 40 by Georgia Trend magazine, an honor given to the state’s best and brightest.
Since earning his MPPA from Northwestern University, Chris has more than a decade of procurement experience and civil service. He began his career with the U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, Chris now serves in the USDA Forest Service as the property and procurement services senior project officer. Not only does he excel in his professional life, Chris is also involved with the Georgia Southern University Network of Black Alumni, the Polemarch (president) of the Lawrenceville Duluth Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and the Parker College Young Alumni Board.
Every day, Chris embraces the opportunity to tackle complex challenges. As project officer for each acquisition concern, he sees in each one a chance to engage in creative problem-solving. Chris especially relishes the opportunity to employ diverse strategies, harness the power of his network, and, in the end, implement solutions that contribute to enhancing our forest systems nationwide.
Chris credits his degree from the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University, coupled with his leadership training and experience in Delta Sigma Pi, as instrumental in his current success. The education provided a strong foundation in marketing and business principles, while the fraternity offered practical networking and leadership opportunities that helped Chris develop essential soft skills. These skills have been invaluable and have played a significant role in his achievements.
Chris would like to remind current students that the journey to the destination is not wasted time, for their steps in the classroom and throughout the “Boro” are equally teachable moments. He advises they enjoy and live each moment and remember those moments as they begin their careers, especially as the small mis-steps may turn them in an exciting new direction.
In his free time, Chris has a deep passion for indulging in the world of television and movies. Furthermore, his family and he share a profound enthusiasm for engaging in cosplay and making annual pilgrimages to the renowned San Diego Comic Con, a week-long complete immersion into the realms of comic books, television, movies, and animation event. Chris finds this event to be a tremendous opportunity for bonding that also provides them with a great deal of joy and excitement.