³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø

Experiential learning opportunities help MC Business students keep pace with emerging trends

MC Business students Rebecca Stafford, left, and Brooke Neal earned scholarships to attend the AGA #NLT25 conference with Billy Morehead, MC professor of accounting.

Students in the School of Business at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø gained real-world exposure to the latest industry innovations, interacted with experienced professionals and honed their communication skills by participating in local and national conferences this spring.

Marcelo Eduardo, dean of the MC School of Business, said the trips, largely funded by the school, offer invaluable supplementary educational experiences for students.

“The School of Business is committed to providing our students with a top-notch business education, not only based on our dynamic and relevant business curriculum, but also built on experiential learning activities and contact with practitioners,” Eduardo said. “The experience our students obtain from participating in these conferences serve to enhance their business education.”

Senior accounting majors Brooke Neal and Rebecca Stafford were two of 12 students nationwide to receive attend the Association of Government Accountants National Leadership Scholarships to attend the organization’s 2025 National Leadership Training (AGA #NLT25) Feb. 19-20 in Washington, D.C.

Accompanied by Billy Morehead, MC professor of accounting, the students heard a variety of experts discuss leading topics during the event, which develops and trains government financial professionals to excel as leaders in today’s competitive market. MC was the only university in the nation to have two students receive the AGA scholarship.

“Throughout the two-day conference, they are paired with a national mentor and get to network with over 800 government financial professionals from across the country,” Morehead said.

MC Business students had an opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application by attending Quinnipiac’s Global Asset Management Education (GAME) Forum, the largest student-run financial conference in the world, April 3-4 in New York City.

Finance industry executives shared insights in panel discussions during plenary sessions, and the students participated in breakout sessions covering topics of interest. The students also toured Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange, the New York Federal Reserve, the J.P. Morgan Building, the 9-11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty and other locations of interest in Lower Manhattan.

Chris Smith, MC associate professor of finance and associate dean of the School of Business, said the timing for this year’s GAME Forum couldn’t have been better.

“We attended the conference during two very tough days in the market, so the students got to experience real-time analysis from leaders in the field during that challenging time,” Smith said. “Learning valuation models and market dynamics in class is important, but seeing how professionals apply these concepts provides invaluable perspective.”

MC marketing students attended leadership sessions, workshops, panel discussions and career fairs and participated in sales pitch and marketing strategy competitions during the 2024 American Marketing Association International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans April 11-13.

Michelle Beauchamp, MC professor of marketing, said the conference allowed the students to network with industry professionals and peers while learning about potential careers.

“The conference provides so many opportunities to participate in competitions, gain industry insights and practical marketing experience, develop their marketing skills and build their leadership skills,” Beauchamp said.

Female students learned how to enhance their leadership potential and prepare for careers in business during the 2025 University of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Pulse Leadership Conference Jan. 31-Feb. 1 in Oxford.

They heard Natashia Gregoire, head of internal communications for Amazon Operations Businesses in Americas, present the keynote address, “A Seat at the Table,” and participated in a networking dinner and workshops covering vital topics from public speaking to personal branding.

“The conference provided our students with the opportunity to learn more about themselves,” said Tammy Arthur, MC professor of management. “The biggest benefit were the networking opportunities. Our students engaged with Ole Miss students and faculty as well as some incredible speakers from industry such as Amazon and LinkedIn.”