The College of Business and Technology at Northwestern State University offers a variety of majors and minors for students, including accounting, business administration, computer information systems and hospitality management and tourism. NSU’s College of Business and Technology offers students the opportunity to gain their degrees in both an in-person and online setting.
Dr. Curtis Penrod is the director of the School of Business. He believes that something unique to NSU’s program is the class size. “We’re not an institution or school of business where there are 50,000 students, but you get to come here and you know your professor, you get to really have that experience where the professor gets to know [your goal in life],” Penrod said.
Along with these opportunities are the benefits provided to students in these programs. “We try to be very industry relevant,” Penrod said. “We have a lot of certifications or credentials tied to different classes.”
The School of Business is looking to begin new classes for students, including an artificial intelligence course that was offered last semester.
“We offered an artificial intelligence class with one of our alumni … that enables students to get a taste of how you would use artificial intelligence tools in computer information systems in the real world,” Penrod said.
There are numerous opportunities for students to join student organizations geared toward their majors, including the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the honor society Beta Alpha Psi and the Cyber Demons Tech Club. Several of their faculty members are also sponsors for other organizations, including the Cultural Exploration Organization and the Psi Beta Delta International Scholars Society.
Kyra Davis, a junior accounting major, is particularly happy to be joining Beta Alpha Psi. “I’m being inducted, so that’s [something] I’m really excited about this semester,” Davis said.
Davis switched her major to accounting last semester after taking an accounting class. “I’ve always loved math. So I had taken one accounting class last fall, and I really enjoyed it … I feel like there’s a lot more opportunities for me in that major than the one I was in before,” Davis said.
The toughness of classes is something both Davis and Spencer Bowden, a junior accounting major, attribute to the program.
“The professors push you, for sure … especially as we get into those higher-level classes. They expect more work out of us, and a higher quality of that work,” Bowden said.
Bowden had one piece of advice for anyone looking to join the program. “Go to class and get to know your professors,” Bowden said. “It really helps you in the long run … If you have a good relationship with your professor, they’re definitely going to be a lot more lenient with you and maybe give you those extra opportunities.”
The College of Business and Technology is full of opportunities for students, from a variety of programs to clubs and networking. Though tough, the school pushes students to be their best and, in return, provides them with experience and opportunities that they can utilize beyond the classroom.
