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College of Business and Aviation

Mar 15
8

Aviation student spanning the globe

By | Academics, Aviation, College of Business and Aviation, International, Students | No Comments

One Delta State University aviation student is literally soaring to new heights this spring break.

Malik Sinegal, a junior commercial aviation major and Biloxi native, is currently flying around the world in an ambassador role for Republic Airline. And joining him for the trip — the mini Fighting Okra doll available at the university bookstore.

For 16 days of fun and adventure, Sinegal will be flying aboard Republic flights as an ambassador. Fulfilling a lifelong goal, he will completely span the globe, with stops in Egypt and its pyramids, the mammoth skyscrapers of Dubai, the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia, the busy streets of Tokyo, and more.

Sinegal is dedicating the trip to his grandmother, who had always dreamed of traveling the world before passing away in 2017.

“I thought that it would put my heart finally at rest if I did this for her,” he said.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Republic Airline employs 5,500 talented professionals to support its operations in partnership with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. The company operates 950 daily departures to over 100 U.S. cities, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean.

Thanks to Sinegal’s private pilot certificate, instrument rating, RJet Cadet training, and education through Delta State’s Department of Commercial Aviation, he was a perfect fit for the ambassador position. Sinegal will serve in this capacity for about a year and a half, after which, he aims to stay with Republic as a first officer.

“My role as an ambassador is to recruit the best people for our award-winning environment — flight attendants, pilots and business majors,” said Sinegal. “At Republic, we want people who use our company’s motto to strive for excellence in their everyday lives.”

And Sinegal’s effort has already paid off for his fellow Delta State aviation peers. A couple of his classmates recently passed their cadet interviews with Republic.

“It’s always fun to come back to school and tell fellow students about the trips that I’ve been on,” Sinegal said. “Many students think that school will be for the rest of their lives, and they tend to get distracted and lazy. However, what they don’t realize is that their dream jobs are just around the corner.”

Sinegal added that he was prepared to work with Republic thanks to the quality instruction at Delta State.

“They have blessed me,” he said. “We have the best teachers and instructors. Dr. Speakes, Sam Washington, Chip Cooper, Rogel Campbell and Brett Oleis definitely need more credit for their hard work on campus.”

Dr. Julie Speakes, chair of the department, said Sinegal is a prime example of an aviation student making the most of his training.

“What an exciting opportunity Malik has to see the world and promote DSU Aviation,” said Speakes. “There are many unique prospects in the aviation sector, and our students are linked with some of the best opportunities at the university level.”

With his loyal mini Fighting Okra by his side, Sinegal continues to rack up miles in the sky, setting the foundation for a lengthy aviation career ahead of him.

“I have been blessed enough to see all of the amazing opportunities that this world is ready to offer us,” he said. “What you do today will set you in the right path for the rest of your life.”

Learn more about Delta State’s Department of Commercial Aviation at http://www.deltastate.edu/college-of-business/commercial-aviation.

Mar 13
8

International Business Symposium returns March 28-29

By | Academics, College of Business and Aviation, Community, Faculty/Staff, Students | No Comments

Delta State University’s College of Business and Aviation will host the 13th annual International Business Symposium on campus March 28-29. Events will kick off at 3 p.m. March 28 at the Baioni Conference Center in Broom Hall. The theme this year is “Dream Big, Achieve Bigger.”

The annual symposium is sponsored by David and Sherry Abney, Mississippi Delta natives who currently reside in Atlanta. David Abney, a 1976 graduate of DSU, began his career as a part-time United Parcel Service (UPS) package loader while in college. He now serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company. Abney is the eleventh CEO in the 107-year-history of UPS.

“Sherry and I wanted to do something meaningful for the Delta. By bringing global leaders onto campus and sharing their experiences with students, I believe we’ll be able to expand Delta State students’ horizons in how they see and prepare for their futures,” Abney said in a previous Delta State interview.

Along with Abney, the schedule will feature four distinguished speakers, all Delta State graduates:

*Laird Hamberlin: Hamberlin returns to the symposium to share his expertise. He received his bachelor’s in business administration from Delta State before going on to become the vice president of sales and commercial for Terminix (a division of ServiceMaster). Prior to being an equity investor of ServiceMaster and taking the company public in June 2014, he worked for various conglomerates including UTC Climate, Controls and Security, where he served as president of the access controls division.
*Karen Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald is an independent consultant and Lexus achiever with Rodan+Fields, a premium skincare company, in which she leads a team of over 1,200 people who produced over $4.8 million in sales in 2017. She is a Greenville native and completed her degree at Delta State in 2007 in food and nutrition sciences. Fitzgerald began working with Rodan+Fields in 2011, and has since risen to the top two percent of the company.
*Rodney Francis: Francis is the director of human resources for the Nissan North America vehicle facility in Canton, Mississippi. A native of Conroe, Texas, Francis has been a resident of Mississippi for more than 20 years. He received his Bachelor of Science and MBA from Delta State, where he also lettered in basketball. He began his career in HR at Baxter Healthcare in Cleveland, and after years of progressive growth in the profession, he joined the Nissan HR team in 2014.
*Danny Lipe: Lipe has provided value-added strategic guidance, effective management and high-level finance solutions throughout his career in banking and finance. Lipe is a 1985 graduate of Delta State a bachelor’s in accounting. In 1997, he obtained his MBA from the University of Notre Dame. His career has included senior level positions in various industries including furniture retail, investment brokerage, banking and poultry. Originally from Greenville, Lipe resides in Miami, Florida.

The 2018 International Business Symposium is free and open to public. For more information, contact Zina Taran at 662-846-4190 or email ztaran@deltastate.edu.

Mar 12
5

Technology conference scheduled for March 22

By | Admissions, College of Business and Aviation, Faculty/Staff, Students | No Comments

Delta State University’s College of Business and Aviation will host the sixth annual Connecting People with Technology Conference at the Baioni Conference Center March 22 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

The event is hosted in conjunction with the student chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals and Computer Information Systems faculty at Delta State.

Hot topics such as data analytics, supply chain, cyber security and more will be discussed by a slate of industry professionals.

“The CIS faculty at Delta State and the student chapter of AITP truly appreciate your past support and invite you to the conference,” said Lynn Byrd. “There is no fee to attend, and feel free to invite others who may be interested.”

Conference schedule:

For more conference information, contact Byrd at hbyrd@deltastate.edu. Learn more about CIS at Delta State at http://www.deltastate.edu/college-of-business/acc-cis-fin.

 

 

Mar 05
4

Phi Beta Lambda students compete at leadership conference

By | Academics, College of Business and Aviation, Students | No Comments

Seven Delta State University students competed at the 2018 Phi Beta Lambda Leadership Conference in Columbus, Mississippi from February 21-23 on the campus of Mississippi University for Women.

Marwa Cherraf, Ben Dodd, Abu Hajizada, Adam Hamilton, Rebecca Hamilton, Glenda Johnson, and Craig Lyons competed in various business affiliated topics such as business decision making, computer concepts and job interviews.

The competitions included team and individual based examinations and performances. Fifteen colleges and universities were represented from across the state with approximately 160 students participating in the events.

The top three winners in each category advance to the National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, Maryland from June 23-26. Delta State received three first place, two second place, one third place, and two fourth place awards.

“We at the College of Business and Aviation are very proud of our students for competing so well at the conference,” said Dr. Tomeka Harbin, PBL advisor. “As faculty members, we often wonder if what we’re teaching in the classroom is being retained by students. The results of this competition indicate that students are learning and retaining information and are able to display their knowledge under pressure. The students are excited to compete on the national level in June and looking forward to representing Delta State University.”

PBL is a dynamic organization of young people preparing for success as leaders in business, government and communities. Their mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.

For more information about opportunities in Delta State’s College of Business and Aviation, visit http://www.deltastate.edu/college-of-business.

Feb 23
7

MDNHA, Delta Center share “Heart & Soul” of Mississippi Delta in D.C.

By | Alumni, College of Business and Aviation, Community, Delta Center, Delta Music Institute, Faculty/Staff, Students | No Comments
Senator Thad Cochran (second from right) recently enjoyed a visit with representatives from The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University. The meeting included a performance by Delta State graduate Keith Johnson (second from left), the great nephew of Muddy Waters. The Delta Center is the management entity for the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA). Also pictured (left to right) are Shelia Winters, DCCL program associate for projects; Dr. Rolando Herts, DCCL director and MDNHA executive director; Rhonda Price, executive director of Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area; and Lee Aylward, DCCL program associate for education and community outreach.

 

The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University recently attended the Alliance of National Heritage Areas’ annual meeting on behalf of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area. The meeting took place during Valentine’s Day week in Washington, D.C.

During the Alliance’s “Heart & Soul” congressional breakfast at the Rayburn House Office Building, the MDNHA and Delta State were honored for receiving National Park Service Centennial Awards for creating the Delta Jewels Oral History Partnership. This cultural heritage interpretation project has engaged over 1,000 residents and visitors in honoring the lives of unsung African American church mothers featured in Alysia Burton Steele’s book “Delta Jewels: In Search of My Grandmother’s Wisdom.”

Delta State was the only higher education institution and MDNHA is the only National Heritage Area in the country that received NPS Centennial Awards this year.

In recognition of the MDNHA’s rich cultural heritage, the Alliance of National Heritage Areas invited Keith Johnson, “Prince of the Delta Blues,” to be the featured performer at the “Heart & Soul” breakfast. A graduate of the Delta Music Institute at Delta State, Johnson is currently a graduate assistant in The Delta Center pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Delta State. He also is the great nephew of Delta Blues legend, Muddy Waters.

After the breakfast, the Delta delegation met with Mississippi legislators Senator Thad Cochran, Congressman Bennie Thompson and Senator Roger Wicker. They shared copies of the MDNHA’s 2014-2016 progress report and forthcoming economic impact study. During the visit with Cochran, they were joined by Rhonda Price, executive director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area.

Delta Center team members with Congressman Bennie Thompson

“I am very pleased that our team was able to thank Cochran, Thompson and Wicker in person for their continued support of National Heritage Areas,” said Dr. Rolando Herts, director of The Delta Center and executive director of the MDNHA. “The Mississippi Delta, Hills and Gulf Coast National Heritage Areas are acknowledged by so many of our colleagues and supporters for doing great work in the communities we proudly serve.”

Johnson was especially excited to visit Cochran’s office where he was invited to perform his song “Come to Mississippi.”

“The song explores the culture of the Mississippi Delta. It expresses the feeling of blues musicians that are from Mississippi and includes references to hit songs they have written,” said Johnson. “I wrote this song so that I could connect with the Delta’s heritage, which includes blues music and more. I am honored that Senator Cochran invited me to perform it for him.”

The mission of The Delta Center is to promote greater understanding of Mississippi Delta culture and history and its significance to the world through education, partnerships and community engagement. The Delta Center serves as the management entity of the MDNHA and is the home of the International Delta Blues Project. For more information, visit http://deltacenterdsu.com/.

The MDNHA is a cultural heritage partnership between the people of the Mississippi Delta and the National Park Service. Led by Herts, it includes

Delta Center team members in front of the U.S. Capitol building.

18 counties that contain land located in the alluvial floodplain of the Mississippi Delta: Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, DeSoto, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Warren, Washington and Yazoo. The MDNHA was designated by U.S. Congress in 2009 and is governed by a board of directors representing agencies and organizations defined in the congressional legislation. More information about the MDNHA, including the complete approved management plan, is available at www.msdeltaheritage.com.

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