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Professor Norman Scarborough’s energy knows no bounds. He moves through the classroom and the campus enthusiastically, eyes bright and searching for items and people of interest. He is an individual enthusiastic about everything he does. That trait is one that his students have let him know they greatly appreciate and one that helped earn him a spot as PC’s sixth South Carolina Professor of the Year. He knows, and through him they know, that good ideas coupled with hard work and a dash of creativity mean successful business projects. And that is what most of them want to have one day – what it takes to succeed in business.
PC’s ability to teach business took a giant step forward with the foresight of some very special donors. To see just how big a step, we asked Scarborough to answer three questions: 1) What would PC be like if our donors had not raised $100 million for us? 2) What have those gifts allowed you and other faculty in the business department to accomplish? and 3) What do you see as the future of PC if we continue toward the $160 million goal for the Promise and Challenge campaign?
Here is what he said:
“If PC had not raised the $100 million, I believe that our competitive edge as one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the Southeast would have been in danger of slipping away. PC is dedicated to providing the best education possible for its students, but maintaining that high standard is expensive. For example, our science students as undergraduates have the opportunity to engage in research projects with faculty members that other students typically do not see until graduate school. In addition, enabling PC faculty members to stay on top of the latest trends and research in their fields requires constant faculty development, which also is expensive. We travel to conferences, meetings, seminars, and workshops to keep up with the rapidly emerging body of knowledge in our respective fields and to learn about new teaching methods. Without the funds from our donors and supporters, we would not be able to operate in an environment of continuous improvement.”
The Scott-Lanier funds have made a tremendous difference for both faculty and students in the Department of Economics and Business Administration. Our department created a high-tech teaching theater with 22 computer stations, a smart board, and a projection system. Since its creation, we have used this special classroom for many different classes, including Operations Research and Applications in Management Information Systems. Students work at their own computer stations and, with a glance at the screen, can see exactly what a formula in an Excel spreadsheet should be.”
“We also created easy-to-use ‘smart’ classrooms elsewhere in Jacobs Hall. Several economics and business administration faculty members simply take a laptop to class, connect to the projection system, and begin teaching with access to an array of tools, including PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, and the World Wide Web – without wires! No longer must we only tell students about businesses; now, we can actually take them to the companies’ web sites, where they can see our examples firsthand. This has brought a richness and vitality to the classroom that was much harder to create 29 years ago when I began teaching at Presbyterian College.”
“This generation of college students is the most visual yet, and the next generation will be even more so. Having the ability to use technology to teach them in the ways to which they can relate best is essential. The gifts our donors have given to PC really do make a difference every day in the lives of our students and faculty. I wish that all were able to come to campus because we’d be very glad to show them how!”
“We have done so much with the $100 million thus far. If our donors can help PC to reach its $160 million campaign goal, we can do those things that we already do very well - teaching, community service, and preparing our students to make a life in addition to making a living – all the better.”
“From the outside, higher education looks like an idyllic environment, and, in many ways, it is. Many people don’t realize that it also is a fiercely competitive environment. This additional capital will allow PC to improve its perception among its key stakeholders –We are quite weary of being “the best kept secret in South Carolina!”– and to continue to turn out top-quality graduates who are capable of making a difference in society and transforming the world into a better place for all of us. The faculty here is grateful to all of those who support and believe in the education that PC provides young people and the values that the college stands on.”
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