Last summer I interned with Milliken & Company in Barnwell, SC. Going into the internship, I did not know what to expect because I had never been in a manufacturing environment. I was given a project that I worked on all summer, through which I was able to learn about every aspect of the plant - from the financial side to the hands-on aspect of working on the floor. One major thing I learned from the internship is that every aspect of a business is important; when one aspect falters, it effects the entire operation. My experience was wonderful, ultimately landing me a job opportunity with Milliken. --Josh Anderson   "Without the liberal arts education that PC supports and provides, I never would have discovered my true passion." "When I came to PC, they told me I could be anything ... and I didn't believe them. Not only would I not be this "anything' that the liberal arts education supposedly provided, but I would be exactly what I wanted to be since fifth grade - a family lawyer. I begrudgingly signed up for Economics 201 first semester and, by the close of the course, not only did I find I was wrong about my 'lifelong dream' but I found my passion. Without the liberal arts education that PC supports and provides, I never would have discovered my true passion. With the help of professors, advisors, and PC employees, I will now be interning at the Federal Reserve. I really can be anything ... even an economist." Lasting memory of PC - "On the way back from visiting a school up north, we dropped by PC to visit my brother who was then a senior. After a long, stressful weekend at a school I ended up not really liking, I walked down the East Plaza trying to figure out what in the world I would do about college. The fog rose, I looked up, and I saw Neville Hall - a landmark at PC and the foundation of our academics. It was in that moment I knew. PC would be my home for four years and in my heart for life." Ashley McCollum Sophomore from Pickens, S.C. Student Government Association Secretary, social chair of Zeta Tau Alpha, Resident Assistant, member of Stirlings and College Democrats

Economics and Business Administration

People may have once scoffed at the term "global village," but technology has made international business communication as simple as a few keystrokes. The face of business has changed, and companies are seeking employees who have the ability to change with it.

Presbyterian College thoroughly prepares students to enter today's - and tomorrow's - fast-paced business world. PC's business administration majors learn individual and team skills such as critical thinking, project management, and communications/information technology, and discover how to integrate those skills into their everyday tasks.

While pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in business administration, students choose a concentration area of study in accounting, economics, or management. These concentrations provide specialized study beyond a common professional component.

The department recognizes the global nature of the business environment and emphasizes this through course offerings on campus, periodic course offerings at Oxford University and the University of Guadalajara, and through advisor/advisee counseling about other foreign study programs. Recognizing that internships are valuable educational experiences, the department also encourages students to pursue them for academic credit.

Presbyterian College graduates are sought by leaders in business and industry. Recent graduates have entered management training programs in such diverse fields as utilities, banking, textiles, and computer programming and information systems. Some graduates have entered careers with public accounting firms, as well as internal audit and accounting departments of industrial firms. Still others are working in sales and marketing with department stores, office equipment firms, and other businesses.

The liberal arts and sciences character of a business education at PC is also a strong preparation for graduate work in business, finance, accounting, or law. Recent graduates have continued their business education at universities such as University of South Carolina, University of Georgia, Clemson University, University of Virginia, and Emory University.
Excellent facilities help to produce excellent students. The business department is located in historic Jacobs Hall, which houses a conference center, business library and ample classroom and office space. A teaching theatre with 24 work stations and a business computer laboratory includes 18 personal computers and numerous software packages that introduce students to business computer applications.

The department’s extensive curriculum and helpful faculty allow students to better determine what career  path they would like to follow. The business administration core program introduces students to economics,  accounting, management, finance, marketing and the  legal environment. Dedicated to the free enterprise system, the program challenges students to reach their full potential as they enter the highly competitive business world.

The accounting concentration provides an opportunity for a specialized area of study within the liberal arts environment. A unique feature of the accounting program is the hands-on experience students gain working with the latest in microcomputers — a requirement for the major.

But the economics and business administration faculty members are quick to point out that the learning experience is not limited to the classroom. The PC  Accounting Club and the Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) both host monthly meetings at which business and accounting professionals share their experience, views and knowledge with PC students. SAM sponsors tours of area businesses and industries, giving  students an opportunity to see classroom topics applied in actual work environments.

In conjunction with the Career Planning and Placement Office, the PC Accounting Club, and SAM conduct activities  to improve students’ job seeking skills. Faculty members and industry experts conduct sessions on writing resumes and cover letters, as well as on interview techniques.