BSC School of Business
Receives $30K Grant to
Implement Ford Partnership
for Advanced Studies Program

( Bluefield)—The Bluefield State College School of Business will receive a $30,000 grant from the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) program, permitting the College to develop and implement a new Business course for the Fall 2007 Semester. Written and submitted by Susan Mann, BSC Visiting Marketing Instructor, the proposal was selected to receive the maximum grant amount available by Ford PAS.

“We’re gratified to receive the opportunity to design and implement the ‘Exploring Business’ course,” Mann said. “It will bring together three focused subject modules into a 15-week course that will focus upon two primary goals—a) permitting our students currently taking developmental classes to take this college-credit class, and b) offering regional high school students the opportunity to earn college credit through enrolling in the class and satisfactorily completing course requirements.”

The Ford PAS program was created in partnership with the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to prepare African American high school students for college and careers. Dr. Elaine Scott, Dean/Bluefield State College School of Business, brought the Ford PAS grant program to Mann’s attention, after which the BSC faculty member developed the proposal.

“Our course will be dynamic and experiential,” Mann said. “We will involve guest speakers and take field trips, and our goal is to enroll 260 students from this region’s high schools.” Mann also received an invitation from Joseph L. Boyd, Dean/Texas Southern University School of Business, to present her proposal during future regional and national HBCU meetings.

December 15, 2006