Goldey-Beacom College Hosts Annual Research Symposium

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:   Janine G. Sorbello, Dir. of Ext. Affairs             DATE: February 21, 2023

CELL:            302-290-3224                              

EMAIL:         [email protected]

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Goldey-Beacom College Hosts Annual Research Symposium

 Wilmington, DE – Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) hosted its Annual Research Symposium (ARS) on Friday, February 17, 2023, to an on-campus and zoom audience presenting topics that included creative leadership, COVID-19 impact on the labor market and fiction writing.

“College faculty everywhere engage in a three-part approach to their role: teaching, research and service,” said Dr. Colleen Perry Keith, president of the College. She continued, “Research, especially, is key to the college mission as it relates to learning and discovery. When college faculty do research, it is usually closely related to their teaching in that they bring that discovery to their classrooms to share with their students.”

Dr. Keith stressed the importance of current research in a rapidly changing environment saying, “I have always found that students develop a deeper understanding of content when they learn from the research that is done either by themselves or those who teach them. The research shared in today’s symposium was engaging and thought-provoking and left me wanting even more.”

“It is a great sharing event and increases learning and knowledge throughout the College,” said Dr. Fatma Abdel-Raouf, professor of economics and finance and ARS Chair. Dr. Abdel-Raouf partners with Dr. Joel Worden, assistant vice president for academic affairs/associate provost for academic programs, to shape the symposium and create a rich learning environment with content that ranges from qualitative to quantitative and provides faculty, staff and students a venue to share their latest research.

Current and previous topics for the ARS have included a wide range of topics related to higher education and business as well as recent research in academic areas focused on marketing, management, economics, finance, data analytics, psychology and more.

The following three sessions were presented at the Annual Research Symposium.

“The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the U.S. Labor Market”

Fatma Abdel-Raouf, Ph.D., professor, economics and finance

This session discussed the post-pandemic changes in the U.S. labor market and various sectors. Three years after the beginning of COVID-19, the U.S. labor market continues to show signs of strengthening as some sectors have regained workers, but others are still struggling.  Following a significant loss in employment, the impact on the labor market differs with other demographics such as gender, race, educational background and marital status. This session included a September 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey which explained why tele-work has increased and who is represented in these demographics. In addition, new trends such as the ‘great resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’ were discussed along with tech layoffs and company size which, according to data released in January 2023, didn’t affect the employment data.

“Creative Leadership: The Innovation Imperative and a Key to Inclusion”

Deanna Merritt, Ph.D., SHRM-CP, assistant professor, management and marketing

This session focused on the importance of integrating creative leadership into the work environment. “Creativity takes time, but failing to be creative takes longer,” said Dr. Merritt. And the chaos in which we live shows no signs of slowing down. Organizations seek to more than simply keep up with constant change – they want to thrive. According to the 2022 World Economic Forum Report, the top five skills needed by 2025 all include some important aspect of creativity and innovation. The sixth requirement is leadership and social influence. Together, these skills are necessary to propel ourselves into the future. The good news is that creativity can be learned and strengthened as well as bring unity to an organization. This session discussed the top trends in creative leadership, why it is imperative to organizational success and how to develop an inclusive, creative culture.

“Research & the Fiction Writer”

Hannah Bakey, international student coordinator and adjunct faculty

This session explored what research means to the fiction writer, how vital research is for crafting successful fiction and how the writing process is informed by research, workshop and the writer. When we think of research, we often think of techs in labs or rifling through different archives, databases and articles. When we think of writing fiction, more likely than not, we think of someone sitting at a typewriter crafting stories that come straight from the dome in a spark of genius. Both notions are limited and fail to capture the scope of research and fiction writing.

 Founded in 1886, Goldey-Beacom College has approximately 1,300 students enrolled from 22 states and 65 nations. The College offers 46 degree options in its graduate and undergraduate programs with majors in psychology, economics, criminal justice, communication & media, human services, English, and all areas of business, including accounting, business administration, entrepreneurship, and finance.

 The College began accepting students into two new degree programs in fall 2022: B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies; B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics. Also new in fall 2022, the College is offering five new undergraduate certificate programs including marketing, human resource management, health care management, entrepreneurship and information technology.

 In fall 2023, the College plans to offer two additional degrees: Bachelor of Science in Marketing; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Digital Marketing.

 The College is committed to connecting its graduates with careers in their respective fields. For over a decade, the College has achieved a 90% placement rate for graduates. Goldey-Beacom College is located in Pike Creek Valley, a suburb of Wilmington, Delaware. The College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

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