O'Connell Center at USCA gets new life 11/14/2009 8:57 PM
By ROB NOVIT Senior writer
USC Aiken's School of Business established the O'Connell Center for Executive Development several years ago. It's about to become a lot more visible, said Dean Dr. Ralph Byington.
"We've been looking for the right opportunity and the right person to get into more executive education programs," he said.
The new director for the reactivated center is business professor Karen Edgington, who joined the faculty in 2008.
"We want to do executive level training that's geared to those in management area, either through our faculty or with outside consultants," she said.
The center is offering certified programs in leadership and strategic planning, the creation of customer relationships and value through marketing, development of new products and services, strategic marketing, finance and accounting. Edgington can also provide customized professional development training.
On Tuesday, the O'Connell Center will host a one-day seminar at USCA's Business & Education Building Tuesday - "Tools of the Trade: Resources for Not-For-Profit Organizations." Aiken author and businesswoman Liz Stewart will serve as keynote speaker. Workshops are scheduled on grant-writing, software systems and strategies for marketing a nonprofit organization.
"Through our training, we want to give them a mindset that they need a return on investment, just as a business would and especially in this economy," Edgington said.
She directed a similar program at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colo., where she earned her BA in business. Edgington also received her MBA degree from the University of Phoenix in Denver.
In addition to teaching, she has worked in banking, retail and industry. She ran a not-for-profit organization called "Kids Voting," getting students involved the political arena and into the habit of voting.
Edgington also worked with the Bureau of Economic and Business Research for Western Colorado, developing economic survey projects for the city, school district and the college.
Through the center, "we're filling a different niche," Edgington said. "We've got some new faculty with some great people on board. I feel it's a win-win situation for businesses and organizations. I believe in training and development."
The program will generate revenue for the university, as it also provides an Aiken-based training option for companies at lower cost, Edgington said.
Some slots for the seminar may still be available. For more information about the seminar or the O'Connell Center, call Edgington at 641-3233 or e-mail karene@usca.edu.
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
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