Citadel Business InFormation

Ronald F. Green returned to the Lowcountry to take over as Dean of the School of Business Administration in July 2007. Green had been Dean and professor of management at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, since July 2002. Prior to that, he held positions at East Tennessee State University, including associate dean and director of Graduate Studies in Business.

Green earned his Ph.D. from Clemson University, his MPA and MBA from Jacksonville State University and his BS from Clemson University.

The opportunity for Dean Green to come to Charleston did not simply fall into his lap, but it was an opportunity that came at the right time and in the right place.

Green said that he first noticed the position posted on the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, International (AACSB) web site. He was not really looking for anything in particular; rather, he was contemplating doing something different.

"You sometimes find a great job in an okay location, or a job that is not the best position for you, but one that is in a terrific place. The Citadel opportunity was great on both - job and location." Green was born in Charleston and grew up in McClellanville. In traveling around from Tennessee to Indiana, and back to South Carolina, Dean Green really enjoyed working in and learning about other areas of the country. Working in the Mid-West gave him an appreciation for the people and their lifestyle.

"It was really the people and their work ethic. How strong they are. Sometimes you feel that the South is the only place you want to be. Then you go to a place like Indiana and get a different perspective. You get to know other people and realize there are green hills everywhere."

Green says he faces some challenges, but is determined to put the CSBA on the map, especially in building relationships with area businesses.

"There are plans in the works to make improvements in the diversity of academic programs; to develop a career planning track for sophomores and juniors, beginning to think about their choices, is very important. With more focus on career building, through internships and international travel, students will have a better and more meaningful experience in college."

Dean Green acknowledged that the Mentor Association is beneficial in getting students involved in business, and it is still growing. "Out of all the students, cadets and MBA's who are eligible, only about a third of them have taken advantage of this program."

As for the future, Green says that he sees the CSBA as a key in economic development for the Lowcountry. The Citadel's MBA program is the only one in the region accredited by the AACSB "Partnering with local businesses gives us the ability to offer intellectual capital through our students and faculty. On the business side, some adjunct professors bring their knowledge and experience, in the real world, to the classroom."

Look for Dean Green in the classroom this summer, teaching an MBA summer school course, Strategic Consulting Experience. He hopes that the course will get some students involved with local businesses, giving them a chance to use their knowledge in real business situations. He seems happy about that and about his timing in coming to The Citadel.