New Major, New Classes

by Dannica B., Panther Blogger

After changing my major for about the fifth time and still not knowing what major is right for me, I realized that maybe taking a few different classes in a few different subjects would be the right thing to do.  This semester, I decided to take an economics class to get a feel for majoring in Business Administration.  I'm also taking a recreation leadership class to get a feel for majoring in Rec along with other classes I need to take in order to graduate.  I absolutely love both classes and seem to be doing quite well in them. 

My economics class is a bit of a struggle, but that's only because I've never taken a business-related class before. My teacher, Professor Basu, is fantastic and always brightens my day by making jokes in class. He always gives the class the best advice and compares a lot of his lessons to situations that relate to college students to make it easier.  Therefore, I've never ever had a bad time in his class, and I look forward to attending it every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

My recreation class is my favorite. We learn all about the outdoors and how recreation and leisure are huge factors in our lives.  Last week, we learned how to build a fire in the "Ferrum Forest" and had s'mores afterwards!  It was such a great experience!

Taking these different classes has given me a good idea on what major is best for me!  No class you take is ever a waste of time because each class will teach you valuable lessons.

My Last Semester!

by Chris L., Panther Blogger

Hey everyone!

I am back at Ferrum for my last semester!  I went home to Ireland during the Christmas break as I was feeling pretty homesick.  It was great to be home and see all my family and friends!  While I was home, I managed to get some time and go to watch my favourite rugby team play!  Ulster is one of the most successful rugby teams in Europe and are from my province in Ireland.

I was excited to come back to Ferrum and continue on this Study Abroad experience, however, I am sad as I only have around 12 weeks left in the USA before my VISA expires.  I hope to make this semester as enjoyable as possible.  This semester, I have continued along the business line of classes as they are compulsory for me. I am taking Business Communication, Microeconomics, Personal Finance, Advance Computer Applications, and my elective is Ecotourism.  I hope these classes are as enjoyable as the ones I took last semester!

Hello from Panther Blogger Chris!

by Chris L., Panther Blogger


Hello, everyone!

My name is Chris and I am from Northern Ireland.  I live in the countryside near a village called Cullybackey, and I have a strong Northern Irish accent.  Back home, I have one sister and my mum and dad.  I love rugby and motorbikes -- Northern Ireland hosts the fastest road race in the world with speeds of 200 mph+ and an average speed of 133.977 mph per lap around a road track, which is crazy to watch!

Map showing where I live in Northern Ireland

County Antrim area where I live

As I am on a 4-year degree course back in Northern Ireland, I will study at Ferrum College for one year and then I will go back to Ireland to finish my degree. My major is business.  I picked Ferrum College mainly because it is set in the countryside, which suits me well since I live in a rural area.  As well as this when I was looking into Ferrum, I saw I could do an agriculture course in my second semester, which I am very interested in doing because my granda is a farmer.

As an international student, Ferrum College has made me feel very welcome. Everyone has been extremely friendly to me so far, which has helped me a lot because I am extremely far away from home!  I hope to take part in some of the Ferrum Outdoors activities which all seem like great fun!  I am only going to be here for one year, but hopefully, it will be a year I will never forget!

Academic Studies at Ferrum

by Chang S., Panther Blogger

I want to briefly talk about my perspectives in terms of academic studies at Ferrum.

Though Ferrum is a smaller school, there is still a lot you can do with your academic research and studies. As a matter of fact, we have some pretty awesome programs here. In particular, I would say that the business department is one of the best among all. First of all, the business program was one of the original programs offered when Ferrum College was formed, and it is still one of the best programs here at Ferrum. Professors in the business department are well-experienced in their teaching. Moreover, year after year, the professors accumulate the critical and valuable case projects used during class sessions, thus making their teaching unique and effective. For instance, Dr. Angel uses a number of real-life circumstances in day-to-day businesses, which are pretty accurate and helpful. Plus, in order to keep us up-to-date with current events, she also frequently asks for our opinions about hot topics and issues from either the political world or in the business field. I believe all of these efforts great contribute to preparing us for a future career.

Additionally, I would say that Ferrum always has sufficient assistance for personal study. In my opinion, this is the best part of studying here. Our library may not be as extravagant as others, but our library resources are excellent and sufficient for our research purposes. Downstairs from the library, we also have our ARC (Academic Resource Center), which offers group study sessions and PAL (Peer Assistant Learner) tutor sessions. These are among the most helpful ways to get students involved with their studies since we discuss our learning experiences with the tutors or fellow schoolmates. Plus, the free coffee in the ARC helps us stay awake when preparing for tests!

Being a tutor myself, I have been working with Math 100 and Math 111 students. It has been a great time for me to teach the students who come prepared with their problems. I especially enjoy the feeling when I see these students have their questions solved. Although there is not usually a large number of students who come by to ask for help, those who do come always get the help they need. From time to time, I have wondered why more students don't take advantage of getting extra assistance, but in the end, it is our own choice to make for our studies.

Personally, I have kept my 4.0 GPA since I was a freshman -- not because the grade itself gives me some kind of honor or sense of pride, but mostly because I am responsible for reaching the goals I have set for myself by doing the things that I am capable of.  And I believe every single person can achieve his/her goals by doing everything they are capable of. 

Ferrum SIFE Team Wins Again: 23rd Year!

BY ANNA, PANTHER BLOGGER

Need a resume-builder? Students in Free Enterprise is the perfect solution for community service, resume-building, finding internships and possibly a job offer. SIFE was introduced to Ferrum College 23 years ago by Dr. Demetri Tsanacas. He has traveled with his SIFE team to the Regional Competition for 23 years and has won consecutively since the very beginning.

2011-2012 SIFE Speaking Team at the competition

This year, I had the privilege of being a member on the speaking team along with 7 other students from the Business Department at Ferrum College. We traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to speak about the projects that we administered over the past year. We had 25 minutes to speak and five minutes for questions. With six of us presenting and two of us running the PowerPoint, our presentation raised the bar for competing teams.

Pictured here are some selected students of the SIFE team who traveled to Charlotte with our speaking team.

Me holding the regional trophy

We won our 23rd trophy as the USA Regional Competition Champions, and we will travel to Kansas City, Missouri from May 22nd – May 24th to compete in the USA National Exposition!

Studying Business at Ferrum

BY ANNA, PANTHER BLOGGER

To be a college student and have your own business is stressful but DEFINITELY a learning experience! I started my own photography business as a hobby when I was 16 years old, and it grew into more than I could ever imagine. I thought that in order to help learn how to run my business more effectively, I should major in Business Management rather than photography, and it was a great decision.

Dr. Basu, one of my professors

My professors all know that I have my own business; they check up on my pictures and how I’m doing quite often. I came to Ferrum as a transfer from Virginia Western Community College, so I took all my general education classes before I got to Ferrum. This allowed me to stay focused on my Business courses for the past two years. I am able to apply all the knowledge I have from my experience with the education I am getting on a daily basis in class. To be an example of everything my professors are teaching has made my experience so much easier.

The business department offers classes such as Business Finance, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Marketing, Accounting, etc. and offers a variety of different professors and students from all over the world. I have the honor to have two professors from two different countries outside of the United States, one from Greece and one from India, and I have also had the privilege to study with students from China and Ireland. It doesn’t matter if you are an athlete or an exchange student – if you want to understand and enjoy learning about business, then it is the best path to follow!

Beckham Hall

Over the past two years, I have grown to know my professors and my fellow business students, and we all can agree that everyone cares for one another! Our main academic building for business classes is Beckham Hall, and by the time we reached the half-way point of our senior year, we realize that we’ve grown quite fond of that brick building in the center of campus. Like I said in my previous blog, the professors here at Ferrum College care very much about your studies and participation – just as much as you do, if not more. They care about you being in class and making good grades because they want you to succeed.

Greetings from Ferrum College Student Blogger, Anna!

BY ANNA, A PANTHER BLOGGER

Hey guys, I’m Anna. I am a transfer graduate from Virginia Western Community College, and my major is Business Management. I am from Buchanan, Virginia where I started my own photography business while I was in high school. I went to community college to get my general studies taken care of and then transferred to Ferrum College to focus on my core curriculum classes, as well as to build a network with faculty and friends that cannot be found anywhere else. With my Business Management degree, I plan to advance further as a professional photographer with my business, and to possibly work for the Discovery Channel or National Geographic. With high hopes, I know I can achieve my goals one day. I am a senior this year, and I plan to graduate May 5, 2012.

Copyright A.B.E. Photography

On campus, Ferrum College is nicknamed “God’s Country,” and it fits!  I found out about Ferrum because my cousin attended school here and I came to see him graduate; I fell in love with the college! The scenery at Ferrum, the friendships that my cousin had, and the learning atmosphere that the college offers all made me realize that Ferrum could be the place for me. I graduated from Virginia Western in 2010 and the only place I could imagine myself going was Ferrum! 

Ferrum is small and rural, but that is not a bad thing. You are not just a face; you are a face with a name, and everyone actually cares about who you are and where you are outside of class. Your grades and extracurricular activities are just as important to them as they are to you.  I am constantly in the same building every day—Beckham Hall—and I have come to know that my fellow students in the business department and my teachers are my family. We look out for one another.

My number one piece of advice is to Go To Class!  I never miss class unless I am sick, and even then, I email my professors to tell them I am sick. That shows my teachers that I care. One time I missed my final exam in Accounting because of a long story of events, and my professor sent a resident assistant to come see if I was okay. I was frantic and he knew that me missing class rarely happened, so he offered to give me my exam and I passed the class with an A. Instances like mine do not happen often, so take control of your studies.

My second piece of advice is to Get Involved On Campus!  There are so many clubs, sports and organizations to fit anyone and everyone, and you can be involved in as many as you want!  I currently am Student Government President, a cheerleader, a sister of Zeta Chi Epsilon, and a member of Students in Free Enterprise.  At the same time, I still have the title of professional photographer and take pictures of campus and my life here as much as possible. There are also plenty of other things to do off campus as well. My favorite thing to do is to drive to Philpott Lake and sit on the beach or the dock and do homework, or go out for a day with sorority sisters and fraternity brothers. We don’t swim all the time, but just to have a nice relaxing spot off campus with a pretty view is a luxury that I must take advantage of.  

All in all, there is no Facebook status, thesis paper, picture from an event or blog post that can express to you how much I love Ferrum. Having cookouts with my fraternity brothers and sorority sisters, cheering so hard that I lost my voice, studying with my classmates and making websites for a local cabinetry shop are just a FEW of the things I did in one semester, but in a year, the memories just get to be too many to list!  The faculty, staff, students and family I have made at Ferrum truly are one-of-a-kind and I could not ask for more. Whether it is a Saturday night or a Tuesday afternoon, a memory to cherish is made here.