One Grambling State University professor received a promotion with the start of the new year. Tsegai Emmanuel has been selected as the new dean of the College of Business. He is a former professor of management in the Department of Management and Marketing.
“This was a national search, well organized and we had a strong field of candidates,” said GSU President Frank G. Pogue. “The finalist pool was impressive. I heard nothing but good things from faculty, staff and students except for one thing — asking how we’re going to choose from such a strong batch.
“We are fortunate to have a long-serving individual step into one of the strongest areas at the university,” added Pogue. “The College of Business has a special role at the university because the business faculty prepares students for careers in the business world, largely through businesses and corporations we count on for strong partnerships and programs. We are looking forward to benefiting from his many years of experience.”
The university’s top academic officer worked with a diverse search committee for months, including an exhaustive and specific criteria review and finalist on-campus interviews with administration, faculty, staff and students as well as presentations.
“I was excited when Dr. Emmanuel shared with me during the interview that if he were the successful candidate he wanted to still teach and his management style would be that of shared governance” added Connie Walton, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “His commitment to teaching indicated he would maintain a student centered focus. I believe that under Dr. Emmanuel’s leadership the College of Business will continue to excel.”
This is Emmanuel’s second stint as the dean of the College of Business; the first time he started in 1980. During his first deanship, he raised millions of dollars for student scholarships, faculty development and research and student participation in seminars, conferences, and workshops. He also was responsible for the installation of $250,000 of state-of-the-art computers using non-state funds.
“I am quite elated to serve once again as dean of the College of Business at Grambling State University,” said Emmanuel, who served as dean at the GSU business college 1980-1990. “My strategic plan is simple: to maintain accreditation, to recruit students and to establish a strong link with corporations.”
Emmanuel received his bachelor’s in production management from Oklahoma State University in 1968. He continued his studies at OSU, earning a master’s in international business in 1970. He earned his Ph.D. in management and policy administration at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., in 1978.
Emmanuel teaches several classes at Grambling State. He teaches strategic management and business policy, entrepreneurship, fundamental of business, operations management and international business, all undergraduate classes. He taught graduate classes until 1990, including international human resource management, environmental analysis of international business, and management of strategic planning system.
Emmanuel owns and operates two small businesses in Grambling community — Stop and Shop Exxon and Stop and Shop Grambling Junction. He also supports Grambling businesses through the Greater Grambling Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he has co-authored two books, “Challenges Facing Expatriate Performance Abroad” with Marcus D. Jones and Semere Haile and “International Business Journal of Business Research,” Vol. VII, No. 5, pp. 100-105 in 2007 with Jones. He also wrote several non-pedagogical articles focusing about entrepreneurship and African Americans’ impact on economic development.
During his more than 30 years of service at Grambling State, Emmanuel spent time on several university committees: reorganization, evaluation, faculty award, curriculum committee, promotion and tenure, a distance learning task force and a host of others. Professionally, he is a recognized member of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business and the Southwest Business Administration Association. Emmanuel is also a board member of North Central Louisiana Arts Council.
Emmanuel is married to Karen Emmanuel, who served as associate vice president for human resources for 24 years at Grambling State before retiring. They attend Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.
They have two children, Sarah Emmanuel Gleusman, who works as a physical therapist at the University of Pittsburg and Rebecca Emmanuel Rooney, who works as an asset fund manager with Chase in New York City.
The Gramblinite
Thursday, April 18, 2024