Students Strengthen Problem-Solving Skills at Business Workshop

The school developed the Business Success program in consultation with business leaders across the country. The goal is to help business students address skill gaps and become more competitive in the job market.

"The program should set our students apart from the competition and provide additional certification that our students are 'business ready,'" said Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration. "We greatly appreciate our alumni and business partners in helping us tailor the program and teach the courses so our students will maximize their chances for success."

The first workshop, on Sept. 23, drew some 30 students and focused on critical thinking. Bill Fry, an Ole Miss alumnus and managing director of American Securities Capital, led the session and used examples from his journey to define critical thinking.

"The Business Success meeting on critical thinking really challenged me to think more intentionally about how I approach problems both inside and outside the classroom," said Sophia Honnald, a junior marketing major from Rumson, New Jersey, who is minoring in entrepreneurship. "It was engaging to hear different perspectives from peers and faculty on how critical thinking plays such a major role in business decision-making."

The program began with an idea from Ole Miss graduates and retired businessmen Bill Andrews and Jeff Rogers, both Oxford residents. The two former Business Advisory Board members pitched the idea to Cyree to help students complete their skill sets and begin networking while still in school.

"The students' opportunity to learn, interact and connect with industry leaders is a unique and valuable part of Business Success," Rogers said. "Relationships matter, and the students have the opportunity to establish special relationships to guide them in their career."

Andrews and Rogers interviewed 20 industry leaders about areas where students could differentiate themselves from their competition in the job market and to brainstorm workshop programming ideas. They developed four test modules and offered them to students last spring, earning positive feedback from both students and industry leaders.

Cyree approved the program for eight modules in the 2025-26 academic year. These modules cover topics including communication skills, business etiquette and critical thinking. Students who attend six of the eight modules earn a certificate of acknowledgement.

The second Business Success module is set for Oct. 14 in the Jackson Avenue Center. This workshop focuses on building communication skills and will be led by Sparky Reardon, former UM dean of students.

The program continues through the spring:

• 28 – Business Etiquette
• 11 – Real-World Problems
• 18 – Real World Problems
• 3 – Critical Thinking
• 17 – Thinking Like an Owner
• March 3 – Discovering Your Passion Celebration Dinner.

All sessions run from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Jackson Avenue Center, Room 103.

"The sign-up for the Business Success certificate program is verifying that Dean Cyree was 100% on target with his vision for what it would do for Ole Miss business school students," Andrews said. "Ole Miss students will begin their careers with a clear understanding of the traits that will propel them to the top of their chosen field."

To register or learn more about a Business Success session, contact Bailey Bracken at bobracke@olemiss.edu.

Top: Bill Fry, a 1980 alumnus of the School of Business Administration, shares experiences from his career during the first workshop of the new Business Success program. Fry, of Bluffton, South Carolina, is a member of the school's Hall of Fame with a service award for his numerous contributions. Photo by Frank Estrada/School of Business Administration