Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management and Hospitality & Tourism Management
The WCU School of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, and Hospitality & Tourism Management prepares students for successful careers by providing vibrant instruction and an innovative curriculum that incorporates both business fundamentals and the current trends in today’s business environment. Our programs are designed to give students the knowledge, skills, experience, resources, and opportunities they need to become industry professionals in a variety of career fields.
The WCU School of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, and Hospitality & Tourism Management offers:
- A faculty devoted to sharing cutting-edge research and knowledge on up-to-date trends in their respective fields
- A diverse, interdisciplinary curriculum that utilizes hands-on, real-world coursework
- Internship opportunities for real-world experience and a firsthand view of business operations
Undergraduate Programs
The  School of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, and Hospitality & Tourism
Management offers engaging and dynamic programs for department majors and other students
interested in augmenting their studies. The curriculum focuses on the development
of critical thinking and decision-making abilities along with hands-on experience
to help prepare students for the challenges they will face in a wide variety of careers.
Entrepreneurship
Hospitality & Tourism Management
Sales & Marketing
Sport Management
Graduate Programs
Masters of Science in Sport Management
M.E. Innovation Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Mission Statement
The mission of the School of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management and Hospitality & Tourism Management of the College of Business at WCU is to produce distinctive Business Ready® graduates with outstanding leadership potential through a curriculum emphasizing active learning involving academic studies enhanced by practical experience gained from engagement opportunities with businesses, and economic and community development agencies in the region and beyond.
Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sport Management, and Hospitality & Tourism Management Faculty
| Name | Position | Department | Phone Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Charles Parrish | Professor, Director | Sport Management | ctparrish@wcu.edu | 828.227.8442 |
| Kia Alimohammadironkni | Assistant Professor | Hosptiality & Tourism Management | malimohammadirokni@wcu.edu | 828.227.3525 |
| Alberto Beiza | Assitant Professor | Hospitality & Tourism Management | abeiza@wcu.edu | 828.227.3762 |
| Dan Bradbury | Assistant Professor | Sales & Marketing | dbradury@wcu.edu | 828.227.3713 |
| Julie Johnson-Busbin | Professor | Sales & Marketing | jjohnson@wcu.edu | 828.227.3991 |
| Wendy Cagle | Associate Instructor | Entrepreneurship | wcagle@wcu.edu | 828.227.3441 |
| Ethan Cheng | Associate Professor | Hospitality & Tourism Management | ycheng@wcu.edu | 828.227.3301 |
| B. Darden | Assistant Professor | Entrepreneurship | bdarden@wcu.edu | 828.227.3393 |
| Bethany Davidson | Instructor | Entrepreneurship | davidsonb@wcu.edu | 828.227.2179 |
| James DeConinck | Professor | Sales & Marketing | deconinck@wcu.edu | 828.227.3704 |
| Mary Beth DeConinck | Associate Instructor | Sales & Marketing | mdeconinck@wcu.edu | 828.227.2476 |
| Heidi Grappendorf | Professor | Sport Management; | hgrappendorf@wcu.edu | 828.227.3995 |
| A.J. Grube | Professor, Dean, College of Business | Sport Management | agrube@wcu.edu | 828.227.7401 |
| Euisoo Kim | Assistant Professor | Sport Management | kime@wcu.edu | 828.227.3227 |
| Robert Lahm | Professor | Entrepreneurship | rjlahm@wcu.edu | 828.227.3295 |
| Kadence Otto | Professor | Sport Management | kotto@wcu.edu | 828.227.3548 |
| Lane Perry | Assistant Professor | Entrepreneurship | laneperry@wcu.edu | 828.227.2825 |
| Scott Rader | Associate Professor | Sales & Marketing | srader@wcu.edu | 828.227.7412 |
| Elissa Shults | Assistant Professor | Sales & Marketing | eshults@wcu.edu | 828.227.3798 |
| Erica Thompson | Instructor | Sport Management | ethompson@wcu.edu | 828.227.2477 |
| Brian Whelan | Assistant Professor | Marketing | bwhelan@wcu.edu | 828.227.3030 |
