Tuskegee University’s Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business aims to provide its students a challenging opportunity for a liberal, technical and professional education.

The Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science is part of Tuskegee University, an independent and state-related institution of higher education located in the east central Alabama town of Tuskegee — known for its own contributions to the civil rights movement. Founded in 1881 with a vision of serving people while educating them along the way, Tuskegee University is first historically black college or university (HBCU) to be designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark, and the only to be designated a National Historic Site. Since its inception, the university has become one of the nation’s outstanding institutions of higher learning. Though, the original aim of the university and its colleges were to serve and educate the African-American community, Tuskegee University and the Brimmer College welcome students from all over the globe irrespective of their geographical background, community and creed.

The university is known for providing students with the “Tuskegee Experience” — an academic and campus life encounter that permeates and goes beyond its historic and stately campus. The university’s approach toward learning service and leadership gives students the best of the both worlds. Business degree programs combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience so students succeed in the real world — no matter their chosen major or career. Faculty and staff in the Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science are committed to preparing students and helping to hone their skills so they truly can make a difference in the communities where they will later work, lead and serve.

The college’s academic rigor are noted through accreditation by AACSB International, and its computer science program is accredited by ABET.

Faculty bring practical, real-world experience to their work as a result of their professional and civic involvement. Just a few current, notable faculty members in this regard include:

• Iverson Gandy, an associate professor of management, concurrently serves as the Macon County revenue commissioner and chairperson of the Community Development Corporation. Dr. Gandy also works with the Tuskegee Housing Authority and is an Advisory Board member of the University of Alabama Real Estate Program.
• Faye Hall Jackson, department head and associate professor of management, serves on the River Region’s Envision 2020 Executive Board.
• Dean Kai Koong is editor-in-chief of two global peer refereed journals indexed by Scopus: the International Journal of Electronic Healthcare and the International Journal of Services and Standards.
• Fan Wu, professor of computer science and director of the university’s Office of Undergraduate Research, is an associate editor of International of Mobile Devices, Wearable Technologies, and Flexible Electronics.

A Seasoned Educator and Leader

Central to the Brimmer College’s success, and an example of the commitment by its faculty and staff, is former dean and university administrator Dr. Tejinder S. Sara. Sara, who retired from the university for a second (and final time) in 2018 after serving as provost, accrued more than 43 years of university service — a majority of that as a faculty member and dean. During his tenure as dean, he oversaw all academic programs in the College of Business and Information Science and was the primary architect that brought about the initial accreditation of its programs: first from AACSB, and then from ABET.

Dr. Sara joined the Tuskegee University faculty, and later served as the Brimmer College’s associate dean from 1989 to 1999, and dean from 2007 until his first retirement in 2016. His teaching and research focus included strategic management, international business, finance, economics and economic development. During his tenure, his collaborations with corporations, foundations and government agencies garnered more than $7.7 million in research funding and 20-plus publications in various academic and industry journals.

Scholarship Programs

Tailor-made academic programs being one of its strengths, the Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science has more in store for its students. Below are just a few of the scholarships programs the college offers its students.

• Selected Scholarships: Based on need and academic performance, the college offers some selected scholarships, made possible by 3M, Boeing, Hormel, Intel, Procter & Gamble, Raytheon and Xerox — just to name a few. These scholarships further highlight the plethora of corporate partnerships the college and its faculty leverage as it provides its students with well-rounded academic experiences and skill sets making them competitive in the post-graduate marketplace.
• Special Grant-funded Scholarships: Available for students in its Master of Science in Information Systems and Security Management Program, this NSF Scholarship for Service (SFS) grant helps to prepare qualified and well-trained professionals in cybersecutity to address the global and national cybersecutity challenges This highly prestigious and competitive program places Tuskegee among a distinguished group of 73 institutions nationwide that have already begun training future information assurance professionals who will help protect our nation. This grant provides additional funding to senior undergraduate students and students applying to or currently pursuing a master of science in information system and security management (MS-ISSM) to assist with tuition, stipends, health insurance, books and course materials, and professional development expenses. 

Events Boosting Prolific Career

Other programs in the Brimmer College that enhance its students’ workforce competitiveness and advance the university’s service and outreach mission include:

• Booker T. Washington Annual Summit for Disadvantaged Businesses: This annual event connects small-business owners with resources and information to help advance their business. This summit, co-chaired by the college’s dean, serves owners of micro-enterprises or people interested in moving their profitable hobby to a small business. The summit gives students an opportunity to participate in the annual business pitch contest that attracts student and non-student entrepreneurs.
• Tuskegee University Business and Engineering Conference: this career and leadership development conference is organized by students in partnership with Procter & Gamble. Brimmer College students are invited to participate in a two-day leadership conference designed to develop soft skills and teamwork. Student participants use these skills to plan the Tuskegee University Business and Engineering (TUBE) Conference scheduled for the following semester. The annual TUBE Conference is sponsored by 20-plus corporate partner organizations — the representatives of which students network with and learn from through TUBE seminars and panel discussions. 

• Hormel Mentoring Program: This student-led program, funded through a partnership with Hormel Foods, allows students and faculty to engage through a variety of mentoring and tutoring activities that support learning and performance among students. The college believes that these peer-led tutoring and mentoring activities greatly enhance retention of subject knowledge and student enrollment. This mentoring program has become a university model for implementation and is coordinated by the college’s academic advising team. 

• Summer Drone Academy: This summer program designed for high school students includes a STEM-based drone academy that includes activities centered around logic samples and problem solving. Past programs also have included hospitality and entrepreneurship camps.
• The Partnering for Progress initiative, sponsored by 3M, affords sales and marketing students the opportunity to participate in sales competitions and practice ethical applications of sales through its “sales for social impact” program. Through this partnership, established in 2013, the Brimmer College developed and hosted its first HBCU sales competition targeting HBCU students in four southeastern states. 

• Each year, the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society inducts the top 10 percent of the class, as well as prominent faculty and business professionals who have made an impact. 

Preparing Professionals of Tomorrow

Preparing students at leading-edge industry standards, the Brimmer College has developed new programs in the area of cybersecutity, data science and business analytics. To promote a more agile and competitive business program, the college recently realigned its seven majors into six concentrations with focused on both analytical and qualitative core competencies. With this new curriculum, Brimmer College students are now, more than ever, capable of working in more complex business environments. And, as a result, 90 per cent of the college’s graduates work for or intern in Fortune 500 companies, federal and state agencies, local and regional ventures,  and small business environments. Each year, students who desire to also participate in the university’s study abroad programs, with recent international placements including opportunities in Spain and New Zealand.

Student Achievements and the Tale of Pride

The students of Tuskegee University’s Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science have a phenomenal record of placement after graduation. Graduates enjoy diverse professional opportunities, while others have even ventured into entrepreneurial roles by developing their own start-ups — some while they are still students! Many graduate schools across the nation have sought out our students for continuing graduate studies — often involving full scholarships to fund their continuing studies at the nation’s elite schools.

For the latest information about the Brimmer College’s degree offerings and programs, visit www.tuskegee.edu/cbis.