CCU Dean Receives Prestigious Academic Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurship Workshop
Colorado Christian University's Dr. Mellani Day was recently presented with the Outstanding Workshop Award for her co-presentation at the 2009 United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) annual conference, held in January in Anaheim, California. Dean of the Business and Technology Division in CCU's College of Adult and Graduate Studies, Day presented a paper, co-authored with Dr. Norris Krueger, Jr. of the Max Planck Institute of Economics (Jena, Germany), entitled "Neuroentrepreneurship: What Can Entrepreneurship Learn from Neuroscience." The recognition was the only of its kind during this year's conference.
USASBE is the largest independent organization in the world dedicated to advancing the discipline of entrepreneurship in both for-profit and social ventures. With more than 1,000 members from academic institutions, for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector, the Association is built on four pillars that include entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship research, entrepreneurship outreach, and public policy. The organization dates back to the founding of the International Council for Small Businesses (ICSB) in 1957. As ICSB grew, its members decided to form national affiliates, and USASBE was introduced as the U.S. affiliate in 1981, with the current name adopted in 1985. Today, USASBE operates with its own unique, academic mission, yet still retains ties with ICSB.
In addition to her role as dean, Dr. Day is also director of CCU's Master of Business Administration program. Prior to joining CCU, she was chief financial officer of Synergy Media Group (Colorado), served as a regional development manager for doctoral programs at Nova Southeastern University (NSU; Florida), and was chair of graduate business programs at Schiller International University (Germany). In 1989, she founded Day Partners International, through which she introduced, marketed, and distributed Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn products to the German public.
Dr. Day graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in business and management and then earned a master's in systems management at the University of Southern California, followed by a doctorate in business administration, with emphases in entrepreneurship and management, from NSU. She has taught numerous college-level and graduate courses on management, business fundamentals, government and the international economy, international and comparative marketing, and information technology in business.
Beginning in the fall 2009 semester, CCU will introduce an entrepreneurship emphasis to its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program for adult undergraduate students. Headed by Dr. Day, the emphasis will add a new dimension to a program that already integrates a strong ethical framework with training in management, leadership, finance, project management, international business, and business law.