Mission:
The BECT Institute’s mission is to build and sustain inclusive programs that will foster innovation, educational and career opportunities through academic excellence, innovative research, partnerships, and community service. To that end, we invite you to join the BECT Community by participating in our programs and activities. Below is a glimpse of our impact over the past 3 years. We welcome partnerships and collaborations to achieve student success.
The South Carolina State University Institute of Business, Environment, Communication & Transportation (BECT) was launched in July 2022 to support SC State in building and sustaining a program that fosters synergy and educational opportunities through innovative research, teaching, and learning to meet the needs of faculty, students, and the community in the areas of Business, Environmental Science, Communication, and the Transportation sectors. The Institute is one of seven created through a legislative act sponsored by Senator John Scott involving all seven HBCUs in the state.
Impact by the Numbers
The BECT Institute’s Objectives:
- Create a pipeline of skilled and innovative students through experiential learning, training, and research opportunities.
- Engage in community development by assisting businesses to become financially successful and stable businesses.
- Develop working relationships with business, industry and government leaders to enhance opportunities in business, environmental science, communication, and transportation.
- Engage faculty and students and the community in professional development.
- Expand the teaching, learning, research, and scholarship focus of the University.
The BECT Advisory Council
The BECT Institute consists of an Executive Director and eleven council members with diverse backgrounds and skills related to business, environmental science, communications and transportation:
- Dr. Barbara Adams, Executive Director
- Dr. Mona Behl, Associate Director of Georgia Sea Grant (BECT Environment)
- Mrs. Jacquelyn Cunningham, Business Analyst, the MIL Corporation (BECT Technology Team Leader)
- Mr. Arthur Fennell, President, Fennell Media (BECT Communications)
- Dr. Stanley Ihekweazu, Dean, College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Transportation (CSTEM-T) (BECT Transportation)
- Mr. Dave Kerford, CEO of Kerford & Associates (BECT Business Team Leader)
- Dr. Venetia Lyles, Associate Professor and Director of Savannah River Environmental Science Field Station (BECT Environmental Science Team Leader)
- Dr. Judith Mwakalonge, Associate Professor of Transportation and Director of Center for Connected Multimodal Mobility (C2M2) (BECT Transportation)
- Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Professor of Journalism and Communications (BECT Communications)
- Dr. Renu Singh, Associate Professor of Marketing (BECT Communications & Business)
- Mr. Curtis Thomas, President, Curtis Thomas Solutions (retired from Department of Transportation) (BECT Transportation Team Leader)
- Dr. Ann Winstead, Retired from SC Department of Education and South Carolina State University (BECT Leadership Development & Research Team Leader)
Innovative Programs
- SMART Virtual Reality CMV Transportation Lab
- Transportation Summit
- Faculty-Student Research Symposium
- Bulldog Career Readiness Academy
- Certiport Testing Center
- Small Business Accelerator
- Communications Speaker Series
- Geoscience Careers Workshop
- Al Case Competition
- Financial Literacy Program
- Multi-Media Journalist Bootcamp
- Research and Demonstration Greenhouse
- Project Management Series
- Intellectual Property Series
- Seed to Success Series
- Leadership Podcast Series
- Internship Program
- Coastal Excursion
- Scholarships
- Urban Ag Greenhouse Series
Partnerships and Collaborations
- U.S. Department of Transportation/FMCSA University of Georgia Marine Extension and Sea Grant
- Orangeburg Regional Innovation Center
- College of Business & Information Systems
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub
- UIDP
- Department of Visual & Performing Arts
- Small Business Development Center
- Environmental Action Club
- SCSU Honors College
- Bulldog Battalion
- Undergraduate Research Office (URO)
- A James Global Services, Inc.
- James E. Clyburn Transportation Center
- Department of Communications
- SCSU Career Development Center
- 1St Franklin Financial Corporation
- Independent Consumer Finance Association of SC
- AFSA Education Foundation
- 1890 Research & Extension
- SC Department of Transportation
- SC Department of Public Safety
- SC Trucking Association
- SC Department of Motor Vehicles
- Office of Global Engagement (OGE)
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
The BECT Advisory Council works with the Executive Director to maximize the accomplishment of the goals and objectives of the Institute. The role and responsibilities include the following components:
- Provide specialized information, skills and experience.
- Provide guidance and oversight on the latest solutions, trending techniques and knowledge.
- Help BECT identify and execute successful projects.
- Promote BECT in the community.