Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 27 VSU’s Mu Zeta chapter of Beta Alpha Psi is committed to promoting the study and practice of accounting and finance; providing opportunities for self-development, service and association among members and practicing professionals; and encouraging a sense of ethical, and public responsibility. VSU’S ENACTUS WINS AT REGIONALS Valdosta State University Enactus won at regionals and was one of 144 to advance to the 2016 Enactus United States National Exposition in St. Louis, MO. “Advancing to nationals was a surreal moment for us,” said Shakelia Mahoney, Enactus president and senior from Washington. “Being in an environment with business professionals who are leaders in the industry was a great opportunity…now that we are attending nationals, we will be in a space where we can create even more connections and further develop ourselves as business entrepreneurs.” VSU’S INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENT WINS BIG The newly formed student organization, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, received three awards based on the hard work and accomplishments of the president, advisor, and members in 2015. Dr. Gary Hackbarth is the advisor for IHI and was awarded Advisor of the Year. James Powell received the honor of President of the Year and IHI as an organization was recognized for Community Service Project of the year. CEDRIC LAMAR DICKERSON NAMED 2015 HARLEY LANGDALE JR. COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS Cedric Lamar Dickerson is Valdosta State University’s 2015 Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. “The Distinguished Alumnus Award is truly a blessing and will serve as a source of encouragement for my daughter," said Dickerson, "It will show her that when you work hard good things will happen.” Dickerson is a two-time VSU graduate. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in management in 2002 and a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing in 2004. “What stands out to me the most about my time at VSU are the relationships I was able to build,” he said. “I came in as a first- generation college student and did not know what to expect, and those relationships really helped make my transition to school easier.” Dickerson was a four-year starter and a two-time team captain for the VSU Blazer football team. He is a three-time recipient of All-Conference honors, as well as a two-time recipient of Daktronics All-South honors. Additionally, Dickerson was named the Daktronics All-South All-American in 2002. Dickerson and the Blazer football team won three Gulf South Conference championships during his undergraduate career at Valdosta State University. He was also a member of the first team to advance to the NCAA Division II Football National Championship. A 1998 graduate from Liberty County High School in Hinesville, GA., Dickerson played professionally for the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers for three years. In 2006, he founded the Cedric Dickerson Football Camp for Kids, which was used as a tool to reach underprivileged and at-risk youth. Dickerson resides in Canton, GA. with his wife, Karla, who earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from VSU in 2005. He is a teacher, as well as a varsity football and freshman basketball coach at Lassiter High School in Marietta, GA. Prior to teaching at Lassiter High School, Dickerson coached the defensive backs at Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, for one year. Dickerson is a two-time recipient of the Region 5-AAAAAA Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s Assistant Coach of the Year Award. ASHLEY MEAD During his time at VSU Mead graduated with both undergrad degrees in accounting and finance Suma Cum Laude, and received the Presidential Scholar award/Banner carrier for being the graduate with the highest GPA in his graduating class in Fall 2014. During Mead's undergrad at VSU, he was also selected as the Langdale College of Business Administration Most Outstanding Accounting Student. Mead was then admitted into the graduate program at VSU, where he received a Masters of Accountancy in Summer 2015. Mead's extracurricular activities at VSU included being treasurer and club president of the Mu Zeta chapter of Beta Alpha Psi as well as sector manager, vice president, and eventually club president of the Valdosta State Investment Group. In addition to these executive roles, Mead served on the Dean’s Business School Advisory Council, and also selected and admitted to the VSU chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma for his academic accomplishments. While at VSU, Mead received multiple scholarships, including scholarships from the Valdosta State Investment group for portfolio competitions held in New York City, graduate program scholarship from Draffin & Tucker, LLP, and a tuition subsidy for his work provided as a graduate assistant for LCOBA. Mead recently had a research paper published with Dr. Ronald Stunda (Accounting professor at VSU) in New Accountant Magazine for their research conducted on their analysis of the growing schedule C tax gap (gap in tax liability that the IRS recognizes due to incorrectly or untimely filing of federal income taxes). PAST and PRESENT S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 27