GAFFNEY, SC (courtesy limestone.edu) — The nearly 700-mile distance between Limestone College and the New York Stock Exchange will seem much shorter this fall.
When they arrive on campus in August, Limestone’s Business and Economics students will not be ringing the opening bell on Wall Street, but they will be walking into the new Vera Jones Mitchell Finance Lab that will be located inside Montgomery Hall.
The state-of-the-art, glass-encased facility will include technological tools such as 14 new financial analysis platform computer terminals, an electronic LED stock ticker, an interactive flat panel display, and more, all to enable students to monitor and analyze near real-time data from the financial market.
Construction inside Montgomery Hall is expected to begin in the coming weeks and should be completed in time for the start of the 2018-2019 academic year.
“The Vera Jones Mitchell Finance Lab will enhance learning and research capabilities by providing Limestone students hands-on experience with the tools needed to compete in the fast-paced world of financial markets,” said Dr. Michael Scharff, the Chair of the Business Department and a Professor of Management. “It will also provide access to the same financial market data, news, research, and analytics accessed around the clock by investment institutions, banks, and news organizations worldwide.”
“This advanced learning environment is being designed to integrate investment education, financial research, and professional practice,” he continued. “As both a classroom and a laboratory, the lab will provide Limestone graduates with a competitive edge as they seek jobs in the business and investments industries.”
A lead investment has been made for the project by Vera and her husband, Sidney, and corporate and foundation partners are expected to be announced soon.
Naming opportunities are available, and additional funding is still being sought for scholarships and for enhancements to the lab. Those interested are asked to contact Kelly Curtis, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, at (864) 488-4601 or by emailing kcurtis@limestone.edu.
A current member of the Limestone Board of Trustees, Vera Jones Mitchell is a 1965 graduate of Limestone College. A former teacher, she resides with her husband in Greenville.
“The lab will be an extension of Limestone’s philosophy to give students the real world experience employers are seeking in today’s competitive job market,” noted Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker. “The skills that the students will achieve by utilizing the Vera Jones Mitchell Finance Lab will be invaluable to their careers.”
Details on endowed scholarships planned in conjunction with the new finance lab will be announced in the near future, Parker added.
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Board of Commissioners awarded Limestone College accreditation of its Business programs last year. Of the current 746 ACBSP accredited schools, less than six percent have the type of finance lab that Limestone will open in the fall.
Limestone’s Business program currently offers concentrations in Accounting, Economics, Finance, General Business, Legal, Management, and Marketing, as well as an MBA program with concentrations in Management & Leadership and Healthcare Administration.
“The breadth of Limestone’s Business programs creates highly educated and skilled professionals for the financial services workforce,” Parker said. “We are thrilled to partner with the Mitchell Family and our other stakeholders to give our students and professors access to the same data relied on by leading business and financial professionals around the globe.”