Business
Bachelor of Arts Major & Minor
In an increasingly complicated world, we need empowered entrepreneurs who can solve challenges and answer tough questions. Can we meet the needs of all people equitably? What is the business case for sustainability?
Our interdisciplinary business program integrates sustainability and social responsibility throughout a traditional business curriculum, rooted in the liberal arts. You’ll become a leader in sustainable social entrepreneurship, prepared to create a positive net impact in your community.
You’ll study the theories and practice of management, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, sustainability, accounting, economics, data science, finance, marketing, and leadership, culminating in a consulting project to solve a real business problem for your capstone.
Why study Business at Warren Wilson?
- Hands-on Training: Job specific and transferable skills are intentionally scaffolded into the major to promote your success. Through our Work Program and community engaged courses, you’ll develop effective personal and community leadership skills while developing your civic identity as a business leader.
- Create Your Own Focus: If you want to manage a human services nonprofit, your electives can be in Social Work. If you want to start an outdoor adventure company, you can take electives in Outdoor Leadership. You’ll develop well rounded knowledge in the sector where your interest lies.
- Career Ready: Through career-coaching, mentoring, alumni networks, an integrated internship, and applied Senior Capstone, you’ll have the career readiness skills employers are seeking.
- Business for Good: You will cultivate practices to ensure that making a profit is not at the expense of our environment or other people’s wellbeing.
Every student will complete community-engaged coursework, an internship, and original research as part of their major
A Sample of Our Partnerships
- Drop of Sun
- Energy Savers
- YMCA of Asheville
- Blunt Pretzels
- Grassroots Alliance Partnership
See how Business students put our education into action
Internship
Esther Afrane (she/her) cycled through the full range of Human Resource activities as an intern at Borg Warner. She engaged in special projects and provided general support in employee engagement, branding initiatives, and HR communications.
Community Engaged Course
Social entrepreneurship is the practice of using innovative, sustainable, and entrepreneurial strategies to address social challenges. In this course, you’ll combine theory with experiential learning as you partner with community organizations and solve real-world problems.
Work
You can work on any crew as a student but many Business majors choose to be on crews such as:
- Business
- Athletics
- Admissions
- Accounting
- Farm
Study Abroad
Iceland’s approach to sustainable tourism is globally recognized. In the course Sustainable Tourism Practices in Iceland, students explore the balance between environmental conservation and the demands of a rapidly growing tourism industry. By combining pre-departure academic preparation, immersive on-site experiences in Iceland, and reflective activities, this course fosters an interdisciplinary understanding of global tourism challenges and solutions.
Research
The Foundry Hotel, and many other hospitality companies, suffered significant financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coming out of the pandemic, they aimed to increase employee retention and keep them satisfied in a world where work-life balance mattered more than ever. Alex Mottershead, Izzy Donahue, and Shawn Austin researched and analyzed various approaches to employee satisfaction, including the four-day workweek model and accessibility to career development, as well as what approaches other countries are taking.
Popular Courses
Contemporary Sports Management
Are you considering a career as an athletic director, team manager or owner, sports agent or recruiter, or a marketing and public relations professional for an athletic franchise? In this course, you’ll get an overview of the sport business industry and examine the principles of athletic business and entertainment management in sports. You’ll focus on the business principles of collegiate and professional sports, with additional focus on leadership in athletics and diversity and ethical issues in sports.
Economics of Climate Change
In this course, we’ll build appreciation for the economics of climate change and develop skills to communicate clearly about social and economic impacts. You’ll gain a fundamental understanding of the relationship between humans and the environment, with a focus on climate change, economic policy, and insights.
Cross-Cultural Organizational Behavior
Managers face opportunities and dilemmas when working in diverse and global environments. The course is designed to increase your effectiveness in identifying, understanding, and managing the cultural components of management, recognizing cultural differences in managerial style, communicating across cultures, creating cultural synergy, managing globally competent people, managing ethically across cultures, and understanding, managing, and valuing diversity.
Wendy Seligmann, MBA
Research Interests
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Sustainable Business
- Conscious Capitalism
“Warren Wilson students are drawn to lives of purpose. There is nothing I love more than helping a student find ways to connect their head and heart, that is, to discover how they want to make meaning and change in the world.”
Justinn Steffe, MBA
Research Interests
- Behavioral Finance
- Real Estate Finance
- Diversity and Inclusion within College and Professional Sports
“This is a community where students, faculty and staff can explore a wide range of interests. It’s exciting to work with students on issues where they are passionate and help them fuse these interests with education, community engagement and work experience.”
Jack Igelman, MS
Research Interests
- Climate change
- The economics of public land and forests
- The economics of less developed nations
“The commitment by Warren Wilson staff and faculty to provide our students with meaningful, hands-on learning is unmatched in higher education. Our approach provides students an opportunity to explore, create, and think critically about the world and to become well-rounded thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators. ”
“My experience at Warren Wilson allowed me to learn the value and importance of diversity and connecting with people who may not look or think like myself. I continue to reflect on my Warren Wilson experience and how it plays a part in where I am currently and how I think.”
Brenton Davis
(he/him)
People & Culture Specialist for the Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury
Major, Minor, Concentration, Crews
- Business Major
- Crew: College Store
“My studies taught me how to ask questions and connect knowledge across different disciplines, finding links between areas and disciplines. I now apply that same mindset to helping German companies expand to the U.S., adapting to the ever-changing market. By asking the right questions and uncovering patterns through an intersectional lens, I bring creative solutions to problem-solving and help the market entry team scale and improve.”
Sophia Huang
(she/her)
Market Entry Specialist at the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S.
Major, Minor, Concentration, Crews
- Double Major in Business and Sociology/Anthropology
- Crews: Student Activities, The Echo Newspaper
“During my time at Warren Wilson, I had to balance multiple responsibilities—especially when tax day and midterms were close together. Managing academic deadlines while handling important office tasks taught me how to be proactive and stay organized under pressure. Those experiences helped shape my ability to multitask and prioritize effectively, skills that I now apply daily in my role as a Business Analyst in a fast-paced startup environment.”
Leo Borges
(he/him)
Business Analyst at Wham Bam Systems
Major, Minor, Concentration, Crews
- Business Major
- Data Science Minor
- Crew: Accounting
Where Our Business Graduates Go
- Omni Grove Park Inn
- Mendoza Ventures
- Jiva Kimya Ltd.
- Dogwood Trust
- North Carolina Central University
- University of Tennessee
- Suffolk University Sawyer Business School
Many Warren Wilson alumni are entrepreneurs. Our alumni business directory showcases alumni-owned businesses.
