Thomas Walter Center :: B-E-T

What the Deans say about the BET Minor:

"The graduates from this program have a competitive edge over other undergraduates. They enter the workplace on a fast track to success. I strongly encourage any qualified student to participate."

-Dr. Larry Benefield, Dean, Ginn College of Engineering, Auburn University.

What the Student Advisors in the two colleges say:

"The B-E-T minor is a custom-designed program to strengthen all College of Business majors in response to feedback from employers in the business community. The College of Business Academic Advisors join me in recommending this minor to all College of Business majors. If you have questions, please contact Professor Paul Swamidass, the director of the program, or see me or one of our Student Advisors."

-Dr. Gary L. Waters, Associate Dean, College of Business
Undergraduate Programs, Auburn University.

"Over the last six years, all engineering majors have benefited by enrolling in the BET program. Our student advisors are familiar with this program and recommend this minor strongly. If you have questions, contact Professor Paul Swamidass, the director of the BET program, or see me or one of our advisors in the Engineering Student Services office in Ramsey Hall."

-Director of Engineering Student Services, Ginn College of Engineering, Auburn University

A Note to Accounting Majors:

"The BET minor is an excellent opportunity for accounting majors to experience on campus what they will experience in their career. Accounting majors, who start the BET program in their sophomore year, can easily complete their accounting degree as well as their BET minor in four years while participating in the Public Accounting Internship in spring of their senior year. I recommend the BET minor to accounting majors. If you have any questions please speak to me or Dr. Paul Swamidass the director of the program."

-Dr. Norm Godwin, Director School of Accountancy, Auburn University

What the students say:

"I spent the summer interning for Morgan Keegan in Memphis, TN. I am a finance major, but the work I was doing consisted almost entirely of software development (which I have not taken any classes nor had much experience in). At the end of the internship I asked my boss what distinguished me from the other applicants and why I got the job. His reply was that the Business Engineering Technology Program interested him and made my resume stand out above the rest. Just wanted to thank you for running the program and share my success."

-John Neubauer, Finance major, Aug 2010.

"BET is a great opportunity for engineers to get real world experience while completing their undergraduate degree. Group projects require both business and engineering knowledge to solve problems forcing cooperation between disciplines."

-Justin Gorman, Ginn College of Engineering student in the BET program

"I worked closely with the business students to conduct market research and create a market plan. Once I was familiar with marketing, I created our five year cash flow projections. From this I saw the projected revenue coming in and the costs going out. As an Electrical Engineering student it allowed me to see the financial workings of our company for the next five years."

-Mallory Garver, Electrical Engineering.

"I learned that communication is the key for an effective team. Working with business students I had to learn how to communicate with others who had little or no knowledge of engineering terms or concepts. BET has given me the tool I will need to start my own engineering design firm after college. It has also given me the insight into the patent process which hopefully I can use to patent ideas I have now and ideas to come later."

-Ryan Hittie, Mechanical Engineering.

What the graduates say:

"BET minor helped me stand out from the crowd. Every interviewer asked me about it. Having a minor that is so unique made people remember who I was. Once on the job at UPS, a logistics company run by engineers, I realized how important it was that I learned to work cooperatively with people who think very differently.”

- Jennifer Foster, Marketing, 2004

"The decision to join BET was a life changing one that gave me the confidence to stretch myself to the limits. The skills that I have gained from BET and that I cultivated in my job have given me a global career. In the past few years I have worked in the US, France and now in Germany."

-Angela Murunga, Electrical Engineering, 2003

"As a business major, I have learned how economics, marketing, management, accounting and financial principles integrate with design and engineering fundamentals in practical, real-world applications. I would recommend the BET minor to business or engineering students who wish to build upon what they are learning in their major, and seek to differentiate themselves upon graduation."

-Ryan Priselac, Economics,2007.

"You have a great opportunity to learn project management and especially time management. If you have to spend an extra semester at Auburn in order to complete the program, it will be worth it. The opportunities you will have in BET can't be found in most engineering courses, and will be incredibly valuable to your future career in the industry."

-Kathryn Captain, Electrical Engineering.

Business-Engineering-Technology (B-E-T) Minor

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