AVONDALE, Arizona – This fall semester, Business students at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges, will have a competitive edge to supplement their classroom learning. Through the EMCC Business Institute, students have access to many extracurricular advantages, including participating in a nationally recognized DECA club.
Jarrett Hickman, an EMCC business adjunct faculty and DECA advisor, was named as one of the fifteen 2015 Collegiate DECA Association Chapter Advisors of the Year, out of 5,500 advisors internationally.
DECA, previously known as Delta Epsilon Chi and Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a very new addition to the EMCC Business Institute, and to Jarrett’s portfolio, making the recognition all that more remarkable.
Walking the talk of entrepreneurship, EMCC Business Institute faculty Jarrett Hickman, Dr. Sylvia Ong and Clarissa Davis-Ragland decided to create a new DECA, linked to the existing student business club, at the start of spring 2015 semester.
They immediately enrolled 20 student members and Hickman was named primary advisor, and in three months, he was able to coach and prepare four students for DECA competitions. One of those competitors qualified for nationals at the 2015 Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida.
According to Hickman, his freal award is working with students, and to continue to carry out his purpose in life and passion for business, which is to help people add value to their lives.
“One word says it all - heart. I heart (love) DECA because, in my educational philosophy, it gives students a forum and platform to practice and hone their business acumen, in real business settings,” said Hickman.
In addition to the presentations, simulations, case studies and community service, DECA allows participants to build a portfolio of business highlights that can be leveraged for things like job opportunities, bank financing and/or many other business opportunities in the future.
Awards are presented to advisors who demonstrate excellence in integrating DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program into classroom learning, preparing student members for careers, incorporating new technology into the curriculum, driving student members to excel and improve their performance, and connecting with programs in the community.
“DECA is an opportunity that one can rarely experience anywhere else as it pertains to practice and development of relevant business skills,” said Hickman. “I believe that is what makes the DECA experience so unique.”
There are more than 15,000 members on 275 college campuses across the world, preparing for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship.
The EMCC Business Institute offers associate degrees in business, accountancy and organizational management. Certificates in accountancy, banking and finance, customer service management, organizational management, retail management and small business management are also offered.