Business & Economics
What is your passion in life? In the business & economics department, we will help you find your passion while preparing you for professional success.
One of the cornerstones of our philosophy is learning by doing. Students participate in internships and other extended classroom experiences that bring their coursework to life and challenge them to creatively address real-world problems.
As a business & economics student at Johnson State College, you will develop practical and marketable skills. Skills that will allow you to live out your passion — whether you dream of starting a business in rural Vermont or traveling the world in the hospitality industry.
Putting a JSC Business Education to Work
One of the key outcomes for JSC business management students is to "master the core principles necessary to start, operate and manage a business." Jared Thomas '06 and Jamie Thompson '07 have taken this statement of purpose to heart.
Jared and Jamie are co-owners of Acute Technology, which provides IT services such as Web design and hosting, software upgrades and computer installations. Acute opened its doors for business in Morrisville, Vt., in October 2006.
It's not often that entrepreneurs launch a business so early in life. However, Jared and Jamie had some experience working in their industry and believed they could succeed striking out on their own. Professor Norm McElvany provided encouragement, helped them develop a business plan and even joined their advisory board.
Over their first five years, Jared and Jamie hope to expand throughout northern and central Vermont and hire 10-20 employees. Creating new jobs for area residents is something that excites them both.
"That was one of the problems I faced when I graduated — finding employment as a skilled laborer," says Jared. "I like the idea that we're helping to build a better, more advanced kind of economy that will produce more job opportunities within the state."
Professor McElvany, who still serves on Acute's advisory board, looks forward to monitoring the duo's progress.
"It's fun to watch two partners in a startup who have vision like Jared and Jamie do," says Professor McElvany. "They have great business and technical skills — which they got from their education here — and I'm confident that they have a bright future."
Student Profile
Lindsey Lehouillier
JSC's small class sizes attracted Lindsey...
Department News
- Norman McElvany supervised student teams working for two local businesses in Lamoille County this semester. More
- 4/22/09Nonprofit Management Seminar: Social Networking with Steve Ames and Warren Ramsey. 3 - 4:30 pm in Stearns Stage Space. Call Renate Callahan at 635-1339 for more info. Download a flyer here