COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

 

Louisiana Tech University Doctor of Business Administration Association

The Doctor of Business Administration Association at Louisiana Tech University serves College of Business doctoral students by fostering bonds among peers, maintaining a culture of cooperation and creating opportunities where students can grow and thrive. DBA students learn and work in a nurturing environment, receiving mentorship from seasoned professors who share a desire to see their students succeed. The DBA Association operates as a supplemental student organization that provides resources in unreached places—the need for a helpful teaching tool, the call for a celebration, the lonely student working in the office lamplight while the rest of the community sleeps. Our organization remains powered by students who understand the struggles and triumphs that come with pursuing a doctoral degree. Our goals surround the enhancement of the graduate work environment and student well being. We aim to help colleagues achieve their best selves—no matter the routes they take or the passions they follow.

Building Connections

After an academic quarter or two, doctoral students may find that their most valuable resource stems from friendships with classmates and fellow cohorts. The DBA Association believes in encouragement before criticism and cooperation over competition. Doctoral peers understand one another in a way unfathomable to others outside of the academic realm. We work to establish and maintain a culture of support by organizing annual events to help members relax and mingle. Events like our fall quarter cookout, holiday parties and end-of-the-year celebration build stronger connections among members and lead to bonds that last long after graduation.

Providing Support

In the Louisiana French culture, one will often hear the word “lagniappe,” meaning a little something extra. The College of Business ensures each student receives the educational and financial resources needed to flourish. The DBA Association offers a “lagniappe” for members to achieve even more. Through grant applications and professor-student collaboration, our organization provides additional resources like office equipment, quarterly lunches, and the chance to receive funding for conferences, academic memberships and data collection services. We also bridge DBA students with other University giving circles by applying for support to satisfy various needs. The DBA Association works with professors to host seminars throughout the academic year that equip members with skills they can use to further their research and teaching. In addition, we lend support by acting as a voice for all DBA students in light of important issues or representational matters.

Leading the Next Generation

Entering the first year of a doctoral program can feel like being a fish out of water. The DBA Association cultivates a first-year experience that clears the blurry state between being not just a student, but not yet a professor. Our organization helps first-year students navigate the labyrinth of scientific thinking and unspoken expectations. We hold the short-term goal of presenting a crisper picture of what it means to be a doctoral student. Our organization also holds the long-term goal of laying a solid foundation for future incoming scholars. At the beginning of the academic year, the DBA Association assists with organizing and hosting DBA orientation. We ensure each student has a workspace and basic toolkit to start their first week. In the everyday environment, DBA upperclassmen guide younger students by lending advice on projects and sharing experiences. Our culture of mentorship is more than an expectation—it’s a tradition.

Click here to learn more about current doctoral students.