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The Integrated Information Technology Program (iIT)—formerly Technology Support and Training Management—is part of USC‘s College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management. Students in the iIT program receive an in-depth background in information technologies in four major areas. These areas include computer networking, database systems, corporate training and development, and end-user support. In the computer networking area, students learn about networking theory, hardware, configuration, design, installation, and network operating system administration. In the database systems area, students learn to create and maintain databases through courses in Access, Visual Basic (for database integration), Oracle, and Systems Analysis and Design.  The training area covers both the human side of corporate training, as well as the technical side of training materials development. The final area emphasizes end-user support which includes help desk

To maximize the learning experience, all iIT students must complete a capstone course that incorporates all four core areas. In this course, student teams work with a real business, solve an actual system issue, and design the needed system. Additionally, they must complete an internship as a final requirement for the program. Students graduating from this program have a very diverse IT background and have obtained positions in a wide range of organizations ranging from Network Administrator to Database Administrator to Director of Information Technologies. The program places emphasis on technology-based decision making and information management skills in dynamic business environments.

Technology Support and Training Management Program gets new name
Technology Support and Training Management Program at the University of South Carolina has changed its name to Integrated Information Technology (iIT). The name change is effective immediately.

“The new name expresses what we do much better than the old name,” said Dr. Bob Brookshire, the Program’s Director. “Our curriculum and our faculty’s research integrate the disciplines of database management, network management, web development, and information technology training. The old name really reflected only part of what our program is about.”

Information technology industry executives support the name change. “I strongly endorse the name change,” said Andy Bernardin, Client Director with IBM. “I have found the faculty and staff to be in tune with the day-to-day information technology needs business have in South Carolina. They have been proactive in helping to meet those needs by producing quality students and programs.”

Steve Wiggins, chief information officer for BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, agrees. “We have witnessed the transformation of this program to one of the leading university programs in producing the type of candidates that are most needed by IT businesses,” he said. “This will bring the appropriate level of attention to this program through the clarity established between the name and the focus of the program.”

The name change was approved by the State of South Carolina’s Commission on Higher Education at its March 24 meeting.

For more information on the Integrated Information Technology Program, contact Bob Brookshire at brookshire@sc.edu or visit the website at http://iit.sc.edu.

Congratulations to TSTM faculty member, Dr. Peter Cardon, who was elected to the board of the Association for Business Communication. Dr. Cardon has also recently been awarded the College of HRSM Study Abroad Internal Grant.  He will receive funding to develop a Maymester course in India on the topic of Information Technology.

2010 Spring Break Study Abroad in the Dominican Republic a Success
The service trip to the Dominican Republic was part of an 8-week course in intercultural communication (TSTM 590R) taught by Dr. Peter Cardon in the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management. For photos from this year's trip, click here. Click here to learn more about the program.

Congratulations to Dr. Lynn Keane who was presented with the SCBEA Teacher Educator Award for 2009-2010 by the South Carolina Business Education Association at its meeting last week. The award is presented to a university educator for contributions in preparing teachers to teach business education in South Carolina.

Congratulations to John Gerdes who is one of the winners of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) awards, as announced by the Provost on 1/6/10. John will be recognized, along with the other winners, at the February 3 Faculty Senate meeting. (more)

Tena Crews received the Southern Business Education Association's Outstanding Leadership Award for 2009. This award is the oldest and most prestigious of those given by the SBEA. Previous winners include Dean Emeritus Pat Moody (1996).

Dr. Tena Crews and Johanna Bodenhamer published an article, "Preparing Student Teaching Interns: Advice from Current Business Educators," in the The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. Johanna is teacher at Saluda High School and a recent graduate of the MAT Program in Business Education.

The Palmetto Open Source Software Conference (POSSCON), co-sponsored by the TSTM Program, received the Palmetto Pillar Award from the Columbia Chamber of Commerce Information Technnology Council. For more information on POSSCON, go to http://www.posscon.org.

Dr. Karen Patten received the "Best Practitioner-Oriented Paper" Award at the America's Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) meeting in San Francisco August 8th. Her paper was selected from among 1,070 papers presented at the conference. Titled "How CIOs Use Flexibility to Manage Uncertainty in Dynamic Business Environments," the paper was written with Jerry Fjermestand and Brian Whitworth. To read the paper, click (here).

Click here for a video introduction to TSTM student service learning projects
(Windows WMV)