PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University alumna Bettie Steiger is returning to campus today (Sept. 15) and Tuesday to be the first Dean’s Distinguished Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the College of Business and Economics.
“We are very honored that Bettie is our inaugural distinguished entrepreneur-in-residence,” said CBE Dean Len Jessup. “She is a steadfast friend of the university and the college. Selecting her was a natural choice, and her lifetime of entrepreneurial achievements is a perfect fit for this program. We are very excited that she will be on campus for two days to share her insights and experiences with our students and faculty.”
Steiger was named WSU’s Woman of the Year in March in recognition of her career accomplishments, commitment to volunteer service and mentoring of other up-and-coming women. From Kellogg, Idaho, she earned her WSU bachelor’s degree in political science in 1956, a master’s degree in secondary education in 1957 and her executive MBA from Harvard University in 1987. Her husband, Don, also graduated from WSU in 1956 in geology, and served a 30-year career with the U.S. Army, retiring as a colonel in 1989.
Recognized as a futurist for leading edge concepts, she is currently president of Steiger Associates, specializing in management consulting and strategic marketing. She has 25 years experience in the information/computer industry at Source Telecomputing Corp., Videotex, Reference Technology, and the Association for Information & Image Management. She spent 10 years in marketing at Xerox.
In 1989, she received an Alumni Achievement Award from WSU, and from 1993-98 she served on the WSU Foundation board of trustees.
Jessup said the Dean’s Distinguished Entrepreneur-in-Residence program was created to bring together tomorrow’s entrepreneurs with those who have already made their mark. The program is also in line with an elevating emphasis on entrepreneurism in the business college and at the university.
“It is critical that students learn to think entrepreneurially, ‘outside the box,’ not only in class but as a way of life,” he said. “Entrepreneurism is also something that faculty can embrace. For example, they can restructure their pedagogy so that they plan courses and teach in creative, modern ways.
“Our graduates should go into their careers excited and armed with the right tools to be leaders and innovators. Entrepreneurs-in-residence, such as Bettie Steiger, can inspire them.”
