WSU Benefactors Scott and Linda Carson Honored at Carson Center Open House Oct. 14

PULLMAN, Wash.—An open house following the grand opening ceremonies for the Washington State University Scott and Linda Carson Center for Professional Development will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday (Oct. 14) in Todd Hall, Room 101, on the Pullman campus.

The public is welcome to tour the new facility that will serve thousands of students and help ready them for the work world.

Special guests will be Scott and Linda Carson and their family. He is the executive vice president of sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

The Carsons’ impact on education at WSU has been strongly felt for a number of years through their support of students in the College of Business and Economics, the College of Engineering and Architecture and university-wide. Examples of their dedication include their creation of the Carson Family Endowed Scholarship in the CBE, Scott Carson’s service as chair of the CBE National Board of Advisors and his service on the CEA advisory board and on the board of governors of the WSU Foundation.

Last Friday (Oct. 7) the Carsons made a gift of $500,000 to the college in support of the new endowed chair in marketing that bears their name along with that of his employer of more than 30 years, Boeing. They are also benefactors to the university, a designation given to those making lifetime gifts totaling $100,000 and above.

“Thanks to the incredible generosity and vision of benefactors Scott and Linda Carson, students using the Carson Center for Professional Development will have access to the latest tools to build and sharpen their personal and professional skills as they prepare to enter the workforce,” said CBE Dean Eric Spangenberg. “We welcome the campus and community to join us for an open house to celebrate this outstanding facility and its programs and the Carson family who made it possible.”

The Carson Center was built and completed this year as a place where business, engineering and other students can learn to write effective resumes, participate in a variety of skill-building workshops, practice giving professional-quality presentations and take part in mock interviews with visiting executives. A library of tutorial DVDs is available as well as a bank of trade and business publications and job search resources. A full-time professional staff and specially trained student aides are available to assist those who use the center.

“The Carson Center signals to students that our college and university, alumni and corporate partners believe in them and that there is a whole community working as a team to open doors for our students and graduates as they enter the working world,” says Janel Lang, Carson Center director.

The Boeing/Scott and Linda Carson Endowed Chair in Marketing will be filled by a professor who is an eminent researcher and teacher with strong ties to business. This is the first such position in the Department of Marketing. It will be the fourteenth endowed chair and distinguished professorship to be filled in the college.

Carson is an alumnus of the business college and formerly served his company as president of Connexion by Boeing previous to his current role. He is the Boeing executive focal point for WSU, connecting employees with students as mentors. He has also been a key member of the team that created the Boeing Wireless Classroom of the Future in the college as well as the operation of the university’s Boeing Scholars Program.