Business is Looking Up for New Professor

David L. Anderson, associate professor of economics and business, says he is joining Westmont at an exciting time in the college’s history. “You want to join an organization that’s moving up, not one that’s slipping,” he says. “The important news of moving to 76 in the Forbes’ listing and 90 in the U.S. News and World Report underscores the critical strides the college is making in so many areas. It’s exciting to be a part of this forward movement.”

Anderson, who has worked in strategic planning and technology for BlueCross/BlueShield of Illinois, Hewitt Associates, IBM and Andersen Consulting, has written several textbooks, including “Entrepreneurship and Technology,” “Marketing with Web 2.0: Social Networking and Viral Marketing,” “Management Information Systems: Solving Business Problems with Information Technology” and its accompanying casebook

Before coming to Westmont, he taught full time at Trinity International University and Wheaton College. While working in industry, he taught part time at DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern Universities.

Since graduating from Wheaton, he has earned his juris doctor from George Washington University, a master of business administration from the University of Michigan, a doctor of education in administration, planning and social policy at Harvard University and a master of science in computer science from Northwestern University. He is a member of the Ohio, District of Columbia, federal, and U.S. Supreme Court bars.

Anderson says Westmont’s commitment to its five planks, liberal arts, Christian, residential, undergraduate and global, appealed to him.

“With so many colleges trying so many new avenues to attract students it’s wonderful to be at a place that works hard to develop a comprehensive, integrated student experience,” he says. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to work collaboratively with professors and students. In preparing for business careers, students need to work together as an integrated team, drawing on the expertise of people on campus. This approach helps business students formulate cases, papers and technology.

“Westmont is a wonderful undergraduate institution because it has focused on undergraduate liberal arts student learning rather than a conglomeration of MBA, online and extension programs.”

This semester, Anderson is teaching Principles of Marketing and Society, Morality and Enterprise. “Students here are committed, gracious and apply their faith,” he says. “When they go into business, they are going to operate as individuals of conscience and compassion.”

Anderson says Westmont’s economics/business students are already taking challenging courses and studying in international programs. He hopes to guide them to utilize technology and other resources on campus to graduate with a complete portfolio of business projects and skills. “We want students to apply for positions with an online collection of business cases, well-written articles and a video or graphic piece that demonstrates what they have accomplished while at Westmont,” he says.