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  5. Welcome from the Chair

Welcome from the Chair

Dr. Chris Lawrey

Welcome to the Department of Economics, Finance and Real Estate!

Whether you are exploring potential majors or looking to advance your career, I invite you to discover the exceptional opportunities available in our department. We offer a rigorous academic foundation paired with hands-on, real-world experiences designed to prepare you for high-impact leadership roles across banking, finance and the real estate industry.

At South, our faculty are deeply committed to classroom excellence, groundbreaking research and connecting our students directly with industry leaders.

 

Dynamic Academic Programs

Our department offers two primary undergraduate majors designed to match your specific career ambitions:

  • Economics & Finance: Choose between two specialized tracks:
    • Economics: Focus on how individuals, firms, and governments make strategic choices regarding scarce resources.
    • Finance: Delve into corporate financial management, investments, and financial institutions to master the flow of capital in global markets.
  • Real Estate: Students will build a solid foundation in core principles such as property management, valuation, investments, development and advisory services.

Real-World, Experiential Learning

We believe the best way to learn business is to practice it:

  • Jaguar Investment Fund (JIF): Manage a real-dollar portfolio as a student financial analyst, economist, accountant, or risk manager.
  • Bloomberg Terminal Certification: Gain hands-on mastery of industry-standard Wall Street technology embedded directly into our curriculum.
  • Internships: 100% of Mitchell College students graduate with real-world experience on their resume through our required internship program.

Active Student Leadership & Networking

  • Financial Management Association (FMA): Join an elite student chapter consistently awarded the Superior Chapter Designation (top 5% globally). Connect with industry leaders and have the opportunity to travel to major financial hubs like New York and Chicago.
  • Economics Society of South Alabama: Engage in lively discussions, guest lectures and networking events throughout the academic year.
  • Jaguar Real Estate Club: The Jaguar Real Estate Club is a launching pad for the next generation of real estate leaders, empowering fellow South students to explore real estate career paths, engage with industry professionals and ROAR across campus about the compelling value proposition of the Mitchell College real estate program.

A Proven Foundation for Career Success

Our graduates thrive in top-tier wealth management firms, commercial real estate firms, commercial banks, government agencies and multinational corporations. Many also leverage our programs as a springboard for graduate degree pathways across the nation.

Not a business major? A minor in economics, finance, or real estate provides a powerful competitive edge to degrees in engineering, computer science, political science and mathematics.

I welcome you to visit our offices, connect with our faculty and discover how our programs can launch your future.


Warm regards,

Dr. Chris Lawrey

Interim Chair
Department of Economics, Finance and Real Estate