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Kateryna V (Ligon) Pitchford is an Associate Professor of Business at Central Baptist College, and she is one of our many outstanding faculty members. Here is how Dr. Pitchford creates academic excellence in the Business Department.
From the Ukraine to the U.S.
I am originally from Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine where I was born and raised. Ukraine is one of the former Soviet Union Republics. I moved to the United States in 2004.
I am married to Jeff Pitchford and have two daughters, Elizabeth (12) and Sophia (10).
My Academic Journey
I am fluent in three languages: English, Russian, and Ukrainian. I graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Labor Economics degree from Dnipropetrovsk National University, Ukraine; received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas; and obtained a Graduate Certificate in Sociology from the Appalachian State University in North Carolina.
In October 2016, I defended my dissertation entitled “MEASURING FOLLOWERSHIP: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE KELLY FOLLOWERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE-REVISED” as a requirement to obtain a Ph.D. in Leadership at the University of Central Arkansas.
Arriving at CBC
In July 2015, I began my career at Central Baptist College as an Assistant Professor of Business. I teach Principles of Management, Principles of Marketing, International Business, Business Communications, Consumer Behavior, Advertising & Promotion, Retailing, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management classes.
I serve as a Rotoract sponsor at CBC, which is a college/young adult civic organization offered through Rotary International. Additionally, I had the privilege to serve as the Faculty Council Moderator (2018-2020) representing the faculty council at CBC.
Class Adaptations During the Pandemic
I truly believe that CBC’s PACE (Professional Adult College Education) program prepared our faculty, and the college, for an easy transition to a hybrid class format during these challenging times. The PACE program has been in existence for 20 years and has utilized ZOOM technology for some time.
All four of the classes I am teaching this semester are taught as a hybrid course, which means students can attend in person (space is limited based on the classroom size) or online through Zoom. If a student is unable to Zoom in, he or she can watch the class session recorded on Canvas. At CBC we use Canvas, which is a Learning Management platform, so all my classes are structured the same to make it more manageable for students.
During this academic year (and facing uncertainty due to the COVID-19 issue) I am personally challenging myself to provide a highly organized course structure to my students. I want to minimize their stress by making it easy to follow along regardless of how the course work is delivered.
An Example Week
Each week students listen to the lecture, read the textbook, participate in a discussion, and take an online quiz. Additionally, students work on several major assignments throughout the semester. So, each Monday, weekly content is available to students; the discussion questions and quizzes are always due by Sunday.
A Challenging, Engaging, and Inspiring Classroom Experience
Each semester I strive to make my classes CHALLENGING, ENGAGING, AND INSPIRING by creating assignments that require critical thinking, research, and analytics.
I strive to bridge textbook theory with practice using testimonies and business practices of local businesses and well-known global companies. In addition, I encourage students to assess their skills realistically and to build upon their strengths while improving their weaknesses before entering the professional business world.
Classroom Project Examples
Every year my students have an opportunity to work on a project in collaboration with a local business(es). Last fall my marketing students had the privilege to work on introducing a new barn wood product made by the Emerge Surfacescapes to the local market (Conway ACE Hardware Store) through a partnership with Dave Creek Media.
This year my Marketing students will work with a local swim school, Safety Before Skill, which has been delivering one on one swim classes in Arkansas for the last 10 years. Students will work in teams on a Safety Before Skill Marketing Campaign by creating weekly posts for several social media platforms.
Partnerships with Conway Businesses
I am proud to be a part of the Conway Community, where local businesses are open to partnerships with local colleges to enhance student learning. I enjoy working with local business leaders developing such projects and facilitating them in the CBC classroom. As a result, students gain practical experience that they can include on their resumes.
Dedicated to Delivering Academic Excellence Despite the Pandemic
Regardless of the circumstances, here at CBC, we are dedicated to delivering a great academic experience for our students.
This fall semester I keep reminding my students of this Bible verse: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Written by Kateryna (Ligon) Pitchford, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Business
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