Dean Charles Williams
Lexington, KY – Midway College has launched the School of Business, Equine and Sport Studies joining the schools of Health Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences at the institution.
"In central Kentucky, the equine and sports industries are large segments of the economy. As Midway College looked to the future direction of our degree programs, a natural merger took place among some of our existing offerings that now gives the College a new positioning power and offers great value to our students," said Dr. John Marsden, President, Midway College.
The new School of Business, Equine and Sport Studies will be led by Dr. Charles Williams, who comes to Midway College with experience in higher education administration. Williams holds doctorates in business and engineering and has previously served as an academic dean at the University of the Virgin Islands, East Texas Baptist University and Troy University. He has over 20 publications in circulation and is qualified to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in eight subject areas. In addition, he has spent several years working with the business aspects of the oil industry and is a licensed farrier.
Midway, which sits on a working horse farm will use the new school to create a close connection to boarding and breeding operations, therapy centers, equine association headquarters, and animal health companies gives the Midway’s equine studies students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the industry and apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. Midway graduates have gone onto careers in sales and racing, breeding, herd management and other positions in the equine industry.
"We have well-established business and equine studies degree programs and a fast-growing sport management program," said Dr. Laura Armesto, provost and VP of academic affairs at Midway College. "When looking at the regional market in and around Lexington these are natural programs for our school to offer. What we are doing now is consolidating these great programs under one unit on campus for more collaboration, taking the strengths of each program and using them to enhance others."