Kathryn Martell, PhD Dean College of Business Shaw-Smyser 125 509.963.1990 martellk@cwu.edu

In her words (January 2013): Hello Students and Alumni. I joined Central in July 2012 as the new dean of the College of Business. Before coming to Ellensburg, I lived in NJ--my home state--for 10 years. I've also lived in the Washington DC area for 10 years and the St. Louis area for 11 years. You can see a pattern here--10 year chapters! In addition to the deanship, I also am a professor of management. I haven't had the opportunity to teach at CWU yet, but when I do, my areas are Strategic Management and International Business.

I am the mother of 2 daughters, Sarah (20, studying at NYU) and Maureen (18, high school senior), and we have 2 cats (Skylar and Sammy) and 1 dog (Belle).

I recently was married to my high school sweetheart--we were reunited after 30+ years. I will keep my maiden name (Martell) in my professional life, but use my husband's last name (Littel) socially.

We've been asked to select a few questions to answer, and these are the ones that I have chosen:

What do you think is the key to academic success?

Hard work--no doubt about it! You need to approach school as you would a serious job, and consistently apply yourself. Every week go to class, read the book, review your notes, and allow plenty of time for assignments.

Provide a useful interview tip

Preparation is key. Know all you can about the company, and be prepared to link your experience and education to company needs. Prepare some good questions. Look completely professional; you should have a suit you just wear for interviews and plan to spend at least $250 on your suit.What gives current graduates an ‘edge’ in today’s job market?

Internships

Students should place a high priority on working as interns, even if it requires financial sacrifice. It's an investment in your future. Good grades are also important in interviewing for your first job as many companies have a policy not to interview students without above a 3.0 or 3.5.