Business students celebrate book publication

Morgan Smith, Contributing Writer 

Last spring, Dr. Daryl Green, the holder of the Dickinson Chair of Business, gave his students a unique challenge in his personal sales and sales management class:  write a book in two months and publish it in six. 

His students were able to meet his challenge and published 101 Questions to Ask Your Professor.   

A book signing was held on Monday, Sept. 18, in the Bailey Business Center to celebrate the book’s publication. It is currently available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and other book retailers.  

The students who co-authored the book were Connelly Rader, Jessica Schooler, Mckenzie Lumry, Emmalee Ewbank, Samuel Guillaume, Daniel Maranell, Zachary Romoser, Jacob Vanderslice, and Michael Vetter. 

As the title suggests, their book provides tips to help students develop meaningful relationships with their professors, something Dr. Green and his students agree is critical to success in college. 

“So many times I see students, even in my classroom, head in the wrong direction, and a lot of times, if nothing else, just a small discussion with their professors—if they’re having personal issues or things going on in life—a lot of times that can be alleviated with just talking to the professor,” Dr. Green said. “I think it’s just important to have someone on your side.” 

Each student wrote about the professors who have inspired them, including Dr. Alan Bandy, Professor Stepen Draper, Professor Benjamin Baxter, Dr. Vickie Ellis and others. 

All proceeds from the book will go to the university.  Copies of the book will also be given to the OBU library, the Success Center and all of the professors involved. 

Paul Roberts, the vice president for information integration and CIO Dean of the Library, gave a blessing for the books at the signing, before it was introduced by Dr. Green. 

Schooley, Lumry, Maranell and Rader took questions from the audience, and thanked the professors who helped them write it. 

“I feel like something I get inspiration from is my relationship with my professors,” Rader said. “In college, it really does make an impact on how you experience class.” 

Dr. Green and the students also thanked business owner John Heath, and senior vice president for advancement and university relations, Will Smallwood, for providing financial support for the project.   

Dr. Pam Robinson, the dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was also thanked for her support. 

The students admitted that they were surprised when they were first asked to write the book, but ultimately excited. They decided to write the book in sections, with different chapters assigned to different students. 

“Everyone would send them to Jess, and she would put them all together,” Lumly said. 

The students originally intended to have the book signing in May, but Rader said they developmental issues along the way that pushed the book’s publication back to August. 

However, Dr. Green said he was impressed by the students’ results. 

“It’s always interesting to see what the end product is going to be, so I was amazed,” Dr. Green said.  

Personal sales and sales management is available to students each spring. Dr. Green said he hopes to make the book assignment a yearly tradition. 

“I think Oklahoma Baptist University is a great university at providing the liberal arts experience that gives them the opportunity to do creative, out of the box thinking,” he said. “I would like students to have the opportunity to take a business course and learn something, and we’ll be glad to have them.”