Professor Shelly Gardner
Business Administration
B.A. University of South Dakota
M.B.A. University of South Dakota

Why did you study business?
I studied business because women were on the cusp of playing an important role in large corporations and I knew that I could make a difference. I loved my accounting courses, and I often spent time with sorority sisters helping them with their homework.

Did you work in the "real world"? Why did you become a professor?
After college I started my career at Norwest Bank (now Wells Fargo) and flourished as a banker. I truly was a young female at the right place at the right time for a wonderful career. After fifteen successful years, I had the opportunity to work for one of my best banking clients and assist their family business in a transition from the second generation to the third generation. That experience was immeasurable for my life goal of becoming a college professor. While in college, I had a professor who truly made a difference in my life. He made the text books come to life with stories from his career. He also showed his students that he cared about each one of us. I have always wanted to be like that professor and make a difference in someone's life.

So how did life's path lead you to Augustana?
My older brother attended Augustana and he has a great love for this institution. I have always held the school in high regard. I am also strong in my faith and feel that it is important to be able to talk about what it means to be a Christian and still be a successful business person.

Why should a student study business at Augustana?
There are two very strong reasons to study business at Augustana. The first is our Christian heritage. I feel it is important to teach strong ethics, especially today when we read about slipping morals in the headlines. It is not right to cheat people, but greed leads people to bad decisions. Our students will have a solid, principled background that will help them make the right decisions. The second reason is the liberal arts foundation that our students have. I believe that our liberal arts education gives our students a much better grasp on critical thinking and the ability to take a problem and break it apart, solve it, and put it back together again.

President Oliver (a former business department faculty member) often refers to the city of Sioux Falls as our "laboratory". How is this true for business majors?
This is a great secret. Sioux Falls is an incredible place to do business. Our city has some of the TOP employers in the nation. We have the Good Samaritan Society, the largest assisted care facility in the nation, two large regional hospitals, LodgeNet, Citibank, and Wells Fargo, to just name a few of the big business names that we have located in our safe community of 150,000 people. The best part of this story is that the professors in our department interact with the business community on a regular basis and know the "players" by first name.

So, parents can send their children to a superior college, in a city that has first-class employers and very low crime. Our students have excellent internship opportunities at these employers and many more. We also have a placement rate of 99% upon graduation.

Is study abroad important for business students?
Yes, the world is one market place and it is much easier for students to recognize that if they have been out of the country. Study abroad is not a requirement, but something that I ask students to consider when they start at Augustana. If they are interested, we want to plan it in their education to maximize the benefits.

What are some of your interests outside of Augustana?
I like to play tennis, I have lots of friends that I love to get together and gossip (Desperate Housewives with less drama) and I love to garden in the summer.

Which five music cd's are in your car right now?
This will show my age. Queen, Eva Cassidy, James Taylor, Norah Jones, Vivaldi

Do you interact with students outside the classroom?
Yes, I am the advisor for SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise). I also love to go to sporting events and plays to see our students in action!

What one piece of advice do you find yourself giving your current advisees?
Find your passion! Don't try to find a job, try to discover what you really love to do, and then let's try to build a career around it. Don't be afraid to explore new things.

What is the best thing about being a part of the Augustana community?
There are two things: the students and my colleagues. I honestly get to know my students so well that every spring I can't imagine life without the graduating class. Every fall there is a new group of freshmen that come to campus and surprise me, because they are just so wonderful. I also have formed close bonds with my colleagues. There are so many unique and gifted people on this campus I truly feel blessed each day that I am here.