by Rebecca Hightower
The Richards College of Business faculty and staff gathered to honor Dr. David Boldt, professor of economics, on Friday, June 20, as he stepped down from his role as the chair of the economics department, effective July 1, 2014, to return to teaching.
When Dr. Boldt was appointed as the economics department chair in the fall of 2001, he brought considerable experience as an educator to his role. He received a bachelor's degree in economics from San Diego State University in 1976, followed by a Master of Arts in economics from the University of New Mexico in 1978 and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of New Mexico in 1987. He joined the UWG (then West Georgia College) faculty in 1988, not expecting to stay more than a few years, but found the Carrollton community and UWG a great fit for his family.
“We have seen Carrollton change quite a bit over the years,” he says. “I was attracted by the teaching focus of the university and saw opportunities to be engaged in campus life from the very beginning. It has also been great to be a part of the Richards College of Business, which has been blessed with some great leaders over the years.
“My favorite aspect of being chair was the role I played in helping guide the direction of the department in becoming more student friendly and more involved in the community, ” he continues. “Over the years, the department has made a tremendous effort to hire excellent teachers who are also engaged in research. Department faculty is especially active in trying to get undergraduates engaged in research. Our involvement with the external community has also expanded significantly over the past decade. Our annual forecast breakfast attracts national speakers and is attended by almost 400 people.”
While Dr. Boldt states he became a college professor because of his love of both economics and teaching, he never imagined becoming a college level administrator, let alone serve for over 13 years in the role.
“David has been an exceptional leader in the Richards College and has been an example to others across campus of what a good department can achieve. I am proud to have worked with him in administration and look forward to many years of working with him on faculty, ” says Dr. Faye McIntyre, Dean and Sewell Chair of Private Enterprise for Richards College of Business. “David always goes beyond expectations in the area of service to the college, university and external communities. His work with the West Georgia Regional Update and the annual Economic Forecast Breakfast are prime examples. He has made excellent hires as positions became open in his department and has built an impressively cohesive team. He has earned the respect of faculty and staff."
When asked if he had advice for the newly appointed chair of economics, Dr. William “Joey” Smith, Dr. Boldt says, “I would recommend that the new chair spend a lot of time personally visiting with faculty and staff. It is also important to be as transparent and as fair as possible when dealing with faculty and staff.”
Dr. Smith, who looks forward to his new role as economics chair, concludes, “I have experienced the UWG economics department both as a student and as a faculty member. The friendly and comfortable atmosphere I experienced here as one of David's students is exactly what makes the department attractive to me as a faculty member. David uses his humor and good nature to educate his students, uplift his faculty and promote collegiality among members of the UWG family.”
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