Laura Dove

About Laura Dove

My favorite comment I ever received is from a student on a course evaluation is,\"She\'s weird, in a good way!\" I have a lot of good weird in my life. Case in point: I have almost zero formal business education or background, yet I’ve found both purpose and passion in my career in business education:(1) I\'m a lawyer and a philosopher from West Virginia who ended up as Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Business Law in the Sorrell College of Business at Troy University in Troy, Alabama. I also run the Sorrell 360 Center for Professional Life in the Sorrell College.(2) I made up my job. During COVID lockdowns, I came up with an idea for a holistic professional development center that would prepare students for their careers with special emphasis on essential (but often overlooked) soft skills. The center would also promote retention and support student wellbeing (and serve as a recruitment tool, strengthen alumni ties, inspire donors, and and and.) I presented the idea to the Dean and the Sorrell 360 Center was born. We prepare Sorrell graduates to be business professionals leading joyful and meaningful lives.(3) The 360 Center started as me in one office. We now have three additional full-time employees, including two staff members (our Departmental Secretary and an Educational Technology Specialist) and a Lecturer/Program Coordinator. Our office space also has a student center where students are free to hang out, do homework, or grab a snack.(4) In my role, I oversee curriculum development and teaching for the College\'s three course professional development sequence (part of our business core for all of our BSBA degree programs). This involves recruiting, training, and supporting over a dozen faculty representing every department in the College teaching face-to-face and online.(5) The 360 Center hosts (or co-hosts) roughly 20 events or more each year, including the Sorrell College Career Fair and Annual Women\'s Symposium. We also offer direct services for students, including resume reviews, interview practice, career and major coaching, and our 360 Success Plans.(6) My passion for business education deepened after starting a new organization. Almost overnight, I became a manager, marketer, strategic planner, and (very amateur) data analyst-and this stuff isn\'t easy! But continuing to learn and grow every day in these areas has been so much fun. And it’s incredibly rewarding to see the payoff as the 360 Center reaches and engages more students, faculty, alumni, and employers.

Experience

1. Associate Professor of Law

   Troy University

   Jan 2018 — Present · Troy, AL, US

Education

• West Virginia University

  BA, Philosophy

  2005 — 2009

• West Virginia University College of Law

  Doctor of Law (J.D.)

  2009 — 2012

Skills

• Microsoft Office
• Curriculum Development
• Community Outreach
• Public Speaking
• University Teaching
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Legal Issues
• Higher Education
• Westlaw
• Court Proceedings
• Communication