Fairmont State hosts Marion County high school students on campus for Information Systems Management Day

Fairmont State University welcomed approximately 100 high school students from Fairmont Senior High School, East Fairmont High School and North Marion High School to campus for Information Systems Management (ISM) Day on Thursday, May 11. Students were exposed to the vast and constantly evolving field of Information Systems Management and participated in two breakout sessions of their choice pertaining to different ISM topics. Information management systems are tools used by businesses to support processes, operations, decision-making, and communications. ISM tools store data, control business activities, and manage information.

“We are very excited to see everyone here for our first Information Systems Management Day event,” said Interim Dean for the College of Business and Aviation Dr. Rebecca Giorcelli. “We know it can be confusing trying to understand the difference between the different computing disciplines, so ISM Day aims to have students and high school faculty and staff understand what Information System Management is.”

Fairmont State’s ISM program is a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree program that combines technology and business into its curriculum. ISM Day is designed to inform attending high school students about the ISM program and all the potential careers an ISM education can prepare them for. These careers include but are not limited to healthcare, finance, e-commerce, manufacturing, education, law enforcement and government.

“Every company or organization that you are aware of is using an information system of some kind,” said Assistant Professor of Information Systems Management Gary Edwards. “They use them to support the business processes, their operations, and their decision-making. Information Systems underpin the entire organization.”

In addition to a program overview, students participated in breakout sessions. Students were allowed to select two breakout sessions of their choice. The topics of these sessions included data analytics, website development, online retail, financial fraud, podcast creation, healthcare systems and more. These breakout sessions allowed students to learn about the topics that interested them the most and showed them just how vast the field of ISM is.

“ISM has high placement rates, high salaries and high job satisfaction,” said Professor of Information Systems Management Cliff Jackson. “From the 25-plus years I have had in this industry I can tell you it is constantly changing and evolving. It’s great and makes it fun and exciting.”

After the breakout sessions, attendees toured Fairmont State’s campus and enjoyed lunch in Colebank Hall. During the closing session, ISM alumni Marrissa Altovilla (2023) and Chelsea Collins (2015) each addressed the students and provided their first-person perspective as graduates of the ISM program. Interim Provost Dr. Tim Oxley then gave the closing remarks, concluding ISM Day.

To learn more about Fairmont State’s ISM program visit, www.fairmontstate.edu/schoolofbusiness/academics/bs-degree-information-systems-management.

Information Systems ManagementMarion County SchoolsDr. Rebecca GiorcelliGary EdwardsCliff JacksonChelsea CollinsMarrissa AltovillaDr. Tim Oxley