BHSU student awarded women in business regional scholarship from Zonta

           Samantha Johnson, a Black Hills State University business administration major, studies in Meier Hall.  Her professors at BHSU inspired her to pursue a Ph.D. in economics when she graduates this December.


           Samantha Johnson, a BHSU business administration major, received a $1,500 Women in Business Scholarship from Zonta International. The BHSU business administration program recently received international accreditation through AACSB.

Samantha Johnson, senior business administration major from Spearfish, received a $1,500 Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship from Zonta International.  The scholarship includes $500 from the Zonta Club of Spearfish and $1,000 from Zonta&rsquos District 12 which covers South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.

"This is the first time the Zonta Club of Spearfish award recipient has also been selected as winner for the District 12," said Dr. Priscilla Romkema, Dean of the College of Business and Natural Sciences at BHSU and member of Zonta.

The Klausman Women in Business Scholarship is awarded each year to women pursuing degrees in business with outstanding potential in the field, according to Zonta&rsquos website.  As the District 12 winner, Johnson&rsquos application will also be considered for a $7,000 international scholarship.

"We applaud Samantha for her scholastic abilities and service to the B-H community," Romkema said.  "She is an outstanding woman and we are pleased our local scholarship winner is now a District 12 winner."

In addition to her academic studies, Johnson works at the BHSU University Center-Rapid City bookstore and serves as president of the BHSU Presidential Student Ambassadors, a campus organization that connects students, administrators, faculty members, and alumni.  

Johnson plans to pursue a Ph.D. in economics after graduating from BHSU in December.  "I like the principles, I like the theory of economics," Johnson said.  "It&rsquos like a big puzzle."

"I ultimately want to each economics and there aren&rsquot many female economics professors," Johnson said.  "My freshman year at BHSU I took Principles of Macroeconomics with Dr. Ron DeBeaumont.  The way he taught put me on this path."  

The motto of Zonta International is "Advancing the Status of Women Worldwide."  

BHSU recently received international accreditation of its business administration, professional accountancy and MBA programs through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.  Less than 5 percent of schools of business worldwide have earned this distinction.