A conversation with Dr. Hatten
What things brought you to Mesa State?
My wife (Jill) and I were anxious to return to western
Colorado. We met when we were undergraduate students at
Western State College in Gunnison. It was funny because
we didn't meet until our last semester on campus. We can
look back now and know that we were at some of the same
parties and knew some of the same people, but just didn't
bump into each other until we were ready to graduate.
What's your personal philosophy on educating
college students? I think I'm more of a tour guide...
leading an expedition. I can point out things that students
will see on their journey, things they should look for.
I help students map out the destination, but ultimately
they have to take the trip. The students have to get their
on their own.
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In the Fall of 2001, Dr. Hatten was named a Fulbright
Scholar. He traveled to Iceland where he spent a semester
teaching entrepreneurship and business at the University
of Reykjavik. The picture shows Dr. Hatten (right)
with some students in Landmannalaugar in the interior
of Iceland. The area is popular because of its many
hot springs.
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You are an Associate Professor of Business Administration,
but what narrow area of business is your passion? I
love entrepreneurship. The whole area of small business
startup... what makes them successful, what challenges do
they face. Things like that.
You have written a textbook that covers that area,
right? Actually, my textbook Small Business Management;
entrepreneurship & beyond is now in its second printing.
It has been great to see that colleges around the country
are using it. With the second edition we tried to add some
things that would make it more interactive. There's real-life
scenarios and business challenges along with each chapter
for students to think about. The publisher, Houghton Mifflin,
has packaged the book with a CD-ROM called GoVenture
is game-based and has students running their own businesses.
[Editor's note: you
can click here to read more about Dr. Hatten's small business
text at the Houghton Mifflin site.]
If you could go back to college and start over in
any field, except the one you currently teach, what would
you pick? Good question. [Thanks]
Probably Forestry. I worked seasonal jobs for the US Forest
Service during the summer when I was in college. I really
loved it.
What do you do with your weekends? Mostly
home improvement. I'm working on a ceramic tile entryway,
ceramic tile in the kitchen and bath. Beyond home improvement,
I enjoy outdoor activities. I hunt and fly fish.
