Department of Business, Accounting and Economics
The Department of Business, Accounting, and Economics (B.A.E.) at Otterbein is dedicated to providing a personalized education of distinction that leads our graduates to inquiring, ethical, humane, and productive lives as global citizens. Our faculty is focused on action-oriented learning by integrating classroom knowledge with practice through internships, research, service projects, study abroad, participation in professional associations, and networking with employers, faculty, alumni, community leaders, and recruiters.
Otterbein’s BAE program ensures you will have experiential learning in all majors and minors. We offer a wide range of majors in Accounting/Public Accounting, Business Administration & Management, Business Analytics, Economics, Finance, and Marketing. Get started on MBA courses while finishing up your bachelor’s degree! Take MBA Course electives through the Pathway Program with our partnership with Antioch University and finish your MBA program at an accelerated rate.
Welcome to the Business, Accounting, & Economics Department.
Integrity and Excellence in Business Education!
Celebrating 100 Years
The Evolution of the Department of Business, Accounting, & Economics
Programs of Study in Business, Accounting and Economics
B.S.
Accounting
B.S.
Public Accounting
B.S.
Business Administration and Management
B.S.
Business Analytics
Student, Faculty, and Alumni Spotlights
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
The flexibility of the BAE department allows me to pursue my interdisciplinary passions between my economics and English degrees. These connections are one of the reasons why attending a liberal arts school, like Otterbein, is so beneficial to gaining a well-rounded perspective of how the world works.
Abby Vitali ’25
Economics and English, double major
Current intern at Albeit Weiker, LLP.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
The invaluable part about Otterbein is the connections you build with faculty. It helped me figure out who I am, what I want, and the courses here really push you to help you develop your strengths. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Hannah Stapp ’23
Business Analytics and Marketing, double major
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
My education at Otterbein has helped prepare me immensely for my career and life. I have learned a lot academically and as a person. The curriculum can sometimes be challenging, but professors are always willing to assist you and answer questions. I am on the women’s basketball team, and my professors understand the demands of extracurricular activities and support me in many ways.
Natalie Galaida ’23
Business Administration and Management, Health Communications double major, Accounting minor
Internship at OhioHealth.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Otterbein has prepared me very well for my future. While working at my internship over the summer, I realized how good of an education I have received from Otterbein. I never felt lost and had a strong grasp of everything I needed to know. Our class size is great for me to have a personal learning style similarly to what it would be like in the business world. I have also made many personal relationships with my professors and friends that have helped shape me into a better person for the world.
Anthony Holmes ‘23
Accounting, MBA ’24
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Otterbein truly just spoke to me. The community feel and small class sizes is what I needed to be successful. I’m so happy I chose Otterbein!
Kenzie Prickett ‘24
Marketing and Global Studies, double major
Business students gain hands-on experiences through business common core classes, advanced major courses, client-based business research, a strategy capstone course, industry certifications in digital marketing or content marketing, participation in Sigma Beta Delta International Business Honor Society, and extracurricular activities such as the International Digital Marketing Competition, and Business Analytics Competition.
Upper class Accounting majors get to experience the governance of the accounting profession, prepare for the CPA examination, and network with accounting professionals from around the state at the Accountancy Board of Ohio (ABO) Annual Meeting during a visit led by Professors Brian Day and Stephen Osborne each year.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Otterbein prepared me for my career and life by challenging me in the classroom with rigorous and relevant coursework. This afforded me many opportunities to apply knowledge in real world scenarios. Many of my professors helped me to develop a skillset that made me attractive to employers and effective on the job. Otterbein BAE often brought in recruiters, managers, and VPs from various companies in the Columbus area, shaping our first-hand knowledge and developing an extensive network. All of this helped me grow as a student, develop into a sound professional, and ultimately, become a better member of society.
Shaq Alexander ‘18
Finance
Senior Associate, Business Tax Services at KPMG
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
At Otterbein, I didn’t feel like just another student in the classroom. As a business analytics major, I was able to learn how to code, complete real-life case studies, get to know my professors, and gain internship experience. With Otterbein’s close proximity to Columbus, there are so many opportunities to develop as a young professional. I know I felt prepared for my full-time position upon graduation.
Kasey Morris ’19
Business Analytics
Associate at Insight Sourcing Group.
Check Kasey’s new book, Head Start, a recent grad’s guide to getting a professional head start >
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
The Otterbein BAE program successfully set me up for success in the “real” world in several ways. First, the small class sizes that Otterbein BAE offers allows for a close connection to professors to enhance learning with constant dialogue and guidance from the professors! All the professors in the BAE program go above and beyond to help their students succeed which I have always been greatly thankful for. Additionally, the close collaboration with classmates to reach a common goal is how the real world works and it allowed me to learn how to work in a team setting to set me up for success.
Adam Grumman ’19
Finance and Economics double major
Financial Analyst, Wealth Management Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Otterbein‘s BAE department provided me with the tools I needed to be successful in my career. I not only became specialized within my major, but I acquired crucial skills across various lines of business. I am thankful to the University for helping me be molded into the innovative professional I am today.
Kaitlyn Manny (Brooks) ‘20
Business Administration and Management & Marketing, double major
Business Banking Campaign Manager at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
One of the most memorable aspects about the BAE department was the talented and dedicated faculty. My professors would often go the extra mile to help students overcome academic obstacles. Graduating with both Marketing and Graphic Design degrees has given me an advantage in the workplace. Working in a lead marketing role for a small company often requires me to take on a variety of roles, which is something that comes easily to me as a double major.
Emily Shuey ’20
Marketing and Graphic Design, double major
Marketing Manager at SecturaSOFT.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
The 4+1 M.B.A. program is great and was very influential in my decision to continue my graduate education at Otterbein. The fact that I’m leaving with two degrees is an even greater feeling of accomplishment during all the COVID-19 craziness.
Nick Hassinger ’20
B.S. Accounting (2020) and M.B.A. (2021)
Nick was a 2020 recipient of the Mafi-Tabatabai Endowed Award, a B.A.E. Departmental Award.
Senior accountant at Bober Market Fedorovich in Fairlawn OH.
Our students are sought out by employers and are able to find meaningful employment because of their exceptional business training skills, and their well-rounded liberal arts education.
Kyriacos Aristotelous
Professor of Business, Accounting, and Economics
Organizations employing Otterbein interns include: Battelle, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Fifth Third Bank, National City Bank, Nationwide Insurance, Huntington Bank, Deloitte, Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Department of Taxation, Ohio Department of Transportation, The Department of Defense, Worthington Industries, and Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
I want my students to walk away from my class with a strong sense of marketing and strategy. No one has perfect answers, particularly to the difficult and complex questions that the business world addresses. It’s not a mystery – it’s something that can be understood with time, diligence, and attention. And when you are equipped with a unique combination of knowledge, skills, experiences (you garnered from several tries), passion, and an open mind, you have well-positioned yourself for success.
Dr. Ava Liu
Associate Professor of Marketing
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Advancements in technology have made it possible for us to collect higher volumes of data and at a level that is more granular, with more dimensions, than ever before. For a company to distinguish itself from its competitors, it is imperative that it hire data-literate people. These people have excellent data and AI management skills and are highly competent in conducting analytics and generating insights from analytically based business metrics. In addition to being competent in data literacy, one must continue to be intellectually curious and commit to being a lifelong learner, flexible in their approaches, be impassioned, and possess great interpersonal and communication skills.
Dr. Brian Weikel
Assistant Professor of Business Analytics
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
At Otterbein, we foster a dynamic learning environment built on meaningful, constant ‘two-way’ interaction between students and faculty. This essential approach enhances learning by encouraging constant adaptation and collaboration. By staying engaged and responsive, we ensure our classrooms remain vibrant spaces where both students and educators stay fresh, focused, and inspired. This shared commitment makes Otterbein an exceptional place to grow and thrive together.
Dr. Mike Tsuyuguchi
Assistant Professor of Finance
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Our proximity to small, large and even Fortune 500 companies in the Columbus area is just one of the advantages our BAE students enjoy for internship opportunities. There is no such thing as a bad internship experience – you are exposed to career possibilities’ you may not have been aware of, those that you enjoy and those you don’t enjoy (saving time/effort in a future job search). Students also can build their communication skills and confidence. You don’t get to pick your boss. How you learn to work with other staff and/or a manager is also a great benefit of an internship opportunity.
Stephen Osborne
Instructor of Accounting & Department Chair
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
As a marketing professor, I believe that marketing education should be both intellectually rigorous and grounded in real-world application. With almost a decade of experience in marketing roles across multinational organizations, I am passionate about bringing real-world insight into every class that I teach. My goal is to help my students become the next generation of ethical marketing leaders—equipped with the skills, knowledge, and values to make a positive impact in the world.
Dr. Kristina Medvedeva
Assistant Professor of Marketing
Department Features and Student Opportunities
Departmental Honors
The Department of Business, Accounting, and Economics offers several departmental honors opportunities for our outstanding and diverse students.
Teaching and Mentorship
Professors build relationships with students, both in and out of the classroom, providing mentorship to help them succeed academically and professionally.
Internships and Careers
Our faculty work with industry colleagues to plan and supervise business internships that allow students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations.
Hands on Experiences
BAE courses, like the BUS 4950 business practicum, offer hands-on experiences based on industry practices like certifications in digital marketing and Web analytics. You can also stand out by joining the Sigma Beta Delta international Business Honor Society or joining our Business Analytics Competition Team. Learn More >
Sigma Beta Delta
This International Business Honor Society enables faculty to give B.A.E. students international recognition for their outstanding academic achievements.
Global Experiences
Study abroad in our exchange programs with Maastricht University in The Netherlands or Linnaeus University in Sweden, among others.
Business, Accounting, and Economics Department News
How I Spent My Summer: Accounting Professor Becomes Spanish Student and Hikes to See Volcano
News - July 28, 2025
By Kennedy Berry ’27 “Knowledge is the one thing that you can invest in that nobody can ever take away from you.” That’s how Professor Kurt Lykins sums up not just his summer, but his entire approach to life and learning. When the academic year ends, Lykins trades the role of teacher to become a student. This summer, the Otterbein Accounting professor traveled to Antigua, Guatemala, for a weeklong Spanish immersion program. It wasn’t for course credit or any certifications;…
Otterbein University MBA Program Moving to the Coalition for the Common Good
News - March 15, 2024
Exciting changes are coming to Otterbein University’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Starting in the fall of 2024, the MBA program will be transferred to the Coalition for the Common Good (CCG) to be taught through Antioch University, Otterbein’s collaborating partner. The CCG is a bold, new national system of universities committed to meeting the needs of working professionals and adult learners. Otterbein and Antioch University founded the CCG in 2023 as a higher education system of private, independent…
Otterbein Professor Ava Liu Discusses Marketing and Digitalization of Insurance Companies like Progressive
News - October 2, 2023
https://wallethub.com/edu/ci/progressive-car-insurance-review/62427#expert=Yiyuan_Ava_LiuOtterbein’s perfect location means that many of the industry-leading companies where our students find internships are also very close to campus.
Contact Us
Roush Hall
27 S. Grove St.
Westerville, OH 43081
Administrative Assistant
Allison M. de Nijs
614-823-1310
denijs1@otterbein.edu
