Bonnie Buchanan

Professor Bonnie Buchanan has been teaching at Central Ohio Technical College for more than 17 years. She teaches at the Newark campus and online in a wide range of business topics from introductory courses to software application to team building. Over her years at the college, she has designed and implemented many courses and served as a faculty mentor. Buchanan is also a U.S. Navy Veteran and COTC alumna. 

Education

Master of Business Administration from Franklin University

Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Associate of Applied Business from Central Ohio Technical College

What students can do when they graduate with a degree in business management technology?

I tell students often that business is the most applicable degree around. Everything is business — small, large, profit, nonprofit — it’s all business! From supervisory positions to owning their own business, the sky’s the limit in this field.

How did you become involved in business? 

After my Navy active duty, I enrolled at COTC as a student, and I choose the degree I thought I could use in the widest variety of companies. At first, I was happy being an administrative assistant, but soon realized I wanted a bit more. After several positions outside of higher education, I realized that my heart was with helping students gain the skills, abilities and confidence to reach all of their dreams — which is the main reason I got into teaching.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at COTC?

Watching students “get it” is my greatest joy! Even though everyone learns at a different pace, there is nothing like seeing the light bulb go off for them. I very much enjoy using teams whenever possible and watching how the students work through challenges and possible conflicts in order to develop creative solutions to problems. When the classroom gets loud, that’s usually when the best ideas are being developed.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am most proud of being selected as the 2010 Transitions Award recipient, as well being nominated several times for the Teaching Excellence Award. When students ask for my recommendation, sometimes years after they have graduated, it also makes me proud of what I do and it humbles me that they remember me.

What advice do you have for students?

Learn something new each day. Use failures as lessons learned and move on. Don’t hold grudges. Meet people where they are, not where you wish them to be. Be kind. Above all else, just be kind.

In what way does the business management department support students in achieving their certificate or degree?

The business management department has created a plan of study with tomorrow in mind. We were one of the first two-year colleges to have an internship component in our program, and we were also the first program at the college to offer our degree and certificates 100% online. Putting students first is something all of our faculty do and we are there to support them, both in and out of the classroom.

What interests, hobbies or talents do you have outside of the classroom?

I love to garden, paint and read when I am not teaching. One of my greatest roles at the present time is being a volleyball mom to my very active teenage daughter. I also started my own part-time business in late 2019 and I love having the opportunity to help other people in the pockets of my day (not that I have a lot of those). It has put me in the position of “practicing what I preach” and given me a different perspective that I am able to bring into the classroom as firsthand knowledge and not just theory.