First Thursdays is a continuing and professional education program operated by the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University. We’re about connecting you with leading business and industry experts for online and in-place learning opportunities designed to help you succeed in today’s competitive business environment–“learn it today, use it tomorrow”.
2025-2026 Schedule & Registration
Date: Thursday September 4, 2025
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: In a world where intelligent systems are transforming industries at lightning speed, how can leaders and their employees stay ahead of the curve? This forward-looking presentation explores the intersection of AI, automation, and human ingenuity—revealing how leaders can help drive innovation, foster resilience, and future-proof their workforce. Discover actionable insights on workforce transformation, strategic upskilling, and the evolving role of leadership in an era increasingly defined by technology. The future isn’t just automated—it’s human-led. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Speaker: David Mulford | Academic Technology Manager | Campbell University
Bio: A graduate of Appalachian State University’s College of Education, David has actively supported teaching and learning activities at Kenyon College (OH), Roanoke College (VA), James Madison University (VA), and Johnston Community College (NC).
As an active practitioner, David has taught in-person, hybrid and online undergraduate Communications and Video Production courses at Roanoke College and James Madison University, and has provided consulting services in course design and instructional technology to faculty in a variety of course disciplines. David is also a certified Quality Matters Peer Reviewer and Blackboard Administrator.
Date: Thursday October 2, 2025
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Successful investors are fond of dispensing their wisdom and sharing their experiences with others, and the investing public is usually all too glad to follow (or at least listen to and quickly forget) their advice. Good investors base their decisions on something like a philosophy of life. What makes a philosophy of investing worth emulating? Can the science of financial economics help us separate good, sound advice from foolish, wishful thinking? Dr. Matthew Kelly will share an overview of well-known approaches to the big questions in finance: what makes a good investment good? How should one think about risk and uncertainty? And just what defines success anyway? Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Speaker: Dr. Matt Kelly | Assistant Professor of Finance | Campbell University
Bio: Dr. Matthew L. Kelly, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Campbell University’s Lundy-Fetterman School of Business. After working a variety of factotum jobs, he graduated from The Florida State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics. He then worked as a public policy analyst at the DeVoe L. Moore Center at Florida State’s College of Social Sciences under Director Sam Staley. In that role, Matthew was fortunate to write about a wide variety of state, local, and national issues related to taxes, regulation, and economic liberty. Matthew then moved the even freer state of Texas, where he worked as a writer and research assistant to Stan Liebowitz and Peter Lewin at the Colloquium for the Advancement of Free Enterprise Education in the Jindal School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas. While pursuing his doctoral studies in Finance at UT-Dallas under the rigorous supervision of Professor Harold Zhang, Matthew was awarded the Adam Smith and Oskar Morgenstern Fellowships from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Matthew’s research interests include asset pricing, public finance, and the theory and history of classical liberalism.
Date: Thursday November 6, 2025
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Date: Thursday December 4, 2025
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Speaker: Dr. Kevin O’Mara | Dean, Lundy-Fetterman School of Business | Campbell University
Date: Thursday February 5, 2026
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Date: Thursday March 5, 2026
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Date: Thursday April 2, 2026
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Attendance is free, but registration is required.
2024-2025 Recordings
Date: Thursday January 2, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Norman A. Wiggins School of Law
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Join leaders from across North Carolina on Jan. 2 as they unite to discuss the state of the economy for 2025.
Companies want certainty. It allows them to position their business for opportunity or protection. Having an idea of what the state’s economy will look in the coming year helps clarify vision and purpose. As we enter 2025, businesses need to consider the key factors that influence our economy.
- What will North Carolina’s economy be like in 2025?
- Where will growth come?
- How will regulation changes be dealt with?
- How can companies best take advantage of what is in store?
- How do we deal with inflation and supply shortages?
Panelists include:
- Dr. Mark Steckbeck, Lundy Chair of Free Enterprise and Associate Professor of Economics. Campbell University
- Sen. Jim Burgin, District 12
- Anita Bachmann, CEO UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina
- Lee Hodge, Business and Economic Development attorney, Ward and Smith P.A.
Date: Thursday February 6, 2025
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 noon
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Explore AI and design thinking for a human-centered approach to solve problems and create innovative products and services. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Bio: Scott A. Kelly serves as an instructor at Campbell University, teaching courses in entrepreneurship and marketing. Kelly also serves as Director of Entrepreneurship and helps connect the Campbell community to the regional business community, mainly through Raleigh Founded, an entrepreneurial co-working space.
Kelly received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.
Join Scott Kelly for this informative and entertaining 45-minute webinar. Learn it today, and use it tomorrow!
Date: Thursday March 6, 2025
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 noon
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Financial acumen is a skill that involves understanding and applying financial information to make decisions. It’s a valuable skill for both personal and professional success.
Bio: Dr. Corrine Carr serves as an Assistant Professor of Finance at Campbell University, teaching Finance courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Carr earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance and Mathematics from the University of South Carolina and her Ph.D. in Finance from Michigan State University. Prior to joining Campbell University in 2017, Dr. Carr served as a professor at West Virginia University.
Join Dr. Corrine Carr for this informative and engaging 45-minute webinar. Learn it today, and use it tomorrow!
Date: Thursday April 3, 2025
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 noon
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Estate planning is the process of arranging how assets will be distributed after death, or if you become incapacitated. It can also include instructions for how you want your affairs handled.
Bio: Tyler Britton serves as Assistant Professor of Trust and Wealth Management and Director of the Master of Trust and Wealth Management program at Campbell University. Tyler graduated from Campbell University in 2011, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Trust and Wealth Management and minor in Financial Planning. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from Campbell University School of Law in 2014. Tyler is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, North Carolina Bar Association, Johnston County Bar Association, and Wake County Bar Association.
Date: Thursday May 1, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Attendance is free, but registration is required
Description: Individuals typically use a coach when they need targeted assistance to overcome specific challenges or to accelerate their progress in a particular area. Mentoring is when a trusted advisor provides guidance on long-term career development, personal development and leadership skills.
Bio: Karen Mishra serves as an Associate Professor of Business at Campbell University’s Lundy-Fetterman School of Business. Mishra earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management from Albion College, her Master of Business Administration with a focus in Marketing from The University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. in Marketing Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Join Dr. Karen Mishra for this informative and engaging 45-minute webinar. Learn it today, use it tomorrow!
Registration
Register for as many of the sessions as you wish to attend and we encourage you to share the word about this exciting learning opportunity with your colleagues, coworkers, and friends. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Contact Us
For more information contact:
Wendy Welker
wwelker@campbell.edu
910-893-1388