When College of Charleston professor David Desplaces teaches business students, he repeatedly reminds them to seek educational opportunities in places that stretch their comfort zones and global mindset. But he doesn’t just talk about it.
David Desplaces
Desplaces, associate professor of entrepreneurial studies, actually takes them on learning journeys and creates experiences that far exceed students’ expectations, not to mention his job description. For these reasons and his leadership-by-example style, Desplaces, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship, has earned the first Howard F. Rudd Jr. Distinguished Faculty Award for Service Leadership in the School of Business.
The award was established to recognize outstanding, high-performing business professors who lead by example and advance the mission and global vision of the School of Business. The award is named for Rudd, dean emeritus of the business school who taught at the College for nearly 30 years. It is the most prestigious faculty award given in the School of Business and the only one of its kind at the College of Charleston.
“David stands out in service leadership because his high energy and enthusiasm are contagious and his results speak for themselves,” says Alan T. Shao, Dean of the School of Business. “David does an outstanding job of leading by example with his students and among his faculty peers and is well deserving of the Rudd faculty award.”
The selection criteria, measured over a over a three-year period, looks at service leadership, teaching, research and business community engagement. The honor comes with a $10,000 award, with up to 50 percent allotted for personal use and the balance going toward professional development.
RELATED: Read more about the establishment of Howard F. Rudd Jr. Distinguished Faculty Award.
For over three years, Desplaces has served in countless ways, including the establishment in 2009 of Possibilities Without Borders, a non-profit organization dedicated to the success of international service-learning projects.
Howard Rudd, Dean Emeritus of the School Business.
“The enthusiasm and energy Howard Rudd has brought to the School of Business is unparalleled. If I only accomplish half of what he has brought to increase the student learning experience, I will have accomplished all that I could hope for in my profession,” says Desplaces.
In addition, Desplaces has raised $150,000 in funds and goods that enabled three student groups to travel to Cameroon as part of a social entrepreneurship and service-learning course. The funding and donations were also used to support a micro-lending program for women’s groups in Cameroon, including the provision of school supplies for more than 1,650 children.
As the former director of Enactus, formerly called Students In Free Enterprise, Desplaces significantly improved the quality and impact of its projects and established a solid foundation the students to compete at the national level. In addition, he dramatically increased the impact of Cougar Undergraduate Business Enterprise (CUBE), a student-run, non-profit business that sells coffee and snacks to raise money for Enactus charitable projects.
Desplaces is also involved in the community. For the past four years, he has served on the Charleston James Island Connecter Run Board. The annual road race benefits the Gavalas Kolanko Foundation, a local charity that awards scholarships to students with disabilities. He is also actively involved with Boy Scouts of America.
About the School of Business
College of Charleston’s School of Business offers seven undergraduate majors (with one additional major pending), an honors program, an M.S. in Accountancy and an MBA. Approximately 1800 undergraduate and graduate students attend from as far away as China, Germany and Brazil. The faculty has research expertise in areas such as global logistics, hospitality and tourism, political economics, financial investment, bankruptcy, real estate, business intelligence, and sustainable business practices. Visit to learn more about our undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty and Centers of Excellence.
