Cheers to the Center

Yesterday was a proud day for the SmartState Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development. Karen Thal, the first PhD candidate to enter the Center’s PhD program has defended her thesis. Karen came to the Center in 2012 from the College of Charleston as a PhD candidate. Her research focus has been on wellness tourism combined with self-determination theory. Today she successfully defended her thesis on ‘How wellness facilities contribute to wellbeing.’ Congratulations Karen! But there’s more to celebrate. Director and endowed chair, Dr. Simon Hudson, received the distinguished Patricia G. Moody Researcher of the Year award. This award recognizes faculty who have excelled in their research discipline and have substantively contributed to the research base. Way to go, Dr. Hudson!