ECU STUDENT COREY BURTON EARNS TOP EXCEL SCORE IN STATE; HEADED TO NATIONALS IN JUNE

Ada, OK (11/07/2024) — East Central University student Corey Burton will be involved in an examination this summer on his birthday and is extremely excited about it.

Burton received an exceptionally high score on his Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Excel 2016 Exam and has been declared Oklahoma's champion.

He is now eligible to compete in Certiport's 2018 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, June 13-15. His birthday is on June 14.

"I'm pretty excited. I guess I'll spend my 22nd birthday taking an Excel exam," said Burton, who is from Beggs, Oklahoma and is a double major in business administration management (with banking and finance certification) and instrumental music performance.

Burton was offered the opportunity to take the certification exam as part of his advanced computer business applications class with Dr. Stacey Bolin, assistant professor in ECU's Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business. Students are allowed to replace their midterm exam with this certification exam, according to Bolin, who is certified to administer the exams for ECU students.

"The newly-offered certification exams stem from ever-increasing pressure from employers to graduate students with strong Excel skills," said Bolin. "The external certification exam provides students with documentation to illustrate their skillset. Corey exhibits determination, preparedness and professionalism with regard to his education. These traits have helped him do extremely well in the Stonecipher School of Business and will serve both he and his future employer well upon graduation."

His educational experience at ECU played a vital role, according to Burton.

"I really did not take it seriously until I came to school here," Burton said. "I took a computer business applications class with Dr. Tom Lanis and that was my first actual training with Excel. Everything I have learned has come from the Stonecipher School of Business."

Burton is a trombone player with various ECU bands - marching, jazz and concert. Since coming to ECU as freshman, he says he has taken to the Excel program.

Since coming to ECU, Burton considers it a great fit.

"The number one thing is the class sizes. I like that I'm really able to interact with my professors. You really get to know your professors," said Burton. "East Central is a great school. It fit like a glove when I got here right from the start."

For more information on the Excel certification, contact Bolin at 580-559-5596.

-ECU-

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