Gracic, Dr. Alma

Dr. Alma Gracic joined Carolina University as an assistant professor of business in 2020. During her time as a full-time faculty, Dr. Gracic taught various courses in the Patterson School of Business and John Wesley School of Leadership using student-centered and evidence-based teaching practices. Dr. Gracic has also served as a College Readiness Chair for the Undergraduate Student Inclusion and Retention Committee (USIRC), dissertation chair and committee member for PhD in Leadership candidates, and academic advisor for BBA and MBA students. She became Dean of the Patterson School of Business in 2022 and, in this capacity, she focuses on continuous improvement and growth. She is enthusiastic about education and technology, collaboration with faculty, researchers, and practitioners across different disciplines, and teaching the next generation business professionals.

Dr. Gracic earned her Ph.D. along with an M.A. in Economics from the University of Miami. While at the University of Miami, Dr. Gracic served as an instructor, academic mentor, and teaching assistant for undergraduate and graduate level economics courses. Dr. Gracic is originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she attended United World College before she moved to the United States as a Shelby Davis Scholar to pursue her Bachelors. Prior to her studies at the Miami Herbert Business School, she earned a BA in Chemistry from Earlham College and worked in medical research for next generation smart ophthalmic devices at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.

Her dissertation focuses on the effects of social networks on behavioral economics and financial markets, using methods of big data analytics and predictive modeling. Her research and teaching interests are in business analytics, applied econometrics, financial economics, political economy, social networks, and impacts of technology and digital tools in management and leadership.

Dissertations, Presentations, and Publications

• Gracic, A. (2020, August). Media Sentiment, Social Networks, and Public Opinion (Doctoral dissertation, University of Miami).
• Gracic, A. (2020, March). Qtron Investments (Invited talk), Boston, MA
• Gracic, A. (2020, February). University of Missouri (Invited talk), Columbia, MO
• 18th IEEE International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications (ICMLA), Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2019. (Program Committee/Paper Reviewer)
• Gracic, A. (2019, December). Big Data Conference, Miami, FL, Winner of the Third Place Poster Presentation
• Gracic, A. (2019, November). Southern Economic Association 89th Annual Meeting (Oral presentation), Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Gracic, A. (2019, October). Missouri Valley Economic Association 56th Annual Conference (Chair/Presenter), Kansas City, MO
• Gracic, A. (2019, October). 2nd Workshop in Applied and Theoretical Economics (Oral presentation), Gainesville, FL
• Gracic, A. (2019, February). YSI North America Convening (Oral presentation), Los Angeles, CA
• Inequality by the Numbers Workshop (Discussant), CUNY Graduate Center, NYC, June 2017

Courses Taught

• Business Analytics - MG 342
• Introduction to Business Analytics - ANA 605, MBA Concentration Business Analytics course
• Managing for Results - MGT 510
• Marketing for Results - MGT 531
• Introduction to Management - MG 111
• Marketing Strategies - MG 321
• Entrepreneurship - MG 322
• Influencers - MG 305/BUS 605, Module course
• Leadership with Technology - LEA 513