Coastal Carolina University's chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for collegiate business students, has received one of six national awards from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The chapter won an honorable mention award in the category of 2008 Outstanding Chapter. Coastal will officially receive the award April 12 at AACSB's annual conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. As part of the award, Coastal's E.Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration will receive a $500 scholarship from AACSB.

Each year AACSB presents a gold award, a silver award and three honorable mentions to outstanding Beta Gamma Sigma chapters. There are 468 chapters worldwide that compete for these awards.

Coastal's chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma was established in 1999. The mission of the society is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business and to recognize personal and professional excellence in the practice of business. Of the more than 400 chapters worldwide, Coastal's is one of only 76 to have attained the designation "premier status." Barbara Ritter, assistant professor of management, is adviser to the program.