USI: College of Business 2006 News

"Entrepreneurship, globalization--keys to economic growth" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, December 2006 by Horace M. Lukens. Lukens, an adjunct instructor in finance for the University of Southern Indiana College of Business, is vice president of Jesse F. Stock Insurance, Inc., in Evansville. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

"Being green can be a powerful thing" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, November 2006 by Norman Campbell. Campbell, an adjunct instructor in marketing and management for the University of Southern Indiana College of Business, is marketing and business development director for Energy Systems Group in Evansville. He earned an M.B.A. with an emphasis in international business from Chaminade University in Honolulu and a B.S. in aerospace and mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Accounting students and Kemper employees, who comprised the Kemper Team, participated in the 2006 Accounting Circle Golf Outing.

The Department of Accounting and Business Law and the USI Accounting Circle held its Second Annual USI Accounting Circle Golf Outing on Tuesday, September 26, 2006, at the Helfrich Hills Golf Club. The golf outing had great participation from both USI and the Accounting Circle, with 13 teams participating in the outing including 52 golfers. In addition, 14 area companies served as “hole sponsors” during the event.

The proceeds of the golf outing benefited the Dan Wade Scholarship. The scholarship was created to support accounting majors that will pursue additional studies in order to meet the 150-hour requirement for the CPA examination.

Kenneth L. Sendelweck ’76, president and chief executive officer of German American Bank in Jasper, Indiana, has been awarded the USI Distinguished Accountant Award for 2006.

The award recognizes professional achievement, service to the region and/or the University, and service to the accounting profession. It was presented October 17 during the Accounting Extravaganza, an annual event for accounting students, faculty, and the USI Accounting Circle. The award is presented by the USI College of Business accounting program and the Accounting Circle, an advisory board.

Sendelweck recently was named by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, a 14-member body that coordinates planning and budgeting for higher education in Indiana.

In addition to serving as president and CEO of German American Bank, Sendelweck is secretary/treasurer of German American Bancorp and chairman/secretary of German American Financial Advisors. He joined German American in 1999.

Previously, Sendelweck was associated for 23 years with Kimball International, Inc., in Jasper. He served in various financial and administrative responsibilities from 1976 until 1991. In 1991, he was named vice president and assistant treasurer of the company and served in that capacity until joining German American Bank.

At USI, Sendelweck is a member and past chair of the College of Business Board of Advisors. He has served for 10 years on the USI Foundation Board of Directors. He is a member of the foundation’s USI Annual Fund Alumni Campaign committee and a past member of the finance committee.

In the community, he serves on the boards of Jasper Municipal Utility Services, Dubois County Community Foundation, and the Revitalize “Old Jasper” Action Coalition. He is a member of the planned giving committee for Memorial Hospital Foundation and on the board of directors of the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana.

In accepting the award, Sendelweck said, “There is no better foundation than an accounting degree from USI.”

He shared a list of leadership traits with students at the Accounting Extravaganza. First on the list was “never compromise your integrity.” He also advised students to cultivate a positive attitude, set goals, be creative, and strive for improvement.

Sendelweck and his wife Janet live in Jasper. They have two daughters, Leah and Erin.

The student team at Dell's Campus Career Event

The student team from the left was Patrick Hayden, Ashley Long, and Zack Grider, with Mesa Carson of Dell emceeing.

Dell held a Career Information Session on Thursday, October 26, 2006, for juniors and seniors majoring in marketing, management, business administration, finance, communication studies, and public relations & advertising to learn about career opportunities. Included in the session was a fun and unique Pop Culture Trivia Game Show with students competing against faculty. The students won. The students participating, all marketing majors in College of Business, were Patrick Hayden, Ashley Long, and Zack Grider; the faculty were Kevin Celuch, professor of marketing; Gregory Valentine, professor of business education; and Kevin Valadares, assistant professor of health services and administration.

USI alumni, hired by Dell earlier this year, were on hand to answer questions of the students. The alumni included Jillian Forcum, Bryan Stunkle, Mitch Mehringer, Jamie Kennedy, Kevin Buckner, and Chris Gruening.

On Friday, Dell interviewed seniors for sales representatives for their Nashville, Tennessee location. Dell recruiters liked what they saw and heard when they came to the College of Business for the first time in April 2006 and will return twice a year to interview students interested in sales careers.

Phil Fisher, dean emeritus of the College of Business, returned to compete with ten USI faculty for the third annual contest for the Fisher Cup, held October 21, 2006. With the cup going to the highest golf score, Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business and holder of the cup for the past two years, eagerly passed it to Phil Fisher.

After an exhausting Saturday, the College of Business golfers from left are Mark McKnight, Assistant Professor of Business Communication; Jong Rhim, Professor of Finance; Greg Murphy, Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Management; Mohammed Khayum, Dean and Professor of Economics; Phil Fisher, Dean Emeritus; Tim Schibik, Professor of Economics; Edward Conrad, Instructor of Management; and Bill Henderson, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems, kneeling in the front.

Executive in Residence with JP Engelbrecht

JP Engelbrecht spoke to groups of students at the University of Southern Indiana Monday, October 16, on his experiences in becoming an executive. Engelbrecht was honored at a luncheon as the College of Business's 2006 Executive-in-Residence. The event was underwritten by Old National Bank.

South Central Communications operates several Evansville radio stations, including WIKY-104, WLFW-93.5, WSTO-96.1, WABX-107.5 FM and WYXY-107.1 FM.

Engelbrecht told the students Monday that "growth is your responsibility." He said when he was 22, his father told him that he had taught him all that he could about the business. Now it was the son's responsibility to find others from which he could learn more.

Engelbrecht told students they need to keep learning after they leave college. They should look for people to whom they are drawn and be willing to ask questions.

He said students could learn many important management lessons before they became managers. Engelbrecht said as a high-school student, he tried to manage fellow students on a school project by instilling fear in them, and he failed in his results.

"If I would have done that in a management setting, I would have been fired," Engelbrecht added.

One way students can learn management skills is by participating in civic and religious organizations, Engelbrecht said.

Treating people with respect is key to successful management, he said. The most common failure of CEOs came from problems they had in dealing with other people, he said.

"People do not leave companies. They do not leave jobs. They leave managers," he said.

By TOM RAITHEL
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7595 or raithelt@courierpress.com
Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Quick economic indicators for active women

"Quick economic indicators for active women" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, October 2006 by Marie Bussing-Burks. Bussing-Burks is adjunct professor of economics for the University of Southern Indiana College of Business. She is also the author of The Young Zillionaire's Guide to Taxation and Government Spending (2000); Profit from the Evening News; Using Leading Economic Indicators to Make Smart Money Decisions (2002); and Influential Economists (2003). Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Jeanette Maier-Lytle, instructor in accounting, has been selected by the Indiana CPA Society Board of Directors as the "2006 Outstanding Educator," in recognition of her contributions and dedication to the CPA profession. The award will be presented to Maier-Lytle at the Society's "CPA Celebration" on Friday, November 3, 2006, at Union Station in Indianapolis.

Dr. Gregory P. Valentine, Professor of Business Education, has been invited by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to serve on an expert panel at an international conference entitled The Role of Central Banks in Economic and Personal Finance Education. The conference will be held September 28-29 in Warsaw, Poland.

Valentine is professor of business education at the University of Southern Indiana and director of the USI Center for Economic Education in Southwest Indiana.

He said the conference will bring together educators and bankers from across Europe to discuss the need for instruction in economics and personal finance at the high school level.

The conference is sponsored jointly by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the National Bank of Poland. Valentine will represent the National Business Education Association (NBEA). He is president of the Indiana Business Education Association and chair of the NBEA joint committee on economic education.

The USI Center for Economic Education is among 12 centers throughout the state which encourage and support economics education in K-12 classrooms. The USI center will receive the Peter V. Harrington Award for Excellence in the Number of K-12 Teachers Trained from the Indiana Council for Economic Education on November 3 during an annual awards program in Carmel, Indiana. The USI center trained 221 teachers in 12 workshops during 2005-06.

Two graduates have been selected to membership on the University of Southern Indiana College of Business Board of Advisors along with four local businessmen.

Sharon Sartore ’89 and Kelly Dillon ’92 will be among the members of the advisory group of 47 senior executives who advise the college. Sartore is senior vice president of Rogers Jewelers and Dillon is manager of Public Affairs and Purchasing for Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Indiana (TMMI).

Other new members are Tom Austerman, president and CEO of Evansville Commerce Bank; James Brown, president and general manager, Casino Aztar; William Theby, vice president of Lensing Wholesale, Inc., and Todd Tucker, president and owner, Tucker Publishing Group.

Dr. Gregory B. Murphy, associate professor of management, has been named associate dean and director of the Master of Business Administration program for the College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana.

The appointment was effective August 1. In making the announcement, Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business, said, “Dr. Greg Murphy is a talented individual who is a highly effective teacher with a strong record of scholarship and engagement in the community. His leadership, energy, skills, and commitment will be invaluable in fostering strategic management and continuous improvement within the College of Business.”

Murphy joined the USI College of Business in 2002 as assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor this year. His teaching interests include strategic management and entrepreneurship. He has a special interest in new venture/small business performance and new and small e-commerce ventures.

He said, “Exciting times are ahead for the College of Business as we build upon the hard work and achievements of USI College of Business faculty, staff, and students. I am excited about the potential for significant advancement in the College of Business as we implement our strategic plan. I also look forward to becoming more involved in the MBA program and in getting to know the students in the program.”

Murphy chairs the task force assigned to investigate the potential for an entrepreneurship program at USI. He assists in the continued development of USI’s Center for Applied Research and Economic Development, which began operation in January as a program of USI Extended Services. He also participates in a Small Business Advisory Network in Evansville.

Murphy was awarded a USI College of Business Faculty Research Scholarship for summer 2006 for a study comparing small businesses with corporate parents to independently owned small businesses of comparable size.

His articles have been published in professional journals, including New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, The Journal of Business Economics Research, Journal of High Technology Management Research, and Journal of Business Venturing.

Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology at Weber State University, a master’s degree in management science at the University of Central Texas, and an M.B.A. degree at the University of Houston. He completed a doctorate in business administration at the University of Houston in 1996.

He previously served on the faculty at University of Nebraska-Omaha and University of Evansville. He also has been associated with the Houston Small Business Development Center.

As associate dean, Murphy succeeds Khayum, who was named dean of the college in January.

On Wednesday, September 6, 2006, USI's AITP (Association of Information Technology Professionals) student chapter participated in the university-wide Student Involvement Fair, held in the University Center Mall. The AITP table included a display, videos, flyers, and a computer which students could use. The fair had a good turnout, and many students visited the booth and learned about Computer Information Systems and Applied Computer Science programs at USI, and about how to get involved in USI's AITP student chapter.

Marketing major will lead Soccer Eagles for third year

College of Business student and senior men’s soccer player Brian Shepherd is the perfect example of a team leader on and off the field.

Shepherd enters the 2006 season as the Screaming Eagles team captain, a title he has held for the past three seasons. He was second on the team in scoring last season with four goals, including the game-winner over Saint Joseph’s College.

The marketing major, who is one of USI’s center backs and directs the Eagles’ defense, also scored his first collegiate goal last season in the team’s victory over Harris-Stowe State College.

Playing all 17 games last season was very rewarding for Shepherd, who missed the final two games of 2004 with six broken bones in his face. He suffered the injury while contending for a head ball against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

“When I got hurt in 2004, I missed two weeks of school,” said the native of St. Louis, Missouri. “My professors and I worked hard over the next three weeks so I was prepared to take the final exams that fall.”

Shepherd is very appreciative of the hard work and patience of the faculty of USI’s College of Business. “The professors are excellent and willing to work with you on scheduling,” said Shepherd. “They are accommodating on taking tests early or on setting early project deadlines due to road trips.

“The department is constantly trying to improve what is offered,” continued Shepherd. “The faculty plays to the student’s needs to prepare us for the life after school.”

Shepherd and the Eagles start the 2006 campaign with a pair of exhibitions games. USI plays on the road at Columbia College on August 16 and in the Mayor’s Cup against the University of Evansville at Black Beauty Field on August 20.

The regular season begins for the Eagles on August 29 when Oakland City University comes to USI for a 7 p.m. contest.

Computer Science Teachers Association

Teachers of computer science at the high school level in Southwestern Indiana are collaborating with the University of Southern Indiana College of Business to support and promote the teaching of their discipline.

Scott Anderson, instructor in computer science at USI, has facilitated the startup of a local chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), an organization founded in 2005 by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

The local chapter held its first meeting in May. The ultimate goal is to produce graduates better prepared for jobs in computer science. Through its activities, CSTA will provide teachers with opportunities for professional development, offer enrichment for high school students interested in computer science, and build a community of high school and college educators dedicated to outstanding education in computer science.

Based on interest expressed at the first meeting, Anderson will teach an introductory one-day workshop for high school computer-science educators in object-oriented programming. The workshop will take place August 10 in Orr Center at USI.

“I want them to see how easy it is to download and install JAVA and introduce object-oriented programming using JAVA,” Anderson said.

Participants will learn to use the JAVA programming language and jGRASP, an integrated development environment. Both JAVA and jGRASP are available as free downloads.

Participants will leave the workshop with additional software that will benefit them in the classroom, including a program Anderson developed. The first programming exercise workshop participants will complete is modification of existing code, using Anderson’s program to move a robot through a maze. CSTA members can take that software back to their respective schools for use with their students.

Anderson said many high school students are capable of going beyond keyboarding and the mastery of applications for creating text documents and spreadsheets to learn programming and theoretical concepts. More advanced computer-science education at the secondary level will enable students to make a better transition to study at the college level.

The CSTA national organization provides a recommended curriculum for high school computer-science education. In addition, the College Board provides an Advanced Placement course in computer science. The AP course is not available at any high schools in Southwestern Indiana. Anderson hopes that will change.

He expects that as high school educators become more familiar with resources and support available to them, they will be comfortable teaching the AP course. They also will communicate the excitement of the discipline to students who may be interested in higher education and careers in computer science.

The USI computer-science curriculum follows the guidelines of ACM’s core curriculum, know as CC2001. The USI program prepares graduates for jobs such as network administrators, computer programmers, and Web developers as well as for postgraduate study in computer science. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs that require formal training in computer science are among the top 10 fastest-growing occupations in the United States between the years 2000 and 2010.

Interest in USI’s computer-science program is on the increase. Enrollment in an introductory computer-science course this fall is more than double last fall’s enrollment.

The first meeting of the local chapter of CSTA was attended by computer-science teachers from Mater Dei High School, Evansville Christian School, and Evansville Day School, all in Evansville; Mt. Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, Indiana; Castle High School in Newburgh, Indiana, and Tecumseh High School in Lynnville, Indiana.

Future activities of CSTA will be based on the interests and needs of the members. Anderson said that USI faculty might visit high schools to provide assistance to the computer-science program, offer more workshops for teachers and students at USI, or sponsor summer camps for students interested in computer science.

Anderson is one of several College of Business faculty members who received fellowships to conduct research in their fields, develop courses, or complete community engagement projects during summer 2006. His project to establish CSTA was funded by a Community-Based Faculty Engagement Fellowship.

Throughout the University more than 35 faculty members received stipends to conduct research or develop scholarly or creative projects during summer 2006. Most projects were funded by a combination of college, University, and USI Foundation funds. Eight faculty members were funded by the Lilly Endowment Summer Research Fellowships for faculty development

Anderson joined the USI College of Business faculty in fall 2003. He is a former owner of Anderson BDG Corporation, which provided point-of-sale computer systems for automotive repair facilities. He holds a B.S. in computer science from Western Kentucky University and an M.S. in computer science from University of Southern California.

Services marketing: Tipping the scale and improving the odds

"Services marketing: Tipping the scale and improving the oddst" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, August, 2006, by Lisa Wiltsie. Wiltsie teaches marketing, management, and business communication courses for the University of Southern Indiana College of Business and serves as advisor for OPTIONS, a joint program of USI and IVY Tech Community College. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Accounting team is finalist in national competition

The USI Accounting team, finalist in a national competition sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), is shown at the awards ceremony. From left are students Kevin Farley, Donovan Sexton, and May Flores with faculty advisors Jeanette Maier-Lytle and Dr. Brian McGuire.

Teams representing four universities competed June 20 in the national finals of the IMA Video Case Competition in Las Vegas. The team representing North Carolina State University placed first in the competition. Teams from USI, James Madison University, and Western Illinois University received plaques as finalists.

This was USI’s first year to enter the national competition. Team members were May Flores and Donovan Sexton, both of Newburgh, and Kevin Farley of Huntingburg. All are seniors majoring in accounting. Faculty advisors were Jeanette Maier-Lytle and Dr. Brian L. McGuire.

Thirteen university accounting teams entered the first round of competition. To qualify, each team prepared a 15-minute video presentation addressing a case study involving “lean accounting” and submitted it for blind judging. The top four teams qualified to present their case study live at the IMA conference, and each of the four teams received an award of $3,000 from IMA.

USI’s accounting team has won first place in the annual Indiana CPA Society Case Study Competition for the past two years.

New Indiana eminent domain bill will make economic development projects more difficult

"New Indiana eminent domain bill will make economic development projects more difficult" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, July 4, 2006, by R. Scott Anderson and Carolyn Rusk. Anderson is an instructor of computer science at the University of Southern Indiana College of Business. He also teaches courses in real estate for the College of Business and holds an Indiana Real Estate Salesperson license. Rusk is a brownfield coordinator for the City of Evansville's Department of Metropolitan Development. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Dell hires 15 USI graduates, committed to seek more

Front row: Mark McKnight, assistant professor of business communication; Beth Mott-Stenerson, assistant professor of marketing; USI graduates/Dell employees Jamie Kennedy and Jillian Forcum, Sang Choe, chair of the Department of Marketing and Business Communication; USI graduates/Dell employees Chris Gruening and Kelly New; Janet Johnson, career coordinator, Career Services. Back row: Carl Saxby, associate professor of marketing; USI graduates/Dell employees David Feazel, David Raley, and Mitch Mehringer.

Fifteen 2006 USI graduates accepted full-time offers from Dell and have relocated, or are in the process of relocating, to Dell Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dell recruiters liked what they saw and heard when they came to the College of Business for the first time in April 2006 to recruit sales representatives. They have committed to returning twice a year to interview students interested in sales careers.

In addition, Dell executives invited five marketing faculty members to visit the company’s Nashville, Tennessee plant in June to learn more about Dell operations and needs.

Dr. Sang Choe, chair of the Department of Marketing and Business Communication, said, “I want to emphasize that Dell recognizes the quality of our students. That’s what makes them want to come back.

“The entire faculty of our department is dedicated to preparing students with the knowledge and skills that employers want them to have.”

Recruiters Dana Mastropieri, human resources manager, and David Sanders, sales manager from Dell’s Nashville campus, made presentations on their company in classes on personal selling and spent a day on campus interviewing students interested in entry-level jobs as inside sales representatives.

The students who accept job offers will receive a base salary, a competitive benefits package, a signing bonus, and opportunities for additional income for achieving sales goals. They will be working in the entry-level position with home and small-business clients.

Bryan Stunkel ’06, a marketing major from Haubstadt, Indiana, was among students who received an invitation to visit Dell’s Nashville campus in May for additional assessment along with a tour of the plant and the area.

Stunkel completed a sales internship with University Directories last summer and loved it.

“I think my sales experience went a long way. They want somebody who is motivated and has had some experience,” he said.

Stunkel participated in Commencement in May but will complete degree requirements in summer session. If a starting date that accommodates his summer course schedule can be arranged, he hopes to accept an offer from Dell.

“It’s a great corporation,” he said. “They’re definitely doing things right.”

The College of Business emphasis on sales courses in its curriculum attracted Dell to recruit on campus. The computer maker also was aware of the new Joe Coslett Family Sales Management Development Laboratory which will be completed this summer to enhance the teaching of professional selling.

Dr. Beth Mott-Stenerson, assistant professor of marketing, said the recruiters were looking for individuals with drive and ambition.

“That’s a given in a sales position,” she said. “You are always trying to compete with yourself — to do one better than you did yesterday. You have to take lots of calls and close the sales.”

Mott-Stenerson, who teaches personal selling classes, invited Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business; Mark McKnight, who will join the faculty in the fall as assistant professor of business communication; and Janet Johnson, career coordinator in USI Career Services, to provide information about Dell and talk with students about resumes and interviewing techniques in preparation for meeting the Dell recruiters.

Johnson said the addition of Dell to the many companies that recruit on campus offers students a new opportunity in a growing city with a company that is a leader in its field.

Dell ranks No. 25 on the Fortune 500 list. To learn more about Dell, Inc. visit www.dell.com.

Dr. Eva Jermakowicz receives award for manuscript

Dr. Eva Jermakowicz, professor of accounting for the College of Business, has received a Certificate of Merit from Strategic Finance magazine for an article she coauthored entitled “European Accounting Revolution and Its Implications.”

The flagship publication of the Institute of Management Accountants, Strategic Finance reaches more than 64,000 financial executives each month. Awards were announced at a luncheon during the IMA 87th Annual Conference and Expo in Las Vegas in June 2006.

Kathy Williams, editor of Strategic Finance, said the journal receives 300 to 350 manuscripts each year. Approximately 10 percent are accepted for publication. Each article undergoes a rigorous technical review by three independent reviewers who individually grade the manuscripts. Certificates of Merit are awarded to authors of the highest-rated manuscripts.

Jermakowicz and co-author Dr. Sylwia Gornik-Tomaszewski, assistant professor of accounting at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, are among 16 writers of 12 articles recognized this year in the competition. The two met about 10 years ago in Chicago at a seminar on international accounting organized by the American Accounting Association and have collaborated on other papers since that time.

Their manuscript on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) appeared in the March issue of Strategic Finance with the headline “IFRS and You. What are the implications of the European accounting revolution?”

In 2003-04, Jermakowicz was a Fulbright Scholar in Brussels, Belgium, under the European Union Affairs Research Program for the project “Convergence of National Accounting Practices with International Financial Reporting Standards in the European Union. The article for Strategic Finance was based on her research for that project.

A European Union regulation has required all publicly traded companies to prepare their consolidated financial reports since 2005 in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards enacted by the International Accounting Standards Board located in London.

“As a result of this regulation, it is estimated that more than 90 countries will require or allow public companies to report under IFRS,” Jermakowicz said. “The article describes the implications of this regulation for U.S. capital markets, companies, and the accounting profession.”

Jermakowicz is the principal author of other papers she will present on IFRS topics at professional conferences in Washington, D.C., and Istanbul, Turkey, later this year. She will present her research “The Impact of Adoption of IFRS: Evidence from Early Adopters in Europe” at the annual meeting of the American Accounting Association. The conference will be held August 6-9, 2006, in Washington.

During the World Congress of Accounting Educators, she will make two presentations: “The Value Relevance of Accounting Income Reported by DAX-30 German Companies” and “International Accounting Convergence on Foreign Currency Translation: IFRS Compared to Australian IFRS and US GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practices).” The World Congress will be held November 9-11, 2996, in Istanbul.

In addition, she will co-author the 2007 edition of the book Interpretation and Application of International Financial Reporting Standards, published by Wiley.

Jermakowicz wrote a column on the worldwide impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for the first issue of Evansville Business Journal in December 2004. That article also was based on her Fulbright research.

Spring clean your marketing to energize your small business

"Spring clean your marketing to energize your small business" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, June 2, 2006, by Norman Campbell, an adjunct professor in marketing and management for the University of Southern Indiana College of Business and a marketing and business development director for Energy Systems Group in Evansville. He earned an M.B.A. with an emphasis in international business from Chaminade University in Honolulu and a B.S. in aerospace and mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Society for Human Resource Management awarded Superior Merit Award

The student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) was awarded the 2005-2006 Superior Merit Award. The chapter had a total of 1,995 points, while, a total of 1,901 points were necessary to receive this honor.

The student chapter also competed in the regional 2006 HR Games competition, a Jeopardy-style quiz competition where students are tested on their human resource knowledge.

The chapter placed 11th out of 27 teams and also won an entire round, beating all 26 other teams in points.

The team participants were Whitney Pelaski, Ashley Ruggier, and Laura Gardner.

Dr. Dane Partridge, associate professor of management, advisor of the chapter, and coach of the HR Games team, said, "This year's team did quite well, and our finish in the region was our highest yet in the three years we've participated."

The student chapter is grateful to the Evansville Area Human Resource Association which sponsors the local chapter through various activities, such as speaking at club meetings, hosting tours, job shadowing, and contributing funds for the club's travel to HR games.

2006 Faculty awards recognize dedicated professionals in research, service, and teaching

Three College of Business faculty members were honored in May 2006 for outstanding achievement during the academic year. Receiving awards were Dr. Brett Long, associate professor of accounting and business law, Excellence in Service; Dr. Craig Ehlen, professor of accounting, Excellence in Research; and Tim Mahoney, instructor in economics, Excellence in Teaching.

Special Award for Mary McGrew

Mary McGrew received a special award in the spring for her dedication, especially for her work during the recent conversion to the University's new management information system. McGrew is a senior administrative assistant in the College of Business.

Colts vice president and Dr. Peluchette share wisdom with USI students

On the evening of April 27, 2006, the College of Business freshman Living Learning Community (LLC)* sponsored a program to help students learn how to prepare themselves for jobs they will assume upon graduation. Featured speakers were Kurt Humphrey Vice President of Finance for the Indianapolis Colts football team and Dr. Joy Peluchette, USI Professor of Management

Dr. Peluchette serves as chair of the Management, Management Information Systems, and Applied Computer Science Department. She commented on what students could do while they are in college and after they graduate to expand their areas of interest, begin to build a network, and engage the business community through internships and affiliations with clubs and organizations.

Kurt Humphrey who has strong roots in both Evansville and Jasper is a CPA and was experienced in public accounting before being recruited by Colts in 1984. He has been with the Indianapolis Colts organization for 22 years; this is his seventh year as vice president. He served as controller in the 15 prior years. He oversees daily financial business operations for the Colts. Humphrey talked about the management environment of the Colts and the importance of being prepared, working hard, being honest, and personal integrity. He stressed the importance of developing and maintaining a networking, reaching out to others - building bridges - the challenges of balancing family and career, doing what you enjoy doing, giving back to others, and appreciation for the kindness of strangers along with many tips on career planning.

Humphrey also offered insights and anecdotes regarding personalities of players and how the Colts organization functions on a day-to-day basis. His presentation included references to each of our academic disciplines Computer Information Systems, Accounting and Professional Services, Economics, Management, Marketing, and Finance.

* LLC - The Living Learning Community is a group of freshman majoring in business who enrolled at USI in the fall. These students live together in Ruston Hall, a freshman residence hall. They take two university core classes together along with a course that helps them make the transition to college and introduces them to the academic programs of the College of Business. Students with a common interest in business and living together assist one another with course work and other issues related to their college experience.

Radio Show on Immigration

Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar, Assistant Professor of Economics, discussed the economic impact of immigration on WNIN's show: "Tri State Matters," aired Friday, May 5, 2006. Listen to the show on WNIN's website http://www.wnin.org/tsm.html or http://www.wnin.org/tsmarchive.html .

Three Former USI Accounting Students Receive Awards
from the USI Alumni Association

Three Former USI Accounting Students receive Awards from USI Alumni Association at its 2006 Graduation Celebration held on May 5, 2006 in Carter Hall. The three recipients were Jeannette Maier-Lytle (BS-Accounting, 1988), Donita F. Wolf (BS-Accounting, 1983), and John M. Lawrence (BS-Accounting, 1973).

Ms. Maier-Lytle, an instructor in accounting at USI, received the 2006 Faculty Recognition Award. During the ceremony, it was stated that Ms. Maier-Lytle immediately became involved on campus after she joined USI in 1997. She is a dedicated educator whose caring personality, combined with her expertise as a teacher and advisor, have gained her the enduring respect of her students and colleagues.

In addition to developing and teaching accounting courses, Maier-Lytle has coached and mentored USI accounting students competing in the Indiana CPA Society Case Study Competition. Her team of students captured the state title in 2004 and 2005, successfully competing against other top Indiana universities. USI has competed for five years, placing among the final six teams in four of the five years.

Her current research efforts focus on cost behavior in manufacturing and health care facilities, with particular emphasis on activity-based costing. She received the USI College of Business Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2000 and 2002 and the Faculty Award for Excellence in Service in 2005. She and her husband Gary reside in Lynnville with their children, Kelsea, Adam, Alexander, and Austin.

Ms. Wolf received the 2006 Alumni Service Award. During the ceremony, it was stated that Ms. Wolf personifies the Alumni Association’s mission to serve and develop a committed body of alumni dedicated to promoting and enhancing the excellence and reputation of the University. She served as president of the USI Alumni Association 2003-04, treasurer 2002-03, and Alumni Council member from 2000-05. A member of the USI Foundation Board from 2003-2005, she is a member of the Alumni Major Gifts Committee, past chair of the Alumni Annual Fund Campaign, and a Phonathon volunteer. Additionally, she has provided leadership to Advocates for Higher Education, Career Mentor and Day on the Job programs, and to the Alumni committees of Special Events and Alumni Travel.

One of USI’s most ardent cheerleaders and volunteers, she continuously spreads the word of USI and its programs to the community and area students. Wolf is broker/owner of Century 21 Donita Wolf Realty. She is a former president of the Evansville Area Association of Realtors and the Indiana Women’s Council of Realtors. Donita and her husband Donald live in rural Mount Vernon. They have four children and two grandsons.

Mr. Lawrence received the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award. During the ceremony, it was stated that the Distinguished Alumni Award provides recognition to a graduate who has made outstanding achievements in career or in public service. Lawrence, this year’s recipient, has distinguished himself as a scholar, collector, and preserver of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts and books.

An Evansville native and Memorial High School graduate, Lawrence is an international expert on ancient manuscripts. His interest in manuscripts includes art, art history, history, music, and spirituality to language. He examines ink, paint, scribing, to determine the manuscripts’ origin and meaning and advises individuals on the handling and conservation of old or rare books and manuscripts. While Lawrence stores his collection under controlled temperatures in vaults, he believes that the items are meant to be seen and appreciated and shares them in public exhibitions.

Lawrence established the Scavone Awards in Medieval Manuscripts and Culture to encourage and recognize student and faculty research and works in the field. Nursing students at USI will benefit from the Melissa Faye Lawrence Endowed Memorial Nursing Scholarship that he created to honor his late wife.

A 1973 USI accounting graduate and certified public accountant, Lawrence was a forensic accountant for the U.S. Treasury Department for over 30 years, living in Wooster, Ohio. In demand as a speaker, he is widely published in his field. He also is a former faculty member at University of Akron and College of Wooster. Since his official retirement, he now consults for individuals and major U.S. corporations. He resides in Evansville.

Five Toastmasters members achieve Competent Communicator level

Four current members of Speaking Eagles Toastmasters and one former member recently were recognized for achieving the Competent Communicator (formerly Competent Toastmaster) level. They are Emily Gessner '04 of BKD, Michelle Brickner, Matt Buechler '06, John Webster '06, and Heath Racine. Their names were added to a new plaque that hangs on the second floor of Orr Center. Competent Communicators have completed 10 speeches, each focused on a different aspect of effective public speaking. The USI chapter of Toastmasters was formed in 1998 to help enhance their public speaking skills and is supported by the Accounting Circle. Graduates who achieved the Competent Communicator level in prior years may notify Dr. Dan Wade at 812/464-1796 or dwade@usi.edu to have their names added to the plaque.

Service Learning experience in Marketing Class

Students in a course on the marketing of services completed a real-world project in spring semester, developing a marketing plan for Oak Meadow Lodge overlooking Oak Meadow Golf Club north of Evansville.

Lisa Wiltsie, lecturer in business, said, "The students were creative and thorough in their findings, conducting both primary and secondary research, and providing contact names for opportunities in advertising, including rest-stop brochures, alternate market newspaper ads, Internet sites, bus signage, Golf Channel advertising, referral rewards programs, event sponsorship, partnering with local teams and businesses, and mailers."

Students conducted primary research throughout the Tri-State to ascertain how often visitors stay in Evansville and familiarity with Oak Meadow Lodge facilities.

Owner Lynne Lewis provided written feedback and is following up on some ideas, including information about affordable advertising in the Indianapolis market. The class became involved through a relationship with the Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce Collegiate Management Assistance Program and the Southwestern Indiana Small Business Development Center.

Toyota's economic impact exceeds expectations

"Toyota's economic impact exceeds expectations" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, May 2, 2006, by Dr. Mohammed Khayum, Dean of the College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana, and Dr. Gale Blalock, Professor of Economics and Chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Administration at the University of Evansville. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Accounting Students to Compete in IMA National Video Case Competition

Congratulations to the USI Accounting Team, comprised of Kevin Farley, May Flores, and Donovan Sexton, their faculty advisors Jeanette Maier-Lytle and Brian McGuire, and their "student mentor” Andrew Eddmensen, for making it to the “Final Four” of the Institute of Management Accountant’s (IMA) National Video Case Competition. The USI student team will compete in the final event that will be held at the IMA Annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, June 20, 2006. The winning team, plus the other three "finalist" teams, will be formally recognized at IMA’s Annual Dinner on Wednesday, June 21, 2006.

Teams of students from colleges and universities all over the United States responded to a published case by preparing and submitting a videotaped presentation to judges selected from IMA members. Each of the videotaped presentations was then evaluated by independent judges on the basis of “Technical Content” and “Presentation Skills.” According to IMA, “This very exciting competition presents students with real life challenges and the opportunity to analyze a case, develop a solution, present it to an international audience of accounting professionals, and receive recognition for their efforts.”

The current case is entitled “Creating a Lean Enterprise: The Case of the Lebanon Gasket Company.” The student teams were asked to respond to a series of questions related to “Lean Accounting,” addressing issues such as capacity planning, aligning employee incentives with lean goals, and making product mix decisions. Each student team had up to fifteen minutes to complete its presentation, and USI's team used all fifteen minutes. Dana Willett, ITS Production Manager in USI’s Instructional Technology Services, produced USI's videotaped presentation that was submitted for the National Video Case Competition.

USI Accounting Teams have previously competed in state competition in the Indiana CPA Society Case Competition, finishing in first place in 2004 and 2005 by beating five other finalists each year. However, this is USI’s first attempt at a national competition.

Similar to the previous competitions, we would like to recognize Dr. Parrent for his financial support, Dr. Khayum and the staff in the College of Business Office for their ongoing support, Dr. Wade for serving as faculty advisor of the USI Toastmasters, and all of the faculty members in the Department of Accounting and Business Law and the College of Business for their outstanding teaching skills that over the years prepared the students for this latest competition.

Please join me in congratulating Kevin Farley, May Flores, and Donovan Sexton, plus everyone else involved, for another great achievement. These type of activities, combined with the support that the students receive from the faculty, make USI a great learning experience!

Two College of Business student organizations received awards

Two College of Business student organizations received awards at the USI Student Leadership Awards and Recognition Ceremony held Wednesday, April 19, 2006 in Carter Hall.

USI one of four schools where Dell computers recruited

By BILL MEDLEY Courier & Press staff writer 464-7519 or medleyb@courierpress.com
Evansville Courier & Press, April 13, 2006

Personal computer giant Dell Inc. has tapped the University of Southern Indiana as one of four institutions that could produce the company's next crop of sales and marketing employees.

Recruiters from the Texas-based company were on campus April 12, 2006, to discuss opportunities and interview students for positions at Dell's Nashville, Tennessee, operations, said Sang Choe, chairman of USI's marketing and business communication department.

"It's good news not only for the students," Choe said. "It's good for the community because they support the university."

Choe said news of USI's sales and marketing programs reached a high-ranking Dell executive, who directed the company's human resources staff to focus recruiting efforts on USI and three other schools.

The other institutions chosen by Dell, which ranked 25th on the most recent Fortune 500 list, include Ball State in Muncie, Ind., Kennesaw State University in Georgia and Aurora University in Illinois.

Choe said the strength of USI's marketing and sales programs, along with Evansville's proximity to Nashville played into the university's favor.

Last year, USI received a $25,000 donation from the Joe Coslett family to develop a sales laboratory. The laboratory includes computer and video production equipment along with equipment to produce high-quality advertising and promotion materials.

Choe said about 30 students met with the Dell recruiters. The available positions offer base salaries ranging from $28,000 to $30,000, plus commission and benefits, Choe said.

Quantifying the retirement decision -- a case study

"Quantifying the retirement decision -- a case study" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, April 4, 2006, by Scott Anderson, Instructor of Computer Science. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Analyzing system not always simple process

"Analyzing system not always simple process" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, March 7, 2006, by Dr. Gary W. Black, Assistant Professor of Production/Operations Management. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Congratulations to a team of USI students and Jeanette Maier-Lytle, Instructor of Accounting, who came in first place in the Literacy Center Scrabble Tournament at Ivy Tech on Saturday, February 18, 2006. In addition to Ms. Maier-Lytle, their team, named "Red Nehle Stompers", consisted of Andrew Eddmenson, May Flores, and Kevin Farley, all accounting majors. After three 20-minute rounds they ended with a score of 700 points, even beating out a team with Dr. Craig Ehlen, Professor of Accounting, and Dr. Carl Saxby, Associate Professor of Marketing.

The purpose of the tournament was to raise money for The Literacy Center, which has as its purpose to improve adult literacy in the community. This was the third year for the tournament with 20 teams participating.

The College of Business celebrated the chartering of Beta Alpha Psi (the honor society for Financial Information students at AACSB-accredited institutions) on Friday, February 17, 2006.

The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the financial information field, providing opportunities for self-development, service and association among members and practicing professionals, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility.

Membership in Beta Alpha Psi includes those persons of good moral character who have achieved scholastic and/or professional excellence in the fields of accounting, finance, or information systems. It is understood that Beta Alpha Psi represents excellence and that its activities are designed to supplement a student's education.

Dr. Gregory Valentine, director of the Center for Economic Education and coordinator of business teacher education in the USI College of Business, was a guest of the seventh grade social studies class of Larry B. Hughes at Booth Elementary School in Enfield, Illinois. Valentine had an interactive presentation about the stock market, its history, and the companies involved. He also demonstrated how to find information about different companies and their performance over the years.

The class is a participant in the Indiana Stock Market Simulation. The ten weeks simulation introduces students to financial markets and investing. The teams in this class compete with other teams in the Tri-state area. The goal is to determine which team can accumulate the most money.

The Evansville Courier and Press, Indiana Council for Economic Education, and USI are sponsors of the simulation.

"Should the health-care workplace be fun? Employees think so" is an article in the
Evansville Business Journal, February 7, 2006, by Dr. Katherine Karl and Dr. Joy Peluchette, Professor of Management. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz)

Picture of Gary Bolinger, President and CEO of the Indiana CPA Society, along with Andrew Eddmenson, Dean Mohammed Khayum, Brian McGuire, and Melissa Popp

Pictured for left, Andrew Eddmenson, president of the USI Beta Alpha Psi Chapter; Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business; Brian McGuire, chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law; Gary Bolinger, president and CEO of the Indiana CPA Society; and Melissa Popp, president of the Accounting and Professional Services Club.

A joint meeting of the Accounting and Professional Services Club and the USI Beta Alpha Psi Chapter was held on Thursday, February 2, 2006.

The speaker was Gary Bolinger, President and CEO of the Indiana CPA Society. The Indiana CPA Society is a professional association representing certified public accountants in Indiana. The Society has approximately 7,500 members statewide whose occupations range from strategic business advisors to financial consultants to professors to members of corporate management.

Derek Faughn ’84 presented the USI College of Business Alumni in Residence program, “Whose Career is it Anyway?” on Wednesday, February 1, 2006.

Faughn has been employed with Mead Johnson since 1977, taking a job as a lab technician right out of high school and is now senior director for information management at Mead Johnson.

He never intended to go to college, however he said, “My boss encouraged me to take a class, and I did that for five-and-a-half years at night. Then, I took a year off from work and completed 44 hours in two semesters and a summer session. It was a walk in the park compared to going to work full time and doing nine hours at night,” he said.

Faughn finished a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems in 1984. When he first enrolled at USI, he was unsure of a major.

“We started to automate the lab, and I just naturally got interested in writing the programs to control lab instrumentation,” he said.

After completing the undergraduate degree, Faughn went back to Mead Johnson as a programmer.

As senior director for information management, he is responsible for information management for Mead Johnson on a global basis and for information management for all of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the Asia-Pacific region. He manages one division (Mead Johnson) globally and five divisions (Mead Johnson, worldwide medicines, technical operations, medical imaging, and consumer medicine) regionally. He supervises about 100 employees in 16 countries.

His responsibilities keep him on the go. Faughn is in the Asia-Pacific region four to six times a year, staying up to three weeks at a time.

“It’s challenging from a cultural perspective. The countries from Japan to China to Taiwan to Thailand have diverse cultural backgrounds and interesting bureaucracies. The differences from one country to another in Asia-Pacific can be significant,” he said.

Faughn said it is becoming more difficult for CIS graduates to find entry-level positions in large multinational corporations due to global sourcing. Entry-level jobs with small or regional companies in metropolitan markets offer good training opportunities. Multinational companies often seek individuals with three-to-five years of experience to handle more senior responsibilities.

“Learn as much as you can, and volunteer for as much as you can. If your track is technical, go back and get an MBA. Then Fortune 500 companies are going to be more interested in you,” he advised.

Faughn enjoys working at Mead Johnson because he believes in its mission to extend and enhance human life. “Most people don’t know that we’re the number-one infant formula company in the United States and that we make special formulas for babies with serious feeding problems and disorders,” he said.

He also praised the company for rewarding and recognizing employees. “If you make decisions based on the best interests of the company and you perform well, you will be rewarded,” he said.

Honorary professional fraternity chapter established

With her recommendations, the chapter is moving forward. A chartering ceremony and banquet will be held Friday, February 17 in Carter Hall of the University Center.

Andrew Eddmenson, president of the chapter, said the installation with be a lavish event. Area and national representatives of the organization are expected to take part in the ceremony.

“A team effort,” said USI student Leslie Kerney as she described the work of accounting students while petitioning for membership as a Beta Alpha Psi chapter.

“The students completed community service and participated in chapter meetings and other activities for self development. We have had guest speakers from the accounting profession and members volunteered as bell ringers for the Salvation Army, ” she said.

Dr. Mehmet Kocakulah, professor of accounting, and Dr. Brian McGuire, chair of accounting and business law, are the faculty advisors.

The accounting students became eligible to petition for Beta Alpha Psi membership after the accounting program earned Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accreditation in 2003. Such accreditation is a requirement for becoming a chapter of the professional fraternity. The College of Business earned AACSB International accreditation in 1997.

Beta Alpha Psi encourages and recognizes scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field, provides opportunities for self-development, and encourages a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility. Eddmenson and Kerney are sterling examples of students the chapter seeks out for membership.

Eddmenson is a junior who is a member of the Accounting Team that took first place in state competition this fall. He said, “We did feel the pressure to win, and it paid off because we took first place for a second year in a row.” He added that the students from other universities and colleges took the USI team seriously this year.

Eddmenson is from Madisonville, Kentucky, and he has a 3.94 grade point average. He came to USI as a transfer student, and during the first semester he didn’t get involved with any organizations, but that changed the second semester. He used the Accounting and Professional Services Club as a platform to meet other students and build a relationship with the faculty. He is also a member of Toastmasters. Eddmenson is an Accounting and Professional Services major.

This summer Eddmenson will be working in Indianapolis as an intern on military payroll in Defense Finance, a U.S. Department of Defense division. His career plans include forensic accounting with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and his long term goal is to teach forensic accounting on the college level.

Kerney is a senior, and she holds a 4.0 grade point average. She served as co-chair of the Accounting Extravaganza, a recruitment event held in the fall to introduce the accounting program to students on campus. She is majoring in Accounting and Professional Services.

Active in the University chapter of Toastmasters and the Accounting and Professional Services Club, Kerney attributes such extra activities, plus the interest and help of the USI faculty, toward her perfect academic record.

She is completing a GE Plastics (Mt. Vernon) co-op this spring semester. During her first rotation in the co-op, she worked in inventory accounting reconciliation. She liked the co-op because GE gave her accounting assignments. “I worked with GE data and contributed to the work of the company. It was not grunt work.”

Kerney completed three semesters at Ball State University before enrolling at USI. The Muncie campus was larger than USI, and it was further from her Posey County home. She transferred to USI in her second year.

Twenty-five current students in the fields of accounting have earned Beta Alpha Psi membership and will participate in the February ceremony along with accounting faculty and members of the Accounting Circle.

Top Stock Market Simulation teams honored

By TOM RAITHEL Courier & Press staff writer 464-7595 or raithel@evansville.net January 20, 2006

That was the secret of two Perry Central High School seniors who won the High School Division competition in the Stock Market Simulation in Southwest Indiana this week.

Kimi McCollum and Heather Altmann read a textbook chapter on stocks, then jumped into the Internet, the Wall Street Journal and the Evansville Courier & Press to glean information they used to buy and sell investments over a 10-week period last fall.

"That was my first time ever dealing with any kind of stocks," said Altmann at a dinner honoring winners in the Simulation Thursday. She said she enjoyed watching the stocks go up and down as her team traded them.

McCollum enjoyed imagining the $100,000 of pretend money they were investing was real. "It was a lot of fun. I was really into it," she said.

The research and fun paid off with their team achieving a 39.7 percent return on their investments over a 10-week period. That was not only good enough for first place among high-school teams in Southwest Indiana, it was third best among high-school teams in the state.

"These two (students) really got into it and they really did it on their own," said Sarah Spindler, their business teacher, who was also participating for the first time in the Simulation.

This is the 16th year for the Stock Market Simulation, which is sponsored by the Indiana Council for Economic Education, the Indiana Securities Office, the University of Southern Indiana (USI) and the Courier & Press.

Greg Valentine, associate professor of business education at USI and coordinator of the program, said that about 850 students in the fourth grade through high school in Southwest Indiana and about 6,500 students statewide participated last fall.

The Evansville area had more students participating than any other part of the state except Indianapolis. "Percentage-wise, we hold our own quite well," Valentine said.

Under the rules of the simulation, each student team gets to invest an imaginary $100,000. They research stocks, bonds and mutual funds and buy, sell or short-sell investments at current prices. They are charged $25 for each transaction, Valentine said.

Top teams were honored at a luncheon at USI Thursday. In addition to Perry Central, local top teams were:

High School Division, second place, Castle High School under teacher Sharon Odom; third place, Tell City High School under Steve Whitaker.

Middle School Division, first place, McGary School of Evansville under Tracy Rainey; second and third places from Holy Spirit of Evansville under Chuck Masterson.

Elementary School Division, first and second places, North School of Washington, Ind., under Susan Fisher; third place West Terrace School under Betsy Bunting.

Masterson, whose teams at Holy Spirit took two top places in the Middle School Division, has had teams participate in the contest for many years. Sometimes they win, sometimes not. "There's no rhyme or reason to it. It just comes and goes," he said.

Students on Masterson's top teams said they learned about business and investment during the Simulation.

"Pick a stock that has been going up a lot," advised Kyle Garrard. Haley Morgan recommends you look at the stock's history and avoid those that go down sharply

Derek Haas said although he thought the Simulation would be difficult at first, "it turns out to be easy."

Alyssa Wilkerson found it fun to get on the Internet and research the companies. JenniLee Feistel said she found it "exciting to learn about the stocks and see how much you can earn."

What is YOUR competitive advantage?

"What is YOUR Competitive Advantage?" is an article in the Evansville Business Journal, January 3, 2006, by Virginia Weiler, instructor of Marketing in the College of Business. Read the entire article... (Go to EBJ.biz).

Students raise money, awareness of food crisis in Niger

Students in a course on economic development in developing countries have done something on their own to improve the lives of the people in Niger during the fall of 2005.

After students of Dr. Peter Cashel-Cordo, associate professor of economics, learned about the drought and locust infestation that led to a food shortage, they developed a project called Rake Out Hunger in Niger.

Andrew Schultz, a senior economics and mathematics major said 3.6 million people, including 800,000 children, are affected by the famine.

"We decided we could play a small part," Schultz said. "We thought we could raise money and raise awareness of the problem."

The students raked leaves in Evansville neighborhoods on several fall weekends, explaining their purpose to homeowners and collecting donations to send to Africare, a nonprofit organization which provides emergency food relief to Niger. The project raised $400, which will feed 40 children in Niger for about two months.

In a letter to the students, John D. Campbell, acting president of Africare, said, “Funds received from generous donors such as you have made expansion of Africare’s work in Niger possible. So on behalf of the people of Niger, especially the children, I want to thank you for your kindness, your compassion, and your support of Africare.”

In addition to Schultz, students who participated were Nathan Atkinson, Jean Bernavil, Lora Defries, William Krowl, Sean Martin, Shawn Scott, Shawn Storkman, and Charity Strange.

College of Business Faculty lead workshops

Three College of Business Faculty conducted workshops at the 2006 Spring Faculty and Administrative Staff meeting on January 3: Sudesh Mujumdar, assistant professor of economics, on "The Teaching Philosophy Statement: A Chore?"; Tim Schibik, professor of economics, on "Evaluating Teaching through Peer Classroom Observation"; and Kevin Celuch, professor of marketing, with Jerry Cain on "Teaching Portfolios".

2006

On this page...