In the News Archives
In the News, 2011
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Dr. Khayum presents the Evansville forecast 2012
Taken from the Indiana Business Review, Winter 2011 issue.
Unease about the economy’s performance in 2011 and heightened concerns about the
likelihood of a double-dip recession have raised fundamental questions about the
role and impact of macroeconomic policies, our understanding of the driving
forces behind the changing structure and dynamics of the U.S. economy, and the
adjustment processes underlying consumer spending and business investment. At
the same time, there is increased focus on investigating the relative influence
of technological unemployment and wealth disparity on the trajectory of the
economy over the past two decades.
Dr. Khayum spoke on Entrepreneurship
Presented December 8, 2011, at the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business at the
University of Southern Indiana, was the featured speaker at the Henderson County
Chamber of Commerce on December 8, 2011, for the Small Business Person of the
Year Award. His ideas on the role that customer experience play in boosting a
business's bottom line are exemplified by both award winners, Ruby Moon Vineyard
& Winery and Independence Bank of Henderson County and therefore should be carefully considered
by all entrepreneurs!
A video of the whole program is below; Dr. Khayum's presentation is between the 11-
to 41-minute portion.
Marketing majors prevail in Ideation Contest
By Kathy Funke, November 28, 2011
The top two teams show off their tent designs. The winning team from left: Chelsea Schmidt,
Adam Kaps, and Sarah Krampe. Second place team from left: Sara Rasnick and Jon Bond.
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A three-member University of Southern Indiana student team won the Anchor
Ideation Challenge sponsored by Anchor Industries and the University of Southern
Indiana College of Business. Winning team members are Chelsea Schmidt,
Mt. Vernon, IN, junior, marketing major, Sarah Krampe, Evansville,
sophomore, marketing major, and Adam Kaps, Indianapolis, freshman,
marketing major. The top team was selected today after nine USI student teams
made presentations for competition judges.
The top team won a $2,500 award for its party tent idea. The presenters will
have an opportunity to interview for a summer internship with Anchor. If the
company develops a contest idea that leads to a patent, students involved in the
design will be listed on the patent.
Sara Rasnick, a junior art major from Shelbyville, and Jon Bond, a
senior finance major from Henderson, Kentucky, were the runner-up team. They
received a $1,500 award.
Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business, attended the
judging. He said, "The finalists displayed considerable imagination in their
tent designs. They deserve our respect for their courage to take part in the
competition and to immerse themselves for over two months in this challenge. I
was very impressed with the perseverance, hard work, and the creative
combination of knowledge demonstrated in the distinctive designs they
generated."
The competition coordinator Dr. Chad Milewicz, assistant professor of
marketing, said, "The annual Ideation Challenge is an opportunity for USI
students to achieve unimagined potential through immersion in a creative
challenge outside the classroom.
"Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors representing three colleges at USI
achieved through this Challenge what most college graduates never experience,"
he said. "These teams presented original ideas that impressed and excited the
lead executives of a global organization that is the leader in its industry!
This is one example of how USI stands for opportunity."
Six judges representing Anchor and the community selected the winner based on
aesthetic appeal, ease of installation and maintenance, ability to increase
brand awareness, simplicity of storage and transport durability, environmental
responsibility, and adaptability.
Milewicz said, "The judges unanimously agreed that all of the presentations were
impressive and that each idea has potentially valuable elements. There is no
indication that a particular idea will be scheduled for manufacturing in the
short term, but innovation is a process. Elements of each idea raised the
eyebrows of the judging panel and have the potential to influence future
innovations in tent design.
"Every idea captured the imagination, but the winning ideas each did so in some
unique way. We do not have the official final scores for the teams, but the
scores were very close."
Pete Mogavero, Anchor chairman and president,
introduced the contest and challenged students to develop
creative ways to make event tents. He appeared at USI in September at the
Executive-in-Residence program.
Mohammed Khayum: Indiana economy recovering 'painfully slow'
Read the article >>
Taken from the November 14, 2011 issue of the Evansville Courier & Press
By John Martin
The Evansville metropolitan statistical area, though, which includes surrounding
counties in both Indiana and Kentucky, seems to be a bit ahead of the curve,
said Mohammed Khayum, dean of the University of Southern Indiana College
of Business.
He pointed to distribution center job growth in the region as an example.
"We can feel some change in the trajectory," Khayum said. "We have shown
capability to be resilient, maybe to an extent where it surprises us."
Tim Mahoney: Gold Industry Booms in Tough Economic Climate
Watch the video >>
News 25, Nov 12, 2011, by Nick LaGrange
USI economics instructor, Tim Mahoney says the value of
gold is now the highest it has ever been.
"The year 2000, it was about $200," he said. "About
$200 - $300. Now it's around $1,788."
Mahoney also says that the deteriorating global economy
has more businesses investing in gold as a type of economic safety-net.
"People are looking around and saying, 'Hey. Do we have
more problems on the horizon?" he said. "Gold is a stored value. And it's sort
of a protection against inflation. So if somebody's got some artifacts at home
that they might want to get rid of, this would be the way to do it."
Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar is quoted in ECP article
Manufacturing still drives local economy
Read the article >>
Taken from the November 6, 2011 issue of the Evansville Courier & Press
By Richard Gootee
...it can be especially tough for veterans of the manufacturing sector to find similar jobs without extensive additional training and might force them into a lower paying job, said Sudesh Mujumdar, the chairman of the economics and marketing department at the University of Southern Indiana.
"The biggest issue has been finding employment for people who are displaced especially at a wage that would give you a 'living wage.' If you were working one job before now you may have to work two jobs or work on the weekend," he said.
Mujumdar said the influence of local manufacturing market is diminishing because it was passed by the health and the education sector as the area's largest employer.
A PBS NewsHour video including comments by Dean Khayum
Episode: Revisiting Evansville, Two Years After Whirlpool's Move South
Two years ago, Whirlpool shuttered a factory in Evansville, Ind., and
transferred production to Mexico after the implementation of the North American
Free Trade Agreement. In this excerpt from "Need To Know," correspondent Rick
Karr reports on what has happened in Evansville after the company's move south.
Download Application Form >>
Sign up for 2012-2013 Awards & Scholarships
It's that time to think about awards and scholarships for the next academic
year. You will need to fill out an application during the month of
November in order to be considered. You can download the Application Form
with the link above or pick up one in the College of Business office. The
completed application must be submitted to the College of Business office no
later than December 1, 2011.
See a list of possible Awards and Scholarships >>
Download Registration Form >>
Accounting Circle Golf Scramble—October 21, 2011
Proceeds from the 7th Annual USI Accounting Circle Golf Scramble will benefit
the Roxy Mitchell Baas Memorial Scholarship. The Scramble will take place Friday, October 21, 2011, at
the Helfrich Hills Golf Club
on 1550 Mesker Park Drive in Evansville.
Lunch is served at 11:00 a.m. with a putting competition at 11:30. Tee
time is at 12:00 noon.
Please contact Darla Perigo at the USI College of Business with questions,
dietary restrictions or disability-related accommodation needs:
dsperigo@usi.edu or 812-464-1718.
Please note: The amount exceeding the $40.00 per person cost for golf and lunch
is tax-deductible.
Join the USI Team for the 2012 National IMA Student Case Competition
Case Study
Download >>
Teams are forming for the 2012 National Student Case Competition sponsored by the Institute of Managment Accountnts (IMA).
Be on the "winning team"!
Teams of students respond to a case (published in Strategic Finance) by
preparing and submitting a videotaped presentation to a panel of judges selected
from IMA members. This very exciting competition presents students with
real-life challenges and the opportunity to:
- analyze a case;
- develop a solution;
- present it to an audience; and
- receive recognition for their efforts.
The videotaped presentations must be posted on YouTube by February 1, 2012.
The IMA panel of judges will select the top four teams by May 31, 2012, and the
finalists will present their case recommendations at the IMA Conference in Las
Vegas on June 24, 2012.
If you are interested in being a part of this team, please contact Jeanette
Maier-Lytle at jcmaier.
Students and faculty participate in the CPA Day of Service
The USI Beta Alpha Psi/Accounting Club students and USI accounting faculty
teamed up with the local Institute of Management Accountants organization to
participate in the CPA Day of Service on September 23, 2011.
They served at the Tri-State Food Bank in Evansville and had around 30
participants throughout the day.
Participants filled food
bags that the food bank would donate to students in the tri-state area so
children could have nutritional food over the weekend.
Volunteers learned that the Tri-State Food bank fills approximately 2000 bags a
week and the services provided during CPA Day of Service enabled approximately
¼ of those bags to be filled.
The participants also assisted
the food bank by taking five 2,000 pound boxes of frozen celery and breaking,
scooping, and bagging it into individual bags that could be distributed to the
local community. Volunteers also wrapped cans, moved food
items and bagged noodles.
Business faculty provide leadership to Indiana and the region
One of the goals in the University’s 2010-2015 Strategic Plan is: Provide
Leadership to Indiana and the Region. Given the current regional focus on
issues such as Innovation and Branding, presentations by Kevin Celuch,
Bryan Bourdeau, and Chad Milewicz at the Rotary Club of Evansville highlight the
role of faculty expertise as a source of thought leadership in the region.
WNIN taped the presentations of these College of Business faculty. You can watch them below.
Enterprising students enroll in new entrepreneurship minor
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"I work hardest in the entrepreneurial class, and it is the one I most like to attend," said senior Jasmine Thomas.
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Heather O'Cull, a senior at the University of Southern Indiana,
described her first day in Management 352, an ideation and innovation course, as
terrifying. She learned she could earn either an A or an F, no textbooks or
traditional exams would be offered, and class presentations would be videotaped.
"I'm going to fail this class," was O'Cull's first thought.
Her trepidation was short lived. "We were encouraged to stretch and to come up
with wild ideas," O'Cull said. "We worked in three-member teams and the team
approach helped us come up with better ideas."
The management course with the nontraditional pedagogy is part of the
entrepreneurship minor. Bryan Bourdeau, instructor in business, team
teaches courses with Dr. Kevin Celuch, professor of marketing. They ask
their students to call them Coach B and Coach K.
"The coaching environment lends to a more facilitated teaching approach that
puts the onus of learning on the student," said Bourdeau. "Co-teaching supports
cross-disciplinary academic diversity and creativity. It allows us to take
risks, learn from each other, and grow as professionals. By having two coaches
in the classroom, we are able to have an enhanced student/team-centered focus."
Read complete article >>
Iraqi students excited to return to USI
Read the article >>
Taken from the September 13, 2011 issue of the Evansville Courier & Press
By Megan Erbacher, Special to the Courier & Press
Eugene Yousif of Duhok started classes this Monday in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in computer information systems. He finished a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering at University of Duhok this summer. Shan Sherwan of Sulaymaniyah will begin her journey toward a social work degree in January 2012, after completing her bachelor's in engineering at the University of Sulaymaniyah.
Entrepreneur's Domain: Innovative Ideas
Taken from the September issue of the "EBJ-Evansville Business Journal"
by Kevin Celuch, a contributing writer, is the Blair Chair of Business Science and a Professor of Marketing
To build the right mindset, it's time for employees
to be encouraged to challenge assumptions and
to think differently about different things
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Kevin Celuch
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Steve Jobs, iconic Apple co-founder, asked and convincingly answered the
question: Why join the Navy when you can be a pirate? Following his lead,
organizations in diverse industries are asking and searching for answers to a
related question: How can my company foster an entrepreneurial mindset?
The Problem
Understanding and promoting innovation has been identified by business leaders
as a key issue likely to impact the future of businesses over the next decade.
One way of thinking about innovation is as a funnel with the wide mouth
representing early idea generation. The funnel then gradually tapers as
ideas are eliminated through analysis and development until it becomes final
commercialization where the funnel ends.
Current evidence suggests that, in many cases, the mouth of the funnel should
be widened. More attention should be given to idea generation in that it
is a relatively inexpensive stage of innovation compared to later product
development stages.
Evidence also suggests that rather than mere quantity of ideas, it is the
variability in ideas that is related to increasing the overall quality of ideas.
How can businesses improve their abilities to craft ideas so as to become better
at identifying exceptional opportunities?
A Solution to the Problem
One movement that holds the potential to help address the problem is the
entrepreneurial revolution of the past 20 years. Thoughtful articles have
documented the growth of entrepreneurship within the economy and organizations.
Most notable is a focus on an entrepreneurial mindset that can be developed by
individuals and applied in various settings.
Opportunity recognition is at the core of an entrepreneurial mindset. As
noted by prominent thinkers in the field, organizations cannot see
opportunities, only individuals. Developing more potential (and varied)
opportunities increases the likelihood of finding the best ones to develop.
There is emerging agreement that deliberate practice that results in changes in
beliefs impact the development of an entrepreneurial mindset.
So how can companies capitalize on the knowledge being developed in this field
to encourage employees to think in less linear or nonroutine ways?
Simply put, we need employees who think differently about different things.
Employees can be more frequently encouraged to challenge assumptions (beliefs
that we never think to surface and question) by removing or reversing the
assumptions.
For example, working with an existing patent, one assumption might be that the
complete patent must be used in the development of a new idea.
Reversing or removing the assumption would involve using only a part of the
patent and then developing potential ideas from only one aspect of the patent.
The process can then continue with alternative aspects of the patent.
As part of the Entrepreneurship Minor in the College of business as the
University of Southern Indiana, we are using these types of techniques inside and
outside the classroom with encouraging results.
We have documented significant changes in ideation beliefs and confidence as
well as idea uniqueness, which imply that the approach positively impacts an
entrepreneurial mindset. So heave to matey, let's find some adventure in
new ideas!
Dean Khayum discusses region's
'brain drain'
By Mizwell Stewart III, taken from the September 4, 2011 issue of the "Evansville
Courier & Press"
The topic of "brain drain" — the departure of the best and brightest young minds
from our communities — is a top-of-mind issue throughout the Tri-State. If you
think that's only a concern for communities such as Evansville, think again;
young people are leaving smaller communities at an even higher rate.
An upcoming summit meeting planned for Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, at the Huntingburg
Events Center will bring together rural community leaders from throughout
Southern Indiana in a search for ideas and solutions.
Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business at the University of Southern
Indiana, and Charmaine McDowell, director of Connect with Southern Indiana,
discuss the issue this week on "Newsmakers," a weekly public-affairs television
program coproduced by WNIN-PBS and the Courier & Press. The following is an
edited transcript of Khayum and McDowell's interview with Courier & Press Editor
Mizell Stewart III...
Read the full article >>
Dean Khayum says investors shouldn't panic in face of Dow's drop
By Mark Wilson, taken from the August 8, 2011 issue of the "Evansville
Courier & Press"
Area investors should resist the temptation to respond to the dive in Monday’s
stock market following Standard & Poor’s downgrading of American debt late
Friday, local economists said.
The downgrading of U.S. credit rating only adds another layer of uncertain[ty]
in the economy, not only in the financial market but for consumers as well, said
Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business at the University of Southern
Indiana.
However, Khayum said it is too early to tell if Standard & Poor's downgrading
would filter down to cause a rise in interest rates for consumer debt such as
credit cards.
Entrepreneur's Domain: Mistakes will happen
By Horace M. Lukens III, an instructor in finance, taken from the August 2011 issue of the "Evansville Business Journal"
The important thing is to overcome them
Why is [it] difficult for us to overcome our continuous mistakes? Sometimes we
have to admit that "we just don't get it." Here are five mistakes that we
make most of the time and how to overcome them:
- We forget what we do best. We slowly allow ourselves to get involved in areas of personal and business
activities that take us away from our chosen business or profession. It's hard to say "no."
But we must practice an extreme amount of self-discipline in order to continue to do what we
do best. Have you forgotten what you do best? It is time to regroup!
- Going after new customers and leaving old ones in the dust. When I first
started working for my father in the family insurance agency, he admonished me
to first take care of our current customers and then go after new accounts.
The mistake here is that we put a new account on the books and then forget it.
Do we call our current accounts to see how they are doing? Do we check
with our clients to review our accounts with them on a quarterly and semiannual
basis? The right thing to do is look at who I have not talked to in
several months, drop them a line or make a phone call or, better yet, show up at
their office.
- We don't learn from our mistakes. You would think taking corrective
action would be obvious, right? Wrong! We all make excuses as to why things
didn't work. If you find out that you are going down the wrong path, can
you be nimble enough to the flow and move in the right direction? Can you
even determine you are making a mistake before it's too late?
- Knowing when to say "no." sometimes, to make sure you stay alive and kicking as
a business, you have to say no. No to the new process re-engineering
effort. No to hiring a new person. No to changing the business model.
No to the new client with unrealistic expectations. This mistake could be
the hardest one to handle, especially as a business owner.
- Hiring the wrong person. One of the cardinal mistakes in business is
hiring family. Another mistake is hiring people who are looking for a step
on the ladder of success, which will be somewhere else. Loyalty is hard to
find in people anymore.
We will all make mistakes. Often, it is the same one more than once. Our only hope is when we fall down, we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move on,
knowing for sure we will [not] make that mistake again. But if we do, we
will be able to recover quickly.
Dean Khayum talks about how the loss of Integra affects entire community
Taken from the August 3, 2011, issue of the Evansville Courier & Press,
by Carol Wersich
When a community loses a corporate headquarters, it can also lose support of
community programs.
The now-failed
Integra Bank, like many other locally headquartered companies, contributed
largely to a number of community programs.
Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business at the University of Southern
Indiana, said he believes nonprofit organizations, which relied on Integra for
support, will have to regroup and find ways to become connected to other
financial services.
He said Integra will be missed.
"A reduction in the number of headquarters would not be as good for the area as
if we had an increase in headquarters. A headquarters can make a decision
immediately, unlike a branch operation," said Khayum.
Tim Mahoney speaks out on the economic outlook with Integra's shutdown
Taken from News25 on July 30, 2011, by David Shepherd
Integra bank branches were open for business Saturday under
Old National Bank; a day after regulators shut down all 52 branches.
The move comes as unnerving to some as economic
uncertainty begins to boil over in Washington.
Cheryl Powers, a resident of Henderson, told NEWS 25, "I think the banks
closing has a lot to do with the economy. There are just a lot of scary things
happening right now."
USI professor of economics, Tim Mahoney says, while they are both related
to the economy, the bank shutdown has nothing to do with the debt crisis. "It's
unsettling for individuals to think members of congress can't get together and
now we have a local situation right here."
The issue: Integra's expansion back in 2007 in which the bank went in to
commercial lending. Mahoney explains, "Unfortunately, that was the time the real
estate market and the commercial lending market were really falling apart."
"Those commercial real estate customers were unable to make their payments
back to the bank," said Gerald Billings, a
spokesperson for the FDIC.
In 2009, as part of the federal bank bail out, Integra received $83.6
million in the hopes of stabilizing them during the recession. "Their
losses were just too great and they were just overwhelmed by it," explains
Mahoney. "They just couldn't pay it back. The customers, including myself, are not going to
notice any difference at all. All of the deposits are safe."
Finance and accounting alumna becomes Director of Internal Audit at credit
union
Taken from the CUinsight, a newsletter for the Heritage Federal Credit
Union, July 26, 2011
Carrie Holley has joined the Heritage Federal Credit Union as Director of
Internal Audit.
Ms. Holley is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Community Bank
Internal Auditor. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and
Accounting from the University of Southern Indiana. She completed both
degrees with a 4.0 GPA and earned the Academic Achievement Award in Finance.
She is also a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
Ruth Gaon, CCE, President and CEO stated, “We are very excited to have Carrie as
part of the Heritage Federal Credit Union team! Her wealth of knowledge
and experience will make her an asset to our growing credit union.”
Evansville's 'identity' to be built
Taken from the July 21, 2011, issue of the Evansville Courier & Press, by Susan
Orr.
USI & GAGE survey seen as promotional tool
Concepts like "branding" and "identity" may be most closely associated with
consumer items like sneakers and soda, but local experts say these concepts can
also help a city prosper.
"Knowing your identity, it helps the city come together around something common,
and that can help in planning," said Chad Milewicz, assistant professor
of marketing at the University of Southern Indiana.
With that in mind, USI and the
Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville are working on a survey that they
hope will help Evansville identify and promote itself.
Talks focus on building on Evansville's strengths and weaknesses
Taken from the July 20, 2011, issue of the Evansville Courier & Press, by Susan Orr.
With a little creative thinking, one expert believes, Evansville's areas of
so-called weakness could lead to economic opportunity.
"We shouldn't hide them, because there's useful information in that," said
Mohammed Khayum, dean of the University of Southern Indiana's business school.
On Tuesday, USI hosted a regional economic impact at which Khayum and other
business and economic development experts talked about how to create and analyze
economic development strategies. The program, which also featured Ball State
University economist Michael Hicks, was one of several similar programs held
around Indiana to help spur economic development.
Another of the speakers was Greg Wathen, president and chief executive officer
of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana.
Read the full article >>
Dr. Brian L. McGuire: Leading the world's management accountants
by Betty Vawter, Senior Editor, USI News & Information Services
Dr. Brian McGuire
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Dr. Brian L. McGuire, associate dean of the University of Southern
Indiana College of Business, is chair for 2011-12 of the board of directors of
the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). The organization is the world's
leading and largest association focused exclusively on advancing the management
accounting profession. It has more than 65,000 members in 120 countries.
McGuire began his term July 1 and will serve through June 30, 2012. His IMA
involvement began in the mid-1980s at the chapter level. Named to his first term
on the national board in 1989, he was at that time the youngest member ever to
serve in that role.
Recently, McGuire attended the organization's Middle East Conference in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates. He addressed a general session with a presentation on the
skills chief financial officers are looking for in their accounting and
financial management professionals. The conference began May 10, eight days
following the death of Osama bin Laden.
"To see the people who had come from all over the Middle East and to hear what
was going on in their countries was amazing," McGuire said. "It meant a lot to
me that they were able to come to the conference."
McGuire made presentations at several leading companies and universities in
Dubai and in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, he presented a
charter to IMA's newest chapter, the Eastern Provinces chapter. He met chief
financial officers of the chapter's sponsoring company, Saudi Aramco, the
state-owned oil company. In Riyadh, he met with financial management
professionals in the headquarters of SABIC, which has a plant in Mount Vernon,
Indiana.
McGuire attended a celebration for the first women in Riyadh to attain the
Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential sponsored by IMA.
"We had to go way out of the city to a location that would allow men and women
to attend the same function," he said. "It was held at a country club co-owned
by a Saudi prince. I could tell the women were excited not only to pass the CMA
exam but also to be recognized publicly. I was pleased to be there and give them
a certificate recognizing their accomplishment."
McGuire said the 100-page meeting packet he studied before the trip included
substantial advice on protocol related to the culture of the Middle East.
During the conference he signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of IMA
with representatives from Sri Lanka. The document pledged collaboration on
management accounting research and other issues important to the profession.
"Much of our recent growth has been international," McGuire said. "The first
chapter in Russia was launched this year in Moscow."
About 20 percent of IMA membership is outside the United States. After the
United States, Egypt has the next largest membership. A planned stopover there
during McGuire's Middle East trip was postponed due to political conditions, but
he expects to reschedule that visit. Before his term expires, he also will
represent IMA at meetings in London and in Zurich and Beijing, where IMA has
international offices.
Wherever he goes abroad or in the states, McGuire said chancellors, business
deans, and faculty from other universities want to hear about the accounting
program at USI.
"And, when they learn that I am a reviewer for AACSB International and the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools," he said, "they are interested in
information about the accreditation process."
During the Middle East trip, representatives of several schools expressed
interest in establishing relationships with USI, such as faculty and student
exchanges or collaborative faculty research.
McGuire also will travel domestically during his year as chair. He recently
returned from the IMA's 92nd annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando,
Florida, where a USI accounting team tied for second in case competition.
Jeanette Maier-Lytle, instructor in accounting, and McGuire were faculty
sponsors. USI teams have qualified for the national finals of the competition
during the last six years and won first place in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Accounting students have brought home $27,000 in award money in the six years.
Earlier this year, McGuire made eight presentations for IMA at corporations and
universities in the Chicago area. Among the companies he visited were BP
Corporation North America and the UPS Training Center. He spoke at an accounting
conference held at the Kellogg Conference Center at Michigan State University.
In June he presented a 75th anniversary certificate to IMA's Michiana Chapter,
which serves the South Bend, Indiana, area.
A group of students from the College of Business will attend the annual IMA
Student Leadership Conference in November where McGuire will be a featured
speaker. The meeting will be in Cincinnati, Ohio. Other dates on his schedule in
the coming months are presentations at the annual meeting of the American
Accounting Association in Denver, a meeting of former IMA officers and directors
in San Antonio, and a meeting of the Arizona Chapter of the Sun in Phoenix. He
will attend IMA board meetings in Miami, San Antonio, and Las Vegas.
The IMA Lincoln Trail Regional Council provides scholarships for USI students to
attend the annual student conference. In addition, the local chapter provides a
scholarship each year to an outstanding junior majoring in accounting. McGuire,
Maier-Lytle, Dr. Mehmet Kocakulah, and Dr. Les Nunn of the USI
accounting faculty serve on the board of directors of the IMA Evansville
Chapter.
McGuire said IMA is important for its members beginning in their student years
and throughout their careers. The organization offers networking, leadership
development, the CMA certification, and professional education.
IMA was formed in 1919. McGuire is the first board chair from Indiana since
1958.
In addition to serving as associate dean of the College of Business, McGuire is
director of the Master of Business Administration program and professor of
accounting. He serves on the global board of Beta Alpha Psi, an honorary
organization for students and professionals in financial information. He joined
USI in 1995. McGuire was named the recipient of the University's
2010 Integra Distinguished Professor Award.
He is featured in the August 2011 issue of the IMA publication
Strategic Finance.
Iraqi student to return to study computer information systems
Eugene Yousif
|
The University of Southern Indiana has awarded a full scholarship to an Iraqi
student who participated in last summer's Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program
(IYLEP). Eugene Yousif of Duhok
has been selected to study at USI and serve as a global ambassador to USI and
the greater Evansville community.
Twenty-three Iraqi students lived and studied at USI for six weeks in summer
2010. The program included community service, classroom instruction, field trips
and site visits, leadership training, conflict resolution, and cultural and
recreational activities. (View a
slideshow of images from USI's IYLEP program.)
Yousif, who is currently completing a bachelor's degree in electrical and
computer engineering at University of Duhok, will pursue a bachelor's degree in
computer information systems at USI beginning in the fall.
Yousif said there are many reasons that he applied for the scholarship. He likes
the area, loves the people, and is attracted to earning a bachelor's degree from
an "international university," but he is primarily interested in earning a
bachelor's degree in just two years. "It's the specialization I want, and I
believe it will help me in my future career," he said.
"Sooner or later I will come back to my home," he added. "I have the potential
to change at least a portion of my community."
Read the complete article >>
Economics student conducting field research in India
Chanse Ford, pursuing an economics minor, is one of three students conducting field research in
India for two weeks in an internationally known project on social and economic
empowerment in resource-strapped communities.
The opportunity resulted from relationships established by Dr. Ronald S.
Rochon, provost, and faculty members during two recent trips to India to
explore academic partnerships with several organizations.
Dr. Sudesh N. Mujumdar, USI associate professor of economics and chair of
the Department of Economics and Marketing, finalized arrangements for the
collaboration. He said the empowerment program has emphasized building financial
independence among women.
Ford, a junior in political science, is also pursuing a minor in journalism.
He will view the international field research through a
political/economic lens as well as that of a journalist. News editor for the
student newspaper The Shield, he recently won first place in the category
for non-deadline news in competition sponsored by the Indiana Collegiate Press
Association. He is
blogging about the team′s experience in India.
The other students on the trip to Delhi and Alwar, India, from June 27
through July 10, 2011, are Amy Brown and Daniel "D.J." Horstman.
In Alwar, they will interview families that have been involved
for several years with an "empowerment model" developed and implemented by the
Society for Development Studies (SDS), a partner institution of the United
Nations.
Read the full report >>
Sudesh Mujumdar comments on Evansville's economy
By Susan Orr, taken from the June 26, 2011, issue of the Evansville Courier & Press.
The Evansville metro area's economy was among the first in the state to soften
in the recent economic downturn, but Evansville will also be the first area in
the state to return to precession peak employment, according to a
U.S. Conference of Mayors report.
"We've got a well-diversified employment base. It used to rely heavily on
manufacturing, but no more," said Sudesh Mujumdar, an associate professor of
economics at the University of Southern Indiana.
Manufacturing represents about 16 percent of non-farm employment in the
Evansville area, Mujumdar said. In comparison, education and health care
combined account for about 22 percent of local nonfarm jobs. And incidentally,
Mujumdar said, health care and education are among the sectors of the economy
that are predicted to grow.
USI Economist speaks on Whirlpool closing
By Susan Orr, taken from the June 18, 2011, issue of the Evansville Courier & Press.
It's been a full year since Whirlpool's Evansville refrigerator production reached the end of the line, putting more than 1,000 people out of work.
What happened to that group of workers isn't easy to determine. Unemployment
statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics don't provide much clarity.
Vanderburgh County had 8,321 unemployed residents in March 2010. In April — the
earliest that the first wave of displaced workers would show up in the numbers —
the number of unemployed dropped to 7,904. In July — when others who lost their
jobs would have started showing up in the numbers — that number was 8,256.
There are numerous reasons why unemployment numbers don't line up exactly with
reality. The numbers are based on sampling and surveys, not an actual count of
the unemployed.
"I wouldn't put too much stock in these numbers reflecting all the unemployed
workers," said Sudesh Mujumdar, chairman of the economics and marketing
department at the University of Southern Indiana.
"You won't get every person who's unemployed showing up in that count."
Another factor, Mujumdar said, is all jobs are not created equal. He's talked to
several people who took new jobs paying significantly less than they earned at
Whirlpool.
This, Mujumdar said, echoes a national trend he described as the "hollowing-out
of the middle class" — as people lose middle-income jobs, they may only be able
to find lower paying jobs, moving them down the socio-economic scale.
"These are the things that get masked when looking only at the (unemployment)
rates," Mujumdar said. "It has big implications for our social fabric."
USI team among 'final four' in national accounting competition
Top: Matt Mitchell and Brett Bueltel
Bottom: Ashley Scott and Anu Asthana
A team of accounting students from the University of Southern Indiana competed in
Orlando, Florida, recently as a "final four" team in the national Student Case
Competition sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA).
Team members were Anu Asthana, a Master of Business Administration
student from Evansville, Brett Bueltel, a senior in accounting from
Newburgh, Indiana, Matt Mitchell, a senior in accounting and finance from
Elberfeld, Indiana, and Ashley Scott, a senior in accounting from Oaktown,
Indiana. Faculty advisors were Jeanette Maier-Lytle, instructor in
accounting, and Dr. Brian McGuire, associate dean of the College of
Business and professor of accounting.
Accounting teams from across the country presented their cases on DVD for the
initial round of judging. The four teams chosen for the finals made
presentations on June 5 at the 92nd annual IMA Conference and Exposition. Each
team qualifying for the finals received an award of $3,000.
Students from Elon University won the contest. According to competition rules,
other finalists tie for second place. Teams from Western Illinois University and
Wright State University joined USI as runners-up.
This was the sixth consecutive year for USI students to qualify for the national
finals.
"The sustained exceptional performance of our students in this national case
competition exemplifies their commitment to excellence and the caliber of their
professional skills," said Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of
Business. "Reaching the finals for the sixth year in a row is a tremendous
accomplishment and is illustrative of the quality of the educational experience
provided by our accounting and business programs."
In this year's case, students assumed responsibility for helping guide the
transition of a fictional airlines from a government-owned entity to a private
company. Team members prepared a profitability analysis of each market segment,
determined the breakeven volume for one route, prepared a SWOT analysis, and
developed recommendations for an overall strategy.
Prior to leaving for the national conference, the team presented the case in a
formal practice setting to Doug Joest, airport manager, and Dennis
Guthery, accounting manager for the Evansville-Vanderburgh Airport Authority
District, in the boardroom at Evansville Regional Airport.
Joest is a certified public accountant and member of the College of Business
Board of Advisors. "After their presentation, I asked them some industry
specific questions," he said, "and they were able to respond quickly and
professionally. They came across as a very competent and experienced
professional team."
Maier-Lytle said the USI students gave an outstanding presentation at the
conference and handled themselves well during the question-and-answer session
that followed.
The annual case competition gives students an opportunity to analyze a
management accounting problem and communicate a solution.
The IMA conference was held June 4-8, 2011. During the meeting, McGuire was named
chair of the organization's Board of Directors for 2011-12. The association for
accountants and financial professionals in business, IMA has more than 60,000
members in 120 countries.
Read article from the Princeton Daily Clarion >>
Innovation large or small, it moves businesses to the next level
Taken from the June 2011 issue of the EBJ-Evansville Business Journal,
by Bryan Bourdeau. A contributing writer, Bourdeau is an instructor in business and
entrepreneurship in the College of Business at the University of Southern
Indiana and a former entrepreneur.
 Bryan Bourdeau |
You can't touch it, you can't see it, but it's part of the human element. It
starts when people are hungry for change and thrives in the hands of the
consumer. It's called innovation.
In a world where the term "innovation" has been overused, do we really know what
it means? The dictionary defines it as "to make something new, to change."
Different theories of innovation exist: breakthrough, incremental and open
source to name but a few. There are arguments stating innovations have to be
disruptive in order to qualify; others argue that any change — as long as it is
measurable — qualifies as innovation.
Author, speaker and consultant Frans Johansson asserts, "There is no way to know
whether a thought is new except with reference to some standards, and there is
no way to tell whether it is valuable until it passes social evaluation. Thus,
it is impossible to determine if a person's products are innovative if they have
never been seen, used or evaluated."
Some people want innovations to be open and available to all as a means of
challenging more growth and ingenuity; others believe that innovations need to
be developed privately and secretly.
Innovation can and needs to come within the business — or not far from the
outside or the periphery of your business. The most common source of new venture
opportunity arises from employees. Studies have shown that about 45 percent of
venture ideas are formed while working in the same industry. This is exactly why
I started my small business — I could do it better, cheaper, faster and
different.
Entrepreneurs and small-business owners are a rich source of new product ideas.
According to the Small Business Administration, 55 percent of all new product
innovations come from small businesses. Evansville is full of entrepreneurs,
budding entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
"We need to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world,"
President Obama said before a joint session of Congress. "We have to make
America the best place on earth to do business."
From a national perspective, arguably, this is a daunting task. But, innovation
doesn't always have to be large. Once in a while, you take a big swing and hit
the ball out of the park, but that does not always happen. In the meantime, you
take a swing and use the singles and doubles, as well.
It has been said that only the businesses that get innovation right will triumph
in the next decade. If this mantra for business continues to echo across
America, which will you choose? To innovate or die?
Scholarship opportunity for accounting students
Although the school year may have ended, accounting students have the chance to
earn $1,000 in scholarship money!
The Indiana CPA Society (INCPAS) is accepting applications for the 2011 Diversity Summit scholarship.
Under-represented U.S. racial/ethnic minority college accounting students
are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. The application deadline is
July 25, 2011. (Download application >>)
Multiple scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded on August 5 at the 2011 INCPAS
Diversity Summit.
For more information, visit http://incpas.org/Public/Diversity/Scholarship.aspx?redir=0 or contact Ali Paul at apaul@incpas.org or 317/726-5025.
A University of Southern Indiana senior in computer information systems
placed first among 95 students taking a certification examination at the 16th
Annual National Collegiate Conference of the Association of Information
Technology Professionals (AITP), March 24-27, 2011.
Emily Iannopollo of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, was the
highest scorer on the Associate Computer Professional (ACP) examination. She was
one of eight students from the USI College of Business who passed certification
exams or earned recognition in competitions at the recent conference in Orlando,
Florida. More than 500 students representing approximately 75 colleges and
universities attended the meeting.
“I think USI offers all of the opportunities that students in my field
need to do well in school and be competitive upon graduation,” she said.
Iannopollo holds the Jennings D. and Ann Y. Carter Presidential
Scholarship. “The scholarship paid for my education, she said. “It allowed me to
focus on studying and getting as much as possible out of my education.”
Her goal following graduation in May is to find employment that involves
working with databases.
Iannopollo and three other USI students — Justin Neighbors, Rob
Schnautz, and Daytwon Stitts — passed the ACP core exam and one
specialty exam, making them eligible for the ACP designation which validates an
individual’s knowledge of the general computing industry and specific
programming language or specialty area knowledge and skills. The credentialing
organization, the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP),
developed the exams. Neighbors, Schnautz, and Stitts are computer science majors
from Evansville.
Jeff VanVorst and Jerry Morgan successfully
completed the ICCP ACP core exam. Both are CIS majors from Evansville.
Ian Brand and Ayyad Alrshidi earned an
honorable-mention award in the student web project contest in competition with
20 teams. They completed a redesign of the web site for the USS LST Ship Memorial
in Evansville. Their work included updating the look of the site, simplifying
its navigation, and designing an administration area to provide quick and simple
maintenance controls. Brand said the redesigned site will be in use in the near
future after it is loaded with photos and news.
Brand is pursuing a post-baccalaureate certificate in CIS. He lives in
Evansville. Alrshidi, a native of Saudi Arabia, also lives in Evansville and is
pursuing an undergraduate degree in CIS.
Twelve students from the USI student chapter of AITP attended the
conference. Faculty advisor is Ernest E. Nolan, assistant professor of
computer information systems.
USI Team competes in International Business Case Competition
From left to right in the back is Adam Franke, Jason Warford, Krystal Schmitt, Jeanette Maier-Lytle, Lindsey Oakes, and Bryan Bourdeau with Buddy Stoermann in the front.
|
The Royal Roads International Business Competition was developed to attract
student teams from across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The 9th
annual
competition was held March 17th to 19th, 2011, at Royal Roads University (RRU) in
Victoria BC, Canada. The following USI students
competed: Adam Franke, Buddy Stoermann,
Lindsay
Oakes, Jason Warford and Krystal Schmitt. The team was coached by College
of Business faculty members, Jeanette C. Maier-Lytle and Bryan K. Bourdeau.
The RRU competition offers highly motivated business students the opportunity to
showcase their talents in analyzing and presenting international business cases.
Through a relevant and spirited competition, RRU aims to inspire university and
college students to strive for the highest level of business professionalism.
The teams perform an analysis and determine a recommendation for a business
situation, and then they prepare a 20-minute presentation all within a 3-hour
period. When they leave the preparation room, they have to present to a
panel of judges followed by a 10-minute question and answer session. The
teams are not allowed to use the Internet or any other resources during this
3-hour period.
Adam Franke, team leader, had this to say about the competition, “The
competition has taught valuable skills that can't be learned in the classroom,
and these are the skills that will make me attractive to employers over other
job seekers. In theory, we learn we must be able to think critically and
innovate, but without the competition I might not have grasped the true meaning
of these principles. To think critically is not just the ability to solve
a problem, but to have the foresight to prevent other problems in the future.
Innovation comes from my own creativity mixed with a firm foundation of
knowledge that I received at USI. I can speak for the entire team when I
say that we are truly lucky to have had the chance to participate in such an
international adventure, and it has helped us to grow academically, as well as
personally.
Preparation for this intense competition involved many hours of case-study
practice and evaluation sessions, including many hours devoted to learning
strategic models and business knowledge. The selection of the team took
place in November and the first team meeting was held in December to discuss the
case study preparation process and some of the models that would be utilized
throughout the process. The team held their first case-study practice on
January 12, and they continued to practice twice a week until the competition.
The team practiced 16 international cases prior to leaving for Canada, and the
team had three cases to prepare and present while in Canada.
Coach Maier-Lytle had this to say about the team, “They had excellent
performances throughout the competition and gave their best presentation during
the final case on Friday. It was awesome to witness the outcome of the
many weeks of intense practice and a true blessing to work with such dedicated
and high caliber students. They did not place in one of the top three
award winning positions, but they made their coaches proud.” The top three
finalists of the competition were University of Guelph-Humber, University of
Prince Edward Island, and Simon Fraser University.
“It’s competitions like this and interactions with students that bring about
personal and professional growth for faculty that can only help enhance student
focused learning,” says Coach Bourdeau. Bryan added, “We all stayed in a
dorm setting and spent a lot of time in close proximity to each other. You
can’t help but engage with these students on a unique level because we are all
sharing this experience together at this moment. Being interpersonal with
these incredibly capable students and discovering their insights, emotions,
perspectives, dreams, dislikes, gossip, and their opinions of the world; I
relish any moments when I can become the student and learn to better myself in a
holistic sense.”
One of the team members, Lindsey Oakes, had this to say about her experience,
“This has by far been the most rewarding experience that I have participated in
at USI, and I am blessed to have been a part of it. I learned so much through
all the hard work and practices we put in before Canada, and I am very proud of
our team's accomplishments. It has been amazing to watch both myself and
the other team members grow in ability and skill as we practiced.”
The team members and coaches would like to thank some of last year’s team
members, Courtney Mickel, Jacob Smith and Jamie Perry, for assisting with the
evaluation process, as well as Dean Mohammed Khayum, Jason Fertig and Jane
Johansen. Anyone interested in knowing more about this competition and the many
others available here at USI can contact any of the team members or coaches
mentioned above.
International business is topic of summer course in Germany
Jessica Schwarz, a business administration major with an emphasis in international business, completed a course in international business taught by a professor from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh last summer during the first International Summer University offered by the University of Applied Sciences in Osnabrück, Germany.
“We had eight students in the class,” Schwarz said. “Two were from the United
States, some were from Germany and South Korea, and one was from Vietnam. Having
an opportunity to hear their opinions and understand their cultures gave me a
better idea of what global business is like.”
The three-week program included classes in German language and culture as well
as excursions to famous German companies, weekend trips to Paris and Berlin,
international cooking events, and other opportunities.
“Going to Berlin really opened my eyes,” Schwarz said. “I could see the
footprints of history. Paris was exciting and artsy, but Berlin was cold — like
it still had a dark cloud over it.”
Schwarz received the Robert D. and Mary Kay Orr Scholarship for Global Business
Study to support her participation. Upon return, she presented a Lunch and Learn
program to other students interested in study abroad and prepared information
for the college web site about the 2011 International Summer University. (read
more >>)
Schwarz was a member of a USI delegation: Bethanie Roberts, accounting major;
three students in health services; and Dr. Brandon Eggleston, assistant
professor of health services, who taught a course in international public
health.
College of Business Going Global
"Developing a global
perspective is critical
for your success
in
the 21st century!"
— Dr. Mohammed Khayum
Top 10 Reasons to Study in Germany
- Become more confident in yourself.
- Build friendships from all over the world.
- Learn to speak German with a local.
- Make your resume stand out.
- Gain a new perspective of America.
- Fall in love with a slower life-style.
- Create networks all over the world.
- Taste German cuisine and LOVE IT!
- Challenge yourself to walk in high heels on cobblestone streets.
- Trust yourself from successfully living in another country.
Download Brochure >>
Fun Facts about Germany
- The working week in Germany includes Saturdays.
- You would have to try one kind of German bread per day for almost a whole year
in order to be able to taste them all!
- When answering the phone, Germans do not say "Hi" or "Hello" or "Hallo", they
first say their surname.
- There are over 1,500 differnt brands of beer in Germany.
- There are more soccer fan clubs in Germany than anywhere else in the world.
- When counting with their hands, Germans user their thumb as number one.
The pointing finger is number two.
Students and Faculty
Sign-up now for 2011 summer and spring
travel/study programs!
Block Week Section for Faculty:
Teach abroad in Osnabrück, Germany
May 2-May 6 2011
This special type of class is offered by members of the faculty staff, German
and international guest lecturers. During this time no regular lectures are
given. For five days, Monday-Friday, our students have the opportunity to join a
study trip, a project or a business game. These classes are held full-time with
about one hour lunch break, and are primarily taught in German, English, Spanish
or French for mostly undergraduate students. International guest lecturers are
invited to contribute to these classes. For more information contact: Carol
Evans, 812-465-1179.
Guest lecturers will be requested to specify the contents of the seminar they intend to hold in a
special form which will be e-mailed to them. For further information contact the International Programs and
Services (IPS)
Office at USI or the coordinator of the block week seminars in Germany: Ivonne Giglewicz, giglewicz@wi.fh-osnabrueck.de.
Summer Programs in Osnabrück, Germany for Students
International Business
July 1-July 24, 2011
5 Credit Hours
In today’s global economy, it is imperative that business professionals understand the theory, institutions and environmental elements that underlie international commerce. The primary objective of this course is to provide you with an introduction to International Business that will help you be an effective business professional. Course topics range from International Economics, exchange rates and how global trade is affected, as well as emerging markets.
International Marketing
July 1-July 24, 2011
5 Credit Hours
The orientation of this course is on the design and management of relationships among organizations which are linked together in a distribution system. While retail, wholesale and logistical firms are significant components of marketing channels, it is held here that the relationships among the various firms comprising channels are crucial and critical aspects of long-term competitive viability. Strong emphasis is placed on understanding the behavioural aspects of channel relations – the role of channel members, their use of power, the conflicts that arise among them, their communication networks and the like.
Approximate cost:
Program fee: |
$ 1,122.00* |
Airfare estimate: |
$ 1,200.00 |
Leisure expense estimate: |
$ 500.00 |
Total: |
$ 3,400.00 |
*Students will automatically receive the Robert D. Orr Scholarship upon acceptance into the program ($500.00).
For more information contact: Diane Utley, 812-456-1283.
(Developed by Jessica Schwarz)
Students compete in national sales contest, receive job offers
Representing the USI College of Business at the National Collegiate
Sales Competition were, from left, Joseph Smith; Jessica Schwarz, alternate;
Jared McIntosh; and Dr. Chad Milewicz, faculty sponsor.
A student sales team representing the University of Southern Indiana College of
Business finished among the top 20 teams at the thirteenth annual National
Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC) held recently at Kennesaw State University.
Jared McIntosh and Joseph Smith competed in a field of 122
students from 61 universities throughout the United States and Canada.
McIntosh, a senior business administration major with a minor in marketing,
ranked among the top 30 competitors individually. He received a plaque for
placing in the quarterfinals. McIntosh is from Evansville.
NCSC is the world’s largest collegiate sales competition, pitting top
sales students in a series of role-plays. In addition, the three-day event
includes a career fair. The USI team members and alternate Jessica Schwarz
received job offers with annual salaries ranging from $50,000 to $95,000. The
students are still considering these opportunities with potential employers,
including Fifth Third Bank, Sage Software Inc., Cox Media Group, Aramark, and
NetSuite, Inc.
McIntosh said, “The competition at this event is thrilling, but the impact the
exposure has on my career opportunities is even better.”
The role-play in the competition is designed to simulate a sales call. The
buyers in the scenario react in real time to the student’s sales presentation,
testing the competitor’s ability to adapt and perform at a high level. Judges
score the students on communication, critical thinking, and analytical thinking
skills.
Dr. Chad Milewicz, assistant professor of marketing, is faculty advisor
for the sales team. “The students practiced at least three days a week all
semester, analyzing the needs and requirements of businesses conducting
professional sales calls,” he said. “Their preparation paid off. They beat some
of the top sales programs in the country, including Indiana University and
Michigan State.”
Smith, a senior radio and television major with a minor in marketing, said the
experience was “definitely worth the hard work. It has opened doors that I did
not know existed.” Smith is from Henderson, Kentucky.
Milewicz said the NCSC has become a hot spot for Fortune 500 recruiters.
Thirty-five corporate sponsors seeking to hire college graduates who excel in
sales participated in the career fair and networked with students at the event
this year. According to Terry Loe, director of the competition,
approximately 70 percent of the students who attend leave with job offers.
Schwarz, a senior business administration major from Greenwood, Indiana,
described the competition as “a great opportunity for me to test how marketable
I am toward international companies.” Her career interest is international
marketing and sales.
Milewicz, said, “The purpose of the NCSC is to encourage students to strive to
reach their unimagined potential. The students who pursue that challenge are
usually rewarded with job offers that are far beyond what the average college
graduate is going to see upon graduation.”
The competition was held March 4-7, 2011 in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Dr. Seungjin Park receives promotion
Seungjin Park
|
Tenure and promotions were approved by the Board of Trustees at the March 3,
2011 meeting. Dr. Seungjin Park,
of the College of Business, received continuous
appointment and promotion from assistant professor to associate professor
effective August 16, 2011.
Indiana OCRA selects USI economists to develop Income Survey Guidelines
Sudesh Mujumdar
Curtis Price
|
USI economics professors Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar and Dr. Curtis Price
have completed a revision of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs
(OCRA) Income Survey Guidelines under the auspices of USI's
Center for Applied
Research (CAR). The guidelines will assist potential Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) grantees in developing and implementing a survey to determine
the percentage of Low-and-Moderate Income (LMI) residents in the service area of
the CDBG-funded activity. The percentage of LMI residents found is a key factor
when awarding a community grant.
The grant helps communities improve quality of life and ensures health and
safety for citizens. Through OCRA, Indiana requests federal funds to help rural
communities with a variety of projects such as, sewer and water systems,
community centers, health and safety programs, and more.
The revision was completed with the objectives of developing clear procedures
for conducting and documenting the conduct of surveys to assist the auditors of
the surveys. Audits will be conducted by Mujumdar and Price.
Commenting on the revision, Dr. Frank Wadsworth, dean of the School of
Business at Indiana University Kokomo said, "After teaching marketing research
for 22 years, I have to say that the guidelines do a fantastic job of boiling
down what I teach over a semester into an extremely useful and correct document
that is only 18 pages long."
OCRA works with local, state, and national partners to provide resources and
technical assistance to aid rural communities in shaping their visions for
community economic development. For more information about OCRA, visit
http://www.in.gov/ocra/.
USI education was valuable for young entrepreneur
Michael Patzer
|
Michael Patzer, a 2009 USI graduate with a bachelor's degree in finance,
is co-founder with Max Haddan, a 2009 Purdue University graduate, of
Orange Group Apps, a company that develops software for
the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Mac.
The company recently released
Animatopoeia, an app that allows users to explore the
world of language through the use of animal onomatopoeia.
TVM Financial Calculator, also developed by Orange Group
Apps, allows users to solve "Time Value of Money" equations involving an equal
series of payments over time. Both apps are available in the iTunes App Store.
Read more about the Orange Group Apps in the Evansville
Courier & Press.
Patzer, who recently relocated to Palo Alto, California, said that his USI
education and experiences helped him to develop the apps.
"My finance class at USI, as well as tutoring finance in Academic Skills, taught
me Time Value of Money equations which I used to create the TVM Financial
Calculator," he said. "It was my specific experience with hard-to-use financial
calculators in my business classes that led me to create that app."
He added, "My study abroad experience gave me connections with friends around
the world whom I asked to help record the voices for Animatopoeia. It also gave
me the connection to Heidi Gregori-Gahan, director of International Programs and
Services, and she helped me connect with the three USI students whose voices are
in Animatopoeia."
What's next for Orange Group Apps? "We now have clients that we are building
apps for. We will be continuing to develop our own apps and we'll also be
seeking out additional clients," Patzer said. "We are definitely in expansion
mode and would love to hire additional iPhone programmers,
Android/Blackberry/Windows Mobile programmers, and someone to head our marketing
efforts. We have some initial investor interest both in Evansville and Silicon
Valley."
College of Business student volunteers offer free tax help
Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), USI student
volunteers will provide free tax assistance on Wednesdays, February 2 through
April 13, 2011.
"This is a good opportunity for people who have reasonably simple income tax
returns and want to avoid having to pay for professional tax preparation
services," said Brett Long, associate professor of accounting and
business law. "It is also a great experience for our accounting students."
In VITA programs, the Internal Revenue Service partners with national and local
organizations to provide tax services to individuals with low to moderate income
at no cost to the taxpayer. Accounting students will interview and prepare the
taxes of other students and relatively low-income taxpayers who make an
appointment for this service. This site will not prepare Schedule C business
forms or Schedule E rental forms. Your federal and state tax returns are
prepared while you wait and all taxpayers must be available to sign their
returns. Preparation of returns typically takes up to two hours to complete.
The sessions will be held by appointment only in Room 1004 of the new Business
and Engineering Center on the following Wednesdays: February 2, 9, 16, 23 March
2, 16, 23, 30 and April 6 and 13. Appointments will be available at 5:00 P.M.
and 6:45 P.M. on these Wednesdays.
Individuals will be required to bring tax information, photo identification
cards, and Social Security cards for themselves and their dependents. The IRS
encourages electronic filing and returns will be filed electronically for those
who are eligible. Please bring copies of your 2009 tax returns if they are
available. Paper returns will be prepared for those taxpayers who do not qualify
for electronic filing.
To make an appointment, call the College of Business at 812/464-1718.
Finance major honored as Homecoming Queen
Amber Key and Gabriel Grady
|
University of Southern Indiana students Amber Key, a senior finance and mathematics major
and Gabriel Grady, a senior
elementary education major, are this year's Homecoming King and Queen. The couple were
crowned during halftime of the men's basketball game on Saturday, January 29,
2011.
Key is from Marengo, Indiana. During her time at USI, she has served as an
AMIGO, a resident assistant, chief justice for SGA, Habitat for Humanity
treasurer, student ambassador, and Camp Eagle leader. She volunteers with
Habitat for Humanity and the Boys and Girls Club. Upon graduation, she wants to
find a position in higher education or the business world.
Grady is from Indianapolis, Indiana. His campus involvement includes the
Activities Programming Board (APB), which he serves as education chair. He also
has served as an AMIGO, student ambassador, Student Government Association (SGA)
representative, and cast member in the USI Theatre production of Twelve Angry
Jurors. He was involved with the Obama presidential campaign and served as a
camp counselor for children from low-income neighborhoods impacted by HIV. His
career goal is to earn a master's degree in criminal justice and work with
underprivileged schoolchildren.
The King and Queen are chosen based on a student vote, scores from interviews by
USI administrators, and individual academic records. APB and the Office of
Student Development sponsored the event.