INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The Smith Career Center: A Smart Resource for Alumni | Foster Streamlines Undergraduate Curriculum
FEATURING:
FINDING THE RIGHT CAREER PATH Issue 1, Winter 2016
ALSO INS
IDE:
EXCUSE BUSTING 7 WORKP L HOW TOABCE EXCUSES & UST THEM
Inside
ISSUE 1
OUR MISSION OUR VISION OUR VALUES
To be a nationally ranked business school recognized for our academic and professional programs, research, partnerships and the impact of our students and faculty on the growth and development of new and existing businesses worldwide.
2
In everything we do, we value integrity, hard work, innovation, collaboration, impact, growth, diversity and risk taking.
Lindsay Anderson, Director of Marketing and Communications, Foster College of Business Christine Smith Writers: Darrell Radson Jennifer Robin Lindsay Anderson
CONTACT US Address: 1501 W. Bradley Ave. | Baker Hall 123 | Peoria, IL 61625 Phone: (309) 677-2253 Email: fcbdean@bradley.edu
WINTER 2016
We create ideas that advance business thought and practice, provide experiential learning that develops leaders who will enrich the world and serve as a valued partner for business and society.
6
EDITORIAL TEAM Editors: Darrell Radson, Dean, Foster College of Business Jason Garrett, Associate Dean, Foster College of Business Jennifer Robin, Associate Dean, Foster College of Business Heather McCord, Assistant Dean, Foster College of Business
|
Kevin Kizer Rachael Kosinski Brandon Wallace
Creative Team: Chris Moehn, Creative Director Taylor Ackerman, Designer Brandon Moss, Project Management Allyson Peffer, Project Management Photographers: Duane Zehr, University Photographer Hannah Vinson
12 17 20
2. A Letter from Dean Radson 4. The Smith Career Center 6. Finding the Right Career Path 12. How to Build a Better Leader 14. Building a Stronger, Leaner Core 16. 3 Degrees of Success 17. Excuse Busting 19. Then & Now 20. Business Students Find Success with Social Media Marketing
23. Research Rundown 25. On the Scene
A LETTER FROM
DEAN RADSON Dear Alumni & Friends, Welcome to Experience, the new magazine
It was that spirit of sharing these experiences
from the Foster College of Business. We created
of students, faculty and alumni that led us to
this publication to do a better job of keeping in
launch our inaugural Experience magazine.
touch with everyone who has passed through our doors.
Through the pages, stories and pictures of Experience, you will find insights that you may
Why Experience? Because the experiences you
apply in your own line of work, regardless of
gain within the Foster College of Business and
the industry. You will read stories that will
as one of our alumni have a tremendous impact
spark memories of your time within the Foster
on your personal growth and your professional
College of Business at Bradley University and
future. This magazine captures some of the
encourage you to stay engaged with our College
experiences, knowledge, growth and profes-
as a valuable member of our business alumni.
sional successes of Foster College of Business students and alumni in one place. Ranked among the best, the Foster College of Business is committed to offering learning
Darrell Radson, Ph.D. Dean, Foster College of Business
experiences both in and out of the classroom to expand our students’ thinking and enhance their skills — equipping them with the necessary tools to impact the world as they begin their professions. Moreover, our student and faculty interaction leads our students to remarkable job outcomes. Our alumni make the Foster College of Business proud as their business and professional experiences continue to impact the world.
FOSTER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ACCOMPLISHMENTS (SINCE 2010):
13,625
6,595
35,259
3,924
of the Foster College faculty’s scholarly contributions.
assisted by the Executive Development Center & the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship.
of consulting by students for organizations & businesses through senior capstone.
for experiential learning documented by students.
CITATIONS
2 | Foster College of Business
CLIENTS
HOURS
OPPORTUNITIES
A Letter from Dean Radson | 3
A Smart Resource for Alumni Months, years or even decades after graduation, Bradley University’s Smith Career Center can provide Foster College of Business alumni with valuable career development services — at no cost. “All of our services are available to Bradley University alumni, regardless of their graduation year,” said Jon C. Neidy, executive director of the Smith Career Center. “We have helped alumni at all stages of their careers, from early to post-retirement.” Alumni are always welcome to attend employer information sessions and explore job opportunities within Bradley netWORK, the University’s online career management system. After registering for Bradley netWORK, alumni can: •Perform targeted searches for full-time positions (for professionals with 2+ years of experience) •Upload and share resumes with prospective employers •Develop saved searches for regular job updates But the Smith Career Center’s arsenal extends far beyond job-search tools. For example, alumni can tap the center for help with optimizing resumes and portfolios to meet industry-specific expectations. They can get professional consultation when negotiating salaries and employment contracts. And they can stay up to date on a diverse range of topics. The Smith Career Center often collaborates with Bradley’s Alumni Relations Office to deliver webcasts; past career-readiness topics have included LinkedIn, resume writing and networking. Neidy said there are many reasons why alumni may find a need to reengage with the Smith Career Center. That’s why his team maintains a profound awareness of workforce issues, federal/state regulations and companies’ employment needs. “The Smith Career Center helps alumni get jobs,” he said. “We keep our finger on the pulse of career and economic trends as well as the expectations of employers.”
GET RE-CONNECTED The Smith Career Center resources are available to alumni at no cost. We can discuss your individual job search needs and direct you to appropriate resources. To set up a consultation, see a calendar of events, register for Bradley netWORK and more, visit bradley.edu/scc.
Top Three Reasons to Use the Smith Career Center “My resume is woefully outdated. Help!” You’ve been happily sailing along at work. Maybe for years. Maybe at the same firm. Suddenly, you’re caught needing to update your resume and cover letter and showcase your talents. Whether it’s a move to a new city, a headhunter reaching out or even a downsizing event, there are many reasons why professionals must dust off the old resume. Relax. Help is here. The Smith Career Center can help you navigate the latest ways that employers in your field are sourcing and connecting with talent, whether that’s through sites like LinkedIn or more traditional processes. They can assist with bios, online portfolios and other assets to help you land in the right spot.
DID YOU KNOW?
Foster boasts a positive career outcomes rate* of
94%
for the most recent 5-year average.
*The career outcomes rate is the percent of undergrads who are employed, continuing their education or pursuing other interests.
“I want to maximize my earning potential.” Landed a job or promotion? Congrats! Now it’s time to haggle over compensation. What’s too much to ask for? What’s fair? What’s the best way to approach this? Neidy said that many alumni, especially mid-level professionals, seek his team’s help with salary and contract negotiations. The Smith Career Center can provide a more holistic perspective and bring sanity to what can be a nerve-wracking experience. In fact, the Smith Career Center is offering a series of “$tart $mart” workshops through the American Association of University Women, which reports that women working full time in the United States are typically paid just 79 percent of what men are. The workshops are designed to empower women with the skills and confidence to negotiate salary and benefits.
“Oh, gosh. I just don’t want to do this anymore.” It’s exciting to re-imagine yourself and find a true calling. In particular, Neidy said he often sees late-career professionals who want to shift from the corporate world and embark upon nonprofit or community-focused work. The Smith Career Center can help people translate their educational and career experience into a successful new path. That includes in-depth testing services that match personal passions and characteristics with promising professional opportunities, so you can be bold and break the mold.
(309) 677-2510 | careers@bradley.edu
4 | Foster College of Business
The Smith Career Center: A Smart Resource for Alumni | 5
FINDING THE RIGHT CAREER PATH Written by Kevin Kizer
When you are preparing for your career, everyone tells you about finding your path to success. But they don’t often tell you that, just like pathways in real life, you can’t always predict where one may lead. Each Bradley graduate featured in this story found his or her path to success — and each one is as unique as they are.
TIM BENDER ’82
MARKETING Vice President of Worldwide Consumer and Business Development, NVIDIA
The year was 1982, and Tim Bender was getting ready to graduate from Bradley. Born in Chicago, he came from a blue-collar background and saw neither of his parents attending college. So the idea of plotting out a career path wasn’t something with which he was familiar. But he did have a goal. “My goal was to get in the game,” said Bender. “And the one thing I had an instinct for was to work for people who inspired me, who liked me and who would make me successful.” “I looked to guys that I was friends with and alumni and the work they were doing,” said Bender. “And the ones doing interesting work in interesting fields tended to be in sales and marketing jobs.” This led Bender to NCR and achieving his first goal. He was now “in the game.” But how does someone go from selling cash registers to leading the consumer and business development arm of a multinational corporation? Clearly, you make a stop in LEGOLAND.
FROM CASH REGISTERS TO LEGOS While Bender didn’t have a clear career path, he did have a strong personal values system. And one of his values was to be open-minded to relocating for the right job. In this case, the job was at LEGO Systems where he found himself working in sales in both Ohio and Michigan for 10 years.
“Building your personal business value system — who you will or won’t work for, what kind of experience do you want — is just as important as any career path,” said Bender. “Quite often opportunities don’t come in your own backyard…the world doesn’t always come to you.” For Bender, the next opportunity wasn’t in interlocking plastic shapes but in entertainment. He joined an entertainment start-up company in Las Vegas — and it was there where he learned how strong his values actually were. “The company was in chaos and teetering on bankruptcy. They didn’t tell me the truth, which was a shock,” said Bender. And that’s where those values kicked in.
MAKING A BIG LEAP Ultimately, he left the company because of an “incongruent value system” to join a much smaller company — LeapFrog Enterprises. When Bender joined, LeapFrog was just a small upstart based in Emeryville, Calif. When he left, it was one of the leading educational entertainment companies in the world — and Bender was president. For many, that’s where the story might end: get a job at a successful startup and work your way up to president. But not for Bender. After helping build LeapFrog, he decided to make another leap to another even smaller company, Livescribe. At the time, Livescribe was trying to make its mark in smart pen technology. “You never know what you’re going to get into with a startup, but I just kind of felt like there were so many technologies going on in the electronics space,” he said. “So I joined with some friends to build this company.” Which goes back to rule No. 1 for Bender. “You’ve gotta get into the game if you wanna get the experience.”
NVIDIA — Known as “The Visual Computing Company,” NVIDIA has been a pioneer in computer graphics for more than 20 years. In 1999, the company invented the GPU, which transformed the PC from a tool used strictly for productivity into one used for creativity and discovery. The company has 9,100 employees, has locations on four continents and earned $4.68 billion in revenue in FY15.
6 | Foster College of Business
Finding the Right Career Path | 7
Which takes us (and Bender) to his next experience at PlayStation, or to be official: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC.
DEBBIE SIMON ’82
GETTING INTO THE GAMING GAME “That job (at Livescribe) led me directly to the PlayStation job,” said Bender. “These smaller companies give you a wealth of experience, and you get a broad view of the business because you’re connected to cross-functional elements.” And again, for many, that’s where the story might end. But not for Bender. Even though he was offered an executive vice president position at PlayStation, he saw another opportunity that seemed to be an even better fit with those values he’d based his career on so many years ago. That brought Bender to NVIDIA, where today he leads consumer and business development efforts worldwide. He has come a long way from selling cash registers and LEGOs. And that goes back to those values and being open to opportunities no matter where they may lead. “You don’t know where (your career) is going to go, so embrace where you are and learn as much as you can,” said Bender. “Risk and reward go together, so you have to have the guts to leave a comfortable environment.” That’s because leaving a comfortable environment cannot only kick-start your career, it also kick-starts your brain. “When you’re in the same environment for too long, you get brain atrophy,” said Bender. “Neural connections come from new experiences. So keep your eyes and ears open.” “Sure, you can read about it, but I would get out there and do it,” he said. “It may not work right away, but you are going to work for 40 to 50 years. And all these things will add up somewhere along the line.” They certainly did for Tim Bender.
“YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE (YOUR CAREER) IS GOING TO GO, SO EMBRACE WHERE YOU ARE AND LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.” — TIM BENDER ’82
8 | Foster College of Business
MBA
President & CEO, UnityPoint Health - Methodist — Proctor
Early in her life, Debbie Simon knew she wanted to help others. That’s why, when she attended the University of Illinois in the mid-70s, she chose the field of nursing. She began practicing as a nurse at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in 1976. Early on, Simon had opportunities, first in front-line management of a nursing unit and then as a director over several units. She seemed to be on a very direct and clear career path as a nursing administrator.
A FUTURE IN NURSING? Simon decided to go back to college to get her master’s degree and was planning on nursing education — until she talked to the COO, who convinced her to go after her MBA. “He felt a management track was broader and more suited to my talents than a nursing management track,” said Simon. “And it would give me the opportunity to lead departments outside of nursing alone.” In effect, it also would help her fulfill her goal of a life helping others — now, instead of helping patients firsthand, she could have a direct impact on the overall care they receive. So, in 1985, Simon enrolled in the Foster College of Business’s MBA program. It was a busy time for Simon as a “nontraditional” student. “Because of my nursing degree, I didn’t have all the math courses I needed, so I was taking a lot of prerequisite classes at night after work,” said Simon. “Then I was pregnant for the last year or so.” When Simon graduated with her MBA in 1987, she found herself poised and ready to move forward thanks to the education she received at Bradley. “It was an extremely valuable education. There was a diversity in the background of the students,” said Simon. “I just found the experience with professors and investment of faculty to be excellent.”
UNITYPOINT HEALTH - METHODIST — PROCTOR — Methodist was founded through the efforts of deaconesses of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On May 24, 1900, Methodist opened as Deaconess Home and Hospital. The first permanent building was dedicated in 1917, and the name was changed to Methodist Hospital. On Oct. 1, 2011, Methodist became the eighth senior affiliate of UnityPoint Health. In 2013, Proctor Hospital affiliated with Methodist, and the two organizations formed a unified health system: UnityPoint Health - Methodist — Proctor, a leader in health care in central Illinois.
After graduating with her MBA, Simon found herself on the fast track to success at Methodist, earning her first nonnursing management position in 1989 before entering the executive ranks in the early ’90s becoming COO in 1994.
“I was going to be a nurse and advance to ICU or high-risk nursing,” said Simon. “But now I can still have a direct impact on patients and the care they receive.”
“Had I not gotten my MBA, I would never have had the opportunities that I did,” said Simon. “The mentorship of the faculty helped make me feel comfortable in a business environment.”
Simon never left the company she first joined 35 years ago, but she has had many different careers within the organization (“If you think about it, I have had eight or nine careers here”) before reaching the pinnacle of CEO of what is now UnityPoint Health Methodist — Proctor.
A CHANCE TO LEAD
Why stay so long at one company when opportunities can be found elsewhere?
After longtime Methodist CEO Michael Bryant resigned in 2011, Simon was given the opportunity to be CEO, which was something she would have never considered when she was a nursing student.
“What I enjoy about staying this long is that I always believed in the mission and culture of this organization,” said Simon. “To grow up in the place and become CEO? There’s nothing quite as special as that.” Finding the Right Career Path | 9
STEVE HOLLAND ’85
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION Chief Technology & Digital Officer, 7-Eleven
7-ELEVEN — 7‑Eleven is the world’s largest convenience store chain. It operates franchising and licensing stores in 18 countries. Some 10,500 of the 56,600 7‑Eleven stores worldwide are in North America. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, there are more than 47,800 7-Eleven and other convenience stores in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. 7‑Eleven has announced plans to open stores in the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. It was named “Best of the Best” in the Convenience Store channel by Entrepreneur magazine in May 2015 and is No. 10 on Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 500 list for 2015.
When Steve Holland was a student at Bradley, he was very involved with Foster College’s COOP program even though he was studying business management and administration. The reason?
Soon, Waste Management was completely automated and Holland was on his way to becoming the youngest CIO in the company — and the first to come from the IT side of the business.
“I was really interested in technology, and the COOP program was a terrific match,” said Holland. “I look (back) at those experiences at Bradley and Foster and credit them for giving me a bunch of job experience with big-name companies.”
After that, he moved to Dallas, where he became responsible for an 11-state area. Then he moved to Mexico to start up operations in Monterrey and create data and financial centers in Mexico City. All told, he spent more than four years building up technology and systems all across North America.
The first was IBM in Peoria, where Holland landed his first job right out of college, working in sales and support for Caterpillar and John Deere.
FROM RECRUITING TO MERCHANDISING
“I was literally ordering semi loads of computers,” said Holland of the experience. “IBM taught me lots of things, like how to construct communications and presentations, how to act professional and how to dress professional. It really helped me grow in my early career.”
FROM COMPUTERS TO WASTE After a few years in Peoria, Holland wanted to move back to his hometown of Chicago. So he traded in his job moving computers for a job “moving” waste at Waste Management. While a computer company and waste company might not seem to have much in common, Holland immediately saw the connections. Now he was working for a $1 billion company and leading an IT team. And Waste Management had business processes that needed to be automated through computers and technology, just like Caterpillar and Deere. So he went to work immersing himself in the business — literally. “I drove trucks. I went to landfills. I met with drivers at 2 a.m. and gave them computerized route sheets that gave them the most efficient routes with the most right-hand turns,” said Holland. “I traveled all across the U.S. and Canada implementing new systems and processes.”
10 | Foster College of Business
By 1997, he was the No. 2 man in the IT department of a $7 billion company. But Holland wasn’t settled. After Waste Management merged with another company, Holland transitioned to a new job in staff recruiting where he became the vice president of technology and, ultimately, CIO, using the same skills that helped him to succeed at IBM and Waste Management — skills he learned at Foster College and through the COOP program. Again, he focused on automation, saving money and process efficiencies. And again, he was successful. Ultimately his work caught the eye of a retail merchandising company — where he put those same skills to use again by automating, streamlining and improving processes.
OH, THANK HEAVEN FOR 7-ELEVEN In 2010, Holland found himself at another crossroads. He was now the CEO of a mobility and technology solutions company, BEST CROSSMARK. But soon a bigger brand came knocking: 7-Eleven. The company needed someone to maximize growth and implement the right systems in its more than 2,000 stores in the U.S. alone.
“At this time, there was nothing driving the technology side of the business, no mobile apps or store-oriented digital experience,” said Holland. So Holland decided to focus on the Digital Guest Experience learning all he could about the purchasing behavior of 7-Eleven’s customers (who spend $8 million every day). Soon a 7-Eleven interactive app was launched. “It was a quick and fast rollout, and the app itself is very robust,” said Holland. “It includes a Customer Relation Management (CRM), so we can see what they are buying, what kind of coupons they are using and how we can reward them.” Thus far, the digital platform has exploded with millions of downloads, making 7-Eleven the top iTunes app in its category. It also resulted in the company earning Oracle’s "Innovator of the Year" award in 2014. So how do you move from organization to organization — from computers to garbage to recruiting to retail to convenience stores? For Holland, each move was a natural fit. “People typically stay in vertical industries, but with me being this hybrid person — with both business and tech experience — if I learn the processes, I can figure out the technology, I can optimize it,” said Holland. “I can help you get from 20 steps to 10 steps, and I can find the pain points.” And being a “hybrid person” started when Holland got involved with Foster College’s COOP program. “I give a lot of credit to the COOP program and how it gave me the experiences I needed to go into big-name companies right out of school.”
“I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE COOP PROGRAM AND HOW IT GAVE ME THE EXPERIENCES I NEEDED TO GO INTO BIG-NAME COMPANIES RIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL.” —STEVE HOLLAND ’85
Finding the Right Career Path | 11
HOW TO BUILD A BETTER LEADER
T
Written by Brandon Wallace ’17
he Foster College of Business experience does not end at graduation. The Executive Development Center is always available to co ntinue to help develop th e s kil l s a n d tools necessary for alumni to thrive in the business world. The program “Building Leaders” is one of the most impactful workshops put on through the Executive Development Center. “Building Leaders has come to be known as the area’s premier development opportunity for emerging leaders,” said Angela Settles, director of the Executive Development Center. “Many local companies have included the program in their leadership development and succession planning initiatives and consistently look to send their employees to the program. Building Leaders has had a significant impact on many local leaders and their organizations.” In this 21/2-day workshop, emerging leaders are able to explore and stretch their leadership assumptions, share experiences, expand their perspectives and enhance their leadership skills. Participants will develop the skills necessary to engage in: • • • • • •
Positive conflict interactions Character alignment Trust building Change management Interpersonal relationships Emotional intelligence
“Building Leaders is specifically for emerging leaders” said Dr. Chuck Stoner, professor of management and leadership. “The program not only introduces them to what it means to be a leader, but they go through a very careful process of selfassessment, where they find out about who they are, what their preferences are, how they deal with conflict and how they prefer to deal with change.” The program is fluid, and the learning style is conversational, according to Settles. It is not a lecture or a Q&A; it is a continuous open-ended dialogue between coaches and participants. Participants also go through assessments during the program, including 360-degree feedback and individual coaching where they are guided in goal setting and the development of a road map to achieving those goals.
Leaders who have participated in this program in the past have had great things to say about Building Leaders. Sarah Berberich, a laboratory supervisor at Illinois CancerCare, shared her thoughts. “I think any leader or aspiring leader should take this course,” Berberich said. “It will change you as a leader, it will change you as a person and it will change your overall outlook on what your responsibilities are and what you can do to change people and affect their lives moving forward. I feel like now I have the tools to be a better leader and a better person.”
THE WORKSHOP: 2.5 day workshop for emerging leaders 2 career coaches
Dr. Chuck Stoner, professor of management & leadership, & Thomas Bower, senior facilitator & professional coach
12-18 participants per workshop 11 years at Bradley University 300+ students & alumni have benefited from attending
Jim Scherer, president of Scherer Mazda, was impressed by the innovativeness of Building Leaders. “The structure was very intimate,” Scherer said. “It’s not the type of classroom that I grew up with. The structure is very involved. It’s like going through a storybook of creating leaders. I’m going back to work with a lot of confidence and clarity.” What’s next for the Building Leaders program? Settles said that the Executive Development Center is working on launching a Building Leaders II. “Many of the past participants of the program have expressed interest in furthering their leadership development experience, so we are working to create Building Leaders II,” Settles said. “The natural progression from Building Leaders would suggest the focus shift slightly from the single individual to an individual as part of the organization. Building Leaders II will include a focus on managing chaos, politics and influence, and delegation and prioritization. To ensure that the content resonates with the target market, we have also reached out to all of our past participants and the organizations that have sent those participants to better understand their current leadership challenges. We will use that feedback to further develop Building Leaders II.” Building Leaders II is scheduled to launch in May of 2016. The Executive Development Center is also discussing starting Building Leaders programs outside of Peoria, in cities such as Bloomington, Ill.; Springfield, Ill.; and Indianapolis.
SIGN UP FOR THESE UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: BUILDING LEADERS April 6-8 at the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center BUILDING LEADERS II May 5-6 at the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center MAXIMIZING YOUR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL March 30 - April 1, Summit Executive Centre, Chicago, Illinois
PICTURED: Dr. Stoner facilitating professional development presented by the Executive Development Center.
For more information or to register, call the Executive Development Center (309) 677-4420 or visit bradley.edu/edc. 12 |Foster College of Business
How to Build a Better Leader | 13
BUILDING A STRONGER, LEANER CORE Written by Rachael Kosinski ’18
WHY WE DID IT FOSTER STREAMLINES UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM Fulfilling requirements for a selected major should not be a timeconsuming — or expensive — endeavor. This belief led the Foster College of Business to recently revamp its undergraduate core curriculum. The changes, which took full effect in 2015, mean fewer required hours and more opportunities for students to pursue areas of concentration that they’re passionate about. They also mean students can get an edge over the competition.
ACTING WITH PURPOSE The redesign of the Business Core Curriculum had several objectives: Allow students MORE FLEXIBILITY in DETERMINING their MAJOR & CAREER objectives
Support improved GRADUATION RATES
Allow OPPORTUNITY for every student TO HAVE A MINOR
Provide more efficiency for a SECOND MAJOR
INTRODUCE ELECTIVES into the Business Core Curriculum
BUILDING A FOUNDATION WITH FLEXIBILITY In line with the core’s objectives, the required Business Core Curriculum was enhanced. In particular, electives allow flexibility to individualize paths to aid students’ unique career interests.
OLD STANDARDS
50 6
required hours
hours of behavioral science
TOTAL 56 HOURS
NEW STANDARDS BUS 100 Contemporary Business ATG 157 Accounting Principles – Financial ATG 158 Accounting Principles – Managerial MIS 173 Information Systems Business Applications ECO 221 Principles of Microeconomics ECO 222 Principles of Macroeconomics M L 250 Interpersonal Effectiveness in Organizations Q M 262 Quantitative Analysis I MTG 315 Principles of Marketing FIN 322 Business Finance BLW 342 Legal Environment of Business M L 350 Managing for Results in Organizations M L 452 Strategic Management and Business Policy I B 206 Introduction to International Business BUS 220 Career Planning Strategies Q M 263 Quantitative Analysis II M L 353 Operations Management ECO 319 Introduction to Econometrics Foster College of Business Core Electives Business Capstone Client Consulting Project Sociology Psychology Anthropology
14 |Foster College of Business
35
required hours
“This is the largest change to our business core in 20 years,” said Dr. Jason Garrett, associate dean of the Foster College of Business. “We will continually evaluate the core to better serve our students and improve their job prospects.” The Foster College of Business undergraduate program has made minor changes in its core in the past. However, the requirements of the old core proved to be far too restrictive in areas that should have provided students with options. So in fall 2013, Foster undertook its first college-wide survey of undergraduate business students. The survey provided a rich repository of student sentiment. One significant finding? Students desired more flexibility in the business curriculum. They suggested that more flexibility in the core would give them more time to determine their first major, seek a second major or complete a minor. They sought to better sculpt their unique abilities in the job market and increase their probability of graduating in four years. Feedback also was gathered from faculty, The National Council of Advisors, the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, the Accounting Advisory Council, alumni and students at large. “The advantages of this new business core is that it not only includes flexibility, but it is also an easier transition for internal and external transfer students,” said Dr. Darrell Radson, dean of the Foster College of Business.
3
hours of quantitative skills
HOW IT’S WORKING
6
hours of business electives
2
The curriculum changes were approved by business faculty in fall 2014 and were ratified by the University Senate in spring 2015. The Bradley University Registrar allowed persisting students to activate these changes through their academic advisors.
hours of business capstone client consulting
TOTAL 46 HOURS
Thus far, more than 70 percent of eligible students have indicated they would like to adopt the new Business Core Curriculum. The malleability of the individual tracks allows students to get what they want out of their education. Students can broaden their experiences without fear of having to balance the hours of the old core. “I am very pleased with the final result,” said Sharon Mozes ’16, a marketing and management and leadership major and president of the Dean’s Student Advisory Council. “As a double major, I know how valuable each credit hour is, and I am very happy that the college understands that and is allowing us to make the most of our time while here at Bradley University.”
STAY CONNECTED TO THE FOSTER COLLEGE We make it easy by posting straight to your favorite social media outlet.
BradleyFCB
@BradleyUFoster
@BradleyUFoster
Bradley University: Foster College of Business
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ALUMNI REFERRAL There are no better recruiters for Bradley University than its loyal and true alumni and friends. If you know a high school or transfer student, please consider passing along his or her information through the below URL, so we can contact him or her about becoming a Bradley student. The Bradley Office of Undergraduate Admissions will personally follow up with the student and give him or her the option of registering as a prospective student. The student will receive information from Bradley, be added to our contact list and be invited to special events in his or her area. The student can also be notified that you took the time to refer him or her to Bradley University. apply.bradley.edu/register/alumreferral
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive — a majority of current students have switched to the new Business Core Curriculum.
Building a Stronger, Leaner Core | 15
3 DEGREES OF SUCCESS
Decade after decade, Foster College turns out successful graduates in a wide range of professions. In this feature, we interview three Bradley alumni who have the same degree but graduated in different decades and explore their paths to success. For our first issue, we interviewed marketing graduates from 1966, 1993 and 2013 to see how their careers have progressed and how their experiences differ.
’13
’93
’66
LINDSEY SANSONE
MICHAEL HOG
GEORGE SHAHEEN
WHY I ENDED UP IN MARKETING: Sansone was considering a career in education or business. Once she attended Bradley, she found marketing a natural fit.
PROPELLED BY PASSION: Over the past 20 or so years, Hog has noticed a change in graduates’ attitudes: “When I got out of school, I don’t think anyone thought they could make it on their own. Now, there’s no better time to make it on your own.”
FROM ENTRY-LEVEL TO EXEC: Shaheen is enjoying the fruits of more than 40 years of hard work, which saw him go from an entry-level employee at Andersen to company president (1989-99).
Solutions Consultant, Oracle
“I just fell into marketing because it seemed like a good catch-all career. Once I met with Dr. (Jason) Garrett and talked about the sales program, I decided marketing with a sales specialization was the right path.” FAST ON THE RISE: As the most recent grad we interviewed, Sansone’s career is just getting started — but she’s quickly on the rise. She’s heavily involved in the sales process and performs product demonstrations for potential clients. “The sales process we go through at Oracle is a lot like the role play classes at Bradley,” she said. “They’re the same format, and I can use the same techniques I learned.” GOALS: “To continue to grow. I really like the company and would be happy to work with the same people for 15 to 20 years.”
ADVICE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS: “One of the biggest advantages of Bradley is how close you can work with the professors. Students need to take advantage of that.”
16 | Foster College of Business
Owner, Newmedia Design Solutions
There’s no better example of that than him. Although he studied marketing, he had an interest in engineering — which made him something of a rare commodity in the business world. He understood the sales and product sides, even down to CAD drawings. TAKING THE LEAP & TAKING RISKS: Hog started a career path based on the philosophy of looking for new challenges. He first went to work for Emerson in Chicago, turning CAD drawings into catalogs and marketing materials. From there he joined FastWeb, a site that aggregates scholarships for college students. After that he joined the Thomas Register, now ThomasNet, a product-sourcing and supplier-discovery company. Today Hog helps websites utilize the latest technologies without going through multiple vendors.
WORDS OF WISDOM: “Take risks early on and make a lot of mistakes when you’re young, when they don’t cost as much. Nine out of ten people aren’t doing what they want to do. So find your passion, and if you have the right skill set and are motivated, you can do it.”
Retired President, Andersen Consulting
After leaving Andersen in 1999, Shaheen took on new challenges in the tech world. Some didn’t fare as well; WebVan, an online grocer, went under. But he enjoyed some major successes, including becoming CEO of Siebel, which was sold to Oracle. Today he is “formally retired” and living in California with family nearby and in Phoenix, Ariz. When he interviewed at Andersen, he wasn’t taking any chances. So he executed a “hedge”: “I went to work with Andersen figuring that if I was not successful, I would at least see a lot of companies and maybe I could jump to one of them if things didn’t work out.” Things worked out. He stayed for 33 years. WITNESSING TECH CHANGES: “Back then, technology was starting to be applied to back-office jobs like accounting and record keeping. Then as it became faster, better and cheaper, you were able to leverage technology for supply chains, customer relationships and logistics.”
Written by Jennifer Robin, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Programs Jennifer Robin is an expert in the workplace experience, and in her role as associate dean, she provides strategic leadership for all graduate degree and non-degree programs in the college. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee.
HOW TO TAKE CONTROL: Looking back, he has noticed a big difference between the optimism of his generation and today’s: “We had an unrivaled optimism and were willing to work our way up. I was one person at Andersen Consulting out of 70,000 people, and I made it to the top. To do that takes a lot of performance and a lot of luck. (Graduates) today need to get out there and take control of their career.”
Photo taken by VGallery
You are a successful, driven, accomplished manager who believes in your ability to create a great workplace — one where people trust those they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people they work with. But when you are surrounded by excuses, you may spend precious energy convincing others (and yourself) that improving your workplace is worthwhile.
In those weary moments, what you may wish for is an “excuse buster” — an if-then script that allows you to decisively respond to others’ excuses and get on with the real work of creating a more positive work environment. Your wish is our command.
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This is the way it works in [our industry]. It’s unfortunate, but that’s what employees signed up for when they decided to work here. What better reason to change it! If literally every organization in our industry is like this, we can attract the best and the brightest by creating something better. Being the only great workplace in a sea of marginal ones is a major competitive advantage. Excuse Busting | 17
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You have the same amount of time that managers in great workplaces do. They know they are a huge influence on the employee experience, so they make the time and they see building strong workplace relationships as a priority.
My boss would never let me prioritize the workplace. Let’s refuse to let what we can’t do stop us from doing what we can. While metrics are important, there is more than one way to deliver on them. If we do so while building trust, pride and camaraderie, everyone wins.
I don’t have time.
OR… I am willing to make an investment of time building trust because trust saves time in the end. If I succeed, people won’t spend valuable time worrying about how to frame their message or wondering what others think of them. Rather, they will be more committed and productive.
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In this feature, we provide a look into Bradley’s musical past and present in the form of two parallel photographs.
The Bradley Horological Band 1903 The Horological band was first
I tried that. My people didn’t care.
organized in March 1903. The
Did you try the right approach? People will respond positively if your efforts are genuine and if they help reach organizational goals while resulting in a better work environment. And, did you stick with it? Trust builds over long periods of time, not in short bursts of effort.
director and a manager. The band
band consisted of 18 pieces, a made its first public appearance on April 3, 1903, at a skating rink during students’ night.
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But, where are the resources for that?
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Great workplaces are about relationships: the relationship with one’s management (trust), the relationship with one’s job (pride) and the relationship with one’s co-workers (camaraderie). You don’t need a budget to strengthen a relationship — you have many relationships in your life that have never cost you a dime.
Good for you. I’ll wait until you lead the way. Let me know how it goes. I will! Even though you won’t want to hear it, my work group will be a better place to work because of my efforts. And, good employees — perhaps from your department — will want to work in mine. I’m sure you don’t want that to happen. I’m happy to share best practices with you. Let’s make an appointment for breakfast in three months.
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The Bradley Basketball Band 2015-16 Pictured are some members
It’s just not a good time. There is no bad time to start building trust. In fact, the hard times are when your efforts matter most. Unlike the events of today, which may subside in a few weeks or months, a great workplace is never “finished.” But that is no excuse not to get started!
of the Bradley Basketball Band, which includes 90 players. Bradley has five bands that involve more than 200 students, including eight business students: Erin Bettis, Autumn Bitner, Alexander Bronner, Zachary
I’m sure you’ve heard others, and I invite you to send them (along with your excuse buster) our way on Twitter to
@BradleyUFoster. Great workplaces are fortified by conversation, either with us or your fellow leaders at work. While we hope your conversations evolve into best practice sharing, you may need to go about the business of excuse busting before you get there. On behalf of employees everywhere, thank you for doing so!
Fuelberth, William Geoffroy, Matthew Langdon, Maxwell Masucci and Joel Rogers.
Publishing Note: Much of the material in this article is due to Dr. Robin’s collaboration with Great Place to Work® Institute. Dr. Robin and Michael Burchell are the authors of “The Great Workplace: How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why It Matters” and “No Excuses: How You Can Turn Any Workplace Into a Great One.”
18 | Foster College of Business
Then & Now | 19
Social media continued to gain a lot of momentum and was a natural fit with various majors, ranging from communications to graphic design and other fields. Thus in 2010, the program (both major and minor) was created, and Bradley University was one of the first to have an undergraduate degree program in social media marketing.
MOVING INTO SOCIAL MEDIA
CURRICULUM LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR CAREER OUTCOMES
“The enrollment has given it such validity,” Rottier said. “Students need to have strong marketing skills in other areas before they can apply it socially — and our strong pedagogy provides that.”
Long before it became the information and entertainment juggernaut for the general public, and many years before nearly one in every two people had a social media account, the Internet — and its predecessors — were a focal point for social interactivity.
Rottier also commented that the class itself is based on experiential learning and students are graded on actual social media usage. In the spring 2015 semester, an Instagram assignment highlighting undiscovered sites at Bradley University was implemented. It featured things you learn about Bradley after you have been there, that you would not know as a freshman.
The Foster College of Business Department of Marketing was keeping an eye on this increasingly growing world and noting the importance of businesses and organizations beginning to incorporate social media into their marketing strategies and plans. “With the amount of marketing budgets devoted to this area and the amount of hiring going on, we wanted to be ahead of the game,” said Heidi Rottier, marketing instructor. “Our students were prepared when students from other universities were not.” Dr. Ed Bond, marketing department chair and Dr. Donna Hill, professor of marketing emerita, along with Rottier, did background research and could not locate any other undergraduate programs in social media.
“A side benefit to this Facebook group page,” Rottier said, “is that this is the same group from start to finish. Alumni who are now doing this actual work in social media jump in from time to time to share things or ask for input from current students. The Facebook group is also a means of keeping everyone up to date. Current students keep alumni up to date, and it creates a conversation. It’s special, and it’s a great obligation between students and alumni to continue to build that knowledge base.”
The class’s Facebook group has proven to be very beneficial. Students are responsible for
THE GROWTH OF SOCIAL MEDIA
100%
Bradley University approves the Social Media Marketing curriculum. Pinterest is founded. Instagram is founded. Google + is founded. Snapchat is founded. Facebook reaches 1 billion users.
Spotify launches a legal music streaming service.
LinkedIn launches public profiles.
75%
Twitter is founded. Facebook opens its site to all people with an email address.
50%
Apple releases the first iPhone.
MySpace receives more than 75 million visitors a month.
Vine is founded. Periscope is founded.
25%
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20 | Foster College of Business
contributing to the learning of other students — providing interesting topics to spark discussion. Past discussions have included how social media education is beginning to make its mark in the medical profession, analyzing social media updates, Instagram’s ability to influence how photographers take shots and available job and internship opportunities.
As the social media marketing curriculum grew, students gained experience to better prepare them for the professional world upon graduation. Firms expect everyone to contribute, whether that be content creation, brand awareness or community relations. It’s not housed in one place.
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Percent of Internet users 18 years or older with social media accounts, 2005-2013 Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet Project Library Survey
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The Secrets to Success in Social Media
Social media marketing advice from current students and recent alumni LEARN THE BASICS “Know the basics of content management systems, videography, photography and graphic design. You will be able to create and update your own content without waiting on others to do it for you.” -Nathan Lorentz ’16
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS “Social media is fast growing and isn’t going anywhere soon. It’s a way to build a relationship with your target audience and give you insight into the company.” -Nicole Wilder ’13
CHANGE IT UP “Never stop learning social media platforms. They are always changing. You have to stay on top of them and be able to adapt to be successful with what you’re doing.” -Danielle Blazek ’15
CLASSROOM KNOWLEDGE TO REALWORLD EXPERIENCE The experiential learning opportunities continue with students working with a real client or business and creating a social media strategy. Past businesses have included a tourism/charter boat company in Georgia, a not-for-profit organization in Denver, regional photographers, local restaurants and start-up companies. The goal of creating the social media strategy is twofold: creating the campaign is a great challenge for students, and it becomes an actual plan that will support the client and can be reasonably created and implemented. Additionally, social media practitioners including alumni play a very active role in the classroom — either as guest speakers in person or via Skype. Previous guests have included: • Blake Zitko Public Affairs Manager for State Farm
• Brian Stokoe Content Marketing Strategy Manager for Caterpillar Inc.
• Kate Parrish Admissions and Digital Marketing Manager for Bradley University
• Kerianne Mellott Social Media Director for eHarmony
• Douglas Fouts Marketing Director for Pearl Companies
Feedback from students past and present has been immensely positive. “As a social media minor at Bradley, I honed the strategic communication skills necessary to develop and execute successful campaigns across all industry types,” said Kate Parrish ’12, admissions and digital marketing manager for the University. “The program provided me with a firm foundation and comprehensive understanding of how social media marketing differs from traditional marketing and how it not only supports
organizations’ goals but also strengthens their outcomes.” “The program helped me get where I am today because it showed me that social media is way more than just socializing!” Robert Hack ’15 said. “It is how I found my job, how I connect with potential clients and customers. It’s a platform where everyone’s voice can be heard. From a marketing standpoint, if you can stand out on these platforms, you can really be successful.”
RESEARCH RUNDOWN In this recurring feature, we provide a quick look at what our faculty is up to: what they love, what they’re thinking about — and how they’re changing the world of business.
HOW TO GIVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TO MILLENNIALS Bradley faculty Dr. Aaron Buchko and Dr. Kathleen Buchko and MBA graduate student Emylee Anderson collaborated on a research paper that was recently awarded “Best Management Paper” by the North American Management Society. It offered managers advice on providing constructive criticism to Millennials.
A PROGRAM WITH MANY HIGHLIGHTS Rottier reflected on the many highlights she has had since starting the program: “Social media is so interesting because it is always new. It’s challenging to be current but also be relevant, to stay on top of what’s new. It’s always changing. I’m constantly in learning mode myself and sharing that with students.” “Another highlight for me and for our department is starting this program from scratch and having it work,” she said. “Not everything has been perfect, but there’s been some magic. Being able to interact with students in a different context has opened my eyes as to how to use social media to benefit other students outside the class. I use Twitter for exam reviews, and students reach out to me for advice on social media. It has been an exciting and innovative journey, and I look forward to what’s to come, not only in our program but in the social media world, as well.”
AARON BUCHKO
MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP
“The Millennials are different from prior generations in many ways, and one of those is how they react to negative information. Yet in organizations, managers frequently need to provide negative feedback to people,” said Aaron Buchko. “Our paper developed some techniques for providing negative feedback, based on theories from social psychology, counseling and management — integrating these perspectives to give managers some suggestions for delivering negative feedback effectively.”
Is your workplace multigenerational? Millennials will respond more favorably to negative feedback that they perceive:
TO:
SAY:
Be instrumental in providing them with greater leisure time and life/ work balance
“The way you’re handling your work team means you have to spend more time here at the office reviewing their work. Perhaps we might consider some alternative methods?”
Be helpful in making a positive contribution to their workplace
“This task is critical to the success of the project, so it’s important for you to change your approach to working with clients.”
Be focused in enhancing their individual development
“The approach you’ve been taking to working with clients may be limiting your effectiveness. Perhaps an alternative method would enable you to better achieve your career goals.”
Have future benefits to them individually
“To position you for the next promotion, you might want to consider changing your approach to dealing with the customer service representatives.”
Anderson, E., Buchko, A.; Buchko, K. J. (in press). Giving negative feedback to Millennials: How can managers criticize the “most praised” generation? Management Research Review, 39 (6).
NEW BOOK MAKES BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH ACCESSIBLE Economics professor Dr. Jannett Highfill and former economics instructor Patricia Podd Webber coauthored a new book, A Tempered and Humane Economy: Markets, Families, and Behavioral Economics. The book argues for an economic system that keeps people’s human needs in mind, while balancing the economic principles of market rewards with the family principles of respecting needs and abilities.
JANNETT HIGHFILL ECONOMICS
“Economics is always a means to an end,” Highfill said. “You need to be able to meet your economic needs in order to be able to achieve your larger life goals. The economy needs to be respectful of that process. We want economic prosperity, but prosperity where there are opportunities for everyone to be prosperous and no one is left out.” The duo wanted to make the ideas of behavioral economics accessible to students and noneconomists. They hope the main takeaway is that people will be inspired to help others in a way that they may not have been able to do before. Snag a copy on Amazon today. Highfill, J. K.; Webber, P. (2015). A tempered and humane economy: markets, families, and behavioral economics (183). Lexington Books.
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Research Rundown | 23
HITTING YOUR HEAD ON THE GLASS CEILING Dr. Patty Hatfield received the “Best Paper” award at the International Business Conference in Munich. Her paper was titled “Are academic women in finance exposed to the same risks as NFL players? Longterm effects of heads hitting the glass ceiling.” Topics that led to this research included studies that investigated women publishing less than male counterparts, as well as a sampling of most-cited finance authors: 49 men and only one woman.
PATTY HATFIELD FINANCE
Hatfield (Stephens Professor of Risk and Finance) and her co-author (Dr. Shelly Webb, Xavier University) analyzed why there was such a difference in research productivity by gender. They reviewed supplyside reasons — such as spending more time in the household and greater focuses on teaching — and demand reasons including discrimination.
Put her ideas to work for you: Hatfield hopes this research won’t result in just more proof of discrimination for women in finance: “We know it exists on Wall Street, in big banks and even on some college campuses before women even get to their career.” Instead, she wants to learn more about the root of the problem and be part of the solution. “(We want to) find ways to encourage and support women in finance, so they will be attracted to finance and can be as successful as their male counterparts. If we can start a conversation that helps create change in academia, it would hopefully trickle down to industry.” One vital factor for success is networking. Hatfield says it can be challenging for women to enter networks and find time to develop relationships. “My advice for young female professionals would be to seek out successful women who have developed important relationships with their male counterparts. Ask them to be a mentor and assist you as you work to develop important relationships and networks.” When we caught up with Hatfield, she and Webb were planning to facilitate a November 2015 panel discussion on Women in Finance. She expected to have even more specific advice and feedback on how to best accomplish these objectives. In the meantime, she highly recommends the book Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, for inspiration.
Hatfield, P. ; Webb S. (2015). Editorial boards and gender in finance journals: an exploratory study. American Journal of Business Education, 8(4), 249-258.
CHECK OUT SOME OF THE FOSTER COLLEGE FACULTY’S RECENT PUBLICATIONS: 1 Inspired Physician Leadership Creating influence and impact
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By Charles R. Stoner and Jason S. Stoner ISBN: 9780924674051
2 Principles of Macroeconomics Second edition
By Joshua Lewer ISBN: 9781631899386
3 A Tempered and Humane Economy
Markets, families, and behavioral economics By Jannett Highfill and Patricia Webber ISBN: 9780739194539
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Job fair draws record-setting numbers The Fall 2015 Job and Internship Fair attracted a whopping 1,561 students — a record high, up 22 percent from the prior year. The Foster College of Business was well represented; nearly a quarter of those attending were business students! The event at Renaissance Coliseum also saw a record number of employers: 191 companies from a broad range of industries and locations. Job fairs are a vital way in which Foster alumni can reconnect with the University and tap into a pipeline of talent. If your firm is seeking aspiring business leaders for internships or other work, please email careers@bradley.edu.
On the Scene | 25
Foster College of Business 1501 W. Bradley Ave. Baker Hall 123 Peoria, Illinois 61625
YOU CAN HELP BUILD THE FOSTER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS EXPERIENCE The Foster College of Business experience builds on close student and faculty interaction, experiential learning and great outcomes. Your gift will help the Foster College continue to expand these opportunities and develop future business leaders who will impact the world. Previous gifts have helped students like Rebecca Masters ’15 (Accounting 3:2) who is a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship, the Neighbor Scholarship and the Gordon, Stockman & Waugh Scholarship. “I’m very thankful for the scholarships I received at the Foster College of Business. Without these scholarships, I would not be here. I’ve had great experiences in the Foster College that I wouldn’t trade for the world — including two internships, being president of the accounting student organization Beta Alpha Psi and experiential learning that led me to a full-time job in my field.” Your gift will make a difference in our students’ lives. You can help by making your gift in one of three ways: ONLINE: bradley.edu/foster/gives PHONE: (309) 677-4778 EMAIL: fostergives@bradley.edu