School of Business - Year in Review 2015

‘14 YEAR IN REVIEW ‘15

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CONTENTS

8 Faculty and School

26 Students

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DEAN’S OPENING Greetings from the School of Business at Emporia State. The 2014-2015 academic year was a busy one for our school, and this year in review reflects several of our great initiatives. We are so very proud of our students, alumni, and faculty and their numerous accomplishments.

This year has opened the door to many opportunities in working with the Emporia community and building relationships with local and regional businesses, as well as seeing an increase in our enrollment. We know you will enjoy and get a sense of pride from all of the accomplishments by those connected with the School of Business in Hornet Nation. I look forward to seeing you soon at one of our many events. Go Hornets!!

John C. Rich, Ph.D. and CPA Interim Dean and Professor of Accounting jrich@emporia.edu

Alumni and Community

620-341-5225 bizhornet1 ESU.Business emporia.edu/business

Campus Box 4039 1 Kellogg Circle Emporia, KS 66801

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CURRENT FACULTY 2015-2016 Dr. ahmad Abu shanab

Dr. Antonina Bauman

Assistant Professor

Dr. Kalyan chakraborty Professor

Dr. Kevin Coulson Professor

Dr. Liz Diers

Assistant Professor

Mr. Dean edmiston Associate Professor

Assistant Professor

Dr. Mohammad Chowdhury Professor

Dr. Raffaele Devito Professor

Dr. George Durler Professor

Mr. Larry Falcetto Associate Professor

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Dr. Javier Flores

Dr. Dipak Ghosh

Assistant Professor

Professor

Dr. Bart Hanus Assistant Professor

Dr. Kevin Johnson

Professor Co-Director | Koch Center for Leadership & Ethics University General Council

Dr. kamal lamsal

Dr. shawn M. Keough

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor Chair of Faculty

Dr. steven lovett

Assistant Professor Co-Director | Koch Center for Leadership & Ethics

Dr. Donald S. Miller

Professor Emeritus Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor

Dr. Mohammed Sajedur Rahman

Dr. jeff muldoon

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor

Dr. John Rich Professor Interim Dean

Dr. Marian Riedy Associate Professor

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Dr. Sharath Sasidharan

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Dr. satvir singh

Associate Professor Director of Career Services School of Business

Assistant Professor

Dr. Tanja Steigner

Associate Professor Director | Center for Business & Economic Development

Dr. Douglass Smith Instructor

Dr. timothy thornton

Dr. CHRIS STONE

Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

Dr. LEI WEN

Assistant Professor

Dr. nathan woolard

Assistant Professor | Director of Strategic Initiatives

Dr. JAMES ZHENG

Dr. Jun YU

Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

Dr. Joyce Zhou

Assosiate Professor Director of Research

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ADJUNCT FACULTY DR. RICk LILLIE

DR. VISHAL MUNSIF

DR. Gerald Hoffman

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS

Linda Orear

Glenda estes

Administrative Specialist

Administrative Officer

Shelly Ogleby

Administrative Specialist

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KANSAS SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Lisa Brumbaugh Director

Jill cook

Coordinator

BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER jessica buchholz

Director | Student Services and Marketing

deena Wilson

Academic Advisor

Alisha Lyon

Coordinator | Graduate and Career Services

JAMES WILLINGHAM

Student Services Professional

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FA C U LT Y &SCHOOL

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TOP

#42

in the nation

“ THE ONLINE MBA PROGRAM AT EMPORIA STATE WAS RANKED

NO. 42

IN THE NATION, AND THE ONLY KANSAS COLLEGE MENTIONED ON THE LIST. ” - Affordable Colleges Foundation

BUSINESS SCHOOL EARNS TOP ONLINE MBA RANKING In the fall semester of 2014, Affordable Colleges Foundation, a leading resource for online learning and college affordability information, published a new list of the Best Online MBA Programs for 2014-2015. The online MBA program at Emporia State was ranked No. 42 in the nation, and Emporia State was the only Kansas college mentioned on the list.

Affordable Colleges Foundation ranks programs based on cost, quality and student support metrics. This organization began in 2011 to provide quality data and information about pursuing an affordable higher education. “We are extremely excited to receive this ranking,” said Dr. Kristie Ogilvie, former

dean of the School of Business. “It is just another testament to the exceptional education we provide at Emporia State.”

Data from over 500 schools was analyzed to create the criteria for this ranking. Schools listed offer online MBA programs that stand out among peer universities with full accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), hold low student-teaching ratios and have faculty who demonstrate excellence in business and management.

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GIFT BRINGS TECHNOLOGYBASED LEARNING SPACE TO BUSINESS STUDENTS

Nearly 40 wireless computer systems with i5 processors, high definition flat screen televisions, a short throw projector and a writable wall are several of the new leading-edge features found in The Thomas Learning Space in the School of Business.

A ribbon cutting was held October 16, 2014 to dedicate this state-of-the-art learning space. Students, faculty, staff and university supporters gathered in Cremer Hall to celebrate. The Thomas Learning Space was established through a $50,000 gift made possible by School of Business graduate Diane L. (Thomas) Beatty.

In addition to her commitment to the

university, she also serves on the Business Alliance and joined the board of trustees for the Emporia State Foundation in the fall.

“I wanted to express my gratitude for the university, and how it helped me achieve where I am today,” said Beatty about the gift. “As students graduate with a business degree, they have to be familiar with all types of technology. When you are working in a large company, you have to be able to use tools that can be controlled and managed to be successful.”

The technology found in The Thomas Learning Space provides a dynamic interchangeable classroom that is flexible for different types of instruction, peer-to-peer work groups and student use.

“The Thomas Learning Space will allow us to harness technology that will play a pivotal role in molding tech-savvy business leaders,” said Dr. Sharath Sasidharan, associate professor of information systems and director of career services for the School of Business.

As the School of Business develops students for a career post-graduation, gifts like Beatty’s create more opportunities for students.

The founding of The Thomas Learning Space is in celebration of the Thomas family’s longstanding commitment to higher education. Multiple generations of the family have attended Emporia State throughout the years, including Beatty’s great-grandmother, Carrie Gasche, who graduated from Kansas State Normal in 1898.

“The Thomas Learning Space will allow us to harness technology that will play a pivotal role in molding tech-savvy business leaders.”

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24/7 The spring 2015 semester brought change to the first floor of Cremer Hall. With the idea of increasing the availability of collaborative learning and community spaces throughout campus, the School of Business was able to offer students more access to resources and areas to study.

The first step in the process was to create and update an active learning space in Cremer Hall. This included providing comfortable furniture, WiFi access, SkyPrint, SkyView and SkyStation computers, whiteboards, cable televisions, and breakout rooms for students to hold group project meetings or webconferencing.

Once this renovation was complete, the next step was to make the first floor, including Richel Learning Space, available to students 24/7. Cory Falldine, chief information officer and associate vice

president of information technology, was instrumental in getting Cremer Hall set up with the new access for students.

“The library offers a number of great amenities and now includes 24/7 access for students (to the commons area). They really proved that, if spaces were made available after traditional operating hours, students would use them. After talking with students, we found that the standard 8-5 Monday-Friday access to campus learning spaces doesn’t always fit their schedules, especially when they need to meet with each other,” said Falldine.

“We’ve also been told that having campus computers and printing available is helpful because their personal equipment may not be as good or because it’s simply a good way to focus. Many students are athletes, have part-time or full-time jobs, are community volunteers, etc., and have hectic schedules.

Finding time during the day, when most traditional computer lab spaces are available, isn’t always an option.”

The number of students using this study

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space is tracked through patron counters at all entry points. This will soon be promoted to every other building on campus. This allows the School of Business to generally estimate how many students are accessing the building.

Whether one needs access to the computer lab, a quiet place to study, or a location to hold a group meeting, the School of Business now offers a safe, comfortable, and technology-enhanced space 24/7. This allows for flexibility and provides a much needed resource on campus.

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RETIREMENTS Dr. Thomas Slocombe Dr. Thomas Slocombe joined the School in 2001 as an Associate Professor of Management, teaching organizational behavior and behavioral aspects of management.

Dr. Slocombe was very active in his tenure at Emporia State, serving as the MBA Director from 2002-2005, and as Beta Gamma Sigma president in 2011. He provided leadership on many committees including curriculum review, numerous search committees, and scholarship committees and actively participated in research. Slocombe retired from Emporia State after the 2015 spring semester.

Dr. James Waegelein Dr. James Waegelein began his time at Emporia State in 2006 as a professor and chair of the Accounting and Information Systems department where he provided leadership in the development of the Master of Accountancy program.

During his tenure, he chaired a number of committees, served on faculty senate and was a member of Beta Alpha Psi. His awards include the Faculty Recognition Award in 2010 and the Intellectual Contributions Award for research in 2011.

Waegelein is a registered CPA and retired in the Fall of 2014.

EMPORIA STATE’S PROGRAM RANKED NO. 4

THE ONLY KANSAS UNIVERSITY LISTED

THE PROGRAM PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY

MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY DEGREE RANKED 4TH IN AFFORDABILITY During the spring semester of 2014, the Master of Accountancy degree at Emporia State University was ranked most affordable in Kansas, according to Accounting Degree Review, an independent and objective resource for current and prospective accounting and finance students.

The organization recently released its list of most affordable online master’s degrees in accounting from regionally accredited schools in the United States. Emporia State’s program was ranked No. 4 and was the only Kansas university listed. The MACC program at Emporia State began in January 2014, and has seen a steady increase in enrollment. Faculty are eager to reach a new student population with an online venue and build the program within the School of Business.

“The Master of Accountancy program at Emporia State provides an opportunity for those who have an accounting degree to further enhance their knowledge of accounting theory and application,” said Dr. George Durler, professor of accounting.

“The program provides flexibility for those desiring a combination of online and faceto-face courses or either exclusively.”

Accounting Degree Review was established to help students make informed decisions and compare programs. The site ranks both online and traditional programs, as well as gives general advice to prospective accounting students.

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Interviews were conducted with the following individuals:

Diane Beatty

BRINGING PROFESSIONALS INTO THE CLASSROOM

experience would enhance the content of the BU 140, Business Dynamics and Professionalism course, which is the first required core business class for a student at Emporia State. Woolard also credits this concept to Ed O’Malley at the Kansas Leadership Center, who conducts a similar program with community leaders.

This academic year, Dr. Nathan Woolard, assistant professor, brought a new initiative into his classroom: The Business Dynamic Leadership Interview Series. These oncampus interviews, conducted by Woolard, included words of wisdom from several School of Business alumni, university supporters, and industry professionals.

Discussion topics ranged from ethical decision-making to building a healthy work culture to the role of technology in business today.

In order to engage the students, the videos will be embedded through the daily schedule in BU 140. Using a program called Kaltura, the videos can be uploaded and embedded into the Canvas platform. Support for the Interview Series came from the Instructional Design and Technology Department at Emporia State to shoot each video. They used professional quality equipment and specialized software to film and edit each video.

Through these interviews, Dr. Woolard hopes to connect business leaders with students in a meaningful and purposeful way. “I’m interested in capturing business leaders’ experiences, tips, and suggestions,” said Woolard. “This is all about preparing students appropriately for life beyond white boards and tiny desks.”

The idea for the Interview Series came from the redesign of the business administration curriculum. Woolard thought that this

Woolard plans to incorporate a selected number of the videos in class, but a large benefit will be for online courses. The School of Business is looking to expand the BU 140, Business Dynamics & Professionalism course so that high school students can take the course concurrently online. This video series will be a valuable asset to their learning and has the potential to be seen by thousands of students.

Retired Financial Manager Conoco-Phillips

Mark Schreiber

Vice President of Governmental Affairs Westar Energy

Jan Steinert

IT Customer Relationship Management Spirit AeroSystems

Susan Thomas

President 10Fold Communications

Tim Wright

President Wright CPA Group

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ETIQUETTE DINNER This academic year, faculty took the opportunity to educate students in business etiquette. During the fall semester, Dr. John Rich, professor of accounting, held a dinner for his Professional Development and Leadership for Accounting Majors class, which was sponsored by Tim Wright, School of Business alumni and supporter. In spring, Dr. Joyce Zhou, professor of marketing, was able to hold a similar event through an innovative teaching grant for her International Marketing class.

The purpose of hosting these events lies in the experience for Emporia State’s students. Many have never attended a formal dinner; therefore, there are several formal dining rules that students are unaware of. Occasionally, an interview can include dinner at an exclusive restaurant or a country club, so this instruction should be shared.

“Business etiquette is an important facet of business practices, especially in a global setting,” explained Zhou. For both events, June Coleman, director of career services, offered her expertise and insight to students. “Fine dining etiquette is critical to establishing one’s self as a top notch professional. It is not very common for us to have opportunities to practice these skills as “fine dining” experiences can be few and far between for college students,” said Coleman.

“Business etiquette is an important facet of business practices, especially in a global setting.”

“Interviews often include a meal in order for employers to evaluate the candidate’s dining etiquette or table manners.

Knowing what to talk about, how to navigate a place setting, how to cut your food, are all things that employers will watch.”

Senior accounting major Lindsay Cuadra attended the fall etiquette dinner and shares a little about her experience. “I attended because it was part of a requirement of my Professional Development for Accounting Majors class.

I learned a lot of details that I didn’t know about etiquette beforehand. Examples would be table etiquette as well as how to eat and greet people and introducing myself to others.”

Oscar Lemus, junior accounting major, also attended as part of Dr. Rich’s class. “It was an amazing learning experience that I would have enjoyed going to even if I was not required to for class. I learned valuable tips, such as how to hold a glass, what side to enter from a chair, and how to be polite overall. These manners are essential in a professional atmosphere in order to portray an excellent image of yourself,” said Lemus.

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FACULTY BRING FIELD EXPERTS INTO THE CLASSROOM Dr. Marian Riedy, associate professor for the School of Business, had the opportunity to bring subject matter experts into the classroom for her Business, Law, and Sustainability course during the spring semester. Even though this course is completely online, Riedy found a way to integrate guest lecturers for her students. Guest speakers included Dr. Charles Rice, Mark Schreiber and Bob Dixon.

served in various roles at KG&E and Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation including biologist, emergency planning supervisor, and manager of community relations and V.P. of government affairs. He obtained his associate of arts degree from Garden City Community College and his bachelor and master of science degrees in biology from Emporia State University.

Rice, distinguished professor of soil microbiology at Kansas State University, traveled to Emporia State on March 11, 2015 to lecture and enlighten students and faculty about the study of soil microbiology, climate change, and sustainability. Rice is a co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Bob Dixon, Mayor of Greensburg, Kansas, did a live lecture through video conferencing. His topics included community involvement in sustainable municipal development, focusing on how Greensburg “Went Green” in its redevelopment after the town was destroyed by a Category 5 tornado.

In April, Mark Schreiber, vice president of government affairs for Westar Energy, visited campus to speak on sustainable business development and leadership. Before joining Westar, Schreiber

*Lectures that took place on campus were recorded and electronically distributed to students.

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EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY KSBDC HIGHLIGHTS The Emporia State University Kansas Small Business Development Center worked with 152 clients for 1,267 hours of one-on-one consulting. The Return on Investment (ROI) for every dollar invested in the ESU KSBDC was $25.70.

The data shown below are the 2014 results of ESU KSBDC clients:

$6,633,209 Sales Increase

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Retained Jobs

197

Jobs Created

The Emporia State KSBDC help start 22 business that are located in: 5 - Bulter Co. 5 - Lyon Co. 5 - Marion Co. 2 - Osage Co. 1 - Chase Co. 1 - Coffey Co. 1 - Dickinson Co. 1 - Greenwood Co. 1 - Morris Co.

This year the KSBDC helped start-up and existing businesses find capital of $2,800,650 and collaborative partnerships were developed and maintained with a number of organizations including: • • • •

Flint Hills Technical College and Emporia Main Street: ESU KSBDC co-sponsored and helped instruct the “Starting Your Own Business” course.

ESU School of Business: Venture Alliance and Emporia Entrepreneurial Challenge.

Area Chambers of Commerce & Economic Development groups: partnered to offer consulting and workshops specifically needed in respective areas.

Worked closely and cooperatively with other agencies and organizations such as the Kansas Department of Commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

STARTING THE YEAR RIGHT WITH BIZFEST

When you think School of Business, you may think of students giving presentations and being the pillar of formality. Although this may be true, those very same students know how to relax and have a little fun.

On August 28, 2014, the School of Business hosted the second annual BizFest. With many great sources of entertainment, food, prizes and 400 of our closest friends, we were able to show just what the School of Business is all about.

During BizFest, students from across campus gathered in the KSTC Ballroom for a night of pizza, prizes, entertainment and the chance to hear about all the great things the School of Business has to offer!

During the event, students had a passport encouraging them to stop by the different

registered student organizations booths lining the room. Completing the passport gave the students a ticket to be entered in the drawing for prizes that evening. Another chance for a prize ticket was given to students once they completed a short survey about the School.

Members of the faculty and staff also addressed students with a variety of topics. Academic Advisor Deena Wilson spoke to the students about the Business Advising Center and the resources they have to offer.

‘It was great to speak to current and prospective students at BizFest. I was able to tell them about the many different majors, concentrations, and minors within the School of Business and the requirements for graduation at Emporia State,” said Wilson. “Hopefully, it helped students narrow their search for their major while providing current business majors additional options for programs. Advisors only get to see their students once or a twice a semester, and BizFest was a great way to talk to students outside of the advising role.”

“Advisors only get to see their students once or a twice a semester and BizFest was a great way to talk to students outside of the advising role”

Many improvements have been made within Cremer Hall over the last year, starting with the renovation of the first floor and the addition of The Koch Center for Leadership and Ethics.

Dr. Steven Lovett, center co-director and assistant professor of law, spoke to the audience about the Center and how students could become involved.

“BizFest was a great opportunity to announce the launch of the Koch Center for Leadership and Ethics at Emporia State University,” said Lovett. “Because part of the Koch Center’s mandate is to include, and to learn from, Emporia State’s students, it was exciting to be able to speak directly to them about what we hope to accomplish.” Entertainment for the evening was provided by ZOIKS!, an impromptu comedy student group from Emporia State.

The evening concluded with a drawing for different prizes with the grand prize being an iPad Mini, won by senior Marketing major, Elizabeth Ravenstein. “When I won my iPad Mini at BizFest I couldn’t have been more excited! I never win anything, so I was shocked when I won, considering how many people were at the event!”

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ON THE WAY TO THE TOP Emporia Elevator Challenge

Did you know it takes exactly 27 seconds for the elevator in Cremer Hall to reach the fifth floor?

On February 16, 2015, over 25 students from Emporia State and Flint Hills Technical College lined up on the first floor of Cremer to present their elevator pitches and compete for $100.00, while riding the elevator to the fifth floor. The event was organized

by Dr. Nathan Woolard, assistant professor, and the Business Resource Center to help prepare students for the second annual Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge (EEC).

“We knew we wanted to do a kick-off event for EEC, and it needed to be something unique and exciting,” said Jessica Buchholz, Director of Student Services and Marketing for the School of Business. “The Elevator Challenge was an academic-based event that gave students the true experience of giving an elevator pitch to a possible investor.”

While students were waiting for their time to shine, they had the opportunity to speak with School of Business faculty and Lisa Brumbaugh from the Small Business Development Center about their business plans for the Entrepreneur Challenge. This gave students the opportunity for oneon-one time with “consultants” on their business plan and concept.

The School of Business provided pizza and a prize wheel for the

chance to win an array of School of Business merchandise.

The competition was so close that first place prize was broken into three categories; Dean’s Choice, which went to Geoffrey Cross, Business Administration major, for his idea of an Emporia-based dart supply company and pub, Best Concept went to Casey Cagle, Flint Hills Technical College student, for a regional tourism group, Best Pitch was won by Seth Akpovona, Business Administration major, whose idea was a local home grocery delivery service. All three first place winners received $100.

Dean’s Choice Winner, Geoffrey Cross, spoke about the experience. “During the Elevator Challenge, my nerves were pretty high. With as much practice as I had on my pitch, it was still nerve racking to get in the elevator alone with Dean Ogilvie. I was relieved when it was done and felt very good about my pitch. All in all, it was an enjoyable event!”

Runners up for the event were Derek Parris and Eli Faulhaber, both Business Administration majors. Parris presented a patentable technology that allows vehicle dashboards to be removed quickly while Faulhaber’s idea was based on streamlining the trucking industry. The second and third place students won prizes sponsored by the School of Business.

2015 THE EMP ENTREPR CHALLEN

PORIA RENEUR NGE

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The School of Business held the second annual Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge (EEC) during the 2015 spring semester. Thirty-eight teams submitted their business models for the first round of competition, with ideas ranging from clothing stores to rehabilitation centers.

The competition welcomed students from both Emporia State and Flint Hills Technical College.

After the first plans were submitted, the judge’s panel chose twenty teams to move on to the second round. Competitors had under a month to finalize their plans and prepare for an oral presentation of their concepts. On April 21, 2015, teams were able to display their business models in a Community Showcase that was open to the university and Emporia community.

During the showcase, judges picked the top three teams to present their concept to the audience and compete for cash prizes of

$4,000 for first, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third. Dr. Nathan Woolard, assistant professor in the School of Business, is the faculty champion for this event. “The idea for this competition and Community Showcase is to locate potential entrepreneurs at FHTC and Emporia State and give them an outlet to work with community partners,” said Woolard.

The winner of the competition was FHTC student Casey Cagle, creator of Prairie Earth tours, a Kansas-based tourism company catering to international students and out-of-state tourists. “I felt honored to win the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge,” explains Cagle. “I feel privileged to live in a community that offers so much support.”

Second place and $2,000 was awarded to Xiang Li, Emporia State MBA student, and JiaPeng Huang, senior accounting major, for their Go Overseas business concept, which focuses on connecting U.S. students and

Chinese educational organizations.

Bryce Dakin and Tyson Johnson, industrial engineering technology students at Flint Hills Technical College, won third place and $1,000 for Front Runner Outdoors/DC Systems Software, computer software targeted to the outdoor industry to track and sort trail camera pictures.

Honorable mentions were awarded to Tim Gogolski, Flint Hills Technical College, for Gogo’s Bee Company and to Derek Parris, Emporia State junior business administration major, for The Parris Tool. The Best Display award, based on audience votes, went to Jessika Hamrick, Emporia State junior business administration major, for her CreativiTEA with Company business concept.

“The Entrepreneur Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for our students as well as our local business community, and we are very

proud of the teams representing Flint Hills Technical College,” said Dean Hollenbeck, president of Flint Hills Technical College.

“We’re appreciative of the School of Business at ESU and are glad to partner with them in this endeavor.” Judges for the competition included faculty from Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College and Emporia community members.

Judges for the first round of the competition included: Dr. Brent Kinghorn, Dr. Jeffrey Muldoon and Dr. Marian Riedy, Emporia State faculty, and Kim Dhority, Flint Hills Technical College. Judges for the second and final rounds included Lisa Brumbaugh, Kansas Small Business Development Center; Tina Khan, Flint Hills Technical College; Rob Gilligan, Emporia City Commission; Casey Woods, Emporia Main Street; and Greg Yotz, Vektek. As overall competition winner, Cagle traveled to Manhattan in May to represent Emporia in the Kansas Entrepreneur

“The idea for this competition and Community Showcase is to locate potential entrepreneurs at FHTC and Emporia State and give them an outlet to work with community partners.”

Challenge at Kansas State. At the state level, Cagle placed third overall. The competition consisted of two rounds — a 90-second pitch to the judges and a five-minute formal presentation followed by seven minutes of question and answer with the judges.

“In a competitive field of our state’s best new entrepreneurs, Casey stood on a stage and masterfully delivered his Prairie Earth Tours concept,” said Woolard, who attended the event with Cagle. “His placing third is just reconfirmation that there is a need for his company, but, more importantly, a need for young entrepreneurs in Kansas.”

The 2015 Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge was underwritten by Dale and Carolyn Davis.

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BLUE KEY HONOR SOCIETY

“I have always enjoyed being of service to my community and everyone around me, “ said Mangwiro. “Blue Key has the perfect opportunities for me.”

After re-chartering the organization in 2012, the Emporia State University chapter of Blue Key Honor Society has worked fervently to re-create the quality of leadership and service that its membership has historically been devoted to. Blue Key members have committed to annual recognition of campus leaders and their contributions as well as the development of new leadership initiatives that instill the best values onto students of the University.

Blue Key membership is open to the top juniors and seniors that have established dominant credibility in scholarship, leadership, and service. On April 9, 2015, Blue Key Honor Society formally introduced their new members for 2014.

Of the 13 inducted, four were School of Business Students. These four students included:

Saad Kattan

Junior Major: Information Systems

Kayla Lansing

Senior Major: Accounting Minor: Spanish

Beauty MangwirO

Senior Major: Accounting Minor: Mathematics

Elizabeth Ravenstein Senior Major: Marketing

2015 KANSAS BUSINESS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES CHOSEN Gary Burrell and Min H. Kao, co-founders of Garmin, Inc., and the late Jess Cornejo, who started Cornejo Trucking Co., which became Cornejo & Sons, were inducted during the Team Kansas dinner at Johnson County Community College.

Cornejo started his trucking company in the early 1950s in Wichita. He started and operated many companies from trucking and excavation to demolition. Cornejo died in 1994 and his family eventually sold the business to Summit Materials LLC in 2010.

Burrell and Kao in 1989 teamed up to create Garmin Corp., makers of the popular global positioning system devices. Burrell, born in Stilwell, Kansas, has been recognized by Inc. Magazine, The Kansas City Business Journal and Ernst & Young as the “Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year” for Missouri and Kansas.

Kao, born in Jhushan, Nantou, Taiwan, came to the United States for educational opportunities after earning his first degree in his native country. After earning his master’s and doctoral degrees, he worked on research for NASA and the U.S. Army.

Before co-founding Garmin, Kao worked with navigation systems for Teledyne

Systems, Magnavox Advanced Products, King Radio Corp. and Allied Signal.

The ceremony marks the 27th year of inductions into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame, which is located in the School of Business at Emporia State University. Business leaders selected for the KBHF are widely known for their contributions to Kansas, and are recognized as role models. The KBHF recognizes historical contributors and present-day leaders who have made private enterprise work in Kansas and throughout the country.

Previous inductees include such prominent Kansans as Pizza Hut founders Dan and Frank Carney, Clara and Russell Stover of Russell Stover Candies, Don Hall of Hallmark Cards, Clyde Cessna of Cessna Aircraft Co., Walter Chrysler, founder of the Chrysler Corp., and William Allen White, entrepreneur and Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Emporia Gazette.

The only program of its kind in the state of Kansas, the Kansas Business Hall of Fame serves as a chapter of the American National Business Hall of Fame.

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Honors Banquet The School of Business Honors Banquet is a time to honor our outstanding students. We recognize our senior honor graduates, Outstanding Senior, Business Faculty Endowed Award recipient, and our Outstanding Graduate Student. Errol Williams, Vice President of Human Resources at se2, was our guest speaker for the evening.

SENIOR HONOR GRADUATES Students designated “Honor” students by the School of Business must have earned a 3.5 or better cumulative grade-point average.

Ahmed Al-Sereeh

Justin Harris

Preston Mossman

Hailin Chen

JiaPeng Huang

Chelsey Osborn

Scott Clewell

Naira Hueper

Yanzhen Pan

Lindsay Cuadra

Matthew King

Anastasia Rausch

Drake Deasley

Kayla Lansing

Elizabeth Ravenstein

Sara Dunkin

Min Lin

Shannon Scott

Erin Fuchs

Miranda Mai

Betsy Teegardin

Caroline Gonzalez

Beauty Mangwiro

Mallory Walden

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Errol Williams

Payson Maydew

Vice President of Human Resources at Security Benefit Corporation and Chief People Officer for se2 LLC. Honorary Speaker

Junior Accounting Business Faculty Endowed Student Scholarship

Preston Mossman

Kevin Jones

Senior Business Administration & Information Systems Outstanding School of Business Senior

Graduate Student Master of Accountancy Stephen J. Butcher Outstanding Graduate Student

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FAC U LT Y A N D S C H O O L

VENTURE ALLIANCE The Venture Alliance is a newly launched student project initiative coordinated through the Career Services team of the Business Resource Center. Student teams are available on a no-cost basis to execute projects for local businesses as part of their coursework over a semester.

For students, it provides an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world setting, polish their networking skills and gain invaluable learning opportunities outside the classroom. For businesses, it provides an opportunity to contribute to the professional development of tomorrow’s business leaders, access specialized knowledge and skill on a no-cost basis, and meet short-term human resource demands.

The first edition of the Venture Alliance for Spring 2015 yielded projects from 31 businesses in and around Emporia. These included topics

such as sustainability, website design, auditing, event planning, sales planning, marketing strategy, social media strategy, online marketing, business and corporate communications, publicity campaign, business feasibility studies, and instructional software. School of Business

“THE School of Business faculty made initial contact with businesses to explore further the potential fit of projects with courses and evaluate its learning potential vis-à-vis course objectives.” faculty made contact with businesses to further explore the potential fit of projects with courses.

Businesses included H&R Block, Green Door Recycling, Evergreen Design-Build, Emporia Fitness and PT Associates, Lyon County, Jason’s Illustrations, Flint Hills Music, Geo Tech, Inc., Flint Hills Truck Sales, Disciple Shoppe Bible Bookstore, and ESU IT. The businesses with whom a fit couldn’t be found with the course

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offerings for the semester had the option of carrying their projects over to the next semester.

“This initiative is in line with our commitment to partnering with the community to develop the next generation of business professionals.

There has been a strong response from the business community for the Venture Alliance; and we would like to partner with even more businesses. Those submitting their projects will have it included in a school-wide database that will permit faculty to identify and match course projects with student teams. This collaboration will be a win-win situation for the business community and the School of Business,” according to Dr. Sharath Sasidharan, Director of Career Services in the School of Business and associate professor.

Interested individuals and businesses should contact Alisha Lyon (620-341-5456; alyon1@ emporia.edu), Career Services Coordinator in the School of Business or Dr. Sharath Sasidharan (620-341-5087; ssasidha@emporia. edu) to learn more about the Venture Alliance program.

The Dirty Kanza 200, a self-supported 200 mile gravel grinder through the Flint Hills of Kansas, celebrated its ten year anniversary this summer.

2,000 riders from 46 states and 5 foreign countries came to Emporia, Kansas, to ride in the event. The race also offers a 100 mile half pint, and 50 and 20 mile lite rides.

Assistant professor of business administration, Dr. Nathan Woolard, rode the 50 mile lite ride in 2014 and decided to try his luck at the 100 mile half pint in 2015. “While I was way off on my predicted finish time, I at least have the weather to blame,” said Woolard. “In all reality, I was just happy to be out there and chat with other riders.

Finishing the 100 miles was a culminating experience heightened by the emotions surrounding the experiences, people, and scenery.”

This year’s race was one of the toughest in its history due to historic rainfall and flooding in Emporia. “There was one stretch where we carried our bikes for three miles,” Woolard recalls.

“It was extremely difficult for even the most experienced of riders.”

When asked if he will tackle the 200 next year, Woolard said, “I think, with the rain, soggy roads, wind, and elevation changes, I would have to be crazy to try my luck at the 200 next year… of course I am.”

STUDENTS

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bizhornet in austria

Anna Zimmerman Major: Business Administration Study Abroad Location: Austria

“ It can be intimidating to take a leap into another culture, but I feel that it is very rewarding.”

Q. Why did you decide to study abroad?

A. I decided to study abroad in order to expand my horizons and experience a different pace of life. I’ve had the opportunity to travel abroad several times, but never for such an extended period of time. I think that extended travel is the best way to challenge personal assumptions. Living in Europe has taught me to think about a lot of the things that make me culturally American.

Seeing myself through another perspective allows me to question my instinctual actions and to think about why and how I picked them up. Challenging my assumptions allows me to select the pieces of myself that are most important, while picking up new habits that will help me become the best version of myself.

Q. What made you choose this location?

A. I decided to come to Linz, Austria, after a lot of thought. I had taken a few German courses prior to this semester, and I wanted to be able to continue my language skills. Linz is a fairly small city with about 200,000 people, so it gives me a great home base to travel. I also wanted to make sure that I lived in a city that had a strong relationship with its university, like Emporia with Emporia State. The city has a great attitude towards students and tries to make it very easy for us to visit museums, participate in festivals, and travel.

Q. Where did you go?

A. I wanted to add at least 5 countries while I was in Austria to my travel. Within the first two months of my trip I visited Germany, several areas of Austria, and the Czech Republic. During Easter break, I had the opportunity to visit Venice, Florence, Rome, Pisa, Milan, and Amsterdam.

Q. What did you do?

A. I’ve visited many museums, cathedrals, and historic city centers. I participated in a cheese tasting, placed in a city scavenger hunt, celebrated Carnival (similar to Mardi Gras), and took free walking tours. I was invited several times to speak at a local Austrian high school and to share my experiences growing up in the United States with them.

Q. What is your best experience?

A. I believe my best experience was the opportunity to spend so much time with students from around the world. Our program had about 150 students from 40 different countries. Nearly every evening I had the opportunity to sit with students from around the world and discuss the differences and similarities between our cultures. It was exciting to be able to learn about Austrian culture, both through my own experience and through the perspectives of others. The high concentration of international students experiencing similar culture shock creates many opportunities to bond.

Q. Would you encourage other students to do the same?

A. I would encourage everyone who has an opportunity to study abroad, even if it is for only a brief period. I studied in Estonia and Latvia for one month before committing to studying abroad for an entire semester, and they were both wonderful experiences. It can be intimidating to take a leap into another culture, but I feel that it is very rewarding.

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STUDENTS

THE WORLD FROM EMPORIA STATE This year, Emporia State connected with World Learning Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes the advancement of leadership in over 60 countries. The program was founded in 1932 as The Experiment in International Living, the organization that would later become World Learning Inc. It was inspired by Dr. Donald Watt’s simple idea to improve understanding across cultures and nations by sending US students abroad to expand their worldviews.

Through World Learning’s International Development and Exchange programs, emerging leaders from 140 countries visit the United States on exchanges. Academic exchanges place international students in colleges to strengthen their leadership and professional skills while they explore American culture. During the 2014-2015 academic year, Emporia State University had four students participate in the exchange program.

Business Administration major Muhammed Shanoob Puthen Theruvil is currently one of the four Emporia State students involved in the program. When asked about his experience, Shanoob states, “They take care of just about everything regarding the student, which such programs rarely do. They provided all

the facilities a common student would get, and from my personal experience, I feel that a student of World Learning is achieving a special role wherever they are. I am lucky to be one of them.” Throughout his ongoing experience, he has continued involvement on campus. “Without the World Learning Inc., and Emporia State, I would have not been able to be as successful,” says Shanoob.

Dr. Joyce Zhou, marketing professor for the School of Business, acted as Shanoob’s faculty sponsor during his time at Emporia State University. Zhou met with Shanoob on a regular basis and met with his program specialist Amy E. Fischer Bruey when she visited campus.

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VISIT TO KOCH INDUSTRIES The Business Student Alliance sponsored a trip to Koch Industries on Monday, April 27th. Activities for the day included lunch with Emporia State Alumni employed at the company, an MBM simulation, and a recent graduate panel discussion. The trip was open to any business student.

Graduate student Jacob Williams attended the trip to Wichita.

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“ I enjoyed participating in the team building exercise because I was able to meet and interact with students from the School of Business.”

“It was a great opportunity to see the inside of a company that employs so many Emporia State Alumni,” said Williams. “ I enjoyed participating in the team-building exercise because I was able to meet and interact with students from the School of Business.”

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDENT ATTENDS STATE OF THE UNION An Emporia State student got the experience of a lifetime when his internship landed him a seat at the State of the Union address. Junior management major, John Bessmer, was able to witness President Obama give his speech on January 20, 2015 at the Chamber of the House of Representatives.

Bessmer spent the Spring 2015 semester in Washington, D.C. for his internship with Congressman Tim Huelskamp. Bessmer heard about the internship through Buzz-In and applied. His duties included taking phone calls from constituents, sitting in on hearings for legislative staff and other miscellaneous activities for the Congressman. “I am extremely grateful that Congressman Huelskamp invited me to attend the State of the Union Address with him,” said John Bessmer. “It was a fantastic experience to be able to sit in a room with some of the most powerful people in the nation and to be able to listen to the President speak in person.”

Dr. Marian Riedy, Assistant Professor of Business Law, was Bessmer’s faculty supervisor for the internship. Dr. Reidy practiced law in Washington, D.C. for many years before joining the ESU faculty in the School of Business. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for John to observe the political scene at such close range, and he has great networking opportunities with fellow interns and House staffers.”

The School of Business is excited to see students capitalize on such wonderful internship experiences and network with individuals in a variety of backgrounds and industries. “I’m pleased to have a young Kansan represent the “Big First” at the State of the Union. I have been impressed with John’s work ethic during his time with my office,” said Huelskamp.

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STUDENTS

BIZHORNETS IN INTERNSHIPS Preston Mossman

Business Administration and Information Systems Emporia, Kansas Graduation Date: December 2015 Preston Mossman (above) has spent two semesters interning in the field of Information Security. This opportunity has provided Preston with quality training and he plans to continue this internship until December. Job duties include research about different exploits. Preston states, “There has been a focus of intercepting information as it goes from the individual to the Internet. This is very important because it allows our company to understand what our vulnerabilities are and how to keep the users safe.”

Throughout his first two semesters, working alongside Dylan Jacobs has been the most rewarding part of the internship. With this educated mentor, Preston has been able to grow not only in experience, but also critical knowledge.

Allyson Spease

Marketing Augusta, Kansas Graduation Date: May 2016 Ally Spease participated in an internship with the Emporia State University Alumni Association. This opportunity included various duties specifically based around internet marketing and alumni outreach programs. Along with daily tasks, planning events, creating invites, the final project remained the most rewarding part of her internship; the launch of Corky’s Crew. This project brought much excitement to the assistantship and gave her the opportunity to have increased interaction with alumni.

With the experience Ally has gained, she feels that she will be prepared for upcoming job opportunities. Her advice regarding the process of finding an internship is to always communicate. “Although it might be intimidating at first, the purpose of an internship is to learn; therefore, ask questions and apprentice from your co-workers and bosses.”

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Alice Tunks-Jones

Business Administration Emporia, Kansas Graduation Date: May 2016

PHI BETA LAMBDA ENTERS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Alice interned for BLI Rentals LLC located in Emporia, Kansas. Her daily assignments were a mix of customer service related tasks as well as marketing assignments. She made calls, took incoming payments, and communicated with volunteers who would be helping during various events. Her favorite experiences were being able to read the evaluation surveys from the project she organized as well as typing up suggestions for next year’s event.

Her advice for future interns is to find a company that you are interested in and see how you can add value to their operation. Also, get to know the people you work with; they have valuable knowledge and will be happy to share it with you.

Luke Slagle

Marketing Clay Center, Kansas Graduation Date: May 2015 Luke Slagle completed a marketing internship with Sodexo Dining Services on campus in Emporia State University’s Memorial Union.

During his time with Sodexo, his daily activities included communicating with cooks and staff to prepare menu signage, create promotional materials, and conduct surveys. During his time with Sodexo, Luke was able to attend monthly online training conference calls.

During these calls, he was able to communicate with Sodexo’s marketing personnel and connect with fellow marketing interns across the country.

His advice to students aspiring to have an internship is to understand that you will make mistakes but to use those mistakes to learn and improve and not let them discourage you.

The Emporia State Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL), the academic fraternity for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), traveled to Fort Hays State University on February 13th and 14th for the state leadership conference.

Sarah Hill

Business Management Lehigh, Kansas Graduation Date: May 2015 Sarah Hill (above) incorporated her education from Emporia State to complete an internship with Thomas Property Management in Emporia, Kansas. Interning as a leasing consultant required her to show properties to potential tenants, complete inspections of properties, write work orders, communicate with maintenance staff to get the work orders filled, and manage tenant payments.

Her best experience was when she showed a tenant to a new home that they loved. At that very moment she knew she found what she wanted to do after graduation. Her advice to students aspiring to have an internship is that there are going to be hard days no matter what you’re doing, but having a job you love makes those hard days not so bad.

Three students, Aubrey Plankinton, sophomore accounting major: David Szabo, freshman business administration major: and Travisray Salyers, sophomore business education major, qualified to represent Emporia State at the National Leadership Conference in Chicago from June 24th through June 27th.

The results are as follows: Plankinton placed 1st in Computer Applications and 2nd in both Accounting Principles and Financial Concepts. Szabo placed 1st in both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Salyers placed 2nd in Entrepreneurship.

As an added recognition, three ESU PBL students were also awarded Who’s Who in Kansas Phi Beta Lambda a testament to their outstanding contributions to the Phi Beta Lambda organization at the local, district, state, and national levels. Students awarded this honor were: Salyers: Holly Clark, freshman marketing major: and Chelsea Ingram, junior accounting major.

ALUMNI & COMMUNITY

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A LU M N I

Maggie Fletcher 2014 Outstanding Recent Graduate BSB 2005 - Accounting Wichita, Kansas

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI: EMPORIA STATE NAMES FOUR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ALUMNI

Notable careers in nonprofit organizations, management consultation, and education were highlighted when Emporia State University presented the 2014 Distinguished Alumni honors to: • Daniel D. Busby (BSB-Accounting 1963, MBA 1964), Winchester, VA. • Diane M. DeBacker (BSB-Business Education 1982), Topeka, KS. • Anthony D. Forcum (BSB-Accounting 1973), Plano, TX • Rosemary A. Kirby (BSE-Business Education 1952), Wichita, KS. “Our more than 60,000 living alumni demonstrate an amazing level of talent and commitment to their professions,” said Tyler Curtis, executive director of alumni relations.

Daniel D. Busby Busby has worked with nonprofit organizations for much of his nearly 50 year career. In his latest role as president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), Busby works with nearly 1,900 evangelical Christian organizations which receive over $22 billion in annual revenue. ECFA sets standards of governance, financial management, and fundraising to which organizations voluntarily commit.

Along with frequent presentations on nonprofit topics, Busby is the author of hundreds of articles and 52 editions of five different nonprofit titles. NonProfit Times has named him one of the 50 most powerful nonprofit leaders for the past five years. Another facet of Busby’s life centers on baseball memorabilia. He regularly contributes artifacts to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library and Museum and assists the Hall in identifying items donated to their collection.

He is writing a series of iBooks on vintage baseball tickets and a print edition relating to Brooklyn Dodgers memorabilia.

Diane M. DeBacker, Ed.D. DeBacker recently concluded four years of service as Kansas Commissioner of Education, providing leadership for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) to carry out the policies and programs that help the state’s 475,000 kindergarten through twelfth grade students achieve their academic goals.

DeBacker rose through classroom and administrative ranks in Kansas public and private schools before joining the KSDE, an agency she served as director of school improvement and accreditation, deputy commissioner of the Division of Learning and Innovative Services, interim Commissioner of Education, and most recently Kansas Education Commissioner. Throughout her career, DeBacker has

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been sought out by schools, districts, education organizations and others for her educational insights as well as her clear thinking around the issues and challenges facing policy makers, educators, and students. DeBacker left her KSDE post in May, 2014, to serve as advisor to the director general of the Abu Dhabi Education Council in the United Arab Emirates.

Anthony D. “Tony” Forcum Prior to his retirement in May 2014, Forcum was a principal of Deloitte Consulting LLP and a member of its Board of Directors.

He joined a predecessor of Deloitte & Touche in 1974, after graduating from Emporia State University, and became a partner in 1984. He served as Deloitte Consulting’s National Managing Director—Operations & Finance from 2003 through 2009 and Managing Director of Deloitte Consulting’s Texas practice offices in Dallas, Houston and Austin from 1997 to 2001.

He was also Managing Director of the Dallas office in 1996. He served as the national recruiting principal for Deloitte Consulting at the University of Texas at Austin for many years. Post-retirement, Forcum admits that his schedule will remain full. He plans to continue to serve McCombs School of Business at UT-Austin (where he is a lifetime member of the Business Advisory Council) and to work in entrepreneurial and consulting opportunities as they may present themselves. He also serves as a member of the Emporia State School of Business Alliance.

Rosemary A. Kirby, Ph.D. Kirby has taken divergent routes during a career in education that have spanned more than five decades. From an early classroom assignment at Wichita Southeast High School, Kirby moved into administrative roles at several Wichita schools, including principalships at Mead Junior High, Jardine Junior High and West High schools.

In the early 1990s, Wichita’s USD 259 Board of Education showed its confidence in Kirby when she was named the district’s interim superintendent. She was director of Wichita Area Vocational Technical School and president of Wichita Area Technical College, in addition to teaching for nine years in Wichita State University’s College of Education. While officially retired, Kirby spends approximately 24 hours a week tutoring 20 students from kindergarten through high school in a variety of subjects: math, language arts, social studies, science and computer keyboarding.

It’s a time-consuming endeavor, but one she finds extremely rewarding. Kirby is an emeritus trustee of the Emporia State University Foundation, and is an active volunteer with the Emporia State Alumni Association’s teacher appreciation luncheons and student recruitment activities.

About the Distinguished

Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor that can be granted to an Emporia State University graduate. The ESU Alumni Association awards the recognition each fall during Homecoming, recognizing the outstanding professional accomplishments of Emporia State’s finest graduates. Since the inception of the award program in 1960, approximately 225 alumni have received the award.

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EMPORIA STATE ALUMNA KATHLEEN CENTLIVRE

Emporia State alumna, Kathleen Centlivre, was selected as the 2014 Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year at Emporia’s 118th Chamber Annual Meeting in January 2015. Centlivre serves on the Site Council for Americus Elementary and North Lyon County Junior High.

She was the 2014 Chairman of the Ambassadors, Treasurer of the Leadership Emporia Alumni Association, and was Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting and has also volunteered at many other Chamber events. She began her three-year term on the Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2015.

Centlivre majored in Accounting while at Emporia State and graduated Suma Cum Laude. She is now a CPA at Agler & Gaeddert, Chartered.

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COMMUNIT Y

MAIN STREET EMPORIA HOW IT’S MADE TOUR

Business Students Go Backstage To Discover The How’s Of Local Businesses

March 3, 2015, marked the day of a highly informative and interesting event located in downtown Emporia. Local businesses participated in the “How It’s Made” tour, in order to demonstrate the process they undergo daily as they make their custom products. Similar to the featured TV series on Discovery Channel, Emporia State students gained knowledge on the process of simply making something.

Four distinct operations were performed, ranging from how to put together a bike to the steps behind brewing a glass of beer.

There were 25-30 Emporia State business students and faculty that ventured to Plum Bazaar, Java Cat Coffeehouse, High Gear Cyclery, and Radius Brewing Company.

This is the second year the “How It’s Made” tour has taken place. During the spring of 2014, the tour featured Emporia businesses Complete Works, The Sweet Granada, and Uncommon Threads.

“The initial concept was developed as a coordinated effort between Emporia Main Street Design, Promotions and Business Enhancement committees,” states Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street. “The overall goal of the “How It’s Made” tour is to inform people of the diversity and capability of production within Emporia’s local businesses.” Select businesses are suggested by participants and committee members involved with the tour, as well as staff employed by Emporia Main Street.

Although multiple businesses may seem apparent to this process, there are several businesses that provide products that individuals are not aware of. As an attempt to improve local understanding of the diversity within Emporia’s businesses, Emporia Main Street seeks a variety of companies. Emporia State marketing student and Marketing Club president Elizabeth Ravenstein was one of the students attending the event, “I had a great

time on the tour and learned a lot about what the community has to offer, I will definitely be visiting the community shops more often!”

“ THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE ‘HOW IT’S MADE’ TOUR IS TO INFORM PEOPLE OF THE DIVERSITY AND CAPABILITY OF PRODUCTION WITHIN EMPORIA’S LOCAL BUSINESSES.” Many of the students participating in the event were members of the Marketing Club or a part of the Business Dynamics class.

Not only was the tour a fun opportunity for students to get together and learn about local businesses, it exposed them to many aspects of the entrepreneurial business model.

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ESB FINANCIAL OPEN NIGHT FOR BIZHORNETS On March 10th, members of the Marketing Club had the opportunity to visit one of ESB Financial’s Emporia branches to learn about marketing efforts the bank is currently engaged in. During their visit, club members were able to meet a variety of representatives from the institution including owners, upper management, and staff members. Shivam Bhakta, junior accounting major and marketing club secretary, was one student in attendance.

“The trip went really well. We basically learned a little about their history, and we met heads of different departments and talked about what their job is,” said Bhakta.

“We spent most of our time with the IT department because they advertise mostly through social media. We also discussed what kind of age group they target.”

In addition to marketing, ESB representatives spoke to the bank’s 114-year history and the different community events they are involved with. Presentations included hearing from areas of financial services, to agricultural and commercial loans, to financial services.

“The biggest thing that I learned about was all of the government regulations that the bank had to follow when it comes to marketing,” said Elizabeth Ravenstein, senior marketing major and Marketing Club president.

The Marketing Club takes several trips during the academic year, many to local businesses. These trips allow students to interact with the Emporia business community and learn about real world practice in careers they might pursue after graduation.

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