Director of Marketing and Communication, College of Business
Jen Cucurullo '24
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Senior Director of University
Marketing & Communications, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Sara Frederick
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Vanessa Knewtson ’13
WRITERS
Amanda Dyslin ’03, ’15
Drew Lyon ’12
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jen Cucurullo '24
Vanessa Knewtson ’13
Nick Cachiaras
Steve Woit
PRINTER
Corporate Graphics
The mission of In Review is to inform and to connect the reader to the College of Business community. In Review welcomes story ideas supporting this mission.
In Review is copyrighted in its entirety. This volume and all articles, images and photographs within may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the executive editor.
It's been a pleasure being part of the College of Business for the past year. This period has been marked by innovation, fresh perspectives, and strategic planning. It's been truly exhilarating to connect with students, faculty, staff and all of you.
This issue spotlights "Transformation through Innovation," with our cover feature shining a light on our Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, along with new programs and partnerships (page 10). Our community of faculty, staff and students, consistently sets the bar high for innovative thinking, collaboration and action. We're forging ahead, excited to unveil new opportunities for both our learners and partners.
Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship... the act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.”
—Peter Drucker, management consultant, educator and author
Throughout the year, the College of Business had the privilege of hosting several distinguished guests, including Jay Debertin, CEO of CHS (page 22), who shared insights on opportunities in agribusiness with our students. In March, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined us to discuss the intersection of business and law in our state (page 28), sparking lively engagement among our students. Justice Barry Anderson also engaged with a group of business law students, further enriching their learning experience. In April, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited us to discuss "Rural Prosperity." I've been continually impressed by the breadth of industry partnerships that enrich our college and empower our students, driving innovative thinking that mirrors the evolving business landscape.
Serving as the dean of the College of Business has been a tremendous honor. I eagerly anticipate further partnerships, collaboration, and innovation in the future. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with any ideas or inspirations.
As I often remind our students, "Keep Inspired!"
Sincerely,
Dean Seung Bach
Leadership Team
The College of Business Leadership Team includes 12 high-impact professionals who put students first.
Dean and Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy
Byron Pike Master of Accounting (MAcc) Director, Allen Lenzmeier Accounting Professor of External Partnerships and Associate Professor of Accounting
Jen Cucurullo Director of Marketing and Communication 2018-2024
Kathleen
Interim Associate Dean and Professor of Management
Samantha Campa Internships and External Partnerships Coordinator
Melissa
Executive
to the Dean and Associate Dean
Jennifer
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Director Associate Professor of Management
Bryan Hoffman Director of Technology
Student Advising Director
Ann
Marketing and International Business Department Chairperson and Professor of Marketing
Kim Accounting and Business Law Department Chairperson, Allen Lenzmeier Professor of Leadership and Diversity and Professor of Accounting
and Professor of Finance
Claudia Pragman Interim Management and Entrepreneurship Department Chairperson and Professor of Management
Seung Bach
Ridler
Assistant
Schultz
Dale
Linda Meidl
Cathy Willette Director of Development
Oksana
Yilin (Leon) Chen Finance Department Chairperson
Kuzma
Real-World Teaching, Hands-on Learning
Adjunct professor brings the business world into the classroom and vice versa
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
Put plainly and simply, lessons in manufacturing, supply chain, a ermarket transformation and business operating model strategy are best learned outside the classroom. at's the teaching philosophy of adjunct professor John Rassieur, MBA, and that's why he ensures his students taking marketing and supply chain classes have ample opportunities for hands-on learning.
“ e students are my customers," Rassieur said. "Part of what I have to do is help them understand what they know and how to guide them through the next bits in their life. I know, in having hired students over a long career, that the most e ective ones are the ones that have had some form of experience outside of the content of a course.”
Before becoming an adjunct at the University several years ago, Rassieur enjoyed a decades-long career in industry, including manufacturing, supply chain and related technologies. His last role was as a managing partner for DXC Technology, a multinational information technology services and consulting company headquartered in Ashburn, Va.
Rassieur’s experience and his network of professionals in the business community make for innovative, lively and popular classes at Minnesota State Mankato. Senior marketing major Jada Mandelko said her experience in his International Business course sophomore year was “transformative.”
“John’s emphasis on comprehension over grades and his ability to connect concepts to real-world scenarios le an incredible impression,” Mandelko said. “For each lesson he would explain the topic and then give us an example from his experiences. John’s knowledge of real-world experience brought each lesson to life by providing insights that bridged the gap between academics and the working world.”
Rassieur also draws on the vast experience of many diverse guest speakers. Recently he brought in the CEO of a pet spa and resort in Faribault. en, as a follow-up, the class took a trip to a similar local business to compare what they heard in the classroom to what they see happening in a business setting.
John Rassieur with students touring Scheels.
“ e teaching is around, ‘What is the di erentiation in how are they targeting markets? What's the pricing strategy? How do you create loyalty?’” he said.
He’s also taking a marketing class to Home Depot, Scheels and Snell Motors.
“You would think, well, why would you do that? ey have completely di erent markets. e question is, ‘How do you generate customer loyalty? How does the marketing skill around things like a planogram, store layout and customer experience relate in those di erent kinds of environments?’” he said.
Other eld trips will include Jones Metal, as an example of Mankato’s precision power generation business cluster, for a supply chain lesson.
“Jones Metal is an industrial company that makes parts for Kato Engineering, which builds precision power generators and parts for Rolls-Royce,” he explained. “So, I set up the classwork to talk about what the supply chain is, what the metrics are, and then we go see that in action. I will then close the lesson by talking about what they saw.”
Rassieur’s dedication to his students extends beyond the classroom in other ways, too. He uses his in uence and numerous connections to help them nd internships and jobs a er graduating.
“Initially, unfamiliar with this career path, a guest speaker from DXC Technologies Consulting, arranged by John, piqued my interest. A er more discussions with John, I took a leap and applied for DXC’s Consulting internship,” Mandelko said. “Now, a er two amazing years as an intern for DXC, I have John to thank. I have found my passion within business, and I would’ve never considered it if it hadn’t been for John.”
Rassieur said his students’ positive feedback, their joy in class and their success in business a er class is all incredibly rewarding.
“ ey really enjoy what we’re doing, and I keep up with them a er they've had me,” he said. “I don't view this as a transaction. I view it as a relationship, so I want them to be successful, and I'll put in whatever extra mile to make that happen.”
John's emphasis on comprehension over grades and his ability to connect concepts to real-world scenarios left an incredible impression."
–Jada Mandelko
Rassieur with students touring MTU.
John Rassieur with students touring KAT.
Rassieur lecturing.
NEWS & NOTES
David C. Olson Scholarship recipient
The David C. Olson Graduate Scholarship for Business Community Excellence is annually bestowed upon a Minnesota State University, Mankato Master of Business Administration student. Along with a $9,000 contribution toward educational expenses, the recipient also secures an internship with a member organization of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Brittany N. Marr, the 2024 awardee, collaborated with the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce researching and implementing a chamber-led government affairs initiative. This project included research on best practices, needs analysis and goals identification, development of a strategic communication plan, event recommendations that align with Minnesota legislative calendars and suggestions for future initiates that will unify the legislative voice for the Alexandria area.
Online MBA program recognized: Best Program for your Money
The COB’s online MBA program was ranked “Best Program for your Money” on Money.com, 5-star rating (2024). To learn more about our program visit cob.mnsu.edu/mba.
Ishuan Li Simonson named vice chair of honor society
On January 6, 2024, Ishuan Li Simonson, professor of finance, was named Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Omicron Delta Epsilon. ODE is the international honor society for economics. It is one of the world's largest academic honor societies.
Honors Banquet Awardees
Nine students, one from each program area, were chosen based on their academic achievements and contributions. These students embody the spirit of the College of Business, demonstrating leadership, academic expertise and a commitment to service.
Michael Parks, Master of Accounting
Sydney Langseth, International Business
Abby Lundquist, Marketing
Xavier Thomas, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Izzy Leonard, Management
Nancy Garcia, Bachelor of Business Administration
Edwig M. D. H. Vyncke, Master of Business
Administration
Aidan Ryan, Finance
Audrey Kamps, Accounting
Le to right: Sydney Langseth, Edwig M.D.H. Vyncke, Nancy Garcia, Aidan Ryan, Dean Bach, Xavier omas, Provost David Hood, Audrey Kamps, Izzy Leonard, Abby Lundquist
Brittany Marr
Ishuan Li Simonson
Congratulations to our retiring faculty and staff. Best wishes!
Kevin Elliot
• Professor of Marketing
• 34 years of service
Budd Roychoudhury
• Associate Professor of Management
• 34 years of service
College of Business faculty behind the 2024 Ag Report research
With direction and guidance from GreenSeam and its committees, the 2024 State of Ag research team was led by Megan Roberts, Director of the Agribusiness & Food Innovation program in the College of Business. The full collaborative team consisted of faculty members Megan Roberts, Steven Formaneck and DQ Spencer.
• Survey Co-Leads: Dr. Megan Roberts, Dr. Steven Formaneck
• Focus Groups: Lead Dr. DQ Spencer and Co-Lead Dr. TJ Brown (faculty at South Central College)
Rita Hendrickson
• Student Services Specialist
• 5 years of service
Megan Roberts, agribusiness and food innovation director and assistant professor of management, wins farming award!
Congratulations to Dan and Megan Roberts of Blue Earth County who took home the top spot in the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Achievement Award, announced during the closing general session of the AFBF Annual Convention, held in Salt Lake City, Utah Jan. 19-23.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
On April 3, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack visited Minnesota State University, Mankato as part of the Investing in Rural America initiative. During the visit he announced a new investment of $1.5 billion dollars in new conservation funding. Dean Bach participated in planning and welcomed the Secretary to campus on behalf of the College of Business. Megan Roberts, assistant professor of management and director of the Agribusiness & Food Innovation program, sat on the panel and organized the student session.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack
Megan and Dan Roberts
Driving Innovation
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
Innovation is problem-solving. It's disruption. It's part research and part invention.
Every day the College of Business works to drive new ideas and contribute solutions to the world's problems – by fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in students, by hosting events and competitions that promote and reward new ideas, and by encouraging faculty to provide as many real-world, experiential learning opportunities as possible both inside and outside the classroom.
Committed to excellence and insistent on continuous growth, innovation is truly at the core of the College of Business.
The Impact of Innovation
e Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship continues to expand its o erings to launch the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and dynamic organizations
Let's say a student has the spark of a great business idea in a class in the College of Business (COB) and then seeks mentorship through the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) to help the idea bloom.
e student then graduates, decides to get some practical business experience before starting her own venture, and learns a great deal through her work experience that she also ends up putting into that original business idea when she nally decides to take the leap. Now let's say that startup turns into a multi-million-dollar company employing thousands of people in 10 di erent states. How do you go about determining the CIE’s economic impact in this scenario?
“It can really only be anecdotal because even if the seed was planted at that initial stage in the CIE, other people are watering it when they leave the College and are learning from others. But still, that seed and that soil are there, and we were one of the nutrients that helped the business grow,” said Yvonne Cariveau, Ph.D., a management and entrepreneurship adjunct professor and the original director of the CIE.
ink of all the networking, mentorship, consulting, industry partner presentations and experiential, real-world learning opportunities that have been happening under the CIE’s umbrella since it opened in 2017, Dr. Cariveau said. How do you even begin to measure the economic impact when the CIE’s in uence is so vast, so varied and so nuanced?
e answer, of course, is that the impact simply can’t be quanti ed. But it's so easily seen – in the success of organizations that have sought consulting services, at every event where students’ real-world business knowledge is on display and in the experience and expertise of thousands of alumni in the business community who bene ted from its services.
“ e center and all of these programs have such a unique and interesting network of ties in the community and within the business community,” said Shane Bowyer, Ed.D., the current CIE director.
What Exactly is the CIE?
Innovation and entrepreneurship rst gained a foothold in the College in the mid-1990s when the rst entrepreneurship course was o ered. Less than a decade later COB was o ering several such courses and had an entrepreneurship club. e entrepreneurship and innovation minor was added in 2010, as was the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience program (IBE).
Additional entrepreneurial events and educational opportunities grew from there, and by 2016 COB carved out a larger vision to pull all of these pieces together under one umbrella: the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, to be housed in the Hubbard Building in downtown Mankato in the middle of the business district. e mission, which remains, was to “facilitate the launch of the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and dynamic organizations through education, outreach and research.”
“Fundamentally, I think having the University involved in the space – involved in entrepreneurship and innovation – was and is exciting because there’s research and resources that the University can bring to the table,” Dr. Cariveau said. “I also think it's a very exciting way to ignite the imaginations of students and to get them thinking about their future in a di erent way.”
Some of the goals were for the CIE to be a hub of talent and resources; to launch startups; to provide students with real-world innovation and entrepreneurship training; to bring innovation and entrepreneurship programs together; and to serve as a resource to elevate faculty innovation and research.
Former COB Dean Brenda Flannery, Ph.D., spearheaded the center, and she and Dr. Cariveau researched other innovation centers to incorporate the best ideas into this new space. With 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur herself, Dr. Cariveau wasn't intimidated by being the center's rst leader.
“I’m ne with building the plane as it's ying,” she said. “ e uncertainty of it was a perfect example of what entrepreneurship is. Sometimes you don’t know exactly what it is you’re building until you’ve got it built because you’re constantly reacting. If you're a good entrepreneur, you’re reacting to how people perceive and respond to what you’re doing.”
e center opened in May 2017, boasting 7,500 visitors the rst year, 44 percent of whom were students. Student businesses began operating out of the CIE. Community members used the space to network and collaborate. Minnesota State Mankato and community clubs held meetings there. Even courses in agribusiness and entrepreneurship, among others, were being taught there.
Leading up to the pandemic, usage of the CIE space by the community and the University was robust. Logan Sendle, a 2020 business management graduate, was one of the students who o en could be found networking and collaborating with faculty and fellow students. He had started a landscaping company called LakeShore Potential.
Sendle said the CIE was one of the reasons he chose Minnesota State Mankato over other larger schools he was looking at. A space to network with other entrepreneurs and be mentored by Dr. Cariveau, Dr. Bowyer and other COB professors was invaluable.
“One of the best things would be the people you met there and the professors who genuinely cared about you,” Sendle said.
Sendle’s business, which focused on lake weed removal, had $40,000 in revenue in 2019 when he was a student. Last year LakeShore Potential, which has expanded and now also does hardscape, had $483,000 in revenue.
“We’ve de nitely grown, and I would de nitely attribute some of that to the center,” said Sendle, who won the top judge’s prize, as well as the people’s choice award, at the Big Ideas Challenge in 2020.
Photo above and below: Students at the Big Ideas Challenge
While the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of the physical space in the Hubbard Building, the center has continued to ourish the past several years and is being operated out of Dr. Bowyer’s o ce. e Big Ideas Challenge, 1Million Cups Mankato, Women's Entrepreneurship Week, Global Entrepreneurship Week, the Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Series, and the FutureSolvers Cultivation Challenge are all events under the umbrella of the CIE, said Dr. Bowyer.
e Big Ideas Challenge, now held in the fall each year, is a prime example of the entrepreneurship being fostered by the CIE, he said.
“We want to continue to make this a resource available not only to students across campus, but to people in the community as well to create viable businesses that bring innovation and technology to the forefront,” Dr. Bowyer said.
Xavier omas, a senior management major, is one of the students mentored by Dr. Bowyer, Cheryl Trahms, Ph.D., associate professor of management, and Tom Clement, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, under the umbrella of the CIE while developing an idea for the Big Ideas Challenge fall of 2023. With an entrepreneurial background and spirit, omas was encouraged by faculty for a long time to enter the competition, he said.
omas’ entrepreneurial side had rst developed as a kid working in his family’s cleaning business and also helping his sister sell du el bags full of Girl Scout cookies. So it was only natural that he pick up entrepreneurship as one of his minors.
“I’ve always been around entrepreneurial people,” said omas, whose challenge idea was a company called Miracle – a social network that would provide creatives and entrepreneurs connections, lessons, bookings and publicity to build a sustainable career. Users would have a personalized experience that would guide them through gaps or barriers to success in their endeavors.
Gary Lesley, a graduate assistant working with Dr. Bowyer, mentors students on their entrepreneurial ideas. Lesley is a former international business founder/owner, mentor, aviator, endurance athlete and author of “YES: a Parable of Possibility.”
Lesley and his son emceed last fall's Big Ideas Challenge, and his bio stated, “You may nd him working on his next project along the shores of Lake Chapala in Mexico or in Khumjung Village near the base of Mt. Everest in Nepal. Known for his ChangesChoices-Principles mantra, Gary’s latest endeavors include his new foundation, Growingdome in the Clouds, dedicated to raising funds for a solar, geodesic growing dome for the Sir Edmund Hillary School in the Himalaya.”
Lesley talked to the audience at the Big Ideas Challenge about the importance of mentorship, especially when someone is starting out.
“I was fortunate to cra a strategic relationship with 3M because I gured if I could achieve a certain status in a relationship with a company like this that would create opportunities,” he said. “When you’re strategizing, you want to do it with some purpose because there’s nothing like in the early stages having strategic partners to give you some support, credibility and mentorship.”
Having such diversity in experiences among the student body creates an energy and excitement in the CIE where students are not only learning and being inspired by faculty, but also each other, Dr. Bowyer said.
“(Gary is) doing such a great job of mentoring students on campus,” Dr. Bowyer said.
Students at 1Million Cups Mankato
CIE Receives a DEED Launch MN Grant
A DEED Launch MN grant of $125,000 to the CIE is helping ensure the center continues to serve as the hub for entrepreneurial resources in Southwest Minnesota. e grant allows the CIE to help the 20-county region promote entrepreneurship, including supporting Minnesota State Mankato’s Big Ideas Challenge, setting up the same program at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, holding a regional entrepreneurial conference next spring and setting up an angel network for entrepreneurs, among various other things.
e CIE is providing educational resources to innovative and early stage businesses, as well as outreach and collaborations with businesses; federal and state agencies; education institutions; trade associations; and organizations working to advance startups.
e CIE will also be moving back into a physical space, as part of the Maverick Innovation Gateway, on the outskirts of campus. “We’ll be a little closer to campus than what we had at the downtown location,” Dr. Bowyer said.
Kathy Dale, Ph.D., interim associate dean and professor of management, said faculty and students have been eager to have a collaborative space.
“We’ve been working to nd a space that faculty can work together with students, and they can come together to collaborate and innovate,” Dr. Dale said.
Sendle said that type of environment is vital to foster innovative thinking.
“One of the biggest things for business and entrepreneurship students is community and connection, and a physical space is going to harbor that,” Sendle said. “Especially during a time when you’re getting less face-to-face time and less connection, it’s so important for entrepreneurs to be able to talk to di erent people from all di erent walks of life. You need a space to meet those people.”
While a physical space for the CIE will take time to elevate to its former glory, Dr. Bowyer is proud that the center’s reach, resources and o erings to entrepreneurs has never been more robust and continues to grow.
“Part of this new Maverick Innovation Gateway is to develop the skills of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking that can be transferable to a lot of businesses,” Dr. Bowyer said. “People want students to be creative, innovative and look at things di erently, and so that’s what we’re trying to continue to develop in the CIE is that skillset and mindset of entrepreneurship and innovation.”
Students at the FutureSolvers Event
CIE hosts events to inspire innovation
The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) holds events focused on entrepreneurship throughout the year. Here's a bit more about long-standing events, as well as newer additions that are expanding the center's reach to younger ages and across the region.
Big Ideas Challenge
The Big Ideas Challenge is open to Minnesota State Mankato students and alumni within two years of graduation. The competition challenges participants to create innovative businesses and gives participants the opportunity to compete for money to fund them.
"This is our big signature pitch event," said Shane Bowyer, Ed.D., director of the CIE.
Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Series
Since 1999, the CIE has hosted the Richard R. and Mary L. Schmitz Endowment for Opportunities in Food Entrepreneurship. The fund supports an annual lecture by industry experts in the category of food entrepreneurship. This includes executives within a broad range of food processing, retailing and wholesaling industries.
"We're trying to connect with new entrepreneurs, and we are trying to get students involved in developing their mindset to become entrepreneurs and be creative with these companies," Dr. Bowyer said.
The series provides an opportunity for COB to engage the growing sector of agribusiness with students, alumni and friends in a format that educates the community about growing needs in the agriculture world.
The 2024 event featured Jay Debertin, CEO of CHS.
FutureSolvers Cultivation Challenge
FutureSolvers is a new ideation challenge implemented by the CIE for all post-secondary students in the region.
The FutureSolvers challenge focuses on students developing innovative ideas that address challenges facing our region. Undergraduate college students from Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa compete in an agricultural pitch challenge offering more than $14,500 in cash prizes. Student teams are presented with a scenario depicting an economic challenge facing our region and compete to develop the most innovative and entrepreneurial solution.
"The goal is to introduce people to entrepreneurship, business skills and agriculture," Dr. Bowyer said.
1Million Cups Mankato
1Million Cups is an event that brings together entrepreneurs and the community over coffee and conversations to support new ventures.
Due to the event's success in South-Central Minnesota, there's been an increased interest in expanding 1Million Cups efforts in other areas across the region. Through Start-Up Southwest efforts, Mankato organizers brought an “on the road” event to Waseca. There are plans to continue “on the road” events in the future, with the next event in New Ulm.
Global Entrepreneurship Week
The CIE invites all students, faculty, staff and the entire regional community to an annual international celebration of entrepreneurship. Events are put on by the CIE and numerous local organizations serving entrepreneurs.
Women’s Entrepreneurship Week
An annual week to highlight and celebrate successful women entrepreneurs through a series of interviews and discussions.
Spark Tank
Piloted fall 2023, Spark Tank is a Big Ideas-type event for high school students in partnership with the SouthCentral Service Cooperative. The event is a new pitch competition to be held annually at area high schools.
"We learned a lot about working with high schools and about their entrepreneurship programs, and the goal is to get students excited about entrepreneurship," Dr. Bowyer said.
Lean Launchpad workshop
A partnership with the Small Business Development Center, the CIE is assisting with the SBDC's training sessions to help community members with starting a business.
Learning by Doing (even more)
Business Innovation Experience (BIE) fosters additional entrepreneurial opportunities for students
ere have been so many successful student companies that stand out since the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience program (IBE) began in the College of Business in 2012.
Kristin Scott, Ph.D., IBE faculty chair, and Shane Bowyer, Ed.D., who teaches an IBE management course, both said products that teams have chosen to manufacture themselves versus going through a third-party vendor have been most impressive.
“To make a product in that time frame is incredibly challenging,” Dr. Bowyer said.
Regardless of what the companies sell, the rules are the same: the hands-on, 12-credit, four-course certi cate program asks students to create and run a real-world business; secure a loan from United Prairie Bank; and generate enough revenue to both pay back what was borrowed, as well as donate the pro ts to a charity of their choosing. All of this has to be accomplished in one semester by students who are in the midst of learning the principles of nance, marketing and business management.
It sounds incredibly challenging because it is. And students love it.
“ e most valuable part of the IBE course was the exposure to what real work looks like,” said Sam Christenson, whose company Horns Up Mankato sold fanny packs, backpack coolers, stickers and water bottles. “ e work that we had to do wasn’t just homework anymore; there was a purpose and reason behind it. I was able to grow in my professional abilities to manage people and get work done, which has helped me immensely since then.”
It was this kind of feedback that led faculty to begin serious discussions about expanding on IBE. e product of those discussions is the Business Innovation Experience (BIE) program, which kicks o fall 2024 and will include student consultations with local companies and hands-on experiences helping companies solve real-world problems.
“Students have wanted this for a long time,” Dr. Scott said. “Students love the program and they say, ‘Well, what's next for me? What else can I do?’ Because they build up such a great bond with other students. ey miss it, and they want to do it again.”
Christenson was a student advisor when BIE was being discussed in faculty meetings. e opportunity to go more in depth in the learnings is really appealing to students, he said.
Jay Debertin visiting student booths at the Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture.
KATO business team.
“ e IBE program is fast, so sometimes we aren’t able to get experience with hardships or consistent sales over a longer period than eight weeks,” he said. “Having this second program will allow students to learn these things while in a safe and secure environment.”
Scott said the same companies don't move forward into BIE, as some students may choose not to take the course. BIE begins fresh with students forming new cohorts and focusing on consulting for a business rather than starting one.
“ ey are able to take what they're learning in their courses and in their capstone class and see how it's used in the real world,” Dr. Scott said.
BIE is included in a new certi cate program, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CERT), that is open to any major and has no course prerequisites, Dr. Bowyer said.
“It’s kind of an open certi cate,” Dr. Bowyer said. “It’s not just business focused, so whatever interest a student might have, we can tailor that certi cate to their needs.”
Kathy Dale, Ph.D., interim associate dean, was the rst faculty chair of the o cial United Prairie Bank IBE. All these years later, she's happy to see BIE come to fruition.
“ ey absolutely love the challenge, they love the program, and they've really been eager for this extra component to build on their learning,” Dale said.
Companies interested in learning more or getting involved with the BIE program should contact Dr. Bowyer at shane.bowyer@mnsu.edu.
AIM student booth at Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture.
Funding for the Future of Finance
Partnership with Charles Schwab Foundation to broaden scope of financial planning education, services
e College of Business (COB) is excited to be partnering with the Schwab Advisor Services, in partnership with Charles Schwab Foundation, to provide nancial planning services and resources to the next generation of nancial services professionals.
e goals of the partnership are to improve nancial literacy for students, provide access and awareness of personal nance for the local community, and foster workforce development of diverse personal nancial planners and entrepreneurs.
“ e nancial services industry has a great demand for new talent over the next decade,” said Dean Seung Bach, Ph.D. “ e most in-demand among them will have bene ted from the kind of state-of-the-art programs and opportunities that this partnership will provide.”
e generous funding from Schwab will go toward four key areas:
• Peer-to-peer nancial consulting
Financial planning student majors, trained as counselors, will meet with other students one on one to help them make good nancial decisions. Student counselors will learn and practice valuable relationship skills that will carry over to their future careers.
• Financial literacy education
Studies show that college students are experiencing high levels of anxiety related to their nancial situation. Students will have the opportunity to learn valuable nancial education to help manage their nances e ectively. Educational opportunities will also be available to employees at Minnesota State Mankato, as well as residents in the Greater Mankato area.
• Grades 4-12 teacher training
Increasingly grades 4-12 schools are requiring students to take courses in nancial literacy, and this initiative will provide the necessary training for teachers to have con dence that they are e ectively and properly educating their students. e passage of the state bill requiring high school seniors to have completed at least one semester of nancial literacy has resulted in an estimated 1,700 potential educators who would need this training and education.
• Research in nancial literacy and investment analysis
Dedicated scholars and researchers in nance will create a rich environment for clinical-level research in nancial wellness and investment analysis.
Dr. Bach said the partnership will enhance students’ experiences through new technology, new programming and the development of curriculum.
Cathy Willette, director of development for the College, said Schwab's substantial gi is the foundation’s rst of its kind in the state of Minnesota. Schwab has supported many similar projects at other colleges and universities nationwide.
“It is a large gi . It's transformative,” Willette said. “ is gi allows us to have the opportunity to start a new program supporting nancial literacy and nancial well-being for students and the community that we didn't have the ability to do before this.”
e Finance Department is among the top 10 in student enrollments at the University with about 400 majors. e department tracks include Quantitative Finance, Financial Planning and Insurance and General Finance.
Peer to peer consulting
Putting Learning into Practice
COB sets the standard for
experiential learning opportunities
As a seasoned professional who has done business in more than 40 countries, John Rassieur, MBA, knows this well: a business education must be chock full of experiential learning opportunities. In the College of Business (COB) at Minnesota State Mankato, it certainly is.
An adjunct professor, Rassieur is a marketing and supply chain instructor who draws on his own vast experience in business in his lectures, invites guest speakers across industries to share their experiences, and takes students to businesses and factories to actually see rsthand how those lessons are applied. It’s one example of innovative teaching methods that – coupled with the various other ways students engage in hands-on learning –demonstrate how the COB is setting the standard in business education.
at focus on hands-on, experiential learning actually begins from the jump with all students who have declared a COB major. Melissa Diegnau, MBA, is an assistant professor of management who teaches the course Professional Preparation for Business Careers, which is required for admission for all business majors.
One example of hands-on learning is a virtual interview event Diegnau incorporates into class. About 300 students dress up and are interviewed by an industry partner as if they’re actually applying for jobs.
“ e students love it. ey love the real-world experience. ey love to get feedback from the industry partners,” Diegnau said, adding that the students appreciate the practical tips they receive on how best to answer interview questions.
Diegnau also includes a panel of industry partners who join the class to answer student questions at the start of the employment preparation unit (resumes, cover letters and interviewing).
“Discussion ranges from how to conduct pay negotiations, to what college activities look best on resumes, to what are major faux pas in interviews,” Diegnau said.
Online auction company CrankyApe.com, athletic brand UNRL, Taylor Corporation, Kwik Trip, Eide Bailly and Northwestern Mutual are some of the frequent industry partners who work with the students.
To ensure students leave class on a path they’ll enjoy, Diegnau has them take a professional assessment to identify their interests and abilities that matches them to suggested careers. is self-re ection and career exploration allows them to learn about themselves, the day-to-day requirements of jobs in their major, and the required education to get there.
While Diegnau tends to see most students at the beginning of their COB journey, Samantha Campa, COB’s internships and external partnerships coordinator, typically sees them near the end. Any credit-bearing internship has to come across her desk, and she ensures students receive the required online training before going into an internship.
“I also oversee our professional development programming for students in the College of Business. So that includes: how you search for an internship, resumes and LinkedIn,” Campa said. “I also interface directly with employers, so I support them with consultation on their internships and their job postings.”
Campa said her o ce stays busy with numerous students coming in each week. Some have been referred by faculty, while others nd internships on their own.
“About 60 percent of our students are doing an internship before they graduate. In any given year, we probably have 300-plus students doing an internship,” she said. “Over 50 percent of our internships each year turn into full-time o ers for students. So that's huge.”
Area industry partners who o er numerous internships to students include dozens of accounting rms, Federated Insurance, Taylor Corporation, Fastenal and IBM, among various others.
Melan Shifa at Big Ideas Challenge.
The Student Executive Team Sets Students up for Success
ere’s no doubt that the College of Business (COB) o ers dozens of hands-on, experiential learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom – networking events, panel presentations, class visits to industry partners, the list goes on. e diverse faculty's personal backgrounds in business and their network of connections also prove them to be incredible resources for students.
So how does a student navigate all the resources available to them? e Student Executive Team (SET) is a great start.
“One of the things that we wanted to do and what this leadership group was founded on was, there was kind of a disconnect between student engagement and the College of Business a er COVID-19, and so this team came out of that as a way to get students reengaged with the College of Business and to be aware of the resources that we have on campus,” said Aidan Ryan, SET co-chair and senior nance major.
e team of “driven individuals who demonstrate a strong Maverick Mindset” meets weekly to brainstorm COB opportunities, they host panel presentations, and they recruit industry partners and engage in networking opportunities. ey also connect with students and faculty to advocate for positive change.
“We wanted to set a few primary goals,” Ryan said. “ e rst one is to connect business students to pre-existing resources. e second one is to create new resources for students, and then
another one is to increase our high school outreach and tell them about business and expose them to what an accounting major does, what a nance major does, and so forth.”
Ryan said the team has been working with area high school students, which has been rewarding for all involved because they've found that not many of them have much business education. “We held an event for over 100 high school students last year with them coming to campus, and this year, that same event is going to have over 150 students,” he added.
Another SET accomplishment Ryan is proud of is putting on a leadership summit in fall 2023 with COB students in attendance and six high level executives presenting. Emily Fearing, co-chair and senior management major, said the planning and execution of those kinds of SET activities has taught her so much. Both Fearing and Ryan are proud of what these events have provided COB students.
ey’ve helped students network with a variety of professionals in their chosen elds, they’ve provided students with fresh industry perspectives, and they've helped connect students to the faculty and resources available to them within the College itself.
“I would say I am the most proud of how our team has learned to navigate change and our boldness to nd new opportunities for ourselves and our students,” Fearing said. “Students who are passionate about creating new opportunities or engaging students should consider applying (to the SET team).”
For more information on the SET team visit cob.mnsu.edu/set
I
would say I am the most proud of how our team has learned to navigate change and our boldness to find new opportunities for ourselves and our students."
–Emily Fearing
Student Executive Team members with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Beyond Entrepreneurship
Maverick Innovation Gateway to provide collaborative environment to inspire big ideas
Entrepreneurship and innovation go hand in hand, says the College of Business’s dean, Seung Bach, Ph.D. But when looking at plans for the College's proposed Maverick Innovation Gateway, faculty and stakeholders had to zoom out.
“ e spirit of entrepreneurship, the mindset of entrepreneurship are absolutely related to innovation. I don’t deny that it’s a linchpin. However, the Innovation Gateway is a lot broader than that,” Dr. Bach said. “We are going to be dealing with a very di erent business landscape in 10 years, 20 years down the road. We had to look at what we need to be prepared for the future. at's the idea of innovation.”
e Innovation Gateway will be a regional interdisciplinary learning environment where students, faculty and industry professionals can collaborate on real-world ideas. With a planned grand opening at a space on the outskirts of campus in the spring of 2025, the Innovation Gateway will be a place where faculty, students and various others can come together “to collaborate and innovate,” said Kathy Dale, Ph.D., interim associate dean and professor of management.
“ ey’ll have access to technology, they’ll have access to rooms where they can break apart and think, and they’ll just be able to share ideas together,” Dr. Dale said.
Programs within the Maverick Innovation Gateway will include:
• e Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE)
• United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience (IBE)
• Maverick Innovation Idea Lab (Incubator and Accelerator)
• School of Applied Ag, Food and Natural Resources
• Center for Financial Wellbeing
• Certi cate programs such as Business Analytics, Professional Sales and Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Cathy Willette, director of development for the College of Business, said funding for the initiative will include community sponsorships and partnerships, including naming opportunities. e College is working on 100 percent private funding of over $4 million for 10 years.
Dr. Bach and Dr. Dale said they are eager to provide students of all disciplines with an annex space to inspire each other and collaborate with regional thought leaders.
“We have students who are just kind of hungry for sharing ideas, and this will give them the opportunity to collaborate with others and help those ideas to evolve,” Dr. Dale said. “So, for example, we have our Big Ideas Challenge, and students could use this space to work on their ideas.”
e College is accredited by the elite Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). e Innovation Gateway helps tick an important box of that accreditation.
“AACSB will look at things like, ‘Do we have enough resources such as space for our students to collaborate and to engage and to work on projects with each other?’ ey’ll look at impact: ‘What’s the impact of our teaching in our research?’ So it’s very, very quality-oriented,” Dr. Dale said.
If interested in a sponsorship or naming opportunities, contact Willette at catherine.willette@mnsu.edu.
Brandon Jackson, member of SET
on a Ag
Global Scale
Industry leader CHS Inc. featured as 2024 Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Series guest
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
Students had the chance to learn about current agribusiness practices and challenges rsthand from numerous representatives of one of the industry leaders, CHS Inc., at the 2024 Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Series event on March 26.
As a global agribusiness cooperative owned by farmers and local cooperatives across the United States CHS leaders and sta shared insights throughout the day about everything from environmental sustainability, to nding jobs in the industry, to cultivating new
sources of energy.
professor
constant reminder of how important food and ag are (to society),” Dr. Roberts said.
Schmitz, said he was enjoying his time on campus for the annual event, which he established to support student exposure to a range of experts in food processing, retailing and wholesaling industries. Fitting perfectly into that mission, Jay Debertin, president and CEO of CHS, was able to provide students with a global ag perspective this year.
For the agship event in Ostrander Auditorium, the lecture and reside chat, Megan Roberts, Ed.D., assistant professor of Management and director of the Agribusiness & Food Innovation Program, thanked Schmitz, a 1964 alum, and his wife, Mary, in the audience for their longtime support of the series and the College of Business (COB).
“Dick
He started his talk with a memory from 1997 in a Minneapolis o ce where he was undergoing a recruitment assessment. ere were a series of questions he couldn’t quite gure out how to answer, which were all designed to uncover “what drives you,” he said.
“Not what you’re doing; what drives you,” he said. “And that was the rst time in my career that I had to answer that question.”
“Dick and Mary, we thank you for your dedication to the College and for that
Debertin said that line of questioning gets at the hardest kinds of questions that people have to ask themselves: “Who am I, and what am I to do with it?” he said. “Don’t have an answer? Join the club.”
He suggested young people take time to be quiet, to think and to spend time with people who can help them stretch themselves beyond where they are today.
As for what does drive Debertin, a student in the audience asked him what his answer ended up being to that question. Debertin’s personal answer mirrors what drives CHS.
“We’re about helping to feed people around the world,” he said. “We help feed people. at’s what drives us.”
Debertin also hoped that answer provided some perspective for self vs. collective motivation. Only one person gets to be CEO, he said, and not reaching that level doesn't mean failure.
“Many people have important, noble jobs that support the mission,” he said, adding that agriculture is one of the most exciting industries for young people to join.
“If you want to be about something that’s really, really important to the world, this is the greatest industry to join,” he said. “I think we have a lot to o er.”
Responding to a student question on important so skills that employers look for, Debertin emphasized the importance of humility; a desire to collaborate, while retaining a sense of accountability; and a drive to continue to learn and stay curious.
Debertin also emphasized the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship at all levels of ag and the need to keep up with advancing technologies. Large companies like CHS have systems in place that can slow down progress, while the world continues to operate faster and faster. at's why fresh thinking is always needed to remain nimble and help further CHS’s mission to produce more food with less water, less fertilizer and less land. “People like you are going to help us nd out how,” he said.
Earlier in the day, CHS leaders and sta met with the Integrated Business Experience (IBE) class via Zoom (due to inclement weather) to share recruiting tips and take questions.
Gary Lesley, a COB graduate student and entrepreneur, helped facilitate the questions.
“You might be wondering how you could set yourself apart? How could you make yourself look good to a company like CHS?” Lesley said to the class to get the questions rolling.
Students were particularly interested in resume tips and interview advice, asking what aspects of a resume make candidates stick out in both good and bad ways.
Darrin Carlson, director of commodity trading, said to think outside the box and not worry too much about lacking professional work experience.
“Sometimes you may think your life experiences aren’t worthy of putting on your resume early in your career, but you're really on a level playing eld with everyone (at your experience level),” Carlson said.
Lauren Bucci, manager of talent acquisition, said to leave o experiences that don’t re ect in the role you’re applying for. But all agreed that many experiences you might not think to include may be bene cial. For example, including a service industry job on a resume shows you can work in a fast-paced environment, be a team player and juggle a lot at once. Including fun and creative projects, such as a podcast, shows you have strong communication and planning skills.
“Also, research the company that you’re applying to,” said Najuma Mutyaba-Smith, senior communications specialist. “When you have the knowledge you can cite back, that's really impressive.”
An Ethiopian student asked a question about the importance of English communication skills when applying for a job. e panel suggested he reframe his thinking that being bilingual is an obstacle for him to overcome.
“Having language skills, that is a bene t and an asset. Never see it as something you have to overcome,” Bucci said. “It’s a strength.”
Debertin on stage speaks to students in Ostrander Auditorium.
Debertin with student companies tabling.
Le to right: Richard and Mary Schmitz, Jay Debertin, Dean Seung Bach
Sales Pitch University launches new certificate to grow sales program
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
During the 2023-2024 academic year, Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business (COB) unveiled a Professional Sales Certi cate (PSC), providing Mavericks a customized curriculum to hone fundamental sales techniques.
But a program of this scope was hardly conceived and executed overnight.
“ is is a new certi cate, but it has deep roots,” says Dr. Ann Kuzma, a professor of marketing and chair of the Marketing and International Business Department.
e creation of this new sales certi cate is near and dear to Dr. Kuzma’s heart, both professionally and personally. In 1989, Ann and her late husband, John Kuzma, both accepted teaching positions in the University’s marketing department. In the ensuing decades, the Kuzmas raised their family and established academic careers in Mankato.
“We had no connection to Minnesota or Mankato,” Dr. Kuzma says during an interview in her Morris Hall o ce, where photos of John and their extended family sit prominently on her desk. “But it just seemed like a great place to be.”
Prior to his death in 2017, John was a catalyst in growing the University’s sales program and helped set the wheels in motion to build the PSC.
“ is was his eld,” says Dr. Kuzma, who has served 12 years as department chair during her 35 years at the University. “It’s important to acknowledge that there were other people who helped move this forward, but John had the idea that we needed to have something – a certi cate, a minor, a concentration – and he felt like this was what we needed to do to move forward in the program.”
To declare for the 18-credit certi cate – which is o ered to all majors – students must enroll in six classes that equip students with the necessary tools to enter the sales industry. Courses feature emphasis on marketing principles, professional selling, Businessto-Business (B2B) marketing and more. Students can earn the certi cate in conjunction with their declared major. About 36 students are currently pursuing their PSC in its inaugural year; University leaders are con dent those numbers will swell as positive reviews of the PSC circulate across campus.
More information on the PSC is available at cob.mnsu.edu/sales.
“We knew there was a demand,” Dr. Kuzma says, “because we had a number of classes already that we knew could be composed into this certi cate program. is was a way to be distinctive in the (COB) and within our sales program.”
Kuzma has collaborated with her colleague, Chandrasekhar (Chandu) Valluri, Ph.D. to crystallize John’s vision.
“ ese are big shoes to ll. I sincerely mean that,” says Dr. Valluri. “It was John’s thought process that helped bring this to fruition. is work really is not just my individual work, but really the work of all the people who were involved in this much before us.”
Following John Kuzma’s passing, Dr. Valluri helped build the PSC into reality in his ve years on campus.
“Chandu has been the leader of this at this point,” Dr. Kuzma says. “He’s really able to show the professionalism element of sales.”
Dr. Valluri, an associate professor of marketing, says the certi cate has wide appeal to students. A er all, at least 40 percent of college graduates begin their career working in sales.
“Beyond just business or marketing, sales is an area that is pertinent to many people entering a career in some capacity,” he says. “ is (certi cate) is pertinent to all elds, whether you’re in sciences, communications or the sports world; they need salespeople. e world is changing so much, and I’m so excited about this certi cate.”
e marketing program is the University’s most popular minor. In addition, about 500 students have declared majors in marketing. In the future, Dr. Kuzma and Dr. Valluri hope to o er courses that delve into digital marketing and analytics.
“We’re strong,” Dr. Kuzma says. “We try to be current and o er courses in a variety of ways, so students have a lot of exibility with their schedules.”
Senior Ellie Keating sells advertisements in the MSU Reporter (along with penning the occasional article). e marketing major has also begun pursuing her PSC. Keating is further setting herself up for professional success through joining the Professional Sales Organization and her participation in this April’s Twin Cities Collegiate Sales Championship, a prestigious judging competition involving role-playing and various sales elements. Keating will be accompanied by several Maverick women and faculty lead Dr. Valluri.
“ e sales program is great,” Keating says. “It gives you all the kinds of classes you need to further your education in sales.”
Kuzma chair of the Marketing and International Business Department
Kuzma with students
Valluri, Associate Professor of Marketing
Studying under Dr. Kuzma and Dr. Valluri in consumer behavior and professional selling courses has also motivated Keating to pursue a career in selling medical devices a er she graduates in December 2024.
“Ann is a great person and is always there for students,” Keating says, “And Chandu is honestly one of my favorite instructors.”
Finance major Hannah Nicolet also declared the PSC last fall. e Farmington, Minn., native has been involved in the Professional Sales Organization since her rst year at the University, climbing the ladder to the club’s membership recruiter before being elected club president in early 2024. About 15 members are currently involved in the sales club, which o ers members a variety of workshops, tips on compiling resumes and LinkedIn pro les, interview preparation and networking engagements with future employers.
“Leadership opportunities are a way to stand out and be original,” says Nicolet, who plans to secure a summer internship through the connections she’s made in the club. “ e (COB) has really allowed me to spread my wings and try new things. We’re getting knowledgeable advice to set ourselves up in the future. It’s just an awesome community to be involved in.”
e students’ passion and commitment are infectious to instructors like Dr. Valluri.
“We’re fortunate to be in this state of innovating and professionally developing,” he says. “Young people are inspirational as they venture out and forge lifelong relationships. at keeps me energized.”
Future talent
e sales program continues earning considerable support from the region’s business community. Federated Insurance recently announced a scholarship to assist students pursuing sales education, and Taylor Corporation has also announced a scholarship for students enrolled in the PSC. Fastenal, a longtime partner and member of the Professional Sales Program’s Advisory Board, is judging an internal sales competition as a feature of the program’s new Advanced Selling Class. Fastenal and Taylor Corporation also bring guest speakers to sales club meetings, and students competing in the sales competition are receiving tutelage from Taylor Corporation leaders.
“ e employers are getting a sense of future talent,” Dr. Valluri says. “Having these employers helps us make adjustments in areas when it comes to curriculum.”
Community buy-in brings myriad bene ts.
“It’s motivating for businesses to be connected to the University environment, share insights from the professional career path and serve as mentors,” Valluri says. “And it’s impactful for students because they’re getting to connect with these organizations that have positions available within their rms. In our (PSC), we’re working hard to create such opportunities because it’s a connection point to an employer for students.”
Speakers from Fastenal
Joseph Zappa, Senior vice president at Optum Health, member of the sales advisory board
In 2024, the Professional Sales Program’s Advisory Board convened for its rst meeting. e seven-person board comprises leaders from throughout Minnesota’s business community, including Cengage and the Minnesota Twins.
“ at touch point is important,” Dr. Valluri says. “A lot of good things can happen when passionate people can gather in a room.”
Harley Reis, a 2018 University graduate, serves on the advisory board in his role as a Taylor Corporation sales manager. He’s paying his passion for sales forward.
“Harley has done very well and is de nitely one of those people who wants to reach back and help students,” Dr. Kuzma says.
Working with students gives Ries a chance to share his sales experience, while also bridging students to potential internships through the Taylor Corporation.
“I didn’t know I wanted to go into sales until my internship at Taylor, so being able to get that insight as a student is going to be incredible,” he says. “I’ll be able to be hands-on with students and help them prepare for sales competitions.”
Ries has also spoken to students in Dr. Valluri’s marketing courses and through networking events.
“ e feedback I get is that his class is one of the main reasons why students get interested in sales,” he says. “He’s very tactical and knowledgeable about what the future of sales is going to be like.”
In an ever-evolving sales culture, Valluri sees big opportunities for the PSC’s connections to various industries, including medical sales.
“ ere’s a huge opportunity in biotech,” he says. “Students being part of this certi cate program from di erent majors, that’s where I think there’s huge potential.”
Dr. Kuzma says she’s proud to see her late husband’s e orts still making a real-world impact at the University.
“ is certi cate is something that he was very committed to. He just didn’t have enough time,” she says. “I wanted to make sure it got done; that was a big for me. And it was important to get the right person in John’s position, and that’s Chandu.”
For Valluri, the admiration is mutual.
“I feel so fortunate to be in this department,” he says. “It’s truly collaborative. Ann is a phenomenal chair and a friend and mentor to me.”
Sales Networking Event
Court Connections
Business law instructors enrich curriculum through real-world experiences
BY DREW LYON
For an entire academic year during the early 2010s, attorney Todd Lundquist taught as an adjunct instructor in a business law course in Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business (COB).
Lundquist was buoyed by the experience and wanted to return to the University once an opportunity arose.
“What brought me here this time was the idea that I could enjoy what I appreciated last time – and do it on a full-time basis,” says Lundquist, a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association for nearly 40 years. “Being part of students’ educational experience, it’s just a blast. I’m having a lot of fun. I savor working with my magni cent colleagues; l really love the sta , too.”
Coming o his rst full year as Assistant Professor of Business Law in the COB, Lundquist says his greatest joy as a faculty member is helping students reach those “light bulb” moments – both in the classroom and through real-world practices. He teaches 200-level courses on legal
On
to right, Keith Ellison, Wade Davis, Anaam Hashmi
environment in business, a 400-level course on contracts, sales and professional responsibilities and a 400-level in technology and intellectual property.
“In my personal opinion, in every eld of endeavor, ethics should be of utmost importance,” he says, “or we lose sight of who we are.”
e Minnesota native has long known who – and what – he wanted to be. e son of a respected civil law attorney, Lundquist was around seven years old when he started accompanying his father to the courtroom. He even watched his dad deliver oral arguments in the Minnesota Supreme Court.
“I knew relatively young that if things fell into place, that (law) would be what I would pursue,” he says.
Both in and out of the classroom, Lundquist and his colleague, Associate Professor of Business Law Wade Davis, are sharing their career backgrounds and legal connections with students. In November 2023, Lundquist and Davis chaperoned a group of 13 students to the Twin Cities to tour the Minnesota Capitol, visit one of the state’s largest law rms (Fredrikson & Byron) and watch oral arguments in the Minnesota Supreme Court.
In a joint interview just down the hall from their Morris Hall o ces, the two attorneys say the eld trip to the Supreme Court was no ordinary case. e students witnessed oral arguments in the appeal of a rst-degree murder conviction.
“It was fascinating,” says Davis, who specializes in civil business litigation. “It was interesting because it wasn’t the sort of technical arguments you o en see in the Supreme Court, and we had a really nice conversation with both judges.”
One of the judges who visited with students is a longtime professional acquaintance of Lundquist’s: Justice G. Barry Anderson, who was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2004. Students engaged with Justice Anderson on his background as a great Minnesota legal mind and picked his brain on what it takes to become an attorney and judge.
“I’ve been fortunate to watch Barry rise,” says Lundquist, who’s known Justice Anderson for 40 years. “He’s a kind, gentle person who believes in the rule of law, and nobody deserves accolades more than he does.”
For Justice Anderson, who knew Lundquist’s father, the respect is mutual.
“Todd and Wade are doing great work at the University,” he says. “I’m also particularly interested in making visits to community groups, school groups and others who are interested in how the court works. It’s part of the job, and I'm happy to do it.”
Meeting a renowned judge helps show students on-ground examples of career possibilities throughout the judicial system.
“Todd is very passionate about what he’s teaching and is very knowledgeable in a way that sets him apart,” says Alexander Bradley, a management major who began pursuing a business law minor a er taking Lundquist’s course. “ e way he applies his real-life experience to what we’re learning is very valuable.”
Davis, an instructor in courses related to business, employment, negotiations and international law, typically brings in at least one practicing attorney to speak with students.
“ ese students can now say, ‘I’ve stepped in the Supreme Court, I’ve watched the case and then I talked with a justice a erward,’” says Davis, a former Minnesota Attorney of the Year who’s taught at the University for eight years and has been a licensed attorney for over 20 years. “It’s always nice to break things up and bring in di erent perspectives of people who work in law. It gives them a model of what it means to be a professional.”
I’m also particularly interested in making visits to community groups, school groups and others who are interested in how the court works. It’s part of the job, and I'm happy to do it.”
–Barry Anderson
Justice Barry Anderson speaking with students.
Justice Barry Anderson with students.
Justice Barry Anderson.
Enriching students
Students earned a second chance in March 2024 to visit with Justice Anderson when the Mankato native visited campus for two hours shortly before his retirement from the court in spring 2024. More than 60 students from across a range of studies –business law, economics, political science and history – attended to learn more about Justice Anderson’s career and his interactions with his colleagues on the court, while also asking legal and ethical questions.
“He gave us a lot of insight into the process and what we should focus on,” Bradley says.
He also advised students to hone their writing skills, no matter their desired career.
“He was really generous with his time and interaction” Davis says, “and gave very thoughtful, practical and professional insights into how the justice system works, especially at the court levels.”
Justice Anderson says visiting with students and future lawyers gives him hope for the future – not just in the judicial system, but society.
“When you deal with students on a personal basis, it’s always encouraging,” he says. ‘ ey ask great questions; they’re thinking about the important issues of the day and they’re trying to gure out how the system works because it’s complicated.”
In a post-event synopsis, an international student from a country without an independent judicial branch reported to Lundquist that he appreciated Justice Anderson’s encouragement and curiosity.
“Given the nature of (the student’s) system back home, that he thought the session was enriching, was worthwhile,” Lundquist says.
A student in Davis’ environmental law class, Jeremiah Rupert, “had a re in his eyes” a er speaking one-on-one with Justice Anderson, Davis says. Rupert also participated in the eld trip to the Supreme Court in 2023.
“To shake the most senior Supreme Court justice’s hand and talk with him for 15 minutes is something he’s going to remember for a long time,’ Davis says. “I think Jeremiah took everything that he heard to heart.”
Rupert, a business management major and business law minor, says Davis’ description was spot-on.
“ e entire meeting with Justice Anderson was very inspirational and enlightening,” he says, adding, “One thing I really appreciate about Wade is that he has di erent teaching styles that can cater to you, so if you don’t understand something, there’s no shame, which is great.”
A few weeks a er Justice Anderson’s appearance, Davis and International Business Professor Anaam Hashmi worked with University leaders to bring another legal luminary to campus, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
“He’s been a leader on policy reform and race issues, and really focused the last several years on enforcing laws to protect consumers,” Davis says. “To have two of the most high-pro le legal minds in the Upper Midwest on campus is a huge opportunity for not just students, but Todd and myself as well.”
In an event emceed by COB Dean Seung Bach, Ellison, a former congressman who’s served in his current position since 2019, spoke with students about the intersection of business and law, antitrust laws and consolidation in agriculture and investments in environmental, social and governance (ESG).
Ellison also o ered practical advice to students.
“ e truth has to be your north star,” Ellison said.
During the hour-long event, Davis hosted a “ reside chat” alongside the attorney general. With Rupert watching from the front row, Ellison, who ran a private law practice before running for Congress in 2016, encouraged tomorrow’s leaders to think critically, create a better future and build a more inclusive business climate.
“We have both great opportunities and great challenges at the same time,” he told a packed Ostrander Auditorium. “It’s daunting, but don’t worry, you’re going to be ne.”
The truth has to be your north star." –Keith Ellison
A focus on application
Davis is proud to work with his COB colleagues. Along with Lundquist, Davis hopes to continue o ering students up-close looks at judicial proceedings.
“We’re part of a larger ecosystem,” he says. ‘ e College of Business is well positioned. My colleagues are exceptional, and we’re all looking for ways to breathe life into education and to give students opportunities outside of the classroom to connect to professionals and have meaningful experiences.”
For Lundquist, teaching students about the American legal system o ers deep lessons through historical context.
“You’re reminding students that (the Constitution) was put together mostly by a small group and is the foundation of how the court system runs,” he says. “ e whole process is one that I’ve always been intrigued by.”
His students are receiving the message and putting their knowledge into action.
“In the Business Law department, there’s a real focus on application and abstract thinking,” says Bradley, who hopes to attend law school a er graduation. “It’s an important challenge and very valuable.”
Wade Davis, Keith Ellison, Provost David Hood, Anaam Hashmi, Dean Bach.
Keith Ellison talking with students and faculty.
Keith Ellison, Wade Davis and Anaam Hashmi.
BOARD'S MISSION, GOALS AND VISION
The Executive Advisory Board (EAB) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the College of Business' engagement with the local community, aligning its efforts with the COB's missions and community needs. Comprised of a small group of community leaders, the EAB serves as more than advisors; it is a catalyst for growth. These individuals will actively engage as guest speakers in business courses, provide invaluable mentorship to a handpicked cohort of students, and lend their expertise to collaborative research endeavors within the College of Business community. With a strategic focus on bridging the divide between the business sector and the COB, the EAB embodies a commitment to fostering relationships that drives mutual success.
Meet the 2024 College of Business EAB:
Kevin Newman, '92 Accounting Ryan Spaude, '98 Finance
Regional Chair of Administration, Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Minnesota
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Q+A
What aspect of serving on the Executive Advisory Board for the COB are you most excited about?
Kevin: I am really looking forward to collaborating with the staff, faculty, and students in the College of Business around topics related to ways we can advance the knowledge of business practices, student learning and business theory.
Janet: I am most excited about the mix of new board members and returning board members to collaborate with Dean Seung, staff, faculty and students through activities of the EAB. I believe the mission and roles laid out by Dean Seung for the board will offer the right opportunities to achieve the COB’s mission.
How do you envision the board collaborating with key stakeholders, such as faculty, students, alumni and industry partners, to foster a culture of innovation within the business school?
Kevin: I know Dean Bach has plans for quarterly events bringing the board members, COB faculty, and students together showcasing what new ideas and ongoings are in the COB. I would also envision mentorship opportunities as well as classroom visits to speak on relevant business topics as well as many other COB events throughout the year. It will be very important to foster innovation by creating and implementing high impact, real-world experiences into the business curriculum.
Janet: I envision that active participation in the various activities outlined will foster the collaboration and rich experiences Dean Seung is working toward.
Co-chairs, Kevin Newman and Janet Westerlund, answered a few questions about their role and vision for the board:
As a member of the executive advisory board, how do you perceive your role in bridging the gap between the business community and the College of Business?
Kevin: I think each advisory board member brings a ton of real-world experience in different business industries which can bring new ideas and business practices to the COB, as business globally continues to change.
Janet: Personally, I am most excited about interacting with faculty and students in the classroom, and coaching faculty on developing business community connections.
What strategies do you believe are most effective in fostering strong connections and partnerships between the two?
Kevin: I think we need to work with the business community to showcase what we are doing in the COB which benefits those companies and organizations when the students come to work for them. As an active board these partnerships can be fostered and can create a path for twoway dialog to assure when these COB students arrive within a hiring organization, they hit the ground running, meeting the expectations of the business community. We have all been there as either students entering the job market, or a hiring manager looking for the most qualified and well-rounded individual to fill a role. It's our role as leaders, advisors and faculty within the COB to make sure we send these students off with the most current resources in hand to be successful. By doing all of this, we can create mutually beneficial partnerships with private/business, public, and nonprofit sectors to provide solutions for global challenges.
Big Ideas Keep Inspiring
Annual business pitch competition featuring innovative, varied proposals moved to fall
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
e timing of this year’s Big Ideas Challenge was a little di erent this year, which was the rst item of business addressed at the event by Shane Bowyer, Ed.D., director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
“ is is the rst year that we’ve moved it to the fall,” said Dr. Bowyer regarding the Nov. 16, 2023, event date. “In the past, we’ve always had it in the spring.”
e change in timing had to do with aligning it with Global Entrepreneurship Week when other related entrepreneurship and innovation events also were being held on campus.
“More importantly, the winners always had one or two days as a semi- nalist to get into the MN Cup. is is going to help them prepare,” he said of the annual spring Carlson School of Management competition for emerging entrepreneurs at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Bowyer then thanked sponsors Lloyd Companies, Pioneer Bank, BankVista, Snell, CrankyApe.com and MNValley Business magazine before welcoming to the stage the College of Business Dean Bach who stepped into the role July 1, 2023.
“ e past few months of getting to know Dean Bach has been great,” Dr. Bowyer said, highlighting his entrepreneurial background. “He’s bringing a wealth of knowledge in this area, and our sta are really excited.”
Dean Bach said Global Entrepreneurship Week is all about supporting, celebrating and connecting to and understanding entrepreneurship. Drawing on his
previous experience, Dean Bach said programs such as the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience (IBE) and the Big Ideas Challenge are proof points of a strong college.
“We have an outstanding program,” Dean Bach said. “In short, actually, you are in good hands. … Keep inspiring.”
e emcees for the event were father-son duo Gary Lesley and Jake Lesley, the elder of whom (Gary) is a current student and the younger a former student. Jake is an entrepreneur with a specialization in brand creation, internet marketing and sales; Gary is a former international business founder/owner, mentor, aviator, endurance athlete and author of “YES: a Parable of Possibility.”
“Mankato holds a special place in our hearts and our souls … and we’re very happy to play a role here in tonight’s great, great event,” Gary said.
e Lesleys introduced the judges: David Krause, CEO and Chairman of Pioneer Bank; Mark Bietz, chief marketing o cer at Fun.com and HalloweenCostumes. com; Gene Sanguma, creative and marketing director of Mpls Ties; Mike Hahn, regional director of the SBDC, who works in small business development and downtown revitalization; Susan Michaletz, president of PoppedCorn; and Cortez Hollis, who has a sports drink business Protein Water.
Entrepreneurs MEET THE
Evoli
Melan Shifa, Computer Science, Junior
First Place Winner
$5,000
e pitch: Evoli is every student’s dream dashboard: hosting a harmonious blend of academics, work, career development, projects and cherished daily habits like hitting the gym, dynamic to-do lists and more. Harnessing the power of cutting-edge AI, it ne-tunes and cra s each day’s schedule based on task complexities and individual tastes, saving students invaluable hours and alleviating stress.
As the core feature, the personalized AI assistant continually evolves with the user assistant with many uses from guiding through a class module, jotting a workout plan or even planning a busy day ahead, ensuring a tailored experience that navigates the intricacies of college life, all under one roof.
“More than 82 percent of students do feel overwhelmed by their college experience based on recent research,” Shifa said. "And what's even more intriguing is that 40 percent of students end up dropping out, citing that stress is the reason behind this. Now many students have the potential to excel in their academics and beyond."
e pitch: GigBridges is a dynamic student-centric platform that connects diverse students with a wide range of gigs and services, fostering community support, innovation and economic empowerment.
“Students in the local community are under-utilized. ese students are having nancial struggles to pay their tuition. And we're coming up with this to solve their nancial problems and securing jobs for them,” Betwos said.
“ is is where the magic happens. GigBridges is a webbased platform that connects University students to the local community,” Asmelash said.
First place winner, Melan Shifa
From le to right: Jacob Price, Xavier omas, Muhammad Huzaifa, Barok Fetehadin Hamza, Makda Asmelash, Kaleb Betwos, Melan Shifa, and Je rey Schetnan
The A.R.N.O.L.D. Project
Jeffrey Schetnan, MIS, Junior
Third Place Winner
$2,000
e pitch: Litter not only ruins the appearance of the landscape it resides in, it also causes signi cant harm to the natural environment we depend on and accumulates more rapidly than it can be collected. e A.R.N.O.L.D. (Aerial Restoration of Nature and Open Land with Drones) Project aims to automate the litter collection and recycling process through the use of drones with computer vision capabilities for a faster, safer and more e cient process.
Schetnan was traveling home to New Mexico one Christmas and noticed litter scattered along the roadway all the way home, which inspired his idea. He realized that drones do a number of other tasks, so why not litter collection?
“ e idea is to automate the litter and recycling collection process through the use of drones, which are automated to the task of going out, identifying litter and ultimately having that litter recycled,” he said.
FLOCK
Muhammad Huzaifa, Computer Information Technology, Junior
People's Choice Winner
$2,000
FLOCK is a smart lock that harnesses the power of arti cial intelligence to provide secure and convenient access to homes using facial recognition. It is not only a modern security solution but also a boon for the elderly and disabled, ensuring that everyone can enjoy a safer and more convenient way to access their homes.
“Over 16,000 Americans lose their keys every single day and get locked out of their own apartments or houses. at is 5.8 million keys every year just in the United States,” Huzaifa said. “ at’s where FLOCK comes in. FLOCK is a smart lock that uses facial recognition to give users access to their homes.”
Keep inspiring -Dean Bach
Miracle
Xavier Thomas, Management, Senior
e pitch: Miracle is a social network that provides creatives and entrepreneurs opportunities (connections, lessons, bookings and publicity) to build a sustainable career. Each user has a personalized experience to address gaps or barriers that hinder their potential. Miracle is designed to never be deleted; our services assist all creatives no matter the timeline.
“Miracle contains a 3-in-1 model from the classroom to global that guides our users through any obstacle they may face,” omas said. “Miracles don’t fall from the sky. We have to create our dreams. We have to create our own miracles.”
Credit Cruncher
Jacob Price, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Graduate Student
Credit Cruncher is a credit projection phone app that will graph future credit growth and give tips on how to maximize credit growth and improve graph accuracy. is app can help the user determine when they will have access to the best interest rates, potentially saving them thousands of dollars.
“Sixteen percent of Americans have poor credit and only 1.2 percent of Americans have a perfect credit score (of 850),” Price said, adding that nancial companies o en prey on people with poor credit with predatory interest rates. “Credit Cruncher aims to solve these problems.”
Primary Sponsor: Craig ’72 & Pat Lloyd, Founders of Lloyd Companies
Emcees Jake and Gary Lesley with Shane Bowyer
Big Ideas Challenge Event
Big Ideas for Food & Ag
First ever FutureSolvers Cultivation Challenge held during Global Entrepreneurship Week
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
In partnership with GreenSeam Futures, the inaugural FutureSolvers Cultivation Challenge was held in Ostrander Auditorium in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week Nov. 17, 2023.
e agricultural pitch competition, in which students across Minnesota develop innovative ideas that address challenges facing our region, was open to any college or university student. AGCO and Fendt also sponsored the event.
As Shane Bowyer, Ed.D., director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE), told the crowd, food and agriculture are “such an important part of our industry,” and the competition was designed to celebrate that.
Sam Ziegler, president of GreenSeam and one of the event judges, said the nonpro t organization is always looking for future innovation opportunities and ways to connect students and businesses to solve the problems and challenges in the Southern Minnesota region.
“How do we get students engaged who might not see food and agriculture as something that’s on the horizon or something that they can solve and work on?” Ziegler said, adding that FutureSolvers was born of those discussions.
Andrew Herr, president of GAT Farms and also one of the event judges, said the food and ag industry is about much more than land and commodities. Everything from psychology to analytics to trade policy factor into his work.
“ ere’s all kinds of ways to think about how you can integrate technology or adjacent industries,” he said.
In addition to Herr and Ziegler, the judges included Gary Koch, vice president of Christensen Farms; Heather ielges, partner at Eide Bailly; and Ryan Erickson, senior manager at AGCO.
For the rst competition, students were asked to create an ag business with a $5 million investment on a Southern Minnesota plot of land and with the parameters that the land couldn't be sold.
Meet the Teams
The Tropical Wine Hub
Minnesota State Mankato
Izzy Leonard, Management
Jack Wohnoutka, Management
Abby Lundquist, Marketing
First Place Winner • $6,000 People's Choice Award Winner • $500
The pitch: “Picture this. Sun-kissed vineyards, fruit havens and a tropical oasis,” Lundquist said. e idea consists of three integrated hubs: a winery/vineyard, geodesic greenhouses and a solar farm.
e Tropical Wine Hub would aim to demonstrate the feasibility of diverse agricultural practices and transcend the traditional model of a vineyard.
Leonard said the plan includes the sale of bottled wine; sale of tropical fruit wine made with fruit grown in greenhouses on site; retail sales; tropical tourism with visitors to the greenhouses yearround; an event center for weddings and other celebrations; and the sale of electricity through solar energy.
“We see this idea as not just a winery or a vineyard but a dynamic hub for the community gathering,” Lundquist said.
Black Squirrel’s Creek
South Central College
Kati Danielson, Agribusiness
Katee Clough, Agribusiness
Kaden Ernst, Agribusiness
Wyatt Saemrow, Agribusiness
Second Place Winner • $4,000
AGCO Mystery Award Winner • $500
The pitch: “Our idea is to have a self-sustaining farm,” Danielson said. e business would include turkey barns in partnership with Jennie-O, renewable energy, a direct-toconsumer beef operation and crop production.
e business also would include custom hauling of turkey litter. Roo op solar would be installed on top of the turkey barns and cattle sheds.
e land will include pasture, feed-growing land and cash crops of corn and soybeans.
“Overall, the reason we have so many di erent business entities is to help support each other’s business entity because farming isn't always good,” Saemrow said. “ ere’s tough years, and there’s good years. And the idea of having di erent business entities is that we will stay nancially stable during those rough years.”
Bethany Lutheran College
Clever Lazo, Business Administration
Megan Torner, Business Administration
John Sadaka, Business Administration
Allison Etheridge, Business Administration
Ethan Lozano, Legal Studies
Third Place Winner • $2,000
The pitch: A three-part business including the farming of nonGMO soy and corn; industrial soy storage; and a soy processing facility to make soy meal and oil. Argentina will be a target market due to increased demand.
“We plan on using AI technology for weed detection and in the future installing solar panels for supplying its energy needs,” Lozano said. “We also plan to give back to the community through donations to food drives.”
e plan also included red clover and camelina as a cover plant.
Crop N’ Cows Event Center
South Central College
Logan Kremmin, Agribusiness Production
Zachary Hermanson, Agribusiness Production
Frederick Levi Powers, Agribusiness Sales
Hunter Conrad, Agribusiness Sales
The pitch: To provide an establishment, including an event center with a bar and restaurant, that allows the whole family to see the good in agriculture. e business would provide farm tours; education on rural America; and crop and animal farming practices.
e restaurant will o er burgers made from livestock raised on site.
“ e tillable acres will be used for a pumpkin patch and sun owers,” Conrad said. “ is will help to promote the beauty of it and add to photo opportunities on tours and weddings.”
Next Generation Growers
Minnesota State Mankato
Morgan Robinson, Agribusiness & Food Innovation
Erica Johnsrud, Marketing
Megan Cumming, Agribusiness & Food Innovation
Carter Braa, Management
The pitch: Next Generation Growers’ idea was to get into agritourism and start a rural wedding venue and winery. e idea included collaborating with local vendors and embracing the rural landscape for parking and amenities.
“De nitely a more rustic vibe with a barn and grass for parking instead of pavement and de nitely more on the cost-e cient side,” Johnsrud said. “We would be using our very own beer and wine that we would produce at our own winery.”
While the weddings and winery would be for adults, the land also would include a 3-acre strawberry patch for kids, Robinson said.
ReGen Farmstead
Minnesota State Mankato
Hope Kilmer, Finance
Hannah Lundborg, HR Management
Iyanna Booth, Management
The pitch: To create an agricultural hub focusing on agritourism with pumpkin patches, a corn maze, apple picking, animal-feeding, tractor tours and weddings. Rental buildings would be available for year-round use by community groups and individuals.
“Minnesota is the seventh in the nation when it comes to agricultural production,” Booth said. “So our solution for this speci c Jackson County land is to create a versatile agricultural hub that focuses on sustainable farming practices, educational opportunities for all, and community involvement through agritourism.”
Kilmer said what sets ReGen apart is emphasis on connecting with local communities, the variety of income sources, and the focus on sustainable practices.
The Tropical Wine HubBlack Squirrel's Creek
All C&S Farm
Inclusive & Innovative
Delta Sigma Pi connects College of Business students to professional opportunities
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
Among its numerous detrimental e ects to all aspects of campus life, COVID-19 took its toll on participation in campus organizations, which of course had residual e ects on the amount of good these groups were able do in the community.
e Minnesota State Mankato chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, the No. 1 professional business fraternity in the nation, was no exception. And that need to rebuild is exactly what drew Samuel Christenson to the group in early 2023. Friends who knew Christenson's driven personality told him how important the chapter was and hoped he'd be interested in hopping aboard.
“ ey mentioned it was kind of struggling at the time and that they were wanting to recruit me because they thought that I would be a great asset to their team just to help promote what they have to o er to other students,” said Christenson, a senior nance major and entrepreneurship and innovation minor.
What Christenson learned about the organization not only made him want to join but also to lead. Serving fall 2023 as vice president of professional activities and now as the chapter's president, he's one of the chapter's biggest advocates to any and all students in the College of Business – including women.
“It’s unique because it takes both men and women. So, we like to say we're more of a professional club than a fraternity,” Christenson said.
With a network of more than 2,300 DSP alumni at Minnesota State Mankato, Delta Sigma Pi works to encourage scholarship, social activity and to foster a close connection between students and the business world that they'll soon be entering.
Having begun in 1960, alumni include numerous CEOs, CFOs, professors and successful business professionals. Christenson and other members take advantage of those relationships – as well as the numerous other business relationships that the COB has fostered throughout the years – to o er students professional activities. Recent examples of partnerships include Northwestern Mutual, Fastenal, Schwan’s and Eide Bailly.
“We bring these companies in, and we want them to talk about certain topics in the business world that can help all of the College of Business students evolve in their professional development,” Christenson said. “So, for example, Northwestern Mutual came in and they had everybody take this culture index survey that they o er, and we went through this really interactive activity where people got to explore where they are at in terms of their personality and work ethic, and that was a lot of fun.”
Fastenal representatives talked about innovations in supply chain management. Upcoming events include Eide Bailly, with representatives who plan to talk about communication practices of the business world. Schwan’s plans to o er resume tips.
Giving back to the community is another important piece. Delta Sigma Pi has volunteered with e Ronald McDonald House, Kiwanis Holiday Lights and Junior Achievement, among other groups.
“I’m actually going with one of our other brothers to one of the local elementary schools, and we’re going to teach a h-grade class about business,” Christenson said.
Recruitment is still an important focus of Christenson’s and other members’ work. Active membership is back up to about 20 people from a low of ve a er the pandemic, but they would love to see more reap the bene ts of the organization.
“I personally nd involvement extremely necessary. I think it’s one of the most important things that you can possibly do,” Christenson said. “Because when you are done with college, you have to have more to talk about than classes. Having a group like DSP available to students – where they can show their leadership, and they can show that they want to grow professionally and that they're actually taking the time to do that – it looks extremely good on a resume. And employers really look for that.”
Joseph Reising, Ph.D., professor of nance who served two terms as faculty advisor of the chapter, said Delta Sigma Pi is innovative because it’s unlike other COB organizations in that it's not discipline speci c. Its inclusive nature makes it a great opportunity for all students.
“ e culture of the organization is that of combining professional development, building relationship with the commercial world, and developing people as ethical business leaders,” Dr. Reising said. “ ose willing to expend the e ort will see commensurate bene ts while simultaneously creating a positive impact on others. Ultimately, Delta Sigma Pi provides opportunities to pursue personal and professional growth.”
To join, students in the COB need to have a 2.8 GPA or a 3.0 during the past two semesters. Interested students can search for Delta Sigma Pi at cob.mnsu.edu/dsp
DSP members at the Grand Chapter Congress in Houston, Texas, 2023
Delta Signa Pi members 2023 – 2024
RESEARCH BRIEFS
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
FACULTY RESEARCH DAY
The Influence of Audit Evidence Framing on Auditors’ Judgment
Dr. Byron Pike
Department of Accounting and Business Law
Authors: Jeremy Vinson, Byron Pike, Lawrence Chui, and Mingjun Zhou
Abstract: Framing e ects are a phenomenon where individuals respond di erently to equivalent information presented in a positive or negative manner. We conduct a simulated client inquiry experiment to investigate whether the framing of an inquiry evidence item and the timing of the frame within the inquiry evidence series (at the beginning versus ending) in uences auditor judgment. More consistent with attribute framing than belief-adjustment predictions, our ndings suggest a primacy e ect where participants who receive a positive frame at the beginning of the inquiry are less likely to change their initial assessments of misstatement than participants who receive “neutral” perspective at the beginning of the inquiry. Our results imply that positively framed initial evidence, relative to other settings, may constrain auditors’ consideration of
Corporate Financing Decisions in the Presence of Asymmetric Information –A Classroom Game
Dr. Puneet Jaiprakash
Department of Finance
Authors: Leon Chen and Puneet Jaiprakash
Abstract: Few experiential learning experiences are available for courses in Corporate Finance. We develop a classroom game that illustrates the concept of asymmetric information – a core concept that underlies the pecking order theory of capital structure. We provide testable implications that explicitly link the game and textbook concepts, questions that can be used by instructors in exams/quizzes, and extensive documents that minimize preparation time for the instructor. Our game is designed to include all four stages of Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle, to develop higher-order skills based on Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy, and to help courses meet business school accreditation standards. Feedback from implementing this game in a required course of our undergraduate curriculum indicates that it was well received by students. subsequent evidence.
Research day participants: Oksana Kim, Nguyen Nguyen, Leon Chen, Puneet Jaiprakash, Kristen Scott, Jennifer Schultz. Byron Pike (not pictured)
Exploring the Impact of Self-Concept and IT Identity on Social Media Influencers’ Behavior: A Focus on Young Adult Technology Features Utilization
Dr. Kyle Nash
Department of Management and Entrepreneurship
Abstract: is research investigates the inspiration of selfconcept and IT identity on the behavior of Social Media In uencers (SMI), regarding utilization of technology features. With the advent of social media, individuals have been presented with a unique opportunity to showcase their creativity and connect with a broader audience, known as “followers.” Drawing upon the UTAUT theory, this study examines the relationship between SMIs behavior in utilizing technology features, selfconcept, and IT identity within the context of social media platform usage. e research methodology employed in this study is partial least squares regression, the ndings have signi cant implications for businesses seeking to engage with SMIs and individuals aiming to establish their presence on social media. e research highlights TikTok’s potential as a platform for selfexpression and personal brand development.
Event Studies for Publicly Traded Insurers: An Investigation of the BadModel Problem
Dr. Leon Chen
Department of Finance
Authors: Leon Chen, Steven W. Pottier
Abstract: e potential that abnormal returns are due to a mis-speci ed expected return model is well known in the event study literature. We investigate the bad-model problem for a large sample of insurance rms over an 18-year period, based on 9 di erent expected return models and short- and long-run event windows. Using 1000 samples of randomly selected rms and dates, we nd that the di erent normal return models make little di erence in the statistical or economic signi cance of abnormal returns for short event windows (up to 3 days). However, for longer event windows, such as 1 month and 13 months, statistically and economically signi cant abnormal returns are more common. Further, we nd that characteristicbased benchmark models generally perform better than models that require an estimation period. Our results support the need to exercise caution in interpreting the ndings of event studies.
Teaching Teachers: Commentary on Principles of Effective Course Design
Dr. Jennifer Schultz
Department of Management and Entrepreneurship
Authors: Jennifer L. Schultz and Jose Canchaya
Abstract: is manuscript is an invited essay on the 2021 Journal of Management Education Lasting Impact Award recipient's 2007 article Principles of E ective Course Design: What I Wish I Had Known about Learning-centered Teaching 30 Years Ago by Dr. David Whetten.
Institutional Ownership Stability and Product Quality Failures
Dr. Nguyen Nguyen
Department
of Finance
Authors: Thanh Dat Le and Nguyen Nguyen
Abstract: Using a sample of product recall incidents from 2012 to 2021, the authors nd that rms with more stable institutional ownership have a lower probability, frequency, and severity of recall incidents and adopt a proactive product recall strategy. Institutional investors with signi cant and persistent holdings improve quality management by reducing overinvestment and the use of option-linked and relative performance executive compensations. Furthermore, the in uence of stable institutional owners on product quality failures is more pronounced in rms with low managerial ability and specialist CEOs. Lastly, the empirical evidence demonstrates that stable holdings by active investors have a more substantial impact on reducing product recalls than passive and other stable institutional holdings. is study is the rst to examine the impact of institutional ownership stability on rms’ product recalls.
The service empowerment model: a collaborative approach to reducing vulnerability
Dr. Kristin Scott
Department of Marketing and International Business
Authors: Leslie Koppenhafer, Kristin Scott, Todd Weaver, Mark Mulder
Abstract: Service researchers have been tasked with improving the well-being of consumers experiencing vulnerability. e current research aims to demonstrate how these consumers can experience empowerment through transformative service improvements to the traditional micro nance model. To ground the research in a real-world setting with consumers experiencing vulnerability, the research team worked with a nonpro t micro nance organization o ering loans to communities of Indigenous women entrepreneurs. e present investigation of a unique approach to micro nance o ers a new theoretical model, the service empowerment model (SEM), which illustrates how empowerment emanates from processes and outcomes at three distinct levels: micro, meso and macro and also de ned a new term: service empowerment. Recognizing that change occurs individually and also at familial and societal levels begins to challenge deeply rooted structural and cultural norms involved in the services ecosystem.
FACULTY LEADER: Kevin Elliott, Ph.D.
BY AMANDA DYSLIN
For the past 34 years, Kevin Elliott, Ph.D., has been a fixture in the College of Business. He has been a professor of marketing for 29 of those years (and an associate professor for five years before that). And throughout his tenure he's served stints as the department chair, the director or co-director of the Master of Business Administration program, chair of COB's Curriculum Committee, and chair of the University's Graduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee (GCAP).
Having first reported for duty at the University in 1990, it's hard to believe that come Aug. 1, 2024, Dr. Elliott will be officially retired.
So what will he miss the most after all these years as a Maverick?
"A paycheck!" Dr. Elliott said, revealing his self-proclaimed dry sense of humor. "Beyond that, I will miss the friendships I have developed and the feeling of being associated with Minnesota State Mankato."
We asked the Centerville, Iowa, native a bit more about his time as a Maverick and his life beyond campus grounds.
What has been your teaching philosophy? How do you approach your relationship with students?
I try to provide students a learning environment that is meaningful and realistic. My teaching goals have always been more about critical thinking and problem-solving, and less about content mastery. Teaching students how to learn is as important as providing detailed information on a marketing topic.
I use my dry sense of humor to break down barriers and develop relationships with students. I also feel I am receptive to students’ opinions/answers on various topics, even if I don’t feel their response was directly on topic. at allows student to express their ideas more freely and creates a more inclusive learning environment.
Talk about a moment in a class that made you smile or a breakthrough moment with a student.
I had a student come up to me a er the rst day of class about two years ago and say, “You had my dad in class!” at made me smile because it reinforced the fact that I have been lucky enough to do something that I enjoy for many years. e downside was I realized I was old!
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Ten percent of life are the challenges you face every day. e other 90 percent consists of how you handle those challenges. I have leaned on that statement as I’ve faced challenges throughout my life.
What's the best piece of advice you gave to a student?
I have given this advice to a few students throughout the years: “Work hard, stay humble, and have realistic expectations about your rst job out of college.”
If you hadn't been a professor, what would have been your career choice?
I always thought I would like to run my own business, but it is probably good that I didn’t try it.
My biggest challenge as a professor was: staying current with changing technology in the marketplace, as well as in the classroom.
During my downtime, you can find me: I stay active. I go to Planet Fitness three times a week. I still run a little and walk a lot. I have eight grandkids, so I spend time watching so ball games, baseball games, and dance team performances.
In retirement, I'm most looking forward to: spending more time with my family and doing some traveling. I’m going on a 10-day European riverboat cruise this summer on the Rhine River, stopping in Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Dean Bach Sits Down with
BY AIDAN RYAN AND EMILY FEARING
Everyone has a story, and we felt it was time to nally hear more about the one that led the new College of Business Dean, Seung Bach, to Minnesota State University, Mankato! Dean Bach, a husband and father of one, grew up in South Korea among a family of educators, which shaped his goals from day one. A er completing an undergrad in business and a master’s in organizational theory, Dean Bach worked in a consulting team before relocating from South Korea to Arlington, Virginia, becoming a rst-generation immigrant. ere, he received an MBA in Management of Science, Technology and Innovation at e George Washington University. Dean Bach’s education continued when a friend advised him to continue on at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he received his Ph.D. in Strategy and Entrepreneurship.
Beginning his professional journey as a professor specializing in teaching entrepreneurship at Sacramento State, Dean Bach later pursued an opportunity to be a faculty director. During his tenure, his in uence on entrepreneurship and innovation le a notable impact, evident in his involvement in pioneering programs blending entrepreneurship with global studies. roughout his career, Dean Bach maintained a focus on students, cra ing engaging experiences by bridging the classroom with the broader community. Transitioning to the role of associate dean, he remained dedicated to creating connections for students and fostering a hands-on approach. Dean Bach’s entrepreneurial spirit and student-centric values guided his decision to join Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he leads the College of Business into a transformative future.
What do you plan to bring or implement in the College of Business?
We are good, but I want us to be the greatest! Maverick Innovation Gateway has three parts: Project A, B, and C. Projects A and B focus on enhancing preexisting student programs.
the SET Leaders
Project C focuses on creating more student spaces on campus. All of these will support the pivotal approach to making the College of Business the greatest!
What is your 5 to 10 year vision for the College of Business?
I love to hear from our community partners and nationwide peers of business schools, “wow, mavericks are awesome in a few things.” I see that as someone who has a keen and logical forward working perspective, I want to see that as our label. is will be a program that raises forward-looking leaders. I would like to have our students engage in things bigger than Mankato. Our students and teams competing nationally and globally go beyond our home. Working with colleges in di erent states and countries, this is how we will fast track with innovation and an innovative mindset. Innovation will be our fuel for the College of Business.
Dean Bach’s arrival at the University marks a fresh chapter for the College of Business. With an incredible journey that has taken him from South Korea to the U.S., he brings a wealth of varied experiences and a deep-rooted belief in the power of education that is poised to invigorate the college.
Dean Bach’s vision for the College of Business transcends mere enhancement of its reputation; it is a commitment to cultivating an environment where students, faculty, and community partners collectively pursue excellence. As the college embarks on this transformative journey under Bach’s leadership, it is positioned to rede ne the essence of a modern business school. His dedication to excellence and resiliency in facing challenges is now inextricably linked with the college’s strategic ambitions. Together, they aim to establish a thriving ecosystem characterized by success, innovation, and a meaningful impact, guided by a uni ed vision.
Top row l to r: Victor Nguyen, Sam Christenson, Beemnet Gebremariam, Emily Fearing
Bottom row l to r: Jack Wohnoutka, Brandon Jackson, Wael El Saadi, Kally Meyer, Abby Lundquist, Aidan Ryan, Dean Bach
THE BIG PICTURE
If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got (Albert Einstein).’ Therefore, let’s embrace the notion of ‘Innovation is a significant positive change (Scott Berkun).’
