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CalvinToday

College of Business Administration

In the business of doing goodStudents and alumni find the way to put their time, effort and skills into philanthropies around campus and abroad.

From Wall Street to Calvin HallFollowing the stock market from the third floor.

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Some 15 years ago, I began a remarkable journey as dean of Kansas State University’s College of Business Administration. Serving as dean of the CBA remains rewarding, but it is a good time for a change, in both my life and the life of the college. As I announced in the fall of 2010, this academic year has been my last as dean.

I arrived at K-State as an associate professor of management in 1983. Since then I have been privileged to work with an exceptional group of diverse faculty, staff, students and alumni. Together we have accomplished many outstanding achievements and advanced the college toward national recognition in several academic areas.

Although it is difficult to single out those accomplishments, seeing the growth and success of graduates is always the most satisfying. Certainly the continued emphasis our faculty has placed on curriculum development is significant. We have made every effort to incorporate input from our alumni and corporate partners in refining our academic offerings to keep the curriculum rigorous and relevant in preparing our students for success. The process of identifying and developing specific initiatives of academic emphasis has also provided our various departments a needed impetus to excel in advancing the CBA’s national reputation.

Perhaps the most significant development during my tenure has been the establishment of professorships and endowed chairs to recruit and retain top faculty. These faculty salary enhancements have allowed faculty turnover to stabilize while enabling the college to recruit nationally recognized scholars to lead academic business programs of distinction.

These achievements would not have been possible without the strong and dedicated support of many generous alumni, corporate partners and other friends of the college. They have gifted the college through their time, talent and treasure to put the CBA in a strong position for the coming decades. They have expressed great warmth, kindness and hospitality to me as I have endeavored to lead the college and have become friends I will cherish forever.

After a six-month sabbatical I will return to the classroom and my first love: teaching. I am looking forward to engaging as a faculty member with colleagues, CBA alumni, friends and students. Most importantly, I am excited to have more time to enjoy with my children and grandchildren. Along with my wife, Hafiza, they have sacrificed much over the years to provide me the support and encouragement I needed to fulfill my responsibilities.

As my journey as dean comes to a close, I offer my most sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all of our alumni, friends and many stakeholders who have supported me and the CBA through times of tremendous growth as well as many challenges. The CBA has a bright future, but the new dean, faculty, staff and students will continue to depend on your ongoing support, encouragement and investment to raise the levels of academic excellence and national recognition of the college. Your engagement remains crucial to the success of the college and, most importantly, our students.

With deep appreciation,

Yar M. Ebadi Dean

For updates about the search for a new College of Business Administration dean go to www.cba.k-state.edu

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College of Business Adm

inistrationTable of contents

In every issue

Corners of Calvin Hall 4

Lessons 8

Global perspectives 16

Class notes 17

Closing remarks 18

Features

In the business of doing good 10 Students and alumni find the way to put their time, effort and skills into philan- thropies around campus and abroad.

From Wall Street to Calvin Hall: 15 The new trading lab in Calvin Hall has students staring at the stock market ticker. Little do they know it is a tool for learning.

Calvin Today Spring/Summer 2011

Calvin Today is produced and published twice a year by the Kansas State University College of Business Administration.

Editor Olivia Blanco

Student assistant Nick Moeder

Design Guolin Zhao, Kansas State University Communications and Marketing

Contributing writers Eric Higgins Richard McFarland Nick Moeder Jason Strachman Miller

Photography David Mayes, Kansas State University Communications and Marketing Tiffany Roney

Dean Yar M. Ebadi

Dean’s staff Anand Desai, associate dean, director of undergraduate studies Jeff Katz, associate dean, director of graduate studies Melanie Horton, administrative assistant to the dean Sondra Visser, director, budget and special programs

Department heads Richard Ott, accounting Eric Higgins, finance Chwen Sheu, management (interim) Kevin Gwinner, marketing

College of Business Administration Kansas State University 110 Calvin Hall Manhattan, KS 66506

Comments? Kansas State University College of Business Administration 110 Calvin Hall Manhattan, KS 66506 Email: calvintoday@cba.k-state.edu Phone: 785-532-2753 Fax: 785-532-7216

Visit us on the web at www.cba.k-state.edu/calvintoday

Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Kansas Board of Regents, the Kansas State University administration or College of Business Administration faculty. Correspondence related to Calvin Today should be directed to the editor, Olivia Blanco. Calvin Today is printed by Kansas State University printing.

Correction:

In 2007 Calvin Today identified alumnus Steve Lacy as having earned a Master of Accountancy in 1977. This is incorrect. Lacy, president and CEO of Meredith Corp. in Iowa, earned a Master of Business Administration in May 1977. We apologize for this error.

Calvin Today online extras

Wait, there is more! Follow this sign to our website for additional information, expanded stories, video and photo galleries.

www.cba.k-state.edu/calvintoday

Like us at facebook.com/KStateBusiness.

Follow us at twitter.com/KStateBusiness for the latest information from your CBA.

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Produced in cooperation with the Division of Communications and Marketing

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Hall Wall Street Journal

recognizes recent K-State gradKelli McMurphy Lambrecht, a May 2010 Kansas State University graduate in finance, has received a 2010 Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award. Lambrecht was nominated for the honor by Scott Hendrix, finance instructor, who said she was an exceptional student and leader. Lambrecht is currently a financial analyst with KeyBank Real Estate Capital in Topeka, Kan.

CBA students win campus-wide entrepreneurship competition in 2010

Steven Coen a junior in finance and entrepreneurship, and Jordan Sterling a senior in management, won the 2010 The Next Big Thing competition with their idea for an online student resource for K-State students to share study resources, buy and sell personal items in a free market exchange and rate professors. Their business idea earned them the $3,000 prize to further their venture. The pair launched MyRiBiT.com in December 2010. Although not free from controversy because they share course materials online, they already have 3,000 users, about 10 percent of the Manhattan campus population, and they are setting their sights on expansion to other college campuses.

Student from Hutchinson named Outstanding Senior in BusinessAllan Saylor, graduate in human resource management from Hutchinson, Kan., is the fall 2010 recipient of the Outstanding Senior in Business Award from the CBA. An active student while at K-State, Saylor was a member of the Business Ambassadors, chapter president and vice president of the Society for Human Resource Management chapter, and member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies. Saylor also earned a certificate in international business. The award was presented at the college’s commencement ceremony in December 2010.

A Gift of $5 million from the Edgerley family establishes first endowed deanship for the CBAPaul and Sandra Edgerley of Brookline, Mass., have made a commitment of $5 million to the CBA to establish the Edgerley Family Endowed Deanship. The fund also will provide perpetual funding for advancing excellence in the mission and vision of the college and provide assistance for equipment, operating support and travel.

Paul Edgerley is a 1978 graduate of K-State, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1983. He is a managing director of Bain Capital LLC, a private, alternative asset management firm in Boston. Sandra Edgerley earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harvard University in 1984, and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1989. She is an active volunteer in the Boston area.

Watch a video of Paul Edgerley and Dean Ebadi at www.cba.k-state.edu/calvintoday

Professor brings cutting-edge technology to online coursesThe best part of taking an online class from K-State is no longer the prospect of doing so in your pajamas, but rather the cutting-edge technology that allows students to go through virtual scenarios to apply their knowledge and track their progress.

Taking a cue from video games and the Internet, SimWriter Simplicity is a computer program that allows instructors to design their own online classes, including virtual scenarios, to enhance learning. Roger McHaney, professor of management, is working with Wichita-based NexLearn to develop distance courses using SimWriter Simplicity, and he is the first instructor to use the new software. “Virtual scenarios grab student’s

attention the same way that a video game would. It gives them more control over their learning,” McHaney said.

K-State is the first institution to purchase the Simplicity software that enables simulations to be developed by instructors in-house. Previous simulations were developed by NexLearn for use by top tier universities and large corporations to train employees. McHaney’s first class using SimWriter Simplicity will be this summer’s Management 830 class, Applied Managerial Computing.

Would you like to see what a SimWriter Simplicity class looks like? Find a demo at www.cba.k-state.edu/calvintoday

Entrepreneurship program, wins emerging program award

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship recognized the entrepreneurship program with its 2011 Emerging Program Award. The entrepreneurship program was started in the fall of 2009 and has since graduated three students. This is the first time this award has been given by USASBE.

Jeffrey Hornsby awarded Prestigious FellowshipThe United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship has selected Jeffrey Hornsby to be a fellow in the organization. He has been the director of the Center for

Advancement of Entrepreneurship and management professor at the CBA since fall 2008.

Management professor awarded $25,000 ConocoPhillips sponsorshipMichael Chilton, associate professor of management, has received $25,000 from the ConocoPhillips faculty sponsorship program. The award will go toward supporting Chilton’s research. This award is one of 10 given annually by ConocoPhillips to faculty at universities in the United States.

Koch diversity fellowship awarded to Dawne Martin

Dawne Martin, assistant dean for diversity and professor of marketing, was awarded the 2010 Diversity Faculty Fellow award from Wichita-based Koch Industries. This fellowship recognizes the work done by faculty to promote diversity on college campuses. Martin is the co-director of the MAPS Project Impact Summer Bridge Program for underrepresented incoming freshman students and directs the Koch College for a Day Recruitment Program for minority college-bound high school students.

New business administration pre-professions curriculum Incoming freshmen students will find a new BAPP curriculum at the CBA this fall. Students will now be required to take a three credit-hour Business Foundations class that will introduce them to different areas of business and how they are interrelated. With the new curriculum, students will also be able to take their business core requirements early in their academic careers, and a three-course thematic sequence to promote a more thoughtful selection of non-business courses. Elective hours have been reorganized to allow students to more easily participate in semester

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College of Business Adm

inistrationCorners of Calvin Hallabroad programs, internships and service learning opportunities for credit.

Do you want to learn more about the new BAPP curriculum? Go to www.cba.k-state.edu/calvintoday for detailed information.

Marketing professor leads group of 24 on trip to China

A group of 24 CBA students, alumni and faculty spent 12 days touring China with Swinder Janda, professor of marketing, as their tour leader. The group, which included alumni Larry (’69, ‘73) and Patricia (’69, ’73) Kendall, visited Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

The faculty-led trip was part of a Business in China course taught by Janda, and allowed the students to see first-hand the business environment in the country, including its growth and business opportunities.

“China is a huge emerging market and is a fast growing economy which implies that our students need to be familiar with this market as many companies that will likely hire our graduates will have business interests in China,” said Janda, who is the Paul Edgerley chair in Global Business. “Moreover, China is one of our biggest trading partners and a huge opportunity area for U.S.-based companies across a variety of industries. Therefore, it is important for our students to have a deeper understanding of the Chinese business environment.”

New hires at the College of Business Administration

Dawn Deeter-Schmelz is the recipient of the John J. Vanier Distinguished Chair in Relational Selling and Marketing. Deeter-Schmelz joins the CBA from Ohio University where she was the O’Bleness Professor of Marketing. She earned a Ph.D. and an MBA from the University of South Florida, Tampa. She also holds a B.S. in clothing and textiles from Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky.

In addition to her extensive research experience, Deeter-Schmelz has industry experience in retail management, including being the buyer at H. Butler Footwear Inc., in Bradenton, Fla., where she was responsible for purchasing, marketing, inventory and advertising for a department that produced $15 million in sales per year.

As part of her responsibilities at the CBA, Deeter-Schmelz will lead the college’s relational sales program, coordinate the college’s participation in sales competitions and facilitate sales research among faculty. She will join the CBA this fall, and she will teach Professional Selling and Sales Management.

Pamela Barnes joined the management department this spring. Barnes teaches Business Strategy and Introduction to

Operations Management. Barnes received a bachelor’s in marketing and MBA from Wichita State University and a master’s and doctorate in adult, occupational and continuing education from K-State.

Reo Song is an assistant professor in marketing. His primary areas of research include international marketing, innovation and diffusion, marketing and firm value relationship, advertising and sustainability. He is published in the Journal of Interactive Marketing and teaches courses at K-State in retail management, marketing analytics, and marketing research. Song received his bachelor and master’s degrees from Seoul National University in South Korea. He later earned an MBA from the University of Rochester and a doctorate from Texas A&M University.

Amy Hageman started teaching in fall 2010. Her primary research interests are in antecedents and consequences of tax policy and in exploring judgment and decision-making of taxpayers and tax professionals. Hageman primarily teaches taxation courses. She received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance in 2001 and MAcc in 2002, both from K-State. Hageman received a doctorate in business administration with a major in accounting from the University of Central Florida.

Chad Jackson is an instructor in the management department and the associate director for the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship. He teaches two courses, Introduction to New Venture Creation and Business Strategy. Jackson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in adult and continuing education from K-State. He joined the CBA in August 2010.

Mardell Maxwell is the recruitment coordinator at the CBA. Maxwell is in charge of recruiting the brightest students to the CBA undergraduate programs. He joined the college in June 2010. Maxwell earned a bachelor’s in business from K-State and a bachelor of arts in organizational leadership from Fort Hays State University.

Olivia Law-DelRosso is the project coordinator for the CBA. She works with the ConocoPhillips Excellence in Business Ethics Initiative, the Integrated Investment Management Initiative and the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship. She manages projects, coordinating events and assisting with public relations. Law-DelRosso holds a bachelor’s in psychology and master of public administration from K-State.

Five university business ethics case competition hosted by K-State Students in Free EnterpriseStudents in Free Enterprise hosted a three-day business ethics case competition in February. Teams competing were from five regional universities. The Truman State University team won the competition. They received an award of $2,000 furnished by the ConocoPhillips Excellence in Business Ethics Initiative, a sponsor of this event and other educational opportunities on campus.

Students and alumni visited China during a winter, faculty-led trip. Photo courtesy of Swinder Janda.

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ht The Hardest Class on Campus?by Nick Moeder

The word around Calvin Hall is that one of the hardest classes on campus is Finance 450: Principles of Finance. In spring 2011, there were 385 students enrolled in the class taught by Scott Hendrix. It is a requirement for all business majors and most business minors.

Calvin Today: What exactly is Finance 450?

Scott Hendrix: Finance 450 addresses how financial decisions are made in corporate finance and investments.

CT: What makes it so hard for students?

SH: This course has extremely high standards. Students may not have a good mathematical background to immediately do well. This course integrates areas of economics, finance, accounting and statistics to learn more of how to make decisions in finance.

CT: Why is it important for all business majors and minors to take this class?

SH: To better understand how companies make financial decisions. No matter what a student’s professional career path is, the things they learn in this course will play a part in their career.

CT: What is it like to be the instructor of a class that is known to be so difficult?

SH: It’s an honor to be a steward of the integrity and reputation of the college and extremely rewarding to see the pride students take in meeting a challenge. The things worth doing in life are hard and frequently the road less traveled.

CT: How does this class prepare them for their academic and professional careers?

SH: It is the only finance class that a lot of business majors will take. It helps students with the overall goal of a business, helping a company make a profit. The course gives students a better understanding of the performance of a company. It also gives individuals the knowledge on how they can gain lifetime personal financial success.

CT: What are the keys to success in Finance 450?

SH: Similar to any other class, regular attendance, staying on top of material and not waiting until the last minute to prepare for coursework are good starts to being successful. There is a wide range of support available, from tutors to visiting me in my office. I offer my Sunday afternoons, early mornings and late nights to help students.

CT: What kind of feedback do you get from students and alumni on the class?

SH: Students recognize it’s challenging. When looking back at the course, they say they worked hard and are proud of the grade they received. Students really understand that their grade reflects work and accomplishment. Recent graduates have told me that the things they learned in Finance 450 really are important now that they are in the real world. These topics continue to affect them in life after college.

“Finance 450 was a difficult class that I put a lot of hours of studying into, but it taught me to think in a more analytical and problem solving way. After taking the class, I have found that I can apply these skills to the rest of my business classes to help me succeed.”

– Libby Queen, junior in management

“Scott Hendrix is by far one of my favorite teachers here at K-State. Not only does he really enjoy what he teaches, he has a lot of real world examples to go along with the material. He keeps his lectures moving and has a way of keeping you interested in the material throughout the entire class period.”

– Brian Begnoche, junior in management information systems

“Finance 450 was one of the most challenging classes I have taken at K-State, yet it allowed me to take away an abundance of knowledge about real life financial situations. Scott Hendrix encourages his students to challenge themselves through hard work to learn the material.”

– Andrew Wagner, senior in management information systems

“My favorite part about the class was definitely Hendrix. He’s an awesome professor. He knows most of his 400 students by name; he definitely takes an interest in us.”

– Megan Sorrick, senior in finance

“Although Finance 450 was one of the most challenging classes that I have taken at K-State, I am very happy that I took the course because it taught me important day to day facts about investing and financing and how making financial decisions can affect my life.”

– Jackie Spahn, senior in accounting

Stay connected

• Meetourstudents.

• Getnotificationoflectures,networkingandotherCBAevents.

• Learnaboutstudents,facultyandalumnifeaturedinthenewsmedia.

• Haveupdatedinformationaboutnewfacultysearches.

• NetworkwithotherCBAalumni.

Visit us at www.cba.kstate.edu

Like us at www. facebook.com/KStateBusiness

Follow us at www. twitter.com/KStateBusiness

Join us at Linkedin alumni group K-State College of Business Administration.

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Economic update by Eric Higgins

The United States economy has begun to recover from what has arguably been the worst recession since the Great Depression. As it moves forward there are three potential drags on the economy that bear watching.

We are still seeing high unemployment rates. Typically after a recession unemployment falls rapidly. However, we have not observed this yet during the current recovery with unemployment still hovering around 9 percent. For the economy to fully recover, unemployment must begin to fall.

The United States housing market is still in a state of turmoil. Recently, banks have come under fire for their failures in processing home foreclosures. This has slowed the pace of foreclosure and has created an illusion of improvement, but we are far from recovery in the housing market. Recent data suggests that almost 30 percent of all mortgages in the U.S. are “underwater,” which means that the loan value is greater than the value of the home. In addition, home prices still continue to fall indicating that the bottom of the market has yet to be reached. Until the housing market begins to turn around, a full economic recovery will be delayed.

Finally, inflation has begun to rear its ugly head around the world. Both China and Taiwan have recently raised interest rates due to inflationary fears. The Federal Reserve Bank is currently not concerned about inflation in the United States. However, with the massive amount of cash in the economy thanks to zero interest rates and substantial “quantitative easing,” a euphemism for pumping cash into the economy, there is definitely cause for concern.

It remains to be seen how these three factors will affect the economy in the future, but investors should remain vigilant and protect against a sluggish economy.

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Eric Higgins is the finance department head and von Waaden Chair of Investment Management.

Investment options

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities or TIPS are U.S. government-issued notes and bonds of five, 10 or 30 years to maturity that adjust for inflation. Unlike a typical adjustable rate bond, TIPS adjust the principal investment made by the investor, giving the investor inflation protection on their coupon payments and on their principal investment.

Investing in the stock market is always an option but caution should be taken. The stock market is currently quite volatile if we compare it to the past, but the market has risen substantially from its lows in March 2009. Additionally, investors should be cautious as we approach the end of the second round of quantitative easing in June 2011. Many economists are concerned that the economic rally that we are seeing will not be self-sustaining after the end of quantitative easing.

Given continued decline in real estate values, many investors are interested in having some of their investment portfolio in the real estate market. One option for real estate investment is through a real-estate investment trust, REIT. A REIT is a publicly traded company that invests in either properties or mortgages. REITS have certain tax advantages that afford them the ability to offer attractive dividend payouts to investors. The purchase of a REIT also allows an investor to buy into a diversified pool of real-estate investments as opposed to buying individual properties.

While the economy is still in the recovery process the best advice is to educate yourself in the investment options available and proceed with caution.

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Stores within stores Marketing trend explained

by Richard McFarland

Have you ever walked into a grocery or department store only to find another store inside of it? This store-within-a-store concept is growing in popularity across the United States. Examples include Murray’s Cheeses shops inside Kroger grocery stores, Estee Lauder cosmetic counters and Sunglass Hut boutiques inside Macy’s, and the Edwin Watts Golf store inside Sears.

The SWS concept is especially common among branded consumer markets for cosmetics, apparel and technology goods. These types of products are characterized by rapid changes due to technological improvements, changing styles and consumer preferences.

What’s in it for the brand?

Visibility: Being housed inside a large store gives brands exposure to high customer traffic. Customers also want the opportunity to shop for multiple brands in one location, thus the co-location of several competitor brands is beneficial.

Flexibility: Manufacturers with rapidly changing products like the flexibility that a large retailer can provide, while keeping control of its brand and brand reputation. It also gives the retailer and stores greater flexibility to increase or decrease

floor space as needed, or move to different stores.

Small Investment: The SWS doesn’t require the expensive startup costs and high overhead that a stand-alone store would require for them.

Well-trained employees: The salespeople you see work exclusively for the SWS and are often employed by the brand and not the larger retailer. By staffing these mini-stores with their own staff, they can ensure that their brand is well represented by knowledgeable and well-trained salespeople.

What’s in it for the retailer?

Credibility: Retailers view this as an opportunity to generate credibility with a diverse number of brands and drive traffic into their stores. Employees trained by each brand also give the retailer a knowledgeable workforce.

Shared Costs: The costs for hiring and training the SWS employees is born or shared by the brand.

Things to look for

While the benefits for both sides are mutual, the research shows that cooperation between the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s sales force and the retailer is key for a SWS to succeed.

Why now?

The SWS concept is growing in importance in the United States, but it has been popular for years in Asia. It is beneficial for U.S. companies wanting to do business globally to be familiar with the model which can bring the benefits of a retail location without many of the costs.

LessonsRichard McFarland is an associate professor of marketing. He and four colleagues from the CBA recently completed “Understanding Governance Decisions in a Partially Integrated Channel: A Contingent Alignment Framework,” from where this article derives. Their research will be published in the elite Journal of Marketing Research later this year.

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In the business of doing goodIn a college that focuses on business and revolves around profits, students routinely step up to help others. Their philanthropy is more than just a resume enhancer, it’s a desire – a hunger that grows and can only be satisfied by giving. These business school students have time, expertise and a burning passion to help others.

by Jason Strachman Miller

It was an interest in economic development and a connection to Africa that led College of Business Administration senior Kyle Landau to start a micro lending project for a city in northern Tanzania.

The idea is simple: Give small loans for people to invest in products that will increase their standard of living and would eventually pay for themselves. So far he has the concept and implementation plan down. This summer he’ll test the project.

“I have always been interested in development economics. I think poor people can catch up to the rest of the world before the rest of the world can run away from them.”

The Leawood, Kan., native has been busy planning the project, looking at possible support from local and regional groups and learning Swahili. He will spend the summer in Africa polishing his language-skills, and helping his cousin, who works at a mission hospital in Tanzania. Landau will assist with accounting, and will test the micro lending project with 100 energy-efficient stoves.

He is working with Chad Jackson, associate director for the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, and was a finalist in The Next Big Thing, a campus-wide, $20,000 prize money entrepreneurship competition. Jackson is advising nine other students with their social entrepreneurship projects.

Landau is one of many business students involved in philanthropy work. These students put many hours of work and classroom-learned skills into helping others and improving the communities around them, including the K-State campus.

Samantha Schuckman, senior in marketing, had the idea of organizing Tee Off Against Cancer, a

golf tournament, for Alpha Kappa Psi, the co-ed business fraternity. The tournament will benefit the Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research at K-State.

The fraternity has held a fundraising barbecue for years, but they wanted to diversify and increase their collections to better fund the center, which was founded by and named after a K-State professor who died of cancer in 2002.

Around Calvin Hall one can also find members of the Business Ambassadors, a 53-member volunteer group, that helps faculty and staff at the CBA with recruitment, hospitality and student relations efforts.

“They are a key component of why the CBA is nationally ranked and the number one choice among Kansas high school seniors,” said Mardell Maxwell, recruitment coordinator for the college and the group’s advisor. “Most importantly, they are dedicated to campus leadership, peer mentorship and civic engagement.”

Growing up giving

Lyndsay Bruns grew up in a home where community engagement and volunteerism was part of daily life. Her mother, a teacher, was always involved in the schools where she worked, while her father, also a teacher, was a volunteer coach for several teams.

Every year they volunteered at soup kitchens in Kansas City for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“It was so amazing to see how small acts of kindness could make such a difference in someone’s life,” said Bruns. “I think these small acts while growing up really helped shape my decision to go into non-profit work. I know I will encourage these habits later in life when I have kids.”

The senior in marketing is now a coordinator of the Academic Mentoring Program at K-State. This program pairs K-State students with local schools and organizations to promote child development. The students involved serve as mentors working directly with local children.

“I got to go into local schools and work with young children and help them with things they were struggling with,” Bruns said. “Just being an extra hand in the classroom is really nice for a lot of teachers.”

It was also before high school that Tina Ratcliff, was bitten by the volunteer bug. The freshman began doing volunteer work when she started middle school and became heavily involved in high school. Since coming to K-State, Ratcliff has done landscaping projects for seniors with the Hands On Kansas State as part of her orientation class for honors. She is currently the Beginning a Promising Profession Club president.

The BAPP club is designed to give freshmen and sophomore students who plan to major in business an opportunity to obtain information about careers and experience planning and executing events.

“It opens up your viewpoint when you’re working with people volunteering,” Ratcliff said. “When you do volunteer work you see a different aspect to people and I think it’s an educational experience.”

After family friends stayed at the Ronald McDonald house while their child was ill, Allison Straub started volunteering at the house in Wichita, Kan.

Ronald McDonald houses provide a low or no cost place to stay for families whose children are on short or long-term hospital stays. Straub, who

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Mardell Maxwell, recruitment coordinator, advises the Business Ambassadors on civic engagement and peer mentorship projects.

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is from Hays, Kan., received a scholarship from K-State for her charity work, and was tapped by Alpha Delta Pi sorority, whose philanthropy has been Ronald McDonald houses for two decades. She is now a member of the sorority and the organization’s philanthropy chair.

“They charge $15 a night for families to stay in those houses but they won’t turn families away if they can’t pay the fee so the money we raise goes towards families who can’t afford to pay the fee,” Straub said. “They also go toward keeping the houses looking nice and supplying the houses with food, cleaning supplies and that kind of thing.”

In addition to the monetary donations the members regularly visit the houses around the state to help with cooking, cleaning and maintenance of the properties.

Making a connection

Many volunteers will tell you that giving back has benefits too. For Ryan Patterson, freshman in management with a minor in leadership, the social aspect of volunteering is very rewarding.

“It was great, not only were we serving others, but I also got to know the other people I was serving with,” Patterson said.

Patterson is the philanthropy chair for the fraternity, Acacia; he has also worked with Habitat for Humanity and served as a leader for a class

project to raise money for the Make A Wish Foundation.

The group sold paper stars which hung in the leadership studies building and the K-State Student Union, raising close to $550 for an ill Clay Center, Kan., child to help make her wish of going to Disneyland come true.

“Toward the end of the semester we found out we were going to meet the little girl our money was going towards,” Patterson said. “It was awesome. It was such a great experience from just one class.”

The women of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority see their philanthopy funds distributed to the Riley County office of the court appointed special advocates association. CASA is a nonprofit network that supports and promotes court appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children.

“I really think it’s important to give back to the community and being from Manhattan and going to K-State I can see what the campus can do to impact the community,” said Erica Enlow, junior in accounting with a minor in leadership studies.

The Theta’s are continuously the number one contributor to the Riley County branch of CASA. Last year the group raised approximately $10,000 for CASA with their annual Wildcat Chase, a 5K race around Manhattan.

“It’s really cool to see how we can impact CASA just through our monetary donations, they couldn’t do it without our help,” Enlow said. “To work so hard and give the money to help other people is so fulfilling.”

Not only do the Theta’s provide financial donations to CASA, 10 of the women are also CASA volunteers.

“They’re the eyes and ears of the judge, really bringing the child to life on paper and letting them know what’s going on,” said Bridget Howland, resource development director for CASA, and a 2009 CBA graduate in marketing.

Volunteers must attend a 30-hour training session and commit a minimum of one year to the program.

“These kids have a lot of inconsistency in their lives already, a lot of them have been removed from their homes and are living in foster care and they might have several different social workers throughout their case but we like them to have one CASA to have that bond,” said Howland.

Aside from working with the academic mentoring program, Bruns is also one of the directors of Up Till Dawn, a national organization benefitting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

The K-State members hosted a letter writing campaign in October to raise funds and their

Erica Enlow, junior in accounting volunteers with Bridget Howland ‘09 marketing, resource development director of CASA.

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College of Business Adm

inistrationFeature: Philanthropyannual end of contributing celebration was held on April 1.

“Nationwide as colleges we raise between seven and eight million dollars per year that goes to the hospital,” said Bruns, who has been with the organization for four years. “That sounds like a significant amount of money but to run the hospital it costs $1.5 million per day.”

Living the dream

In the CBA, philanthropy doesn’t end when students earn their degree. CBA alumnus Cody Sudmeier (‘01) has found a way to apply his business skills to give back to others.

“It was really just a realization that [success] it’s a combination of working hard but also you have to acknowledge that not everyone starts at the same starting line in life,” said Sudmeier.

For Sudmeier, who is also the founder and principal of the Denver consulting firm Agility Solutions, philanthropy has taken such as big hold on his life that now close to half of his business is devoted to philanthropic endeavors.

He started All the Above Clothing, which designs and manufactures clothing with designs that represent a cause, out of a desire to give a meaning to fashion. Sudmeier donates 100 percent of the sale of cause-related T-shirts to the cause they represent.

“I really had trouble finding one organization that I was more passionate about than everything else. With all of these organizations I’m just like ‘man we need to do something about this’ no matter what it was,” said Sudmeier. “I wanted to come up with something where I could support multiple causes.”

Lessons learned

For business students the lessons they learn in the classroom have an impact in their volunteer work, but that work often gives them lifelong skills.

Patterson said his communication and public speaking skills have greatly increased from meeting with business representatives in the city. Jordan Young, president of the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi said everyone involved with organizing philanthropy stands to gain.

“When you do it as far as organizing it, it’s a great experience to talk with people around Manhattan and build some relationships with various people because in business and in life you’re going to have to deal with people outside of your field of study and it’s important to be able to reach out to those people,” Young said.

Young added that having fun and working on something that benefits people in a positive way makes the experience more meaningful. It’s not just learning to work with businesses around the city, the students involved gain a great deal of

experience with time management as well.

“I’m learning time management like no other,” Straub said of the time commitment the Ronald McDonald houses require. “I’ve never been under such time crunches before, but I know I have to execute because so many people are relying on me.”

Students hope that these skills will give them an edge when they go into the job market. Some see the impact of their volunteer work before they even graduate.

“I work at the agency on aging here in Manhattan and that volunteer experience was one of the reasons my boss hired me,” said Daniel Oder, senior in finance from Hugoton, Kan.

Landau, who will graduate in December with four majors under his belt (marketing, finance, accounting and economics) said he is seriously considering non-profit work as a career path, even though his dream has always been working in Wall Street.

“I love economics, and I also love giving other people the tools to do well. It is more fun to help people than not.”

For Bruns philanthropy has also been life-changing.

“Two years ago I would have been like ‘I will go into marketing,’ but now I’m die-hard into non-profits and I love it,” Bruns said. “The world is shifting away from the focus of non-profits having no money and there are a lot more corporate sponsorships, and a lot of corporations have their own philanthropies. I think that’s why I love it, everything is changing and it’s so exciting.”

Lifelong philanthropists Why do you give to the College of Business Administration?

“To help support a great university as much as possible and to provide some assistance to deserving students.”

Maynard Cox ‘39

“Because K-State helped me graduate. I had to borrow $50 from the alumni association to buy my cap and gown, diploma and a dozen announcements. I had completely run out of money. I did pay them back.”

The late Herbert H. Blevins ‘38

“I had a good time there [Kansas State University]. I thought I could help someone else.”

Elnita Ella Jezek ‘39

Cody Sudmeier (‘01 GENBA), devotes half of his company All The Above Clothing to philanthropic endeavors. Photo by Tiffany Roney.

The members of the planning committee (top from left) John Graham, Brian Kovar, Eric Higgins,Rodney Vogt, (bottom) Jane Chen and Jay Holt.

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College of Business Adm

inistrationFeature: CBA trading lab

From Wall Street to Calvin Hall The trading lab provides students with hands-on experienceby Olivia Blanco Mullins

The new stock market ticker in Calvin Hall is, like any new and shiny toy, a hit. With its constant, flow of market information, it has had students raving about it on Twitter for weeks after being installed. However the ticker is much more than a flashy toy. It is a sign of the real-life experiences that students have the opportunity to take advantage of while at the CBA.

The stock market ticker is part of the Investment Management and Capital Markets Trading Lab, an integrated computer lab where students can get hands-on experience on investment management, risk management and capital markets trading.

“It is a way to expand the experiential learning opportunities for our students. For them to get hands-on experience on how markets work and on trading,” said Eric Higgins, finance department head and von Waaden Chair of Investment Management, who spearheaded the project.

The trading lab is housed on the third floor of Calvin Hall, which many may remember as a dusty attic, and is outfitted with new furniture, lights, electrical outlets and network connections. There are two 46-inch monitors mounted from the ceiling, dual monitors for each of the 12 workstations and instructor podium, digital display video feeds, as well as the ticker display in the student lounge. The computers run Financial Trading Systems, a trading-simulation software.

“The tools available will replicate what a finance student will see in the real world and help them be more competitive,” said Rodney Vogt, Ernst & Young Teaching Fellow in accounting who was part of the planning committee for the trading lab.

While the stock market ticker runs on a 30-minute delay, and there are many additions still on the wish lists of faculty and students, such as the Bloomberg financial software, the lab will be an invaluable tool next fall. Courses taught in the lab will include Management Strategies Applied in Corporate Finance, Investment Management and Bank Management.

Student-run Equity and Debt Funds

The trading lab will soon become an essential part of the Integrated Investment Management Certificate, a 15-credit hour certificate program for students who want to specialize in investment management. Students take advanced investment management classes and have the opportunity to manage the von Waaden Student Investment

Portfolio, a student-managed real-money portfolio of more than $750,000.

“I had heard about the fund,” said Jacquie Dewbre, senior in finance who is completing the Integrated Investment Management Certificate, “but I didn’t know it was a thousands-of-dollars fund donated by alumni.”

Dewbre said that before she took the Securities and Portfolio Analysis class she also didn’t realize how much input she and her classmates would have in the portfolio management. Students vote on the trading and Higgins, who teaches the class, does the actual trade.

“Dr. Higgins stops us only if we made a mathematical error, otherwise he trades what we vote,” said Dewbre, who is from Buhler, Kan.

The integrated investment management lab planning committee searched for the tools that would best help students experience what they learn in their classes. Vogt, for example, was looking to bring software to the lab that would add to the real-life applications of his Financial Statement Analysis class. For John Graham, professor and executive in residence, the main objective was to also bring hands-on experience to the students.

“It gives students, especially undergraduates, an advantage over students from other business

schools,” said Graham who is a board member of the Tortoise Investment Companies, six closed-end funds listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and retired CEO of Farm Bureau’s insurance and investment companies. “They get real hands-on experience, using real money too.”

Graham and Higgins said that there are other schools with similar facilities, but few have a program like the undergraduate-managed investment fund. In addition to managing an equity portfolio, students in the certificate program have the possibility of managing a debt portfolio, which gives them the opportunity to experience long term, bond management.

“You realize the pressure of making sure you do good work and follow through on everything,” said Dewbre who is applying to law school. “It gives you an idea of what you would do if you were working on an investment fund.”

The project was completed with the donations of several alumni, including Sally and Dennis von Waaden, as well as commitment of space and funds from the CBA.

Did you know? Undergraduate students manage an investment portfolio of more than $750,000. They have higher return averages than the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard and Poors 500 Index.

Jacquie Dewbre, senior in finance, had the possibility to experience trading with the real-money investment fund as part of the IIM certificate she is completing.

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nHow to study abroad in nine countries in one semesterJulianna Falls was sure she wanted to study abroad. The problem was she couldn’t decide which country would give her the best experience. With much planning, the junior in management who is also pursuing a minor in leadership studies, ended up not having to settle. She was able to study abroad in nine countries in less than four months.

She chose Semester at Sea, a semester-long, study-abroad program that takes students on educational cruises. The students take classes for credit they earn through the University of Virginia, and visit several continents through the semester.

“I learned to appreciate cultures and differences — we have a long way to go in understanding other cultures,” said Falls, who prior to her trip, had been abroad once, in Mexico.

The voyage started with a flight to San Diego, and a bus ride to Ensenada, Mexico, where she and more than 500 students boarded the ship. Falls visited Japan, China, Vietnam, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana and Brazil before debarking in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with a completely different perspective on life.

“It was independence and confidence building. I was out of my comfort zone; I had to do a lot of personal growing. We had a lot of discussions and reflection. It changed my views so much,” said Falls.

On the days that the ship was on open sea, Falls and the rest of the students attended classes just like they would on any college campus. When they arrived at the destinations much of the material learned could be experienced. Falls remembers learning about the Vietnam War while on board from a professor who had fought in Vietnam, then visiting some of the sites and learning about the war from the Vietnamese perspective.

Falls earned 12 credit hours including the ones she earned for courses such as International Management and Intercultural Communications. The credit hours were easily transferable to K-State. Emily Brueseke, Falls’ academic advisor, explained that when choosing a semester abroad program it is important to pick one that is backed by an accredited institution — Semester at Sea students earn credits through the University of Virginia — then work with an advisor to determine which courses in the chosen program will best apply to the student’s degree.

Falls went on field trips and attended lectures given by local leaders. According to the Semester at Sea website, past lecturers have included Mother Teresa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Pete Peterson, first U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.

Swinder Janda, professor of marketing and Paul Edgerley Chair in Global Business, said that “studying abroad can enhance a student’s educational experience beyond learning about international business and foreign cultures. It enhances their development by making them more world-minded.”

There also were difficulties in being abroad. “The biggest challenges were having others use American

stereotypes and apply them to me, sticking out in the crowd was hard. I didn’t know how to relate, but after a while I got used to it and felt more comfortable,” said Falls.

These are the type of challenges that Janda described as being critical in today’s business environment. “Being forced into an environment different than their own increases their self-confidence and self-reliance,” said Janda.

Falls, who would like to continue traveling and interacting with other cultures as part of her professional career, said that the trip made her see the differences in people, and taught her to have an open mind. “Learning stories about different people, learning about their backgrounds; It broadened my inquisitiveness,” said Falls.

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“You are the odd one out. You have to learn how to relate and get past that first level of insecurity.”

Julianna Falls

Juliana Falls’ semester abroad

9 Countries

12 credits

$26,000 plus flight from Kansas City, Mo., to/from port of call

12 Immunization shots: including Malaria, Yellow Fever and Typhoid

5 Visas

Source: Julianna Falls

Business students abroad winter-spring 201150 College of Business Administration students abroad

7 Countries; including China, Czech Republic, Germany and South Korea (Includes full semester programs, as well as winter and spring break trips)

Source: Bente Janda

Did you know?

CBA Students have the opportunity to study abroad with the generous donations of alumni and friends. K-State also offers university-wide scholarships for study abroad programs. To learn more contact Tim Grant, tmg@found.k-state.edu

Julianna Falls visited Hilo, Hawaii during her semester abroad. Photo courtesy of Julianna Falls.

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College of Business Adm

inistrationClass notes1960Dale Molesworth (GENBA) is retired. He spent one term on the Buellton, Calif., City Council following nearly 40 years in the management of large medical groups. Dale and his wife, Carol, have been married 54 years. They have two daughters, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

1963Thomas Brettschneider (GENBA) has retired from the InterContinental Hotels Group. He is now consulting to the hotel industry through BMA Real Estate Consulting Group LLC in Atlanta, Ga.

1980Larry Durant (ACCTG, GENBA) is the chief of the receivable systems and reporting group for the USDA Farm

Service Agency in Kansas City, Mo. Larry manages a debt portfolio in excess of $200 million.

1987Gary Stark (ACCTG) received tenure and was promoted to associate professor of management in the College of Business at Northern Michigan University.

1996Mike Atkins (ACCTG) and his wife, Erika, welcomed their first child in January 2011, Asher. They live in Texas.

1998Sarah Cotté Williamson (ACCTG, FINAN) was married July 17, 2010. Her husband, Josh, is a University of Kansas graduate. They live in Lawrence, Kan.

2000Marti Bott (MKTG, M.S. ‘04) accepted a position as a financial planning associate at Strasbaugh Financial Advisory in Colorado Springs, Colo. In this role, he attained his Series 65 license.

2004Nick Rogers (MIS) and Jennette Becker Rogers (’02 Agribusiness) welcomed their second son, Weston Nicholas, Jan. 8, 2010. Nick also accepted a job as Supply Manager at Siemens Wind Power in Hutchinson, Kan.

2006Dan Hunt (MIS) was recently named a “Mover & Shaper” by Bartlesville Magazine. He is currently employed as an information technology

analyst by ConocoPhillips in Bartlesville, Okla.

2007Christy Loudon (ACCTG) recently passed the CPA exam and is licensed in Colorado.

2009James Baker (GENBA) accepted a position as business/technical analyst with Hartman Oil Co. Inc. in Wichita Kan.,in February 2011 after working as a consultant with the organization the previous eight months.

In Memoriam

1952Phil Kottler (MKTG) passed away June 29, 2010.

Franklin “Frank” Burke, named 2011 College of Business Administration’s Alumni FellowStudents and faculty had the opportunity to meet and talk to Frank Burke, 2011 CBA’s Alumni Fellow. Burke visited with faculty members and talked with business students throughout his visit to the K-State campus.

An example of hard work and dedication, Burke spoke of his time at K-State and his rise to professional success. He answered financial and current affairs questions from business students during several meetings, and repeatedly told them to “think for themselves.”

A 1955 graduate of K-State, Burke earned a finance degree in three and a half years, while also owning and operating a small market that allowed him to pay for his and his wife’s education. He later earned a master’s degree in financial management from the University of Colorado, and was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years. In 1964 he founded Burke, Lawton, Brewer & Burke, an investment management firm in the Philadelphia area. He currently serves as president and chief executive officer. His firm has clients in 42 states and five countries.

The Alumni Fellows program is an annual event sponsored by the Dean’s Council, the president’s office, and the K-State Alumni Association. The program brings to the K-State campus alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers. Every year, since 1983, alumni are chosen from each college by their deans.

Burke and his wife of 56 years, Elizabeth ’ 55, visited Manhattan and the college Feb. 23-25, 2011

See video of Mr. Burke remembering his time at K-State: cba.k-state.edu/calvintoday

Share your newsWe want to let your fellow CBA alumni know what is happening in your life by printing items in the Calvin Today class notes. There are many ways to share your good news:

• Sendusaletterwithyournewsto: Calvin Today, Attn: Class Notes 107 Calvin Hall Kansas State University Manhattan, KS 66506

• Sendusafaxto(785)532-7216. Please include full name, major and class as well as a contact phone number and/or email address.

• Gotowww.cba.k-state.edu/calvintodayand fill out our alumni update form.

• ClickontheAlumnitabonourfacebook page www.facebook.com/KStateBusiness.

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Ranked among top business schools in the nation by Bloomberg’s

Businessweek magazine in 2010, 2011

90%of students gain employment or are accepted into graduate

school upon graduation

$695,000awarded by the CBA in scholarships in 2010

2,450

122

undergraduate students

graduate students

Visit the CBA calendar www.cba.kstate.edu to stay updated with upcoming lectures, networking opportunities and much more.

Clos

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May

9

13

14

17

19

22

30

August

September

October

Finals Week

Graduate School Commencement

Spring 2011 Commencement

Accounting Department Alumni Week (Wichita and Kansas City)

Fall Semester 2011 Begins

Fall 2011 Department of Marketing Advisory Council Meeting

Calendar

Congratulations Class of 2010

Congratulations to Yar M. Ebadi for 15 years of service as Dean of the College of Business Administration (1996 - 2011).

Your inspirational leadership has enhanced the college by developing a strong, world-class faculty and providing students a business education of recognized quality to prepare them for success in today’s world of global business.

The CBA faculty and staff appreciate your devotion as well as your generous support and encouragement that is evident in every corner of Calvin Hall.

Although we will miss you greatly as dean, we welcome you back to the CBA faculty, Professor Ebadi!

A scholarship in the name of Dean Yar M. Ebadi has been established by members of the Business Advisory Council. For more information please contact Tim Grant, timg@found.ksu.edu

The Business Advisory Council met on Oct. 8, 2010, at the Clarion Hotel in Manhattan. President Kirk Schulz and Provost April Mason addressed the group. Head football Coach Bill Snyder was the luncheon speaker.

The Business Advisory Council is a group of engaged business executives who advise the CBA leadership team and help design the innovative programs that give our graduates a competitive edge. The members facilitate relationships that result in numerous educational

experiences for our students and help the college stay relevant in today’s global environment.

2010-2011 Dean’s Business Advisory Council

110 Calvin HallManhattan, KS 66506-0501

College of Business Administration

K-State notice of nondiscrimination Kansas State University is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or other nonmerit reasons, in admissions, educational programs, or activities and employment (including employment of disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam Era), as required by applicable laws and regulations. Responsibility for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 has been delegated to Clyde Howard, Director of Affirmative Action, Kansas State University, 214 Anderson Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-0124, 785-532-6220 or TTY: 785-532-4807.