Alumni Newsletter Winter 2014 - 2015 Building Distinction. Help your fellow Bulldogs know what’s happening in your life by sending your news for the “Class Notes.” Email your news to [email protected], and we will share it with everyone in our next quarterly newsletter. Thanks! SEND US YOUR NEWS! First time freshmen enrollment was up 13% this fall. Total enrollment in the college of business was 1147, which is a 3.1 % increase. The search for a new Dean is underway. The review of applicants began October 1st and applicants are under review. The committee hopes to make its recommendations in February. - Bankers Day - March 31 - Hall of Fame Banquet - April 30 COB HIGHLIGHTS DEAN SEARCH UPDATE UPCOMING HAPPENINGS THE TIME HAS COME - NEW WING ADDITION TO THE COB CIS PROGRAM A TRUE WINNER! For students majoring in computer information systems (CIS) at Louisiana Tech University, what they learn in college will help them continue learning in the future. “We have people who are network administrators, software developers, system analysts, project managers, and database administrators,” said Dr. Selwyn Ellis, an associate professor. “We have kids who are good problem solvers and good critical thinkers.” “These problem solvers,” Ellis said, “graduate with technical skills and are equipped with a complete set of business skills.” “We try to teach kids fundamentals and a willingness to be a lifelong learner,” Ellis said. “In a technology career, you’ll get a skill set in college. When you get out of school, the skill set will be there, but the tool may not be there. You have to keep your skills current.” Dr. Tim Bisping, interim dean of the College of Business, said the job prospects for a CIS major are very strong. “Major companies located in north Louisiana actively recruit our students for jobs with great potential,” Bisping said. “A CIS degree provides a broad range of opportunities for students to apply technology in business environments. If students are interested in using information technology and developing a career with real growth potential, CIS is a great answer for them.” According to a recent United States Department of Labor Jobs Outlook Report, employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is significantly faster than the average for all occupations. The report said that additional employment growth is likely to result from the need to bolster cybersecurity in IT departments as more attention is directed at cyber threats. The trend is expected to increase over the next decade. Some of this job growth in CIS and related programs is being felt right here in north Louisiana. Louisiana Tech has partnered with global IT leader Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City to offer a comprehensive suite of CIS, cyber and computer science programs that are designed to meet the current and future needs of CSC, and will result in well-paid, unique career opportunities for graduates. Also, CenturyLink’s continued growth as a leader in telecommunications and IT solutions services offers excellent opportunities for Louisiana Tech graduates to build lucrative careers and use their skills to help grow the knowledge economy of our region. Zach Hobbs graduated with a CIS degree in May and said this major was a great way to diversify one’s skill set in a business environment. “It’s important today to have a sufficient understanding of technology,” Hobbs said. “There’s not an office job out there that doesn’t involve creating a few macros in an Excel spreadsheet or PowerPoint slides in a presentation. When you have an advanced understanding of these tools which are regularly used in the workplace, you truly become valuable in any career path that you take.” Bisping said students learn a variety of skills in the CIS program. “First and foremost, students must complete the business foundation courses that every student in the College of Business must take,” he said. “This means students have a business background upon graduation. Within CIS, students are required to take multiple programming courses, as well as courses in database administration, information security, computer networking, and an information systems analysis and design senior project course.” “From there,” Bisping said, “the students tailor their degree based on their own interests. In addition, students have the opportunity to customize their program by pursuing additional courses in programming or information security,” Bisping said. “The real strength of the CIS degree program is that students get both business and technology.” The College of Business is proud to announce that building will soon begin, and we plan to break ground early this spring. The building addition will host several classrooms and workspaces for students. To learn about naming opportunities in various areas of the new wing, please contact Courtnie Nichols. DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE PROVIDES COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO LOCAL SCHOOLS The Center for Economic Education and the Department of Economics and Finance hosted a workshop in August for K-12 teachers to promote curriculum development to enhance economic and financial literacy. The workshop featured economists from the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank who provided a myriad of classroom materials and offered attending teachers help with curriculum planning. The workshop was open to teachers from eight parishes in northern Louisiana. Once again, the second annual workshop discussed the introduction and development of economics and personal finance into the public school curriculum for the purpose of enhancing the productivity of parish students as citizens. The key idea was how to help students develop critical decision making skills that require economic or financial reasoning. STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Three industrial/organizational psychology doctoral students at Louisiana Tech University recently won top research awards from the Southern Management Association (SMA) for “Overall Best Doctoral Student Paper in Conference” and “Best Doctoral Student Paper in Organizational Behavior.” The paper, entitled “The Real McCoy: Integrating the Empirical Research on Authentic Leadership,” was developed by James DeLeon, William Scanu, Evan Theys, and Dr. Bryan Fuller. The research project arose from Dr. Fuller’s MGMT 671 (organizational behavior) doctoral seminar in the fall of last year. Dr. Fuller is the Humana/ McCallister endowed professor of management in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business and teaches courses in organizational behavior, human resource management, and leadership. “These students have put together an amazing research project that has important implications for the study and practice of leadership,” according to Dr. Fuller. He further stated that the awards “place these students among the top doctoral students in the country and are an indication of the quality of both students and doctoral programs at Louisiana Tech University.” In her notification of the awards, SMA program chair Dr. Micki Kacmar noted that with over 550 papers submitted for inclusion in the conference program, winning these awards “was no small feat.” The students and Dr. Fuller will receive plaques at the conference, and have their membership and conference registration fees waived for the current year. KYLE MCDONALD - COB ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR The College of Business named Kyle McDonald as this year’s Alumnus of the Year. A reception was held November 1st in the Rawle Conference Center. McDonald, who earned a Finance degree from Louisiana Tech in 1981 and a Juris Doctorate from the LSU Law Center in 1984, is an ABA National Trust School graduate. He serves as chief executive officer for Argent Financial Group and is a past vice president and trust officer at Ruston State Bank. McDonald practiced law with Taylor, Porter, Brooks, & Phillips in Baton Rouge in 1984 and 1985 before joining Ruston State Bank in 1985. McDonald has also served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Northern Louisiana Medical Center, the North Louisiana Economic Partnership and the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce among other community activities. He is a member of the Louisiana committee of 100 for Economic Development and The Bridge Community Church of Ruston. Bulldog Fans, we want to see you! If you have not yet made your way over to our new building, please do so. Our doors are always open. Again, please feel free to stop by. Courtnie Nichols, Director of External Relations, would love to show you around and visit with you. VISIT THE NEW COB BUILDING ENTREPRENEURIAL STARS- TOP DAWG IDEA PITCH The entrepreneurship program keeps making news with competition for the TOP DAWG Idea Pitch. Two teams from Louisiana Tech were selected to compete in the first-ever Louisiana Startup Prize competition and won first and third place. The competition allowed teams to pitch business models to investors for a chance to win $25,000 cash and $25,000 worth of services, which included office space and accounting to help grow their business. PathoRADAR won the 2014 TOP DAWG New Venture Championship. Alchemy, another team in the competition, has licensed their technology from La Tech. Both teams were mentored by Louisiana Tech entrepreneurship professionals (Technology Business Development Center and others).Inman credited the process, which begins with the idea pitch and ends with the New Venture competition, with helping PathoRadar gain access to a network geared toward helping Tech’s young entrepreneurs get a head start with their business ideas. COLLEGE OF BUSINESS PROFESSOR TEAMS UP WITH ELS TO DO GREAT THINGS! Dr. Sean Dwyer, Associate Professor of Marketing & Analysis for the College of Business, is working across campus to help International Students adjust to entering College in the United States with less barriers. Dr. Dwyer has teamed up with Dan Erickson, Director of the International Student & Scholar Office, and Jay Ligon, Center Director for ELS Ruston to assist international students in their transition to US higher education. Louisiana Tech has formed a partnership with ELS Ruston to bring foreign students’ language skills up to a level where they can enter college – often times here at Tech. The program developed is called the International Pathways Certificate program. This program allows ELS students to take part in a class for a full semester to help them gain the understanding and skills needed to be a successful college student. Dr. Dwyer was chosen to be the pioneer of this pilot and served as a host for a few ELS students in the certificate program. He graciously allowed a group of ELS students to audit his Personal Selling class and participate in the assignments. ELS Ruston used Dwyer’s class to measure the effectiveness of the certificate program with their students. The program has done so well that a film is being produced to share with other ELS offices around the country. Hopefully, these successful methods will be replicated at other universities. The ELS corporate office has also approved and produced a video clip that is being displayed on their national website. The video will be translated for Viet Nam and a few other Southeast Asian nations including Japan. The head of ELS in Latin America has used the certificate program for the first time as a marketing tool, bringing 25 Columbian students to Tech this past summer for 25 weeks of language training. Dr. Sean Dwyer, will be coordinating the transition-to-the classroom part of the certificate with the ELS and College of Business administration. Dr. Dwyer believes this initiative is something with a good long-run implication for the College. The Columbian students taking part in the program may well serve as the first of many students from their country to attend Tech, and their first imprints will come from the College of Business. FACULTY SPOTLIGHT - DR. ANDREA DRAKE Dr. Andrea Drake has been named the new director of the School of Accounting & Information Systems. Dr. Drake has a bachelors in economics from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Accounting. She previously held the position of associate professor of accounting at Louisiana Tech and before then assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati. She has produced several publications and was awarded the Humana/ McCallister Endowed Professorship and Outstanding Faculty Advisor of the Year for the College of Business. CSC VISITS LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY & THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Faculty from Louisiana Tech University’s computer information systems, cyber engineering, and computer science programs, along with a research and development group recently hosted a strategic curriculum workshop for over 30 executives from CSC, a global leader in next-generation IT, . Clad in co-branded attire, the teams gathered at the Louisiana Tech campus, and in the spirit of collaboration discussed action plans for preparing Louisiana Tech graduates with the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to gain employment. A series of breakout and brainstorming sessions served as the foundation for the workshop, allowing Louisiana Tech and CSC personnel to build working relationships, better understand the goals for CSC’s Integrated Technology Center in Bossier City, and familiarize themselves with CSC’s recruiting and hiring strategies. Louisiana Tech faculty presented summaries of relevant courses, curricula, and projects in computer science, computer information systems, cyber engineering, and information technology, with the goal of developing action plans for minor or major curriculum changes, new courses, and projects. They also helped the CSC executives and staff better understand the university’s mission and vision, as well as experience some of Louisiana Tech’s rich traditions and campus culture. “The level of experience and thought leadership of our visiting executives from CSC was tremendous, and the breadth of responsibility and technologies represented was also very high,” said Dr. Stan Napper, vice president for research and development for Louisiana Tech. “Faculty and executives were engaged as colleagues in a way that I have never seen. The resulting action plans are comprehensive, but we have also identified some broad themes for the actions so that our curricula will more effectively prepare graduates for careers with CSC and other IT and software services companies.” Joanne M. Tran, doctoral candidate in the Department of Marketing & Analysis at Louisiana Tech won the Best Student Paper Award at the 39th annual conference of the Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ASBE). The conference was held in Memphis, TN September 24-26, 2014. Her presentation entitled, “Exploring The Red Queen Effect on Vietnamese Small Businesses and Innovation Post-Hurricane Katrina: A Qualitative Study” , was well received among conference participants. DOCTORAL CANDIDATE RECEIVES AWARD - JOANNE M. TRAN JAMIE ADAMS - UNIVERSITY YOUNG ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR The University named our very own Jamie Adams, CIS graduate of the College of Business, the Young Alumnus of the Year. Adams is Senior Vice President of Sales at Scorpion Design, LLC and is also co-founder of RollKoll Technologies. After beginning his career as a senior consultant at Deloitte & Touche, Adams became director of the ReachLocal Auto Division as well as vice president of sales within the Home Services Vertical Division and vice president of the Strategic Partnerships Division. In January of 2014, Adams co-founded RollKoll Technologies, a company dedicated to bringing efficiency and transparency to the off-duty security industry, making it easier for agencies to connect with police officers looking for off-duty work and then providing oversight. Then in March of 2014, Adams took on the additional role of senior vice president of Scorpion Design, LCC, an Internet marketing company designed to help professionals in a wide range of professions. FEDERAL RESERVE BANKERS COME TO THE COB The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas hosted one of their free FR Y-6 (Annual Report of Holding Companies) and FR Y-10 (Report of Changes in Organizational Structure) report workshops at the College of Business on October 23rd, 2014. This workshop assisted bank and savings and loan holding companies in the preparation of their structure reports. There were 17 participants from area banks across the state that attended the workshop where they learned more about the reports, reporting requirements, filing options, shortcuts, helpful hints, and learned best practices from other reporters. If you and/or your company is interested in holding your next workshop, meeting, seminar etc., please do not hesitate to call and schedule with Courtnie Nichols, director of external relations. The College of Business would love to work with you in hosting your next event. FACULTY RECOGNITION: CHRISTIE FULLER Dr. Christie Fuller has recently obtained the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) credential. To become a CISSP, you must have five years of full time work experience in two or more of the 10 domains that comprise the CISSP common body of knowledge, and you must also receive a score of at least 70% on a 250 question exam. The CISSP is widely considered one of the most prestigious information security certifications. Annual continuing education credits must be earned to maintain the credential. COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CELEBRATES FACULTY/STAFF FOR THE 2014-2015 ACADEMIC YEAR Feb. 12 - (Thursday) Florida Atlantic Feb. 14 - (Saturday) FIU Feb. 26 - (Thursday) UTEP Feb. 28 - (Saturday) UTSA BASKETBALL HOME GAMES Brian Dowis Accounting Dr. Andrew Sbaraglia, Accounting Dr. Kevin Watson, Management Paula Rose Economics & Finance Gwen Herring Dean’s Office Courtnie Nichols, Director of External Relations Gloria Skains Economics & Graduate Programs NEW FACULTY/STAFF Timothy O. Bisping, Interim Dean Qiming Wang Associate Professor Finance John Francis, Interim Associate Dean of Graduate Programs Christie Fuller, Associate Professor CIS Marcia Dickerson, Full Professor Bryan Fuller Full Professor FACULTY PROMOTIONS RECOGNITION RETIREMENT Bambie Seal, Administrative Coordinator for Undergraduate Programs was named the 2014 Outstanding Staff of the Year. Many of you know Vernette as the Administrative Assistant for the Dean’s office. She recently retired this summer. Mildred Vernette Farrar came to work at Tech July 10, 1989 and started with the College of Business on September 13, 1994. She retired from Tech with 25 years of service, 20 of those years with the College of Business. Vernette will be missed; all of us at the College of Business wish her much success. RESEARCH ROUNDUP Barry Babin, Head of the Department of Marketing & Analysis has recently prepared the following presentations: 1. “What Constitutes Unethical Author Behavior in the Publishing Process?” presented at the 2014 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress, Lima, Peru, August 6, 2014. With O.C. Ferrell. 2. “M-Turk Workers as Consumer Subjects -- Potential and Peril,” presented at the 2014 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress, Lima, Peru, August 6. With Lauren Brewer. 3. “How Do Signals Shape Wine Shoppers Value Perception?” presented at the 2014 Academy of Wine Business Research Conference, Griesheim University, Germany, June 29. With Nina Krey. He will also be publishing this journal publication in print by 2015: All the Same to Me: Outcomes of Aesthetic Labor Performed by Frontline Service Providers,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, DOI 10.1007/s11747-014-0407-4. With K. Pounders and A. Close. MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN Greetings to all of our alumni and friends! I hope that your new year is off to an excellent start, and that you share in my enthusiasm as we look ahead to the rest of 2015. It has been a busy and productive academic year for the College of Business with many good things on the horizon. The College of Business is growing! Our enrollment numbers remain strong, and we are about to embark on the expansion of our building. The bid process begins this month and we expect to break ground this spring. Not only do we need the new space, but we are also excited about the opportunity to plan this space carefully in order to maximize the benefits to our students. I am confident that this new wing will provide a modern and effective learning environment that will be a significant asset to our students, faculty, and staff. The search process for a new Dean of the College of Business is on track, and we are optimistic that the search will be concluded soon. We truly appreciate the service of our search committee which has been working diligently to identify and recommend the right candidate to serve the college in this capacity. Throughout this edition of our newsletter, you will learn about even more good things that are set to come this spring including our annual Banker’s Day on March 31st and the BSA Crawfish Boil, April 23rd. Please make special note that we will continue our newly established tradition of hosting the Hall of Fame Banquet. It is scheduled for April 30 and we will soon be sharing more information on this event. Thank you for taking the time to catch up on the latest news from the College of Business, and for your continued loyalty and support. I witness on a daily basis the difference that the support of our loyal alumni and friends makes in the lives of our students, faculty, and staff, and I thank you for your dedication to the College of Business. All my best, - Tim Bisping, Interim Dean
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Alumni Newsletter
Winter 2014 - 2015
Building Distinction.
Help your fellow Bulldogs know what’s happening in your life by sending your news for the “Class Notes.” Email your news to [email protected], and we will share it with everyone in our next quarterly newsletter.Thanks!
SEND US YOUR NEWS!
First time freshmen enrollment was up 13% this fall. Total enrollment in the college of business was 1147, which is a 3.1 % increase.
The search for a new Dean is underway. The review of applicants began October 1st and applicants are under review. The committee hopes to make its recommendations in February.
- Bankers Day - March 31- Hall of Fame Banquet - April 30
COB HIGHLIGHTS
DEAN SEARCH UPDATE
UPCOMING HAPPENINGS
THE TIME HAS COME - NEW WING ADDITION TO THE COB
CIS PROGRAM A TRUE WINNER!For students majoring in computer information systems (CIS) at Louisiana Tech University, what they learn in college will help them continue learning in the future.
“We have people who are network administrators, software developers, system analysts, project managers, and database administrators,” said Dr. Selwyn Ellis, an associate professor. “We have kids who are good problem solvers and good critical thinkers.” “These problem solvers,” Ellis said, “graduate with technical skills and are equipped with a complete set of business skills.”
“We try to teach kids fundamentals and a willingness to be a lifelong learner,” Ellis said. “In a technology career, you’ll get a skill set in college. When you get out of school, the skill set will be there, but the tool may not be there. You have to keep your skills current.”Dr. Tim Bisping, interim dean of the College of Business, said the job prospects for a CIS major are very strong.
“Major companies located in north Louisiana actively recruit our students for jobs with great potential,” Bisping said. “A CIS degree provides a broad range of opportunities for students to apply technology in business environments. If students are interested in using information technology and developing a career with real growth potential, CIS is a great answer for them.”According to a recent United States Department of Labor Jobs Outlook Report, employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is significantly faster than the average for all occupations. The report said that additional employment growth is likely to result from the need to bolster cybersecurity in IT departments as more attention is directed at cyber threats. The trend is expected to increase over the next decade.
Some of this job growth in CIS and related programs is being felt right here in north Louisiana. Louisiana Tech has partnered with global IT leader Computer
Sciences Corporation (CSC) and the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City to offer a comprehensive suite of CIS, cyber and computer science programs that are designed to meet the current and future needs of CSC, and will result in well-paid, unique career opportunities for graduates.
Also, CenturyLink’s continued growth as a leader in telecommunications and IT solutions services offers excellent opportunities for Louisiana Tech graduates to build lucrative careers and use their skills to help grow the knowledge economy of our region.
Zach Hobbs graduated with a CIS degree in May and said this major was a great way to diversify one’s skill set in a business environment. “It’s important today to have a sufficient understanding of technology,” Hobbs said. “There’s not an office job out there that doesn’t involve creating a few macros in an Excel spreadsheet or PowerPoint slides in a presentation. When you have an advanced understanding of these tools which are regularly used in the workplace, you truly become valuable in any career path that you take.”
Bisping said students learn a variety of skills in the CIS program. “First and foremost, students must complete the business foundation courses that every student in the College of Business must take,” he said. “This means students have a business background upon graduation. Within CIS, students are required to take multiple programming courses, as well as courses in database administration, information security, computer networking, and an information systems analysis and design senior project course.”
“From there,” Bisping said, “the students tailor their degree based on their own interests. In addition, students have the opportunity to customize their program by pursuing additional courses in programming or information security,” Bisping said. “The real strength of the CIS degree program is that students get both business and technology.”
The College of Business is proud to announce that building will soon begin, and we plan to break ground early this spring. The building addition will host several classrooms and workspaces for students. To learn about naming opportunities in various areas of the new wing, please contact Courtnie Nichols.
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICSAND FINANCE PROVIDESCOMMUNITY OUTREACH TO LOCAL SCHOOLSThe Center for Economic Education and the Department of Economics and Finance hosted a workshop in August for K-12 teachers to promote curriculum development to enhance economic and financial literacy. The workshop featured economists from the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank who provided a myriad of classroom materials and offered attending teachers help with curriculum planning. The workshop was open to teachers from eight parishes in northern Louisiana. Once again, the second annual workshop discussed the introduction and development of economics and personal finance into the public school curriculum for the purpose of enhancing the productivity of parish students as citizens. The key idea was how to help students develop critical decision making skills that require economic or financial reasoning.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTThree industrial/organizational psychology doctoral students at Louisiana Tech University recently won top research awards from the Southern Management Association (SMA) for “Overall Best Doctoral Student Paper in Conference” and “Best Doctoral Student Paper in Organizational Behavior.”
The paper, entitled “The Real McCoy: Integrating the Empirical Research on Authentic Leadership,” was developed by James DeLeon, William Scanu, Evan Theys, and Dr. Bryan Fuller. The research project arose from Dr. Fuller’s MGMT 671 (organizational behavior) doctoral seminar in the fall of last year. Dr. Fuller is the Humana/McCallister endowed professor of management in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business and teaches courses in organizational behavior, human resource management, and leadership.
“These students have put together an amazing research project that has important implications for the study and practice of leadership,” according to Dr. Fuller. He further stated that the awards “place these students among the top doctoral students in the country and are an indication of the quality of both students and doctoral programs at Louisiana Tech University.” In her notification of the awards, SMA program chair Dr. Micki Kacmar noted that with over 550 papers submitted for inclusion in the conference program, winning these awards “was no small feat.” The students and Dr. Fuller will receive plaques at the conference, and have their membership and conference registration fees waived for the current year.
KYLE MCDONALD - COB ALUMNUS OF THE YEARThe College of Business named Kyle McDonald as this year’s Alumnus of the Year. A reception was held November 1st in the Rawle Conference Center.
McDonald, who earned a Finance degree from Louisiana Tech in 1981 and a Juris Doctorate from the LSU Law Center in 1984, is an ABA National Trust School graduate. He serves as chief executive officer for Argent Financial Group and is a past vice president and trust officer at Ruston State Bank. McDonald practiced law with Taylor, Porter, Brooks, & Phillips in Baton
Rouge in 1984 and 1985 before joining Ruston State Bank in 1985. McDonald has also served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Northern Louisiana Medical Center, the North Louisiana Economic Partnership and the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce among other community activities. He is a member of the Louisiana committee of 100 for Economic Development and The Bridge Community Church of Ruston.
Bulldog Fans, we want to see you! If you have not yet made your way over to our new building, please do so. Our doors are always open. Again, please feel free to stop by. Courtnie Nichols, Director of External Relations, would love to show you around and visit with you.
VISIT THE NEW COB BUILDING
ENTREPRENEURIAL STARS- TOP DAWG IDEA PITCHThe entrepreneurship program keeps making news with competition for the TOP DAWG Idea Pitch. Two teams from Louisiana Tech were selected to compete in the first-ever Louisiana Startup Prize competition and won first and third place. The competition allowed teams to pitch business models to investors for a chance to win $25,000 cash and $25,000 worth of services, which included office space and accounting to help grow their business.
PathoRADAR won the 2014 TOP DAWG New Venture Championship. Alchemy, another team in the competition, has licensed their technology from La Tech. Both teams were mentored by Louisiana Tech entrepreneurship professionals (Technology Business Development Center and others).Inman credited the process, which begins with the idea pitch and ends with the New Venture competition, with helping PathoRadar gain access to a network geared toward helping Tech’s young entrepreneurs get a head start with their business ideas.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS PROFESSOR TEAMS UP WITH ELS TO DO GREAT THINGS!
Dr. Sean Dwyer, Associate Professor of Marketing & Analysis for the College of Business, is working across campus to help International Students adjust to entering College in the United States with less barriers. Dr. Dwyer has teamed up with Dan Erickson, Director of the International
Student & Scholar Office, and Jay Ligon, Center Director for ELS Ruston to assist international students in their transition to US higher education. Louisiana Tech has formed a partnership with ELS Ruston to bring foreign students’ language skills up to a level where they can enter college – often times here at Tech. The program developed is called the International Pathways Certificate program. This program allows ELS students to take part in a class for a full semester to help them gain the understanding and skills needed to be a successful college student. Dr. Dwyer was chosen to be the pioneer of this pilot and served as a host for a few ELS students in the certificate program. He graciously allowed a group of ELS students to audit his Personal Selling class and participate in the assignments. ELS Ruston used Dwyer’s class to measure the effectiveness of the certificate program with their students. The program has done so well that a film is being produced to share with other ELS offices around the country.
Hopefully, these successful methods will be replicated at other universities. The ELS corporate office has also approved and produced a video clip that is being displayed on their national website. The video will be translated for Viet Nam and a few other Southeast Asian nations including Japan. The head of ELS in Latin America has used the certificate program for the first time as a marketing tool, bringing 25 Columbian students to Tech this past summer for 25 weeks of language training. Dr. Sean Dwyer, will be coordinating the transition-to-the classroom part of the certificate with the ELS and College of Business administration. Dr. Dwyer believes this initiative is something with a good long-run implication for the College. The Columbian students taking part in the program may well serve as the first of many students from their country to attend Tech, and their first imprints will come from the College of Business.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT - DR. ANDREA DRAKEDr. Andrea Drake has been named the new director of the School of Accounting & Information Systems. Dr. Drake has a bachelors in economics from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Accounting. She previously held the position of associate professor of accounting at Louisiana Tech and before then assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati. She has produced several publications and was awarded the Humana/ McCallister Endowed Professorship and Outstanding Faculty Advisor of the Year for the College of Business.
CSC VISITS LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY & THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESSFaculty from Louisiana Tech University’s computer information systems, cyber engineering, and computer science programs, along with a research and development group recently hosted a strategic curriculum workshop for over 30 executives from CSC, a global leader in next-generation IT, .
Clad in co-branded attire, the teams gathered at the Louisiana Tech campus, and in the spirit of collaboration discussed action plans for preparing Louisiana Tech graduates with the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to gain employment. A series of breakout and brainstorming sessions served as the foundation for the workshop, allowing Louisiana Tech and CSC personnel to build working relationships, better understand the goals for CSC’s Integrated Technology Center in Bossier City, and familiarize themselves with CSC’s recruiting and hiring strategies.
Louisiana Tech faculty presented summaries of relevant courses, curricula, and projects in computer science, computer information
systems, cyber engineering, and information technology, with the goal of developing action plans for minor or major curriculum changes, new courses, and projects. They also helped the CSC executives and staff better understand the university’s mission and vision, as well as experience some of Louisiana Tech’s rich traditions and campus culture.
“The level of experience and thought leadership of our visiting executives from CSC was tremendous, and the breadth of responsibility and technologies represented was also very high,” said Dr. Stan Napper, vice president for research and development for Louisiana Tech. “Faculty and executives were engaged as colleagues in a way that I have never seen. The resulting action plans are comprehensive, but we have also identified some broad themes for the actions so that our curricula will more effectively prepare graduates for careers with CSC and other IT and software services companies.”
Joanne M. Tran, doctoral candidate in the Department of Marketing & Analysis at Louisiana Tech won the Best Student Paper Award at the 39th annual conference of the Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ASBE). The conference was held in Memphis, TN September 24-26, 2014.
Her presentation entitled, “Exploring The Red Queen Effect on Vietnamese Small Businesses and Innovation Post-Hurricane Katrina: A Qualitative Study”, was well received among conference participants.
DOCTORAL CANDIDATE RECEIVES AWARD - JOANNE M. TRAN
JAMIE ADAMS - UNIVERSITY YOUNG ALUMNUS OF THE YEARThe University named our very own Jamie Adams, CIS graduate of the College of Business, the Young Alumnus of the Year. Adams is Senior Vice President of Sales at Scorpion Design, LLC and is also co-founder of RollKoll Technologies. After beginning his career as a senior consultant at Deloitte & Touche, Adams became director of the ReachLocal Auto Division as well as vice president of sales within the Home Services Vertical Division and vice president of the Strategic Partnerships Division.
In January of 2014, Adams co-founded RollKoll Technologies, a company dedicated to bringing efficiency and transparency to the off-duty security industry, making it easier for agencies to connect with police officers looking for off-duty work and then providing oversight. Then in March of 2014, Adams took on the additional role of senior vice president of Scorpion Design, LCC, an Internet marketing company designed to help professionals in a wide range of professions.
FEDERAL RESERVE BANKERS COME TO THE COBThe Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas hosted one of their free FR Y-6 (Annual Report of Holding Companies) and FR Y-10 (Report of Changes in Organizational Structure) report workshops at the College of Business on October 23rd, 2014. This workshop assisted bank and savings and loan holding companies in the preparation of their structure reports. There were 17 participants from area banks across the state that attended the workshop where they learned more about the reports, reporting requirements, filing options, shortcuts, helpful hints, and learned best practices from other reporters. If you and/or your company is interested in holding your next workshop, meeting, seminar etc., please do not hesitate to call and schedule with Courtnie Nichols, director of external relations. The College of Business would love to work with you in hosting your next event.
FACULTY RECOGNITION: CHRISTIE FULLER Dr. Christie Fuller has recently obtained the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) credential. To become a CISSP, you must have five years of full time work experience in two or more of the 10 domains that comprise the CISSP common body of knowledge, and you must also receive a score of at least 70% on a 250 question exam. The CISSP is widely considered one of the most prestigious information security certifications. Annual continuing education credits must be earned to maintain the credential.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CELEBRATES FACULTY/STAFF FOR THE 2014-2015 ACADEMIC YEAR
Feb. 12 - (Thursday) Florida AtlanticFeb. 14 - (Saturday) FIUFeb. 26 - (Thursday) UTEPFeb. 28 - (Saturday) UTSA
BASKETBALL HOME GAMES
Brian DowisAccounting
Dr. AndrewSbaraglia,
Accounting
Dr. Kevin Watson,Management
Paula RoseEconomics &
Finance
Gwen HerringDean’s Office
Courtnie Nichols,Director of ExternalRelations
Gloria SkainsEconomics &
GraduatePrograms
NEW FACULTY/STAFF
Timothy O. Bisping,Interim Dean
Qiming WangAssociate Professor
Finance
John Francis,Interim Associate Dean of
Graduate Programs
Christie Fuller,Associate
Professor CIS
Marcia Dickerson,Full Professor
Bryan FullerFull Professor
FACULTY PROMOTIONS
RECOGNITION
RETIREMENT
Bambie Seal, Administrative Coordinator for Undergraduate Programs was named the 2014 Outstanding Staff of the Year.
Many of you know Vernette as the Administrative Assistant for the Dean’s office. She recently retired this summer. Mildred Vernette Farrar came to work at Tech July 10, 1989 and started with the College of Business on September 13, 1994. She retired from Tech with 25 years of service, 20 of those years with the College of Business. Vernette will be missed; all of us at the College of Business wish her much success.
RESEARCH ROUNDUPBarry Babin, Head of the Department of Marketing & Analysis has recently prepared the following presentations:
1. “What Constitutes Unethical Author Behavior in the Publishing Process?” presented at the 2014 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress, Lima, Peru, August 6, 2014. With O.C. Ferrell.2. “M-Turk Workers as Consumer Subjects -- Potential and Peril,” presented at the 2014 Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress, Lima, Peru, August 6. With Lauren Brewer.3. “How Do Signals Shape Wine Shoppers Value Perception?” presented at the 2014 Academy of Wine Business Research Conference, Griesheim University, Germany, June 29. With Nina Krey.
He will also be publishing this journal publication in print by 2015: All the Same to Me: Outcomes of Aesthetic Labor Performed by Frontline Service Providers,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, DOI 10.1007/s11747-014-0407-4. With K. Pounders and A. Close.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Greetings to all of our alumni and friends! I hope that your new year is off to an excellent start, and that you share in my enthusiasm as we look ahead to the rest of 2015. It has been a busy
and productive academic year for the College of Business with many good things on the horizon.
The College of Business is growing! Our enrollment numbers remain strong, and we are about to embark on the expansion of our building. The bid process begins this month and we expect to break ground this spring. Not only do we need the new space, but we are also excited about the opportunity to plan this space carefully in order to maximize the benefits to our students. I am confident that this new wing will provide a modern and effective learning environment that will be a significant asset to our students, faculty, and staff.
The search process for a new Dean of the College of Business is on track, and we are optimistic that the search will be concluded soon. We truly appreciate the service of our search committee which has been working diligently to identify and recommend the right candidate to serve the college in this capacity. Throughout this edition of our newsletter, you will learn about even more good things that are set to come this spring including our annual Banker’s Day on March 31st and the BSA Crawfish Boil, April 23rd.
Please make special note that we will continue our newly established tradition of hosting the Hall of Fame Banquet. It is scheduled for April 30 and we will soon be sharing more information on this event.
Thank you for taking the time to catch up on the latest news from the College of Business, and for your continued loyalty and support. I witness on a daily basis the difference that the support of our loyal alumni and friends makes in the lives of our students, faculty, and staff, and I thank you for your dedication to the College of Business.
All my best,- Tim Bisping, Interim Dean