Nebraska Business Magazine

Nebraska Business 2016

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College of Business Administration: By the Numbers

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration - "By the Numbers"

I continually mention to those who tour our spectacular new University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration building site how the structure itself is a reflection of so much more happening within the college. It reflects our aspirations as a college and represents a commitment of our alumni and business partners to help us flourish.

CBA Jumps 13 Spots in <em>U.S. News & World Report</em> Rankings

CBA Jumps 13 Spots in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

The College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has jumped 13 spots and into the Top 50 of undergraduate business schools in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. The college checked in at No. 48 in the publication’s annual ranking of business programs, which were released Sept. 13.

Record Enrollment Growth at Nebraska

As the University of Nebraska–Lincoln saw record enrollment growth in 2016, the College of Business Administration was among the campus leaders in adding students. Combining undergraduate and graduate enrollment, 4,196 called CBA home this fall.

Experiential Learning to Capture the Imagination of Students in New Building

Sneak Peek at New CBA Building

Dr. Donde Plowman, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer for academic affairs, describes the investment of $84 million in the new 240,000-square-foot University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration building as a game changer for the college. Now set to open in the summer of 2017, the experiential learning spaces and high-tech classrooms increase opportunities for students, faculty and alumni to maximize teaching and learning.

Milestones Reached as Building Construction Continues

CBA Topping Off Ceremony

Watch What We Have Started – 500 Day Timelapse of New Building

The spring and summer months saw a string of milestones reached in the construction of the new University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration building at 14th and Vine streets. Scheduled for completion in summer 2017, the $84 million, 240,000-square-foot structure is the largest academic building project in recent history at UNL.

Clifton Strengths Institute Impacts Campus in First Year

Clifton Strengths Institute at CBA

The Clifton Strengths Institute accelerated its mission of identifying and maximizing talent of college students, faculty and staff to guide their personal, professional and leadership development through the use of strengths-based sciences during the past year. The institute, funded through a $30 million donation by the Clifton Foundation and Gallup in 2015, gives the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration a unique ability to integrate strengths in all areas of the college.

Carlini Embraces Role as Strengths Coach

Drawing on her experience as a freshman, Angelica Carlini knows the value a strengths coach can provide a freshman student. That’s why the junior marketing major from Grand Island, Nebraska was eager to assist Professional Enhancement Investing in Strengths (BSAD 111) students as one of 80 strengths coaches for the 800-person class.

Sales Center Sees More Recognition

Continuing its growth while establishing itself as a leader in the field, the Center for Sales Excellence in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration was named as a 2016 “Top University for Professional Sales Education” by the Sales Education Foundation (SEF). Recognized for preparing students for careers in professional selling and helping to elevate the sales profession, the program teaches students how to sell themselves to employers, pitch their ideas and enhance their communication skills.

Katzberg Relishes Sales Center Experience

As she begins to look toward graduation in December, Victoria Katzberg considers her experience with the Center for Sales Excellence as a favorite part of her education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration. Katzberg, who is from Doniphan, Nebraska, sees the sales certificate program as a complement to her marketing major.

DREAMBIG Transforms High School Students

CBA Dream Big Academy Highlights

Sixty-three students representing 34 high schools and more than 20 cities learned about the dynamic world of business at the fifth annual DREAMBIG Academy held July 10-15 at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration. Sponsored by ConAgra Foods, the academy is designed to teach business, leadership and networking skills to students from across the state, expose them to future careers and prepare them for the college search.

Kozawa Dreams Big at Nebraska

The CBA DREAMBIG Academy has had its share of success stories, and Krystal Kozawa’s is emblematic of what the program wants to accomplish. As the daughter of Japanese and Mexican immigrants and a first-generation native English speaker, Kozawa is the first person from her family to attend college.

CBA Honors Academy

Honors Academy Spotlight

Founded in 2013, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration Honors Academy transforms high-ability students with leadership potential into the business leaders of tomorrow. Cohorts of approximately 40 students, representing the top business students at Nebraska, are challenge by an enhanced business curriculum. With an action-based learning style, academy students also develop critical thinking, technical and communication skills through leadership and professional programming. The first cohort will graduate in the spring of 2017.

Former All-American Taylor Sanderson Joins Third MAIAA Cohort

Donde Plowman and Shawn Eichorst Discuss MAIAA

Taylor Sanderson, a student in the third cohort of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration master of arts in intercollegiate athletics administration (MAIAA), is no stranger to multi-tasking. In high school, he played football, baseball, basketball and ran track. He has spent the last five years perfecting his athletic ability in track and field at Iowa State University, where he mastered several events to become one of the nation’s best in the 10-event grind known as the decathlon.

MAIAA Students Sweep CoSIDA Postgraduate Scholarships

Two students in the MAIAA program at CBA made history by sweeping this year’s College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) postgraduate scholarships.

Sohi Takes Leaps Ahead with MBA

UNL MBA On-Campus and Online

As she hurled herself out of an airplane toward the desert below, odds are Simran Sohi wasn’t thinking about the master of business administration degree she earned from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration. But having the chance to live and work in Qatar and by extension go skydiving while traveling in Dubai, likely would not have been possible without her education.

Challenges Inspire MBA Student in South Africa

Working in South Africa as a construction manager on a coal power plant which is the largest construction project in the southern hemisphere for Black & Veatch (B&V), an engineering company based in Overland Park, Kansas, it is clear Mark Snyder enjoys new challenges. Last year he embraced a new one by enrolling in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln MBA program.

McDermott Stays Busy in Juris Doctor/MBA Program

Because he would rather be busy than bored, Conor McDermott kept a hectic schedule the last years. A former Husker football player with a double major in finance and economics and a minor in history, he will earn his joint Juris Doctor/MBA from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in December.

First Cohort Begins for MABA Program

Learn About the 11-Month Masters Degree Program

The first cohort of master of arts in business administration (MABA) students began classes this fall at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration. The MABA program – geared to students who didn’t major in business – is an 11-month, on-campus graduate program with a curriculum similar to the nationally-ranked master of business administration program.

Williams Leads SRAM Program

Through an ongoing partnership with the Clifton Foundation and Gallup, Dean Donde Plowman appointed Dr. Larry J. Williams as director of the Survey Research and Methodology (SRAM) program, Donald and Shirley Clifton Chair of Survey Science and professor of management in spring 2016. Williams began his duties at UNL June 1.

Supply Chain Management and Analytics Becomes Newest Department

Supply Chain Management Major Opens Career Paths

The Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics started as the newest department at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration this fall. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the new department earlier this year to meet the educational demands students face in both supply chain management and business analytics.

Mendlik Inducted into School of Accountancy Hall of Fame

Paul Mendlik, former chief financial officer of West Corporation, was inducted into the University of Nebraska–Lincoln School of Accountancy Hall of Fame at the inaugural Celebration of Excellence. After earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting from UNL, Mendlik spent 27 years at Deloitte & Touche, the last 18 of those years as an audit partner. He started a new career at West Corporation in 2002 and retired in April 2015.

International Business, Study Abroad Programs Broaden

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration international business and study abroad program expanded throughout the year under the leadership of Dr. J.K. Osiri, associate professor of practice and the director of the international business program. A pair of study abroad programs in Uganda, and Spain and France provided participants new ways to apply what they learn in the classroom.

Maddie Stuart: Oxford Study Abroad Blog

Maddie Stuart is a junior advertising and public relations major and business minor from Lincoln, Nebraska. She is one of 71 students who participated in the 28th annual Nebraska at Oxford Program held July 17 through August 13 at the University of Oxford in England.

Rolle Discovers Academics and Community as His Nebraska Advantage

Keric Rolle Started Something at CBA

In high school, University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration senior actuarial science major Keric Rolle knew he was interested in becoming an actuary. A native of Nassau, Bahamas, he sought out a university with an international reputation of providing a solid business education at a great value.

From Blair to the Fed, CBA Gives Alex Johnson a Step Up

Alex Johnson, a senior from Blair, Nebraska, who is majoring in economics and mathematics, used skills learned at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration to secure a highly sought-after position at the Federal Reserve – an internship in the Research and Statistics division at the central banking system of the United States.

Junior Agribusiness Student Awarded Scholarship

Agribusiness Feature: Wilson Hupp

Though Wilson Hupp did not live on a farm, he grew up in O’Neill, Nebraska and worked on a ranch. This spurred his desire to pursue a degree in agribusiness at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration to gain the business skills necessary for a successful career in the large industry of agriculture.

Motorcycle Lifestyle Lets Blanske Shine in Gymnastics and Business

Hollie Blanske, a senior management and marketing major, traveled nearly 500 miles from her home in Oak Grove, Minnesota, to attend school at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration and compete for the Husker gymnastics team. Nebraska helped inspire her passions in athletics, business and even motorcycles.

New Business Minors Offered by CBA

Undergraduate students at University of Nebraska–Lincoln can enhance their degrees with two new minors offered by College of Business Administration. The business analytics and entrepreneurship minors became available to undergraduate students beginning fall 2016.

Fashion Design Student Starts Business

McKinsey Leaf designs and produces custom jewelry to sell at craft fairs, farmers markets and boutiques in Lincoln and surrounding areas. Kinsey’s Kraft Korner is just the first step along the sophomore fashion designer major’s path to work under a designer and eventually run her own company. Because her major focuses primarily on the creative side of fashion, Leaf chose to add a business minor to help prepare her to reach her goals.

Alumnus Warren Buffett Dines with Finance Students

Students in the Finance 463 course, Security Analysis and Warren Buffett Business Valuation Techniques, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration met the most famous CBA alumnus Warren Buffett ’51 in October.

Business Students Travel to Explore Careers

CBA students don’t just learn on campus. Visits to national businesses through CBA treks provide students with insight and experience beyond the classroom.Multiple programs offer opportunities to travel.

Strive to Thrive Lincoln Funds Local Non-Profit Efforts

Strive to Thrive Lincoln, a grant project aimed at local non-profits and initiated by students in the Leading People and Project Management (MNGT 411) course, awarded $10,000 in December 2015 to recipients Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach ($5,000), Court Appointed Special Advocates ($2,500) and Lincoln Literacy ($2,500). Funds are made available through the Learning by Giving Foundation which partners with colleges and universities around the United States to distribute the grants. Doris Buffett founded the philanthropic venture.

Krajicek Takes Flight With Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds Pilot and UNL Graduate Maj. Nick Krajicek

Most University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration graduates do not end up piloting an Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon at more than 600 miles per hour while performing complex aerial maneuvers. But for Major Nick Krajicek ’00, the job of a lifetime presented itself due to hard work and lessons learned while attending the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Business Major Helps Create Economic Opportunity in Uganda

Ashley van Waes ’13, an international business major with minors in economics and Spanish, started her career path from a passion to help others. She spent much of the past year in Uganda, working with the Women’s Microfinance Initiative (WMI), an organization dedicated to providing capital, training and support services to rural women.

Dr. Lin Earns Early Career Scholarly Achievement Award

Dr. Yijia Lin, associate professor of finance at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration, won the Early Career Scholarly Achievement Award from the American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA), which recognizes distinguished achievement of a risk management and insurance scholar who is within ten years of receiving their Ph.D. Her publications in top tier journals helped pave the way for receiving the award.

Christina Carnes Research Focus

Carnes Research Feature

One of the top journals in the field of management featured a study in the summer of 2016 by Dr. Christina Carnes, assistant professor of management at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration. The article, published in Strategic Management Journal, outlined Carnes’ work on the topic of the antecedents and outcomes of complex competitive repertoires.

Promotions Recognize Faculty Excellence

Three business faculty from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration received promotions to the rank of full professor as of July 1, 2016. Dr. Jonathan O'Brien of the Department of Management, Dr. Jennifer Ryan of the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics and Dr. Marjorie Shelley of the School of Accountancy received the promotions.

Jean Riley-Schultz Retires

Jean Riley-Schultz, assistant professor of practice in accounting, retired from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration at the end of the spring 2016 semester. She started teaching at UNL in 2002 as a lecturer and became an assistant professor of practice in 2012. Utilizing her professional background in accounting, she used examples from her time as a senior tax consultant at Deloitte & Touche to give real-world advice to students.

Donors List

We acknowledge the following contributors. Given as of July 1, 2016.