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Achievements for May 2022

Achievements for May 2022
College of Business faculty, students and staff continue to excel in fulfilling the college's mission to drive discovery, create opportunity and empower individuals to lead the future of business.

Learn more about recent honors, appointments and publications at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business in this month's achievements column. The achievements of faculty, staff and students are grouped within the college’s three mission-focused goals of research + discovery, learning + transformation and connection + engagement.

Research + Discovery

  • New research led by John Anderson, Baird Family Professor of Economics, and published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy finds taxing land more than buildings could make taxes in Detroit more efficient and equitable as well as spur development. Read the report.
  • Three students who are Yeutter Student Fellows presented their policy-related research with the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance. Presentations included: Zach Cheek, economics and music major from Elkhorn, Nebraska, "How has the World Trade Organization Impacted U.S. Ag?"; Laurene Lee, economics, global studies and political science major from Seoul, South Korea, "What Should U.S. Economic Diplomacy Look Like in the Indo-Pacific?"; and Marco Cuaran, economics major from LIpiales, Columbia, "How Effective are U.S. Free Trade Agreements at Strengthening Environmental Protection in Trading Partner Countries?".
  • Two students received undergraduate research awards from the College of Business during the Spring 2022 Student Research Days competition. The students gained research experience as Bureau of Business Research Scholars. The award winners included: Victoria Diersen, sophomore economics major from Brookings, South Dakota, and Daniel Pruski, senior actuarial science major from Dallas. The following BBR Scholars also presented in the competition: Aline Abayo, junior integrated science major from Kigali, Rwanda; Khaliun Battogtokh, senior economics major from Ulaanbaata, Mongolia; Jessica Chen, senior finance major from Lincoln, Nebraska; Justin Ho, senior economics and computer science major from Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia; Kennedy Johnston, senior economics major from Carbon, Indiana; Janana Khattak, sophomore undeclared major from Lincoln; Paul Koesters, senior economics and psychology major from Omaha, Nebraska; Laurene Lee, senior economics, global studies and political science major from Seoul, South Korea. Additionally, Luke Buettner, sophomore actuarial science major from Lincoln, presented his research with the Department of Chemistry.
  • Yubin Kim, master of professional accountancy student from Daegu, South Korea, presented his UCARE research, "How does the readability of Corporate Social Responsibility disclosure interact with investor numeracy in investment judgement?" at Student Research Days in the graduate-level competition.
  • Zach Cheek, economics and music major from Elkhorn, received an undergraduate research award from the Hixon-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts for his Student Research Days presentation. He also received the University Honors Program Award for Most Original Research. Read the Hixson-Lied story.

Learning + Transformation

  • Teams from six colleges across the University of Nebraska–Lincoln shared their business plans with judges in the Center for Entrepreneurship's New Venture Competition. First place went to Cattle Kettle, a tech startup that helps manage livestock tanks remotely. Cattle Kettle presenters included: Brooke Bode, freshman mechanical engineering from Hershey, Nebraska, and Seth Daup, freshman software engineering major from Gothenburg, Nebraska. Second place was won by The PALETTE Project, which coordinates community-building art projects and is led by Erika Casarin, senior management major from Lincoln. Third place went to InforMedic, an insurance underwriting software startup. InforMedic presenters included: Luke Farritor, sophomore computer science major from Lincoln; Carl Olson, sophomore computer science major from Omaha; Tan Phan, freshman software engineering major from Lincoln; and Pranav Rajan, sophomore computer science and economics major from Lincoln. The fourth place winner was Now Vertakking, an environmental landscaping startup presented by Sheldon and Courtney Brummel, both master of science in entomology students from Papillion, Nebraska. The Thomas G. Guy Startup Award, presented to the team demonstrating the best organization and collaboration, went to OpenGyms, a fitness marketplace app startup. The team included: Cooper Allen, senior management major from Omaha, and Noah Rheinheimer, senior business administration major from Omaha.
  • Four Huskers won second place in the national championship of the King's Hawaiian Sales Competition held by the University of Kansas Professional Selling Program. Team members included: Valerie Bohuslavsky, junior agribusiness major from David City, Nebraska; Morgan Perez, junior management major from Topeka, Kansas; Camden Roncka, senior accounting major from Elkhorn; and Bryson Wood, junior marketing major from Omaha. Read the KU press release.
  • Gregory Quick, senior accounting major from Eagan, Minnesota, and Nick Wallenburg, junior accounting major from Lenexa, Kansas, brought home Nebraska's first national championship in speech and debate. As part of the Husker Debate Team, they earned top honors in Lincoln Douglas Debate at the National Forensic Association National Tournament. Read the College of Business story.
  • Six students won a total of $6,750 in scholarships in the Nebraska Center for Sales Excellence Team Role-Play Competition. Sponsored by Balto, the event had students work in teams to role-play a sales pitch to professionals serving as judges. Valerie Bohuslavsky, junior agribusiness major from David City, and Jordan Kuhn, junior management major from Scottsdale, Arizona, took first place. Second place went to Camden Roncka, senior accounting major from Elkhorn, and Bryson Wood, junior marketing major from Omaha. Third place winners were Jamie Jensen, senior economics major from Omaha, and Anna Stuckwisch, senior management and marketing major from Omaha. Read the College of Business story.
  • A team of four supply chain management majors represented Nebraska in the National Undergraduate Supply Chain Case Competition hosted by the University of Minnesota. Students had 24 hours to prepare solutions revolving around outsourcing and presented them to a panel of judges. Team members included: Vivian Bui, freshman supply chain management major from Bien Hoa, Vietnam; Patrick Taylor, senior supply chain management major from Omaha; Bella Tran, senior management major from Southlake, Texas; and Ian Woolway, junior from Overland Park, Kansas.
  • Four students won the university's Global Case Competition, in which they developed a business plan to expand global market share for the competition's sponsor, Risecor. The team included: Erica Gesner, junior international business major from Plano, Texas; Lauren Hargreaves, junior management major from Dunedin, Florida; Rosemary Onyango, senior global studies and political science major from Sega, Kenya; and Morgan Scherrer, junior international business major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. The second place winners were Marcus Gaspar, senior German major from Lincoln, and Aaron Janike, senior international business major from Lincoln. Third place went to Gavin Grabill, senior actuarial science major from Omaha; Donald Nam, junior actuarial science major from Hwaseong-si, South Korea; and Avery Smith, junior marketing major from Lincoln.
  • Two students won $2,500 each in the annual Husker Hustle scholarship competition for aspiring or established student entrepreneurs. Scholarship winners were: Eddie Sicilia, sophomore management and marketing major from Cancún, Mexico, and Tyeisha Thompson, junior management major from Lincoln.
  • Eduardo Mora, a junior Clifton Builders management major from Madison, Nebraska, was honored at the Student Alumni Association's Cornhusker Experience Gala on April 14. He received the Charlotte Kramer Foreign Study Scholarship for his participation in the Nebraska at Oxford program this summer.
  • Two business students worked at the Augusta National Golf Club for the 2022 Masters Tournament: Aleesha Bergman, freshman business administration major from Norfolk, Nebraska, and Mayah Delgado-Walker, sophomore accounting major from Omaha. The students were selected by and traveled with the university's Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management program. Read the Nebraska Today story.

Connection + Engagement

  • Three business-related recognized student organizations received Student Impact Awards for their contributions to the university from Student Affairs. Business International Student Assocation (BISA) received the Outstanding Commitment to Recruitment award. Husker Venture Fund earned the Outstanding New Student Organization award. Startups UNL received the Outstanding Student Organization award. Gamma Iota Sigma's Nicholas Lauver, actuarial science major from Papillion, received the Student Leadership Award for his work helping the club promote insurance, risk management and actuarial science as professions. Read the Student Affairs story.
  • Rana Aribi, senior business administration major from Lincoln, won the university's Women of Courage, Character and Commitment Award, which recognizes students, staff and faculty who have made positive impacts through personal, professional, mentoring or peer relationships. Aribi serves as president of the OASIS Student Advisory Board, where she leads 11 members and organizes events that promote diversity awareness, academic excellence and social engagement. Her nominator said she strives to make the board an inclusive and safe space for all by listening to and empowering her peers and aligning the organization’s goals toward equity and accessibility to opportunities.
  • Five students received awards at the annual Clifton Strengths Institute (CSI) Recognition Ceremony. Erika Casarin, senior management major from Lincoln, received the Mark Pogue Award, honoring the former CSI executive director. The Outstanding Builder Award presented to Adam Folsom, senior finance and management major from Omaha, and Sidney Therkelsen, senior Clifton Builders management major from Elkhorn, honors students in the Clifton Builder Program who take on challenges to create change when others may back away. Tori Pedersen, senior agricultural leadership education major from Omaha, and Jordan Seitz, senior supply chain management from Gregory, Michigan, earned the Outstanding Coaches Award for exceeding expectations in their work to advance strengths. Read the College of Business story.
  • Seven students earned their Employment Readiness Certificates (ERC). Designed to help international students studying business to discover and develop skills to seek internship and job opportunities, the ERC program includes career development workshops, coaching appointments, group service projects and success skills development. The students earning an ERC this spring include: Amirbek Ahmadbekov, freshman business administration major from Khujand, Tajikistan; Mariano Azurduy, sophomore economics and finance major from Tarija, Bolivia; Vivian Bui, freshman supply chain management major from Bien Hoa, Vietnam; Janice Shu Lin Chng, senior actuarial science major from Penang, Malaysia; Pedro Galvao, senior management major from Natal, Brazil; Manisa Hongdilokkul, junior finance and microbiology major from Bangkok, Thailand; and Nghi Quach, senior accounting major from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
  • Kennedy Johnston, senior economics major from Carbon, Indiana, was named College of Business Student of the Month by the Nebraska Business Student Advisory Board. She is involved with the Innocents Society, Nebraska Business Honors Academy, Clifton Strengths Institute. She serves as a research scholar in the Bureau of Business Research and a peer career coach in the Business Career Center, as well as works at the front desk in the Office of Admissions.
  • A group of faculty and staff received Dean's Coins for going above and beyond to assist during a student's medical emergency. Awardees included: Paula Caldwell, associate director of career and professional development of the Business Career Center, Rachel Larson, assistant dean of academic and career development, Alyson Lenz, assistant director of the Strengths Program, Taylor Lofdahl, Edgar Montoya, Inclusive Business Leaders and diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, Jaylen Peters, administrative support associate of Business Advising and Student Engagement, and Nick Wilson.

This column is a monthly feature of the College of Business. Faculty, staff and students can submit achievements to be considered for this column via the News Proposal Form at the bottom of https://business.unl.edu webpage. On the form, select Recognize Achievement and fill out the related questions.

Published: May 6, 2022