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

• Timothy Hodges, executive director of the Clifton Strengths Institute and assistant professor of practice in management, was named the inaugural Joan Heiser Endowed Presidential Chair. The Diabetes Care Foundation pledged $2 million to honor its executive director Joan Heiser, '80, as the namesake of an endowed presidential chair for the Clifton Strengths Institute. Read the Omaha World-Herald article.
• John Anderson, Baird Family Professor of Economics, led research about property tax policy in Detroit, Michigan, that was featured in Bloomberg Tax as well as other media outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Detroit Free Press. He shared the "long-term expectation is the policy will stimulate development and redevelopment, increasing overall property values and economic activities in the city” as well as take away the disincentive to develop and redevelop properties and discourage holding vacant land. The report by the Lincoln Institute on Land Policy was commissioned by local business development group Invest Detroit. Read the Bloomberg Tax article, the Wall Street Journal article and Detroit Free Press article (each requires a subscription).
• Jimmy Downes, director of the School of Accountancy and associate professor of accountancy, was selected by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor to attend the Big Ten Academic Alliance Department Executive Officers (DEO) Program. DEO Fellows attend seminars on conflict resolution, mentoring, faculty development, performance reviews and group problem-solving. Read the Nebraska Today article.
• Fred Luthans, George Holmes Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Management, and his family established the Luthans Family Doctoral Student Fellowship in Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management. Read the article.
• Laurie Miller, associate dean of undergraduate programs and curriculum and associate professor of practice in economics, was selected by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor to attend the Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program (ALP) this year. ALP Fellows attend events, including seminars at Northwestern University and The Ohio State University as well as participate in conversations on campus throughout the academic year to learn about leadership and topics including community engagement, diversity and inclusion, freedom of expression, challenging conversations, mental health, student success and the social value of higher education. Read the Nebraska Today article.
• Eric Thompson, department chair, K.H. Nelson College Professor of Economics and director of Bureau of Business Research, spoke to local news station KLKN for a segment called "Your Wallet: How You Can Save on Husker Game Day Costs in Lincoln.” See the video interview.
• Thompson also spoke to the Lincoln Journal-Star for their article “Census Data Shows Income Declines in Lincoln, State As a Whole.” Read the article.

Learning + Transformation

• The School of Accountancy was endorsed by IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants), one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. By meeting their educational standards, students can pursue the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential and careers in private and public accounting. Learn more about the endorsement here.
• Two College of Business programs won MidAmerican Business Deans Association (MABDA) awards. The Inclusive Business Leaders program won the Innovation in Business Education award in the Student Engagement category. The class Research and Communication in Accounting (ACCT 455), led by Amanda Gonzales, associate professor of practice in accountancy, and Julie Uribe, lecturer at the Johnny Carson School of Theater and Film, won in the Curricular Innovation category for its development of effective business communicators and leaders. Aaron Crabtree, associate dean of master's programs and executive development, KPMG Faculty Fellow in Professional Accounting and associate professor of accountancy, accepted the award at the association's conference in Chicago on October 2. MABDA provides a forum for chief administrative officers of member organizations in 17 states to share and discover trends and innovations in higher education and industry that impact and foster student success. 

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  Max Sievenpiper, sophomore management and computer science major from Yorktown, Virginia, interned with the National Strategic Research Institute as a strategic deterrence intern. The group of nine graduate and undergraduate students briefed U.S. Army Brig. Gen. William Murphy, mobilization assistant to the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at its headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska. "I have learned about all the ways technology is integrated into our strategic deterrence and how that extends so much further than just nuclear weapons, especially in cyberspace," Sievenpiper said. "This experience has helped me discover the possibilities of working alongside the Department of Defense in the tech sphere, including with government contractors." Read the Nebraska Today story.
• Thirty-four students were selected as the eighth cohort of the Clifton Builders Program, which brings together students with high leadership and entrepreneurial potential and develops them to lead high-performance teams. Read the article.
• Ava Barajas, an agribusiness major from Clovis, California, was one of 13 students from 10 states named to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation's Next Generation class of 2023. The class will network with commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture, industry leaders, and stakeholders at the association's annual meeting to advance the future leaders’ understanding of agriculture policy and the role of state departments of agriculture in ensuring a healthy and thriving food system for all. Read the Oklahoma Farm Report article.

Connection + Engagement

• Husker Venture Fund, a student-led fund that provides early-stage capital to startups, announced five investments in the past year. The students in the organization chose to invest in Tiiga in November 2022, Swishboom in April 2023, ReUnite in May 2023, SheMate in June 2023, and Major Talent in September. Learn more about the Husker Venture Fund.
• Nineteen business majors were selected to perform with the Cornhusker Marching Band for the 2023-24 academic year. Read the Nebraska Today story and full list.
• A new $25,000 Future of Nebraska Scholarship will support graduating high school seniors who demonstrate leadership potential and encourage them to make an impact on the Cornhusker State. The scholarship was developed through a collaboration between the university, United HealthCare and News Channel Nebraska. A story on the scholarship appeared Sept. 21 on News Channel Nebraska.
• Caleb Alexander, sophomore economics and German major from Omaha, Nebraska, volunteered to plant flags in the Nebraska Union green space remembering the nearly 3,000 people killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. He was quoted about his experience and family memories of the event in this story about the September 11 commemorations on campus. Read the Nebraska Today article.
• Jennifer Davidson, associate professor of practice in economics, Nebraska Council on Economic Education president and Nebraska Bankers Association Faculty Fellow, spoke about in-school savings programs in Nebraska. See the video and read the article.
• Chris Timm, director of the Business Career Center, spoke to the Daily Nebraskan about the benefits of joining a recognized student organization (RSO) on campus. She said joining an RSO can help a student build connections in an area of interest and gain insight into a possible career before pursuing it. Read the article.

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.