April is always a crazy but exciting month at the College of Business Administration. Events are happening regularly throughout the month, in addition to end of year celebrations recognizing all the great accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

One of the highlights each year is the Dean’s Advisory Board Luncheon, where we recognize the impact made by business professionals making a difference for Nebraskans and the world. The luncheon is April 15 at the Champions Club, and includes award presentations to Cecil Walker, retired chairman and CEO of Gannett Broadcasting, Atlanta, Georgia, for Lifetime Achievement; Mike Cassling, president and CEO of Cassling, Omaha, Nebraska, for Business Leadership; Katie Zulkoski, owner, attorney and lobbyist of Zulkoski Weber, Lincoln, Nebraska, for Young Alumni; and Cornhusker Bank, Lincoln, Nebraska, for Corporate Leadership. These award winners exemplify a commitment to the ideals we want our graduating seniors to take with them as they enter the business world.

We also have another exciting event late in the day April 15, and it doesn’t have anything to do with getting taxes done on time. We are holding the Topping Off Steel Ceremony to commemorate the final beam for our new CBA building. Special dignitaries will sign their name on the last steel girder, many who will be in town attending the CBA Advisory Board Awards Luncheon and meetings earlier in the day. The ceremony will take place at 4:10 p.m. on the construction site at 14^th and Vine Streets.

Another first will take place on May 6 to coincide with graduation activities. We are going to celebrate our graduates with an event we’re calling the Senior Sendoff, taking place in the Railyard in the Haymarket. It will be a way to recognize CBA graduates, remind them we’re here as a resource for them for the long haul and also have fun celebrating their graduation.

I am so proud of our faculty and students who participated in the first Uganda study abroad trip in March over spring break. You can read the full story in this edition of Inside CBA. This program reflects the ideals of everything we want our students to get from their business education. Business students collaborated with UNL engineering students to design, build and create a business plan for a new piece of technology now used by a Ugandan business to expedite production of their products. It is an incredible story that not only demonstrates the business acumen our students learn in practical applications such as creating a business plan, but also brings the most important aspect home to our students of being able to make a difference in the lives of someone else – and, in this case, the lives of people from another culture living halfway around the globe.

Last month we also announced that the CFA Institute reaffirmed CBA as a CFA Program Partner school, continuing the partnership established in 2008. There are only 36 such schools designated in the United States, making our college a prime target for prospective students looking to immerse themselves in the science of financial asset management.

Finally, if you haven’t checked out our new CBA building webpage lately, it’s time to look again. We recently added new videos of business partners explaining why they value CBA, and why it’s important to them to give back to the college. You can also link to the live camera showing current construction of the new building, and a time lapse image of the construction process from beginning to the present. As always, please join us at a future CBA event whenever you have the opportunity. We look forward to seeing you, as you continue to help us START SOMETHING here in Nebraska.  Published: April 12, 2016