Our final year at the current College of Business Administration building has arrived, and the countdown is on until we move into our new state-of-the-art 240,000-square-foot building. Celebrate with hundreds of students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, as we gather for our annual CBA Back to School Bash on Friday, August 19 from 2-5 p.m. on the west side of CBA at 12th and R. We will be recognizing the 500th day of construction of the new building and welcoming 20 new faculty members to the college. There will be slushies, ice cream, popcorn, drinks, prizes, live music and plenty of room on the dance floor for everyone.

Earlier this year, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents granted approval for our new Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics. Although the supply chain management major has been in place a few years, the new department allows us to focus more resources and research efforts for both supply chain and business analytics because they are critical to businesses. We also started a new business analytics minor this fall which allows students from any undergraduate degree program to learn modern analytical methods. Dr. Jennifer Ryan, professor of supply chain management, is the new department chair, and her enthusiasm to grow the program is key as we transition to our new building.

We are also thrilled about the new activity at our Clifton Strengths Institute. Under the guidance of Mark Pogue, executive director, the institute helps identify and maximize talent of college students to guide their development through the use of strengths-based science. Mark leads BSAD 111, our first class in the Professional Enhancement Program (PrEP) required of all freshman business majors. Students receive one-on-one strengths coaching and meet weekly in teams to develop productive relationships with peers. We also started the Builders Certificate Program for students with entrepreneurial energy who want to build a better world by starting a business or contributing to non-profit organizations. The Clifton Foundation and Gallup provided a $30 million gift to us last year to help “Start Something" and it is wonderful to see our student’s enthusiasm for the new strengths-based curriculum.

Our Executive Education Program is also growing. Our newest offering, Lean Management and Decision-Making Online Certificate Program allows business professionals to complete a self-paced program entirely online. The Modern-Day Sales Manager Executive Program and the Strategic Growth and Marketing Program are both three-day intensive certificate opportunities for business professionals looking to expand business skills. I present my one-day Women as Leaders and Negotiators program in Omaha on Thursday, October 6. All business professionals should take time to explore our many executive education opportunities offered this fall.

Finally, I want to recognize our students studying abroad in England, France and Spain this month. I visited our students in Oxford, and it is always thrilling to see their excitement for the amazing new world they have entered. As great as Nebraska is, there is no way to replicate the international experience students receive from studying abroad. Make sure you follow business minor Maddie Stuart’s blog activity as we post regular updates on the CBA website. Maddie’s father Lee Stuart ’91 made the trip in 1989 when the program began.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and we look forward to seeing you all at the Back to School Bash.  Published: August 9, 2016