As we embark on a new academic year, it's important to note that this is the eighth fall since the grand opening of Howard L. Hawks Hall in 2017. Made possible through the strength, collaboration and support of our alumni and friends in our Nebraska Business Community, the building is a constant reminder that together we do big things.

Some of the recent highlights include:

In August our high-return on investment MBA@Nebraska program was ranked #7 in the nation by The Princeton Review and #1 in Nebraska. These top rankings are supported by our graduates of the program who respond to the surveys for these rankings and share their success after graduation. Read the full story.

Poets&Quants also featured two of our MBA students, Scott Holweger, '97 and '24, of Spring Hill, Kansas, and Megan O'Brien, '24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, in the seventh annual Best and Brightest Online MBAs. Selected for their "strong academic performance, critical and consistent contributions, striking personal narratives and innate potential," the students joined others in the list of the world's top-ranked online MBA programs. Read the article.

Our accounting students won yet another international competition — this time, Huskers took first place in the Best Practices-Empowering Community Service competition held during the International Beta Alpha Psi annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. They included Morgan Wallinger, MPA student from Stuart, Nebraska; Trinity Hansen, senior accounting major from Stapleton, Nebraska; and Ben Fiala, senior accounting major from Omaha, Nebraska. The trio presented on Nebraska's new "BAP on Tour" project in which they spoke to six rural Nebraska high schools, many without designated business teachers, to educate teens about opportunities in accounting and finance.

Eight faculty received promotion this August. Promoted to associate professor and granted tenure were: Amy Bartels, management; Shivam Gupta, supply chain management and analytics; Yingchao Lan, supply chain management and analytics; Sam Melessa, accountancy and Daniel Tannenbaum, economics. Promoted to full professor of practice was Sue Vagts, actuarial science, and promoted to associate professor of practice was Robert Mackalski, marketing and Kay Maresh, accountancy.

Published in the Review of Accounting Studies in July, a study by Tom Kubick, Delmar A. Lienemann Sr. Presidential Chair and professor of accountancy, and his co-authors researched how locked-in CEO equity affects debt contracts. They found higher CEO tax burdens can lead to increased loan spreads and changes in loan terms. Read the research.

We invite you to come celebrate all these things and more at our annual Business Alumni Tailgate on Saturday, November 2, at Howard L. Hawks Hall three hours prior to the Nebraska vs UCLA kickoff. RSVP here. Connect with Husker alumni, faculty and staff and enjoy some great food and beverages while getting some college swag!

MBA@Nebraska graduates also are invited to return to campus for the tailgate as part of the MBA 60th Reunion on Saturday, November 2, and should RSVP here. Nebraska faculty, staff and administrators from the past and present look forward to reconnecting. Also, free Executive Education and Professional Development sessions will be held 3.5 hours before kickoff allowing MBA graduates the opportunity to return to the classroom and learn from current faculty before the tailgate. To keep the 60th celebration going all year long, please complete the MBA Alumni Questionnaire and share your experience.

Hope to see you on campus soon and Go Big Red!

Dean Kathy Farrell