The University of Nebraska–Lincoln students competing for a full-tuition scholarship will join the College of Business Administration community at the Fourth Annual Back to School Bash on Friday, August 19 from 2-5 p.m. on the west side of the CBA building. Local radio station – KFRX – sponsors the scholarship competition called Tuition Mission and selects students who apply to stay on a school bus outside the Nebraska Union for the week prior to school. They attempt various challenges in an effort to be the soul student remaining and win a full-tuition scholarship. 
 
At the Back to School Bash, the Tuition Mission students will engage with the CBA community which includes new and returning CBA students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and business partners. Slushies, ice cream, popcorn, live music, games, prizes and more will be provided. Those wanting to attend are encouraged to RSVP at http://cba.unl.edu/bash.

Dr. Donde Plowman, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean, said, “The Back to School Bash is one of our most popular events because it provides a fun opportunity for our CBA community to come together. The bash provides us all with the chance to welcome our new and returning students and their parents, and network with our colleagues, alumni and the business community. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our many successes with all we’ve started.”

Those attending the bash can learn more about the Clifton Strengths Institute, undergraduate and graduate programs, IT services, the many executive education offerings for the fall, Career Services at CBA and more at booths. They can also play games or sign up for drawings to win lunch with the dean or a Start Something prize package.They can also interact with faculty and staff in department row, featuring tables staffed by the college’s six academic departments: accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, and supply chain management and analytics. 

CBA IT Services welcomes players of the new Pokémon Go app to come to the bash, and IT Services staff will set up lures on the two pokéstops by CBA to attract more Pokémon to the area. Launched in July, the popular Pokémon Go smartphone game allows users to throw digital pokéballs and capture wild creatures called Pokémon in a real-world setting.

Sandhills Publishing, the bash’s platinum sponsor, will have a booth staffed by CBA alumni and former interns to provide giveaways. There will also be a photo booth available to help attendees to remember the day and many will be posted on social media during and after the event.

The bash coincides with the 500-day building milestone for the new CBA building located at 14th and Vine Streets. The $84 million, 240,000-square-foot CBA building is the largest academic building project in recent history at UNL and funding for the project has come exclusively from private donations. The college will move into the new building prior to classes beginning for the fall 2017 semester.

“You can now see the exterior limestone and darker blue panes of glass that give the new building its primary look and feel,” said Rik Barrera, assistant dean and chief operating officer at CBA. “Those who attend the bash will hear about its progress and join us in welcoming the start of our last school year in the current CBA building. It’s amazing to think one year from now we’ll be moving into our new home.”

To find out more about the new building, visit http://cba.unl.edu/about-us/new-building-project/. Published: August 9, 2016