JMU - News Archive 2008
News Archive 2008
Nov. 21, 2008
CyberCity Receives Prestigious Diversity Award
The CyberCity Technology Summer Program at James Madison University (JMU) received one of four 2008 ABET President’s Awards for Diversity. The award was presented at the fall 2008 ABET Commission Summit in Louisville, Ky.
The ABET President's Award for Diversity is presented to recognize US-based educational units, individuals, associations and firms for extraordinary success in achieving diversity and inclusiveness or for facilitating diversity and inclusiveness in the technological segments of society. ABET, Inc. is the professional accreditation agency that provides leadership and quality assurance in applied science, computing, engineering and technology education. JMU’s Computer Information Systems & Management Science (CIS & MS) program is ABET accredited.
The CyberCity Technology Summer Program at James Madison University was recognized "for the development and operation of a successful hands-on, project-based university campus summer program for underrepresented high school students and their teachers that increases awareness of information technology skills and careers and enhances the students' aspirations for a college education."
Three professors from the CIS & MS program in JMU’s College of Business created CyberCity in 2007: Thomas Dillon, Harry Reif and Daphyne Saunders Thomas. The technology camp teaches students how to use real world tools in an open exploratory environment, to provide high school students with a look at technology programs at JMU and to allow students to explore advanced technology as a means of solving real-world business and industry problems. Targeted participants include students and teachers from underrepresented socio-economic populations across Virginia. The summer program, which has been offered for two summers, is free to participating students and teachers.
The program demonstrates a commitment to diversity and academic excellence by creating a format that encourages targeted high school students to foster their interest in technology and to simultaneously prepare for successful matriculation from high school to college.
Nov. 19, 2008
CoB Professor Earns Prestigious Wine Certification
Brad Roof, professor of accounting at James Madison University (JMU), has been awarded the Certified Wine Professional (CWP) credential from Culinary Institute of America. The Institute is perennially ranked as the top culinary school in the U.S. and often ranked as the top culinary school in the world. The Institute has awarded the CWP designation to fewer than 300 candidates worldwide.
The CWP certification is managed by the Rudd Wine Center, located on the Institute’s St. Helena campus in California’s Napa Valley. The Center is directed by Karen MacNeil, a world famous wine author, expert and educator. “The Culinary Institute of America's Certified Wine Professional is conferred only on those who can successfully complete a highly rigorous examination administered under very challenging time conditions,” said MacNeil. “Candidates must have extensive wine knowledge, possess cultivated wine tasting skills and be able to apply them quickly and precisely. The integrity of this very demanding process places the Certified Wine Professional among the world's leading wine professional credentials.”
The CWP is a two-part examination program. The knowledge examination encompasses vineyard creation and management, wine making, wine service, wine commerce and regarded wines, all of which are addressed on an international scale. During the practical examination, candidates are offered controlled blind wine tastings and are required to write essays describing and evaluating the wines offered.
“The exam included anything you can think of, from sticking a grapevine into the ground through selecting wines for a dinner,” said Roof, who sat for the exam in August 2008.
The Institute recommends that candidates for the examination complete at least seven weeks of its training; but Roof, who has been interested in wines and winemaking for many years, relied on self study and years of reading on the subject. He also audited a wine course in JMU’s College of Business offered by fellow faculty member Brett Horton. The course was offered through the college’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program. In addition, Roof spent three weeks prior to the exam in the California wine country.
Nov. 17, 2008
JMU’s Computer Information Systems Program Makes U.S. Top 10
TechRepublic, an online trade publication and social community for IT professionals owned by CBS Interactive, named James Madison University's (JMU) Computer Information Systems (CIS) program as one of the Top 10 Undergraduate Information Technology programs in the United States. The criteria used by TechRepublic included curriculum, cost value analysis, student/faculty ratio, percentage of faculty with PhD, placement, internships, computer labs and overall strength of the program.
“Our Education Committee pored over information from lots of different colleges and universities and ultimately came up with this list of 10 ‘can’t miss’ programs,” said Jason Hiner, editor in chief for TechRepublic. Hiner asserted that the list is intended to be used by perspective students and employers “to find the colleges and universities that are producing some of the best IT talent on the planet.”
"TechRepublic's recognition of the JMU CIS program is well deserved. CGI and our clients have long benefited from top quality JMU grads," said Susan Bonvouloir, vice president, Human Resources, CGI and member of JMU’s CIS Executive Advisory Board. "I see first hand the commitment to educational excellence and business relevance from the faculty and the CIS department. They proactively seek guidance from prospective employers to ensure the students are well prepared to hit the ground running."
The CIS program at JMU is one of a few in the world accredited by both the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. and The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The program is housed within JMU’s College of Business, department of Computer Information Systems and Management Science (CIS & MS) and provides a curriculum strong in core business principles and the fundamental IT technical skills. The CIS program has been awarding degrees for over 30 years, and students graduating from the program receive a BBA in CIS. The program has a 100 percent employment rate within six months of graduation.
"The faculty members in the CIS program are committed to providing an exceptional educational experience for our students, with an emphasis on developing technology, teamwork, communication and integrative business skills," said Rick Mathieu, CIS & MS department chair. "At James Madison University we get to know every student in our program, and we delight in the successes of our students and more than 3,100 alumni."
Nov. 11, 2008
JMU’s MBA Director Named Among Top 50 Authors in Technology and Innovation Management
The International Association for Management of Technology (IAMOT) recognized James Madison University (JMU) MBA Director Paul E. Bierly, III, as one of the top 50 authors of technology and innovation management over the last five years. According to IAMOT Awards Committee members this exceptional achievement places Bierly within the top 1 percent of all researchers in the field.
Bierly has been at the JMU College of Business 10 years and is the Zane Showker Professor of Entrepreneurship. He was the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at JMU for six years and is a distinguished scholar in the area of innovation and management of technology. In July 2008 he took the helm as director of the college’s Master of Business Administration program. Under his leadership, the program will launch a new Innovation MBA degree to join the current Information Security MBA. Both programs integrate in-class and online study. The Innovation MBA is a two-year program for part-time students and includes discussion workshops with business leaders on contemporary issues, a Leadership Development program, and an international cultural awareness trip to China, India or Europe to complete the program.
“We are fortunate to have Dr. Bierly in the leadership role as Director of the MBA. He is a terrific colleague and collaborator.. Future graduates will benefit greatly from his expertise and development of courses and curricula,” said Robert D. Reid, dean of the JMU College of Business.
Bierly has authored or coauthored 31 articles in management journals, six book chapters, five government technical reports, and 58 conference presentations. He is a department editor for IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, a leading journal in the management of technology and innovation area.
IAMOT representatives will present the award to Bierly at the annual IAMOT conference April 5-9, 2009, in Orlando, Fla. IAMOT supports research and application projects world wide in cooperation with government or private organizations, encourages education in the field of management of technology, and acts as an information resource center in the field.
Nov. 7, 2008
Business Honor Society at James Madison University Inducts Students
Students were recently inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma at James Madison University. Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited business programs, encourages and honors academic achievement in the study of business and personal and professional excellence in the practice of business, according to Dr. Michael Busing, faculty advisor.
Potential members are invited based on their high scholastic achievement in business subjects. To be eligible for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, the academic ranking of those being considered must place them in the upper 10 percent of the junior or senior class, or upper 20 percent of the graduating master’s class, according to Busing.
Beta Gamma Sigma was founded as a national organization in 1913. Today the society has nearly 500 chapters at some of the best business schools across the country. While almost 350,000 students receive baccalaureate or master’s degrees in business from AACSB accredited institutions each year, only about 21,000 students are elected to membership in Beta Gamma Sigma.
Juniors
Albert Bowman, Daniel Lacasse, Jeanette Carter, Katherine Moton, Holly Gould, Coleman Showalter, Shanna Hammerbacher, Adele Smith, Blake Hill, Tandyln Terry, Natalie Javor-Watson, Kelley Walton, Zachary Webber
Seniors
Mark Bushey, Jason Lomonaco, Christopher Ceccotti, Alison Maccarone, Heath Cline, Whitney Madison, Katelyn Engel, Kurt Martinson, Luke Fier, Alyssa Mesich, Victor Geagla, Torrin Patrick, Christopher Gibson, Charlotte Pirro, E. Whitney Griffing, Matthew Reustle, Jake Housman, David Siravo, Brent Kostkowski, Mary Waugaman, Ryan Willing
Graduate Students
Adam Davis, Anthony Donahue, Marcus Dolce
Oct. 30, 2008
JMU Marketing Professor Named Madison Scholar for Mind Maps Research
Theresa Flaherty, professor of marketing at James Madison University, was honored as the 2008 Madison Scholar in the College of Business for her research into the effectiveness of mind maps as a teaching tool. Mind maps are diagrams that represent ideas, processes, tasks, or other linked elements. These diagrams are often used in brainstorming sessions and represent non-linear thinking.
Flaherty believes mind maps illustrate how our brains process information and can help students link complex ideas to see the “big picture.” Flaherty’s research compared learning perceptions in two classes. Both classes used Microsoft Power Point presentations as a teaching tool, but in one class students were also shown supplementary mind maps. Her research indicates that mind maps are effective in helping students process complex information.
Madison Scholars are selected by peers for research conducted in the faculty’s discipline. Flaherty teaches Principles of Marketing, Strategic Internet Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications, and Information Security Ethics and Policy in JMU’s College of Business. She is the Web manager for Marketing Education Review, business portal editor for MERLOT, editor of the Academy of Marketing Science Quarterly, and serves on the review boards of various marketing journals. She also serves as a member of the Global Academic Panel for the Google Online Marketing Challenge. At JMU Flaherty is the faculty co-advisor for the March of Dimes Collegiate Council, a member of the Honor Council and a member of the Judicial Council.
October 29, 2008
JMU College of Business Panel Discusses Economic Issues
Three professors from James Madison University’s College of Business will discuss the current state of the economy in a presentation and discussion panel entitled, “Sub-Prime in Prime Time.” According to Pamela Drake, head of the department of Finance and Business Law, the panel will address the question “How did we get into this mess?” The panel will also discuss the current state of the economy and its effect on individuals.
Panelists include Luis Betancourt, PhD, CPA and professor of accounting; Pamela Peterson Drake, PhD, CFA and professor of finance; and J. Barkley Rosser, Jr., PhD and professor of economics.
The presentation will be Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in Zane Showker Hall, room G5.
Oct. 28, 2008
The Center for Entrepreneurship/CoB Presents the Sustainable Business Plan Competition
The Center for Entrepreneurship at James Madison University’s (JMU) College of Business (CoB) presents the first annual, university-wide Sustainable Business Plan Competition (SBPC). The competition will take place April 20, 2009.
The SBPC provides an opportunity for JMU faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members to present new sustainable business ideas to a panel of judges. The winner will receive capital and services to develop his or her idea into an actual business.
The sustainable business plan must meet the following requirements to be considered for SBPC: it must be a new, independent venture in seed, start-up or early-growth stages, seeking outside equity capital, and it must demonstrate a strong sustainability component.
Judges will select a Grand Prize Winner and a Runner-up on the day of the competition. The prize is up to $100,000 in cash and services, depending on the needs of the venture.
Schedule and deadlines:
January 19 online registration deadline (brief business concept and team members)
February 2 executive summary due
February 16 semi-finalists announced
March 30 business plans due
April 13 finalists announced
April17 slides due
Visit the Sustainable Business Plan Competition website for more details: http://www.jmu.edu/cob/cfe/business_plan.shtml.
Oct. 6, 2008
Beta Alpha Psi Chapter at JMU Recognized as a Superior Chapter
One hundred and twenty seven chapters of the organization Beta Alpha Psi were recognized as Superior during the 2007-08 academic year. The Eta Delta chapter at James Madison University, lead by Accounting Instructor Molly G. Brown, was one of the Superior Chapters of 2007-08.
Master of Science in Accounting Program Director Nancy Nichols is the national President of Beta Alpha Psi, the honorary organization for Financial Information students and professionals. Beta Alpha Psi was founded in 1919 and has over 270 chapters at both national and international universities.
The main purpose of the organization is to recognize academic and professional excellence in the Financial Information field. The vision of Beta Alpha Psi is to "be the premier organization for accounting, finance and information systems students, and [to] serve to bridge the university experience and professional world."
Oct. 6, 2008
JMU Accounting Professor Named Goodman & Company Faculty Fellow
James Madison University Associate Professor of Accounting John W. Briggs was recently named the Goodman & Company Faculty Fellow. Goodman & Company is a Top 100 certified public accounting firm based in Virginia, providing service to regional, national and global clients. The firm has pledged $15,000 to support a faculty fellowship over the next three years.
Sept. 28, 2008
International Conference Honors JMU Professor
An economics conference in Italy honored James Madison University (JMU) economics professor J. Barkley Rosser, Jr., over the weekend. The 2008 conference on Dynamic Modeling in Economics and Finance was held at the University of Urbino in Italy September 25-27. This is the first occasion in JMU's 100-year history that a conference has been held to honor a JMU professor.
Rosser, the Kirby L. Cramer, Jr. Professor of Business Administration, is one of the world's leading mathematical economists and editor of the premier journal of economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization (JEBO). He earned a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in December 1976 and has been a professor of economics at JMU since 1977. He is the author of eight books on economics and hundreds of published journal articles. In 2008, Rosser organized a JEBO conference at JMU, which was attended by several dozen world-renown economists.
Wath this video of Dr. Rosser on Italian TV.
Sept. 28, 2008
JMU Appoints New MBA Director for New Era
James Madison University announced on June 13 that Paul E. Bierly has been appointed director of Master of Business Administration programs. JMU has two programs: a traditional MBA program offered to part-time students in the Shenandoah Valley and an online MBA program with a focus on information security.
Bierly has been at JMU 10 years and is the Zane Showker Professor of Entrepreneurship. He was the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at JMU for six years. He is a distinguished scholar in the area of innovation and management of technology and has published articles in leading academic journals. He is an editor for IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, the premier journal in engineering management. Previously, Bierly was a manager at Johnson & Johnson, a nuclear submarine officer in the U.S. Navy's Nuclear Power Program, and a consultant for Princeton Economic Research, Inc. Bierly received his Ph.D. and MBA from Rutgers University. He holds a B.S. from the Wharton School and a B.A.S. from the Engineering School, University of Pennsylvania.
Robert Reid, dean of the College of Business, said he anticipates major changes to the MBA curriculum. JMU faculty and administrators have launched a comprehensive review of the most innovative and successful MBA programs. "MBA programs across the country are undergoing substantial changes. There is an increased focus on soft skills and content integration," Reid said.
The new MBA format will likely offer more flexible class schedules for working professionals. Almost all of JMU's MBA students are full-time professionals enrolled in the program part time. The information security MBA program, which is mostly online, attracts students from around the nation.
Bierly assumed his new position July 1, 2008. A new online MBA cohort began August 15. JMU's MBA programs are fully accredited by the Association for the Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the highest level accrediting agency in the world for business programs.
Read another article, published by the Daily News Record.
Sept. 26, 2008
Marketing Challenge Finalists Travel to World Famous Googleplex
Four James Madison University (JMU) business majors recently embarked on a trip to the world-famous Googleplex, Google's corporate hub in Mountain View, Ca. The students met with some of the Googlers and toured the "campus" of Googeplex.
The trip was part of the students' award for being finalists in the 2008 Google Online Marketing Challenge, an online competition in which students used Google AdWords to create and run an online marketing campaign for a local business. Five teams from JMU participated in the 2008 challenge; one team became one of two finalists in the Americas region, which includes North, Central and South America. That team placed in the top 10 out of 1,670 teams.
Four of the five finalists traveled to California with their professor and Challenge sponsor, Theresa Flaherty, professor of marketing at JMU.
One of the finalists, Bethany Kent, described her trip to the Googleplex as surreal. Team leader Renee Montmeny said the Googleplex was not what she expected but "better in every way."
The Googleplex is called a campus because it resembles a real college campus rather than a typical corporate office. Montmeny says Googlers have "19 different places to eat, a pool, a gym, a doctor's office, a hair salon, tennis courts, volleyball nets and plenty of areas to rest, relax, work and enjoy the day."
The visit included breakfast with the Googlers and a tour of the Googleplex campus. During an interactive presentation, students learned about the history of Google, the function of sales and markets and the career opportunities at Google. They also received constructive feedback about their performances in the Challenge. Later, the teams were recognized in an award ceremony.
To read more about the Googleplex trip or to see more photos of the trip, please visit http://www.jmu.edu/cob/marketing/gomcha.shtml
Read more about JMU students in the Google Online Marketing Challenge.
Sept. 26, 2008
Freddie Mac Holds Third Annual Battle of the Builds Competition
Freddie Mac presents the third annual Battle of the Builds, a LEGO® blocks-building competition, on Tuesday, October 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event will take place on Hansen Field in the village area of the James Madison University (JMU) campus. Free food and music will be available from 11:30-1:30 p.m. and the competition will take place from 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Participation in the competition is open to all majors at JMU. Winners placing in first, second, third and fourth place will receive valuable prizes, including a digital camera and iPod speakers. Everyone in attendance will also have the chance to win a prize, including sets of purple and gold beanbags.
The competition is part of a pilot initiative by Freddie Mac to build stronger relations with the JMU community. By working in teams to create the LEGO structures, students develop their team-building and critical thinking skills. In addition, the competition will give students the chance to network with alumni and Freddie Mac professionals.
If you need more information or would like to sign up for Battle of the Builds, please contact JMUTeam@freddiemac.com.
Sept. 19, 2008
Virginia Business magazine Names Dr. Brad Roof a "Super CPA"
Virginia Business magazine recently named Dr. Brad Roof, of the James Madison University (JMU) College of Business, a "Super CPA" in the educator category for the third year in a row. Each year, the magazine polls 7,000 members of the Virginia Society of CPAs, asking them to nominate CPAs in each of the 12 categories. Virginia Business chose about 320 CPAs for this year's list, including Roof.
Roof, Professor of Accounting at JMU, has been working for the JMU College of Business for 32 years. He first developed an interest in accounting in high school while taking a course in bookkeeping. He came to JMU to start the international business program of which he was the director for 10 years.
He currently teaches three sections of COB 241: Financial Accounting. Roof is known for his "language of accounting" teaching method in which he views accounting as a foreign language with its own set of grammatical rules. This method is effective because it helps students "understand that little rules can make a big difference."
Roof is also a council member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a former chairperson of the Virginia Society of CPAs. In the spring, he will travel to Belgium to participate in JMU's Semester in Belgium program at the University of Antwerp.
Sept. 8, 2008
CoB Announces Faculty Awards
James Madison University’s College of Business announced faculty publication awards and staff recognitions in fall 2008. Ten faculty and staff members were honored at a fall luncheon held in JMU’s College Center.
Theresa Flaherty, professor of marketing, received the Kenneth R. Bartee Endowed Award for Teaching Innovation. Flaherty entered five student teams in the 2008 Google Online Marketing Challenge as part of a class project. All teams placed in the top 10 percent world-wide.
Brad Roof, professor of accounting, was awarded the Accenture Endowed Award for Professional Service. Brad Roof served as chairman of the 8,000-member Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) and as a member of the governing Council of the 300,000-member American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is the only academician to serve as chairman of the VSCPA in its 100-year history.
Mert Tokman, assistant professor of marketing, received the College of Business Community Service Award. His New Product Development class raised more than $15,000 for local charities. As part of a class assignment, student teams formed charitable organizations to work hand-in-hand with community organizations.
Marsha Shenk, an advisor in the college’s Academic Services Center, received the College of Business Service Award for her tireless efforts providing academic advising to business students.
Michael O’Fallon, assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management, was selected by students to receive the Otto G. Brenner Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty Member award. O’Fallon was named director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management program this fall.
Paul Bierly, Zane Showker Professor of Management, and Paula Daly, associate professor of management, were honored for Best Academic Publication for “Alternative Knowledge Strategies, Competitive Environment, and Organization Performance in Small Manufacturing Firms,” published in Entrepreneurship, Theory and Practice. Bierly was named Director of JMU’s MBA program this fall. Daly is chair of the Department of Management.
Bierly (left) and Scott Gallagher, associate professor of management, received recognition for Best Practitioner Publication for “Explaining Alliance Partner Selection: Trust, Fit, and Strategic Expediency,” published in Long Range Planning.
Jason Fink, associate professor of finance, and Kristin Fink (left), associate professor of finance, were honored for Best Educational Publication for “Monte Carlo Simulation for Advanced Option Pricing: A Simplifying Tool” published in the Journal of Applied Finance.
CoB Awards Madison Achievement Scholarships
The College of Business awarded four Madison Achievement scholarships to first-year students. Each student will receive $2,000 in 2008-09 pending final approval from the JMU Office of Financial Aid. The following students received scholarships:
- Kaitlin D. Wieczorek – Midlothian, Va.
- Julianne Rose – Havertown, Pa.
- Megan B. Brooks – Doylestown, Pa.
- Christopher J. Carmer – Timberville, Va.
July 16, 2008
Google Challenge Places JMU Marketing Team in Top 10 in Worldwide Competition
The innocuous text known as Google AdWords that appears on some Web pages got the attention of thousands of college students, including five teams from James Madison University’s College of Business. Google hosted a worldwide competition for 1,600 student teams who used their marketing savvy to build ad campaigns for the Google Online Marketing Challenge.
One five-member team from JMU placed in the top 10 out of teams participating from 42 countries. The team was one of two finalists in the Americas region, which includes North, Central and South America. Ryan Farrell, Bethany Kent, Julia Marchetti, Katie McGinnis and Renee Montmeny (team captain) worked on a campaign for L’Avenir Skin Care. The team will be flown to Google Headquarters in Mountain View, Ca., to meet the team that created AdWords and will be recognized in an awards ceremony.
Four other teams placed in the top 10 percent worldwide. Three JMU teams were designated as “Regional Semi-Finalists” for ranking in the Top 50 for the Americas region. Members of each of these teams will receive a certificate from Google.
All five teams that placed entered the challenge as part of a course taught by Theresa Flaherty, a professor in JMU’s marketing department, who said she had hoped all five teams would rank in the top 50 percent. She was pleased to learn that all five teams had performed above the goal she set by ranking in the top 10 percent globally.
“These students were competing against undergraduate and graduate students from 42 countries,” she said. “Throughout the three weeks while the campaign was running they used analytics to improve and change their strategy.”
Each team received US$200 of free online advertising with Google AdWords to create and run an online marketing campaign for a local business. Teams set up an AdWords account, outlined a strategy, assessed their results and made changes as the campaign progressed. They also provided the businesses with recommendations to further develop their online marketing. Teams submitted reports and were judged by a panel of marketing profs and other academics from all over the world. The challenge is open to any undergraduate or graduate students at higher education institutions from anywhere in the world. The challenge was developed through collaboration between Google and professors.
For more information about JMU’s College of Business and the Google Online Marketing Challenge and to view the list of winners, go to http://www.google.com/onlinechallenge/2008winners.html
Read another article, published by the Daily News-Record.
Harry L. Reif Named ITERA Senior Fellow
Harry L. Reif has been selected to be a Senior Fellow of the International Telecommunications Education and Research Association (ITERA).
Candidates for ITERA Senior Fellows must have at least 15 years academic or combined academic/industry experience, part of which includes leadership responsibilities.
Reif is an Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems at James Madison University with over 20 years experience planning for and managing higher education and government computing centers and networks. His primary teaching duties include telecommunications, networking, systems analysis and design, and project management courses at the undergraduate level. Dr. Reif also teaches Masters level students in JMU’s Information Security MBA program. Research interests include systems implementation, e-commerce, intelligent systems, project management and information systems/telecommunications curriculum development.
The initial class of Senior Fellows includes faculty and staff from Ball State University, Ft. Hayes State University, James Madison University, Michigan State University, Murray State University, Ohio University, Oklahoma State University, Purdue University, University of Pittsburgh and Western Michigan University
The Fellows represent an ITERA based resource of senior, experienced academics and others whose backgrounds include significant academic and/or industry-based field experience.
This selective corps of talents is available to ITERA members for program evaluations, guest lectures, special program or project consultation, outside reviewers and program development assistance.
ITERA is an association of 16 colleges and universities dedicated to the advancement of telecommunications science through excellence in research and education. Telecommunications involves the successful transport of voice, data, image and video information over a distance. Telecommunications science draws from multiple disciplines, including the management, technology and policy aspects of telecommunications. ITERA was founded in 2005.
For more information, contact James Gantt, chairman of the board, ITERA, at 270-809-3987
or james.gantt@murraystate.edu, or Bill Wyatt in JMU’s Office of Public Affairs at 540.568.3621 or wyattwj@jmu.edu
Student Team Awarded Top Honors in Accounting Information Systems Competition
CoB students Brandon Berry (’09), Kevin Curry (’09), Marco Garcia (’09) and Ntwali Ntibonera received top honors in the Accounting Information Systems Educator Association’s (AISEA) student project competition. Professor John R. “Jack” Stewart (University of Northern Colorado) formed AISEA, a non-profit organization for Accounting Information Systems (AIS) professors, in 1999. The mission of AISEA is “to develop the skills of AIS educators.”
The Jack and Maye Stewart Student Project Competition recognizes outstanding work by students on AIS class projects. The competition, funded by Jack and Maye Stewart, awards $100 per project to the top three student projects. The professor of each of the top three projects is invited to attend the AISEA Annual Conference in Fort Collins, Colo., to present their winning course project.
The team completed their project, “Company Visits: Flowcharting and Internal Control Analysis of Eagle Carpets, Inc.” in an AIS course taught by David Hayes, assistant professor of Accounting at James Madison University (JMU). The team visited Eagle Carpets, Inc., a local company, to collect information about one of the company’s business cycles.
As a result of this project, the team learned to critically analyze a company by identifying potential threats, to provide creative IT opportunities not currently in use by a company, to write professionally, and to develop their team and interpersonal skills.
The College Board Appoints JMU Professor to Test Development Committee
The College Board appointed Diane Lending, associate professor of Computer Information Systems and Management Science at JMU, as the chair of the Information Systems and Computer Applications Test Development committee for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). The one-year appointment is effective July 1, 2008. Lending has been a committee member since 2007.
The College Board is a not-for-profit association that provides programs in college assessment, admissions and financial aid. Its best-known programs are the SAT and the Advanced Placement (AP) exams. CLEP allows students to receive college credit (at the university's discretion) by successfully passing exams in the subject material.
During her tenure, Lending will chair the test development committee for information systems and computer applications, which generally covers material in an introductory college information systems course. This includes topics such as hardware, software, programming, database, social and ethical issues. Her responsibility will include guiding development of new exams, making sure the exams reflect current practices, writing and reviewing exam content, evaluating pretest data, and responding to disputed items on the exam.
Lending, a faculty member at JMU since 2000, is currently the vice chair of the Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Management Information Systems. In spring 2008 she chaired the international Computer Personnel Research (CPR) conference in Charlottesville, Va. Lending has written tutorial books in Microsoft Access and FrontPage for JMU students.
June 2, 2008
Shop Owner Credits Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center for Success
JMU-sponsored Small Business Development Center offers counseling and business planning to entrepreneurs. A new shop owner says the information she received at the center helped her get started.
May 26, 2008
Experts Convene for JEBO Conference on Economic Complexity
Leading experts in economic complexity converged at JMU’s College of Business May 16-17, for a conference, “Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Economic Complexity.” The program was sponsored by JMU’s College of Business and the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization (JEBO).
Off The Ground, Into The Water: CoB Student Leads Rowing Club Forward
Colleen Wilhelm, an International Business and finance major with a French minor, is JMU's Rowing Club president. After a slow start by the club's earlier membership, Wilhelm used her team-building and leadership skills to help the club start rowing. Read Wilhelm's CoB profile and online news article about the club.
JMU Series Helps Other Universities Teach Life Skills
At James Madison University, preparing students for the real world goes beyond teaching professional expertise and job skills. For nearly a decade, the university’s College of Business has offered LifeSkills, a program designed to introduce students to important topics such as money management, insurance options and legal matters. Now JMU has teamed with the Virginia Society of Certified Professional Accountants (VSCPA) to share the program with other colleges and universities.
According to the VSCPA, the typical college student carries three credit cards, each with an average balance of more than $2,500, or a total of about $8,000. The commonwealth of Virginia has made financial literacy education a priority—most recently in 2007, when Gov. Tim Kaine signed legislation requiring Virginia’s public colleges and universities to offer financial literacy education as part of existing general education courses. JMU’s LifeSkills program was a perfect fit with the VSCPA’s award-winning Financial Fitness initiative, which promotes sound money management habits and financial responsibility.
“In the past, a young person’s education for personal business affairs was left to the parents,” accounting professor Dr. Bradley Roof says. “But now, with the complexity of the world around us, parents aren’t able to do that effectively anymore by themselves.”
The seven-week LifeSkills sessions address matters that will be important to students once they enter the workforce, get married and start families, such as what kind of life insurance is best or how to invest and get started in a 401K program. Because the program is offered to all students, regardless of major, Roof says, “It’s really designed for people who have no prior business classes.”
The sessions are not taught by faculty, but by practitioners from the community. A local attorney leads the session on family law, for example, while the topic of stocks and 401K investments is led by a financial adviser. The students decide what speakers and topics return for the next year through a five-point rating system, Roof explains. If a speaker or topic doesn’t get high marks, he or she is not used again.
“We want to keep the program extremely relevant and the speakers extremely effective,” Roof says.
Sponsored by the VSCPA Educational Foundation, JMU and the VSCPA have packaged the program into an online “LifeSkills Toolkit,” making it available to any college or university that wants to launch its own program. The toolkit covers everything from topic ideas and resources to a planning timeline and marketing pieces.
“What we’ve prepared our students to do better is to leave JMU with the understanding that business, in addition to their professional careers, relates to one’s own personal life,” he says. “I think they understand that more effectively and are prepared to deal with that in regard to their own personal affairs.”
For more information about the LifeSkills program, or to access a toolkit, visit Financial Fitness at VSCPA.
Business Students Turn Class Projects into Donations
Students in Mert Tokman’s New Product Development class, learned more than marketing strategies. They learned that giving back to the community brings its own rewards.
Recently, they donated more than $15,000 to local charities. Six student teams raised the money as part of a class assignment. They were instructed to form charitable organizations to work hand-in-hand with real organizations to promote causes and raise donations.
“I thoroughly enjoyed this project [because it was] different then a regular assignment. I was able to use the marketing tactics I have learned at JMU and put them toward a good cause.” Senior Kevin Depuis and his team worked with the Shenandoah Autism Partnership. They threw a party with a live band to raise money for autism.
Mert Tokman, assistant professor of marketing at JMU, teaches the junior and senior level course. “We wanted to develop something they could actually implement, so they created the organizations,” he said. The teams sold T-shirts, bracelets, took donations and signed up volunteers. “They actually got hands-on experiences,” Tokman said.
Senior Andrew Rowland and his teammates organized a dog walk to raise funds to help enlarge the dog shelter at the local SPCA. “The creation of the Cause for Paws event gave me more than just hands-on experience in fund raising, event planning and the creation of a product. It gave me the opportunity to see the giving side of Harrisonburg, the side that has a desire to help and only needs a chance to do a good thing,” he said.
The projects culminated when student teams made presentations explaining why they chose the cause, what they did to raise awareness and funds, how the funds may be used and what they would do differently if they were to develop and market the product again. Representatives of each cause were present to accept donations raised by the student teams.
“As a senior at JMU, it feels good to finally give back some to the local community,” Roy Mace said. His team partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and held a basketball tournament to raise funds.
The organizations represented were Mercy & Share, a group that raises awareness and funds for orphans in Haiti; Operation Smile, which provides surgery funds for children with cleft lip and palate; the Autism Association of the Shenandoah Valley; the SPCA; Big Brothers Big Sisters; and JMU’s Best Buddy Club that raises funds to care for intellectually disabled persons. Read news coverage.
Sally Chapel accepted a donation on behalf of the Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership from the team that helped raise awareness and funds for autism.
Above: Geoff Robinson-Schacht presents his team's charity for Mercy & Sharing. Natalie Bargis presents on behalf of the Operation Smile team.
April 10, 2008
ABET Appoints JMU Professor to Accreditation Commission
The Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ABET) appointed Harry Reif, assistant professor of Computer Information Systems and Management Science at JMU, to the ABET Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC). The one-year appointment is effective summer 2008.
ABET is an accreditation organization that provides educational quality assurance in the professional disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering and technology for more than 2,700 programs at 550 colleges and universities nationwide. It is an honor to be selected to serve on such a prestigious accrediting team, Reif said.
During his tenure, Reif will chair teams reviewing and visiting higher education programs that are seeking ABET accreditation for computing programs in the areas of Information Systems or Information Technology. He will also participate in the final review of all accreditation reports for 2008-09.
Reif is a board member of the International Telecommunications Education & Research Association. He is vice president of the Southeast Decision Sciences Institute, a multidisciplinary international association dedicated to advancing knowledge and improving instruction in all business and related disciplines. He is also on the board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
Recently, Reif and two other JMU College of Business professors were nominated for Verizon’s Innovation in K-12 Education award for conceiving CyberCity, a free-to-participants summer technology camp held in JMU’s College of Business. The camp provides technology instruction to under-represented high school students and their teachers. The nomination was made through the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council.
April 7, 2008
Teams Vie for Top Honors in 2008 Biz Plan Competition
The COB 300 Business Plan Competition is sponsored by the CoB Executive Advisory Committee and awards more than $25,000 in student scholarships.
First there were almost 150. Then there were 35. Twelve made it to the semi-finals; and finally, five teams competed for more than $25,000 in scholarships in the 6th Annual COB 300 Business Plan Competition.
Key Free Security, LLC, took top honors, the team winning scholarships worth $6,000. Students presented a business plan for a retailer and service provider selling and installing biometric fingerprint locks for doorways. Team members: Shannon Cavanaugh, Amanda Halbert, Lindsay Sayre, Heather Smith, Andrew Stearns and Emily Volvo.
The first place team in the 2008 COB 300 Business Plan Competition presented a plan for Key Free Security, LLC. Don Rainey (left) and Maribeth Herod (right) were two of the judges at Saturday's competition.
Most Valuable Player awards went to one person from each team: Natalie Bartgis, Lindsay Sayre, Katie Boyd, Kathryn Delli-Colli and Elizabeth Stafford.
The annual business plan competition is sponsored by James Madison University’s College of Business (CoB) and the Executive Advisory Council (EAC) for the college. Wayne Jackson, EAC member and CEO of Sourcefire, Inc., became the primary sponsor this year when he doubled the prize money.
The competition draws on business plans created in the college’s COB 300 course. The 12-credit course integrates four business disciplines—management, marketing, finance and operations. One outcome of the course is that students concentrating in all four areas form teams and produce a business plan. The competition judges all plans produced in the previous academic year over three semesters. Judges are CoB alumni and business professionals, who review and rate all plans and provide feedback to individual teams.
“We believe that the development of a business plan is an important part of the experiential education of our students. In short, we believe that students learn best by doing,” CoB Dean Robert D. Reid said.
Don Rainey, the competition coordinator, EAC member and general partner of Grotech Capital Group, said the competitors from all five teams represent the top 3 percent of all business plan participants and are well positioned for post-graduation success. “For some, this must feel like the end of something. For us who back this, it seems like a beginning,” Rainey said.
Second place and Best Team was awarded to Rapid Revolution, a proposed business providing construction services to residential real estate builders in New Orleans, La. The team’s service uses layered fabrication technology, still under development, to build structural foundations through robotic technology and computer-aided design software, providing more efficient and cost-effective operations. Team members: Travis Bryant, Kathryn Delli-Colli, John Hamlett, Mary Hays, Dane Leighty and Nicholas Passero.
Replay My Life, a proposed social networking and video streaming Internet service for high school sporting events, received third place and the Accenture Innovation Award for the best business idea. Team members: Michael D’Amico, Jonathan Doyle, Erika Fenner, Ashlee Henderson, Elizabeth Stafford and Emilee Whitehurst.
Prime Renovations Inc., received fourth place. The business plan proposes a residential remodeling company focused on providing design renovations for aging-in-place elderly and persons with disabilities. Team members: Katie Boyd, Matt Couture, Lindsay Dattilio, Heather Guzek, Jake Kahle and Christine Relton.
Fifth place went to Guardian Tracking Services, Inc., a plan that proposes a company that would distribute a GPS tracking bracelet system for Alzheimer’s patients. Team members: Natalie Bartgis, Mike Feres, Anna Khoor, Chris Gstattenbaur, Shannon Lamm and Robert Nguyen.
Judges
Peter Denbigh, founder of WildWires and a JMU alumnus
Maribeth Herod, vice president of Financial Information Technology at Freddie Mac, an EAC member and CoB alumna
Wayne Jackson, CEO of Sourcefire, Inc., EAC member and CoB alumnus
Don Rainey, partner with Grotech Capital Group, EAC member and CoB alumnus
Henry Reeves, director of the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center and executive director of Central Va. region
Dennis Tracz, founder of Barista on Demand, LLC, EAC member and CoB alumnus
Former White-Collar Con Tells Students How to Avoid the Ethical Slippery Slope
When Patrick Kuhse, a financial planner, was convicted on three federal counts—money laundering, fraud and bribery—he was surprised to find people in prison who looked just like him. They were normal, everyday people, many of them white-collar workers. “How did I end up here?” he asked himself.
Kuhse moved from happily married, successful entrepreneur to international fugitive and convicted felon in a few short years. The leap to unethical and criminal behavior is not a big one, Kuhse told students at JMU’s College of Business recently. It happens gradually.
“How many of you download music without paying for it?” He asked students to raise their hands. “Do you think, ‘I’m a poor college student. I’ll start paying for it when I graduate and start making money?’ If you don’t pay for it now, chances are that you won’t pay for it later.”
Kuhse grew up an Iowa farm boy with a loving and generous family. But according to the investor turned con, the thrill of making money and providing a good life for his wife and two young sons led this otherwise ethical, even church-going, man down a different path. He was convicted of laundering state money and giving kickbacks to a state official.
Kuhse shared with students the eight critical thinking errors he made on his path to unethical behavior and warned students to recognize and avoid these thought patterns.
- Entitlement. “You deserve it and you don’t have to do anything to get it.”
- Super Optimism. Kuhse said this critical thinking error is also known as arrogance. He felt overly confident in himself and his ability to make money on Wall Street and he fell into the instant gratification trap: “I want it, and I want it now.”
- Affection Disconnection. “All of you will face balancing career and family,” he told students. “I provided everything [to my family] but emotional support.”
- Seemingly Unimportant Decisions. Kuhse told students to watch out for choices that seemed insignificant.
- Rationalization. “Everyone else is doing it.”
- Laziness. It’s easier to make a quick buck unethically, than to work hard.
- Victimitis. “It’s never my fault.” This thinking, said Kuhse, is a very convenient way to defer pain.
- Situational Ethics. Kuhse said he was an ethical person in other areas, but rationalized his unethical choices.
“How do you prevent yourself from doing that?” Kuhse asked? Have mentors. It’s tough to do it on your own, he said. If you make a mistake, accept responsibility, ‘fess up, and move forward, he added.
And finally, answer these three decision-making questions that he borrows from author Norman Vincent Peale:
- Is it legal?
- Is it balanced?
- How will I feel about myself?
March 27, 2008
Former White Collar Felon and Fugitive Talks to Students about Ethics
Financial planner, stockbroker, convicted felon, international fugitive. It sounds like a Hollywood movie, but it’s real life.
Patrick Kuhse sacrificed ethics for financial success and went to federal prison after spending nearly four years in South America as a fugitive. Now Kuhse uses his failures to help others succeed—ethically and financially—and he will be sharing his insights at JMU’s College of Business Thursday, April 3.
Bob Kolodinsky, director of JMU’s Gilliam Center for Ethical Business Leadership, said Kuhse’s message embodies the spirit of ethics at JMU’s College of Business.
‘Patrick Kuhse recognizes that he made terrible mistakes. Now he wants others to learn from his mistakes. Those who hear his talk never forget him. Patrick talks about how to avoid the ethical traps that snare otherwise good people--like him,” Kolodinsky said.
Dr. Robert Reid, dean of JMU’s College of Business, said the Gilliam Center for Ethical Business Leadership was created to ground students in good ethical, rational decision-making processes. Guest speakers, like Kuhse, offer students the opportunity to hear from personal experience about the consequences of sacrificing ethics.
For more information, contact Bob Kolodinsky at the Gilliam Center for Ethical Business Leadership. 540-568-3014, or by email at kolodirw@jmu.edu
More information about Patrick Kuhse is available at his website: http://www.speakingofethics.com
Jones Apparel Group VP Addresses Corporate Compliance and Social Responsibility
Laura E. Wittman will address a group of JMU College of Business students Monday, April 7. Wittman is the vice president of Corporate Compliance and Human Rights at the Jones Apparel Group, Inc. She has been involved in corporate social responsibility for 12 years.
Wittman (’89), who graduated from JMU with a degree in accounting, will talk about corporate compliance and human rights. She will discuss her career path, her current job, and the challenges and opportunities of working in the apparel industry.
Jones clothing is made by subcontractors, mostly overseas, which presents a particularly difficult challenge. Wittman oversees monitoring of these company’s practices to ensure legal compliance and ethical behavior. Working conditions in factories in the United States and abroad has sparked much controversy in the last century, and in the last two decades media attention and proposed legislation has attracted renewed interest in corporate practices.
The Gilliam Center for Ethical Business Leadership is sponsoring Wittman’s talk. The center was founded in 2007 by JMU’s College of Business to ground students in ethical, rational decision-making processes. The center coordinates speakers on ethical leadership and faculty collaboration in ethics research and curriculum development.
For more information, contact Bob Kolodinsky at the Gilliam Center for Ethical Business Leadership. 540-568-3014, or by email at kolodirw@jmu.edu
The Best Ethics Win: CoB Students Vie for Ethics Essay Award
The College of Business Annual Thomas J. Masterson Ethics Essay Competition, now in its 7th year is underway. The contest is sponsored by Rich Masterson, A JMU College of Business alum and successful entrepreneur. It's named in memory of Rich's father.
“Given so many recent business scandals, the College of Business is doing its part to help raise student awareness about the importance of ethical behavior in the workplace,” says Bob Kolodinsky, director of the college’s Center for Ethical Business Leadership.
“We want to ensure that CoB graduates are well prepared to identify ethical dilemmas and act accordingly. This essay contest is one of many CoB initiatives to help students think more about ethical behavior and consequences,” he says.
The competition is open to all business majors, including MBA and MSA students. Dr. Ken Williamson, professor of marketing and the director of the Cob BBA core curriculum, oversees the essay contest. He says spring and fall 2008 submissions will be judged in early spring 2009.
Judging is based on eight criteria: problem identification; analysis of problem; development of short-term strategy; development of long-term strategy; identification and discussion of key issues, discussion of consequences of actions; quality of writing; and document format.
First and second place winners will be selected to receive scholarship awards and will be recognized during the annual College of Business Awards Banquet spring 2009. Winners graduating spring or fall 2008 or spring 2009 may apply their scholarship award to future graduate work at JMU.
The competition opened Monday, March 17. The deadline for submissions is 9 p.m., Sunday, April 20.
March 18, 2008
VSCPA Awards Three Scholarships in CoB
The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants Educational Foundation awarded scholarships to three James Madison University graduate students: Scott Pober of Fanwood, N.J., Lacey Viar of Evington, Va., and Nicole Harris of Glen Allen, Va.
Nicole Harris, who received a VSCPA scholarship last year, was awarded the Thomas M. Berry Jr. scholarship for 2008-09 in the amount of $2,500.
Scholarship recipients must be enrolled in a Virginia college or university with plans to enter the accounting field. Awards are based on academic performance, faculty recommendation, community involvement, and an essay entry.
The VSCPA Educational Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting business and accounting education, rewarding academic excellence and encouraging students to pursue promising careers.
InfoSec MBA Starts New Cohort
The Information Security (InfoSec) MBA begins a new cohort April 26. This is the ninth cohort since the program’s inception in 2000. This online MBA program is perfect for working professionals who want to learn to manage information security in a business environment. JMU’s College of Business is AACSB accredited. U.S. News and World Report rates JMU’s MBA program as one of the top 20 business schools offering online education.
Each course begins and ends with four hours of face-to-face instructional time located in Reston, Va. Business professionals fly in from across the nation to attend the opening and closing classes, and then for eight weeks meet once a week in a virtual classroom.
Dr. Kenneth Bahn, director of the InfoSec MBA program says graduates of the program impressed with the quality of the education are now recruiting new graduates for their companies.
For more information on the InfoSec MBA program, visit online at http://www.jmu.edu/mba/aboutinfosec.htm or contact Dr. Bahn at (540) 568-3009 or bahnkd@jmu.edu.
Biz Plan Competitions Put Principles into Practice
Venture Creation Explores Viable Start-ups
Business Plan competitions at JMU provide students the opportunity to put principles into practice. The annual COB 300 competition evaluates how well student teams understand the integration of management, marketing, finance and operations. The 2008 finalists, judged by industry professionals, will vie for the top spot April 5.
But another business plan competition in the College of Business has attracted the attention of industry professionals, including some venture capitalists. The competition emerged from MGT 472 Venture Creation, a course designed to help students explore and experience entrepreneurship with the goal of launching a business following graduation.
Mark Langer (right) CEO of Equity One, Inc., mentors members of the JG Racing team prior to the Venture Creation Competition. From left: Justin Gallamore (management), Alex Newcomer (history) and Sean Robinson (communications).
Student teams in the Venture Creation Business Plan Competition are evaluated on the viability of their plans and proposed start-up businesses. In fact, if initial research shows a plan is not viable, it’s back to the drawing board for students, who research a new business and plan.
This year, for the first time, instructor Carol Hamilton opened the competition to the public, and interest in the proposed start-ups piqued the interest of investors and other professionals.
John Rothenberger, CoB’s Entrepreneur in Residence and the class’ coach, said after last year’s competition that it was only a matter of time before a start-up emerged from the Venture Creation class. That time may have come.
Four of the six teams from the Venture Creation class are active, Hamilton said. Three are considering entering a regional competition to move their plans forward, and three are in various stages of attempting a launch.
Ready, Set, Launch
Madison Solutions, a proposed business that uses software to schedule activities at university recreation centers, won first place in the competition held mid-December. According to Hamilton, the team held conference calls every two weeks with their team mentor, Jim Kannar, CEO of Home Design Elements in Great Falls, Va., and worked with JMU’s University Recreation Center (UREC) Director Eric Nickel. The team hopes to complete software development and launch the beta program at JMU.
BookCheetah and G-O Thermal, the second and third-place winners, plan to enter a regional business plan competition. BookCheetah is a proposed business that allows students to use an online product to sell textbooks directly to students, leaving out the middleman. The software is currently under development, and the team is planning to conduct product testing and focus groups and release a beta to several universities in summer 2008.
Members of the Certus team prepare for their presentation during the December 2007 Venture Creation Competition. From left: Adam Cerulli (accounting/finance), Teddy McNab (management) and Lane Robins (media arts & design).
Even the non-winners of the competition are exploring the viability of actual launch. The team that created a plan for Certus, an agricultural real estate investment trust (REIT), is meeting with their team mentor and entrepreneur, David Kay of Capital Automotive, over the next few weeks to explore the possibility of entering the regional competition and seeking funding for the start-up.
Interdisciplinary teams
“What’s fun about this class is that it is a mix of business and non-business majors and masters level students,” instructor Carol Hamilton said.
The Madison Solutions team consists of a management, computer science and political science major as well as one team member who is a double major in computer information systems and management science and finance.
Most students who enroll in the class are seniors, and about 50 percent are business majors who usually have the experience of the COB 300 courses and competition.
The Certus team has an accounting/finance major, one student from management and another from media arts & design.
“The success of the class increased significantly when we added non-majors,” Hamilton said. She attributes the improved performance to the variety of creative ideas the cross-disciplinary approach brings to the class and the guidance of the entrepreneurs who serve as mentors to each venture team. She and Rothenberger interview and hand-select teams in order to build groups with complementary skill sets.
Most often, said Hamilton, the non-business majors come up with the idea, and the business students on the team provide the knowledge and experience to create a viable plan.
The interdisciplinary approach more closely mimics business planning, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship in the real world. And that, Hamilton said, is precisely the point.
If you would like more information on the Venture Creation course or if you are interested in becoming a mentor, contact Carol Hamilton at hamil1cw@jmu.edu or John Rothenberger at rothenjc@jmu.edu.
CoB Partners with JMUNation.org
Do you want to connect with your former CoB classmates? Or perhaps you would like to mentor CoB students, look for interns or potential hires from your alma matter? Maybe you just want to find out what other JMU CoB grads are up to.
Sign up with our new partner networking site, JMUNation.org. You can join a group related to your interests, start a new group, or just nose around. You must have a valid jmu.edu address or get your alumni email address free. JMUNation.org has all the details.
JMU College of Business Makes List of Top Business Schools in the Nation - Again
For the third straight year, James Madison University’s College of Business ranked among the nation’s top business schools according to an annual analysis by BusinessWeek magazine.
JMU placed among the top five percent of business schools, 54th overall nationally, but moved up to the 20th spot among public universities. The business program continues to receive high ratings on the student survey. Student responses ranked JMU 23rd in the nation, 8th among public universities.
“Challenging curriculum and classes taught by profs, not TAs, make this program shine,” BusinessWeek reported.
JMU’s “challenging curriculum” includes an integrated approach to business. The college’s COB 300 experience has been recognized consistently as a unique and highly effective way to teach principles of management, finance, operations and marketing as interdisciplinary and interdependent in business.
“Our graduates understand that business is not about the silos of management or finance, but about all disciplines working together,” Dean Robert D. Reid said. “Corporations that recruit and hire our graduates say our students are equipped to be successful in the company. They attribute our grads with good interpersonal and team-building skills and a willingness to roll up their sleeves and get the job done.”
JMU made the grade on Teaching Quality and Job Placement, scoring an “A” in both categories, and a “B” on Facilities and Service.
BusinessWeek uses nine measures to rank undergraduate business programs, including surveys of business students and company recruiters. Median starting salaries, faculty-student ratios, class size and SAT score are also included in the calculation.
Feb. 5, 2008
Dr. Pamela DrakeInterviewed Live on WSVA
WSVA's Mike Schickman speaks live with Dr. Pamela Drake, head of JMU's College of Business Finance and Business Law department, Feb. 5 from 6:30-7 p.m. Dr. Drake discusses the national economy and what causes recession on the radio show "Speaking of Money." Listen live at WSVA-550AM.
Gaglioti Earmarks Endowment for Finance Department
Enrico Gaglioti, a 1994 alumnus and member of the College of Business Executive Advisory Council, has established the Gaglioti Family Endowed Fellowship in Finance. The $100,000 gift, which also honors his wife Danielle and their three children, will be used to attract and retain talented faculty members for the finance department.
The field of finance is rich with challenging and exciting job opportunities that offer competitive pay, and Gaglioti hopes this endowment will help make JMU an attractive option for prospective faculty members.
“We’ve got to have great professors who are talented, with good experience,” Gaglioti says. “Their opportunities are significant, especially in the world of business and finance, so we’ve got to make sure that JMU is a place that attracts the best possible talent—where they feel they’ve got good opportunities and where they feel they’re being offered enticing incentives.”
A partner at Goldman Sachs, Gaglioti gave the gift to show his appreciation for the university, where he learned skills that sent him on the right path to success. When he reflects on his experiences in the classroom, Gaglioti recalls numerous group projects that helped develop his leadership skills and work ethic. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs in 1998, he was a vice president in the Equities Division of Salomon Brothers Inc.
“The team-work skills, the leadership skills, the interpersonal skills, and the analytical skills that I learned at JMU were the foundation of what ultimately are important variables when you enter the work force and in being successful.”
By attracting top-notch faculty to the university, Gaglioti says, the positive effects will trickle down to the students, translating into a positive academic experience that leaves them well-prepared for their careers.
“We all can remember those one or two professors who were just a notch above the rest—that made a difference,” he says. “Hopefully this scholarship will be one small way of creating that link.”
Jan. 16, 2008
PHR Certification Puts JMU Grads Ahead of Competition: JMU Hosts Games in ‘08
As a candidate for her current job with Kerr Drug in Raleigh, N.C., Tiffanie Saunders Ashmore impressed her interviewers with the revelation that she already had earned her certification as a Professional in Human Resources. While Ashmore brought many competitive qualities to the table, the PHR certification definitely made the 2007 JMU graduate a stand-out among other applicants.
"They commented that [this certification] is something HR professionals usually do not attain until later in their career," recalls Ashmore, who was hired as a human resources assistant. "I believe it had a significant impact on proving my competence in the HR field, despite having just recently graduated."
Last spring, Ashmore was one of four JMU students who took and passed the PHR exam, giving the university's human resources management program a 100 percent pass rate. The national average pass rate is 63 percent. The PHR certification, supported by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), is becoming increasingly important in a field that is striving to gain recognition as having an essential, strategic role in any organization. The two-and-a-half hour exam is offered twice a year, covering categories such as management practices; selection and recruitment; training and development; compensation and benefits; employee-labor relations; and health, safety and security.
"It shows businesses and organizations that are recruiting our students that they've mastered the skills of their program-that they are, in fact, experts in the field," says management professor Joseph Goodman. "It also recognizes the human resources management field as a profession."
While studying for the exam can be rigorous, JMU students are offered a fun and effective opportunity for preparation: competing in the Virginia HRGames, sponsored by the Society of Human Resources Management. The Jeopardy-style competition includes questions similar to those that are asked on the exam. Last March, JMU teammates Ashmore, Jocelyn Tuttle and Ashley Hevener won the Virginia State HRGames Competition and advanced to the regional competition, where they placed 12th. JMU will host this year's Virginia HRGames in March.
The faculty in JMU's human resources management program encourage all of their students to take the PHR certification exam. In fact, they are so convinced of the value of attaining this certification that the department offers qualified students partial grants to off-set the costs of the exam.
"The human resources area is one of the fastest-growing, litigious components in the organization," Goodman says. "Having the certification solidifies that these students know what they're doing, and they're not going to put the firm in jeopardy. They'll help the firm make better decisions when it comes to their employees."
Ashmore is grateful to her JMU professors for helping her prepare for the PHR exam, as well as for her career in human resources. She's convinced it made a difference in her job hunt.
"Taking the PHR exam," she says, "proves to colleagues that, while I do not have vast amounts of working experience in my profession, I do have the knowledge it takes to pass the same certification [exam] as those holding positions in HR for years."
JMU will host the HRGames March 29, 2008.
JMU Rated a Good Value
As James Madison University students embark on their Spring semester, they can rest easy knowing they're getting a pretty good deal on their educations.
J-M-U is ranked 22nd on the 2008 listing of the 1-hundred best values in four-year colleges. The ranking is part of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's annual study, which looks at more than 500 four-year public colleges.
Kiplinger's says the 100 schools that made the list "combine outstanding economic value with top-notch education" and were ranked according to academic quality, cost, and financial aid. (courtesy of WSVA 550-AM)
JMU Rated a Good Value
As James Madison University students embark on their Spring semester, they can rest easy knowing they're getting a pretty good deal on their educations.
J-M-U is ranked 22nd on the 2008 listing of the 1-hundred best values in four-year colleges. The ranking is part of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's annual study, which looks at more than 500 four-year public colleges.
Kiplinger's says the 100 schools that made the list "combine outstanding economic value with top-notch education" and were ranked according to academic quality, cost, and financial aid. (courtesy of WSVA 550-AM)
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