News 2009
Business Student Receives 2009 SAP North America Scholarship
December 11, 2009
An Indiana State University business student, Ashlee Hull Taylor, recently received the 2009-2010 SAP North American Scholarship of $5,000.
Terre Haute native, Taylor, who is currently in her fourth year at ISU majoring in marketing, is the only Indiana recipient of the scholarship.
The SAP North American Scholarship Program recognizes undergraduate students pursing a degree in business, computer science, mathematics or engineering. Students eligible for the scholarship must be enrolled as a full-time, third or fourth year student, making satisfactory progress in his/her institution, have a cumulative overall GPA of 3.5 or higher and be actively involved in his/her community. Taylor was among 15 recipients of the scholarship from all over the U.S. and Canada.
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Business Class Project Results in a New Campus Eatery
December 11, 2009
When students and faculty return to the ISU campus for the spring semester, they'll find a new place to buy coffee and snacks in the Scott College of Business.
And those serving up the food and beverages will be volunteering their time to do it.
The Executive Express is a unique twist on a student-run food service operation. As proposed, there will be only two formal employees of the operation: a general manager and an assistant manager that are yet to be named.
Much of the work will be completed by students associated with 10 of ISU's business fraternities and associations who will volunteer their time to sell food and drinks. In exchange, they'll receive a portion of the monthly net proceeds for their organizations.
The unique business plan is one that grew out of Assistant Professor of management David Robinson's senior business experience class, and it has been a couple of years in the making.
The idea was prompted by College of Business Associate Dean Bruce McLaren who suggested the class study the feasibility of opening a student-run food service operation after Sodexo - the university's contracted dining service provider - made the decision to close one of its Sub Connection campus locations, Robinson said.
Throughout the fall semester, a team of 10 students undertook the task of getting Executive Express up and running. They first sought advice from Sluyter, then they surveyed more than 200 students and faculty to determine their food and drink preferences. They met with coffee vendors to select the perfect product. They cleaned and rearranged and contracted site renovations. They developed a logo. They created a marketing plan, and they even convinced President Dan Bradley to give them a $6,500 three-year loan to help with startup costs.
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Deer Feed Helps Students Learn Business Practices
December 10, 2009
Indiana State University students have done their part to make sure Midwest deer hunters have a satisfying hunting season.
Last spring, students in Aruna Chandra's corporate strategy course created a business plan for a start-up company's newly designed deer feed.
The relationship came about when business partners Patrick Arendt and Tim Fealey were looking for a way to grow the ideal deer for hunters. The men, who eventually formed the company Wisconsin River Wildlife Company after receiving the assistance of the ISU students, wanted to manufacture a deer feed to help produce plump deer with big antlers and healthy coats. So they contacted Chandra, an associate professor of management at ISU, for help.
With little to no knowledge of the deer feed business, Chandra and her students set about the task of getting a feel for the industry. The class created a survey to learn about the competition. They gathered a list of existing products used by deer farmers across the nation. From there, they evaluated potential competition by interviewing deer farmers for their opinions on existing products.
The class divided into groups to develop business and marketing plans. ISU MBA student and Terre Haute native, Barbara Esparza concentrated her efforts on marketing.
"The deer feed project required us to work both on individual group assignments and on the overall group proposal," Esparza said. "It was challenging to learn enough about this topic in order to present it in a beneficial way to the experts."
Other groups of students focused on developing a Web site design, making suggestions for trade show displays, marketing the deer feed and designing brochures and promotional handouts. Even the presentation was a learning experience. Students delivered it to Arendt, Fealey and Chandra - who were all in different parts of the world at the time - through online presentation software.
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Speakers Named for Winter Commencement
November 20, 2009
Congressman Brad Ellsworth and a graduating student who already runs his own company have been selected as speakers for Indiana State University's winter commencement.Rep. Ellsworth will serve as alumni speaker while Robert Tichy, a marketing and business administration major in the Donald W. Scott College of business, will serve as student commencement speaker.
Tichy, of Terre Haute, will graduate with bachelor's degrees in marketing and business administration, is founder and president of Bunker Hill Designs, a company that creates, develops and maintains Web sites for small to midsize businesses, university departments and non-profit agencies. Tichy's address to his fellow graduates will be centered on a quote from the late Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and co-author of "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." The best-selling book, based on Pausch's life and philosophy of life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, was the 2009 summer reading selection at Indiana State.The Pausch quote that inspired Tichy references the obstacles and brick walls everyone faces in life. "Because of the opportunities available and the constant support and care from Indiana State faculty, staff and administrators, I am much more prepared for obstacles that I will face later in my professional and personal life," Tichy said.
During his time at Indiana State, Tichy served as the Student Government Association's executive for special projects and student initiatives. In that capacity, he chaired a team that developed regulations and procedures for the new Student Recreation Center. Tichy was also; chair of the student information technology advisory committee; co-chair of public relations for Homecoming 2009; a guide for the Office of Admissions; a member of the university's athletic committee; and a university assistant who served as liaison between the College of Business and future students. Tichy received a Focus Indiana Scholarship, funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., and the Welby M. and Francis C. Frantz Scholarship.Tichy has worked as an intern with InfraWare Inc., a medical transcription software company that is a client business of Indiana State's Center for Business Support and Economic Innovation and the ISU-based Terre Haute Innovation Alliance. He has worked as a sales associate and assistant manager for Dakota Watch Co. and is associate director of Sycamore Business Advisors, a student-led strategic consulting firm within Indiana State's Donald W. Scott College of Business.His community involvement has included mentoring youth as a volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and coaching a seventh and eighth grade boys' basketball team.
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Insurance and Risk Management Students Win Top Honors
November 13, 2009
An Indiana State University student has been awarded a scholarship presented annually by one of the nation's leading business fraternities.
Gamma Iota Sigma - a fraternal organization that seeks to enhance the professionalism of students in the risk management, healthcare risk management, and actuarial science programs - annually honors only one college student with a scholarship named in honor of the organization's founder.
Terri Ketzner, an ISU junior insurance and risk management major from Ferdinand, Ind., brought home that prestigious Warren L. Weeks scholarship last month from the organization's 38th annual conference.
The ISU chapter won five other awards: the Chapter Management Award, the Membership Development Award, the Black and Gold Award Community Service Pairing with Industry Award, the Black and Gold Award for Gamma Iota Sigma Rush Week, and the Black and Gold Hugs and Kisses Award. The chapter last won an award in 2001.
Paige Williams, the group's vice president of public relations and a senior from Terre Haute, said the recognition demonstrates that the chapter is well-developed professionally and is delivering quality work.
Other students who attended the conference are Cecilia Emmons from French Lick, Ind., Catherine Price from Terre Haute, Julie Alig from Portland, Ind., Sara Mays from Paoli, Ind., Ryan Teppen from Evansville, Ind., David Walters from Valparaiso, Ind. and Nathan Lloyd from North Liberty, Ind.
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Trustees Approve Names for Two Colleges
October 23, 2009
Two colleges at Indiana State University have new names following action Friday by the university's governing board. ISU trustees agreed to name the College of Education in honor of the political and educational legacy of the Bayh family and the College of Business for retired Terre Haute businessman Donald W. Scott.
The Donald W. Scott College of Business will honor the long-time owner of the former Sycamore Agency in Terre Haute, now Old National Insurance. Scott and his wife Susan have made a significant gift to the ISU Foundation that will help renovate the former Terre Haute Federal Building for use by the college.
The Scott's gift to the ISU Foundation will enable the college to move forward in educational programs and facilities while preserving key historical elements of the Federal Building, including a courtroom mural depicting the signing of the Magna Carta, Dean Nancy Merritt said.
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University Considers Naming College for Terre Haute Businessman
October 19, 2009
In recognition of a generous donation from lifelong Terre Haute residents, the Indiana State University Foundation has recommended the university's governing board name the ISU College of Business in honor of Donald W. Scott.
Scott began his business career at Home Packing Co. in Terre Haute but spent four decades in the insurance industry with the Sycamore Agency, now Old National Insurance. At the time of his retirement in 2003, Scott was chairman and chief executive officer of Terre Haute's Old National Insurance, one of the state's largest independent insurance agencies. Old National Insurance is in the top 15 in the country for bank-owned insurance agencies.
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Financial Education Gets Boost from Major Donation
October 16, 2009
Indiana State University's financial services education program will benefit from a more than $1.3 million gift from Randall and Nancy Minas.
$350,000 of the gift is dedicated to the Randall and Nancy Minas Center for Investment and Financial Education Endowment. The remaining $1 million will support a financial trading room in the university's new College of Business building, the former Federal Building at Seventh and Cherry Streets in downtown Terre Haute.
"We are happy to make this gift because of the opportunities for financial education which can attract new students to Indiana State," Randall Minas said.
When the current Financial Trading Room first opened in 2007, it was one of only a handful at any university.
Randall Minas graduated cum laude from Indiana State in 1975 with a degree in management and a minor in accounting. He now serves the university on its board of trustees and is a certified financial planner and senior vice president with City Securities Corp., a private client group headquartered in Indianapolis.
Nancy Minas is helping the ISU Foundation as a member of its national campaign committee. Their second daughter, Dawn, earned degrees in business administration and psychology from ISU in 2003 and is a member of the alumni board. Their son Randy is pursuing an MBA and works in the College of Business. The family believes in the importance of education to prepare graduates for the workforce.
Nancy, Randy and Dawn Minas
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Banking Expert Coming to ISU to Discuss Financial Industry Crisis
October 9, 2009
Christopher Whalen, co-founder and senior vice president of Institutional Risk Analytics, will be on the Indiana State University campus Tuesday to discuss the issues facing the financial services industry.
Whalen last visited the ISU campus in the spring of 2008, just before the United States began to experience its worst financial crisis in decades. During this visit, Whalen's address is titled "Restructuring, Resolving and Rebuilding: U.S. Banking 2010." He is expected to discuss the 2008 breakdown of the financial markets, examine where we are in this crisis and determine where the industry might be headed.
In his position with Institutional Risk Analytics, Whalen is responsible for sales, marketing and business development. He is also an ISU Networks Financial Institute fellow and has more than two decades of experience as an investment banker, research analyst and journalist.
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Motorsports Initiative Gains Momentum with Addition of Professionals, Curriculum
October 7, 2009
Indiana State University is expanding the Motorsports Studies Initiative with the addition of two racing professionals to its advisory board and two ISU departments developing student coursework related to motorsports.
ISU in August announced that the Motorsports Studies Initiative - which until that time offered only courses in motorsports management and the Team Sycamore Racing student activity - was expanding its effort. Marketing professor Joyce Young joined the program to serve as coordinator of the leadership team. Business professor Joe Harder developed a course to bridge information systems and motorsports, and technology professor Randy Peters explored new ways to incorporate Team Sycamore Racing into the classroom.
Since then, Young's marketing students have begun to develop analysis reports that will be used to assist with the growth of listenership on the Internet site RaceFanRadio.com. That collaboration led Young to tap the department of communication's radio faculty and students to develop content that will eventually play on the Internet site.
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Princeton Review Names ISU's MBA Program Among the Best for Fourth Straight Year
October 7, 2009
The College of Business at Indiana State University has been recognized for the fourth straight year by Princeton Review as one of the world's top business schools.
"Small classes, great teachers, good assistantships and an affordable tuition add up to excellent value for students" in Indiana State's Master of Business Administration program, the publication states in its 2010 edition of "The Best 301 Business Schools."
The low faculty to student ratio of 18 to 1 in the ISU College of Business means "individual attention that better prepares the students in a hands-on manner" and a "friendly environment inside and outside the classroom," the publication says.
"We are delighted to receive this honor for the fourth year in a row," said Jeff Harper, interim associate dean for graduate programs. "It's a fine testament to the dedicated graduate faculty members who are so instrumental in the program's success and our students' accomplishments. The word is out - Indiana State's College of Business offers an excellent value to those interested in pursuing an MBA."
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Insurance students Gain Leadership Skills, Raise more than $25,000 at ISU Golf Outing
October 1, 2009
A student-organized golf outing hosted in September by Indiana State University's Insurance and Risk Management program raised more than $25,000 for student activities.
The 12th annual Octoberfest golf outing Sept. 17 at the Country Club of Terre Haute drew in more than 100 people with proceeds benefiting the Insurance and Risk Management program and the Gamma Iota Sigma fraternity.
The money raised will support students' attendance at local and regional industry events, their travel expenses to corporate tours and their preparation fees for national industry exams.
"We are very thankful for our industry sponsors for supporting student development, activities and the IRM program," said Terri Ketnzer, co-chair of the event and an insurance and risk management major from Ferdinand, Ind.
State Farm Insurance, AON Corp., Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Lockton Company, CIGNA and Patriot Investments were sponsors.
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ISU Finance Professor Builds Ties with the Nation's Federal Reserve Bank
September 29, 2009
One of Indiana State University's finance professors spent the month of August at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago trying to learn more about how to reverse the country's troubled economy.
Lakshmi Balasubramanyan, an assistant professor of finance who began teaching at ISU in the fall of 2008, studied side by side with some of the greatest policy makers in the country, she said. For a scholar who focuses much of her research effort on commercial and retail banking, the experience was invaluable.
Balasubramanyan was there seeking answers about what's at the root of the country's financial difficulties. Back at ISU, she's continuing to study bank lending practices, small business borrowing practices and accessibility to credit, and all the while looking at government policies to see where disparities might be. That connection came about through Balasubramanyan's networking efforts. Less than one year ago, she met Federal Reserve Bank Vice-President of Financial Markets Group Anna Paulson at a conference hosted by ISU's Networks Financial Institute and asked for the opportunity to collaborate on research.
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ISU College of Business Professors Appointed to an Online Editorial Board
September 11, 2009
Indiana State University professors Susan Moncada and William Svihla have been invited to join the business editorial board for Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT).
Moncada, a professor of accounting, was an associate editor for MERLOT last year and has been invited again to join the business editorial board. Svihla, an assistant professor of accounting, was a peer reviewer last year who has been invited to join the business editorial board based on his contributions of the last year.
MERLOT is an online community that connects faculty, staff and students from around the world through sharing of learning materials. It is supported by 24 online systems, the Institution of Higher Education and the National Science Foundation. It is endorsed by the educational learning initiative of EDUCAUSE.
Moncada and Svihla, along with other faculty members from other institutions, have been performing the peer review of instructional technology, modeled after the peer review process for research and scholarship.
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ISU Graduates Receive Recognition for Their Leadership Accomplishments
September 11, 2009
Indiana State University alumni Greg Wasiak and Anthony Javorka are two of Indy's Best & Brightest 100 outstanding young professionals, and they may receive more recognition.
Wasiak graduated from ISU 2001 with a bachelor's degrees in accounting and business management. He was the transaction services manager at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLP prior to his current position as an audit manager for Dauby O'Connor Zaleski, LLC. He is a member of the advisory board of directors for Wheeler - Dowe Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis and of the Indiana State College of Business Young Professionals Board.
Javorka graduated from ISU in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in accounting and a minor in management information systems. He is currently the chief operating officer of practice operation and information technology for Community Heart and Vascular. Previously, he served as the chief executive officer for Indiana Heart Associates. He is a member of various national organizations including the Medical Group Management Association and American College of Healthcare Executives.
Both alumni are certified public accountants and are members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
This honor is sponsored by Junior Achievement and recognizes 100 young professionals ages 40 and under who demonstrate extraordinary leadership qualities in and around the Indianapolis area.
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Insurance and Risk Management Program to Host Octoberfest Golf Outing
September 4, 2009
Indiana State University's Insurance and Risk Management program will host the 12th annual Octoberfest Golf Outing Sept. 17 at the Country Club of Terre Haute.
During previous years, more than 100 industry executives in the field of insurance and financial services have supported the event.
Rebecca Shorter, one of the event's organizers and the director of career development for the ISU Gongaware Center, said the event is about more than golf. It presents an opportunity for scholarship recipients within the Insurance and Risk Management program to network with executives they might not otherwise have an opportunity to meet.
This outing, which benefits the Insurance Risk Management program and the Gamma Iota Sigma fraternity, is traditionally the largest fundraiser for the ISU College of Business. The more than $27,000 raised last year enabled students to prepare for national industry exams, travel on corporate tours, and attend local and regional at industry events locally and regionally.
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Indianapolis-area Artist Gifts Painting to Indiana State University Motorsports
September 3, 2009
An Indianapolis-area artist, who has depicted on canvas the Indiana State University Team Sycamore Racing dragster, is donating her artwork to the university.
The artist, Kim Watanabe, will unveil her piece titled "Full Throttle Education" at a private reception and ceremony in conjunction with Carmel Artomobilia - a celebration of the art and design of the automobile. The event takes place Sept. 12.
The acrylic painting is Watanabe's impressionistic attempt to capture, through an explosion of color, the tension and emotion drivers experience on the track, she said.
"I tried to show the energy of what I think happens in racing," she said. "I wanted to portray ... that terrific burst of energy that happens with the light changes and the take off."
Watanabe, a Michigan native, began her 20-year career as a Hoosier artist after she graduated from Indiana University. She has served as director of Arts Columbus. Watanabe works with pencil, watercolors, acrylics, oils, and mixed media and maintains a working studio near Westfield.
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Hawes Receives National Award for Teaching Excellence
August 20, 2009
Jon M. Hawes, professor of marketing, received the McGraw-Hill Irwin Sales Teacher of the Year Award at the American Marketing Association’s recent Summer Educators Conference in Chicago.
The marketing association's Sales Special Interest Group, in partnership with textbook publishers McGraw-Hill/Irwin, presented the award in recognition of Hawes’ excellence in sales teaching. He received a plaque and $1,500 and delivered a presentation about his classroom teaching to colleagues from around the world.
Competition for the award was open to full-time marketing educators who are members of the association’s Sales Special Interest Group and have displayed outstanding teaching in one or more sales classes.
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Team Will Provide Leadership to ISU Motorsports Program
August 17, 2009
Three racing enthusiasts are among the team that will lead Indiana State University's motorsports studies initiative into the future. The initiative includes courses in motorsports management and student activities, such as Team Sycamore Racing.
Two College of Business professors - Joyce Young and Joe Harder - together with Randy Peters from the College of Technology will work to expand the program, engaging more students and partnering with industry.
Young, a professor of marketing, has a lifelong passion for racing, traced back to a visit as a young child to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Young, who will serve as coordinator of the leadership team, is interested in the business of motorsports, the study of the industry, and all aspects of marketing, the global nature of the industry, and the influence of motorsports on culture.
Harder, associate professor of management information systems, oversees student activities. He became interested in motorsports after moving to Terre Haute and being close to the Terre Haute Action Track. Harder combined his love of motorsports with his expertise in information systems and developed a syllabus for a course in Information Systems for Motorsports.
Administrative oversight for the program is provided by Nancy Merritt, dean of the College of Business, and Bradford Sims, dean of the College of Technology. Teresa Stateler, who will provide administrative support, helps coordinate internships for motorsport management minors. She earned associate and bachelor's degrees from Indiana State and worked 20 years in the South Vermillion School Corp.
Launched in 2006, Indiana State's motorsports program is multi-disciplinary, including students and faculty from the College of Business; College of Technology; and the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services. It has been designated a "Program of Promise" under a program funded in part by a gift from the Lilly Endowment intended to highlight the university's most distinctive programs.
Image: ISU Motorsports Leadership team: (bottom to top) Joe Harder, Joyce Young, Teresa Stateler and Randy Peters.
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College of Business Embraces Personal Branding
August 11, 2009
In today's competitive marketplace, job seekers must find ways to differentiate themselves. One way the College of Business at Indiana State University is preparing its students for that challenge is through initiatives focused on personal branding.
Successful companies have long been those that leverage successful brands-unique, positive characteristics that people associate with products or services. In much the same way, successful business professionals are those that stand out because of their positive contributions, said Kim LaGrange, director of the Center for Student Professional Development.
"The idea of a brand is that it provides an avenue for an individual to differentiate him or herself so that the world will be able easily identify some unique characteristics about that person. More and more we see personal branding becoming a popular concept for job seekers as they try to stand out in the employment marketplace as a means to portray their positive attributes to prospective employers," LaGrange said.
The center is taking steps to ensure that students have a chance to put that concept into practice as they look toward their careers.
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New Center Concentrates on Sales and Negotiations
July 8, 2009
The Indiana State University College of Business is carving out a niche with the hiring of a faculty member to focus on sales education. Certified sales executive, southern Indiana native and Indiana State alumnus Jon M. Hawes has joined the faculty as professor of marketing. Hawes comes to ISU from the University of Akron where he was a distinguished professor of marketing and founder of the Fisher Institute for Professional Selling.
At Indiana State, he will serve as professor of marketing and will teach a new course in negotiations this fall. He will also build a training laboratory for video-recording of sales, negotiations and other business communications as he works toward developing a new Sales and Negotiations Center. The center would engage business and other community members in the ISU program, while providing consulting and specialized training to organizations.
Hawes received the Outstanding Service Award at the National Conference in Sales Management in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and was selected by the University of Akron Alumni Association as the 1991 winner of the Outstanding Researcher Award for a lifetime of exceptional achievements in research.
The appointment by Indiana State brings Hawes back to his alma mater. He earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and economics in 1973 and a master of business administration in 1975. He holds a doctorate in marketing from the University of Arkansas. A native of Wheatland, Ind., he is a graduate of South Knox High School.
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2009-10 Gongaware Scholars Named
June 26, 2009
The Gongaware Center in the Indiana State University College of Business has announced the 2009-10 class of Gongaware Scholars. Five students were chosen as this year's scholarship recipients.
The Gongaware Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a career in financial services. The award includes $6,500 per year, as well as a laptop computer and professional development account. It is renewable for three years. Gongaware Scholars participate in two paid summer internships, are assigned an industry mentor, participate in an international experience and have access to many other professional development opportunities.
To be considered for the Gongaware Scholarship, candidates must have a competitive grade point average, class rank, SAT/ACT scores and major in a financial services or insurance and risk management.
The Gongaware Center at ISU was established with a $5 million gift from Donald and Patricia Gongaware for the purpose of developing leaders in insurance and the financial services industry.
This year's Gongaware Scholars are Kris A. Fortune, Andrew D. Graman, Jaclin Huxford, Jeremy Kincaid and Brooke N. Knight.
Kris A. Fortune is the son of Kenny and Jeanne Fortune of Richland. He is a graduate of South Spencer High School where he was a member of FFA, the Fish and Game Club, Spirit Club, Beta Club, and served as a volunteer for the school's Red Cross blood drive.
Andrew D. Graman is the son of J.D. and Christina Graman of Bruceville. He graduated from North Knox High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Principal's Advisory Committee, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Academic Team, marching band and pep band. He played varsity soccer, basketball and baseball. He is a member of his church youth group, served as a volunteer with the Old Town Players community theatre group and was named a HOBY (Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership) Ambassador.
Jaclin Huxford is the daughter of Jack and Sherry Huxford of Clinton. She is a graduate of South Vermillion High School were where she was a member of the distinguished honor roll, Student Council, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, dance team and prom committee. She also served as a Wildcat Kick-Off Mentor and peer tutor. She is a member of State Line Christian Church, has served a volunteer for Special Olympics and is a music teacher assistant and member of the Coon Holler Kids Bluegrass Band.
Jeremy Kincaid is the son of Dan and Sandy Kincaid of Richland. He is a graduate of South Spencer High School where he was a member of Beta Club, FFA, Fish and Game Club, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He played varsity baseball, basketball and football. He served as an acolyte at Richland United Methodist Church and was a founding member of the Peace Episcopal Church.
Brooke N. Knight is the daughter of Jeff and Elizabeth Twibell of Montpelier. She is a graduate of Blackford High School where her activities included Key Club, Science Club, Drama Club, French Club, Spanish Club, Thespians, Booster Club, Senior Executive Board, Youth Economic Development Board and Youth Leadership Academy. She was a Hoosier Girls State delegate and served as an intern for her local city council.
2009 Gongaware Scholars: Kris A. Fortune, Andrew D. Graman, Jaclin Huxford, Jeremy Kincaid, and Brooke N. Knight
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20 Students Awarded ISU's Top Academic Honor
June 17, 2009
Twenty students have been awarded Indiana State University's most prestigious scholarship - the President's Scholarship.
President's Scholars must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.7 on a 4.0 scale and a combined critical reading and math score of 1100 on the SAT or a composite score of 24 on the ACT. Selection is highly competitive and based upon both academic and personal accomplishments, and an interview is required for all finalists. The current value of these scholarships for students is $15,000 annually.
This year's President's Scholar recipients include: Carly Anderson, Fort Wayne; Anna Buck, Noblesville; Renee Buettner, Belleville, Ill.; Wade Bush, Terre Haute; Lucas Eitel, Marshall, Ill.; Katie Ellingsworth, West Terre Haute; Andrew Graman, Bruceville; Rachel Hand, Milan; Derek Hennig, Charleston, Ill.; Michael Hickox, Casey, Ill.; Nathan Hinote, Cayuga; Kasey Kahle, Fort Branch; Melanie Mivshek, Wadsworth, Ill.; Cody Prickett, Indianapolis; Richard Rosales, Clayton; Lauren Smith, Anderson; Cortni Townsend, Makanda, Ill.; Nicholas Utterback, Terre Haute; Sarah Wachala, Munster; and Megan Whitacre, Paris, Ill.
Since the program began in 1994, those students who have been named President's Scholars have distinguished themselves in unique and successful ways at Indiana State, at graduate schools across the country, and in their subsequent careers.
Wade Bush, son of Joseph and Becky Bush of Terre Haute, is a graduate of Terre Haute North Vigo High School. He plans to major in accounting. During high school, Bush played baseball, basketball, football and soccer in addition to his involvement in Student Council, Counterpoints, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Link Crew, Continentals, Key Club, Youth Leadership of Terre Haute, and National Honor Society. He also participated in volunteer activities at the Boys and Girls Club, Lighthouse Mission, YMCA/YWCA and going on a mission trip to Mexico. Bush has received numerous athletic awards, and was nominated for the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Award.
Lucas Eitel, son of Fred and Janet Eitel of Marshall, Ill., is a graduate of Marshall High School. He plans to major in business. During high school, Eitel played baseball, basketball, golf and tennis and was involved in National Honor Society, science club, Spanish Club, and Interact. He has received numerous athletic awards and was selected as an Illinois State Scholar.
Andrew Graman, the son of J.D. and Christina Graman of Bruceville, is a graduate of North Knox High School. He plans to major in insurance and risk management and mathematics. During high school, Graman played varsity soccer and baseball and was involved in National Honor Society, student council, Principal's Advisory Committee, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Students against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and academic math team. He has received numerous awards, including an academic letter, earning varsity letters in baseball and soccer and earning academic all state honors in soccer for two years.
Michael Hickox, the son of David and Jan Hickox of Casey, Ill., is a graduate of Casey-Westfield High School and plans to major in finance or business administration. During high school, he participated in drama club, scholastic bowl, choir, Eco Team, yearbook staff, National Honor Society and International Thespian Society.
Nathan Hinote, son of George and Kenna Hinote of Cayuga, is a graduate of North Vermillion Jr./Sr. High School. He plans to major in business. During high school, Hinote participated in National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, president of the Vermillion County Skateboard Park Committee, edited video for instructional purposes and earned a varsity letter in wrestling in addition to an academic letter jacket.
Melanie Mivshek, daughter of Barbara and Darrell Mivshek of Wadsworth, Ill., is a graduate of Zion-Benton Township High School and plans to major in psychology and business. During high school she was involved in Key Club, National Honor Society, marching band, pep band, softball and volleyball and served as a manager for the wrestling team. She has earned Illinois math league recognition, named to the All-Academic team for the North Suburban Athletic Conference, earned all-conference honorable mention in volleyball and softball and was an academic team captain.
Cortni Townsend, daughter of Greg and Karen Dunn of Mankanda, Ill., is a graduate of Carbondale Community High School. She plans to major in accounting. During high school, she was president of Student Senate, participated in Scholar Bowl, German Club, history club, National Honor Society and was named to high honor roll all four years.
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ISU Announces Gerald Smith Scholarship
May 13, 2009
A scholarship has been established in memory of Indiana State University business student Gerald Smith of Avon who died shortly after completing a bachelor's degree in insurance and risk management.
Initial funding comes from a portion of the money donated for a reward fund after Gerald was reported missing on May 1. His body was found on May 8 and he was recognized with a moment of silence during ISU's spring commencement the next day.
The ISU foundation is accepting additional donations for the Gerald Smith Memorial Scholarship that will benefit a College of Business student who shares Gerald's interests.
The first scholarship will be presented to an existing undergraduate student during the College of Business Honors Day in April 2010 when Gerald's parents, Robin and Billy Hill, also will be recognized.
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Alumni, Student Speakers Inspire Class of 2009
May 9, 2009
As Indiana State University's class of 2009 graduated Saturday amid an uncertain economy, they heard inspiration from a 1979 graduate who said ISU gave him the chance and the confidence to act on his inspirations.
Roger Schmelzer entered Indiana State just months after his dad died of a heart attack at age 51. His mother had already died. In his first two weeks on campus, Schmelzer had scored the lead in the university musical and landed the lead in another play later the same year. And he wasn't even a theater major.
By his sophomore year, he caught the political bug as a student government representative and was a sportscaster on the campus radio station.
Schmelzer went on to complete bachelor's and master's degrees from Indiana State and a law degree from Indiana University. He's enjoyed a successful career in government and financial services and is currently president and chief executive officer of the National Conference of Insurance Guarantee Funds.
Gerald Smith would have graduated Saturday with a bachelor's degree in insurance and risk management. Following the moment of silence, Nancy J. Merritt, dean of the College of Business, presented his diploma cover to his mother, Robin Hill, who was seated in the audience next to Cheri Bradley, wife of Indiana State President Daniel J. Bradley.
<< Full Story >> << Read Schmelzer's prepared speech >>
Body of Missing Student Found
May 8, 2009
A body found in the Wabash River Friday evening (May 8) has been identified as that of a missing Indiana State University student.
The body of Gerald Smith of Avon was found near Vincennes at approximately 7:30 p.m. An autopsy conducted Saturday morning at Terre Haute Regional Hospital by Medical Examiner Dr. Roland Kohr determined death was due to accidental drowning.
The 22-year-old insurance and risk management major had been missing since May 1. An Avon High School graduate and the son of Robin and Billy Hill, Gerald had been scheduled to graduate on Saturday.
"On behalf of Indiana State University, Cheri and I offer our deepest sympathies to Robin, Billy and all of Gerald's family and friends," said university President Daniel J. Bradley. "We are proud of the way the university came together during the past week to search for Gerald."
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Reward Fund Grows in Search for Missing Student
May 7, 2009
Reward funds have topped $3,000 in the case of missing Indiana State University student Gerald Smith.
The ISU Foundation has received pledges totaling more than $2,000, including $1,000 from the Speedway Lions Club and $1,000 from the parent of another student who has asked to remain anonymous. These amounts are in addition to a reward of up to $1,000 being offered by Wabash Valley Crimestoppers.
Smith, an insurance and risk management major from Avon, was last seen in the early morning hours of May 1 after leaving the Ballyhoo Tavern at Ninth and Chestnut streets, just east of the ISU campus.
University police are continuing to search for a man and woman in a gold Toyota Camry or similar vehicle after a witness reported seeing someone matching Smith's description talking to the couple in such a vehicle near Second and Canal streets in Terre Haute about one hour after he left the Ballyhoo. A ground search of that area on Wednesday did not produce any evidence in Smith's disappearance.
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Police have new Lead in Search for Missing Student
May 6, 2009
Indiana State University police have a new lead in the search for missing student Gerald Smith.
A man fitting Smith's description was seen between 1:30 and 1:45 a.m. Friday (May 1) near Second and Canal streets, west of the ISU campus. A witness has told police he saw a man wearing a red Hawaiian shirt talking with a man and woman in a gold Toyota Camry or similar vehicle. The conversation lasted two to four minutes before the man in the red shirt and the occupants of the car went their separate ways.
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Effort to Find Missing Student to Focus on Public Awareness
May 5, 2009
Indiana State University officials hope increased public awareness will lead them to missing student Gerald Smith of Avon. Wabash Valley Crimestoppers has agreed to use its resources to spread the word about Smith's disappearance via television public service announcements, billboards and a reward of up to $1,000. In addition, the Indiana State University Foundation is accepting contributions for an additional reward fund.
Smith, a senior insurance and risk management major, was reported missing Friday evening, May 1. Since then, ISU Public Safety officers and other university staff have been joined by area law enforcement agencies and student and faculty volunteers in a series of extensive searches in and around the university's campus near downtown Terre Haute.
"We are grateful for the support of Crimestoppers and the ISU Foundation. We have conducted four very thorough searches of all the likely areas where Gerald may have gone. We are now shifting our resources to concentrate on public awareness which we hope will lead to information about Gerald's whereabouts," said Bill Mercier, director of public safety.
"We want to emphasize that we have no indication to believe a crime has occurred. Utilizing Crimestoppers resources will simply help us to keep Gerald's information before the public in hopes that someone will come forward with information," Mercier added.
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Search for Missing Student Focuses on Area Near Wabash River
May 4, 2009
The search for a missing Indiana State University student is concentrating today (May 4) in an area west of the campus along the east bank of the Wabash River.
University Public Safety officers and student volunteers searching for Gerald Smith will conduct a grid search of the area between First and Chestnut streets and the CSX Railroad truss bridge, beginning at 3 p.m. Smith's Facebook page includes a photo of him at that bridge.
Smith, a senior from Avon, was reported missing Friday evening. He was last seen at approximately 1 a.m. Friday (May 1) near Ninth and Chestnut streets.
Searches were conducted during the past few days of the ISU campus, nearby areas of downtown Terre Haute and Fairbanks Park. Public Safety officers and other university staff, Terre Haute police, Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers, Vigo County Sheriff's Department auxiliary deputies and volunteers have all been involved in the search.
"On behalf of the entire Indiana State University community, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who is assisting with the search. Cheri and I are keeping Gerald and his family in our thoughts and prayers, and I appreciate everyone who is providing support to Gerald's parents, relatives and friends," said ISU President Daniel J. Bradley.
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Rankin Awards Honor Four Outstanding Seniors
May 4, 2009
Four seniors have been recognized for their achievement and service to Indiana State University with Alan C. Rankin awards. Named for ISU's seventh president, Alan C. Rankin, who served from 1965-1975, the Rankin Awards are sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Affairs.
The awards were established to recognize outstanding members of the senior classes who have contributed to the betterment of campus life at Indiana State. Individuals selected to receive the awards must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 and have demonstrated dedicated membership and leadership ability in campus organizations, as well as in the community.
Sadie May Davis, Amy Huntsinger, William Jackson and Andrew Willmann will receive the Alan C. Rankin Memorial Distinguished Senior Awards during commencement exercises at 2 p.m. May 9 in Hulman Center.
Huntsinger, a public relations and marketing major from Frankton, is currently serving as the student member of the Indiana State Board of Trustees as well as president of Chi Omega Sorority.
She has been very active on campus, working as a learning community peer assistant, and as a member of the Leadership Training Taskforce, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Student Government Association and Alpha Lambda Delta.
As a member of the Board of Trustees, she was involved with the selection of Indiana State's 11th president, Daniel Bradley.
She has participated in a number of community service activities such as Relay for Life, Hull House Service learning trip and Alternative Spring Break in addition to volunteering with Make-A-Wish Foundation and serving on the planning committee for ISU's Heart to Heart event, a heart education program.
In addition to her studies, she has served as an intern with the Indiana State University Foundation, assisting in event planning and working as a nanny for a local family.
2009 Senior Rankin Award winners Sadie May Davis, Amy Huntsinger, William Jackson and Andrew Willmann
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Search Continues for Missing Student
May 3, 2009
Indiana State University officials are continuing to search for missing student Gerald Smith.
On Saturday (May 2), university officials along with 30 volunteers divided the campus into six sectors and searched between 7 and 9 p.m. The area of campus closest to where Smith had last been seen was searched Friday evening, shortly after Smith was reported missing.
Today (Sunday, May 3), two teams will be searching the periphery of campus - primarily those areas south and west of campus, including the Wabash River bank.
Also, ISU Public Safety officials have determined Smith was last seen at 1 a.m. Friday near Ninth and Chestnut streets. Initial reports had indicated he was last seen at 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
Smith is described as five feet, seven inches tall and weighing approximately 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He wears glasses and has a light beard. When last seen he was wearing a red Hawaiian shirt, jeans and brown shoes.
<< Full Story >>
Student Reported Missing
May 2, 2009
The Indiana State University Public Safety Department is searching for a missing student. Gerald Smith, 22, a senior from Avon and a Jones Hall resident, was reported missing Friday evening. He was last seen at approximately 10:30 p.m. Thursday walking south on Ninth Street from Chestnut Street.
Smith is described as five feet, seven inches tall and weighing approximately 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He wears glasses and has a light beard. When last seen he was wearing a red Hawaiian shirt, jeans and brown shoes.
<< Full Story >>
Eight Earn Faculty Recognition Awards
April 30, 2009
Among the awardees was Art Sherwood, associate professor of management, who received the Caleb Mills Distinguished Teaching Award. The award is named for a 19th century educator who helped shape Indiana's public education system and served as the state's second superintendent of public instruction, this award recognizes ISU's most distinguished teachers.
Sherwood, a College of Business faculty member since 2001 and management program coordinator, is the creator of Sycamore Business Advisors, an award-winning senior capstone program. He is the senior fellow for leadership development for Networks Financial Services Institute and works closely with the Networks Scholars program to develop exciting, theoretically sound seminars and workshops. He has taught university courses in the U.S., Poland and Hungary including strategic management, leadership, management principles, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship and international business. Additionally, he works with a team of researchers that focuses on excellence in teaching at the university level.
"We have worked hard to put the power of learning into the hands of students," Sherwood said. "This award gives testament to the empowering nature of experiential learning. My sincere appreciation goes out to all those that have worked on this same path and have taught me so much about how to truly engage the student. Without being surrounded by such excellence, my scholarship of teaching and learning could never have reached this point."
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Commencement to Feature Alumni, Student Speakers
April 29, 2009
Indiana State University's class of 2009 will hear from an alumnus who has had a successful career in government and financial services and from one of its own who aspires to a career in the foreign service.
Roger Schmelzer, president and chief executive officer of the National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds (NCIGF), will serve as alumni speaker for the university's May commencement while Sadie Davis, a political science and pre-law major, has been selected as student commencement speaker.
Schmelzer has become a nationally-recognized spokesperson for the safety net that provides financial protection to consumers in the event their insurance companies fail. He is responsible for day-to-day operations, member services and managing external relationships for NCIGF.
Previously, he was senior vice president of state and regulatory affairs for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) in Indianapolis. In that position, he implemented dramatic change in state advocacy strategy and the resources available to NAMIC member companies. He was also responsible for a public policy issue development process that combined state, regulatory, and federal and public affairs.
In the evening, Schmelzer often swaps his briefcase for a microphone and hits the musical theater stage. Last year he released a CD of cabaret and jazz songs called "About Now."
He plans to speak to ISU graduates about "The Power of And."
Schmelzer said his Indiana State education taught him never to rule out the possibilities of anything in the pursuit of the best possible outcome, either personally or professionally.
"Taking responsibility for your actions and remaining enthusiastic, you can accomplish a great deal. That is 'The Power of And.' I learned more about this during my time in Terre Haute than in all the years before and call on those experiences every day," he said. "I am deeply honored to be able to share this perspective 30 years practically to the day that I walked across the stage at Hulman Center to collect my diploma."
In addition to bachelor's (1979) and master's (1981) degrees from Indiana State, Schmelzer holds a law degree from Indiana University. He has served as chief of staff and chief legal counsel to the speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives. He also practiced public policy law in Indianapolis, worked as executive assistant to Sen. Richard G. Lugar and served as legislative liaison to the Indiana secretary of state.
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Business Student Earns National Internship
April 20, 2009
Junior Cecilia "CeCee" Emmons, a business administration and insurance and risk management major at Indiana State University, has been awarded a summer internship by the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO).
The nine-week, paid internship offers hands-on experience in the surplus lines industry through placement at member firms. Students work five weeks for a NAPSLO member insurance company and four weeks with a NAPSLO member wholesale broker firm. Interns receive a competitive salary from host firms, while NAPSLO provides a stipend, housing and airfare or travel expenses. Interns also compete for an additional internship in London that takes place the following summer.
Emmons will spend five weeks at Great American Custom in Cincinnati, followed by four weeks at Westrope in Kansas City, Mo.
The internship program was established in 1981 to interest students in the surplus lines industry, which handles unique, unusual or hard to place risks. More than 150 students have participated in the program since its inception and more than half of the former interns are currently working in the insurance industry. Many are employed by NAPSLO member firms.
<< Full Story >>
Trip to Greater China Offers Lessons in International Business
April 13, 2009
For 12 business students at Indiana State University, the world is now a much smaller place.
The group traveled to Taiwan and Hong Kong during Spring Break (March 7-14) as part of a management seminar course focusing on doing business in Greater China. The course is taught by management professor Wei He and the trip was designed to reinforce what the students have been studying all semester. For most of the students, this was their first time to travel abroad.
The trip was mostly funded by Paul Lo, a 1970 ISU alumnus of the Master of Business Administration program and a recipient of the university's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2002 and an honorary doctorate in 2008. He was the chairman of Bank SinoPac in Taiwan. Students toured SinoPac, attended two presentations by corporate executives, and met with Lo in his new consulting firm for a seminar on career success in business.
Business students listen to a seminar on success given by Paul Lo
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Two Insurance and Risk Management Students Selected for National Conference
April 7, 2009
Two insurance and risk management majors from Indiana State University are among a select group chosen to participate in the Risk and Insurance Management Society's (RIMS) Anita Benedetti Student Involvement Program.
Senior Jon Lough and junior Eric Gettelfinger will travel to Orlando, Fla., for the 2009 RIMS conference April 19-23. The program provides airfare, hotel expenses, registration and small stipend to outstanding insurance and risk management students who have been nominated for the program. This is the fifth year in a row that two ISU students have been chosen for the honor.
Gettelfinger, from Depauw, is double majoring in insurance and risk management and business administration. A Presidential Scholar and Networks Scholar, Gettelfinger has been active in the Networks Scholars Professional Development Program; Gamma Iota Sigma, the risk management, insurance and actuarial science collegiate fraternity; Insurance Honor Corps; and the social fraternity Pi Kappa Phi.
Lough will graduate in May with a degree in insurance and risk management. A native of Fort Wayne, he has interned with Lockton Companies and American Specialty Insurance and Risk Services. Lough is a Gongaware Scholar and has served as president of Gamma Iota Sigma. He has also been active on the Insurance and Risk Management Advisory Council, Insurance and Risk Management Honors Corp and Networks Financial Institute Service Learning Team.
<< Full Story >>
Business Scholars Host 4th Annual Ethics Conference
April 2, 2009
In the modern corporate world, the line between right and wrong is not always readily apparent and leaders are forced to make tough decisions on a regular basis. To bring awareness to these issues, the junior class of Networks, Gongaware and Presidential scholars at Indiana State University welcomed more than 400 students, educators and industry professionals to campus for the fourth annual Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Conference.
Monday's (March 30) event featured three keynote speakers: Todd Rokita, Indiana secretary of state; Howard Learner, president and executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center; and Jim Morris, president of Pacers Sports and Entertainment.
<< Full Story >> << Image Gallery 1 >> << Image Gallery 2 >>
Retired Executive Addresses Students, Community
March 31, 2009
There has been no time in modern history when leadership is more important than it is today, a retired executive with the nation's largest insurance company told an audience at Indiana State University.
But "there is a leadership vacuum in America which tends to permeate across virtually all spectrums of our lives," Jack North, a former State Farm senior executive vice president said Tuesday during a presentation on "The Art of Leadership and Being Led."
North addressed more than 100 business students, Indiana State faculty and staff and Wabash Valley businesspeople. His presentation was hosted by the Gongaware Center for insurance, risk management and financial services in Indiana State's College of Business and was sponsored by State Farm.
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Insurance Alumni Discuss Importance of Building Relationships
March 25, 2009
Ryan Teppen, a freshman insurance major and Gongaware Scholar at Indiana State University, has already heard a lot about networking. But he didn't fully realize the power of the connections he could create until listening to four professionals who owe at least a portion of their success in the insurance industry to the relationships they've built along the way.
Teppen, along with other students from the ISU College of Business, attended the Insurance and Risk Management Alumni Panel on Thursday (March 19). Returning to ISU for the event were J. Michael Vaught, executive director of national sales and strategic relationships at Zurich North America; Maureen Biehl, vice president at Marsh USA; Tim Leman, chief growth officer at Gibson Insurance; and Charlie Gossett, an agent with Aflac.
Biehl went to work for Marsh's Detroit claim group soon after graduating from ISU in 1998. She then worked for General Motors Corporation before rejoining Marsh in 2002. As a young professional, Biehl has relied heavily on the advice of mentors. She told students preparing to start their careers to take advantage of workplace mentorship programs or find someone they respect to emulate.
Leman graduated in 1997 with a degree in insurance and risk management and in 2004 received ISU's GOLD (Graduate of the Last Decade) Award. He emphasized the importance of thanking those who have supported him throughout his career and keeping in contact with professors and classmates.
Gossett, a 2001 graduate in criminology with a minor in insurance and risk management at ISU, tried out different careers before finding his niche in the insurance industry. He encouraged current undergraduates to keep their options open as they look toward the future.
For Vaught, personal interaction is one of the best things about the insurance industry. A 1970 graduate of ISU and a member of the Insurance Advisory Council in the College of Business, Vaught now serves as a mentor to others and has an extensive network of professional contacts throughout the country. Yet he still remembers a piece of advice he received early in his career from someone who mentored him.
The alumni panel was sponsored by the ISU insurance and risk management program and Gamma Iota Sigma, the risk management, insurance and actuarial science collegiate fraternity at Indiana State.
Insurance professionals and ISU alumni (from left) Maureen Biehl, Tim Leman, Charlie Gossett and J. Michael Vaught discuss their work in the industry during a panel discussion in the College of Business.
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MBA Program Featured in Entrepreneur as Among the Best in the Nation
March 24, 2009
The Master of Business Administration program in Indiana State University's College of Business has one of the highest rankings in the country when it comes to student satisfaction.
The program is one of 15 named to The Princeton Review's "Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools" in the general management category. The honors list is one of six categories to appear in the April 2009 issue of Entrepreneur, the nation's leading publication for and about entrepreneurs.
MBA students at Indiana State come from a variety of countries, backgrounds, and undergraduate majors including marketing, finance, and engineering. Nearly half are international students. Graduates have gone on to top positions in the business world and succeeded as entrepreneurs and business owners. The ISU MBA program is accredited by AACSB-International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. In addition to the student opinion honor, the program has been named a top business school by The Princeton Review for the past three years.
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'The Art of Leadership and Being Led' to Feature Jack North
March 16, 2009
State Farm Companies will present "The Art of Leadership and Being Led" on March 24 at Indiana State University, part of the Gongaware Center Leadership Series. Jack North, former senior executive vice president at State Farm, will be the featured speaker for the event. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Hulman Memorial Student Union, Dede III, on the ISU campus. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., followed by North's presentation at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.
"Part of The Gongaware Center's mission is leadership development, so providing this event - the first in our Gongaware Center Leadership Series - is crucial to what we do,"Â said Dr. Terrie Troxel, executive director of The Gongaware Center. "We thank State Farm for its generous support and for enabling us to provide this opportunity to the community."
North had a long career with State Farm and was one of five members of the office of the chairman. His successful career led him to start his own business to help companies develop the kind of leadership environment he fostered on the job for over 25 years. His presentation will focus on key trends and topics, such as empowering front-line leaders, enabling followers to fully collaborate, leading as well as managing, applying top-notch leadership at the front line and setting an example of leadership.
North has spent nearly 40 years in the people business as an executive, teacher and coach. He earned his bachelor's degree in education Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his master's from Slippery Rock University.
About the Gongaware Center: The Gongaware Center was created in 1998 to support the Indiana State University College of Business' nationally recognized Insurance and Risk Management Program. In 2007, the Center expanded its mission beyond its original focus in insurance and risk management to also encompass financial services. The Center was established with a $5 million gift from Donald and Patricia Gongaware for the purpose of developing future leaders in insurance and the financial services industry. Since its inception, part of the Gongaware Center's mission has included recruiting top high school students as Gongaware Scholars and helping them build the technical, operational and leadership skills necessary to succeed in the industry and in the communities in which they live.
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Students, Public Invited to Insurance and Risk Management Alumni Panel
March 10, 2009
Successful insurance and risk management alumni from the Indiana State University College of Business will return to their alma mater to offer advice to the next generation of young professionals.
The Insurance and Risk Management Alumni Panel will take place from 5-7 p.m., Thursday March 19 on the 11th floor of the College of Business.
Panelists will include Tim Leman, '97, chief growth officer at Gibson Insurance; Maureen Biehl, '98, vice president of Marsh USA; Charlie Gossett, '02, Aflac; and J. Michael Vaught, '90, executive director of national sales and strategic relationships for Zurich North America.
The event is geared toward high school students interested in studying business in college, current college students who are still considering their career options and the general public. The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
<< Full Story >>
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Conference set for March 30
March 9, 2009
Business and academic leaders will gather at Indiana State University to discuss ethical issues facing today's business world during the fourth annual Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Conference on March 30.
Hosted by the junior class of the Networks Professional Development Program in the ISU College of Business, the free conference is open to students and faculty from colleges and universities, as well as industry professionals and community members. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the conference will last from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. It will take place in the Hulman Memorial Student Union.
Keynote speakers include Howard Learner, president and executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center; James Morris, president of Pacers Sports and Entertainment; and Todd Rokita, Indiana secretary of state.
Learner will open the conference with a presentation on the environmental policies of President Barack Obama and the administration's plan to create five million green jobs. Morris will deliver a luncheon address titled "Setting the Pace." He will examine the efforts to restore the Pacers to their "glory days" over the past few years and how the program was able to rebuild with a commitment to ethical play and conduct. Rokita will conclude the conference with a discussion on efforts to ensure the state's vitality during challenging economic times.
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Amy Huntsinger: From the Classroom to the Boardroom
March 5, 2009
Amy Huntsinger, a senior at Indiana State University, leaves her dorm room early each morning and doesn't usually return until evening. A full load of classes, an internship as a special events coordinator, duties as student trustee, a regular babysitting job and extracurricular activities occupy most of her time.
The public relations major and marketing minor was appointed to the Board of Trustees in July 2007 and her term will end this summer. During the past two years Huntsinger has helped implement some major changes at the university. She cites the hiring of new ISU president Dan Bradley as her most memorable project while on the board.
For the past two years, Huntsinger has interned with Teddy Lenderman, ISU's director of special events. Now, preparing to graduate in May, she has started job searching. While she doesn't know where she'll end up, she hopes to do something related to sport event planning. Her work at ISU, both in the classroom and in the boardroom, has given her the confidence she needs to face the job market.
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ISU College of Business Dean Featured in Business Week
March 4, 2009
Women are increasingly taking on leadership roles in business schools, a trend that is expected to continue its upward progression. Nancy J. Merritt, dean of the College of Business at Indiana State University, is part of that trend and was recently profiled in Business Week. Merritt is included a slideshow of 12 female deans at top U.S. business schools.
The slideshow is in conjunction with a Feb. 20 article about women shattering the "glass ceiling" by assuming leadership roles at business schools, which have historically been led by men. Merritt's profile includes her thoughts on the challenges and rewards of serving as dean of the ISU College of Business, a position she has held since 2007.
The article cites data from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), an accreditation agency which reports that nearly 17 percent of deans at AACSB-member schools are women. Female faculty members at business schools make up more than 27 percent of the faculty, marking a 21 percent increase in the past 10 years.
A former retail business co-owner and manager, Merritt holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Montana State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. She is a member of the Academy of Marketing Science and the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Prior to coming to Indiana State, Merritt served as interim dean of the College of Business Administration at Bowling Green State University.
<< Full Story >> << Women in Charge at B-School (Internet Archive) >> << Women Shattering B-Schools' Glass Ceiling (Internet Archive) >>
Conference Stresses Importance of Financial Management
February 23, 2009
The key to saving money is starting early. That was the consensus of financial business leaders, college students and community members who gathered at Indiana State University on Saturday (Feb. 21) to discuss financial matters.
The 2009 Financial Literacy Conference, hosted by the ISU chapter of the Financial Management Association, featured professionals from the world of finance who gave presentations and answered questions regarding credit cards, mortgages and retirement strategies.
"Fiscal responsibility is hugely important because debt can spin out of control," said Brian Cain, a wealth management advisor from Old National Bank and graduate of the ISU College of Business. Cain discussed proper credit card usage, noting that credit history is the number one factor in determining whether or not a loan will be granted. He advised audience members to be responsible when using credit and to keep balances paid in full. "Debt becomes a problem when credit cards are no longer a tool, but a means to survive," Cain said.
David Sprigg, vice president for business development at Citizens National Bank, discussed mortgages. He talked about the pros and cons of refinancing, as well as the difference between adjustable and fixed rates.
Jeff Spencer, investment advisor and CEO of Innsbruck Financial Consultants, focused his remarks on retirement planning. An increased dependence on personal savings, fewer pensions, Social Security uncertainties and longer life expectancy all add up to a need to start planning early, he said.
Financial literacy means more than just knowing how to be good with money, said John Conant, professor and chair of the ISU economics department. "It's also important to know how and when to seek financial advice," he said.
Established in 1970, the national Financial Management Association is a global leader in developing and disseminating knowledge about financial decision making. FMA works to broaden common interests among academics and practitioners; provide opportunities for professional interaction among academics, practitioners and students; promote the development and understanding of relevant basics and applied research and sound financial practices; and to enhance the quality of finance education in and out of the classroom.
The ISU chapter of the Financial Management Association was founded in 1989 and has included more than 100 students from diverse majors and professionals and professional tracks. The conference served as a community service and experiential learning project for the chapter.
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ISU Library Presents:"Death by Credit Cards: Essentials for Survivals"
February 17, 2009
"Death by Credit Cards: Essentials for Survivals," is the focus of an Indiana State University Cunningham Memorial Library Town and Gown discussion concerning the ever growing fear of debt in America and what individuals can do to help themselves.
Since Americans are no strangers to credit cards, especially when it comes to debt, this discussion is meant to teach everyday changes that can be made in order to ensure credit card survival.
On Tuesday, Feb. 24, the second Town and Gown event will be held in the library's Events Area at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The Town and Gown panel discussion, featuring Pete Piazza, vice president of lending at the Indiana State University Credit Union, will follow the short ISU Business student-made video entitled: "Cash Rules."
Aside from the video, there will be two speakers. William Wilhelm, program coordinator of ISU's business, education, information, and technology, will speak about the student video and about credit card management in general. The other speaker, Amro Maher, assistant professor of marketing will speak about consumer behavior.
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Financial Literacy Conference set for Feb. 21
February 10, 2009
Has the uncertain economy left you with questions about your credit rating, mortgage or retirement options? If so, the Financial Management Association at Indiana State University's College of Business has answers.
The 2009 Financial Literacy Conference will take place Saturday, Feb. 21 in the Science Building, room 012, on the ISU campus. The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free to the public. Speakers include David Sprigg, Citizens National Bank; Jeff Spencer, investment advisor and owner of Innsbruck Financial Consultants; and John Conant, professor and chair of the ISU economics department.
Established in 1970, the national Financial Management Association is a global leader in developing the disseminating knowledge about financial decision making. FMA works to broaden common interests among academics and practitioners; provide opportunities for professional interaction among academics, practitioners and students; promote the development and understanding of relevant basics and applied research and sound financial practices; and to enhance the quality of finance education in and out of the classroom.
The ISU chapter of the Financial Management Association was founded in 1989 and had included more than one hundred students from diverse majors and professionals and professional tracts. The conference is a community service and experiential learning project for the chapter.
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Kugler to Serve as 2009 Risk Manager in Residence
February 4, 2009
An award-winning risk manager and columnist will visit the College of Business at Indiana State University as the 2009 Risk Manager in Residence.
Dan Kugler, assistant treasurer of corporate risk management at Snap-on Inc., will visit the ISU campus Feb. 9-13. In addition to leading classroom discussions and giving a series of lectures, Kugler will attend a dinner with members of Gamma Iota Sigma, the risk management, insurance and actuarial fraternity on Tuesday (Feb. 10). On Wednesday (Feb. 11), he will attend a faculty/administrators breakfast and meet with Nancy Merritt, dean of the College of Business.
In conjunction with his ISU visit, Kugler will give a presentation titled "Embedding a Risk Management Discipline (ERM) in the Organization," during a lunch at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis on Thursday (Feb. 12). The presentation is co-sponsored by the Indiana chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS).
Kugler served as the first Risk Manager in Residence at the ISU College of Business in 2003. Peter Mikolaj, ISU professor of insurance and risk management, coordinates the annual program and is glad to welcome Kugler again.
Kugler earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, an MBA from Loyola University and an advanced management certificate in enterprise risk management from Georgia State University. He holds several insurance certifications and is a licensed insurance broker and adjuster. Kugler serves on the board of directors for the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) and Spencer Educational Foundation. He is an active participant in the RIMS ERM Development Committee Risk Management Magazine Editorial Advisory Council, Spencer Educational Foundation Risk Management in Residence program and the Indiana State University Insurance Advisory Council. He is a past member of the CPCU Society Board of Directors.
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Experts Project Economic Challenges, Opportunities in Coming Year
February 4, 2009
The dismal economic climate is likely to get worse before it gets better, yet with those challenges come opportunities according to a panel of experts at the 13th annual Groundhog Day Economic Forecast Breakfast.
Business leaders from across Terre Haute and Wabash Valley gathered at Indiana State University Tuesday (Feb. 3) for the event, sponsored by the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, ISU College of Business and Terre Haute Savings Bank. Panelists included Louis Joseph of Hospital Corporation of America Physicians Services; Gerry Dick of Inside Indiana Business; Brian Conley of Conley Real Estate Appraisals Inc.; and ISU economics professor Robert Guell. Nancy Merritt, dean of the ISU College of Business, served as facilitator.
Gerry Dick
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Retired Wall Street Executive, ISU alumnus Shares Tips for Success
January 23, 2009
Steven Pruett returned to his alma mater Tuesday (Jan. 20) to share his professional expertise with students from the College of Business at Indiana State University.
Pruett earned an accounting degree from ISU in 1978 and went on to a career working with U.S. power markets. He retired in 2006 as managing director of Goldman Sachs, a global investment banking and securities firm.
During hs presentation, Pruett engaged students by encouraging them to ask questions and share their opinions. Topics discussed included ethics, commodities trading and the environment.
Pruett advised students to look at the market as a whole, which means understanding the financial climate not only of the United States but those in Europe, Asia and elsewhere around the globe.
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Groundhog Day Economic Forecast set for Feb. 3
January 22, 2009
As the economy continues to dominate the headlines, a group of experts will gather at Indiana State University to offer predictions and insights for the coming year.
Panelists include Gerry Dick, host of Inside Indiana Business; Margaret G. Lewis, president of Hospital Corporation of America's Capital Division; Brian Conley, owner of Conley Real Estate Appraisals Inc.; and Robert Guell, ISU economics professor.
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Douglas Discusses Business Ethics at Continuing Professional Education Seminar
January 6, 2009
Max E. Douglas, professor of management in Indiana State University's College of Business, understands the importance of business ethics in today's corporate world. He recently shared his expertise with the presentation "Business Ethics: Key Steps to Building a Culture of Integrity."
Douglas was an invited guest speaker during the Edward Jones Continuing Professional Education Seminar, held on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He offered audience members a set of steps for establishing an ethical corporate culture.
Douglas earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Ball State University, and his doctorate from Indiana University. He joined the ISU faculty in 1968 where he has taught a variety of courses including leadership and organizational change, small business management/entrepreneurship and corporate citizenship. During his 40 year teaching career at ISU, Douglas received the first Outstanding Teacher Award from the College of Business and the university's Caleb Mills Distinguished Teaching Award. In 1996, he was appointed as a teaching fellow at the ISU Center for Teaching and Learning and was selected as a member of the Presidential Teaching Scholars Community in the spring of 2000.
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