College of Business Stories & News

UNI Phi Beta Lambda members

UNI Phi Beta Lambda members win big at state leadership conference

UNI College of Business students in Iowa Phi Beta Lambda, a state organization dedicated to future business leaders, had a big showing at the state leadership conference in Coralville on April 1 and 2. Seven students, competing against schools around the state, either won or placed across 10 categories ranging from Accounting Principles to Future Business Education.  
A professor lecturing.

Marketing, entrepreneurship fellowship funded in honor of longtime marketing professor

The first named faculty fellowship in the Department of Marketing & Entrepreneurship was fully funded and will serve as a lasting reminder of one of the most celebrated professors and mentors at UNI’s College of Business.
Classroom

What if... We revised the business school curriculum?

I attended Texas Christian University as an undergraduate accounting major in the early to mid 1970s.  I then got an MBA and PhD in business-related fields, and began my teaching career in 2000.  Now, nearly 50 years later, I am thinking about what we do in our business schools across the USA.  Clearly, nothing much has changed in the last half century that would impact business education—sorry, just being a bit sarcastic there!  On the contrary, the past 50 years have seen unprecedented change in nearly every aspect of our lives.
A child stepping on giant books

What if…We Educated Citizens Rather Than Consumers?

Many years ago, when I was teaching at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, I attended a talk given by Benjamin Barber, an American political theorist.  I remember the talk well, because he posed what seemed to me a profound question—did American colleges and universities educate their students to be citizens or consumers?  You might imagine that a political theorist would think we should strive to educate and develop good citizens first, perhaps even at the expense of educating them to be good consumers.  And you would be correct, at least in Barber’s case—that was his exact message—…
Person walking up stairs into the sunlight

What if... We got serious about preparing for the future?

As my wife and I contemplate our 68th birthdays, we are increasingly thinking about what we plan to do for our remaining years, and the world we will leave our sons and daughter; even more to the point, what kind of world our 21-month-old grandson will grow up to see.  Because I teach strategy and business ethics courses, I naturally relate national and world issues to a business context.  As I look at the biggest problems facing us now, two related points stand out to me:  1) Business, writ large, is a (perhaps the) large contributor to those issues, and 2)  It is most likely our best chance…
BLK & Bold Coffee

Alumni's coffee business lands deal with NBA

Pernell Cezar, Jr. (Marketing and Financial Management, ’10) doesn’t allow himself too much time for pinch-me moments. The co-founder and CEO of BLK & Bold Specialty Coffee, Cezar prefers to look ahead — “keep my eye on the ball,” Cezar says. “I can get easily overwhelmed if I pause and acknowledge those moments.”
Students presenting

Business students learn creative problem-solving in managerial course

Being a creative but logical manager is an asset in today’s business world. That’s why Sarah Rosol, Instructor of Management, has centered her managerial problem-solving course around a “whole-brain approach,” mixing the analytical skills on the right side of the brain with the creative left side.
Members holding the trophy

UNI advertising team takes top honors

On Friday, April 22, 2022, a team of advertising students from UNI took home the top prize at the AAF District 9 National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) in Kansas City, Missouri for their winning campaign for Meta to promote the Quest 2 VR headset.  
MIS student

What can you do with a Management Information Systems degree?

In today’s business climate—which is ever-increasingly digital—a background in management information systems (MIS) is crucial for any organization. As you might have guessed, this career is expected to grow even more over the next decade as businesses become more technology-focused. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, positions in MIS are expected to increase 12% by 2026. And because demand is so high for this type of background, median salaries are above average compared to other college majors. If you’re interested in an MIS career, here are a few jobs to consider.  
Money taken from wallet

What if... Moral motivation makes you a poor business person?

At some point way back in history, my wife and I were raising three elementary school aged kids.  They each participated in the annual “Odyssey of the Mind” competition, designed to promote creativity among students.  The central ideology of the program was “If it doesn’t say you can’t, you can.”  My wife coached both their teams (I actually know how to do math—two of our kids were on the same team).  Seeing the incredible amount of time and effort she put into that, I quickly opted out of coaching, and volunteered to be a judge at the local level on the day of competition.