Wilson College of Business Stories & News

Zoom virtual backgrounds

How to Look Like a Rockstar in Zoom

Zoom has become the virtual meeting platform of choice for thousands of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re new to Zoom, or virtual meetings in general, the idea of online meetings can be overwhelming for us who’ve never worked or taken classes from home.
Student writing

Best jobs for accounting majors

Studying accounting can be a lucrative and successful career choice. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of more than 125,000 accounting jobs will be available every year until 2029. But beyond the availability and security in accounting, you can also find careers in countless roles and industries.
Student with notepad

What can you do with an economics degree?

A background in economics can be a launching point for any type of career, and it’s much more than a discipline focusing on human behavior and its effects on the world around us. In the business world, economics degrees typically lead to jobs in stocks, finance, banking and even government, and many of these positions don’t even have “economics” in their titles. The future is bright, as the demand for economists is expected to rise by 13% by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
mother on laptop with dog and child

How to Successfully Lead an Effective Team of Newly Remote Workers

COVID-19 is forcing us to make organizational adjustments that are outside of the comfort zone for some. Although it’s been reported that 43 percent of employees work remotely with some frequency, leading a team of employees from afar can feel daunting, especially if those employees are new to working from home. 
Business person with a tree in their hand

The consumer's impact on sustainability and the economy

Consumer preferences change from generation to generation. These preferences are dependent on a number of things — family values, cultural relevancy and personal experiences.

That’s why studies focusing on Generation Z, people born after 1995, and millennials, people born between 1981 and 1995, have been so important for the future of business. Younger generations have a higher level of social consciousness, studies show, especially about the environment. Those views have factored into their purchasing decisions as well.

Rack of multi-colored shirts

It's not easy being green

Companies seeking to project themselves as eco-friendly may find themselves having their very raison d’etre questioned. Zara, a well-known retailer renowned for its rapid responses to changes in fashion, recently announced its plans to reduce its negative impact on the environment.

Manufacturers of inexpensive, ready-to-wear clothing have allowed Americans to fill closets full of clothes. Such stores as Forever 21 and H&M sell very inexpensive, almost throw-away, clothes that afford younger people the opportunity to wear a variety of outfits.

UNI business students

UNI accounting team places second at national competition

The morning of what would eventually be a triumphant day for a team of University of Northern Iowa accounting students was not going well.

The group of five accounting majors was preparing to compete in the 19th annual FanTAXtic competition held last month in Westlake, Texas, having earned their spot in the national competition by winning the regional qualifier in November.

Mis students in class

UNIBusiness ramps up focus on data and analytics

In today’s world of business, not everything is wrapped in a pretty bow, particularly in an increasingly data-driven world. Millions of pieces of information can be collected in one spot with little to no organization. That’s why employers have increasingly been looking for business students with a deeper understanding of data and analytics.  

Over the past year, UNIBusiness has taken steps to fill that need.  

Garden in town next to some houses

UNI alumnus develops Iowa's first agrihood

The past few years have been especially fun for Steve Bruere (Marketing ‘03).

The president of Peoples Co., a farmland brokerage firm, Bruere is also a partner in Diligent Investment, which focuses on real estate development. He is also the mastermind behind Iowa’s first agrihood, a development that will bring together housing and farming culture, in Cumming, a small town just beyond the southwest edge of Des Moines.

Bruere enjoys working on the agrihood project because he gets to mix both sides of his professional life — farmland and development.

Food waste

The enormous cost of food waste and what can be done about it

Food waste is a big problem throughout the world, and the United States is one of the biggest offenders. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food waste is estimated at between 30-40% of the total United States food supply. That equals about 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food. 

Not only is wasting food an ethical or moral issue, it’s a business and economic one. That’s literally billions of dollars being thrown away, directly affecting revenue, profits and economic vitality. Luckily, food waste is starting to get attention in business circles.