New Business Externship Program launches with 111 externship sites

During the first two weeks in May, over 60 Haworth College of Business students will spend time job shadowing professionals at over 100 worksites as part of a new Business Externship Program.

From left are Geralyn Heystek, academic/career advisor; Michelle Hoisington, recruiting supervisor, Enterprise; Patti Lis, human resources manager, Enterprise; and Jessie Wagner, career advisor.

Developed to assist freshmen and sophomore students build on their education, the new program matches business students with professionals, based upon the students desired occupation. The students will observe the business environment, tasks and responsibilities of the professionals for a one to five day experiential opportunity.

Program Coordinators Geralyn Heystek and Jessie Wagner, both career advisors with the Career Center, Haworth College of Business, identified that some pre-business students have trouble engaging in their education until they discover an academic major and career path that is a good fit for them. The Business Externship Program facilitates students’ career exploration by purposefully partnering them with a career role model.

“We researched collegiate job shadow programs of other business schools and designed the program with WMU students and the employers who hire WMU students in mind,” says Wagner.

According to Wagner, “Our pilot program in the summer 2008, along with the advisory board that included both students and employers, provided extremely helpful input in developing program learning objectives. We structured the program to provide a developmental experience for both the students and the professionals.”

The program is made possible primarily through award grants from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Eaton Corporation. Other employers participating in the program include Amway, Edward Jones Investments, Yeo and Yeo, Hormel Foods, Kellogg’s, Whirlpool and Wal-Mart.

For further information on participating, visit the Business Externship Program online or contact Jessie Wagner at 269-387-2711.

Douglass Community Association director to discuss community partnerships

A Western Michigan University alumnus and head of a local non-profit social service organization will discuss community partnerships on Friday, April 23, as part of the Keystone Breakfast Speaker Series.

Timothy R. Terrentine Sr., BS ’04, MA ’06, executive director of the Douglass Community Association, who has bachelor’s degree in family studies and a master’s degree in interpersonal/intercultural communication, will discuss “Empowering Community One Partnership at a Time” in the Dean’s conference room, (Room 2150, Schneider Hall) of the Haworth College of Business on the campus of Western Michigan University.

Reservations are required and may be made by calling (269) 387-5050. Parking is available in the nearby Fetzer Center parking lot.

The Douglass Community Association is a private non-profit social service agency which has devoted over a decade to empowering individuals to change their quality of life. Terrentine’s extensive experience in speaking, training, coaching, consulting, program direction, curriculum development, strategic planning, teaching, writing and positive urban youth development, has been a catalyst for positive change in the community. He has worked in many arenas from teaching interpersonal communication at WMU to program development and direction for Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation Inc.

Terrentine’s recent work includes the redevelopment and restructuring of a ninety year-old community service agency and the co-creation of the Kalamazoo Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and the Institute for New Leadership. Additionally, he serves on several boards and councils, including the Kalamazoo Public Schools Strategic Planning Team, Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC), Family Health Center (Federally Qualified Health Center), institutional review boards and many others.

His approach to leadership through relating, community development and collaboration have been impactful in the community. Such evidence includes his recent induction into the WMU Alumni Hall of Fame in the School of Communication and his receipt of Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Award for Community Dedication. The superintendent of the local school district has heralded Terrentine an “inveterate social conscience.” This sentiment extends to his leadership role in community development.

The Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Series is underwritten through the generosity of Keystone Community Bank. The series provides an opportunity for the local community to hear prominent business leaders, WMU faculty, alumni and friends of the Haworth College of Business discuss current business issues and corporate strategies as well as key information regarding the continuing progress of the college.

WMU’s TIM and CIS Students Sweep ITERA 2010 National Case Study and Individual Paper Competitions

Four Western Michigan University TIM and CIS students swept both the International Telecommunications Education and Research Association (ITERA) National Case Study Competition and the individual best undergraduate research paper award competition at the 2010 ITERA Conference in Nashville, Tenn. This marks the first time that WMU has won the ITERA National Case Study Competition. It is the third time in the past four years that a WMU student has won the best paper award.

From left: Dr. Richard Gershon, Dr. Pairin Katerattanakul, Chad Stec, Shane Mittan, Kurt Gillispie, Greg Guyette and Dr. Michael Tarn

Members of the winning team included Chad Stec, team captain (CIS) of Gobles, Mich., Kurt Gillispie (TIM) of Southfield, Mich., and Greg Guyette (TIM) of Farmington Hills, Mich. Shane Mittan (TIM) of Clare, Mich. was the winner of the best undergraduate research paper award competition.

The competition titled “Connected Tennessee: Telecommunications Economic Development Case Study,” challenged teams to create a strategic technology plan for bringing broadband and information technology service to a portion of rural Tennessee. The plan had to include both technology solutions as well as a proposed budget and implementation plan. In February, ITERA announced that WMU team had made the final round of four, including Purdue University, Murray State University, and James Madison University. The final-round competition and public presentation were held during ITERA’s national conference on April 10th and 11th in Nashville, Tenn.

“I am so proud of our team,” says Dr. Michael Tarn, project team’s advisor and chair of the Department of Business Information Systems, adding that after the competition, one of the ITERA judges remarked, the “WMU case study competition team was the team to beat going into final round presentations."

“Since the first day they began their project in September 2009, all team members had clearly understood that they were working on a live real-world project, while competing with graduate and undergraduate student teams from other universities. Not only does their final product represent seven months of hard work and effort, but it also shows evidence of the quality of Western’s program and students,” adds Tarn.

The WMU TIM program excelled in terms of individual research as well. Mittan (TIM), Guyette and Gillespie presented their research at the conference. The papers were competitively selected and featured a series of case study analysis looking at business strategy issues involving such media and telecommunication companies as Apple, Intelsat and AT&T. During the awards reception and luncheon, WMU’s Mittan received the best undergraduate paper award for his case study analysis of Apple Corporation and the use of innovation.

“Mittan’s paper was an excellent piece of research that looked at the role of strategy and innovation in making Apple a leading-edge media company,” says Dr. Richard Gershon, professor and co-director of the TIM Program. “His paper and conference presentation was superb in terms of its organization and delivery. Following the competition and individual papers competition were complete, a second ITERA judge remarked, 'the WMU case study competition team and Mittan were a class act.'”

The Telecommunications & Information Management (TIM) Program, co-directed by Dr. Richard Gershon, professor of telecommunications management, and Dr. Pairin Katerattanakul, associate professor of computer information systems, is offered through the Department of Business Information System, Haworth College of Business, and the School of Communication, College of Arts & Sciences. The TIM major is designed to train students in a variety of telecommunications and data communication subdisciplines. The program's mission is to give students a well balanced education in a variety of business and technical management issues.

Ethical leadership is topic of half-day conference

The Haworth College of Business will host a free conference on ethical leadership on Friday, April 30 from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Fetzer Center on the campus of Western Michigan University.

The conference theme is “Ethical Leadership: The Competitive Edge in a Rebounding Economy” and will feature the following presentations:

· “It’s Not What We Sell, But What We Stand For” - John W. Allen, Partner, Varnum LLP
· “Practical Ethics in a Global Economy” - William Cousineau, Vice President, Corporate Operations Support, Kohler Co.
· “Value Leadership” - Dr. Timothy J. Greene, Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, WMU
· “Ethical Leadership” - Dr. Thomas N. Edmonds, Faculty Specialist in Law, Dept. of Finance and Commercial Law, WMU
· “Moral Leadership” - Dr. David J. Flanagan, Professor of Management, Dept. of Management, WMU
· “Toxic Leadership” - Paul Cartwright, CEO, Cardinal Consulting, LLC, Part-time instructor, Dept. of Marketing, WMU

The Haworth College of Business is pleased to sponsor this event in partnership with Varnum LLP, Kohler Co. and the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. RSVP is required. For more information or to register for the conference, please visit: www.wmich.edu/business/leadership Parking is available in the Fetzer Center Parking Lot.

For further information, contact Sara Decker, office assistant, at 269.387.6061 or Paul Cartwright at paul.cartwright@wmich.edu.

APICS WMU Student Chapter Golf Outing – April 24

The Western Michigan University Association for Operations Management (APICS) chapter will hold its annual golf outing on Saturday, April 24, at Lake Doster Golf Club, 116 Country Club Blvd., in Plainwell, Mich.

Gather for a round of golf with students, faculty and alumni in support of the WMU Student APICS chapter. Check-in will begin at noon with scramble format and shotgun start at 1 p.m.

The $60 non-student registration cost includes a cart, 18 holes of golf and steak dinner following the round. Student cost is $40 per person.

For more information and to register go to: http://www.apicsswmi.com/store/WMUGolf2010.asp

APICS is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals. For more information, visit www.apics.org.

Inauguration set for MBA Program Office and Global Business Center - April 13

Western Michigan University and the Haworth College of Business will celebrate the opening of the new MBA Program Office and Global Business Center on Tuesday, April 13, from 2:30 - 4 p.m. in Schneider Hall, room 2320. The University community will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. with remarks from University President John M. Dunn.

After months of construction, the center is now open and occupies an area in the northeast corner of the large student study lounge on the main floor.

“Global business is the norm rather than the exception,” says Dr. Ajay Samant, interim dean of the Haworth College of Business. “The primary focus of the Global Business Center is to facilitate and enhance the internationalization of the curriculum, faculty and students through multiple opportunities including international internships, study abroad programs, competitions, conferences, partnerships and speaker series.

“In addition, the suite provides a permanent presence for our MBA program, which has been in existence for over 50 years,” says Samant. “Our graduate students are encouraged to use the space as a meeting place to interact with one another, work on team projects or hold networking events."

The space houses offices for the both the MBA program director and the director of the Global Business Center, an MBA advising office and a joint reception area.

Dr. Zahir Quraeshi is the director of the Global Business Center. He has taught at WMU since 1978. He holds both a doctorate and master’s degree from Michigan State University and his teaching, research and consulting interests are in the areas of international business and marketing.

Dr. Jack Ruhl, BA '83, MBA '86, MBA program director, is currently acting associate dean for the Haworth College of Business. Dr. Ruhl's research interests include activity-based costing, the Theory of Constraints and attribution theory. He has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from WMU and a doctorate from Case Western Reserve University.

Barb Caras-Tomczak, BA '77, academic advisor, has over 33 years experience at WMU. Since 1979, she has advised both undergraduate and graduate students in the College. She has a bachelor’s degree from WMU and has held positions in the College of General Studies and the School of Librarianship at WMU.

Refreshments and tours of the center will be available immediately following the inaugural ceremony.