For the second year in a row, a UCA student team has competed in the business analytics competition at Manhattan College. Students in the CISA 4V71 Project Course began in February to analyze the dataset provided by the competition. After months of preparing, teams presented their results to a UCA committee in the form of a poster on May 1. Once the winning team was announced, they began preparing for competition against other university teams in New York City. [Read more…]
Business Students Join Analytics Competition at Manhattan College in NY
Students Bo Cunningham & Ally Loter Win Governor’s Cup, Team Led by I&E Prof. Duggins
Yesterday, business students Bo Cunningham and Ally Loter, led by faculty sponsor Dr. Ron Duggins, claimed first place in the Small Business Competition at the Arkansas Governor’s Cup in Little Rock. As part of their win, they earned a ten thousand dollar prize. The team represents only the third all-UCA finalists in the competition’s nearly 25-year history.
pictured: I&E Professor Dr. Ron Duggins, Ally Loter, Bo Cunningham, and Dr. Tracy Suter, UCA Chair of Marketing & Management
COB Students Earn Awards at Arkansas Student Congress
On November 12-14, three COB students participated at Arkansas Student Congress, sponsored by the Arkansas Communication and Theater Arts Association. Because this is an activity that involves policymaking, Dr. Anthony McMullen, Associate Professor of Business Law and sponsor of the debate team, encourages business students to participate.
Dr. Anthony McMullen in shown is the photo along with the participating students:
Karlie Holland (front left): Received an award for excellent in caucus and was recognized as the best delegate for UCA. In addition, [Read more…]
CISA Lecturer Susan Shaw Offers Data Project Course in Spring 2024, Plans to Take Students to Competition Again
Award-winning CISA Lecturer Susan Shaw has led the annual IT Careers Camp for years, but last spring, she began a new course that brought students to the Business Analytics Competition at Manhattan College in New York City. Known for her excellence in teaching and service, Shaw shares here why she chose to teach and her tips for new, current, or prospective business students.
NOTE: If you’re interested in joining the project mentioned below in spring 2024, ask your advisor about the CISA 4V71 Project Course. You can also talk with Lecturer Shaw. Registration for spring 2024 begins at the end of October.
Why did you choose to teach Computer Information Systems & Analytics?
CISA was just the perfect fit for me! Looking back over my years of experience in the industry and academia, I realized that every aspect of my professional career had been centered around computers and data. When I began teaching in the CISA department, I felt like I was able to blend the two in order to give students first-hand experience that they can relate to in the classroom.
What about your job brings you the most joy?
I absolutely love working with students! I made the transition into teaching because I loved teaching others. My hope is that in some small way, I can motivate students and help them determine what career path they were meant to be on! [Read more…]
Team of Business Students Win National Case Competition for Climate Solution
Congratulations to business students Michael Isaac, Caitlyn Bellamy, Mason Smith, and Jayce Burney, led by Dr. Louisa Moseley, who recently won first place in the “Up to Us” national competition for their submission entitled, “Aligning Fiscal and Climate Policy.” The team will present at the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement meeting in Boston later this month.
The team’s policy proposal focused on the problem of methane emissions from landfills coupled with a lack of recycling. They proposed a landfill tax on business to incentivize a reduction in waste while increasing federal revenue. The funds from this tax would be used to fund infrastructure and innovation for climate initiatives, as well as reduce the national debt.
Up to Us is dedicated to building a sustainable economic and fiscal future for America’s next generation and is the only nationwide, campus-based campaign focused on engaging and empowering students to build a sustainable economic and fiscal future. Up to Us leaders are aware of the importance of fiscal and economic issues, and work to advocate for changes in their communities and beyond. Colleges and universities across the country are engaged through impactful, creative campaigns that highlight the importance of addressing the national debt and other fiscal issues for America’s future generations.
The TOP 5 TEAMS from our 2023 Case Competition
First Place Team Spring 2023
– University of Central Arkansas: Aligning Fiscal and Climate Policy
Teams 2-5 Spring 2023 (Ranked Alphabetically)
– Slippery Rock University: Improving US Healthcare: Affordable & Effective Care
– Slippery Rock University: Promoting Effective & Fiscally Responsible Climate Policy
– Slippery Rock University: Rethinking Higher Education: A Path to Reform
– William & Mary: Innovative Clean Energy Standard Policy
Innovation Challenge 2 Winners Announced
Congratulations to our Imagine Lab Innovation Challenge 2 winners: Savannah Conly, Grayson Pinson, and Veronica Bertolusso!
The competition launched early this fall, and this time students were challenged to select a day in September and tell us how to celebrate it in a big way. Using tools found in the Imagine Lab (3rd Floor of UCA’s College of Business), the competition winners designed a big-time celebration that, at the least, brings people together.
Many thanks to Stoby’s, a long-time Arkansas favorite, for contributing to our prizes for our first place winners!
See Related Article: Innovation Challenge Series at UCA: First Winners Announced!
First Place: Savannah Conly – ($100 value prize) + Stoby’s prize
Cinema day is a day all about relaxation, connecting with your friends and family, and having fun. By making this a National Holiday, it brings people together and allows them to enjoy something together. It caters to all ages, it brings people together, and creates a new market for a different spin on gift giving.
Second Place: Grayson Pinson ($50 value prize)
The Birth Day is a day where we recognize everyone’s birthday on one day. It doesn’t replace your actual birthday; instead, it is a day that we can all come together to commonly celebrate one day that we all love. It solves all gift-giving problems related to birthdays. We now have one centralized day that gifts can be expected rather than having to decide who you will gift a gift to on their actual birthday. It is a day I would personally also love to celebrate- it sounds very fun for everyone to have a birthday at the same time.
Third Place: Veronica Bertolusso ($25 value prize)
My proposed day of celebration is the International Student Day! It would be celebrated yearly on September 28. ISD will allow international students (and not!) to get together and appreciate all cultures from around the globe. During ISD international students will celebrated together throughout one big cookout where everyone will make their most loved Home meal and will later be followed by a karaoke night with song in each home language. ISD is celebrated during the first two weeks of Hispanic Heritage Month. However, many cultures not only aren’t celebrated well enough, but some of them are still unknown! ISD would help solve this issue and expand cultural knowledge to international students and not! And who doesn’t love a good cookout and karaoke night!
Congratulations to these winners. Stay tuned for the announcement of our next challenge on Monday, October 10!
Innovation Challenge Series at UCA: First Winners Announced!
See related post: Innovation Challenge Series Released at UCA
The first two winners of our new and exciting innovation challenge are Connor Tuttle and Savannah Conly! The competition launched in the COB Imagine Lab last week challenging students to design a suitcase that accommodates clean clothes at the beginning of a trip and dirty clothes during and at the end of a trip. Using tools found in the Imagine Lab (3rd Floor of UCA’s College of Business), the competition winners designed a suitcase that overcomes this core challenge.
Best-upgraded design – $100 value prize: Connor Tuttle
Many thanks to Stoby’s, a long-time Arkansas favorite, for contributing to our prizes for our first place winners!
In his submission, Connor said:
“Imagine a for-the-most-part normal ole’ suitcase, with a golden twist addressing an issue that has been around for decades! The fundamental design premise behind this suitcase is that down the middle of the main compartment there is a stretchy nylon divider that allows for different proportions of clothes to be held on either side depending on how far along you are on your trip! The front-facing section of the suitcase has the typical small, medium, and large compartment. The back, however, is also accessible for dealing with dirty laundry. Taking up approximately half of the top portion of the back-facing side will be a zipper compartment housing all of the tools necessary to temporarily deal with dirty laundry while on the go. Within the flap in the back, there is a mesh-like pocket to slide dryer sheets that have been folded twice right into the space to serve as a form of temporary air freshening.”
Second Place Design – $50 value prize: Savannah Conly
Savannah branded her suitcase and described her design as, “a suitcase designed to help keep you organized, from the beginning to end of a trip. With the detachable laundry bag, clothes rack, and hard shell, it is easier than ever to Rome more organized than ever before. Not only does it offer a way to keep your clean and dirty clothes separate, it offers an at-home closet feel, and you lose no space to pack.“
Stay tuned. The first challenge was for students, but we will be engaging other friends on and off campus this semester. Get ready to compete! Teams are welcome. Email for questions or details. And if you plan to compete in the next challenge, request access to the Imagine Lab now!
Department of Marketing & Management: mktgmgmt@uca.edu
UCA’s Beta Alpha Psi Chapter Wins First Place in International Competition
Pictured (R to L): Kaidan Zheng, Tristen Porter, and Harris Felton
UCA students traveled to Orlando, Florida during the last week of July 2022 for the Beta Alpha Psi annual meeting of all chapters.
Before the meeting started, the students enjoyed an Arkansas BAP Connection breakfast sponsored by the Arkansas Society of CPAs. During the meeting, the students networked, provided community service, attended professional development meetings, and participated in multiple competitions.
After their regional win earlier this year, the Chapter qualified to compete at the conference and brought home the INTERNATIONAL FIRST PLACE award in Best Practices in the Art of Engagement for the Resume Escape Room they hosted for students last spring. This is UCA’s 3rd international first place in Beta Alpha Psi Best Practices. Congratulations to students Harris Felton, Tristen Porter, and Kaidan Zheng for their excellent work!
Additional UCA Recognition at the Annual Meeting:
- Beta Alpha Psi recognized UCA as a superior chapter.
- Daniel Wheeler competed in Project Run With It, a real-world consulting project.
- Dean Michael Hargis received the Outstanding Dean Award.
- Dr. Connie McKnight became a Chapter Advocate for the Southwest Region.
The students also took advantage of their time in Orlando to have some fun!
Beta Alpha Psi is an honor organization for financial information students and professionals with over 300 chapters internationally. The organization promotes academic excellence, professional development, and responsible practices.
COB Beta Alpha Psi Chapter Places First and Second at Regional Conference Competitions
UCA’s Theta Lambda Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi earned a first place win at the 2022 regional conference in the category of Best Practices in the Art of Engagement. Several members worked to create an escape room with a resume theme and offered the escape to teams of students. Harris Felton and Tristen Porter presented the project for the virtual competition. Because of the first place regional win, the Theta Lambda Chapter will compete against the other regional winners in Orlando this summer.
UCA students also earned a 2nd Place regional win for Best Practices in the Art of Change. Chapter members Claire DeBusk, Yulia Lyubchenko, and Kaidan Zheng shared how the Theta Lambda Chapter changed in the face of covid and the increased demands of members. [Read more…]
COB Faculty & Students Present Papers at International Academy of Business Disciplines Conference
Several UCA business faculty and students presented papers at the International Academy of Business Disciplines (IABD) 2022 Virtual Conference on April 7-8.
The following UCA faculty served as Track/Session Chairs:
- Dr. Xuechen Gao, Assistant Professor of Finance (Finance Track Chair)
- Dr. Alexander Chen, Professor of Management (Finance Session Chair)
- Dr. Samira Shirzaei Nichols, Assistant Professor of CISA (Analytics Track/Session Chair)
- Dr. Vance Lewis, Assistant Professor of Management (Organizational Behavior & Theory Track/Session Chair)
On Thursday, April 7, the following faculty and students presented papers:
- “Covid-19, Vaccine and E-payment Adoption Behavior of Germans” – Dr. Alexander Chen, Dr. Jim Downey (Professor of CISA), and Niklas Iking (COB undergraduate student)
- “Firms Characteristics, Platforms, and Its Industry on Usage of E-Payment Systems among Merchants in Shanghai, China” – Dr. Alexander Chen, Dr. Xuechen Gao, Dr. Jim Downey
- “Spiritualities and Urbanization on Perceptions of Ethics among College Students in China” – Dr. Alexander Chen, Kelsey Hagan (COB graduate student), Dr. Michael Rubach (Professor of Management), and Naikao Wang (COB graduate student)
On Friday, April 8, the following faculty and students presented their papers:
- “Covid-19, Vaccine and Brazilian E-Payment Adoption Behavior” – Dr. Alexander Chen, Dr. David McCalman (Associate Professor of Management), Matheus Tupinambe August de Brito (COB undergraduate student)
- “Covid-19, Vaccine and Mexican E-Payment Adoption Behavior” – Dr. Alexander Chen, Adrian Juarez Castellanos (undergrad student), Tracy Suter (Chair of Marketing and Management, Associate Professor of Marketing)