This page shows only opportunities specifically for the computer (formerly management) information systems and analytics field. You may use the menu to sort by category or go back to the Opportunities page.
Dr. Mike Ellis was honored last night as “Most Valuable Professor” at the UCA vs Arkansas State baseball game for his impact on UCA student-athletes. Here Dr. Ellis is pictured with MBA student and right fielder Kolby Johnson, who nominated him for the award. Dr. Ellis serves as an Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems & Analytics. Congratulations, Dr. Ellis!
Related: Education Abroad Opportunities – Upcoming Deadlines
My semester abroad visiting The Hague, Netherlands was easily the most enriching semester of my undergrad. I learned so much about being a leader, diversity, self confidence, personal growth, and of course I learned a lot about business and marketing!
I was able to take a Purposeful Marketing course which had many different components to it. There was a leadership component, in which I learned different leadership skills and how to flesh out and improve these skills. There was a Project Management component where I learned how to use SCRUM Methodology in order to complete a project. And then the Marketing Component in which I worked with a real life charity in brainstorming a new marketing strategy for their upcoming projects.
Over the course of the semester I was able to travel to multiple countries and experience a variety of cultures. I was able to meet many people that I am now able to call mentors and friends. It is an experience that I will never take for granted, and I feel has given me a renewed appreciation for education and traveling. Thank you UCA for this fantastic opportunity.
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!
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.
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.
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!
Senior Computer Information Systems major Aubrie Sinclair is set to earn her BBA in December, but even with all her hard work, she did not expect to secure a full-time job months before graduation.
After her summer Database Tester internship at Acxiom was extended into fall, Aubrie was surprised in mid-September with a full-time offer to join the company. She has accepted a position to be a Delivery Support Analyst after graduation.
Learn more about Aubrie’s success in her path to career development from her own words:
Why did you choose to major in business?
I chose to major in business on a whim, but I think what’s more important is why I stayed. I stayed majoring in business because of the amazing individuals I met when I changed my major; I stayed because my advisor in the COB encourages me and pushes me to be my very best, and right alongside him, my professors do the same. Majoring in business can be tough, but I wouldn’t want to struggle and succeed in any other major. The College of Business has given me endless opportunities to learn and grow in an environment that allows me to be surrounded by fellow peers and professors who have the same drive and passion as I have. Being a business major has made my time at UCA worthwhile.
Why did you choose this internship?
I chose this internship as a Database Tester at Acxiom because I saw it as an opportunity for growth with a company that I could see myself working for one day. The internship aligned with skills I had prior knowledge of, but it also grabbed my attention because it required me to expand my knowledge and pick up new skills along the way.
What did you learn at this internship?
At this internship, I learned a variety of skills. I learned very quickly that problem-solving and communication were going to be key in this career. Being a Database Tester required me to think outside of the box daily and pushed me to practice concise communication with both my co-workers and the client. I worked with SQL Database every day, and I enjoyed that I was exposed to hands-on experience with software that I have been taught at UCA.
How do you think this internship will be beneficial in your career?
Internships can be beneficial to students’ careers in many ways. It can show you what you do or don’t want out of a future job and help you grow in your skills. This internship allowed me to exercise the skills I already have and obtain new ones, and it allowed me to network with people who have experience in my future career field. I know this internship helped me me to grow as a student and a future businesswoman in technology. Ultimately, it helped me earn a full-time position with the company.
How do you plan to use your degree?
I have always planned to use my degree in Computer Information Systems and Analytics to work for a technology company that is focused on innovation and creativity. My eventual goal is to go into Business/Data Analytics, and I plan to pursue my master’s degree in Applied Data Analytics.
What advice do you have for students who may (or may not) be considering an internship?
My advice for anyone who is considering applying for or accepting an internship is – just go for it! I never thought I would land such an amazing internship, but I applied anyway and got an interview. The worst-case scenario might be that you get real-life experience filling out applications and interviewing for a company. Don’t let big companies and competitive interviews scare you off; believe in yourself, what you are capable of, and bring that to your interview because that’s what companies want to see.
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.
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.”
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.“
Department of Marketing & Management: mktgmgmt@uca.edu
These helpful tools are made possible by analyzing past data to predict what should come next. It makes sense that if you enjoyed action movies in the past, you will probably like one tonight, right?
Generally, we refer to data analysis to support better decision-making as “data analytics.” That can involve better decisions on what comes next when you’re writing, which movie you might like to watch tonight, or many other decisions you make regularly. When we consider how data analytics works within the business world, we mean that data is used to discover ways to improve a business. Data analytics can assist in business decisions such as how best to order inventory, set prices, or identify our best customers.
On one end, we have data science, the most technical branch of analytics. It typically requires advanced training in statistics and computer science, often in the form of a doctoral degree, and focuses on the theory and tools of analytics. At the other end, we have business people who want to make better decisions. They need some knowledge of analytical tools and techniques, but the business context is more important. It isn’t the tool but how it is used that really matters to this person. This end of the range is “applied data analytics.”
What gets the most attention in the media? Since October 2012, when the Harvard Business Review called “data scientist” the sexiest job of the 21st century, data science has been getting all the ink. But that overlooks an important issue: only a small fraction of companies have the resources they can dedicate to a proper data science effort.
A knowledgeable analyst can discover hidden insights in data in many ways. Some are as simple as organizing and visualizing data. For example, say an air conditioning manufacturer is having problems with units arriving in one part of the country with cracked tubing. When looking at the shipping data for the damaged units, the manufacturer discovers that poor road conditions are causing huge jolts to the trucks carrying them, which leads to the cracks. With this discovery, the air conditioning manufacturer is able to upgrade the suspension systems used on those routes, and the expensive problem can be solved.
At the UCA College of Business, we have undergraduate and graduate programs that teach the concepts and skills to prepare students to use applied data analytics. Students at the undergraduate level can get the same solid business foundation as our other programs while learning about analytical tools and techniques. Our technical certificate serves as a standalone credential for anyone who wants a foundation in data analytics to boost their career. The graduate-level programs are hands-on programs intended for working professionals and others who want to expand their skill set or are looking for a career change. The Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics is an introduction to applied data analytics that can be completed alone or as part of the MAcc or MBA program. Our Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics takes the student deeper into analytics while keeping one foot firmly planted in the business world.
Building complex statistical models from scratch might be interesting, but it doesn’t provide value for most companies. If you are more interested in solving business puzzles than in creating fancy models, check out our programs. Or, if you are running a company with a huge amount of data and aren’t sure how to get value from it, keep your eyes open for one of our graduates!
Mike Ellis
Dr. Michael Ellis is an Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems and Analytics (CISA) at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) College of Business, where he has served since August 2014. He earned a Ph.D. in Information Systems from the University of Kansas; he also holds an MS in Management Information Systems from the University of Houston and an MS in Finance from Texas A&M University. Ellis teaches both undergraduate and graduate students and has numerous published scholarly works.
Dr. Joe Thomas, Assistant Professor of CISA in the UCA College of Business, gives us all the details – professional and personal – about what drew him to business, mentors who have influenced his life, and advice he has for students.
Degree(s), Certificates, or Licenses Earned
How long have you taught at UCA in the College of Business? 5 years
What classes do you teach for the College of Business?
Currently teaching:
– CISA 4361, Cybersecurity Governance & Policy
– CISA 4375, Cybersecurity Management
– CISA 2330, Business Statistic
– CISA 4/5380, Business Intelligence & Data Visualization
– BUAD 1300, Introduction to Business
Previously taught:
– CISA 4328, Systems Analysis & Design
– CISA 3321, Managing Systems & Technology
– CISA 2343, Desktop Decision Support Technology
What student organizations do you participate in or sponsor? Business & Information Technology (BIT) Club
What drew you to the business industry? When and how did you know for sure that an education in business was the right fit for you?
Well, I started out becoming a high school teacher in Computer Science and Mathematics. At the last minute I made an audible and joined the Air Force as a Communications Officer! During my 23-year military career I had many jobs, some extremely technical, some chock-full of leadership and management, and all had a taste of business. I never lost my love for teaching. So while in the Air Force, I earned my PhD, taught at the Air Force Academy, and was the Dean of a leadership school. To answer the question – I really didn’t choose the business industry, it kind of happened organically.
Explain how a mentor has influenced your life and career.
After God then my parents, the most influential person in my life is Roy Kurban. He was my Taekwondo instructor when I was a teenager. He gave me so many life lessons I couldn’t list them here, but a few of the big ones are self-discipline, empathy, and hard work. The one that led to my current career was a passion for teaching. I used to teach the little kids’ class—you know you got something if you can make push-ups the “reward,” and they ask for more. (Now…if I can only find a way to add push-ups to my statistics class 😉)
What do you do in your spare time?
I love cutting grass! Something about seeing your progress and the clean lines…and it’s me-time, no one bothers me, and it’s a great time to listen to an audiobook.
What is a favorite class or memory you have from your time as a COB faculty member?
When a student goes out of their way to tell me I’m a good teacher and they loved my class.
List creative ways you engage students in the classroom.
Well, it’s not very creative but it is effective—exhibit high energy and smile. Learning should be fun and so should teaching, so I let them see that I want to be there. Students tend to mirror the attitude the instructor brings into the classroom. Show empathy—students need to know we care about their success and empathize with their struggles. A student who knows I care is more inclined to come to class, on-time, ready to engage and learn. Be a good storyteller—I try to answer the “so what?” questions with as many real-world stories and examples as I can. And they don’t have to be my stories, professors can use real examples from other professors, professionals in your industry, or case studies. As long as it helps make the course content personal and meaningful, mission accomplished.
What research or publications are you working on now?
I’m working with Drs. Hill and Casey on a paper looking at the impact of COVID-19 on business classes, specifically business statistics. I’m also working with Dr. Chen and Dr. McMurtrey on two papers on the acceptance of e-payment systems in various cultures. I have a student-led research project looking at student success with regard to advanced placement and concurrent credit classes for incoming freshmen. Finally, my ongoing research is related to my dissertation topic on real-world high-stakes deception detection by looking at linguistic and paralinguistic cues.
Comment about a recent collaboration with a student.
This summer, I worked at the UCA/Acxiom IT Camp and got to work with a lot of great people. Two student volunteer mentors in particular stood out, Skyler Austen and Caylen Johnson. They were great – very hard workers, great ideas, and team players! Professors evaluate students as part of our job; they are our product, and the customers are the businesses that hire them. I would hire Skyler and Caylen every day of the week and twice on Sunday!
What tips or advice would you give to new, current, or prospective business students? 
Read!!! Seriously, read every day. Read for fun, read the classics, and read to learn something new. Personally, I like listening to audiobooks as I drive to and from work (it’s amazing what you can accomplish in those tiny nibbles of time). Oh, and read the syllabus {facepalm}!
The other advice I would give to students is: try to develop a hunger for learning. Becoming a lifetime learner is one of the best things you can do for yourself, your family, and society. Learning is fun! Right now, I’m taking classes to get certifications in Tableau, and I’m loving it!
Your future employers (and the world) need people with self-discipline and grit. They also want lifetime learners who enjoy trying new things. Doing something you like to do is easy and fun, doing something you don’t is hard and painful. So jump in, do that class first, work really hard at it, and push yourself to do the best you can at something you don’t like–THAT is grit! Best case, you may learn you like it. Worst case, you learn why you don’t like it. Either way, you learn, and the mental pushups will make you stronger. But the best part is the pride you will feel after all the hard work and self-discipline it took to get to the finish line.
Finally – work hard, play hard, and be excellent to each other!
Thirty-five high school students from across Arkansas attended UCA’s IT Careers Camp from June 1-4, 2022. The College of Business and Acxiom partner to offer the camp, which educates students about IT careers and encourages them to continue their education beyond high school.
IT- and STEM-related activities throughout the four-day camp this year included web application development, engineering, programming, robotics, and hacking; they also connected with industry experts in a round-table discussion and visited MakerSpace and the UCA Planetarium.
Students practiced critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills as they enjoyed the UCA challenge course, escape rooms, and a capture-the-flag competition.
On the final day, students’ efforts were honored in front of parents at an awards banquet.
The UCA College of Business delivers experiences that prepare and inspire students to be ethical, innovative and engaged business leaders who positively impact their communities. We are committed to a culture of excellence across all programs, activities, and events, with a focus on action-based learning and student success and retention.
Despite disruptions due to COVID during our last academic year, our students and alumni have overcome obstacles and risen as leaders. Several COB alumni were honored for their efforts in their communities and workplaces while our students volunteered at food pantries, prepared free tax returns for low-income Arkansans, and earned awards.
This annual review gives a brief look at this year’s student, alumni, and faculty success as well as evidence of our commitment to engaged learning.
If you have a story of success or accomplishment from 2021-2022 to add to this list, or anytime in the future, please send it to US.
Sincerely,
Michael Hargis
Dean, UCA College of Business
To address the changing business environment, COB expanded to add three new Applied Data Analytics programs:
– a Bachelor of Science
– a Master of Science
– and a technical certificate.
COB welcomed new Marketing & Management Department Chair, Dr. Tracy A. Suter, who began his role at the start of the spring semester.
Dr. Suter has taught and led at 5 institutions over the past 25 years; has authored many academic articles and textbooks and served in other administrative capacities; most extensive experience was as a 15-year faculty member at Oklahoma State University.
Learn more about his credentials, career, and interests.
COB Student Ambassadors engage, connect, and serve as representatives for our college. Twenty-one students took on the task of serving as COB’s first ever group of ambassadors.
They have talked with incoming students, received swag and headshots, and experienced unique development opportunities available only to ambassadors.
Economics student Caleb Vines won the Student Research Award at the 2022 Society of Business, Industry, and Economics (SOBIE) conference.
Several other COB faculty and students across all disciplines also presented papers at the SOBIE and International Academy of Business Disciplines (IABD) conferences this spring. MORE
COB named its Outstanding Students who were chosen because they combined exemplary academic performance with internships, volunteerism, professional development, experiential education, and participation in clubs and other important experiences.
Daisy Martinez Carranza took home the top honor of COB’s 2022 Outstanding Student. READ MORE
UCA’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program was named to the Princeton Review’s 2022 Best Online MBA Programs and University HQ’s Best Arkansas MBA Programs list.
Associate Professor of economics and ACRE Scholar Jeremy Horpedahl received the Public Choice’s Duncan Black Prize for the best article contributed by a senior scholar.
Karen Shaw, a member of the COB Board of Advisors, was named 2021 CFO of the Year by Arkansas Business.
Shaw was a leader even during her UCA days, as a charter member of Beta Alpha Psi, but her leadership development didn’t stop there. Learn more about Karen’s leadership as a business and community leader.
Several COB alumni, including Joyti Lal (pictured), Ericka Gutierrez, and Scott Dews were named as rising business and community leaders by Arkansas Business.
Three teams representing UCA’s MBA program placed among the top 100 performers in a worldwide business simulation competition called GLO-BUS. Nearly 2,000 teams from 99 colleges and universities competed.
Congratulations to COB’s Theta Lambda Chapter who earned first place at the 2022 Beta Alpha Psi regional conference competitions in the category of Best Practices in the Art of Engagement and will compete at the conference in Orlando this summer. The chapter also earned a second-place win for Best Practices. MORE
In addition, UCA’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi achieved superior status for 2021-2022 from the national chapter. To be a superior chapter, the registered student organization met the following requirements:
Congratulations to our Beta Alpha Psi students and to Connie McKnight and Ashley Phillips, our tireless faculty advisors, for another year of superior status!
More than 65 volunteers and students from UCA’s Biz@Bear Residential College collected over $1650 worth of personal care donations for children in Arkansas foster care.
This event ended an academic year with more than 1800 student engagement hours led by Academic Director, Dr. Louisa Moseley; over 200 of those were service hours. MORE
Accounting Professor Ashley Phillips was awarded the Peter J. Mehl Service-Learning Faculty of the Year Award for her work with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Under her leadership, students volunteered approximately 420 hours to return more than $324,000 of taxpayer money to the community through the preparation of over 250 tax returns for low-income taxpayers in the region.
Sixteen business professionals connected with COB students at the annual Women in Business Sixteen business professionals connected with COB students at the annual Women in Business luncheon for which a panel and table leaders shared the “Top 5 Things Women in Business Need to Know.”
Beta Alpha Psi hosted a COB Escape Room of intricate puzzles for students to solve. To “escape,” participants applied tips for create an effective resume. READ MORE
In ’21 & ’22, COB and Acxiom partnered to provide a four-day Information Technology (IT) Careers Camp for high school students.
During the camp, students stayed on UCA’s campus, were mentored by industry experts, and participated in exercises in programming, cybersecurity, robotics, 3D modeling, and 3D laser printing.
If you have a story of success or accomplishment from 2021-2022 to add to this list, please send it to the UCA College of Business.
For year-round news and updates from the UCA College of Business, make sure to visit uca.edu/business/news.
Elian Mackey
Graduated in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems
Recently honored as 2022’s Outstanding Information Systems Student
What drew you to business? When and how did you know that an education in business is the right fit for you?
I wanted to combine technical skills with business skills. I had a variety of extracurriculars that allowed me to grow as a person while helping me meet new people and build strong connections. That was when I knew this is what I wanted to do.
What have you found useful in the College of Business and why?
My advisor has been such an immense help for as long as I can remember. He has always been so supportive, and if I felt like I needed help with my schedule or DegreeWorks, I would never be afraid to contact him.
I recommend the UCA College of Business as there are so many opportunities you can pursue, and the professors are all willing to help get your name out there. A big part of this that I have seen is at the annual STEM career fair.
What tips or advice would you give to new, current, or prospective business students?
Something that I wish I knew during my first year was to start working on my online portfolio early. If you have projects, list them. Join LinkedIn and start making those connections. Go to career fairs and hand out those resumes even if you are not planning on applying for a job. It is important for success in your future college career and your future profession.
