The ad agency experience is one not fully understood or appreciated until it is inhabited, which is why the College of Business and Eric Rob & Isaac are giving students an inside look.

The new course, the brainchild of Rob Bell, a principal at Eric Rob & Isaac, and Stephanie Watson, chair of the College of Business’ Department of Accounting, shows students the inner workings of the agency world.

“I was an English major without any public relations or advertising classes,” said Bell. “I had no idea what it was like to be in an agency, but then I talked to people with those classes and they still didn’t really have a taste for what it is.”

Bell said he sees this course as a real-life experience for students where they’re given genuine tasks they would complete at an agency while also learning how an agency is structured, as well as how it functions, earns revenue and completes projects.

“This is an intentional way to let them see what goes on behind the agency doors,” said Bell. “Many don’t understand the business side of it and we wanted to give them an opportunity to see it.”

The course, taught by Ashley Phillips, is divided into five modules with three weeks in each module. The students, in groups of two and three, are assigned industries picked by ERI including banking, health care, and public universities.

“Each module helps students gain an overall perspective of their industry,” said Phillips.

Module topics include industry analysis, profitability, information management, and success measurement.

“We’re looking at what makes a business successful and seeing what that looks like in the real world,” said Watson. “For a student to get an opportunity like that is pretty cool.”

After a week of research, students present their findings to College of Business staff and receive feedback. During the third week, students present to ERI principals and staff, ask and answer questions and receive feedback.

“We saw this as having the potential to be a Q&A for students with people in the trenches every day,” said Bell. “It provides us an opportunity to share the struggles we face on a daily basis and be a sounding board for them.”

So far, students have presented once at ERI. Emily Ketchum, a senior marketing major who is one of nine students in the class, said it was interesting to see the professional side of a business while enrolled in a class.

Ketchum is an intern at a local insurance agency and said this class appealed to her because it seemed like another internship that would allow her to learn about another possible career field.

“I wanted to know if the ad agency world was something I was interested in,” she said. “I graduate in the spring and am still trying to decide how I want to use my degree and thought this could be helpful in that process.”

Ketchum’s reasoning is the exact purpose Bell saw for this class.

“They can get a taste and see if they love it or if it is not something they want to do,” he said. “Making that realization before getting into it, saves them time, as well as the prospective agency’s time and investment. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

It also potentially serves the added bonus of being an extended job interview.

“Our business is weird, we could be completely full one day, gain a new client and then need to hire three new people,” said Bell. “If we’re working with these students over a period of time and identify potential, that’s the first place we’re going in that situation.”

Those opportunities do not stop at ERI, said Bell.

“We get asked all the time from clients and others in the industry about potential writers, designers or marketing types,” he said. “It’s good for us to have an arsenal of those we’ve seen that show potential and get beyond just a resume we might have on file. I’ll be able to see these students in action. It’s definitely a foot in the door.”

For more information, watch this video:

Brandi Mikula felt better prepared to begin her career because of the type of education she received at the UCA College of Business.

Her experience in the College of Business went beyond the didactic learning that is crucial to any worthwhile education and extended into real-world experiences and assignments. One of those opportunities was her class splitting off into groups and providing a local dentist with a fresh marketing strategy.

As a double-major in marketing and management, the assignment gave her a chance to see what a day in her career might look like.

“I really appreciated that type of experience in the classroom,” said Mikula. “It prepared me more for jobs after college.”

Having meaningful relationships with faculty like Joe Cangelosi helped Mikula navigate her college career and the many things students juggle while in school including coursework, studying, projects, internships, and the future.

“Dr. Cangelosi loves his students and wants to build that relationship with you,” said Mikula. “He’s so approachable and willing to help whether you’re dealing with something at school or contemplating the future.”

Mikula said he was more than willing to help her find jobs, and she found his class during her senior year helped calm a lot of angst she felt as she prepared to leave college to begin her career.

“Brandi was an excellent student, very cooperative with good leadership and analytical skills,” said Cangelosi. “She can do anything she wants.”

Since graduating in 2014, it has been a whirlwind for Mikula. She was among the first class of Arkansas Fellows, and the first Arkansas Fellow from UCA.

As part of the fellowship, she spent two years immediately after college working for Hayseed Ventures, a startup company in Fayetteville. The fellowship provides a two-year experience for recent graduates that includes a salaried position, a mentorship program, and professional development and networking.

Related: If you’re interested in being an Arkansas Fellow, click here

“Those years were so valuable,” said Mikula. “You’re in a fast-paced, fast-growing company and gain access to upper-level management for mentorship, and you’re able to see all aspects of the company.”

Mikula spent a good portion of her fellowship running her own company with Hayseed Ventures serving as a parent company. For a person who’s had entrepreneurial aspirations since childhood, it was an incredible experience.

“Being put in that role, it’s not an experience you normally get a job,” said Mikula. “It is an amazing program for anyone interested in entrepreneurship.”

Mikula now serves on the Arkansas Fellowship board and remains involved in the organization. The Arkansas Fellowship is currently accepting applications through Oct. 26. Click here to apply.

Mikula works at OneStone, an e-commerce agency in Rogers. As content and digital assets team lead, she services online retailer clients, including Amazon and Walmart, to optimize their pages. It includes managing a staff of contract writers and photographers to make sure the end product meets the client’s satisfaction.

She still harbors the same entrepreneurial spirit she’s always had and hopes to harness it moving forward.

“I’ve always wanted to run my own business,” she said. “I’ve been entrepreneurial minded since I was 5 or 6 years old. I hope to be able to start pursuing that soon, but I am still figuring out what that business will look like.”

The Business & Information Technology (BIT) Club is having its Fall Welcome Meeting and Kick-Off on Thursday, September 20th.  The event, which will be held in the College of Business Auditorium (Rooms 107/208) during X-period (1:40 – 2:30 p.m.), is open to all majors on campus.  Paul Bradley, a UCA alum who is the Conway Market Leader for Edafio Technology Partners, will be the featured speaker.  Paul is both an MIS and MBA graduate and we are delighted to welcome him back to campus.  Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be awarded.  All students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend.

Arkansas Fellowship is accepting applications for its 2018 class of Arkansas Fellows.

The fellowship is open to graduating seniors looking for a unique experience after college. Here are some of the fast facts of the fellowship:

• Two-year experience
• $40,000+ salary
• Fast-paced environment
• Build a network of business leaders and entrepreneurs
• Attend lectures and hear renowned speakers
• 100 percent job placement rate

Apply and learn more at arkansasfellowship.org.

Six PBL members competed at the PBL National Conference June 23 – June 26 in Baltimore, MD, and we had some winners:

Emily Ketchum

1st place in Client Services

4th place in Job Interview

Tyler Gum

2nd place in Contemporary Sports Issues

Russell Holley

6th place in Impromptu Speaking

Ciara Devine

7th place in Retail Management Concepts

First Service Bank established a scholarship for students studying Marketing in the College of Business. The scholarship recipient will receive $1,500 per academic year. The recipient will be majoring in Marketing and have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 and have at least 30 hours of coursework remaining for graduation. Preference is given to students who graduated high school from a Faulkner County high school. This scholarship is housed in the UCA Foundation and will begin being awarded in the Fall 2018 semester.

Auto-Owners Insurance, headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, recently made a gift to the UCA College of Business Insurance and Risk Management program. Their gift of $15,000 will go to support the Dr. John Bratton Endowed Professorship, departmental needs and a departmental scholarship. Auto-Owners Insurance has a local office in Little Rock that has hired interns and graduates of the Insurance and Risk Management program. Auto-Owners Insurance is a mutual insurance company that offers auto, home, business and life insurance to policyholders exclusively through independent agents.

Announcing the winners of the College of Business Research and Project Presentation Day

There were 30 research and projects on display and 44 student participants. A team of 10 judges, faculty from the College of Business, evaluated and scored projects for clarity, strategy, quality, resolution, and presentation excellence.

Jennifer Westpfahl

UCA Day of Giving on March 8 resulted in a historical outcome for the university as a whole, raising $434,526 for dozens of departments and initiatives across campus, but it was also an important day for the College of Business. On this day, the Jennifer J. Westpfahl Women in Finance Scholarship was established as the very first scholarship with the goal to support women pursuing a career in the finance industry was established.

UCA Alum Jennifer Westpfahl ’99 established the scholarship to advocate on the behalf of female finance students. “I want this to be a gift that inspires others to give back but also makes an immediate impact on students,” Westpfahl stated.

Upon completing her finance degree at the UCA College of Business, Westpfahl embarked on a path to achieving her dream of working on Wall Street.

“There were not many opportunities for women to work in the financial services industry when I began my career. That has changed considerably, but there is still work to be done,” said Westpfahl.

Westpfahl did achieve her dream of working on Wall Street as she was recently promoted to Executive Director, Head of Field Services at Morgan Stanley. This came after her role as Head of FAA Talent Management where she was responsible for recruiting and developing the next generation of advisors in the financial services industry. In that role, she encouraged those who have not traditionally considered a career in finance in the past, specifically females, to do so.

“I want to bring to the forefront the importance of chasing your dreams and hard work. I hope this provides young women who want to work in the financial industry the opportunity to continue their coursework and pursue their dreams,” said Westpfahl. “Additionally, I am aiming to inspire other alumni to give back and support the College of Business and its students. UCA made a significant impact on my life, both personally and professionally, and I am grateful to have the capability to give back now. I challenge other UCA alumni to think about doing the same thing.”

The Jennifer J. Westpfahl Women in Finance Scholarship will be available for awarding beginning in Fall 2019. The scholarship will be awarded to students who are female and have a declared major of finance in the College of Business. The recipient shall be at least in junior-level standing and have a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The scholarship will be housed with the UCA Foundation, Inc.