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Management Information Systems

Alumni Spotlight: Jessica Kao

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In April 2023, Dr. Alexander Chen visited alumnus Jessica Kao (MIS 2019) in Taipei during his travels overseas. He sent an update on his visit with Jessica for COB’s Alumni Spotlight column.

Dr. Chen with Jessica Kao

Jessica Kao is an exceptional alumnus of the Management Information Systems (MIS)* department at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). Since January 2020, she has been working for Qualcomm Semiconductor Inc. in Taipei, where she has demonstrated her commitment to her work and the skills she developed during her studies at UCA.

As part of her role at Qualcomm, Jessica is responsible for identifying key inefficiencies and issues across different projects. She develops user guides and training materials and conducts training sessions for both internal and external clients. She collaborates with multinational teams to develop and test various programs and projects. Additionally, she leverages her system analysis skills to work on supply chain operation and procurement systems for clients across APAC, the Americas, and Europe.

Jessica credits her success in the professional world to the rigorous training she received from UCA’s outstanding faculty members, particularly those in the Computer Information Systems & Analytics*, Marketing, and Management departments. She believes the College of Business at UCA provided her with a balanced, practical, and valuable education, which equipped her with the necessary tools to excel in her field.

Working alongside colleagues who mostly hold master’s degrees from prestigious universities in Taiwan and the United States, Jessica’s exceptional performance and professionalism have earned her the respect and trust of her teammates. She has also received substantial raises for her outstanding achievements. To learn more about Jessica’s achievements, check out her profile on LinkedIn.

* When Jessica graduated in 2019, the department and program were named Management Information Systems; in 2021, the name was changed to Computer Information Systems & Analytics to reflect updates to the program.

ArcBest Technologies: Software Developer

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A full time Software Developer position with ArcBest Technologies is available for seniors and masters students. Allowed majors are Computer Science, Computer Programming, and MIS/CIS students graduating December 2021-May 2022. Please our flyer for information about the position that will have an on campus interview associated with it on Tuesday, October 5th.
The deadline to apply for this position is Wednesday September 29th. Students can apply for the position in Handshake here. U.S. work authorization is required.

College of Business Gets $100k Gift from Acxiom

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Acxiom Gives $120,000 to UCA

Acxiom’s most recent gift to the College of Business and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics pushes the company’s total support provided to UCA past $1 million.

The University of Central Arkansas College of Business has received a $100,000 gift from Acxiom to support several initiatives.

The gift is part of a larger $120,000 gift from Acxiom to UCA to support the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and College of Business. The gift takes Acxiom’s support of UCA to $1.1 million across a 30-year partnership.

In the College of Business, Acxiom’s gift will support the Acxiom IT Careers Camp, a yearly, two-day camp held on UCA’s campus for high school students interested in careers in information technology. The camp began in 2007 and has welcomed more than 400 students to UCA.

The gift will also support the Acxiom Scholarship, open to qualifying juniors and seniors majoring in Management Information Systems, and the Acxiom Information Systems Student Award, given each year to the top Information Systems major.

“Acxiom has played a vital role to our college, especially in our Department of Management Information Systems, where IT and analytics education is the primary focus,” said UCA College of Business Dean Michael Hargis. “Acxiom has provided more internships for MIS and other business students than any other company, more full-time positions for our MIS graduates than any other company, and has been crucial to curriculum enhancements we have made to keep our courses relevant and current.”

“Central Arkansas is home for Acxiom, and we’re delighted to continue to support our community,” said Acxiom’s Chief Customer Officer Drew May, who also serves on the UCA College of Business Advisory Board. “Investment in education and in future talent is so important, both in good and in challenging times, as it ultimately benefits everyone.”

For more information on the impact Acxiom’s gift will have on the entire UCA campus, click here.