From the Dean’s Desk Fall 2011

Dr. S. Ann Becker, Dean of the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business

Welcome to the newly launched Nathan M. Bisk College of Business Smart Business@Florida Tech e-newsletter.  The College of Business is embracing social media to stay connected to students, alumni, friends, families, and our community.

This e-newsletter is just one of several Web tools designed to keep you informed of what is happening in the College of Business.  The Tech Talk Business Blog offers up-to-date information on events and activities, and covers a range of topics related to business and education.  The Nathan M. Bisk College of Business facebook page provides an informal means of staying informed and engaged.

These are exciting times in the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business, as reflected in several key initiatives in the areas of international business and entrepreneurship.   The initiatives, highlighted below, are aligned with the overall mission of developing business leaders ready to meet the challenges associated with global competitiveness and technological innovation.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Our faculty and instructors are experienced world travelers many of whom have international backgrounds in areas such as collaborative research, conference presentations, and professorships.  For example, Dr. Samuel Doss served as an assistant professor of business at Kansai Gaidai University, Hirakata City, Japan; Dr. Ami Dutta collaborated on international finance with researchers in New Zealand and China; and Mr. Tim Muth traveled to Sub-Saharian Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America as part of the Department of Education CIBER faculty development program.

International business has become a focal component of the undergraduate education experience.  Soon, all undergraduate students, on-campus and online, will be required to take a Global Business Perspectives class early in their academic career.  Students are challenged to explore different aspects of international business including culture, ethics, leadership, social responsibility, trade theories, foreign exchange, and much more.  Mr. Tim Muth, instructor of the campus course, recently received the Excellence in Teaching Award by Florida Tech’s Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.

Spain Study Abroad Program

Both undergraduate and graduate can enroll in a newly created Spain Study Abroad program.  Dr. Michael Slotkin, Associate Professor of Economics, and Dr. Alex Vamosi, Associate Dean of Academics, developed the study abroad program that entrenches students in a culturally-reach experience through synchronous online lectures pre and post Spain; as well as, onsite classroom lectures supplemented with company visits and local excursions.  Twenty-four students, from campus, online, and offsite business degree programs participated in the 2011 program.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Did you know that approximately 90% of our campus business faculty and instructors have entrepreneurial backgrounds?  This experience allows them to share their entrepreneurial knowledge and skills with the intent of bridging theory and practice in a wide range of business fields.

Why are faculty entrepreneurs so important to the College of Business? Entrepreneurship has empowering characteristics that affect all aspects of the global business environment.  Entrepreneurship continues to be the backbone of small business development. But, it is also an integral part of large corporations particularly in the areas of capital ventures and spin-offs.

Visiting Entrepreneur Program

Ms. Jacie Stivers, Founder, Commercial Investment Real Estate, Inc. and Entrepreneur in Residence at Cornell University, kicked off program on October 6, 2011. Her insightful talk entitled, “Are You an Inspired Entrepreneur? The Unromantic View” was well attended.  Later in the day, Ms. Jacie Stivers utilized her expertise in business negotiation by engaging a class of undergraduate students in role playing activities.

Youth Summer Entrepreneurship Camp

The Center for Entrepreneurship and New Business Development, through its Women’s Business Center (WBC), offered a Youth Summer Entrepreneurship Camp to ten aspiring young entrepreneurs.  Dr. Donn Miller-Kermani, Director of the WBC, explained, “Young entrepreneurs learned what it takes to be the next Mark Zuckerberg …”

In December, the Center will host a high school business plan competition in partnership with Junior Achievement of the Space Coast.

Other College of Business Highlights

• The Nathan M. Bisk College of Business online MBA specialization in Project Management recently received accreditation by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center (GAC) for Project Management Education Programs.  There are only 79 GAC-accredited degree programs in 35 institutions in 13 countries.
• The Department of Extended Studies held its Annual Site Directors Conference October 4 – 6, 2011.  Site directors from each of the off-site locations came to the Melbourne campus to share information.
• The College of Business kicked off a “Brown Bag Lunch” series of talks whereby faculty share research and teaching activities thus providing an opportunity for collaboration.  Dr. Mardi Sale demonstrated the use of Pencast Technology in capturing the problem-solving process in an accounting course.  Dr. Ami Dutta shared his co-authored research on motivating students to continue learning.  Dr. Mike Slotkin gave a presentation on a blended learning approach in support of a study abroad program.
• Florida Tech Online now offers an MBA specialization in Internet Marketing; and coming soon is an online MBA specialization in International Business.

I encourage you to join us online through the College of Business facebook page, the Tech Talk Business Blog, and this monthly newsletter to stay abreast of what is happening in the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business.  We welcome your comments, feedback, and participation. Thank you for your continued support.