The College of Business is IDEAL for budding entrepreneurs.
The Nathan M. Bisk College of Business is empowering future entrepreneurial leaders to manage change through the core values of innovation, diversity, ethics and leadership (IDEAL).
Innovation: To create value and manage change in the 21st century.
What we are doing:
Entrepreneurs Club. A student-run organization that is open to undergraduate and graduate students of all disciplines. Students come together to be creative, share ideas, and explore business opportunities. Guest speakers provide guidance on topics such as what it takes to be an entrepreneur, starting a business, and protecting intellectual property. Students in the club can utilize the Student Business Incubator facilities.
Business Plan Research Course. Students apply knowledge gained during their academic careers to conduct primary and secondary research in the development of an individual business plan. Instructor mentorship supports critical and innovative thinking during each phase of the business planning process. After completing this senior level course, a student may apply to launch a business in the Student Business Incubator to receive course credit for the Major Field Practicum.
Student Business Incubator. Students from all disciplines may utilize the Student Business Incubator to explore entrepreneurship as a career path. The incubator offers dedicated campus office space, computers, and supplies to launch not-for-profit and profit seeking organizations. Students must be accepted into the business incubator through a screening application process; thereafter, having access to the Women’s Business Center, College of Business faculty, and a growing “rolodex” of local business people for networking, mentoring, and potential investments. Though the incubator focuses on self-supporting, “real world” businesses; the overall goal is to hone student skills in leadership, communication, collaboration, innovation, and creativity. Student entrepreneurs are provided seed money and retain business ownership rights.
Diversity: To value individual contributions and respect cultural and social differences in a global environment.
What we are doing:
Global Teamwork. Six Continents, 40 Universities, 225 Teams, and 1,500 Students. The X-culture project allows students enrolled in an international business course to learn first-hand the challenges and opportunities of working on a global team. Each student is assigned to a team comprised of undergraduate students from universities around the world. Each team works together, using social media and cloud technology, to develop a business plan for a new product or service as part of a multinational company.
Spain Study Abroad Program. Students learn onsite about conducting international business through an intensive, study abroad program. Under faculty supervision, students have the opportunity to tour companies, visit museums, and attend lectures and events for a culturally-rich learning experience of doing business in the global market.
Ethics: To make thoughtful decisions, set high standards, and be accountable to stakeholders and society as a whole.
What we are doing:
Ethics Breakfast. Business leaders are guest speakers in share insights, experiences, and expertise related to ethical behavior in business. Students are challenged to think critically about ethical practices from personal, professional, and societal perspectives.
Ethics High School Competition. Regional high schools compete in an annual high school ethics competition. Student teams are challenged to examine ethical behavior and the impact of decision-making by business leaders utilizing relevant and timely case studies. Local business and community leaders participate as judges in the annual event.
Ethics and Leadership Conference. The conference provides a public forum for students, faculty, and the community to explore and further ethical practices and business leadership in domestic and international environments. Students can participate in this annual event to learn from business, community, and government leaders about ethical behavior.
Leadership: To promote critical thinking, be effective at collaboration, and foster creativity in solving complex problems.
What we are doing:
Intercollegiate Case Competition in Strategic Management. A team of business students compete annually with teams from regional universities in developing a successful marketing plan for a selected industry. Teams are given twenty-four hours to work effectively as a high-performance team, apply critical thinking in data analysis, and utilize strong communication skills in presenting a final solution to a panel of judges.
Social Responsibility. Business courses incorporate social responsibility as part of the learning experience. A recent example is a community event (Paws on Panther Plaza), as part of an introductory marketing class in support of a local animal shelter. The Major Field Practicum, as part of the senior year of study, requires students to perform six hours of community service.
Hands-on Research. Students in classes, such as Human-Computer Interaction, are provided an opportunity to set-up and conduct their own experiment. With mentoring support by the instructor, students are encouraged to disseminate results in a peer-reviewed, research forum.
Entrepreneurs Club. A student-run organization that is open to undergraduate and graduate students of all disciplines. Students come together to be creative, share ideas, and explore business opportunities. Guest speakers provide guidance on topics such as what it takes to be an entrepreneur, starting a business, and protecting intellectual property. Students in the club can utilize the Student Business Incubator facilities.
Business Plan Research Course. Students apply knowledge gained during their academic careers to conduct primary and secondary research in the development of an individual business plan. Instructor mentorship supports critical and innovative thinking during each phase of the business planning process. After completing this senior level course, a student may apply to launch a business in the Student Business Incubator to receive course credit for the Major Field Practicum.
Student Business Incubator. Students from all disciplines may utilize the Student Business Incubator to explore entrepreneurship as a career path. The incubator offers dedicated campus office space, computers, and supplies to launch not-for-profit and profit seeking organizations. Students must be accepted into the business incubator through a screening application process; thereafter, having access to the Women’s Business Center, College of Business faculty, and a growing “rolodex” of local business people for networking, mentoring, and potential investments. Though the incubator focuses on self-supporting, “real world” businesses; the overall goal is to hone student skills in leadership, communication, collaboration, innovation, and creativity. Student entrepreneurs are provided seed money and retain business ownership rights.
