Orfalea College of Business
THE LOOP
MAY 2015
Pictured: Accounting students and faculty tour Google
FINANCE STUDENTS TOUR INVESTMENT BANKS WITH ALUMNI
For the second time in two quarters, the Finance area has taken a group of students to tour investment banks with leading Cal Poly alumni. In April, students ventured to Los Angeles to tour Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Bernstein Global Weal Management with alumni Brett Johnson, Ryan Bristol and Ryan Martinez. To orchestrate similar industry tours with your students, faculty and alumni, contact Scott Dawson at scdawson@calpoly.edu.
STUDENT FROM BUSINESS AND ARCHITECTURE TEAM UP FOR BANK OF AMERICA CHALLENGE
A dozen Cal Poly architecture, finance, construction management and city and regional planning majors have formed a team to tackle the Bank of America Low Income Housing Challenge. Through winter and spring quarters, students have worked with finance Professor Pratish Patel and architecture Professor Kent MacDonald to take a hypothetical housing project from concept, to design, to funding, to building. The extracurricular project will be judged against other university teams in spring. Read about Cal Poly’s 2011 contest win at http://goo.gl/JN8U0s.
PORTFOLIUM DEBUTS FOR STUDENTS
Cal Poly Career Services and the Office of Alumni Outreach have partnered to offer Portfolium, an e-portfolio platform providing a virtual home and exhibit for the Cal Poly community. Portfolium will be launched in two tiers: the first has already been launched for students, the second will be for faculty in fall quarter. Although students have received an email about Portfolium, we are asking for faculty’s help to educate and encourage students to take advantage of this amazing new resource. Learn more at http://careerservices.calpoly.edu/student/portfolium.
STUDENTS FLOCK TO INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MINOR
More than 40 students have planned to earn the newly-approved Integrated Marketing Communications minor. The minor officially launches this fall in the 2015-2017 catalog. The interdisciplinary program features classes in marketing, journalism and graphic communications. Review the courses offered within the minor by visiting http://goo.gl/ Dt0gtW.
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NEWS CAL POLY PANEL TACKLES GENDER ROLES IN BUSINESS
Cal Poly’s Information Systems Association and Orfalea College of Business welcomed alumni, industry leaders, and more than 100 students for its second annual “Preparing for the Workforce” panel. The event, moderated by Cal Poly Provost Kathleen Enz Finken, included panelists Gina Roldan (B.S., Business Administration, 1996) of Microsoft, Avital Arora of NetApp, Christine Songco Lau (B.S., Business Administration, 1999) of Google, Jo Anne Miller of Browndog Partners, and Marina de la Torre of MINDBODY. The panel, orchestrated by students Josephine Le and Nathan Miner, discussed how women can be their own advocates in the classroom and the workplace. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/ogg7apc.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY AND PACKAGING STUDENTS PRESENT WITH FACULTY AT CONFERENCE
In March, students Cameron Fasola, Chat Rebarber and Nick Kriley traveled to Orlando, Fla. to present at the annual TransPack Forum alongside industrial technology and packaging faculty members Jay Singh and Koushik Saha. The students presented on applied research regarding ground transportation of products and truck handling practices.
BUSINESS PROFESSIONALISM CERTIFICATE PROGRAM GOING STRONG
The Orfalea Advising Center saw great success with its Business Professionalism Certificate Program, which granted certificates to 80 students across all three majors during winter quarter. One hundred percent of the students said the program boosted their level of career readiness and motivated them to attend more career events. More than 80 percent of students also used on-campus resources to develop their resume. Faculty should encourage students to take advantage of these free resources this quarter. For more information on the certificate program, visit http://goo.gl/J8VRKm.
ADVISING CENTER PILOTS ORFALEA OUTREACH
The Orfalea College of Business Advising Center will continue piloting Orfalea OutREACH, an internal, in-house built online faculty referral system that identifies at-risk students populations to provide them with additional personal support. Orfalea OutREACH’s online forms collect information from faculty about students of concern, including risk factors recognized within the classroom to intervene early and provide education on academic options. To access the online referral form and learn more about Orfalea OutREACH, access the webpage at http://tinyurl.com/mbfn8al.
ORFALEA SUCCESS PROGRAM WORKS WITH AT-RISK STUDENTS
In early spring quarter, the Orfalea Advising Center launched the Orfalea Success Program, meeting with 77 student within the college on academic probation who are considered the most at-risk for disqualification. The session gave students strategies to navigate academic development and surveyed key resources on campus. With Advising Center staff, 15 peer mentors facilitated small group discussions of goal attainment and time management. Look for updates on the program as the Advising Center continues to measure its success. For more information, contact Katelyn O’Brien at kobrie13@calpoly.edu.
STUDENT SUCCESS CAL POLY INFORMATION SYSTEMS STUDENTS TAKE SECOND AT CASE COMPETITION
A team of information systems students took second in the regional phase of Ernst & Young’s Beam Abroad Case Competition in Los Angeles. The team included information systems students Nathan Miner, Alec Toppenberg, Melanie Tsoi and Emily Wong with finance student Kenton Assadi. Students presented findings on a case developed by E&Y professionals in its advisory and risk practices. For more details, visit http://tinyurl. com/llz2yxf.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY AND PACKAGING STUDENTS WIN DESIGN VILLAGE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
The Corrugators, a team of industrial technology and packaging students, created a living structure in Cal Poly’s Design Village during Open House weekend. The structure won this year’s Audience Choice Award for its interpretation of the “clockwork” theme. The design featured a corrugated fiberboard dome that rotated on a turntable to create a sundial. The student team was led by Macintyre Peek and supervised by Industrial Technology Lab Coordinator Ray Kisch.
MARKETING STUDENTS COMPETE IN NATIONAL SALES COMPETITION
Several students in Lisa Simon’s Sales Development course traveled to Kennesaw, Ga. to compete in the 2015 National Collegiate Sales Competition. Jon Grishpul and Jasmine Contreras competed with the help of student coaches Conner Adlhoch and JD Dorres. The class is a senior project course for students looking to sharpen their public speaking, negotiation and sales skills.
BUSINESS STUDENTS SHINE AT INNOVATION QUEST
Cal Poly’s Innovation Quest attracted 55 different teams of Cal Poly students presenting their innovative product for a piece of the $45,000 prize money. This year, business students participated on four of the top five teams, including the winning team. First prize and the $15,000 Carson Chen Innovation Award went to Justin Russo, a mechanical engineering student, Matt Kloss, business administration, and Marty Affentranger, a graduate of the mechanical engineering program, who created the LiftGator, a removable full-size, hitch-mounted lift gate. For more details on all the winners, visit http://tinyurl.com/klfw5f2.
BUSINESS STUDENTS COMPETE IN DELOITTE CASE COMPETITION
A team of Cal Poly business students traveled to Westlake, Texas to compete in the Deloitte Risk, Issues, Solutions & Experiences (R.I.S.E), an Audit & Enterprise Risk Services (AERS) Case Competition hosted at Deloitte University. Finance students Brandon Yan and Zachary Ludolph and accounting student Somer Curran developed and presented a proposal to deliver risk-based advisory services to a Deloitte client in need. The team finished in the top ten.
STUDENT SUCCESS (CONT.) ECONOMICS STUDENT EARNS SCHOLARSHIP
Jonathan Peck, economics major concentrating in accounting, recently earned the 201516 Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). He was sponsored by Annette Stalker (B.S., Business Administration, 1988), who is a CPA in Granite Bay, Calif. Peck, who is also president of the Cal Poly Accounting Club, was awarded the scholarship for displaying notable academic achievement in accounting.
CAL POLY STUDENTS TAKE SECOND IN 48 HOUR REPACK
Industrial technology and packaging students Rebecca Kisch, Janel Takeda, Sally Yingst, Sarah Deffner and Caitlin Khamasta took second place in the 48 Hour Repack. The students traveled to Atlanta, Ga. for a final presentation and the awards ceremony. To see the team’s flour packaging design developed over just one weekend, visit http:// tinyurl.com/kugv6u9.
AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION CHAPTER SHINES AT NATIONAL COMPETITION
Twelve Cal Poly students traveled with faculty to New Orleans for the 2015 American Marketing Association (AMA) International Collegiate Conference. The team placed second out of 35 schools in the Strategic Allocation of Business Resources (SABRE) Business Simulation. The chapter also took second place for its video contest entry promoting Be The Match, the AMA’s national philanthropic partner. While at the conference, Cal Poly’s AMA chapter was recognized for excellence professional development, chapter planning and membership.
FINANCE STUDENTS EXCEL ON WINTER CFA EXAM
Once again, Cal Poly finance students have outpaced the worldwide average pass rate for the CFA Level 1 Exam. During fall quarter, 11 students took the exam as part of the CFA Challenge senior project course developed by financing faculty. Cal Poly’s cohort passed the exam at a rate of 72 percent, out-pacing the average pass rate of 44 percent. More students will tackle the exam during spring quarter.
SEEKING FIRST GENERATION FACULTY AND STAFF
The Orfalea Advising Center is looking for Orfalea Faculty and Staff who identify as first generation (first in your family, aside from siblings, to graduate from college)! We invite you to participate in this brief survey (http://goo.gl/uWDQ1y) to provide your insight and experiences for incoming first generation Orfalea students who will be participating in the First in Business program. More information can be found here http://tinyurl. com/kqoa7pu. If you have questions, contact Lily Clark at lclark08@calpoly.edu.
OUR TEAM DEBBIE TUSON JOINS THE DEAN’S OFFICE
Debbie Tuson joined the Orfalea College of Business as the financial analyst in the Dean’s Office. She is responsible for processing the college’s financial transactions, developing financial reports to aid in decision-making, and much more. Debbie comes to us from the Cal Poly Corporation with a wealth of experience in funds, accounts, and extensive Cal Poly knowledge.
EARL KELLER SCHOLARSHIP FUND ESTABLISHED
Accounting Professor Earl Keller has established a scholarship for students pursuing a master’s degree in accounting. Keller has taught at Cal Poly since 1987 after building a successful career as an auditor, a controller and consultant for high profile litigation cases involving Enron and Lehman Brothers. He plans to retire at the end of spring quarter. To contribute to the scholarship, visit http://goo.gl/iI3PhZ.
MOCK PUBLISHES TWO TAX ARTICLES
Accounting Professor Rodney Mock published two tax-related articles near the April 15 filing deadline. In U.S. News & World Report, Mock discussed the cost savings of mandatory e-filing. In the San Francisco Chronicle, Mock and co-writer Nancy E. Shurtz talked tax reform and preferred rates for capital gains. U.S. News & World Report: http://tinyurl.com/kzlu5c4 SF Chronicle: http://goo.gl/fKDQq4
ECONOMICS FACULTY PUBLISHES MORE RESEARCH ON OBESITY AND PUBLIC POLICY In March, Michael Marlow published research regarding government tactics to combat obesity in the spring issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. In the article, he posits that policies based on popular health myths are not supported by good research and are ineffective. For more details, visit http://goo.gl/9yKIst.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION TO PUBLISH ECONOMICS FACULTY RESEARCH
This spring, economics faculty Jason Lepore and Steve Hamilton have collaborated on a paper titled “Oligopoly Intermediation, Relative Rivalry, and Market Conduct.” The International Journal of Industrial Organization has accepted the piece for publication. For more details, visit http://tinyurl.com/muzzchp.
OUR TEAM (CONT.) BUSINESS LAW PROFESSOR RECEIVES A FULBRIGHT SPECIALIST AWARD
Chris Carr, a business law professor, recently traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan on a Fulbright Specialist award to consult with the National University of Science & Technology (NUST) and the United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP). NUST is a top university in Pakistan, with a polytechnic focus similar to Cal Poly. USEFP is an NGO primarily funded by the U.S. Government, that helps build bridges between academic, government and business stakeholders in the U.S. and Pakistan. Professor Carr consulted in the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation, business communication, curriculum development, business school accreditation, and student success. He was also awarded a Fulbright Specialist grant in 2011 to visit and consult on similar issues in post-revolution Tunisia.
SIMON HELPS LEAD THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN SALES MANAGEMENT
In April, Lisa Simon was elected National Conference Proceedings Editor of the National Conference in Sales Management (NCSM) in Houston, Texas. She also chaired a special session, moderated a panel discussion, and discussed a paper at the conference. To learn more about the duties of the NCSM board, visit http://tinyurl.com/oo8kwt5.
SINGH PUBLISHES PACKAGING FORENSICS BOOK
Jay Sing, director of the college’ Packaging Program, has co-authored a book titled Packaging and Transportation Forensics: Reducing Risk and Liability. He partnered with S. Paul Singh, professor emeritus in Michigan State University’s packaging program. The book investigates the laws and liabilities associate with manufacturing, labeling and shipping packages. For a full table of contents, visit http://tinyurl.com/qf96r3o.
BEENA KHURANA TO LEAD MBA PROGRAMS
Beena Khurana has accepted the role of director of the Orfalea College of Business’ MBA programs. She will help the college rethink its MBA programs for the future. Khurana served as the interim director for the past year and has been in the college for the past three years. Khurana has also been awarded a China Studies Institute Fellowship. She will spend three weeks in China in June learning about its culture, history, education and business. She will also present on the Orfalea College of Business and build relationships with other educational programs in the region.
ECONOMICS FACULTY COLLABORATE ON CLEAN AIR RESEARCH
Economics area Chair Steve Hamilton and Professor Aric Shafran recently completed work on a $250,000 grant from the California Air Resources Board to examine emissions leakage, or the transfer of production to unregulated manufacturers out of state due to greenhouse gas regulation in food processing industries. The report, “Market Transfer and Emissions Leakage from AB32 Regulations in California’s Food Processing Industries,” is the first of its kind to calculate the predicted decrease in the state’s processed food production in the tomato, cheese, wet corn, and sugar industries due to emissions leakage. M.S. Economics students Merry Brown, Mathew Thomson, Lauren Beauchamp, and Mackenzie Smith assisted in the research.
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI ALUMNI STARTUP PARTNERS WITH CITY OF SLO
Bishop Peak Technology, a local startup founded by Zach Negry (B.S., Computer Engineering, 2011) and Jeff Brown (B.S., Business Administration, 2011), has partnered with the City of SLO on bus tracking mobile apps for local commuters. The city will pay Bishop Peak Technology more than $20,000 over the next four years to support the SLO Bus Tracker app, which was originally released in 2011. The app has already been downloaded nearly 30,000 times. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/ p5wvluu.
ALUMNAE RECOGNIZED BY PACIFIC COAST BUSINESS TIMES
Veronica Quintana (B.S., Industrial Technology, 2007, M.S., Industrial & Technical Studies, 2008) was among the local leaders recognized in Pacific Coast Business Times’ Top Women in Business. Quintana was recognized in the professional services category for her work as a senior manager at CBIZ and Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. See the full list of awardees by visiting http://tinyurl.com/p4jn99l.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY ALUM TALKS GROWTH IN THE TRIBUNE
Jesse Dundon (B.S., Industrial Technology, 2007, M.S., Industrial & Technical Studies, 2008) was recognized in the San Luis Obispo Tribune for the growth of his digital marketing agency Hathaway. Headquartered in San Luis Obispo with an office in Tokyo, the company ranked 601 on the Inc. 5000 list for its 791 percent revenue growth over three years. Dundon was also named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for marketing and advertising earlier this year. Read the full article here http://goo.gl/eWSZ03.
MARKETING ALUM SHARES HER PERSPECTIVE
Check out the next installment of the Orfalea College of Business alumni video series, featuring marketing alumnae Jackie Gragnola. She shares her perspective on the leadership opportunities that helped launch her career in digital marketing in technology. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frE4vwwjy6o.
ON THE HORIZON CAL POLY PREPARES FOR COMMENCEMENT
Commencement is just around the corner. Be sure to put the Orfalea College of Business ceremonies on your calendar for Sunday, June 14. See the university’s full schedule of commencement events by visiting http://goo.gl/v59uv4. Check out Cal Poly’s University Store for pricing on cap and gown rentals by visiting http://calpolystore. com/SiteText.aspx?id=18164.
APPLY TO BE THE DIRECTOR FOR ASSURANCE OF LEARNING, ASSESSMENT, AND CURRICULUM INNOVATION
The Orfalea College of Business is seeking a director for Assurance of Learning, Assessment, and Curriculum Innovation. The director leads efforts to design and implement processes that will result in continuous improvement in curriculum delivery and fulfill Assurance of Learning (AOL) requirements for maintaining AACSB accreditation. All faculty members, including tenured, tenure-track, and lecturers, are eligible to apply. Responsibilities and compensation are described in the document available here https://goo.gl/A3rAxQ. To be considered, please email Kevin Lertwachara klertwac@calpoly.edu your statement of interest by May 15.
UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday, May 14
Spectacle Student Showcase 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium
Saturday, May 16
Cal Poly Accounting Club’s Day in the Park 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. on O’Neill Green
Monday, May 18
CIE Entrepreneurship Forum: Big Data and SLO HotHouse Accelerator Kickoff 4:00 p.m. at the PAC Pavilion http://tinyurl.com/p2pj5fj
Tuesday, June 2
All College Meeting 11:00 a.m. in 03-111
Saturday-Sunday, June 13 & 14
Commencement http://tinyurl.com/nuu7dep