InReview 2021

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DEAN, COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Dr. Brenda Flannery EXECUTIVE EDITOR Director of Marketing and Communication, College of Business Jen Cucurullo CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Senior Director of University Marketing & Communications, Minnesota State University, Mankato Sara Frederick EDITORINCHIEF, In Review Sarah Asp Olson GRAPHIC DESIGNER Vanessa Knewtson WRITER Sarah Asp Olson PHOTOGRAPHERS Jen Cucurullo Rachel Nadeau Steve Woit MARKETING INTERNS Erika Hansen Josie Sandford Emilee Thomas PRINTER Corporate Graphics PROOFREADER Joe Tougas ......................................................................

The mission of In Review is to inform and to connect the reader to the College of Business community. In Review welcomes story ideas supporting this mission.

In Review is copyrighted in its entirety.

This volume and all articles, images and photographs within may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the editor. ......................................................................

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 120 Morris Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 507.389.5420 | cob.mnsu.edu

Finance and Accounting graduate Kwadwo Owusu '21 An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University.

This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the College of Business at 507-389-5420 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY).

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Dean’s Letter .............................................................4 Leadership Team .....................................................5 Mankato Made ..........................................................6 Alumni Connection ................................................8 News and Notes .......................................................10 UNITED PRAIRIE BANK

IBE in the Community ...........................................20

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COVER FEATURE:

This is My College of Business

NABA Comes to Campus ....................................22 Retiring Faculty Leave Their Mark .................24 Chris and Lynette Travel the World ..............28 The Power of Internships ....................................30 The Growing Landscape for Women in Ag ..............................................................32 A Big Year for Food and Ag.................................35 Student Sound Off...................................................36 Faculty Leader: DQ Spencer .............................37

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Research Briefs ........................................................38 Big Ideas Challenge ...............................................40 Congrats Grads .........................................................43 COB Programs ...........................................................45 The Big Picture .........................................................46 ON THE COVER Left to right: Manav Mendonça, Paige Nixt, Kwadwo Owusu, Aimee Bernice Uwase and Michaela Reidell.

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Dean Flannery listens to David Alimo’s ideas about developing the new College of Business student leadership program called the Student Executive Team launching in fall 2021. David served as the College of Business Student Government senator during the 20202021 academic year.

Dean’s Letter Dear Friends, Always being student centered is the core value of Minnesota State University, Mankato and the College of Business. It’s been in our public university DNA for all of our 150-plus years. And our campus-wide focus on students was never more visible than during the pandemic this past year. It’s especially fitting then to dedicate this year’s In Review magazine to our Maverick business students.

Within these pages, you’ll find stories about students who give back (p. 20), students working toward a bright future (p. 40) and students who build each other up, lifting as they climb (p. 22). Our cover feature (p. 12) gives a few of our student leaders space to tell their College of Business stories. In it students share their accomplishments, perspectives and diverse experiences—all in their own words.

We’ve also dedicated space in this issue to celebrate our diverse faculty, staff, alumni and partners who make us the forward-looking Maverick business school that we are.

This past year tested us in so many ways. Our students in particular were challenged financially, socially and emotionally. Here at the College of Business we focused on listening first. We heard what our students needed and have used it to rethink the ways in which we approach teaching, advising and the student experience as a whole. We’re committed to being student ready. That means taking action to remove barriers to learning and create opportunities for all to strive and thrive.

The data shows that student populations continue to grow in diversity. Our region, state and world require educational opportunities that are responsive, accessible and innovative. Our urgent call is to equip the next generation of business and community leaders and entrepreneurs with the tools they need while providing our region continued support for economic and social prosperity. We embrace this challenge and invite you to join us as we embark on a steadfast, post-pandemic future filled with growth and diversity—in programs, people, perspective and partnerships.

Stay well,

Brenda Flannery, Ph.D. Dean, College of Business Professor of Management 4 / C OLLEGE OF BUSIN ES S I N R E V I E W

Being student ready elevates our thinking and action to remove barriers and create opportunities for all to strive and thrive.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Leadership Team The College of Business Leadership Team includes 12 high-impact professionals who put students first.

VISION To be the clear business school choice for real-world learning ————

Brenda Flannery

Ranae Hiniker

Marilyn Fox

Dean of the College of Business and Professor of Management

Administrative Assistant to the Dean

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Director, AACSB Director and Professor of Management

VALUES Student centered, innovative and professional always pursued in a spirit of inclusion, collaboration and collegiality

Byron Pike

Samantha Campa

Bryan Hoffman

Ann Kuzma

Master of Accounting (MAcc) Director, Allen Lenzmeier Accounting Professor of External Partnerships and Associate Professor of Accounting

Talent Programs Specialist

Director of Technology

Marketing and International Business Department Chairperson and Professor of Marketing

Jen Cucurullo

Oksana Kim

Joseph Reising

Kathleen Dale

Linda Meidl Student

Director of Marketing and Communication

Accounting and Business Law Department Chairperson, Allen Lenzmeier Professor of Leadership and Diversity and Professor of Accounting

Finance Department Chairperson and Professor of Finance

Management Department Chairperson and Professor of Management

Relations Coordinator

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MANKATO MADE Christine Lantinen

At age 31, Christine (Cooney) Lantinen ’98 took a leap of faith. The Le Center, Minn., native had just been laid off from her job as sales and marketing director at Minnetonkabased food gift company, Bay Island.

“On a Friday, the owner brought me in and said he couldn’t afford my salary and let me go,” she says.

What could have been a devastating blow turned out to be the start of a sweet success story. Throughout her time at Bay Island, and previously working for Target Corporation, Lantinen had developed a strong network and a solid understanding of what it takes to run a business. She saw an opportunity in the food gifting space for high-end food gifts from a recognizable brand.

She knew the owners of St. Paul candy company Maud Borup through her work at Bay Island and decided to make them an offer.

“We met for coffee that Saturday morning and they were in the process of closing the stores. I said, ‘I would love to buy this great brand.’”

And that’s exactly what Lantinen did. Just days after losing her job, she struck up an arrangement with the previous owners where they would come in as 30 percent partners to start. That was in 2005. Within two years Lantinen bought them out and has been the sole owner of Maud Borup ever since.

Lantinen transitioned Maud Borup from its retail candy roots to a 100 percent wholesale operation, now based out of Le Center. She sells products directly to retailers like Target, Whole Foods and CVS. Since Lantinen took the helm, Maud Borup has seen 20 percent organic growth each year and is on track to do $30 million in sales in 2021.

“I feel like in life you always have these crossroads,” says Lantinen. “Me being let go from Bay Island was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. That was a kick in the butt [I needed] to do my own thing.”

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Lantinen is a farmer’s daughter from Le Center. During high school, she took some post-secondary education option classes at Minnesota State Mankato. She joined the army and attended basic training the summer before high school graduation to help defer the cost of her education.

Throughout her college career, Lantinen worked up to 44 hours per week at various stores in the River Hills Mall. Her early experience in retail management gave her opportunities to practice what she was learning in real time.

Lantinen didn’t arrive at Minnesota State Mankato with her eyes on a business degree. She had completed a military training program as a medic the summer after high school graduation, so nursing felt like a good fit. “I wasn’t doing well in the nursing program, so I did [the] testing on campus that tells you what areas you are strongest in.” She got high marks in marketing and switched to a double major in Marketing and Mass Communication. She ended up graduating with honors.

Lantinen is the sole owner of Maud Borup, but the company’s Le Center plant is truly a family operation. In the first year, Lantinen’s family friend pledged a piece of farmland against her $700,000 loan to get production up and running. And Lantinen’s mom, who lives in Le Center, opened the plant and got it up to food safety standards.

When not working or in class, Lantinen would frequent hotspots like the Albatross and Boom Town. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Minnesota State Mankato. I got the most out of not only academics, but also the social side. That was just as important for me because of those great relationships I made throughout school.”

For the last two years, Lantinen has served as a judge for the College of Business’ annual Big Ideas Challenge. “It’s been really neat to see this whole department that’s grown around entrepreneurship, which didn’t exist when I went to school.”

Minnesota State Mankato runs in the family. Lantinen’s parents met in the dorms and fell in love on campus.

Both her brother and sister also attended Minnesota State Mankato.

“My majors ended up being very aligned with starting and running a business, not only having the business side, but the marketing and public relations side made me realize early on it’s more than just selling a great product, it’s how you’re showing up in the market, and how you’re positioning yourself. … All of that plays a major role in building a brand and building your product line.”

WOMAN OWNED AND OPERATED Many Minnesotans have fond memories of seeing Maud Borup chocolates at weddings or in candy cases throughout the Twin Cities. Borup started her company out of her St. Paul home in 1907—before women had the right to vote—and quickly established her brand as the go-to highend candy company in the region.

While Lantinen doesn’t produce Maud Borup’s original recipes, she has always been drawn to Borup’s story and the spirit behind her company. As a woman owner in manufacturing, Lantinen aims to carry on Borup’s legacy and do her name justice.

Between corporate operations in Plymouth and the Le Center plant, about 80 percent of Maud Borup employees are women.

“We love hiring women, we love promoting women,” she says. “This is who we are, and I’m super proud of that.”

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ALUMNI CONNECTION Learning from the Pros Three alumni executives offer advice to College of Business students.

Mark Bietz ’07

Lisa Hyland ’88

Jeff Meyerhofer ’98

Chief Marketing Officer at Fun.com

Sr. Vice President and Director of

Chief Operating Officer and GM

human resources at Federated

of payments for Optum Financial

Insurance

Services at UnitedHealth Group.

Dean of the College of Business, Dr. Brenda Flannery opened an online session featuring three successful alumni last summer by remarking on how the pandemic, with its many challenges, has opened some doors for students as well.

“I think in the past, we wouldn’t have even thought about using a virtual format in which to bring [together] three great alumni, but here we are,” she said. “Sometimes difficult things… bring us new opportunities.”

One such opportunity was an online panel featuring three alumni executives: Lisa Hyland ’88, director of human resources at Federated Insurance; Mark Bietz ’07, chief marketing officer at Fun.com; and Jeff Meyerhofer ’98, chief operating officer & GM of payments for Optum Financial Services at UnitedHealth Group.

The alumni executive panel was organized by talent programs specialist Samantha Campa and featured a Q&A format that allowed each panelist to offer advice, encouragement and lessons they’ve learned throughout their careers.

We’ve compiled a few highlights from the hour-long session:

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On What Hiring Managers Are Looking For Mark Bietz: [We’re looking for] people that went out and did something or are in the process of doing something or learning or just, you know, affecting some sort of change, whether it be in their personal lives within their friends and family groups or with an organization. That’s something that we really look for because it really sort of helps to understand if this person is a self-starter and if they do things on their own volition. That’s really important to us because as an entrepreneurial organization, we’re really looking for people that can sit back, listen, observe and then find their own opportunities and collaborate with folks to get [things] done.

On Making the Most of Your College Experience Lisa Hyland: My time at [Minnesota State Mankato] really challenged me to think a little bit more broadly. It helped me to become a much more inquisitive person and generally kind of sparked a desire to learn from other people.

I just would encourage [students] to engage in everything and anything. College is your moment to explore and to figure out what you like and what you don’t like and where your interests lie and it just creates this big open field for you. [When] the window closes, life gets more focused and your time gets committed to other things. And this is just a unique window of time in your life where you just get to explore all facets of yourself.

Jeff Meyerhofer: When I first started at Mankato I started working at Walmart.

And I didn’t think that it was very valuable, but as I started to understand business and started to understand the [point of sale] system and the supply chain, all of that comes back to business. So, learning business and learning the profit and loss component of it was very valuable to me. The other thing that I did is I volunteered at a credit union [on campus]. I volunteered to run the checks just to be able to understand banking one-on-one. And I got to the point where I was the assistant manager, I mean, I was still not paid, but it was a way for me to learn two different businesses: a retail model and a banking model. Then when I came out, not only did I have a mindset of a business degree, but I also had two fairly applicable experiences. So, I think that if you can seek those out, there’s value there, even if you’re not getting paid. It’ll pay for itself in the long run.

On Thriving Through Difficult Times Lisa Hyland: It’s so important that you’re doing something right now. There’s a post-pandemic, there’s a time past this and you want to have a story to tell. If you’re coming in to talk to me, I’d rather hear that you got arrested than that you played Minecraft or whatever. Get out and do something and engage yourself. Have a story to tell. How did you use this time? … I want to hear what you did and how you made the most of it and how you came out a better person for it in the end.

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Dr. Scott Awarded Faculty Fellowship Professor of Marketing Dr. Kristin Scott has been named a Faculty Fellow for The Socially Just Classroom: Teaching for Equity 2030.

Pictured here in Minneapolis, Fall 2020. Dr. Byron Pike, Allen Lenzmeier and Dr. Oksana Kim

Drs. Kim and Pike Awarded Allen Lenzmeier Faculty Professorships Dr. Byron Pike, CPA and Master of Accounting (MAcc) Director has been selected as the Allen Lenzmeier Accounting Professor of External Partnerships. With this position Pike will strengthen and grow relationships with companies, re-establish an Accounting Advisory Council and help elevate the program as the premier accounting destination of choice for students and employers in the region.

Dr. Oksana Kim has been selected as the Allen Lenzmeier Accounting Professor of Leadership and Diversity. Kim will help lead diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to increase the recruitment and retention of diverse student groups majoring in the accounting program. She will also be working towards formation of the School of Accountancy and developing a path towards the School receiving a separate AACSB accreditation in accounting.

These awards are made possible through an endowed gift from Minnesota State Mankato accounting alumnus, retired Best Buy executive and philanthropist Allen Lenzmeier and his wife Kathy. The Lenzmeiers have been long-time supporters of Minnesota State University, Mankato and the College of Business.

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Scott, along with colleagues from across disciplines will grapple with biases in academic content and context in order to gain insight into how common practices help or hinder learning particularly for marginalized students. The team will develop classroom practices that create more equitable, socially just learning spaces and work toward building them into courses.

Scott was an ideal fit for the fellowship because of her research and teaching focus on diversity. Since 2012, Scott has been a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) which measures intercultural competency. She uses the IDI in her Fair-Trade Study Abroad in Belize class.

The cohort will present their research work at the Scholars at Work Conference on October 1, 2021.

Qamrunnisa is the fifth MBA candidate to receive the David C. Olson Graduate Scholarship for Business Community Excellence Qamrunnisa (Qamr) was selected as the fifth recipient of the David C. Olson Graduate Scholarship. Qamr earned a master’s degree in information technology from Minnesota State Mankato before joining the MBA program. She is a Demand Planner who is proficient in various ERP, database, programming languages and forecasting tools.

recommended her for the scholarship.

“She has an ability to interact with people at all levels of an The David C. Olson Graduate Scholarship is a $9,000 award open organization,” to a student enrolled in the Master of Business Administration says Fox. “She (MBA) program at Minnesota State Mankato. In addition to owns her own a financial stipend, the award includes an internship with the business and is eager to learn how chambers of commerce can Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, a local Minnesota Chamber or the national Office of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Through bring business perspective to public policies for economic growth.” the internship, students have the opportunity to see first-hand the Qamr fulfilled her internship with Minnesota Chamber of critical role that chambers have in bringing a business perspective Commerce Organization, Greater Mankato Growth during the to public policy and developing local and state economies. spring semester 2021.

Qamr’s analytical, marketing, social media, human resource and communication skills caught the eye of Dr. Marilyn Fox, who

Dr. Bowyer Presents the State of Ag The 2021 Minnesota State of Ag report was released in March by GreenSeam, which examined various aspects of the ag and food industry. The second annual report was designed and conducted by assistant professor of management and director of AgriBusiness & Food Innovation Dr. Shane Bowyer with assistance from students in the Henze Ag Innovators Leadership program and the Center for Excellence in Scholarship and Research.

The report conveyed the results from eight focus groups from across the state, as well as the results from a statewide public survey. Pertinent to the College of Business was the overwhelming need for talent. Ag and food organizations have a positive outlook for the next year and plan to increase hiring. Strong individual skills—such as work ethic, emotional intelligence and integrity—are among the most desired in new hires.

Collaborative skills including communication, leadership and cultural awareness come in second.

COB Faculty by the Numbers

89% of full-time

faculty within the COB have a Terminal Degree

26 faculty

members hold

a professional CERTIFICATION

In Fall of 2021

the COB will welcome 11 new full-time & fixed-term faculty members.

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THIS IS MY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Our students are the lifeblood of the College of Business. They come from just down the street and around the world, bringing with them unique talents and perspectives that combine to create the rich and diverse tapestry that makes us Maverick strong.

We asked a few of our student leaders to share their COB stories.

Paige Nixt ’22

Hometown: North Mankato, Minn.

Major: Marketing with a minor in graphic design and certificate in business analytics I participated in the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience (IBE) the spring of my sophomore year. Our company, Do You, sold baseball hats, can covers and lawn chairs. We started out in person hoping to sell to kids’ sporting events, but then COVID-19 hit. Even with the challenges of shifting to online IBE has definitely been the highlight so far for me in college. I ended up advising one of the fall companies as well. I think the name we chose for our company—Do You—has been an important mantra for me. It means you can take risks, be yourself and do the best you can.

That’s how I look at the College of Business, being able to be myself but also open up and try to expand my network and meet new people.

As a high school student, I said no to almost everything. I used to be super introverted. Now, with the leadership opportunities through IBE and Delta Sigma Pi, I’ve opened up. It’s given me a lot more confidence. I’m proud of how many opportunities I’ve opened myself up to, getting out of my comfort zone. I like holding leadership positions. I’m hoping to run for president of Delta Sigma Pi next semester and change our organization in a positive way.

I’ve definitely had financial challenges getting through college. I’m one of those students who has to pay their own way. But I know that leads to opportunities. It’s taught me money isn’t easy and you have to be able to balance academics and work. I work 20-30 hours per week with a full course load and extracurriculars. It’s not easy but it’s definitely taught me a lot.

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Aimee Bernice Uwase ’21 Hometown: Kigali, Rwanda Major: Corporate Finance

I remember the first time walking in the Student Union and thinking to myself, ‘Wow, this looks like an airport!’ I said that because airports usually have people from so many parts of the world. It was fantastic to see that Minnesota State Mankato’s student body is very diverse. It reassured me that I would experience a lot of growth here.

I am originally from Kigali, Rwanda, and I came to Minnesota State Mankato because of the outstanding reputation of the College of Business. The International Maverick scholarship and College of Business scholarships provide an affordable cost of attendance.

There were some challenges, of course. The Minnesota winters were hard to get used to. I’m also an outgoing person by nature. In my home country, classrooms are much more like a family. Students are very close and engaged in each other’s lives. I expected it to be similar here in the U.S., but due to the cultural differences, I had a hard time making those deeprooted connections right away. Eventually, I started to see familiar faces and joining clubs like Delta Sigma Pi (DSP) and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) helped me acclimate to the culture and education system here. I have made the College of Business home by getting involved. I attended a lot of events and took on leadership positions within DSP and NABA. These organizations also became my social circle.

What started as business networking turned into friendships that will remain throughout my life.

When I first arrived, I knew I wanted to study business but wasn’t sure which area of emphasis to choose. I met with my professor and he recommended I read three business books: The Millionaire Next Door, Rich Dad Poor Dad and The Richest Man in Babylon. Those books inspired me to pursue a degree in corporate finance to build financial literacy so that I can become a professional financial analyst.

I graduated this spring and have plans to pursue a master’s degree in finance and take the CFA exam. Looking back, I am thankful for the support system that I found here. The relationships that I built with faculty and colleagues instilled in me the desire to continue networking and searching for more knowledge. I did not just spend time in the classroom but actively engaged in community service also. I am delighted by all the successful events and projects that I was part of, which involved practical learning and improving professional growth, interpersonal and leadership skills. These experiences planted a seed in me that I will rely on as I transition into the corporate world.

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Kwadwo Owusu ’21 Hometown: Shakopee, Minn.

Majors: Finance and Accounting

When it came time to choose my major, I had to convince some of my family members that business was the right choice. I didn’t have examples of people in my family who had worked in corporate America. I didn’t know whether or not the opportunities would be there after graduation. There was no road map on things like how to get started, how to get an internship. With the support of different groups and organizations, and especially the College of Business, I’ve been able to figure it out.

I’ve had several tranches of support throughout my college career. Number one for me is that I’m a Christian, so my faith in God, but the other thing has to do with my parents and my brother. Even though my parents had hesitations—they feel STEM fields offer more security than business—they are very proud and surprised about what I've been able to accomplish through my time here. My brother was the one who encouraged me to choose Minnesota State Mankato. He swore by small schools where you can get a better student to teacher ratio. Besides my core support system of my family, the organizations I’ve been part of like the National Association of Black Accountants have been such a blessing.

What’s really made the College of Business feel like home to me over the last four years are the roles I’ve been able to take on. I’ve served as the College of Business senator and the chairman of COSBO, which is a student leadership organization within the College. Getting involved in leadership made me feel like I had a stake in the future of the College of Business. Dean Flannery and the whole College of Business have been beyond amazing in that they’ve always helped me and allowed me to have a seat at the table when decisions are being made. I don’t know if I could replicate what I’ve been able to do here at a larger school.

To me, the College of Business represents opportunities for growth, both academically and professionally. When I look back at [first year] me versus senior me, I see a more confident person. I was chosen to give the graduation speech for the College this spring. That’s something I definitely would have said no to as a first-year student.

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Michaela Reidell ’21

Hometown: Deerwood, Minn.

Majors: International Business, Business Management and Spanish with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation I discovered a love for business before even arriving on Minnesota State Mankato’s campus. When I was in high school, my favorite teacher really pushed me to be the best I could be. I took all the business courses I could from her.

While I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in business, my college decision was largely shaped by cost. I applied for every scholarship I could and landed on Minnesota State Mankato through researching the most affordable university in Minnesota. I was thrilled when I saw the business program had AACSB accreditation and fell in love with the campus immediately.

I’ve enjoyed my time in the College of Business, but my path through college has also been marked by challenges. My family found out my father had liver cancer during my junior year in high school. This had a major impact on my life. After staying in the dorms my first year in college, my parents moved to Mankato. This was because my father’s cancer progressed, and they wanted to be close to me. At the end of my second year at Minnesota State Mankato, my father passed away the week before finals. Though we knew it would happen sometime that summer, his passing took us by surprise.

My time at the College of Business has been a journey. I started off as a shy first-year student not knowing exactly what I wanted to do besides business. The College of Business has provided me many opportunities to grow professionally and personally through things like the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience (IBE) and the P&G CEO case competition. These experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone in a good way. I was challenged to be creative and innovative as well as strategic in teams and individually. I also earned a scholarship to be a part of the Fair Trade in Belize course and was able to go on a faculty-led trip to Belize over spring break. The class and the trip, as well as my study abroad in Ecuador, really gave me a global mindset.

Now, I can say that I think life is a series of choices/challenges. I will have to see what happens because I don’t know what career I will pursue after graduation. Through it all, during my time in the College of Business, I learned I can be a leader and a person who helps others when they are struggling.

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Michelle Dolezal ’22

Hometown: Apple Valley, Minn.

Major: Marketing with a minor in Film When I was 14, I started my YouTube channel focused on lifestyle, fashion and beauty. It had about 6,000 subscribers, some sponsorships and videos with more than 175,000 views. I was pretty focused on it throughout high school, but I let it slowly fade out after coming to college. It was my channel, though that started my interest in marketing and film.

In my first year, I didn’t really know what marketing was all about. I spoke with a COB career counselor and he introduced me to a recent alumnus who owned his own content and marketing agency. I asked him out to coffee and wasn’t expecting it to lead to anything. I ended up getting a video gig that turned into a content creator internship. That’s the power of the College of Business. There are a lot of alumni willing to help you out in any way. You just need to reach out. To me, that really sums up my time here. We’re all willing to help each other.

My time at Mankato has presented me with so many opportunities to grow my leadership, speaking and communication skills. I’ve been able to take on leadership positions within the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience and the National Diversity Case Competition. I was fairly quiet in high school, so going to college really allowed me to try new things that were out of my comfort zone. I also learned that the opportunities are there, but they don’t just come to you. You have to put yourself out there. I did a lot on my own as a first-year student to build my professional network right off the bat. I reached out to a lot of professionals I admire over LinkedIn. On the weekends my dad would pick me up in Mankato and drive me to the cities for networking events. When my internship with Taylor Corporation was canceled because of COVID-19, I used the time to start an online jewelry company, It Girl Jewelry. I feel like you learn so much more just actually jumping headfirst into doing something, especially since marketing is everchanging. Now, I’m really focused on finding my why in life. I truly want to be drawn to what I’m doing and to serve the world and be a light to others. I truly want to make a difference.

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Dhavalkumar Bhakta ’21 Hometown: Syadla, India Major: Marketing

When I was considering transferring to Minnesota State Mankato in my sophomore year, I called the College at 6 p.m. one night. I was calling all the professors in the College of Business just seeing what’s up.

Surprisingly, Dr. Mark Hall picked up and we just had a conversation for 30 minutes. He gave me all this information about the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience (IBE) and the National Diversity Case Competition (NDCC). We also talked about the leadership program, Henze Ag Innovators. When I chose to come to Minnesota State Mankato, Mark became my advisor. I love how friendly the professors are at the College of Business.

From the time I got here, I jumped into all the opportunities I could. In addition to coursework and internships, I've been an RA, a student senator, and participated in the IBE and NDCC. During my first semester I founded the professional sales organization. It was a neat experience starting your own student organization. Instead of traditional roles like president, I created a partnership structure. There are senior and junior partners and associates. The more you work, the higher your rank.

Overall, I’m a self-motivated and curious person. I like to try to do everything, and I try to be the greatest at everything I try. What really appealed to me about the College of Business was the focus on real-world experiences and the opportunities to get involved and try everything.

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Abby Rickels, MAcc ’21 Hometown: Solon, Iowa Major: Accounting

I did my first year at the University of Iowa. I had this moment during that year where I thought, “this school is too big, I don’t want to be here.” But I didn’t know where to go. My sister was attending Minnesota State Mankato at the time. One of her best friends was in the College of Business and had great things to say. Within a span of a week, I had decided to transfer schools in the fall. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing but ended up being one of the best decisions I made.

I came in knowing I wanted to do business but wasn’t sure about accounting yet. When I got here, I just enrolled in the College of Business and started taking classes. I was doing really well in accounting and all my professors were like, “you should do accounting!” I caved, and they were right. The thing I like most about the program is those same professors. They’re some of my best friends and mentors these days.

Someone recently asked me what it is like being a woman in a maledominated field. A lot of times, I was one of five women in the classroom. You kind of get used to that but it is nice to have someone like Dr. [Kirsten] Rosacker who understands that and can help guide you and understand where you’re coming from. Really, you just have to be yourself. It’s never really bothered me.

As an Accounting major, you study a lot. One of the first things I did when I got here was scout out favorite spots on campus to work and people watch. My go-to was always above Einstein’s in the Highland Center. That was my little cubby on campus. The College of Business has been my home for the last four years, and it will always be the foundation of my career. But I’m most thankful for the growth I’ve had while here, personal and professional.

THE MAVERICK MINDSET STAYS STRONG It took grit and determination to get through 2020. With campus closures due to COVID-19, and many students learning online, Mavericks across campus dug deep and learned a lot along the way.

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“The assumption that quarantine life would hinder productivity and the ability to push yourself to do more due to all the restrictions in place is something a lot of people used as a fallback to not work on self-improvement. I personally embraced this. With me being someone that gets very restless when I don’t leave the house, being forced to stay inside forced me into a mindset that used the restlessness and converted it into energy to complete day-to-day tasks. This has been extremely surprising for me as I’ve noticed a huge increase in my organization and time-management skills– something that I’ve always struggled to develop.”

—Manav Mendonça ’22, Management and Marketing

Courtney Jarvis ’21

Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.

Major: Accounting When I first moved to Mankato as a transfer student, I lived off campus and didn’t have roommates. It was important for me to build a network within the College of Business right away. I started by joining Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), an honor society for Accounting and Finance students. Through BAP, I met other students and professionals who I’ve come to rely on for friendship and support. Building that solid network is really what has made the College of Business home for me during my time here.

Eventually I took on the role of President of BAP. This allowed me the opportunity to expand my network to upper-level administration and professionals connected with the College. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had during my time at the College of Business have come from networking. In fact, I’ve accepted a job with Deloitte after graduation. It’s the number one accounting firm in the world, and my getting hired there came as a direct result of networking. Deloitte doesn’t typically recruit from Minnesota State Mankato. During the College of Business’ Meet the Firms event, I secured an interview with UnitedHealth Group. At the UHG interview session, I met Kwadwo Owusu, who became one of my closest friends. Later, he invited me to a networking event at Duke University in North Carolina and that’s where I met a representative for Deloitte. If it weren’t for joining BAP, meeting Kwadwo and getting that interview opportunity, I never would have had the opportunity to work for this company. All in all, I consider my time spent at the College of Business to be a huge success.

“I was in charge of planning Meet the Firms in 2020 and it had to happen all online. I would say I appreciated the challenge because it really threw me into that environment. We actually ended up with comparable if not the same numbers as an in-person event.

It went really well especially for our students that commute to campus; [the virtual format] opened up a new door. We’ll have to take that into consideration when we plan events in the future.”

“We’re able to do a lot of cool things online. We’ve been doing different career events and different fairs online and it still works out great, students are still able to make connections. I’ve been able to meet a lot more people too because I can just ask them for a Zoom call rather than meeting them in person.”

—Michelle Dolezal ’22, Marketing

—Abby Rickels ’21, MAcc

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IBE IN THE COMMUNITY Students in the College of Business’ flagship real-world experience learn what it means to be a business that gives back.

The United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience (IBE) has earned a reputation as the College of Business’ flagship program for real-world learning—and rightly so. Students who participate in IBE spend a semester building a company from the ground up. They secure a real bank loan, sell products and donate all proceeds to a local nonprofit organization. To date, the IBE has contributed more than $93,000 to nonprofit organizations in and around Mankato.

While the money that comes out of IBE companies is good and vital, there’s an equally important component that exemplifies the program’s spirit and intent. Each participant is asked to volunteer at least 10 hours to a nonprofit organization over the course of the semester. Students in Dr. Shane Bowyer’s management section also partner with an organization to complete service projects.

“The volunteering part of the IBE is so important because it connects the students to the community while recognizing the importance of giving back,” says Bowyer. “In addition, the projects they work on for the class portion of the IBE help develop project management and teamwork skills.”

For the past four semesters, Bowyer’s management students have been partnering with Mankato Youth (MY) Place, an out of school organization for kids in kindergarten through ninth grade. MY Place’s mission is to be a safe place for kids to learn and grow.

“Before COVID-19, [COB] students would come in for tours to understand the work we did,” says MY Place director Erin Simmons. “They planned some of the coolest experiences with our kids.”

Some of the highlights have been things like sledding, pizza and ice-skating outings—things many MY Place regulars hadn’t had the opportunity to do. IBE students also invited MY Place kids to the Centennial Student Union Bullpen for bowling and billiards.

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“They had a blast,” says Simmons. “But there’s that added value of kids who may not have previously been on a college campus stepping foot on one, even though it was for fun. You can’t picture yourself somewhere if you’ve never been.”

A Forced Shift in Focus When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, IBE operations across the board instantly changed. Companies met over Zoom to map out product and marketing strategies and pivoted to selling products exclusively online. The pandemic also changed the MY Place partnership. In-person outings were off the table, but that didn’t stop students from getting creative and giving back.

“Last year when we were doing shelter in place, the students in [the IBE management] class were recording how-to videos—like how to make slime,” says Simmons. “We were delivering care packages for those families [who were not coming into MY Place] during that time … that included the ingredients of slime. Then [IBE] students would do a how-to video and our kids could go on YouTube and watch them.”

As the pandemic continued into fall semester 2020, students came up with more innovative ways to partner with MY Place, like taking over the operation of the organization’s online silent auction. “[That was] critical,” says Simmons. “We have about 15 staff here and 12 of them are doing direct service for kids. We don’t have a lot of person-power at that administrative level.”

Students researched online auction platforms and solicited donations within the community. The auction raised about $5,000 for MY Place.

In the spring, groups focused on marketing, including recruitment, fundraising and raising awareness of MY Place services. They also made STEM kits for kids to play with at MY Place. Four groups of students helped with direct fundraising by creating superhero personas and social media calendars for charity runners in the Mankato Marathon.

For the students involved, it feels good to give their time and skills to an organization like MY Place that serves so many kids in the area. Students are also learning valuable real-life skills that they will carry with them into their professional lives. “[IBE students] have done awesome things for MY Place,” says Simmons. “But I can also look at this from the perspective of an employer [who hires] young adults. I can see that Dr. Bowyer is instilling values in his students about community engagement and giving back that I think is going to change the way they enter the workforce.”

IBE Gives Back Why is giving back an important part of the IBE? Here’s what some of our IBE alumni said: “The IBE fosters the development of realworld business skills and partners these skills with community engagement. The process of choosing a nonprofit to partner with your IBE company is a way to boost your marketing and get more outreach, but also a great way to brand your company. Many businesses in the real-world partner with nonprofits and I think it’s a great way to show that the company is well-rounded and cares about its local community’s growth.”

—Paige Nixt, IBE class Spring ’20. Company Do You donated $1,652 to Community Against Domestic Abuse (CADA) and completed 93.5 service hours.

“What’s so cool about the giving aspect of it is that we get to learn as students how to make a business from start to finish. It's a really cool opportunity to make a business plan, present for a loan and on top of that we’re doing it all for a good cause. It keeps people driven to do well in the class because you’re actually putting it into a good cause.”

—Maxwell Mayleben, IBE class Fall ’19.

Company Ope Outfitters donated $2,253 to the Mankato Area Foundation and completed 287 service hours.

“A big part for me is I find a lot of people who start businesses mainly for profit. That’s the idea in people’s heads, that you’re trying to make the most money you can. When they put this as a core principle in the IBE that everything is donated and you’re working for someone else, I think that creates a good perspective on the business world; that not all businesses are just money-making machines, that there are ways to give back.”

—Rhiannon Boyens-Luke, IBE class Fall ’20. Company Minni’Sota donated $2,007 to Feeding our Communities Partners and completed 42 service hours.

To learn more about the United Prairie Bank IBE program, visit cob.msu.edu/ibe M I N N E S OTA STAT E U N I VE RSI T Y, M AN KATO / 21

NABA's founding board members (from left): Bernice Uwase, Kwadwo Owusu, Tari Nagberi, Elias Righi, Amani Becker-Waganda, Kevin Boeing and Mina Porte.

NABA Comes to Campus Minnesota State Mankato’s National Association of Black Accountants chapter did not let the pandemic slow down its inaugural year on campus.

The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) is a national nonprofit membership association “dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for black professionals in the accounting, finance and related business professions,” according to the organization’s website.

In the fall of 2020, seven students in the College of Business launched a NABA chapter on campus—only the second in the state of Minnesota. Despite a year filled with virtual classes and social distancing, NABA’s Minnesota State Mankato chapter has already made a name for itself as a powerful and active RSO. “NABA was a big deal because it allowed us to actually expand on diversity opportunities to get direct contact between firms in the region hiring students and members of NABA,” says Dr. Oksana Kim, chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law. Kim assisted NABA in obtaining sponsorship funding and continues to make connections between regional businesses and NABA members.

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An Active First Year Kwado Owusu ’21 is the founding president of NABA on Minnesota State Mankato’s campus. He became a member of the Twin Cities’ chapter early in his college career and recognized its potential right away. He launched Mankato’s chapter in order to offer those same benefits to students closer to home.

“I noticed that when an organization like NABA is active on the campus, freshmen and sophomores have an immediate connection to upper division students in business-related majors they can identify and connect with,” Owusu wrote in a letter to potential NABA sponsors. “More importantly, they can make the connection to others in their fields earlier in their academic career. I realized NABA can play a critical role on campus in attracting and retaining students to the business-related majors.”

The NABA chapter has certainly lived up to that promise over the last year. The group has held a number of virtual meetings aimed at connecting members with recruiters and industry professionals. In October NABA members logged on with a

representative from Best Buy for a Navigating Corporate America seminar. In February the group was able to connect with tax and consulting firm, RSM. For its March event, NABA invited Big Four firm Deloitte to share interview insights with members.

“They were very, very active. They kept their schedule full this year,” says Kim. An impressive feat given the challenges of canceled in-person meetings and a membership scattered across the country.

Kim also notes that NABA had a noticeably strong presence at the College of Business’ annual Meet the Firms event, which took place online.

“NABA actually stood out and kept their active status during the entire event,” says Kim. “Even though it was online and technically they didn’t have a desk, they were present all the time.”

Owusu reports two members have received internships and one was offered a full-time position as a direct result of connections made through NABA.

Passing the Torch Starting in the fall of 2021, a new leadership team will take over.

President Simale Kadir, Vice President Elias Righi and Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Boeing are looking forward to a new year for NABA. Boeing, a junior Marketing major, is excited for the possibility of more in-person connections once it’s safe to gather again.

“We will probably collaborate with Best Buy again and a few other companies that we collaborated with this year,” he says.

“The next few years we’ll definitely start reaching out to more companies and students.”

For Finance major Righi, “my personal goals for next year are to inspire and connect many business majors with people that have helped me in my college career so far. I have gained lots of insight into the business industry and how everything works... I believe that I am preparing myself to put my best foot forward when I inevitably leave Minnesota State Mankato.”

In the fall of 2020, seven students in the College of Business launched a NABA chapter on campus—only the second in the state of Minnesota.

Get to Know NABA NABA began in New York in 1969 as a way to “address the concerns of minorities entering the accounting profession and to make a commitment to professional and academic excellence.”

Today, the nonprofit organization represents more than 200,000 Black professionals in accounting, finance and related fields, and provides “education, resource, and meaningful career connections to both professional and student members, fulfilling the principle of our motto: Lifting As We Climb.”

The motto is particularly relevant as businesses and institutions deal with shifting work and learning models in the midst of a global pandemic.

Keirra Williams, NABA’s student member services director for the central region, has been encouraged by the way NABA students across the country have risen to these challenging times.

“NABA’s students are impeccable at living out our motto of Lifting As We Climb,” she says. “We are all pushing through the various emotions and stressors of the pandemic.

However, our students have rallied around each other to be of support to one another.

For some chapters that may be mental wellness check-ins, sharing of study tools and even financial support. NABA is a community that begins at the campus and grows with you through your entire professional career.”

NABA was started to support Black accountants and accounting students, but the Minnesota State Mankato chapter welcomes all students and is dedicated to providing students of all backgrounds and majors a platform to grow personally, professionally and academically while serving diverse communities.

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Retiring Faculty Leave Their MARK Professors Mark DeRemer, John Kaliski, Paul Schumann and Roger Severns are moving on from the College of Business, but their legacies of mentorship, support and collegiality will live on.

CHAMPION OF STUDENT SUCCESS DR. MARK DEREMER

Assistant Professor of Accounting Retiring after five years in the College of Business Dr. Mark DeRemer arrived at the College of Business in 2016. The assistant professor of Accounting has been fiercely committed to student success and career development ever since.

“Mark has been a very willing advisor to students, and I think he stresses to students what is at the end of the tunnel in terms of career opportunities,” says former accounting department chair Dr. Paul Brennan. “In general, our career advice tends to focus on public accounting. Mark understands this but Mark has been very active in promoting other career opportunities in industry and the alternative or supplementary CMA track as well.”

DeRemer’s commitment to student success continued out of the classroom as well. DeRemer was an integral part of the peerfacilitated academic support system MavPASS. Through MavPASS, students in traditionally challenging courses like Accounting 200 and Economics 202 can get help from a fellow student who has done well in the class in a previous semester. DeRemer took over facilitation of the program from a retired faculty member.

I believe Mark was motivated by his caring about student success and his loyalty to the department and the College.

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“Of all of Mark’s service activities, perhaps this one is the most appreciated by the department and the College of Business,” says Brennan. “Mark’s willingness to take on the task was an immense relief as this was a signature program for the department. We were one of the pioneers in the University in implementing this type of activity and letting it lapse would have been tragic. I believe Mark was motivated by his caring about student success and his loyalty to the department and the College.”

CONNECTION MAKER DR. JOHN KALISKI

Associate Professor of Management Retiring after 26 years in the College of Business Dr. John Kaliski is a management professor, entrepreneur and woodworker, among other titles. But most of all, he’s a connection maker.

“John’s probably one of the most generous guys I know, especially with his time,” says Mark Bietz ’07, who studied under Kaliski in the early 2000s. “We would talk for hours and hours about business and navigating Mankato and where we thought the future was going to go in terms of technology. He was like a second father to me. He was the best mentor I could find.”

Today, Bietz is chief marketing officer at Mankato-based Fun.com.

He gives Kaliski a lot of credit for fueling his passion for digital marketing and entrepreneurship, and for showing him what it means to work hard and get results.

“One of the biggest things he did was really just network me around town and within the College,” says Bietz. “He took mentorship to a new level. He would give me advice, but if he thought that there was someone in town that could help me more, he would introduce me to that person. That’s how I really got connected with the community and how I really fell in love with Mankato.”

Kaliski’s open-hearted approach to business extends beyond his students. Assistant professor of Management Dr. Shane Bowyer recalls Kaliski taking him under wing during Bowyer’s earliest days on the faculty.

I could see that work ethic in him. He was bringing that real world experience into the classroom.

“He was always just there to help,” says Bowyer. “I could see that work ethic in him. He was bringing that real world experience into the classroom. That really changed a lot of the ways that I taught. I kind of modeled a lot of things I do in class after him.”

Kaliski’s legacy will live on in more ways than one. An accomplished woodworker with his own milling operation outside of Mankato, Kaliski crafted a live edge oak conference table for the Morris Hall 215 conference room. And that’s not all. Kaliski—along with professor emeritus of management Dr. Tim Scott and another partner—is a co-founder of Oak Tree Simulations, whose program Micromatic is used by business students worldwide.

“Every student that comes out of the College of Business is impacted

by John through this,” says Bowyer. “Even though they might not have had him in a class, Micromatic taught a lot of students how to run a business.”

A woodworker, an accomplished tech entrepreneur, a business teacher. Bietz put it best: “He’s unique. You’re never going to meet anybody like him.”

Dr. John Kaliski owns and operates Run of the Mill.

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A MENTOR WHO SHOWS UP DR. PAUL SCHUMANN

Professor of Management Retiring after 33 years in the College of Business

Anna Lieck ’21 has been on the board of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) on campus for more than two years.

When she thinks about Dr. Paul Schumann’s leadership as SHRM’s faculty advisor, what stands out most is simply his presence.

“He never missed a meeting,” she says.

In addition to his reliability, Lieck sees Schumann as a model leader, one she hopes to emulate as she moves into her own career after graduation.

“When I think about what [a leader] is and what it takes to be a good leader, I can’t help but think of Paul,” she says. “He has always been welcoming, leaving his door open for discussion or questions. I can’t stress enough how amazing it is—the time he has put into helping students succeed in and out of the classroom.”

Schumann’s mentorship work extends beyond students. Dr. Angela Titi Amayah joined the College of Business faculty in 2018, and Schumann was her faculty mentor.

“He’s an awesome colleague [and] very welcoming,” she says. “He always had time for a question and showing me the ropes. I had done advising at other institutions but not at Minnesota State Mankato, and [he showed me] the intricacies and how to go about being a good advisor.”

He’s the kind of faculty [member] that I as a newer faculty would aspire to be to my students.

Both students and colleagues look to Schumann as a steady pillar of the College who is generous with his time, his connections and his advice.

“Paul is transparent, consistent, extremely communicative, empowering, encouraging, always listening and passionate—and I could go on,” says Lieck. “It’s truly been an honor getting to know someone so full of knowledge and experience.”

Titi Amayah agrees.

“He’s the kind of faculty [member] that I as a newer faculty would aspire to be to my students.”

Dr. Paul Schumann with student organization Society for Human Resource Management.

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THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER DR. ROGER SEVERNS

Professor of Finance Retiring after 34 years in the College of Business

Roger Severns is known among his colleagues as even-keeled, good natured and approachable—all qualities that make him a well-loved and respected teacher and faculty leader. Over the course of his career, Severns served a number of roles within the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO), including treasurer, vice president and president.

There, he negotiated on behalf of faculty and earned a reputation as fair and open-minded.

“He has his opinions and does a good job of presenting them,” says current faculty association president Dr. Gregg Marg. “He’s always good about listening to others and comes up with good compromises.”

Professor of Finance Dr. Steve Wilcox has known Severns since the 1980s. As the two longest-tenured faculty in the department, they came up together as young faculty members.

“Roger has always had a service bent,” says Wilcox, who adds that in addition to his IFO service, Severns served as department chair and a willing mentor to younger faculty. “I was always impressed with how flexible Roger was in terms of his willingness to help the department. He’d go wherever there was a need. Not everybody is willing to do that.”

Wilcox also recalls Severns’ accessible and personable nature with students and colleagues throughout the College.

I think everybody in the department would consider him a friend.

“I think everybody in the department would consider him a friend,” he says. “Speaking for the department, we’re thankful to have had him as a colleague. What he did was highly valued and we’ll miss him.”

Dr. Roger Severns teaching class.

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Even over Zoom, Lynette McCue ’70 and Chris Hellekson ’70 have an easy rapport. They laugh as they fill in each other’s memories about classes and trips taken over the course of their half-century long friendship. The two women met on the campus of Minnesota State Mankato, then Mankato State College. They were among just a handful of women in the College of Business and naturally gravitated toward one another.

“Many times, we were the only two [women] in the class,” says Hellekson. “We each had an interest in business because our parents owned businesses. We also realized we shared a love of sewing and other creative interests and our friendship grew from there.”

“We also believe once you have this experience of being immersed in another culture you begin to broaden your horizons and extend that newer viewpoint to other things that you will encounter in the rest of your life,” McCue adds.

Both McCue and Hellekson graduated with degrees in Business Administration. Hellekson went on to work for a savings and loan institution and eventually C.H. Robinson. McCue started in administration and continued her career working for Scott County, Minnesota. Today, Hellekson lives in South Dakota and McCue in Minnesota.

Both agree that broadened horizons and a wider view of the world are critical for business students who will enter into a global economy and need to know how to navigate it. “They’ve got to understand other countries; not view them through our lens but their own cultural lens,” says Hellekson.

In 1994 Hellekson invited McCue to travel to Germany, where Hellekson was born and still has family.

Post-pandemic, McCue and Hellekson look forward to continuing their travels. They’ve planned a river excursion for 2022 that will take them to Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and Spain.

“She had not ever traveled out of the country and it made quite an impression on her,” says Hellekson. “We thought we’ll do this again and again and again and again.”

Since their first trip, travel has bonded the fast friends. They’ve been all over the globe together and separately—from Scotland to Russia, Peru to Tibet—even Antarctica. They’ve had scores of adventures and returned with stories to tell. Like the time they wandered into the wrong pasture in England and encountered a giant Black Angus bull.

“I learned that if you go over a stile in Northern England, you better scout out what is lurking in the pasture,” Hellekson laughs.

Or the memory of Hellekson’s relative telling them “German trains, you can set your watch by them.”

“These are little things, but they are a piece of this whole big spectrum,” says McCue. “Every country has their little pieces that fit together, and you learn to work your way through them.”

For both women, travel is about more than just sightseeing; it’s a window into different cultures, and a way to expand horizons. It’s in this spirit that the friends both decided to set up scholarships to support student travel experiences.

“We learned so much on our travels,” says Hellekson. “We feel it is important that especially young people experience cultures that are different from ours.”

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Lynette McCue and Chris Hellekson turned a decades-long friendship into student support through College of Business scholarships.

Hellekson and McCue became life long friends while students in the College of Business. Together, they’ve committed to giving back to students at their alma mater through several annual scholarship gifts that support students in broadening their horizons through education and international experiences.

What made you decide to set up these scholarships?

McCue: We had shared experiences [at Minnesota State Mankato] that had been good. We experienced a lot of growth opportunities there. So, you want to extend that to others. I’m a firm believer in public education, I believe it opens the horizon to everyone. I think that’s essential to our nation and essential for our own personal growth to encounter a broader range of people.

How do you hope your gifts will enrich the lives of the students who receive them?

Hellekson: I started college with a scholarship from a local ladies golf group and for me it’s paying forward.

McCue: There’s a phrase I came across when I was in college and I carried it with me physically for many years but mentally forever: “A man’s mind expanded to a new ideal never returns to its original dimension.”

That’s what travel does, that’s what every experience you have [does]. We want to look at enlarging worldviews. We believe in this global economy and we believe we have to start looking at issues globally and participating in that. The more you can open the door to new experiences, it can teach you an awful lot.

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THE POWER OF INTERNSHIP PARTNERS Regional firms and corporations are vital to the strength and success of internship programs within the College of Business. We asked three of our partners to share what makes COB interns so important to them.

Taylor Corporation As one of the area’s largest employers, Taylor Corporation has a strong draw for College of Business interns. The company, founded by alumnus Glen Taylor ’62, has supported Minnesota State Mankato’s Stangler Internship Initiative and frequently partners with the College of Business on initiatives designed to create more internship and job opportunities for students and new graduates in finance, accounting, sales, IT and operations.

Brent Christopherson is director of talent acquisition at Taylor and knows the importance of seeking out and developing new talent—starting at the intern level.

“Interns are very important to an employer’s overall workforce strategy,” he says. “Giving students an opportunity to learn more about your organization while providing work experience and on-the-job skill development leads to an increase in early career hiring. Internships are also a great way to increase your employer’s brand.”

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During the hiring process, Christopherson looks for intern candidates who are critical thinkers and effective communicators and who pay attention to details and have a “high level of curiosity.” These are the very skills he often sees when interviewing candidates from the College of Business.

“They always come prepared,” he says. “They research the opportunity in advance of the interview, and they ask great questions. The interns we have hired all listen well, have a great work ethic, they are incredibly positive and genuinely show an interest in the work they are doing.”

Interns are very important to an employer’s overall workforce strategy.

Eide Bailly Accounting and business advisory firm Eide Bailly opened its Mankato offices in 2006 and quickly became an integral part of the area business community. Students who intern for Eide Bailly can expect an up-close view into what it looks like to work for a large firm with offices all over the country.

Eide Bailly’s Partner-in-Charge for the Mankato offices, Ben Ellingson, recognizes the value of interns to his company’s continued growth and success. In fact, the large majority of Eide Bailly’s full time staff have come through the company’s internship program.

“Internships provide candidates with great on-the-job training and an introduction to our services and culture, but they also provide us with additional resources to meet peak demand times throughout the year,” he says. “Internships give us the opportunity to get to know each individual during their time with us, and if they are a good fit and the opportunity is there, we would look to bring them on full time.”

Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual’s internship program has been highly regarded as a hands-on, real-world experience for more than 25 years. Not only do students get a taste of the financial industry, “they’re really test-driving what it takes to be a business owner,” says Director of Internship Development Caroline Kelly. “They’re working as full-time financial advisors [and] getting one-on-one coaching daily.”

The internship is also a big part of how Northwestern Mutual grows its talent pipeline year after year.

“We like to call it the crown jewel of Northwestern Mutual because so many great individuals come from the program and go on and have successful careers,” says Kelly.

In fact, about one-third of students who go through an internship program with Northwestern Mutual go on to be hired as full-time employees with the firm.

What does it take to intern with Eide Bailly? Technical skills are a prerequisite, but for Ellingson it’s more than that.

Northwestern Mutual has a strong and visible presence on the Minnesota State Mankato campus, not only within the College of Business, but in the athletic department as well.

“We believe soft skills and relationship-building skills are the most important factors,” he says. “We value a culture of caring and fun, and we want to enjoy coming to work each day and spending it with our coworkers and clients.”

Kelly finds that there is a good deal of crossover in the characteristics it takes to be a successful student-athlete and to be successful in financial advising.

Ellingson and the Eide Bailly team have come to value their strong partnership with Minnesota State Mankato. They always have a strong presence at the annual Meet the Firms event. Representatives from Eide Bailly make it a point to connect with students in Accounting Club and even present to classes on occasion.

“We hire a strong majority of our employees from Minnesota State University, Mankato,” says Ellingson. “We value the two-way relationship in which we can share our knowledge to help provide insights into the profession while at the same time being introduced to the future of our workforce.

We genuinely enjoy our time on campus (or on Zoom) spending time with the faculty and students. It’s always the highlight of our day!”

“One in every five financial advisors are former studentathletes,” says Kelly. “Within our agency, about half of our firm are student-athletes. … Coachability, the ability to see something through, hard work, commitment, discipline. …

There’s a strong correlation between athletes and success here.”

It’s these very characteristics that Kelly often sees in College of Business students interviewing for internships with Northwestern Mutual.

“The College of Business at Minnesota State Mankato [does] a fantastic job equipping their students to be ready for interviews,” she says. “We’ve seen them have a little bit more maturity, have more seriousness and are looking for something meaningful which we’ve valued, and which is why we’ve brought on a good amount of students over the years through the College of Business. The way they are prepared, they’re just ready for something more.”

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WOMEN Women are making valuable contributions to the world of food and agriculture—and their presence and voices keep getting stronger.

According to the 2017 USDA’s census of agriculture, 29 percent of farms in the U.S. have a woman at the helm as principal operator. In 2012, that number was just over 13 percent. At the state level, the same census found women were principal operators on 21 percent of farms in Minnesota in 2017, compared to just 8 percent in 2012.

While the number of women officially heading up farms and choosing careers in agricultural and food is growing, women have been the foundation of agriculture and food businesses for generations.

“Women have always played a more significant role in farm operations than most people have realized—or maybe just care to admit,” says Sara Hewitt ’13, manager of brand development and events for Ag Management Solutions (AMS).

Hewitt—a multi-generational farmer from southern Minnesota—graduated from Minnesota State Mankato with degrees in English, Sport Management and Marketing. But she decided early on a career in ag was right for her. In addition to her work for AMS, Hewitt and her husband own and operate Maple Wood Farms near Kilkenny, Minn., which also houses Sweet Cheeks Honey. Over the course of her career, Hewitt has been encouraged to see more female faces around agriculture tables, especially in the southern Minnesota region.

“Women are showing up in leadership roles in agriculture now more than ever before,” she says. “We are CEOs of companies, we are in leadership positions, we are serving on county boards, we are serving on state boards for agricultural organizations.

[Still], I’d love to see more female faces showing up to that table because we offer a lot at the end of the day.”

Two long-time ag leaders in the region and on the national stage are Kristin Duncanson and Sheryl Meshke, who joined Dean Brenda Flannery and a virtual audience of more than 150 last March for the 2021 Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Series.

Duncanson, owner and partner of Highland Family Farms, is also a consultant working on sustainability and conservation issues. As a young woman, Duncanson got her start as the first female outside salesperson at Mankato-based feed company Hubbard Milling Company.

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Kristin Duncanson and Sheryl Meshke, the 2021 Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Series featured speakers.

“There were some interesting challenges there,” she told the Schmitz event audience over Zoom. “I had to do my homework deeply. I always tried to be over prepared. … It took a while for some of those farmers I worked with to get used to a female salesperson. Inside the company there were no female leaders at first.”

Duncanson credits her supportive family and a strong work ethic that allowed her to stay true to herself and continue to build a successful career in ag.

Meshke, co-CEO and President of Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), the largest cheese cooperative based in the U.S., has also felt supported in her climb to the C-suite—starting on the family farm where she grew up.

“When it was time to go clean a barn, although I was the oldest and only girl, I was not exempt from anything,” she said during the event. “I’ve always been of the mindset that you just climb the ladders that have been built by those that went before you. In agriculture in particular, our grandmothers made their mark in agriculture but didn’t have the fancy title. … I was fortunate to be in an industry that had that history.”

Going forward, Meshke is hopeful for future generations of women in ag.

“I’m confident that [women students listening today] are going to be part of that next phase where you’re going to be asked about your leadership style rather than being a female leader...and I’m going to be there supporting that ladder,” she said.

Hewitt has the same hope for her daughter, who recently turned six.

“Nothing excites me more than the fact that I know if she wants to work in agriculture, she can do it in any position that she wants,” she says. “The opportunity is going to be there for her. If that’s what she wants to do, I know that she’s going to get to do it.”

Starting last October, agricultural product company Alltech surveyed 3,200 men

& women representing more than 80 countries and all sectors of agriculture for its 2020 Women in Food and Agriculture survey.

Survey results show a perception disconnect between men and women in key areas, particularly when it comes to compensation and leadership.

Men and Women are compensated equally for similar roles at my company

54%

82%

of women agree

of men agree

Women are well-represented in the leadership of my company

52%

71%

of women agree

of men agree

Women are included in important decisions at my company

70%

87%

of women agree

of men agree

Have you ever been witness to or the target of a sexist comment in your workplace?

I’m confident that [women students listening today] are going to be part of that next phase where you’re going to be asked about your leadership style rather than being a female leader.

85%

21%

of women agree

of men agree

Gender bias in the workplace is a barrier faced by women in the industry

68%

38%

of women agree

of men agree Source: wfasummit.com

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Taking the Long View in a Challenging Year This year’s Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Series featured two prominent agribusiness leaders who offered insights about food production during COVID-19 and what it takes to lead through a crisis.

It was an event two years in the making. That’s what Dean Brenda Flannery said as she sat down at Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery in Kasota, Minn., with Kristin Duncanson and Sheryl Meshke for a fireside chat that kicked off the 2021 Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Series.

The annual event began in 2011 as a way to celebrate food and agriculture producers in the region. Last year’s series was postponed due to COVID-19. Now a year later, the three women gathered alone in front of a camera rather than the typical crowd of 300 in Ostrander auditorium. Audience members tuned in via Zoom and typed their question into the chat.

“A lot has happened in a year,” Flannery said as she launched into an intimate conversation with two of the region’s foremost agricultural leaders. “I’d love for both of you to share the most prominent changes in your business because of the pandemic.”

Duncanson, who owns and operates Highland Family Farms with her husband, Pat, described some sleepless nights and “gulp moments.” The Mapleton, Minn. farm produces corn and soybeans, and raises hogs.

“In a time when the plants around us were closing we didn’t know where those animals would go to be processed. … We were able to rearrange where those animals went.” she said.

Meshke, who is co-president and chief executive officer of Associated Milk Producers Inc., was faced with abruptly redirecting supplies to meet a new demand.

“We came into 2020 with consumers spending about the same amount on food service as with retail,” she said. “In a matter of weeks, our dairy farmer-owned plants that produce food service items ground to a halt.

Meanwhile those filling retail orders were exploding with increased consumption. … We had to be sure our manufacturing infrastructure was moving to keep up with that.”

For both women, safety and security for their partners and communities has been a top priority as they’ve worked through the stress and tumult of the pandemic. Both are also keeping their eyes on the horizon. As Flannery put it, “You’re both longview people. What have you learned about taking the long view?”

“Time is such a funny thing, and the pandemic has escalated how we appreciate and use time,” Duncanson said. “You have to be careful not to get caught up in the [idea] that this is forever. It’s not going to be forever. … We’re always optimistic that tomorrow is a better day and we’ll be able to do more with less impact.”

To view the entire 2021 Richard Schmitz Food Entrepreneurship Lecture Event, visit cob.mnsu.edu/rs2021event.

Meet the Leaders Kristin Duncanson is the owner and partner of Highland Family Farms, a Minnesota-based corn, soy and hog farm with a commitment to a triple bottom line approach: economic profitability, environmental improvement and community engagement. She is a consultant at KCOE ISOM a diversified business, accounting and sustainability strategy firm based in Kansas and Washington D.C. Kristin’s work at KCOE includes helping producers and the supply change collaborate on conservation and sustainability planning.

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Sheryl Meshke is co-president and chief executive officer of Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), the largest cheese cooperative based in the U.S. Prior to her appointment in 2014, she served as the senior executive vice president charged with establishing strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening the performance and value of the Midwest dairy cooperative with nearly $2 billion in annual sales. She is also a fifth-generation farmer with a hog and sheep farm in Lake Crystal, Minn.

A Big Year for Food and Ag COB faculty are building a strong foundation in food and agribusiness as the College develops a new major.

In the works for the upcoming academic year: a brand-new major within the College of Business focused on all things food and ag.

The new AgriBusiness & Food Innovation (AGBZ) major aims to prepare students to be leaders in the agribusiness and food realm.

recently as a panelist in the So You Want to Start a Food Business Panel Discussion organized by Collider last month.

As an entrepreneur and innovator in the food space, Valluri is looking forward to supporting the College as it expands food and ag opportunities for students.

AGBZ students will take 13 agribusiness specific courses along with prerequisites and a series of electives depending on their areas of “The COB’s new major will engender exciting new opportunities interest. AGBZ—in partnership with the Henze Ag Initiative—is for our students by deepening our existing relationships but also the first major within the COB to require an internship. also developing new partnerships to serve the growing demand for food and agribusiness needs in the region,” says Valluri. “By Thanks to the diverse array of faculty members who specialize in having a more formal and focalized curriculum encompassing ag-related topics, AGBZ students have the opportunity to take both traditional as well as experiential elements, students will be courses from multiple disciplines—from marketing to finance to able to select concentration areas that will enable them to develop international business. the specialized skills that are most pertinent to industry employers today.”

“It’s really across the whole College of Business,” says program director Dr. Shane Bowyer. “More and more faculty are looking at Dr. Maria Kalyvaki has an extensive how they can add food and ag into their coursework as well.” background in agricultural research. She holds degrees in precision agriculture Faculty Focus on Food & Ag and agriculture education and Across the COB, faculty are displaying their focus on the growing communications. food and agribusiness industries.

“I am primarily interested in finding While the connection between accounting and agriculture may the skills that agribusinesses value the most [in] potential employees and how not be immediately apparent, Dr. Kris Rosacker sees them as higher education serves those. When I highly linked. The assistant professor of Accounting was raised talk to agricultural and food businesses, on a dairy farm and has long been interested in farm and ranch I hear them talking about looking for taxation. She recently spent her sabbatical year developing a candidates that, apart from theoretical new summer course for Master of Accounting (MAcc) students knowledge, have applied expertise, and titled Farm Estate and Business Planning. The course examines I would like to explore that further and essential principles of estate and gift taxation, which impact intercreate more opportunities for experiengenerational property transfers. tial learning for our students.”

“During my sabbatical I completed several continuing education classes with universities in Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota,” she says. “This gave me the opportunity to talk with a range of farm and ranch tax professionals about the MAcc program and the MAcc Tax Certificate. As well as seek their input regarding the class I was developing.”

Kalyvaki recently moved from the Mass Communication department into Marketing. She is developing courses that focus on digital marketing and agribusiness with significant experiential and international components.

Dr. Chandu Valluri joined the COB faculty in 2019. The professor “The new Agribusiness degree will of Marketing came in with a trove of real-world experience that contribute to shaping the new workconsistently benefits students, including his Indian-inspired force that will help further the ag and food industry of the area,” she meal delivery service Infuzn. Since February 2021, Valluri and says. “Additionally, because of the Infuzn co-founder Dr. Ananth (Andy) Kollengode have been significant international faculty and sharing their passion for food education as peer group facilitators student population that Minnesota with other Southern Minnesota food entrepreneurs through a yearlong program sponsored by the Southern Minnesota Initiative State Mankato attracts and the global approach that the University serves, it Foundation (SMIF) and Rochester Area Economic Development is expected to see graduates that will Inc. (RAEDI). Each month the Founder Food Peer Group gathers have leadership roles in domestic and to explore and learn from one another. Valluri has also served as a international markets.” guest speaker in the Basics of Entrepreneurship course and most

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STUDENT SOUND OFF What have you learned by listening to and interacting with a wide range of perspectives within the College of Business?

Frank Kimlinger ’21 Construction Management St. Paul, Minn.

“By adding the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor, I was forced out of my comfort zone by going against what the ‘normal’ Construction Management student does with their education and meeting many new and amazing people.

Growth happens when you become uncomfortable, and since I was actively seeking new perspectives in the College of Business, I was able to broaden my perspective on life and challenge my perceived reality while getting real-world experience through programs such as Enactus and the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience.”

Lauren Claseman ’21 Marketing Columbus, Minn.

“I have grown immensely as a person through College of Business real-world experiences. I have grown into a leader and have learned the importance of communication and teamwork in business. The College of Business has also helped foster new friendships that have lasted for more than just a semester.”

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Allison Davis ’23 Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Watertown, S.D. “I have grown so much as a business professional, but also as a person this semester by being part of the United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience. My company consisted of 17 members who I worked with constantly throughout the semester. I have never worked with a group so diverse and interacted a lot with diverse perspectives. Our company was from all over the world: a guy from Switzerland, a girl from India and people of all different backgrounds spread out among the Midwest. It was a great experience to work with people with all different viewpoints and it totally benefited our company as a whole. Because of our diversity, we were very creative and had a lot of smart, different ideas for the company and we became a very strong team. Because of the IBE program, I have grown to become a strong leader who is empathetic and welcoming of all diverse perspectives.”

David Alimo ’22 Business Management Burnsville, Minn.

“Interacting with diverse perspectives within the COB has allowed me to grow and realize that you have to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. This itself has allowed me to network with a lot of great individuals. It has allowed me to feel more connected on campus.”

FACULTY LEADER:

DQ SPENCER Here’s a tip for students and alumni: It pays to keep up with your network. It might land you a job.

Dr. DeQuindre Spencer (who goes by DQ) graduated from the College of Business in 2009. He went on to build a career in Human Resources, but never strayed far from the College of Business. He has been a frequent partner in the College’s recruiting efforts and has given numerous in-class presentations.

Last year, Dean Brenda Flannery asked Spencer to lend his expertise to an online forum on how to find and keep a job during the pandemic. Ironically, Spencer had been laid off from his job in corporate HR just months before. Nevertheless, he hopped on Zoom and “I gave my spiel about being laid off from HR, and what to do. [I offered] my two cents from an HR perspective and my two cents from the perspective of being unemployed,” he says. “I think that resonated with Dr. Flannery and some of her colleagues.”

It most certainly did. Flannery reached out to Spencer, who was finishing up a doctoral program at the time, to consider applying for an emergency faculty position within the College.

“We were so fortunate to be able to hire him as a new faculty member given he is an alumnus,” she says. “What’s so cool about DQ is that he brings this wealth of industry experience to his teaching, but he’s also passionate about students.”

Spencer, who recently earned a Doctor of Business Administration degree from Colorado Technical University, began teaching Principles of Management and Agribusiness.

While he’s new to the role of professor, Spencer has been able to leverage his professional background in the classroom.

“One of the things I like to do is talk about relevant current topics,” he says. “Any chance I have to put some kind of personal experience into the curriculum and program I do.

I also want to use my HR perspective to help students find alignment toward the career they want.”

Spencer’s student-centered approach also shows up in his on-campus involvement. He is a service liaison and mentor to Inroads Organization as well as the Black Intelligent Gentlemen (BIG), an organization with the expressed goal of improving the long-term trajectories of Black men in colleges and universities. As someone not far removed from his own college days, Spencer also makes it a point to connect with students as much as possible.

“My philosophy is I’m always going to be accessible,” he says. “I encourage students to access me as much as possible, to reach out and communicate.”

WE ASKED SPENCER TO GIVE US A LOOK AT HIS LIFE OUTSIDE THE (VIRTUAL) CLASSROOM: If I wasn’t a professor, I would be: In HR somewhere.

My favorite spot on campus is: The union, it’s lively and a lot of food there too.

I’m proud of my students when: They actually talk to me when they say, ‘I’m having this issue’ and take me up on my offer [to help].

One thing people might not know about me is: I want to create a children’s book about overcoming adversity and perseverance and dedicate it to my children.

The best part of my day is: Early classes. [I like to] get a good jump.

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College of Business Helps Kick off University Research Month In April, Minnesota State University, Mankato celebrated its first research month created to highlight, celebrate and share the research and the scholarly and creative work of faculty, staff and students.

The College of Business kicked off a month full of campus-wide events on April 2 with its annual Research Day event. The virtual presentation was held via Zoom and featured guest speaker, assistant professor of Finance, Dr. Richard Thakor from the University of Minnesota.

Thakor presented his research titled Liquidity Windfalls and Reallocation: Evidence from Farming and Fracking. The paper empirically explores how liquidity shocks generate a reallocation effect that diminishes this misallocation. Using a unique dataset of agricultural outcomes, Thakor explores how farmers respond to a relaxation of financial constraints through a liquidity shock unrelated to farming fundamentals, namely exogenous cash inflows caused by an expansion of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) leases. Farmers who receive positive cash flow shocks increase their land purchases, which results in a reallocation effect. Examining cross- county purchases, he found that farmers in high-productivity counties who receive cash flow shocks buy farmland in lowproductivity counties. In contrast, farmers in low-productivity areas who receive positive cash flow shocks do not engage in similar behavior. Moreover, farmers increase their purchases of vacant (undeveloped) land. Average output, productivity, equipment investment and profits all increase substantially following these positive cash flow shocks. Farmland prices also rise significantly, consistent with a cash-in-the-market pricing effect. These effects are consistent with an efficient reallocation of land towards more productive users.

Minnesota State Mankato Research Award Recipients 2020-2021 Dr. Angela Titi Amayah Department of Management The role of indigenous knowledge in indigenous entrepreneurship Indigenous knowledge is local knowledge aggregated by communities over generations, reflecting many years of experimentation and innovation in all aspects of life (Mehta, Alter, Semali, & Maretzki, 2013).

Indigenous knowledge is local, particular to a place, and generated by people living in those places (Ellen & Harris, 2000).

It is transmitted orally or through imitation and demonstration and is the consequence of practical engagement in everyday life where it is reinforced by experience, trial and error, and deliberate experiment. Indigenous entrepreneurship can be understood as the creation, management and development of new ventures by indigenous people for the benefit of indigenous people (Lindsay, 2005, p. 1). Indigenous entrepreneurs represent a significant proportion of the population in developing countries. Those indigenous entrepreneurs usually operate in the informal sector of the economy. Indigenous entrepreneurs generate innovations from resources that abound in their environment (Gupta et al., 2003). Data will be gathered from indigenous entrepreneurs through interviews to examine and better understand the role of indigenous knowledge, values, languages and institutions in indigenous entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise development.

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Dr. Oksana Kim Department of Accounting and Business Law Protectionism through legislative layering.

Protectionism is on the rise. Although it tends to be associated with tariffs on imports, governments are increasingly applying other mechanisms to influence international business.

Import substitution policies have been used to replace purchases from foreign producers with local alternatives. Russia implemented import substitution through legislative layering where layers of regulation created increasing requirements targeting different industries and companies. We are interested in effects of such policies on the Big 4, global professional service firms, and the choice of auditors by partially privatized enterprises (PPEs). We utilize multiple agency perspective to obtain insights into agency challenges and conflicts of interest in PPEs. We find that companies with significant state ownership were more likely to switch away from the Big 4. In the post import substitution period, PPEs were less likely to get modified opinion on IFRS audits. The likelihood of leaving the Big 4, firms positioned as foreign in Russia, was strengthened for PPEs in strategic industries. The policy contributed to companies switching from the Big 4 to the next tier of audit firms. However, such auditor changes did not occur at the cross-listed enterprises due to additional monitoring.

Dr. Leon Chen Department of Finance Making financing and investing decisions with asymmetric information—a classroom simulation game One key teaching area of an introductory or intermediate undergraduate finance course is on the concepts of debt and equity, and the valuation problems based on their risk and return characteristics. This paper first introduces a classroom-based simulation game that can help students reinforce these concepts through an interactive experience. The second purpose of the paper is to use the game as an experimental tool to shed light on the corporate capital structure decision with asymmetric information. In corporate finance, the problem of firm capital structure is still intensely debated. It starts with Modigliani and Miller (1958) capital structure irrelevance proposition under perfect market conditions. However, the market penalizes the issuance of equity if managers know more about the firm than other market participants, and thus equity issuance should be used as the last resort (pecking order theory). Since the empirical evidence is mixed and limited, the results of the simulation game can potentially offer additional insights.

Dr. Shane Bowyer Department of Management Agriculture gigs: Motivations and hurdles in the current economy The gig economy has seemed to become more prevalent in the past decade because of advances with technology and the use of social media to promote services.

However, gigs, which are often referred to as side-hustles or off-farm income in the agriculture realm, have been around the farm for many decades. Yet, research concerning the sidehustles of farmers is limited, and agricultural reports have mostly focused on the dollar amount of off-farm income without getting into specifics of what farmers are doing or addressing issues. This research explores in more detail the types of farmers’ entrepreneurial activities, motivations and barriers. The goal of the research is to provide insight into the history of farmer sidehustles and possibly identify barriers which could be addressed to help them be more successful.

Other Presentations Dr. Kevin Elliott Department of Marketing and International Business Self-driving vehicles: Factors that impact intention to use and likely driver profiles.

Self-driving vehicles appear to be on the horizon in the United States. Important questions facing marketers are: 1) What will be key motivating factors for potential consumers when deciding whether to purchase/use a self-driving vehicle? and 2) What are the different profiles/segments of likely adopters of self-driving vehicles? This study surveyed 1,050 consumers using Qualtrics.

Results show that social influence, attitude towards a self-driving vehicle, perceived safety and perceived pleasure all have a direct effect on a potential consumer’s intention to use a self-driving vehicle. Additional findings show that marketers could segment users of self-driving vehicles based on the emotional states of pleasure, arousal and dominance. Marketing implications and strategies are provided that should enhance the consumer adoption process for self-driving vehicles when they become commercially available within the U.S. around 2030.

Dr. Daniel Hiebert Department of Finance Emotional Attachment and the Decision by Family Business Owners to seek help from a Succession Planner.

A common goal of family business owners (FBOs) is to keep the business in the family and pass it on to future generations.

Yet, few transitions are successful. The process of succeeding the business has many emotional and psychological components, such as behaviors, attitudes, traits and emotions that are often neglected. Professional succession planners could help FBOs navigate through these factors. However, many FBOs choose not

to engage in such services, which may contribute to the problem of failed transition. This paper was a focused examination of an FBO’s emotional attachment to their firm, and the impact this had on their decision to seek help from a succession planner.

Analysis from a survey of 347 FBO responses indicated a positive association between an FBO’s emotional attachment to their firm and their use of a succession planner. FBO’s who used a succession planner were also found to have less emotional attachment to their firm than those that did not. The analysis also found sufficient associative support for other variables such as behaviors, relationships and traits with emotional attachment being the most dominant.

Dr. Ferdinand Siagian Department of Accounting and Business Law Rethinking the role of accounting faculty in an online environment: student perception on the importance of online accounting faculty.

Media comparison studies find that there is no significant difference in performance between distance learning (including online learning) and face-to-face students (Conger, 2005). This finding implies that students can perform equally well regardless the media of learning. This study investigates whether students believe that an accounting faculty teaching an online course can be replaced by the technology and resources provided by the publishers. We focus on the technology provided by the publisher because it is very sophisticated and is required, used and learned by every student in the course during the pandemic.

We send out questionnaires to students who take accounting classes at Minnesota State Mankato in the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 to test our hypotheses.

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HIGH TECH RULED AT THE ANNUAL BIG IDEAS CHALLENGE For the second year in a row, the College of Business’ annual Big Ideas Challenge (BIC) was held remotely. This year, Colorado-based comedian Mark Masters acted as emcee. In between jokes and friendly banter from Masters, six student-led companies presented their big ideas in hopes of taking home the ultimate $5,000 grand prize and the chance to compete at the statewide MN Cup. For the first time since its start in 2018, BIC debuted a high-tech division sponsored by Daren and Sarah Cotter. Daren ’04 launched his company InboxDollars from his dorm room at Minnesota State Mankato and is currently an entrepreneur and angel investor. The $4,000 prize was earmarked for the top invention in the technology space.

Two teams competed as finalists in the new high-tech division, but of the six overall finalists, four presented tech-based solutions to problems ranging from accessibility to declining bee populations. Each team introduced themselves and their ideas via previously produced videos.

Smart Beehive

Tocco VR

Engineering students Sumit Mahajan and Abdelrahman Elkhatib founded Smart Beehive to make beekeeping easier and ultimately save bees from dying. Smart Beehive uses sensors to remotely monitor a hive’s temperature, humidity and weight, and to track the position of the queen within the hive. The data is sent to a mobile app and allows beekeepers to track swarming or pre-swarming conditions, honey flow conditions, brood production and more.

Engineering student Jim Boyd presented Tocco VR, a technology that will enable learning from anywhere. The virtual reality simulation platform aims to reduce the cost of lab equipment and increase accessibility for on-campus and remote engineering students. Once developed, simulations will allow for unique visual experiences to help students grasp complex concepts.

Downed Duck Hearing Glasses (high-tech division finalist) Abdelrahman Elkenawy, Kaitlyn Gloege and Alex Shepherd returned for a second year with a working prototype of their creative solution for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Hearing Glasses work by captioning conversations in real time.

CEO Gloege describes it this way: “It’s as if life is a movie and you have the captions on.” A microphone affixed to the glasses picks up conversations and translates the sound to text either on the lenses themselves or via a mobile app.

Smart Kart (high-tech division finalist) Abi Saha’s Smart Kart is an all-in-one scanner, point of sale and bagger contained within a single grocery cart. Smart Kart’s primary market is brick and mortar stores looking to give customers an easy and enjoyable in-store shopping experience.

In its second year at BIC, Downed Duck demonstrated its motorized waterfowl retrieval system. Founder Jaden Klingenberg, a Psychology major, and his teammates have been perfecting the idea for about five years. The patented technology allows hunters to more easily retrieve waterfowl or decoys.

The Food Pack Group One of this year’s Agriculture, Food and Beverage division finalists, The Food Pack Group uses process, data and the power of group purchasing to help partner organizations operate more efficiently. Founder Patti Richford aims to partner with independently operated backpack food programs to help them work together and come up with creative solutions to feed more kids.

To view videos, visit cob.mnsu.edu/bic-past-winners.

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The Hearing Glasses team pictured in 2019 at a Big Ideas Challenge Luncheon.

I want to give a huge congratulations to all the finalists. Their ideas are a great testament to the fact that COVID-19 did not squelch the big ideas of our students. We could not be prouder of each and every one of you for the resiliency and big thinking you brought to your ideas during the pandemic. This will be a Big Ideas Challenge we will never forget.”

—Dean Brenda Flannery

AND THE WINNERS ARE… First Place Winner ($5,000): Tocco VR

Second Place Winner ($3,000): Hearing Glasses

Agriculture/Food/ Beverage Division ($3,000): Smart Beehive

High Tech Division ($4,000): Hearing Glasses

People’s Choice Winner ($2,000): Smart Beehive

Students from more than

30

different majors submitted ideas

to the

BIG IDEAS

Challenge in 2021.

Since the Big Ideas Challenge debuted in 2018,

40 finalists

have presented big ideas.

Nearly 50% are still in business TODAY. M I N N E S OTA STAT E U N I VE RSI T Y, M AN KATO / 41

FROM BIG IDEA TO SMALL BUSINESS BIC’s first ever Food, Beverage and Agriculture winner, Coconut Whisk is growing strong three years on.

Coconut Whisk was born nearly four years ago, when founder Bella Lam ’18 was a student at Minnesota State Mankato. The community health education major was looking for delicious baking mixes that were also vegan and gluten free and coming up empty.

“Growing up I loved Betty Crocker so that was the inspiration,” she says.

Lam thought she may put together the baking mixes and sell them at farmers markets.

A week after the idea entered her head, she stumbled across a promotional flyer for the Big Ideas Challenge. She and co-founder Myles Olson entered in the newly created Food, Beverage and Agriculture category.

“I think it was the perfect platform or foundation for us,” she says. “We didn’t major in business, so that was our first time we got introduced to that world. Having the support system and community and mentorship was the most helpful. It was a very pivotal moment for us.”

Lam and Olson came away with the category win and $3,000 to help launch their business. The win gave Coconut Whisk the seed money it needed to grow. From there the duo have invested customer revenue back into the business.

“We haven’t raised any money, it’s completely bootstrapped,” says Lam. After the competition, Coconut Whisk got picked up by Mankato Hy-Vee and now can be found (with its award-winning package redesign) in about 60 co-ops and online. In May, Coconut Whisk Café opened in downtown Minneapolis.

“We never had it in the plans to open a brick and mortar, but we were approached by the Minneapolis Downtown Council,” says Lam. “They were looking for a local business to help reactivate the downtown area. We had the opportunity presented to us and we were like, ‘let’s do it!’”

The café features Coconut Whisk waffles and mini pancakes as well as bubble tea. There is also a retail space dedicated to products by BIPOC–, women– and locally–owned businesses.

Next up for Coconut Whisk: Lam is hoping to scale up production and take her products nationwide, as well as begin selling on Amazon. She’s also dedicated to giving back. As a values-based company, Coconut Whisk has partnered with organizations dedicated to eradicating food insecurity since the beginning.

It’s been a whirlwind three years for Coconut Whisk—from homemade pancake mix to a brick-and-mortar café. And it all started with a big idea and a Big Ideas Challenge win.

“It’s really cool to look back and connect the dots,” says Lam. “I’m fortunate for these opportunities and I’m passionate about giving back to young entrepreneurs and empowering them to start their own businesses. Without the Big Ideas Challenge, I don’t think we would be where we are today. It was a really great foundation for sure.”

42 / C OLLEGE OF BUSIN ES S I N R E V I E W

CONGRATS GRADS

This spring, 350 students graduated from the College of Business. From Finance to Marketing to International Business, undergraduate and graduate students finished the year strong despite unprecedented challenges. We are so proud of our graduates and invite you to celebrate them with us. Check out this extraordinary group of students, each with a bright future ahead.

ACCOUNTING Zeynep Akyol Samuel Anderson Karissa Bienusa Clarissa Blake Nicholas Brown Reid Buschmann Ashley Byrne Alissa Carlson Cathy Carlson Donghong Chen MaKayla Clough Timothy Dayton Kirsten Dols

Nathan Dupre Karisah Dzuris Janelle Forrest Mitchell Froehlich Austin Goor Chad Guse Abigail Haglund Evan Husfeldt Chris Infanzon Koki Inoue Zachary Jacobson Thomas Jameson Courtney Jarvis

Lukas Johnson Stephanie Johnson Kailee Jorgensen Dulanji Anjalee Karunarathna Cameron Kertis Bijen Koju Taylor Krienke Benjamin Kubitz James Larson Kahlik Lewis Lincoln Mlsna Amina Mohammud

Shane Morris Osee Mulumba Dylan Nelson Enkhmaa Nyam Ochir Brittney Olson Brady Orsten Kwadwo Owusu Justine Pasker Alexander Paulson Jenna Peterson Naim Ur Rashid Megan Rinehart Abi Saha

Trenton Sax Anastasia Schultz Jacob Schumacher Morgan Shindelar Sarah Shogren Kelsey Sohre Baighley Standinger Kaitlin Sundall Morgan Swenson Isabella Taylor Yeeshai Yang Yao Franck Yao

Mitchell Frederick Kevin Green Jack Hansen Garrett Hendricks Jackson Hendrickson Thomas Hill Paige Hoff Zackary Johnson Ble Arnaud Kouadio Marie Ginette Kouassi Touvoli Samini Kouassi Timothy Kuivinen Erik Lagarejo Janusz Lukasik

Matthew Luke Benjamin Mason Brandon McElroy William McGrady-Wiley Josiah Meidl Dominic Messer Aissa Morou Kouame N ZUE Abigail Nelsen Jacob Nelson Tran Nguyen Brody Nielsen Hassankafi Noor Joseph Novak

Sonan Obin Kami Ochsendorf Ryan Peltier Jack Peterson Jacob Peterson Nathan Rabusch Naim Ur Rashid Logan Roberts Hannah Ruge Matthew Schaefer Lucas Schimek Joshua Seitzer Kyuwon Sim Joseph Sinell

Serifu Sobaloju Alyson Storjohann Luke Swank Jacob Swedberg Aboubacar Tanimoune Jada Thoe Mouhamed Traore Aimee Bernice Uwase Joseph Werner Jacob Whitington Silas Wieczorek

FINANCE Evan Bachman Jeremy Balagot Thomas Bottema Aaron Brist Matthew Buehler Evan Carr Soon Hyuk Cha Dustin Childs Ashley Cole Trevor Divinski Carter Elliott Ngang Eraou Benjamin Fern Kenza Marie Fofana

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Ken Baublitz Jayden DeBus Abigail Eckert

Sari Halabi Pablo Herrador Madelynn Kjenstad

Allison McConville Janelle Meyer

Youssef Mohamed Hammad Nathaniel Tucek

Stephon Williams

M I N N E S OTA STAT E U N I VE RSI T Y, M AN KATO / 43

CONGRATS GRADS MANAGEMENT

Kassandra Aguilar Betsy Balster Abiba Bamba Olyad Basha Mariah Burroughs Colton Cassidy Mallorie Chabot Mya Christensen Lucas Coquyt Annika Dahl Corey Dahl Logan Dahlk Collin Dahlman Kylie Dechaine Hunter Dienst Kyler Drummer Walker Duehr Nicole Eidem Krista Evans Devin Fahey Kayla Farland Antonio Figueroa

Abigail Fitzpatrick Brittyn Fleming Jessica Flores Seth Foerster Nena Fox Virginia Franco-Omana Richard Garvey Jacob Gauthier Trent Gehrke Dallas Gerads Mitchel Goheen Spencer Good Brandon Groenewold Brady Haller Chandler Hansen Victoria Hansen Joseph Harvey Seth Hebrink Alyssa Hippen Alexander Hogan Dalton Holmquist Noah Huberty

Jacob Jaremko Emily Johnson Hadley Jordan Nassangnan KAMAGATE Nathan Klehr Maiya Koch Joel Koelpin Chelsea Landis Timothy Lee Anna Leick Carson Lesher Gradi Lisaso Maryanne Mbiu Tania Mihezan Ekonde Brandon Moen Steve John Ndikum Ngnintedem Dylan Olerich Cole Pankonin Haley Pawlak Anthony Perrone Benjamin Perry

Benjamin Peter Jason Peter Brianna Peterson David Petfalski Noah Rajtar Annabelle Raske Michaela Reidell Caleb Rowley Milton Santos Jacob Schake Matthew Schauberger Nolan Schempf Dana Schindler Jordan Schramel Danielle Schreader Benjamin Scott Luke Sellner Sujan Shrestha Amber Sobrack Bayu Sorreng Joseph Stock Gavin Svitak

Natalie Tangu Payton Tank Josef Thibodeau Brooke Tonsfeldt Clara Torkelson Hannah Trahan Grace Ulrich Cobie Vagts Joua Vang Brandon Vanmeveren Jay Angelo Velasco Nickolas Vogt Allison Wahl Abigail Waters Abby Wenz Benjamin Woodis Steven Xiong Cameron Yarbrough Emily Ziemkowski

Emma Kozitza Faith Krause Madelyn Krost Brandon Kuehne Macy Lake Isabella Lavorato Anna Lillie Jacob Litzau Sarah-Liz Mane Braxton Matuska Molly McCabe Conner McCauley Jack McNeely Courtney McSherry Jacob Meyer

Tari Nagberi Carter Nelson Grace Nelson Marissa Nieman Nicole Oberding Isabel O’Konek Jacob Paulson Kayla Peterson Mina Porte Madeline Schmidt John Schoeller Brooke Schramel Justin Schultz James Schwartz Zachary Seppmann

Cody Sik Brady Sloan Grace Smith Savanhan Sokreun Olivia Style Timothy Swanson Taylor Trettin Ellie Truebenbach Ryuichi Ushioda Kimberly Velazquez Blair Wareham Jacob Weller Kenneth White

MARKETING Anna Adiou Ellie Aldrich William Ambrose Brady Bennett Dhavalkumar Bhakta McKenzie Bohan Josie Bovee Jack Brinkhaus Ali Bryniarski Collin Christianson Bobbi Cromer Michalia Cyphers Nicholas Edstrom Madeline Ekema Hannah Eklund

Joshua Emerson Gabrielle Flatebo Yousef Gerges Tyler Guggisberg Brady Haller Brandon Hanson Erika Hanson DeNae Henning Kyle Heusbourg Cole Inderlee Taviah Johnson Marissa Johnston Katherine Kasprowicz John Kienzle Elizabeth Klein

MASTER OF ACCOUNTING Madison Beaupre Riley Brenden Emily Hilpisch

Kenneth Hyde Luke Mikiska Lance Miller

Allison Newgard Matthew Osberg Abigail Rickels

MASTER OF BUSINESS Emmanuel Adeyemi Macarena Garcia Soto Debra Giles Melissa Hettmann Megan Hinze

Sarah Jensen Chris Linarducci Michelle Ling Nathan Newhouse Jake Seward

Clay Sharkey Rachel Shumski Eugene Vazemiller Ethan Welter Jennifer Wulf

#MavGrad2021 #MavBizGrad 44 / C OLLEGE OF BUSIN ES S I N R E V I E W

Jack Schwartzhoff Amy Tieman Mathew Trecker

The clear business school choice for real-world learning ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES

When you enroll in Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business, you open the door to an abundance of possible career paths—including some you may not even know about. You will gain experience in all of our focus areas through the shared business curriculum, which integrates pieces of each major.

The College of Business at Minnesota State Mankato is committed to creating opportunities for its students to develop their own big ideas and to use real-world thinking to make those ideas possible. Our curriculum is designed to include hands-on application of the most forward thinking content whenever possible. We’ve also created student organizations, activities and events to enhance your educational experience.

Accounting

• Master of Accounting (MAcc) • Graduate Certificate in Taxation • Bachelor of Science in Accounting • Minor in Accounting

Recognized Student Organizations • More than 15 to choose from

AgriBusiness

• Bachelor of Science in AgriBusiness & Food Innovation (forthcoming) • Minor in AgriBusiness & Food Innovation

United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience Big Ideas Challenge Study Abroad and Away Opportunities • New York Study Tour • Belize Fair Trade Study Abroad • The European Experience

Analytics

• Certificate in Business Analytics

Bachelor of Business Administration – MavBiz Online

Maverick Student Investment Fund

• Fully Online Degree Completion Program

Business Administration

• Master of Business Administration (MBA) • Minor in Business Administration

Diversity Case Competition Richard and Mary Schmitz Food Entrepreneur Lecture Series

Business Law

Daryl and Karyl Henze Student Ag Innovators Leadership Program

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Stangler Internship Initiative

• Minor in Business Law • Bachelor of Science in AgriBusiness & Food Innovation (forthcoming) • Minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation • Minor in Agribusiness & Food Innovation

Finance

• Bachelor of Science in Management • Minor in Human Resources • Emphasis in Human Resources • Emphasis in Business Management • Minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Executive Lecture Series Women Entrepreneurship Week COB Learning Communities Student Engagement Fair

• Bachelor of Science in International Business • Minor in International Business

Management & Entrepreneurship

Meet the Firms Event Global Entrepreneurship Week

• Bachelor of Science in Finance • Certificate in Business Analytics • Certificate in Financial Planning • Minor in Financial Planning • Minor in Actuarial Science (housed in Math Dept.)

International Business

Wall Street Journal Program

MBA Executive Seminar (for MBA students) Networking and Mock-Interview events

LEARN MORE AT COB.MNSU.EDU

Marketing

• Bachelor of Science in Marketing • Minor in Marketing M I N N E S OTA STAT E U N I VE RSI T Y, M AN KATO / 45

THE BIG PICTURE VOICES: A MAVERICK INCLUSION PAINTING It’s hard to miss the bright tapestry hanging in the atrium of the Centennial Student Union. The work, titled Voices, aims to encompass, celebrate and lift the voices of the many different communities that make up Minnesota State Mankato. “The goal of this piece is to visually engage the audience as well as inspire real advances in inclusivity at Minnesota State Mankato,” reads the description.

From the Creators: “I sought to develop an art piece that gave a voice to our many underrepresented communities at Minnesota State Mankato.

Commissioning an artist from a diverse and underrepresented background was of utmost priority which is why Justin Ek, a local American Indian artist took the lead on this project. A piece for the people by the people” —Maria Rios, Student Events Team—Educational Entertainment.

“For this piece, I will be including symbols and colors that act as the bridge between the individuals of our vastly diverse communities.

The inspiration for those symbols and colors speak closely to my diverse roots as an indigenous person with a history of Hispanic heritage.” —Justin Ek, Bellissimo Painting

46 / C OLLEGE OF BUSIN ES S I N R E V I E W

M I N N E S OTA STAT E U N I VE RSI T Y, M AN KATO / 47

120 Morris Hall Mankato, MN 56001

A two-decade tech entrepreneur, Daren Cotter ’04 launched his company, InboxDollars from his Minnesota State Mankato dorm room. After graduating, he assembled a world-class leadership team in his company that included two other alumni from Minnesota State Mankato. Cotter sold his company in 2019 after two decades of bootstrapped growth and international expansion. He has become a champion of the Minnesota tech entrepreneurship community as a mentor, and hyperactive angel investor in more than 50 earlystage tech companies. Minnesota State Mankato recognized Daren as a distinguished alumnus in 2009. In 2016, he was named a titan of technology by the Twin Cities Business Journal.

Daren and his wife, Sarah ’04, met on campus and now make their home in Lake Elmo, Minn. Both are committed to giving back through mentorship and financial gifts. Last March the Cotters sponsored the first ever high-tech division as part of the College of Business’ annual Big Ideas Challenge, a $4,000 prize awarded to innovations in the technology sector.

Two tech-focused companies—Hearing Glasses LLC and Tocco VR—went on to be selected as semi-finalists for the MN Cup. The high-tech division also connected the University and program to the new Launch MN network to help amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation. Daren and Sarah have supported student entrepreneur scholarships for over a decade at Minnesota State Mankato, demonstrating their commitment to Mavericks helping Mavericks.

Giving link engage.mnsu.edu/cobinreview

#mavbiz