ANNUAL REVIEW 2020-2021
2 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN This past academic year was one unlike anything we have ever experienced. From record-breaking snow falls, to switfly adapting to a new way of virtual learning, both our resilience and innovation were tested. Despite these circumstances, however, we welcomed more than 7,000 students to the G. Brint Ryan College of Business last fall, making us the fastest growing college at the University of North Texas. With a 14% increase in enrollment during a time of such uncertainty, our students served as a testament to our college's ability to prepare them for a brighter future. Our faculty rolled with the times to develop new research ventures and partnership opportunities, too. Two of our faculty, Dr. Hoda Vaziri and Dr. Danielle Cooper, published studies analyzing the differing effects of COVID-19 on employee well-being. Their insights into this new work-life balance were accepted into The Journal of Applied Psychology, a Financial Times top-50 publication. The competition wins and historic acheivements that our students received this year also proved that their ever-present drive for excellence never waivers, even during unprecedented times. We are eternally grateful for the dedicated supporters that make it possible for our college to excel. Whether donating to our emergency fund to enable students to continue their academic pursuits, or offering guidance as a mentor and friend of the college, their generosity enabled us to grow in new ways. This year has shown us that no distance is too far, no mask is too big and no challenge is too difficult. I hope you enjoy the stories you read throughout our annual report and I appreciate your continued interest and partnership in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Sincerely, Dean Marilyn K. Wiley University of North Texas G. Brint Ryan College of Business
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College enrollment hits all-time high Rankings UNT professors publish COVID-19 research in top journal
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Diversity Faculty in focus Leading the competition 93% of accounting students land job offers following spring internships Women who are taking care of business Giving at a glance
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Corporate partnerships UNT program teaches computer language behind many financial transactions, State unemployment systems A look inside the virtual classroom Innovating sports education The Dean’s Circle of Excellence 2020-2021 Annual Magazine 3
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COLLEGE ENROLLMENT HITS ALL-TIME HIGH M S Tax atio n
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
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The G. Brint Ryan College of Business broke records amidst COVID-19 as the fastest growing college at UNT in Fall 2020.
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With a growth of 14.3%, or 7,211 students, the college welcomed its largest class in history. 600 The college saw a 24% increase in total 0 enrollment since 2018,4 0 with most growth attributed to its graduate programs that had a 92.8% increase. 200 Of the fastest growing master’s programs at the college, the MBA in0 Business Analytics M BA took the top spot with a 140% increase in enrollment from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020. The MBA in Business Administration, MS in Business Analytics and MS in Finance followed with 78%, 72% and 71% increases, respectively. UNT’s overall growth in Fall 2020 (4.1%) brought in recordbreaking numbers with 40,796 students as well, earning it a spot among the “Top 10 U.S. Public University on the Rise,” according to College Gazette.
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6 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
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Bachelor’s degrees in Business Analytics, according to bacherlorsdegreecenter.org.
#1 Bestvalueschools.org ranked UNT first in Dallas for its MBA.
#1 U.S. News & World Report announced UNT among its list of top MBA programs in the nation. The online MBA ranked 51st overall, and 30th on its list of Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans. In Texas, the college ranked number one for Online MBA Programs.
#1 In Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s rankings by discipline, the Ryan College of Business came in at number one for its efforts in diversity and inclusion, and received sixth place for Hispanic graduates and ninth place for diverse graduates in undergraduate business programs.
#2 The online MBA marketing concentration ranked second in the nation for affordability by MastersProgramGuide.com.
#7 UNT made the list of top accounting schools in the state, according to Best Value Schools.
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UNT PROFESSORS PUBLISH COVID-19 RESEARCH IN TOP JOURNAL Two studies conducted by UNT professors, both analyzing differing effects of COVID-19 on employee well-being, have been accepted into The Journal of Applied Psychology, a Financial Times top-50 publication. Dr. Hoda Vaziri, assistant professor of management at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, evaluated data from full-time employed adults to uncover how COVID-19 impacted how employees manage their work and family, and the consequences of such a change. Her research, titled “Changes to the work–family interface during the COVID-19 pandemic: Examining predictors and implications using latent transition analysis,” was co-authored by Wendy Casper of University of Texas Arlington, Julie Wayne of Wake Forest University and Russell Matthews of University of Alabama. From Vaziri’s findings, she and her team were able to develop “best practices” for organizations to adopt, in order to better serve their employees and increase job 8 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
satisfaction and work-life balance. “We found that those who experienced technostress (feeling overwhelmed by new technology), found it particularly difficult to manage their work during the pandemic. On the other hand, those who had a compassionate supervisor during the initial stages of the pandemic were better able to manage their work and family roles. In addition, while we found employees’ experience in managing their work and family was relatively stable, those who were better in managing their work and family before the pandemic were able to avert significant distress during the pandemic. This means that by proactively supporting work-family needs, employers can better position employees to navigate work and family roles effectively before and during disruptive events like COVID-19, which might lead to increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment as well," explained Vaziri. Research conducted by Dr. Danielle Cooper, associate
professor in the department of Management, and coauthored with UNT former doctoral student, Kathryn Ostermeier (Bryant University), and Miguel Caldes (University of Texas - Tyler), took a more specific approach to evaluating employee welfare—diving into work meaningfulness and resource depletion in healthcare workers during the pandemic. Her paper, titled, “When helping hurts: COVID-19 critical incident involvement and resource depletion in health care workers," analyzed the level of involvement of healthcare workers and how said involvement affected personal resources, as well as susceptibility to depression. “We developed a measure of intensity of involvement in the COVID-19 crisis for healthcare workers. We measured involvement in COVID-19 through a number of experiences, including threat of infection, actual infection, the number of COVID cases they see in a day, and other potentially traumatic COVID-related experiences… We also wanted to understand factors that may potentially intensify these effects or possibly mitigate them,” said Cooper. As anticipated, Cooper’s research found that the more a worker was involved in the COVID-19 crisis, the more exhausted they became—an outcome that was intensified for those who were defined as prosocial individuals, or those who were motivated to work so that they could
help others. Risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus was also found to correlate with higher instances of depression among healthcare workers. In both Cooper and Vaziri’s studies, their research began prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately led to a shift in their analysis to accommodate the inevitable effects of the virus. “Once the pandemic intensified in the US, we realized that we had an opportunity to understand the experience of healthcare workers and the psychological toll of their involvement, and we asked our original participants to complete an additional survey,” explained Cooper. Ultimately, both research studies and their findings have significant implications for how COVID-19, and other potentially life-altering crisis situations, can impact employee welfare. In understanding such findings, organizations can work to mitigate these negative responses to improve employee satisfaction. __ The Journal of Applied Psychology is on the Financial Times' top 50 journals list, and qualifies Professors Cooper and Vaziri to each receive a $1,000 award for their work.
2020-2021 Annual Magazine 9
A DIVERSE SPACE TO LEARN & GROW
32% 41%
PHD STUDENTS
MASTER’S STUDENTS
UNDERGRADAUTE STUDENTS
FEMALE FULLTIME FACULTY, FALL 2020
FEMALE ENROLLMENT, FALL 2020
White | 38% African American | 16% Hispanic | 28% Asian | 10% American Indian | 1% Other | 0.4% International | 6%
White | 46% African American | 12% Hispanic | 18% Asian | 11% American Indian | 1% Other | 1% International | 12%
White | 24% African American | 4% Hispanic | 1% Asian Pacific Islander | 9% Non-Res | 60% Other | 2%
10 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EFFORTS IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. THE UNIVERSITY RANKED AMONG THE TOP 40 UNIVERSITIES FOR THE NUMBER OF DIVERSE DOCTORAL GRADUATES, ACCORDING TO DIVERSE ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION. THE 2020 RANKINGS, RELEASED IN 2021, SHOWCASED UNT AS NUMBER THIRTY-NINE ON THE LIST. IN DIVERSE ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION’S RANKINGS BY DISCIPLINE, THE RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CAME IN AT #1, AND RECEIVED 6TH PLACE FOR HISPANIC GRADUATES AND 9TH PLACE FOR DIVERSE GRADUATES IN UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS PROGRAMS.
81%
FTIC RETENTION RATE FOR FALL 2019 - FALL 2020, A ROUGHLY 6% INCREASE FROM FALL 2018 - FALL 2019.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS IS NOW DESIGNATED A HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION (HSI). UNT DIVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND DIVERSITY HONORED G. BRINT RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS WITH 2020 INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD.
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FACULTY IN FOCUS
University of North Texas G. Brint Ryan College of Business professor Bob Heere was honored with the 2020 Stotlar award by the Sport Marketing Association.
UNT’s Office for Faculty Success accepted a micro grant proposal put forth by Madhuri Bandla, senior lecturer in the Department of Accounting.
The award recognizes a sport marketing educator who excels in the promotion and advancement of graduate students by having an established record of mentoring graduate students; serving as an advocate at an institutional, national and/or international level; demonstrating a commitment to the professional development of advisees; or contributing to the growth of a graduatelevel sport marketing curriculum.
Bandla’s proposal, titled “Mentoring with a Purpose,” outlines a partnership with Project Wayfinder to develop a mentoring program that fosters meaningful relationships with students.
“I was a doctoral program director at my former university, University of South Carolina. Here at UNT, I’m really focused on the M.B.A. and B.B.A. programs,” Heere said. “It’s always been very rewarding. To be recognized for that, that’s very special. I’m very honored by this recognition.”
Project Wayfinder was founded in 2015 by Stanford University’s Design School and targets educators who interact with students, aged 14 through 24. The goal of the organization is to use design thinking and creative exploration to help students navigate through their academic career, and beyond, with purpose.
12 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
A publication titled “Board Gender Diversity: A Path to Achieving Substantive Equality in the US,” co-authored by Clinical Assistant Professor Kimberly Houser, was accepted in William & Mary L. Rev, a top 20 Law Review.
Accounting Professor Allison McLeod was appointed to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) CPA Exam Regulation (REG) subcommittee for the 2021-2022 volunteer service year.
“The article, which explains why the EU has more women in leadership roles than the US, explores the constitutional, legislative, and cultural differences between the two, and suggests a new Substantive Equal Right Amendment as a solution,” explains Houser.
Renewable for three years, McLeod’s appointment began on May 26, 2021, and brings positive visibility and prestige to college. She will help set policy and draft questions for upcoming CPA exams, which will give her a unique perspective on the exams.
Analyzing legislative efforts, such as the 2018 California law requiring at least one woman to serve on boards (and other similarly instated laws), Houser concludes that “parallel constitutional action and cultural change in the United States” is necessary to avoid failure.
AICPA is the world’s largest member association for accounting with more than 431,000 current members from 130 different countries and territories. Dating back to 1887, AICPA has a long history of serving the public.
DR. JIANREN XU BECOMES FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE CASUALTY ACTUARIAL SOCIETY AWARD IN DFW The American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA) awarded its Casualty Actuarial Society Award to UNT Ryan College of Business Assistant Professor Jianren Xu. “It is a great honor to earn this prestigious award. It is important to my career and I am proud to bring the award to UNT. The past award recipients are mostly from toptier research institutions. I feel fortunate to have their company,” said Xu. A rare honor, Xu is not only the first recipient of the award at UNT, but also the first in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The only other university in the state of Texas to win the award has been the University of Texas Austin. The Casualty Actuarial Society Award is one of the top two awards for articles published in the Journal of Risk and Insurance (JRI) (a “Premier” journal designated by the college's journal list), and Xu’s paper was the only one
PROFESSORS RANK AMONG TOP 2% OF RESEARCHERS IN THEIR FIELD Professor Dan Kim and Ryan Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship Jeremy Short have been recognized among the world’s top contributors in their fields of Information Technology and Decision Sciences and Management, respectively. The Stanford study, published in the Public Library of Science Biology journal: “Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators,” ranks
to earn the honor by ARIA in 2021. His award-winning research is titled, “Estimating the Cost of Equity Capital for Insurance Firms With Multiperiod Asset Pricing Models." “Previous research on insurer cost of equity (COE) focuses on single-period asset pricing models. In reality, however, investment and consumption decisions are made over multiple periods, exposing firms to timevarying risks related to economic cycles and market volatility. We extend the literature by examining two multi-period models—the conditional CAPM (CCAPM) and the intertemporal CAPM (ICAPM),” said Xu. “Using 29 years of data, we find that macroeconomic factors significantly influence and explain insurer stock returns. Insurers have countercyclical beta implying that their market risk increases during recessions. Further, insurers are sensitive to volatility risk (the risk of losses when volatility goes up), but not to insurancespecific risks, financial industry risks, liquidity risk, or coskewness after controlling for other economy-wide factors.” The Casualty Actuarial Society Award, established in 1997, is made to the authors of a paper published by the American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA) that provides the most valuable contribution to casualty actuarial science.
the most cited researchers and those who are in the top 2% of their specialty area, worldwide. Evaluating more than 100,000 researchers who have at least five scientific publications, forty-four other professors from the University of North Texas were included in the ranking. This announcement strengthens UNT’s position as a Tier-One research university, and provides evidence that the G. Brint Ryan College of Business gives students access to some of the most respected scientists in their field.
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LEADING THE COMPETITION SHRM TEAM PLACES SECOND IN TIE-BREAKING CASE COMPETITION UNT Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) officers Caroline Poch and Trent Harris placed second in the 2021 Texas SHRM Case Study Competition.
UNT PLACES IN TOP FIVE AT HUMANA-MAYS HEALTHCARE ANALYTICS CASE COMPETITION
The pair represented the smallest team competing, yet still beat out four other Texas institutions: University of Texas Austin, University of Texas Tyler, Southern Methodist University and Baylor University. Given just a week to compose a succinct winning solution to a panel of virtual judges, Poch and Harris overcame several odds. “We only had ten minutes to present in front of the three judges— explaining our analyses and implementation strategies. I pulled two allnighters, and I even presented without sleeping for 42 hours, as we had a lot of ground to cover with only two team members,” explained OBHR major Poch, who served as team captain. A tie was initially deemed highly unlikely, but Poch and Harris made things difficult for the judges with their compelling analyses. Calling in a fourth judge and a second, tie-breaking presentation, Poch and Harris were asked to do it all again before deemed runner-up to University of Texas Dallas. Through it all, Poch successfully managed the added challenge of competing virtually with a disability. “The most challenging aspect stemmed from me being functionally deaf. I was completely confident, I knew Trent and I had an excellent case solution, but I was constantly worrying about whether closed captions would be available,” she said. Luckily, the steadfast support of advisors Dr. Julie Hancock and Dr. Mariya Gavrilova Aguilar played a large role helping Poch overcome her fears and instill confidence in their team. “Dr. Mariya Gavrilova Aguilar, specifically, has been one of the most supportive people I have ever met. It seems as if it is her nature, not a part of her career. She attended every event at the competition, checking in with us as we went along to make sure we were doing okay,” explained Poch. In addition to winning runner-up, Poch and Harris were awarded supplemental ribbons to acknowledge that their accomplishment represented more work than what two people could normally pull off. 14 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
A team of three Ryan College of Business students placed in the top five at the fourth annual HumanaMays Healthcare Analytics Case Competition. Open to all accredited educational institutions, more than 700 students from 76 universities competed virtually for a combined $70,000, with only five teams advancing to the final round. Kashif Saeed, program director of MS Business Analytics and faculty mentor of UNT’s team, would like this achievement to set the trend for many more years to come. “This is a defining moment in the journey of MS Business Analytics program at UNT,” said Saeed. The Humana-Mays competition has grown to become one of the most respected analytics competitions in the nation— tasking students with solving complex, real-world healthcare challenges by using data analytics and predictive modeling. This year’s proposed problem involved Medicare members’ barriers to healthcare access.
“Succeeding in the competition required multiple skills: excellent analytical understanding of a business problem, proficiency in data mining and visualization, excellent written and oral communication, and time management,” explained UNT Analytica team captain Mahdi Ahmadi.
TEAM WINS 3RD ANNUAL ISACA CASE COMPETITION
Ahmadi competed with teammates Shruti Chandna and Shweta Batra, all of whom are anticipated to graduate from UNT in 2021 with master’s degrees in business analytics. “Two parts of the competition were very challenging: developing a predictive model that would perform well on a noisy and complex dataset, and finding solutions to overcome Humana members' problem of transportation barriers to healthcare access. The second one was more challenging because Humana as a successful business is already trying many different solutions, and we needed to go above and beyond their current solutions,” said Ahmadi. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management were among other top schools in the final round. UNT’s ability to compete alongside some of the country’s most prestigious business schools is a testament to the business analytics program at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business.
Five UNT accounting students took home first place at the 2021 Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Case Competition. In addition to a sizable gold trophy, team members Fariha Ahmed, Mackenzie Compton, Lauren Eaton, Arthur Hatch and Dalicia Savoie also brought home $6,000 in hard earned prize money. The competition challenged teams from across North Texas to act as consultants for a health care payer company — evaluating its cybersecurity framework and IT infrastructure. “We spent extensive time researching cybersecurity as it related to our ‘client’s’ industry before delving into more specific areas of research. This allowed us a relevant knowledge base from which we could brainstorm ideas,” explained senior accounting major Dalicia Savoie. Meeting virtually each week to brainstorm ideas and develop solutions, the team learned how to be flexible — both with their ideas and with their time. “The most challenging part was collaborating virtually,” said senior accounting major and team lead Fariha Ahmed. “However, we had a very strong team and we were able to execute our work seamlessly." "I personally learned a lot about looking at a company’s infrastructure, and identifying weakness and strengths... This was a huge learning experience from which I grew both professionally and interpersonally,” continued Ahmed. The team overwhelmingly credited their success to Dr. Jose Lineros and his IT Audit course. “Professor Jose Lineros was an asset to all of us, and his guidance was paramount in our success,” said Ahmed.
2020-2021 Annual Magazine 15
93% OF ACCOUNTING STUDENTS LAND JOB OFFERS FOLLOWING SPRING INTERNSHIPS UNT accounting students are well aware that internships are a key component to landing a full-time job offer. Many accounting firms test out the potential of entrylevel job recruits through their internship programs, which is why the G. Brint Ryan College of Business does everything it can to get its students in the door early. 104 UNT accounting students participated in spring internships this year, and 93% of those students were offered a full-time job offer with the firm where they interned. Of the 26 students who interned with big four firms, all received job offers, while 70 of the 75 students interning with mid-market and regional firms were offered a permanent position.
16 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
93% placement is impressive in its own right—but coupling that feat with the added challenge of standing out in a new and unfamiliar workplace while operating remotely is even more notable. “The most challenging part of the internship was probably having to learn and adjust to a new experience in a remote environment, while missing the in-person
“The most challenging part of the internship was probably having to learn and adjust to a new experience in a remote environment, while missing the in-person experiences and human connections within the office.”
experiences and human connections within the office,” recalled Valerie Valerian, BS/MS accounting student. Valerian interned with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) and used all resources given to feel connected and successful in the workplace. Among other things, Valerian “learned how to build a network and be adaptable and flexible within a virtual environment.”
I would not be able to catch up with the other interns,” explained Samaraweera. “I spent additional hours on the weekends and some early mornings catching up on what I missed in the first week.” Samaraweera’s extra effort paid off when she received an offer from Grant Thornton before mid-June—six months away from her anticipated graduation date.
“The internship allowed me to apply what I learned from my UNT accounting courses in a professional setting and helped me gain a whole new perspective of business acumen, digital acumen, and soft skills that will prepare me for my future endeavors,” continued Valerian.
Not only did Samaraweera receive a valuable job offer form Grant Thornton, the sixth largest accounting and auditing firm in the world, but she also received Becker review materials—a premier resource for accountants prepping for the CPA exam.
In addition to working virtually, the winter storm that hit Texas in February threw another curve ball at interns like MS taxation student Nadeera Samaraweera.
“The most significant help I received from the Grant Thornton internship was getting access to Becker review materials for free, six months in advance of my graduation. As a mother of two kids, studying for the CPA exam while working full-time will be challenging, but now I believe I will be able to complete all four parts of the exam before I start working.”
“The first week of the internship was challenging because we had no power and no internet due to the winter storm… I got so nervous, as I was concerned that
2020-2021 Annual Magazine 17
WOMEN WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS MBA CANDIDATE PUBLISHES CASE FOR EQUAL PAY As a nonprofit attorney, earning her JD from the University of Michigan, Sarah Pack is not your typical MBA student. While in the classroom, Pack studies sport entertainment management, but in her “off ” time, she works as a practicing attorney with aspirations of pursuing a career in sports operations or marketing. “This program has been so great at opening doors and expanding my network, so I hope to find a position through one of those connections that will allow me to use the experience and insights I gained from my MBA and my analytical thinking from my legal background,” said Pack. Pack has already begun combining those interests by earning herself a spot in the Northeastern University Law Review—a rare accomplishment for a master’s candidate. Dr. Bob Heere, director of sport entertainment management, recognized Pack’s unconventional background and offered her a chance to substitute the legal issues course typically required of students for a chance to participate in an independent study project. Jumping at the opportunity, Pack chose to research the highly publicized legal battle of equal pay for the US national women’s soccer team. “I wanted to write about the topic because I am a passionate follower of women's soccer and the lawsuit was heavily in the news around the time Dr. Heere and I were discussing what my independent study project should look like,” explained Pack. Arguing that US Soccer, as a nonprofit, should adopt an equal pay standard for the women’s national team “as a matter of policy to further its tax-exempt purposes,” Pack’s study closely analyzed legal arguments made 18 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
against the federation. On the evening her paper was due, however, the district court ruled against equal pay, causing Pack to make an unanticipated pivot. “It is difficult to research and write about an everevolving topic. I knew it was possible that the district court would rule on both sides' summary judgment motions before I completed my first draft of the paper for my independent study, but I did not anticipate the ruling would happen on the very same evening the paper was due.” Heere still saw great potential in Pack’s study though, and reached out to sport law professor at the University of Georgia, Dr. Thomas Baker, to strategize a way to make it publishable. “I restructured it into a law review article and focused less on the tit-for-tat legal arguments and more on the limitations of the federal Equal Pay Act in addressing and rectifying the team's claims. The article also analyzes the district court's ruling dismissing the Equal Pay Act claims and makes recommendations for how a settlement may be achieved as the women's national team pursues an appeal of the dismissal. It also retains and further develops the argument that both the US Soccer Federation and FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, should adopt an equal pay standard to further their nonprofit missions,” explained Pack. Not long after, Pack, Heere and Baker received word that the paper, “One nation, two teams: The U.S. Women’s National Team’s fight for equal pay,” was accepted in The Northeastern University Law Review. Given the opportunity, Pack hopes to further her research analysis by examining equal pay disputes in other national federations as well—comparing the US women’s soccer team with other international women’s teams whose federations lack a strong history of supporting their women’s teams.
ACCOUNTING PHD CANDIDATE ONE OF TWENTY-FIVE AICPA DOCTORAL MINORITY FELLOWS
Accounting PhD candidate Monica Kabutey was announced a winner of this year’s American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) doctoral minority fellowship. Renewable for up to four years, the fellowship title comes with a $12,000 scholarship and is awarded to only 24 other select minorities in the accounting field. The AICPA fellowship serves to encourage diversity among accounting educators in universities and colleges across the nation. “As research shows that African-Americans make up only 1% of accounting professionals, I hope to empower minorities to study accounting,” said Kabutey. “I have a passion for teaching and making accounting fun to learn.”
SHRM HONORS SENIOR VALERIE ROJO Valerie Rojo, organizational behavior and human resource management senior, was awarded the 2020 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation Undergraduate Academic Scholarship in the amount of $2,500. This merit-based honor is highly competitive, drawing in applicants from across the country with only thirty awardees selected. Selection criteria include level of commitment to the HR profession, volunteer, leadership and service activities, academic achievement and financial need.
ALUMNA NAMED LEASING AGENT OF THE YEAR
The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas (AAGD) named Brooklin Housden, BA ’19, Leasing Agent of the Year during its annual Saphire Awards ceremony. AAGD is the second-largest local apartment association in the country, representing more than 1,000 companies. Competing against thousands of other leasing agents in the DallasFort Worth region, Housden is already making a name of herself in the industry—and she attributes most of her success to the education she earned at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business.
ACCOUNTING STUDENT MAKES HISTORY
On April 11, 2021 fall 2020 accounting major Hope Trautwein made history when she stepped off the pitcher's mound without a single ball hitting a bat from the opposing team, Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Technically, Trautwein had thrown a perfect game—one where the pitcher prevents any players from touching a base—but this game was more than perfect. In fact, there is not a name for such a perfect game. Every opponent Trautwein faced in the batter’s box was met with a strike. Twenty-one strikes in seven innings. In addition to her newly established D1 NCAA record, Trautwein is also perfecting her time in the classroom. As a former accounting scholar—a program designed to prepare UNT’s highest-achieving scholars for a successful professional career in accounting—she is proving that accountants can truly do just about anything.
THIRD UNT STUDENT EARNS PCAOB SCHOLAR TITLE
Mackenzie Compton, graduate student pursing her master’s degree in accounting, has become the third UNT student to earn the distinction of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholar. As a PCAOB Scholar, Compton will receive a scholarship in the amount of $10,000 for the 2021-2022 academic year. Compton was also a member of the winning team of accounting students who took home first place at the 2021 Information Systems Audit and Control Association Case Competition. 2020-2021 Annual Magazine 19
2020-2021
GIVING AT A GLANCE 2020 GIVING TOTALS (1/2020 – 12/2020)
academic year
AMOUNT RAISED $491,490
$1.45M
Alumni*
$25,000
Estates and Trusts**
$14,593
Faculty Staff*
in gifts and pledges
$649,798
Other Individuals
$800,994
Organizations
IN 2020 MORE THAN
NUMBER OF DONORS
10%
$1,077,463 scholarship dollars awarded
OF ALL DONORS WERE NEW DONORS
320 1
445
22
Alumni* Estates and Trusts** Faculty Staff*
donors
382 63
students received academic scholarships
Other Individuals Organizations
* Faculty staff and alumni numbers may overlap **Estates and trusts are also counted in the alumni and other individual totals
Contact Jessica Steinke, Executive Director of Development, to learn more about investing in Ryan College of Business students and their future: 940.369.7623 Jessica.Steinke@unt.edu
363
$190,423 McNatt crisis dollars distributed
198
students received McNatt crisis funds 20 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
THE MCNATT EMERGENCY FUND In 2019, Jim (’66) and Linda McNatt established a lifeline for students in emergency situations. That lifeline is known as the McNatt Fund for Students in Financial Crisis and it became transformational for students in 2020. In just two years, the McNatt Fund received over 650 applications and provided nearly $570,000 to more than 440 students.
focus more on the most important aspect of school, learning,” said Davis. Other students, like first generation college student Laurie Bengoa, would likely not have been able to graduate if it were not for the support of the McNatt Fund.
“As the youngest and only person in my Students like Leslie Davis, integrated studies major, relied entire family to leave the US Virgin Islands on the McNatt Fund to stay in school. and get a college degree, I had to work four jobs just to get by. Regardless of my “Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I relied difficult financial and home situation, I solely on my recent job to fund me through have always been determined to work hard school. I am very independent and never and persevere. I wanted to defy the odds want to worry anyone about my hardships. and make my dreams come true... Now, After I lost my job, I had nowhere else to because of [the McNatt Fund’s] generous turn for financial assistance. My family support and help, I will be able to do so,” has made it very difficult to focus on my said Bengoa. obligations at school, because they are in Students like Davis and Bengoa depend on the support of constant need of assistance. By awarding me [the McNatt] fund, you have lightened our generous donors to continue their academic dreams. my financial burden, which allows me to Every gift matters, because every student matters. 2020-2021 Annual Magazine 21
C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R S H I P S
“
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KPMG’s partnership with the UNT Ryan College of Business promotes an environment that supports our commitment to recruit and hire talented professionals with the right skills, experiences, and competencies to succeed, and whose personal values align with the KPMG values that serve as the foundation of our firm’s culture.
- KPMG PARTNER AND 2004 UNT ACCOUNTING ALUMNUS JASON GREENLEE
22 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business is committed to connecting the DFW community with its students through mutually-beneficial partnership opportunities. In 2021, the college welcomed its first official corporate partner, KPMG, through its newly formed Corporate Partnership Program. “KPMG’s partnership with the UNT Ryan College of Business promotes an environment that supports our commitment to recruit and hire talented professionals with the right skills, experiences, and competencies to succeed, and whose personal values align with the KPMG values that serve as the foundation of our firm’s culture,” said KPMG Partner and 2004 UNT accounting alumnus Jason Greenlee. KPMG has been a long-standing supporter of the college’s mission to prepare global business leaders and scholars in an intellectually stimulating and engaging community. The global accounting firm established the KPMG Professorship at the college, a position that is currently held by Dr. Paul Hutchinson. Corporate partnerships at the UNT Ryan College of Business strengthen our programs, while simultaneously offering industries the valuable opportunity to connect to the college and its students—enhancing marketing opportunities for our partnering organizations through several tiers of benefits. We invite you to learn more about how becoming a partner of the college can expand your reach and your brand by contacting Michael.Farrell@unt.edu.
2020-2021 Annual Magazine 23
UNT PROGRAM TEACHES COMPUTER LANGUAGE BEHIND MANY FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, STATE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS By Trista Moxley | University of North Texas, UBSC University of North Texas information technology and decision science professors teaching mainframe and COBOL, a 70-year-old programming language that runs most business transactions in the United States, give students an edge in a field operating most financial transactions in the country. Common Business-Oriented Language – COBOL – powers approximately 80 percent of in-person financial transactions and 95 percent of ATM swipes, according to a recent “Forbes” article. Daily, COBOL is used to process $3 trillion in commerce, and more than 1.5 billion lines of COBOL code are written each year, with more than 220 billion lines total. While students learn the basics of COBOL, the overall degree focuses on mainframe computing, according to assistant professor James Parrish. COBOL is only one of several languages covered. “Students come out — they’re not necessarily COBOL programmers, but they have the fundamental skills to become really good COBOL programmers. It’s a fourcourse track, but it gives them everything they need to 24 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
know to work in this environment,” Parrish said. “These systems were so stable and so efficient that they were running seamlessly for many, many years. Then all of a sudden, we needed to add a code for unemployment for the global pandemic. Governments looked around and said, ‘okay, who can change this code that’s been running for God knows how many years?’ There’s not a lot of people in the younger work force that can do it.” Le Roy Hardy, the newest faculty member in the program, has more than 30 years of industry experience and said one of the first industry events he attended at UNT with students presenting to corporate partners such as Citibank and IBM really drove home how vital the program is. “That room was electric. These employers were amazed when they were looking at the students, and the students were amazed looking at the employers,” he said. Regents Professor Steve Guynes, who has been teaching at UNT for 50 years, noted that none of the students in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business are required to take a mainframe course as part of their study, yet the classes
UNT ALPFA NAMED REGIONAL CHAPTER OF THE YEAR UNT’s chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) was named Regional Chapter of the Year for the first time in its history. Established in 1972, ALPFA is the longest standing Latino organization for business students. Throughout its history, it has empowered the Latino community by offering access to professional development and career building resources. “It is an honor to be the faculty advisor for ALPFA, along with Dr. Lineros. I'm incredibly proud of our outstanding student leadership. Even in the current virtual environment, ALPFA-UNT has kept its members engaged and community spirit alive. I wish them the very best as they continue to work on empowering the next generation of business leaders,” said Madhuri Bandla, senior lecturer at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business.
often fill up. “Mainframe is extremely hard. We make it an elective. We offer Intro to COBOL and Mainframe every fall— just the fall. We teach the advanced mainframe course every spring,” Guynes said. “We’re attracting some of the top kids I’ve ever seen. It makes teaching fun.” The students in the class are also excelling on a national stage, with UNT students winning IBM’s Master the Mainframe challenge three of the last four years and placing in the top 10 all four years. In the North America section of the challenge last year, 4,286 students from 600 schools started the challenge. Only 126 students finished all parts of the challenge, and 14 of those students were from UNT. “We have a world class mainframe program going on here, and the employers in this area and nationwide are just clamoring to get to our students. The typical starting salary for an Information Systems major is around $45-55,000. Our mainframe folks come out making somewhere around $75-80,000,” Parrish said.
"Working with the Accounting department’s UNT student leadership and Professor Bandla has been a personal inspiration. The students’ ability to come together as a family and forge ahead has not only grown the organization, but collectively improved the Denton community. The social responsibility they exhibit challenges all of us to do more, care more, and make this nation a reflection of their best," added Clinical Assistant Professor Jose Lineros.
UNT DELTA EPSILON CHAPTER TAKES OVER THE DELTA SIGMA PI VIRTUAL STAGE UNT’s Delta Epsilon Chapter took over the virtual stage at this year’s Delta Sigma Pi awards presentation. The college’s professional business fraternity received five prestigious recognitions, including a provincial award for Outstanding Scholastic Development, and regional awards for Outstanding Alumni Relations, Outstanding Professional Activities, Outstanding Service and the R. Nelson Mitchell Outstanding Collegiate Chapter Award. Collectively, these awards represent the Chapter’s ability to successfully promote the goals of the fraternity, implement a comprehensive program of scholastic and professional development, integrate alumni relations and employ the overall most effective and comprehensive program of service to others. “To win numerous awards is a testament to the chapter’s overall excellence,” explained Megan Allen, communications specialist for Delta Sigma Pi. 2020-2021 Annual Magazine 25
A LOOK INSIDE THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM TOYOTA TAPS UNT MBA COHORT FOR FRESH TAKE
The MBA in Management Cohort at UNT is known for its collaborative experiences that bridge academia and industry through experiential learning. This spring, the program partnered with the TFS Digital Academy and strengthened its model for educational excellence by giving students the unique opportunity to work with senior executives from Toyota Financial Services (TFS)—a subsidiary of the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. TFS tasked the MBA Cohort with analyzing current operations and presenting new solutions for functioning more efficiently and effectively through a complex and challenging project. Led by Kai Dosenbach and John Clementi of the TFS Digital Academy, and under the direction of faculty members Dr. Audhesh Paswan and Cathy Westurn, students employed real-world data and virtual industry visits to develop practical solutions.
their findings and recommendations to Toyota executives. "The students did an amazing job in a very short amount of time. They pulled together a lot of industry research to help formulate their strategic recommendations,” said Gordon McGrath, TFS Business Information Officer and executive sponsor of the engagement. “I can't say enough about how impressed I am with the work they have done. We're going to be following up with many of the recommendations we received." Students were judged on their ideas, presentation tactics and timelines—enabling them to develop new skillsets beyond the classroom through a unique learning experience. “We are delighted with the outcome, both the students and executives learned a great deal from this experience.” said Mark Dirkson, Talent Manager for the TFS Digital Academy.
The collaboration between UNT and the TFS Digital Academy was focused on leading industry and customer experience scenarios. The MBA students were asked to do an evaluation and provide TFS their consultation on key questions related to each scenario.
This real-life experience of working with a company on real-life challenges is something that the MBA Cohort can take away and apply to their future. The opportunity here is in any work situation, one can evaluate the current business and see that there’s always an opportunity to do things better.
Over the course of several weeks, students delved into Toyota’s current business practices to identify opportunities for enhancements —ultimately presenting
Both Toyota and the G. Brint Ryan College of Business look forward to empowering students as industry change agents through future collaborative efforts.
26 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSE GIVES BACK DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON Nineteen groups of entrepreneurial students developed innovative ways to give back last holiday season. G. Brint Ryan Chair of Entrepreneurship Dr. Jeremy Short challenged his class with raising $10,000 for charities of their choice. “Class groups could select from either DonorsChoose (a crowdfunding platform that supports teachers) or GoFundMe (a platform supporting many causes ranging from animal welfare to veterans’ organizations to mental health, etc.). Students create and develop the idea, campaign, community partner, and all aspects associated with raising the funds,” explained Short. Coinciding with Giving Tuesday, a global philanthropic movement, each class campaign was required to kick off by December 1 and reach $500 before the end of the semester. Many teams have capitalized on the opportunity to give back by starting their projects early, and were either already fully funded or making significant headway in reaching their goal prior to the start date. Bradley Huffman, senior supply chain management major, teamed up to support Homeless Veterans Services of Dallas with nearly $400 already in the virtual bank by the end of November. Huffman and his classmates chose to fundraise for veterans because of their military ties and passion for giving back during this difficult year. “I have learned the importance of reaching out to people from all walks of life to help you fundraise and the power of internet fundraising, as it is very easy to share the word and donate,” said Huffman. “If we meet our goal, we get full credit for our project, but we can also take pride in knowing we raised lots of money for great organizations.” Short, who joined UNT this fall, brings with him a research background in crowd-funding, content analysis, family business and strategic management, and has appeared in outlets such as the Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Journal of Business Venturing, Organization Science and Family Business Review.
DRS. VAZIRI, OGBANUFE AND KIPP AMONG UNT WASHINGTON DC FACULTY FELLOWS PROGRAM The UNT Division of Research and Innovation established UNT's Washington DC Faculty Fellows program in 2019. The program was developed as a way to connect UNT's rising star junior research professors with program directors at funding agencies in DC. The ultimate goal of the program is to assist UNT's thought leaders in growing their research efforts by obtaining resources and discovering new funding opportunities. Three faculty represent the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, including Dr. Hoda Vaziri from the Department of Management, Dr. Obi Ogbanufe from the Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences, and Dr. Peter Kipp from the Department of Accounting. The Fellows have conducted virtual visits in early 2021, including one with Dr. Fleming Crim, chief operating officer for the National Science Foundation, and are continuing to build on the connections they have made. Vaziri, Ogbanufe and Kipp are a part of the second cohort of UNT Washington DC Faculty Fellows since the program's inception.
Translating his research into practice, Short’s students are seeing the true value, first-hand, in social entrepreneurship. 2020-2021 Annual Magazine 27
INNOVATING SPORTS EDUCATION
By University of North Texas, Research & Innovation The University of North Texas sport entertainment management program is collaborating with Stadia Ventures, a global sports innovation hub for entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors headquartered in St. Louis. Together, Stadia and UNT will cohost an exclusive summer event where students can showcase their creativity and business knowledge by developing a startup pitch with the added advantage of a coaching assist from Stadia executives acting as mentors. As part of the collaboration, students also will work with Stadia to conduct research and collect data relating to emerging global sports technology and innovation. Stadia will support educational programs alongside the UNT sport entertainment management curriculum and offer unique internship opportunities for UNT students across Stadia events and cohorts. “The UNT sport entertainment management program prides itself on its ability to partner with the industry and having Stadia Ventures join our partners at the Dallas 28 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
Cowboys and the PGA of America provides our students with unique access to the latest innovations in sports technology, and an incredible network of some of the brightest minds in the sport industry,” said Bob Heere, program director of UNT’s undergraduate and graduate sport entertainment management programs. “We couldn’t be more pleased about this collaboration.” Stadia has more than 50 startups in its portfolio and continues to evolve while offering a robust accelerator program with senior business leaders as mentors, senior industry executives as guest speakers and partners with varying areas of expertise. Access to the wealth of knowledge and experience accumulated by Stadia’s mentors helps guide the startups and their founders down a successful path. Stadia recently held its prestigious “Finalist Pitch Day” with more than 400 judges comprised of senior leaders in sports, esports and business from around the world evaluating pitches from 10 top finalists selected out of more than 300 global applicants.
UNT AND PGA OF AMERICA PAIR UP TO TEACH 'THE BUSINESS OF GOLF' By Leigh Anne Gullett University of North Texas, UBSC Students at the University of North Texas can now learn about the business side of an $84.1 billion industry and one of the United States’ most popular recreational activities directly from the experts themselves. The university’s sport entertainment management program has partnered with the PGA of America (PGA) to offer students an inside look at the modernday business of golf.
“We are delighted to work with Bob and the whole team at UNT this year,” said Alex Chalmers, director of corporate partnerships at Stadia Ventures. “Since we started our work in Frisco, Texas in 2018, we have built a fantastic relationship that has now evolved into this collaboration, and we look forward to working alongside many great interns in 2021.” UNT offers both B.B.A. and M.B.A. programs in sport and entertainment management. Classes are offered either online or in Frisco, in close proximity of the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars headquarters, FC Dallas, the Frisco Roughriders, the Texas Legends and the PGA of America. Under the supervision of world class faculty, UNT students continuously engage in projectbased learning with many of the professional sport entertainment organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and have completed projects over the last two years with the Dallas Cowboys, the PGA of America, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Stars, Major League Rugby, the Professional Futsal League, the Frisco Roughriders and the Dallas Jackals among others.
“We think this course is a great way to recognize the strong partnership between the PGA of America and UNT by creating an opportunity for everyone at the university to engage with our partners in an educational, valuable and interesting way,” said Bob Heere, program director of UNT’s undergraduate and graduate sport entertainment management programs. “Co-teaching this course perfectly blends the PGA of America’s educational mission with our own. It’s an amazing opportunity for our students to hear from top executives about best practices from a world-class organization.” UNT and the PGA of America signed a partnership agreement shortly after the organization announced it would move and build its new headquarters at PGA Frisco, a short distance from the university’s Frisco campus. The collaboration benefits both UNT and the PGA with hands-on educational experience for students, and research and educational expertise from a Tier One research university for the PGA. Students will explore every facet of the golf industry and its evolution throughout history, but the class will pay particular attention to the PGA’s move to North Texas. The course covers golf operations, revenue generation and contemporary challenges facing the industry that currently reaches an estimated 101 million Americans. "The enthusiasm and growth of golf in North Texas is undeniable,” said PGA of America Senior Director Dawes Marlatt. “This collaboration provides us an opportunity to connect locally with a talented and diverse group of students." 2020-2021 Annual Magazine 29
THE DEAN’S CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE The Dean’s Circle of Excellence represents an elite group of individuals who are committed to the continued success of the UNT G Brint Ryan College of Business and its students. Members of the Dean’s Circle are integral to our everyday achievements— helping to close funding gaps and provide the necessary support for program growth and institutional excellence. As a member, your gifts will fund the college’s top priorities—enabling us to attain our strategic goals and fulfill our mission as one of the largest business schools in the nation. To join this circle of change-makers, we request that you pledge an annual commitment of at least $1,000 to the Dean’s Excellence Fund by visiting: business.unt.edu/circle. Your investment in our students is an investment in the future of business. We look forward to having you in our circle. 30 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEVEL | $25,000 PLEDGE ($5,000/YR FOR 5 YEARS) • Subscription to “The Business Brief” • Subscription to The Annual Magazine • Invitation to “The Social Circle” event, exclusive to Dean’s Circle of Excellence members • Invitations to Ryan College of Business events • Lapel Pin • Wall Plaque • One ticket to every Eagle Business Network Event • Two tickets to the annual Ascend Awards Gala • Two tickets to the annual RCOB Donor Recognition Dinner
ASSOCIATE LEVEL | $5,000 Pledge ($1,000/YR FOR 5 YEARS) • Subscription to “The Business Brief” • Subscription to The Annual Magazine • Invitation to “The Social Circle” event, exclusive to Dean’s Circle of Excellence members • Invitations to Ryan College of Business events • Lapel Pin
DIRECTOR LEVEL | $10,000 PLEDGE
($2,000/YR FOR 5 YEARS) • Subscription to “The Business Brief” • Subscription to The Annual Magazine • Invitation to “The Social Circle” event, exclusive to Dean’s Circle of Excellence members • Invitations to Ryan College of Business events • Lapel Pin • One ticket to every Eagle Business Network Event
Have you graduated in the last 5 years? Join at the Associate Level for a $2,500 pledge.
FOUNDING MEMBERS* EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEVEL MR. LAWRENCE EWELL MR. ALEX EYSERMANS MR. SAM GOLDEN MR. BOB KIMMEL MR. MATT MICHEL MR. & MRS. DON MILLICAN MR. DAVID ROYLANCE
*as of September 1, 2021
DIRECTOR LEVEL MR. MICHAEL GUYETTE MR. MARK METZLER MR. CARL MOTTER MR. JERRY PINKERTON
ASSOCIATE LEVEL MR. JAIME AGUERO LT COL. DEE BROWN MRS. DIANE CHEATHAM MR. CHARLES CURTIS MR. BOB HAMPTON MR. JIM MEWHINNEY MR. DENNIS RASO MR. DOUG RENFRO MR. PHILLIP YOUNG
NEW GRADUATE ASSOCIATE LEVEL MR. MICHAEL BABICH
2020-2021 Annual Magazine 31
R. Harry Bishop Dean’s Suite 1155 Union Circle, #311160 Denton, Texas 76203
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The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business has been continuously accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) since 1961. AACSB-accredited schools are widely considered to be the world’s best business schools.
1 The UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business