At the Lundquist College, spring means competitions, conferences, and service. Here are just some of the experiences and opportunities students took part in the past month.
MLB Diversity Summit
Three MBA candidates and two undergraduate students represented the Lundquist College of Business at the Major League Baseball (MLB) Diversity Summit March 8-9 in Phoenix, Arizona. MLB gathered the human resources offices of all 30 major league clubs and six of their minor league clubs to join both the equity and inclusion offices of MLB operations and MLB media communications, with the goal of opening as many doors as possible to traditionally underrepresented people for baseball operations and management.
“What was most evident at the events is how aligned Major League Baseball and the Lundquist College are in terms of our shared commitment to equity and inclusion in life-changing opportunities," said academic advisor Tayah Butler, who accompanied the students along with instructor of marketing Frank Veltri. “It was an inspiring trip, and I hope to return with a dozen Lundquist candidates next year."
Sloan MIT Sports Analytics Conference
About a dozen Warsaw Sports Marketing Center graduate and undergraduate students traveled to the 10th annual Sloan MIT Sports Analytics Conference March 11-12 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Attendees appeared in agreement that the highlight of the conference was the “Moneyball Reunion," which brought together four folks involved in the book largely viewed as a game-changer in the world of sports data analytics.
South By Southwest Interactive
Thanks in part to donations to our first Duckfunder campaign, four undergraduate entrepreneurship students took in the 23rd annual South By Southwest Interactive Festival March 11-15 in Austin, Texas. Described as “an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity," the event featured panel discussions, presentations, and training with an emphasis on emerging technology and entrepreneurship.
Said senior Desmond Harvey, who is studying entrepreneurship, “During the weekend I made connections with leaders across industries and professions, and I learned about the latest trends in tech, startups, and the music industry. It was inspiring to see all the opportunities within these fields. The knowledge and connections I gained will be invaluable."
Honors Program in Guatemala
Business Honors Program director Deb Bauer accompanied 11 students to San Lucas, Guatemala, to learn about Guatemalan culture in various ways as part of Lundquist's Honors Program Alternative Spring Break. Now in its fifth year, the Honors Program Alternative Spring Break focuses on either a learning or service mission. For more about the 2016 visit, check out accounting and Spanish double major candidate Emily Huang's story.
MAcc in the Netherlands
Another travel tradition—the Master of Accounting program's spring study tour in the Netherlands—saw about 11 students taking in lectures, presentations, and the National Maritime Museum. Students gained insights into the pressing international accounting topic of financial reporting and tax havens as well as differences in jurisdictions, accounting standards, and cultures. Site visits included Dutch firms, international company global headquarters of Tommy Hilfiger, and our partner institution Nyenrode Business Universiteit.
Climate Change Simulation Competition
Kate Hammarback, a 2017 Master of Public Administration and MBA combined candidate in sustainable business, served on the winning team in the regional Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Climate Change Simulation Competition February 27 at University of Southern California.
“We had about six hours to create policy questions, test our theories with the climate change simulator, write up implementation and SWOT memos, and prepare our presentation and present," she said.
The team earned best in the Western United States. A few weeks later, the team from Maastricht University was selected from the regional winners as the overall champions.
Earning Global Recognition
At the Lundquist College, students are encouraged to experience the professional world through experiential learning and site visits. Through travels like the ones above, our students are forming regional, national, and international relationships they will draw on for the rest of their lives, while making strides toward earning global recognition as business leaders.