“Amazing!" “Phenomenal!" “Unbelievable!"--once again, the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center's annual New York trip was a huge success, providing MBA candidates with unprecedented entrée into the sports business world, including the opportunity for in-depth meetings with five of the twenty most influential people in sports--in just three short days. Still jazzed from their whirlwind experience, participants shared their excitement and inspiration.

Local and national companies are invited to join an exclusive group of 100 corporations gaining valuable benefits while forging a dynamic partnership with the Lundquist College of Business. Advantages will include preferred access to student resumes, early access to faculty research, invitations to join the college at special events--and more. Sponsorships at the silver, gold, and platinum levels are available. Get more info or download brochure (PDF).

Let's break it down by numbers: 67 pledges, $37,534 donated (15 percent of UO total), $560.21 average gift. Those figures represent the contributions by Lundquist College of Business faculty and staff to the annual Oregon Charitable Fund Drive. More than half of the college's employees participated, giving part of their paychecks to charities throughout the state. Each year, the Oregon Charitable Fund Drive asks state employees to give to their choice of more than 800 local non-profits. Oh, and for the record, total UO pledges were $248,065.00-$120,000 more than OSU and PSU combined.

Sponsorship as a sales and marketing tool is well established in the United States. In the Middle East, its use is still burgeoning. Enter T. Bettina Cornwell, the director of research for the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, who was an invited guest at the Arabian Sponsorship Forum 2010 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on December 8. One of the world's leading authorities on sponsorship and sports marketing, Cornwell hosted “Introduction to Sponsorship," a workshop for more than 150 students.

The supportive research culture of the Lundquist College accounting department continues to pay dividends. Mostly recently, David Guenther was named an incoming editor of The Accounting Review, one of the top three journals for accounting research. The appointment is a recognition of Guenther’s scholarly acumen and contribution to advancing accounting knowledge through his insightful peer reviews and collaborations with researchers around the world. Guenther assumes his editorial duties this June.

Check out great career tips shared by MBA alums working at Nike during the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center's recent field trip. Plus, read success stories from graduates now working at Kraft Foods, Deloitte, and Hitachi Consulting. Curious where other grads found work?

Congratulations to Lundquist College of Business alums Kari Patterson and Jeremy Prickel on receiving 20 Under 40 awards, an annual recognition of Lane County's rising business leaders. Kari—controller and VP of finance at PacificSource Health Plans—was recognized for her rapid ascent to top brass. Jeremy—a partner and shareholder at Jones & Roth CPAs—won kudos for his community involvement, as well as for being the youngest partner in the history of his company. Find out more about the 20 Under 40 Awards.

Don Upson is quick to give all the credit to his students, but it's no coincidence that year after year his students launch successful startups. The success of Shady Peeps, FloraGenex, Perpetua Power, Innovative Sports Strategies, Sunburst, and dozens more is a testament to Don's teaching, dedication, and mentorship. In recognition of Upson's contributions to advancing the economic vitality of the state, the reputation of the college, and the lives of students, the college has honored Upson as the 2011 Thomas C. Stewart Distinguished Professor. Congratulations Don.

Wondering where the current cohorts of Oregon MBA students hail from? Curious about where and with which companies they've had recent internships? The answer is all over the map--literally! Click the icons on our cool new interactive maps to get the inside scoop on each student and internship.

Cash prizes, plus the opportunity to get real-world feedback from area business leaders—these were the awards teams of entrepreneurship students competed for in the annual graduate Venture Quest this past December. Each team's presentation was followed by a rapid-fire Q&A with contest judges. The winning project? VisiRay, a unique pest-detection technology presented by Walther Buecklers, Andrew Cook, Matt Eskue, and Orit Ofr. Runner-up was ShadyPeeps, a student-launched company that has already sold 3,500 pairs of university-themed sunglasses.