The Business Spotlight

The Business Spotlight is sent periodically to announce the achievements, goals, and activities of the Business Department and its students.

Homecoming Events Just For You!

During homecoming, the Business Department sponsors two events for students who have a major, concentration, or minor in business. Your business professors will be encouraging you to attend by cancelling classes or providing bonus points. We have also requested that faculty in other departments grant excused absences from their classes so you can attend these events. Please plug these into your planner.


· Career Connections on Thursday, October 6, at 11:00 – 12:15 in Joust West

Career Connections brings together a panel of business alumni who graduate between 3 and 10 years ago to provide a perspective of the different career opportunities that are available to business students. Each panel member will have about 8 minutes to share what they do, how they got there, and some sage advice about maximizing your Evangel experience. They will then have a Q&A time for students to ask the panel questions.

· Leadership Forum on Friday, October 7, at 1:00 – 2:30 in Barnet Fine Arts Auditorium

Mr. Don Zimmerman, the 2011 EU Distinguished Alumnus, will share lessons learned on his leadership journey in a presentation titled: My Leadership Journey: The People Along the Way. Since 2005, Mr. Zimmerman has served as senior vice president and chief information officer for the Wendy’s/Arby’s Group in Atlanta, Ga. Where he has guided all of the technology aspects of Arby’s strategic merger with Wendy’s. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Evangel in 1982. Since his graduation from Evangel University, Zimmerman served with both Frito-Lay, Inc. and PepsiCo Foods International for a combined 12 years, and later served as vice president of information technology for Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Opportunity to Visit Springfield Businesses – All in One Place!

The Springfield Business and Technology Expo is October 6^th at the Springfield Exposition Center, 635 St. Louis Street from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is a great way to see the many different kinds of business in the area, explore career opportunities, and even pick up all kinds of goodies! See Marilyn Campbell or Elizabeth Fletcher for free tickets.

Dress To Impress!

When looking for a Job, think twice about your appearance! Your appearance has A Lot to do with the first impression you give off to future employers. Although unfair, You will be judged by the way you're dress when sitting in an interview. Remember, companies are looking for people who reflect who they are as a company. So what does this mean for those of you who filter your wardrobe through phrases such as the following: "Is it wrinkled?" "Does this smell" "Is this hole noticeable?"? It means that you need to seriously reevaluate the way you use your wardrobe to reflect who you are! When applying for a job, what you wear should be a reflection of who you are and how you want to be known to others. You want to project the image of 'Responsibility' 'Organized' 'Assertive' and 'Leadership potential'. Even if you posses these qualities, all can be lost with one glance if your outfit says 'Just woke up' 'Unorganized' 'Not professional'.

The below article gives some very helpful tips when deciding between those Black Dress pants and the Trendy ripped jeans!

http://www.sensationaljobs.com/blog/2010/12/how-to-dress-for-your-job-interview/

Business Spotlight of the Week

The Business Spotlight is sent periodically to announce the achievements, goals, and activities of the Business Department and its students.

Welcome New Students!

We welcome 40 new students as business majors this fall.  They include 4 majors in accounting, 2 in business education, 2 in finance, 22 in management, and 10 in marketing.  Fifteen students are on the baseball, football, volleyball, tennis, and marching band rosters.  Sixteen of the 40 (40%) are transfer students with an average GPA of 3.1.  In addition to the new students, we have had a significant number of current students change to a business major this fall.  As a result, we have 163 business majors this semester, a 4.5% increase over last fall.  Go Business.

Take Advantage of Spiritual Emphasis Week

Spiritual emphasis week is a great opportunity to evaluate how your daily habits reflect on your commitment to grow spiritually. Your vocational calling to business is just as important to God's kingdom as any other calling. Take advantage of this week to develop some deliberate goals and habits that will enhance your daily walk with the Lord.

Who Moved the Furniture?

Diana Papit, wife of adjunct faculty member Mr. Ted Papit, has volunteered her interior design skills to help enhance our office area. She came last Friday morning and took some initial steps by simply rearranging existing furniture and décor items.  She has a concept hanging action photos of our students scanned onto canvas and adding other decor pieces to help provide decor consistency and enhance the professionalism and warmth of our office suite, the lab, and the SIFE office. The business department's student public relations team will provide input and help identify appropriate pictures. We have a limited budget to work with, and really appreciate Diana’s willingness to help us.

Pledge to Improve

Students in each course are encouraged to go to their student portal and complete confidential, on-line course evaluations at the end of each semester.  In the spring, we were "top dog" with an average of 73% of students in business courses completed the surveys!  The average for all courses was 58% and the next highest academic department was 67%.

The business department faculty take your feedback seriously.  We have set three year outcome goals as a department for key areas of the survey.  At the beginning of this semester, each faculty member is evaluating the spring results and reporting his or her strategies for improvement to the department chair.

Accreditation

On August 26, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) approved our application for candidacy status to receive specialized accreditation for our undergraduate business and Master's of Organizational Leadership programs.  This process preparation of an extensive self-assessment and formal visits from representatives of ACBSP.  We anticipate achieving full accreditation in approximately 18 months.

Special Scholarship Award

For the first time, the Springfield Area Human Resources Association (SAHRA) designated a scholarship specifically for an Evangel University student who has shown an interest in human resource management .  Congratulations to Kelly Goncalves, the 2011-12 recipient of this special scholarship.  Applications for the award are received in the spring.

Writing Proficiency Exam

Some of you must take Evangel's writing proficiency exam because you transferred in a composition course or your ACT writing score qualified you to take the writing proficiency exam to help identify the quickest path for you to complete RHET 205 Effective Communication.  You should have been told by your faculty advisor and/or notified by the Humanities Department if you are in this category.  Students who need to take this exam must sign up on the bulletin board outside the Write Place in ABII room 202 about 2 weeks before the tests.  The exam dates are shown below.  You can see a sample proficiency exam at  http://www.evangel.edu/Academics/PaperWriting/ProficiencyTestExample.asp 

·       September 12, 2011 - 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

·       November 14-15, 2011 - 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

·       December 5, 2011 - 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Getting Involved - A Real Plus!

Many of our business majors are involved in sports, music groups, theater, and a variety of student organizations such as Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), Student Investment Group (SIG), Student Government, CrossWalk, and Chi Alpha Honors Society.   These activities provide excellent opportunities to network and use the business skills you are developing to lead projects and organizations. 

Some students find the need to find regular work opportunities or spot jobs either on or off campus to help fund their education and personal needs.  Working is also an excellent way to apply what you are learning and to develop experience and an excellent work ethic which is greatly valued when you start your career.  Evangel's LifeWorks office provides excellent support if you are looking for part-time work either on or off campus you can go to www.HireEvangel.com  or http://www.evangel.edu/LifeWorks/Career/students.asp

Bernie Dana

Chair, Business Department

To Be or Not to Be... a Business Major

Thinking about a Business degree?? Well think no more!

Here at Evangel University we offer a variety of majors including management, marketing, accounting, finance, public administration and business education!

Not sure a Business degree is for you? Why not pair your field of study with a minor in international business, human resource management, management, marketing, accounting, finance, public administration or business education?!?!

With options like this the combinations are endless!!

Also! Here at EU we encourage a Christian worldview of business and our graduates actually have an advantage when entering the workforce because organizations are eager to hire people who demonstrate values, integrity, and character.

Business may be one of the most challenging, flexible, and practical paths you can choose, regardless of the vocational area you feel called to enter. Our business graduates are not only taking key roles in for-profit enterprises, they are helping lead humanitarian, ministry, and government organizations around the world achieve their mission and goals. We learn from them to keep our curriculum and practices relevant.

Our department is recognized for the quality of our programs and our students consistently rank at the highest levels in regional and national business competitions.

But what's our most outstanding quality? It's our stellar staff who fall far from the typical "those who can't do, teach"! Our professors have been there and done that! (and successfully too!) They represent some of the most innovative and talented business men and women that one could meet! These awesome professors will become your advisers and help walk you through class selection and guide you through classes all while serving as your mentors, giving you priceless insight into the business world!