Category: Career Success Center

Students across OSU will have the opportunity to enhance their professional sales skills, thanks to a newly launching initiative in the College of Business. The Sales Academy comes to OSU in the 2018-19 academic year with the backing of numerous regional and global corporate partners.

The Sales Academy combines both academic and extracurricular activities, giving students interested in developing or improving their knowledge of professional sales tactics and strategies.

The Sales Academy is centered on a series of learning modules that culminate with a resume-building certificate from the College of Business Sales Academy. An annual sales competition will pit area universities’ best sales teams in a real-world scenario to test their skills.

The Sales Academy extends from a corporate partnership wherein sponsoring businesses, those with a stake in cultivating a talented pool of sales employees, get involved as mentors, teachers and backers of the academy’s multiple learning opportunities.

Pacific Office Automation, title sponsor of the Sales Academy, is an office management and office information technology solutions provider with locations throughout the Pacific Northwest and Southwest United States.

POA President Doug Pitassi says that the topic of access to trained sales professionals is a common discussion point among his network of small- to medium-sized businesses owners and executives. These businesses all seek the same solution – a better supply of trained workers.

Pitassi also seeks to create a deeper understanding of the negotiating, relationship-building skills, and expertise of a sales professional. He seeks to elevate the value and sophistication of sales skills as a professional skill set.

“A big objective for me is to connect with students and convey that there’s a great deal of security in sales, and this is about an investment in your ability to conquer a great skill, whatever product or service you’re selling.”

Danelle Kronmiller, director of strategic partnerships at the College of Business, says that the POA title sponsorship is just one of the many ways that businesses can turn thought leadership on a solution that benefits an industry in particular or the economy of Oregon.

“POA has helped us address one area of concern that sales-driven business models face,” Kronmiller said. “We have room for more partners in the Sales Academy. But ultimately we are ready to execute on the next great idea that will support our students and contribute to the economy of Oregon.”

Paint manufacturer, distributor and seller paint coatings and related products Sherwin-Williams, is a bronze sponsor of the 2018 Sales Academy, and Modesto, Calif.-based E. & J. Gallo Winery, the largest winery in the world, also is a bronze sponsor.

Contact:

Danelle Kronmiller
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Oregon State University College of Business
Tel.: 541-737-6648

Email: danelle.kronmiller@oregonstate.edu
business.oregonstate.edu

About the OSU College of Business: The College of Business educates students for success in managing and developing sustainable, innovative enterprises in a dynamic economy. With strong graduate and undergraduate programs, internationally recognized scholarly research, and an emphasis on experiential learning, the college helps students and businesses succeed.

Business, leadership, health, strength and service to society ― these are some of the many torches our lineup of panelists carry to the first Corvallis-based Advancing Women in Leadership strategic discussion this month.

The November 29 meeting, hosted by the OSU Center for the Advancement of Women in Leadership and the OSU Women in Leadership student club, brings together Julie Jones Manning, former Corvallis mayor and vice president for marketing, public relations and community health promotion at Samaritan Health Services; Ilene Kleinsorge, professor and dean emeritus, OSU College of Business, and Marianne Vydra, deputy athletics director for administration/senior woman administrator, Oregon State Athletics.

The Corvallis discussion series follows the model of the highly successful Portland-based series now entering its third year of quarterly events. Though the Corvallis-based series does aim to facilitate student involvement, expanding the series makes OSU’s academic thought leaders, Corvallis and the area’s entrepreneurial-minded leaders even more accessible to our students.

These signature networking and discussion series are part of the core activities of the Center for the Advancement of Women in Leadership, founded with the mission to change the landscape of business leadership by moving women into leadership roles in industry and create the pathway for women’s perspectives to have equitable influence on business decisions and growth.

Thursday, Nov. 29, 5 to 7 pm  |  Austin Hall, Stirek Auditorium  |  Corvallis, OR 97331

RSVP

Read more about our panelists:

Julie Jones Manning is vice president for marketing, public relations and community health promotion at Samaritan Health Services, a Corvallis-based regional health system comprising hospitals, physicians and health plans serving Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties.

In addition to her responsibilities at Samaritan Health, Manning served as mayor of Corvallis for four years from 2010 to 2014.

Manning remains an active community volunteer. She co-chairs the Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties and is a member of the Oregon State University Board of Trustees. She is also a board member of the Benton Community Foundation, Oregon Humanities and the Greater Oregon chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She serves on the Oregon Community Foundation’s Leadership Council for the Southern Willamette region.

She was named Corvallis’ First Citizen in 2004.

Ilene Kleinsorge, professor and dean emeritus retired in June 2015 as the Sara Hart Kimball Dean of the College of Business at Oregon State University. Kleinsorge had served in that capacity for more than 12 years. She directed a business program that educated nearly 5,800 students including 3,900 business majors and pre-majors, nearly 850 business and entrepreneurship minors and more than 800 students in the School of Design and Human Environment.

A faculty member of the College of Business at OSU since 1987, she served as department chair of Accounting, Finance, and Information Management from 1995-2001 and again from 2001-2002. She was appointed dean in 2003. Most of Dean Kleinsorge’s teaching and research focused on cost and managerial accounting systems with emphasis on multinational companies and healthcare.

Kleinsorge also served as the technical advisor for the Governor’s Oregon Innovation Council, is past chair of the Western Association of Collegiate Schools of Business, was a member of the Executive Commercialization Advisory Council for OSU, and served on numerous boards. She was at Oregon State for 25 years and is often known to say, “I came for a job and stayed for the people.”

Marianne Vydra, deputy athletics director for administration/senior woman administrator, Oregon State Athletics, is a part of an executive team that has guided OSU Athletics into a new era that encompasses success on the fields of play, but also outside of the competitive arenas through leadership initiatives and academic programs.

Vydra was promoted to senior associate athletic director/senior woman administrator in 2008 by then Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart. In February 2015 CollegeAD named her one of the top 10 senior woman’s administrators in the NCAA. She served as OSU’s interim director of athletics in July 2015.

As part of the executive team that oversees 17 sports and over 500 student-athletes, Vydra’s vast array of responsibilities include heading the senior staff strategic planning group, human resource management, student-athlete welfare (sports medicine, strength and conditioning, NCAA Life Skills, and the Leadership Institute), and is the supervisor for several men’s and women’s sports. She is the department’s liaison for Title IX/gender equity, student fees and the Athletic Advisory Council. Vydra also serves at the NCAA Certification Steward and assists with the department’s budget development.

The native of Missouri serves on numerous OSU, Pac-12 Conference and national governance committees. She currently is the chairperson for the NCAA Women’s Soccer and Softball Committees, is a member of the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Committee and is on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. Vydra recently served as the vice president of the executive board of the Pac-12 and has been a member of the Long Range Planning Committee, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Diversity Initiative Committee, the women’s basketball tournament committee, and the league’s television committee.

One year to a bachelor’s degree, with our Lane Community College fast-track arrangement

One year to a bachelor’s degree, you’ve read that right!

Graduates with a business associates of applied science from the Eugene, Ore.-based Lane Community College can earn their bachelors degree in business from Oregon State University in one year thanks to an innovative new plan. College of Business Dean Mitzi Montoya and Lane Community College President Margaret Hamilton signed an agreement today in Corvallis, the first fast-track arrangement between the two educators.

Lane Community College and OSU College of Business have developed the agreement for LCC associate of applied science business graduates to transfer to Oregon State University and complete the coursework necessary for a bachelor’s in just one year.

Oregon State University has degree partnerships with all seventeen Oregon community colleges to provide a smooth path for Oregon students to earn their four-year degree. However, the LCC agreement is the first of its kind to build out the expedited curriculum plan. This is a great opportunity that paves the way for similar partnerships between LCC and other colleges at OSU.

“We’ve looked for a partner to establish this model, and we expect others to follow suit,” said Hamilton. “It’s a great day for our business programs, and it has been wonderful to see how well our students are treated when they get here.”

The agreement effectively creates a “2 + 1” degree that opens up options for Lane business students that aren’t available locally. The agreement will save students hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars while completing a bachelor’s at an outstanding business school.

Under the agreement, OSU will accept up to 120 credit hours from LCC that will count toward undergraduate business administration degree requirements. Students will then complete 60 upper-division credit hours at OSU to earn their bachelor’s degree.

“We’re excited to pave the way with innovative partnerships that give more students access to an OSU degree,” Montoya said.

The agreement provides for close personal attention for students to ensure success, including orientations, trainings, personal advising, appointment scheduling, access to scholarships, access to upper-division hybrid courses, and other assistance.

LCC and OSU anticipate improved admission, retention, and degree completion as a result of the arrangement.

The agreement will be reviewed in three years.

College of Business Recognizes Contributions of Tom Dowling

“The year was 1982. Michael Jackson’s now iconic album, Thriller, had just been released. The average cost of a home was $82,000. Gasoline was a mere 91 cents per gallon. This also was the year Tom Dowling began a 36-year career educating students in the OSU College of Business…” begins Daniel Lykins, director of teaching and learning, in his roast to honor retiring instructor Tom Dowling’s three-plus decades of service to the college at the 2018 Celebration of Achievement.

Dowling, who began his career teaching undergraduate courses, has most notably contributed to the college’s MBA program with leadership of the students’ Integrated Business Projects.

Read more of Lykins remarks below:

“The most visible portion of Tom’s career is perhaps his work with our MBA program. In 1992 Tom started a new role in the graduate program as a thesis advisor, and in 2001, was a key contributor to the development and introduction of the Integrated Business Project or the IBP.

“Tom played a large role in our MBA IBP program. One of his peers noted that Tom has a knack for helping struggling teams do a more credible job by the end of the year. His role was more than a teacher – it required diplomacy, coaching, leading.

“The first IBP plan was written for Corvallis’ very own NuScale Power, a successful power technology company, which still maintains a close relationship with OSU.

“Many IBP projects led to successful businesses, including a new malaria medication, the first portable dialysis unit approved by FDA, a medical isotope approved by the NRC, and countless others.

“Since 2001, these partner companies have generated more than a billion dollars in revenue based on the projects completed by our MBA student teams.

“Tom was one of the first recipients of the Betty & Forrest Simmons Graduate Teaching Award. He also received the Byron L. Newton Undergraduate Teaching Award. Additionally, he was awarded not one, but two of those prestigious and highly coveted Bernie Newcomb Awards.

“In these last two decades, Tom has served as thesis advisor to more than 200 MBA student teams, and over the course of his career, taught more than 10,000 students.

“Tom’s colleagues fondly remember him as ‘just-in-time Tom’ — which might explain why he was the last one to arrive tonight.

“Nonetheless, there is no doubt that his efforts over his time at OSU will leave a lasting impact on the quality and reputation of our MBA program, and the future achievements of our graduate students.

“Tom, thank you for your three and half decades of service to this college. We wish you well in your retirement.”

——

Tom Dowling earned his bachelor’s degree in international studies from Ohio University, graduating summa cum laude, and in 1978, earned his master’s degree in management from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Shortly after his graduation, Tom founded Dowling Consulting Services, Inc., a firm providing consulting services in strategic analysis, strategic planning, and business plan creation. The firm has served both domestic and international clients, from small organizations to Fortune 100 and 500 firms. Tom also later co-founded American Computer & Electronic Services, an IT services and computer engineering consulting firm in 1981, and founded ACES Medical in 2014. 

Our Hollywood heavy hitters are coming ― the Office of the Provost and the College of Liberal Arts welcome you to a bonus appearance from commencement speaker Harley Jessup (BFA ’76) and screenwriter Mike Rich (‘81). Friday, June 15 @ LaSells. Facebook event page.

Commencement speaker Harley Jessup (BFA ’76) and screenwriter Mike Rich (‘81) will discuss their work in a program centered on clips from their most iconic films. Moderated by Peter Betjemann, Director of the School of Writing, Literature, and Film.

Harley Jessup has worked at Pixar Animation Studios since 1996, where his credits as production designer include such films as Coco, Ratatouille, Cars 2, The Good Dinosaur, and Monsters, Inc. Previously at Lucasfilm, Industrial Light and Magic, and Disney, he worked on The Hunt for Red October, James and the Giant Peach, and many other films. He received an Academy Award for Visual Effects for Innerspace in 1988.

Mike Rich broke onto the screenwriting scene in 1998, when his screenplay for Finding Forrester won the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship and became a box-office hit starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, and Busta Rhymes. Since then, he has become a go-to screenwriter in Hollywood, with credits that include such films as The Rookie, Secretariat, Radio, and Cars 3.

Audience questions will be welcome throughout the program by voice and mobile device.

Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the College of Liberal Arts.

Read our feature interview “Words of Wisdom from Master Storyteller Mike Rich“

Student groups host fashion evening

It was a beautiful but blustery evening – hence, no need for wind machines on this catwalk to add flounce and flair to the fashions as Mother Nature got that detail down.

The rest of the details – and there were many – from a requisite high-volume, heavy-bass sound system, crowds of spectators, and gorgeous models to the inspired clothing collections of burgeoning designers were handled to great success by student groups, the National Retail Federation Student Association and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists.

“Revolution,” the inaugural fashion event of the newly formed student clubs affiliated with the Merchandising Management and Design & Innovation Management majors at the college, featured the work of talented designers, and tapped into the edgy, global mood of change, sustainability and future uncertainty.

The first part of the show welcomed the talents of student designers from across OSU campus featuring “upcycled” garments constructed from discarded items, e.g., plastic bags, a Swiss military sleeping bag, old denim, fabric found in a dumpster, etc.

The second segment showcased the College of Business’ Apparel Design majors, and featured truly unique to OSU, unique to Oregon inspirations. Where else in the world will you see a wedding dress designed from waterproof material? Go Beavs!

The show, which created a space for each designer’s unique point of view, told a story that encompassed power, equality, and self-worth. Five designers ventured into the dystopian space of upcycled fashion; six submitted a single garment, and apparel design program students created seventeen collections.

The results – bright neon blocks of color, brave necklines, a patchwork of unique details and fabrics, complex paired with comfortable – came together in a long parade of stunning designs.

Bravo, brava, bravi! A great shout out to the designers, models, members of both organizations AATCC and NRFSA, faculty, the Memorial Union and Student Experience Center for their contributions and outstanding performance.

(p.s. Like our Facebook photos!)

CONGRATULATIONS, DESIGNERS!

Upcycled Garments

• Jordan Farris
• Amber Hill
• Xuyang Huang
• Irina Sergeyeva
• Payton Smyer

Single Garments

• Carley Conduff
• Nicole Goecke
• Xin Yu Liu
• Alex Podeschi & Lauren Clay
• Marie Recine

Collections

• Katie Alston
• Cassie Downing
• Jessica Downing
• Jordan Farris
• Amber Hill
• Leah Jaeger
• Lauren Johnson
• Melany Mailangkay
• Meryl Muckenthaler
• Hannah Norum
• Marie Recine (2 collections)
• Kirklynn Russell
• Irina Sergeyeva
• Payton Smyer
• Alaura Unger
• Catherine Wong

A streak begins! Oregon State women golfers are back in the Regionals for the second year in a row, hitting a consecutive-years streak for postseason play not matched since 2000-2001, and making another strong statement for second-year head coach Dawn Shockley.

College of Business junior Olivia Benzin, sophomores Nicole Schroeder and Mari Nishiura will represent OSU along with Susie Cavanagh and Ellie Slama at the NCAA Division I tournament.

In total, four women of the seven-member golf squad are studying in the College of Business: Benzin,  Schroeder, Nishiura and Haley Nist, and the group has earned academic accolades for the season in addition to postseason rankings.

Team lauded for highest GPA among women’s athletics

At the May 2018 Academic Achievement Dinner the women’s golf team was honored for holding the highest team GPA among all OSU women’s sports teams. Olivia Benzin earned the highest GPA on the team. Teammates Nist and Schroeder also were recognized for student-athlete achievements.

Congratulations for their hard work in the classroom and on the green!

OSU women’s golf is among the 72 teams competing in the NCAA Division I Regionals at four tournament locations around the nation on May 7-9 at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis., hosted by the University of Wisconsin.

The Beavers are seeded 14th of the 18 teams at Madison. Arizona State, the third seed in the Madison regional, is the women’s defending national champion.

Six teams from each regional advance to the championship on May 18-23 at Karsten Creek Golf Club, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, hosted by Oklahoma State University. The Beavers finished seventh last year in Lubbock, Texas, their best-ever finish at NCAA Regionals.

Go Beavs!