Month: March 2014

UConn MBA Business Trip Immerses Students in Chinese Business, Culture, and History

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UConn MBA China TripAs the world’s second largest economy, it’s no wonder China is a compelling travel destination for global business programs such as those offered at UConn School of Business.

Thirty-seven MBA students traveled to China over the last Thanksgiving holiday for an intensive, 11-day study program designed to supplement their foundational business education with an understanding of the business and cultural aspects of the influential global nation.

“UConn’s travel program to China was an experience of a lifetime for me,” commented Namita Joshi ’15 MBA, manager of Drug Safety Operations at Purdue Pharma. “I had many perceptions about China regarding their business model, culture, food, population, cleanliness, etc. I literally got a ‘reality check’.”

Global Camaraderie

UConn is one of only a few MBA Programs in the U.S. to offer a study program in China that encompasses three cities. Now in its 12th year, the travel program includes visits to Beijing, Shanghai, and Jinan—the capital of Shandong Province—where the UConn School of Business has enjoyed a five-year relationship with Shandong University, with multiple faculty and student exchanges between the two universities.

One of the many highlights of the latest trip was meeting with fellow MBA students at Shandong University’s School of Management. Shandong MBAs accompanied UConn to meetings with Jinan companies and met later to network, share experiences and exchange ideas. Shandong faculty and MBAs hosted a dinner banquet in honor of the UConn visitors and invited UConn faculty member Brian Brady to present a guest lecture on entrepreneurial marketing to the associate dean, faculty and select students the following day.

Curriculum

The MBA travel program comprises two separate, but integrated, courses, OPIM 5894 – Global Supply Chain Management taught by Professor Tim Dowding, and MGMT 5894 – Management Issues in Asia taught by Brian Brady. Students may opt to take one or both courses.

As part of the curriculum, students toured and met with executives at over ten companies including Diageo, Henkel, GE Healthcare, RR Donnelley, WPP/Ogilvy & Mather Asia, SinoTruk and Tsing Tao Brewery. The group also had a private meeting with Elizabeth (Betsy) Shieh, an officer in the Foreign Commercial Service (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

“I frequently travel to Asia on business, and participating in this study program has been invaluable,” says Jean-Pierre (JP) Karam ’14 MBA, a senior project engineer at Becton, Dickinson and Company. “It has given me a first-hand look at how other companies operate in China and given me a benchmark for my company.”

Photo: UConn MBAs pose with their peers at Shandong University in Jinan, China.

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MBA

Business Honor Society Inducts New Members and Awards Scholarships

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Beta Gamma SigmaThe University of Connecticut chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, the nation’s oldest and most widely known business student association, will celebrate its 55thanniversary this year. To commemorate the occasion and in keeping with the society’s mission of recognizing and encouraging academic excellence, the UConn chapter will conduct its annual induction ceremony on April 25, 2014, as part of the larger School of Business Academic Honors and Awards ceremony.

One hundred and forty-three (143) students have been invited to become members into the Society by the BGS faculty committee and School of Business Dean John Elliott. The guest speaker this year will be Marcia Marien, a Partner and CPA at O’Connor Davies, LLP. Scholarship awards also will be presented to rising seniors who have compiled particularly distinguished academic records. The 2013 Beta Gamma Sigma scholarship recipients Jasmine Lui and Marc Schuman comment on their experience:

“It was an honor to be awarded the Beta Gamma Sigma Scholarship last year. We have always felt that the business community at UConn has supported us, but this scholarship was a form of tangible support, for which we are very grateful. Beta Gamma Sigma had many bright and talented inductees last year, so we are honored to be recipients out of such a qualified group. This scholarship has inspired us to give back to our community, and we hope that one day, as successful professionals, we will be able to help others as Beta Gamma Sigma has helped us.”

Only the top 10% of 6th semester juniors and top 10% of seniors are eligible to join Beta Gamma Sigma. Being invited to join Beta Gamma Sigma is a sign of excellence. Receiving a BGS Scholarship in addition indicates that a student has earned the right to be considered as best of the best at one of the world’s finest business schools.

Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma provides recognition for a lifetime. This lifelong commitment to its members’ academic and professional success is defined in the Society’s mission: to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, to foster personal and professional excellence, to advance the values of the Society, and to serve its lifelong members.

The Beta Gamma Sigma designation sets an individual apart from the crowd. Corporate recruiters actively seek individuals who have been elected to membership into Beta Gamma Sigma. Benefits of membership in the Society can continue long after graduation and professional life. Programs such as the BGS CareerCentral job board, BGS On-Line Community and the Alumni Network offer alumni members opportunities to stay connected and benefit from their commitment to academic excellence.

Beta Gamma Sigma was founded as a national organization on February 19, 1913. The first national honor society in business was a merger of three separate societies established to honor academic achievement in business at the University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois and the University of California. BGS celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.

With collegiate chapters on five continents, Beta Gamma Sigma today is truly an international society that remains dedicated to recognizing the most outstanding students of business and management. The Society serves business schools accredited by AACSB International in the 21st century knowing that its membership of more than 625,000 comprises the brightest and best of the world’s business leaders.

Online Accounting Certificate Program to Debut Fall 2014

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Attractive Bridge to MS in Accounting Degree. The UConn School of Business Accounting Department is pleased to announce the launch of the new online Accounting Certificate Program (ACP) commencing fall 2014.

The new program is specifically designed for college graduates and working professionals with non-accounting backgrounds who are interested in acquiring fundamental accounting knowledge. For those individuals wishing to pursue UConn’s MS in Accounting Program, which requires the same prerequisite accounting courses, the certificate provides an attractive bridge for meeting the degree’s entry requirements.

“UConn’s ACP program has broad appeal in the marketplace, especially given the online format,” says Amy Dunbar, professor and program director. “Already leaders in online accounting education with our highly successful online MSA program, we’re pleased to leverage our expertise in developing a quality online certificate program that addresses the needs of two unique constituencies – individuals who simply want more accounting education than they currently have and those who would like to use the accounting courses as a bridge to an MSA program.”

The ACP comprises four comprehensive accounting courses covering financial reporting, assurance services, and taxation. The program runs through the fall and spring semesters, culminating in the completion of the certificate in May.

Applicants for the new certificate program must have an undergraduate degree (any major) and have completed introductory financial and managerial accounting courses. After completing the ACP, individuals can apply to UConn’s MSA program and receive credit for two of the ACP courses.

The Accounting Department has seen significant interest in the MSA program from individuals in the work force, as well as from UConn students in other graduate degree programs, who generally don’t have the undergraduate accounting background required for admission.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had to decline a majority of students interested in the MSA program over the years because they simply didn’t possess the prerequisite undergraduate accounting courses,” says Mo Hussein, professor and department head of Accounting. “The next question generally asked was whether we offered the required courses here at UConn. Now, we are able to say ‘yes!'”

For more information, please visit http://msaccounting.business.uconn.edu/