Bottom Line header
Summer 2009
In This Issue
Dean's Message
Dubai Travel Study
ACBSP Update
Real Estate Club
Japan External Trade Organization
Real Estate Speaker Series
Senior Reception & Awards Ceremony
Project Management Minor
BS in Information Security and Risk Management
Faculty News
Upcoming Events
July 14, 2009 - MSIS Online Open House
Learn more about the online and in-class MSIS Program
If you have any questions or comments regarding The Bottom Line E-Newsletter, contact Editor Tracy Joyce at [email protected] or (815) 836.5991.
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Message from the DeanRami

Welcome to the second issue of The College of Business and Graduate School of Management's (COB/GSM) e-newsletter, The Bottom Line. I would like to thank you for your feedback and comments from our first issue. We truly appreciate your suggestions and will be working towards applying them in future issues.
 
Since our last issue was published, we have seen some signs of improvement in the economy.  Although we were expecting things to get better faster and sooner, I believe we need to be more patient.  Things will continue to improve, and I would like to encourage all of us to continue practicing personal and business sustainability.          
 
This issue will provide you with information about the various events and projects that the COB/GSM have completed in Spring 2009, such as the travel study trip to Dubai, the "U.S.-Japan Collaboration and Opportunities: A Dialogue" Symposium, the new BS in Information Security and Risk Management, and many more.   I hope you enjoy reading this issue.  Please feel free to continue to email us with your feedback and comments.

 

Dr. Rami Khasawneh

Dean and Professor

College of Business and Graduate School of Management

Dubai's Success Offers Lessons to Lewis Students
The City of Dubai's rapid economic growth in recent years inspired the Lewis University College of Business and Graduate School of Management to sponsor its first travel study trip to the City of Dubai. The trip was during spring break, Feb. 28-March 8, 2009, as a part of the College's Study Travel program.

 "It was a good learning experience for all. It let themDubai (students) see that part of the world, and it was not what they expected," commented Dr. Rami Khasawneh, dean of the College of Business & Graduate School of Management. He led the trip that included visits to several economic and cultural centers, including the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the Dubai Financial Markets, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, local businesses (including a ceramics, environmental technologies and pharmaceutical companies), and Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven Emirates and the capitol of the United Arab Emirates.

Bashir Zayid, a chemistry major from Palos Park, commented, "I learned more about the different culture. It is quite different from here."

 

The trip also inspired the Lewis student to consider future possibilities. Zayid continued, "I did not expect myself to enjoy the trip as much as I did, and to actually start thinking about job opportunities and graduate school in Dubai."

 

Dubai is quickly emerging as a trading, services, financial, transportation and leisure hub for the region. The city's economy is estimated at $46 billion, with extensive real estate developments. Father Kevin Spiess, professor of business administration and academic director of the Master of Science in Management program, commented, "It was an eye-opening experience for many students." He described the group that went as very diverse, a mix of graduate and undergraduate students of various backgrounds and ethnicities. Father Spiess said, "It was a great group."

 

More travel study trips are currently being planned for the coming summer/academic year to Brazil, India, Italy and Spain. For more information about the experiences, contact Chris Swanson, director of International Study Abroad, at [email protected] or (815) 836-5993.

Scoring for ACBSP Accreditation

Faisal
Kevin Lang "scores an iPod nano" for the highest score on the ETS Major Field Test (MFT).  Presenting are Dr. Rami Khasawneh and Marvin Bates, Director of ACBSP Accreditation. 
 
Progress continues to be made on the College of Business' initiative to obtain ACBSP Accreditation.  The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) is the leading specialized accreditation association for business education which supports, celebrates, and rewards teaching excellence. 
 
The COB completed the pilot student assessment using ETS Major Field Test (MFT) in business.  This initial assessment was completed at the end of the Spring Term 2009.  The MFT measures student learning in eight functional business areas.  Test results enable the academic departments to refine and improve curriculum development, gauge the progress of students compared to others in the program and those in similar programs at schools throughout the country. 
 
Kevin Lang, a double major in Finance and International Business, achieved the highest score on the MFT and "scored the iPod nano".  After receiving the iPod, Kevin commented "I was glad to help the COB in the accreditation project.  It is important, and I wanted to support the COB in obtaining this additional accreditation."
 
The senior students participated in this assessment for multiple reasons including: 1) the opportunity to "score an iPod nano", 2) for a self-assessment identifying strengths and weaknesses, and 3) as a practice exam before taking the GMAT or LSAT exams.
 
Going forward, the ETS Major Field Test will become a component in several senior level business courses, and will be taken as an ongoing course requirement.  Ultimately, completing the ETS MFT will become a requirement for graduation for all COB business students.
 
For additional information on the COB accreditation initiative, contact Marvin Bates, Director of ACBSP Accreditation, [email protected]

Real Estate Club
On April 15th, 2009, The Real Estate Club held its second meeting in the University Conference Room in the LRC, and featured speakers who presented information on foreclosures and careers in real estate.
 
Jay Boetscher, owner of Legend Mortgage, shared information with the real estate club about the foreclosure process.  He answered questions about how to find and finance foreclosures, and he explained the process of buying a house that is being foreclosed on.  Boetscher demonstrated his extensive knowledge about this subject, and helped educate the real estate club participants about this timely subject.
 
The second speaker was Mr. Peter Petrouski, Commercial Real Estate Broker with National Realty Network.  His discussion illustrated the many different career opportunities in commercial real estate, including brokerage, asset and property management, development and consulting.  Mr. Petrouski encouraged the real estate club members to pursue real estate education as the foundations for their careers.  He also mentioned that the current economic downturn may prove to be the optimal time to gain knowledge of real estate because as the industry recovers, there will be an increased demand for those trained in real estate.
 
The next real estate club meeting is scheduled for September 17, 2009.

Successful networking event connects American and Japanese businesses, students

More than 200 Lewis University students and business community members attended the "U.S.-Japan Collaboration and Opportunities: a Dialogue" symposium at Lewis University in Romeoville. The Lewis University College of Business, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the official overseas trade agency of Japan, and the Will County Center for Economic Development partnered to present the event.

 

The symposium focused on themes relating to education, energy and business. Dr. Frank Rose, Lewis University professor and co-organizer of the symposium, commented, "The nature of the dialogue between the attendees and the speakers, and the written feedback we received from the participants indicate that the attendees found the discussions of all three themes illuminating."
    

Speakers included: Gen Hajime Ito, president of JETRO New YorkJetro and, formerly, advisor to the Japanese prime minister on energy and environmental issues; Michio Katsumata, a professor of American Studies at Akita International University following a long career in journalism, Steven Gan, president of Stellar Risk Management Services, Inc. in Northbrook, IL., (who previously established and ran a successful business in Tokyo); and Sam Cremin, global director of marketing for Molex, Inc. in Lisle, a multinational firm with 40 years of experience doing business in Japan.
    

"The insights gained from these speakers were invaluable in broadening the international horizons of the symposium participants from the Lewis community," added Rose. He indicated that future symposiums are currently being explored.

Are the bailout programs helping Real Estate?
The Lowell Stahl Center for Real Estate Studies continued its Speaker Series with a panel discussion on the economic stimulus package and financial bailout programs. The event was held in the Student Union Commons on the Romeoville campus, Tuesday, April 21, 2009. 
 
The presentation focused on the $700 billion TARP initiative and whether or not it was starting to have an effect on commercial real estate. Featured panelists included Mr. Keith Stauber, SIOR, Senior Regional Director, First Industrial Realty Trust, Mr. James Whittington; Managing Director of Finance and Investments, U.S. Equities Realty; Mr. John Heiberger, Real Estate Group Manager, The Private Bank; and Mr. Chris Macke, CEO, General Equity Real Estate.  The discussion was moderated by Mr. Scott Krafthefer, Director, Lowell Stahl Center for Real Estate Studies, Lewis University.  
 
The next Speaker Series event is scheduled for September 24, 2009.
Spring 2009 Senior Reception and Awards Ceremony 
The College of Business hosted its annual Spring Senior Reception and Awards Ceremony in the University Dining Room, Friday, May 1, 2009.  This event is held to recognize the graduating seniors with a pin and for those who have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher with 56 Lewis credit hours also received a medallion to be worn at commencement. 
Several students also received awards for their high Bushra & Rebeccaachievements.  Rebecca Jack and August Billquist received the Outstanding Student Awards.  Mr. Larry Ollearis presented Jamie Siedlaczek and Ryan Wolbing with the Delta Sigma Pi keys, and Teryn Jacobson was awarded the American Marketing Award from Mr. Art Regal. The Becker Conviser Awards were presented to senior, Allison Kief and junior, Darius Kizys. Mr. Michael Progress presented Michael Galloway and Sondra Tschirhart with the EAB Champion Scholarship Award.

Congratulations to all of the graduating seniors. We wish you luck on your future endeavors.

Please click here to view all the photos from the Senior Reception and Awards Ceremony

Earn a Minor in Project Management 
The College of Business initiated a minor in project management for the Spring 2009 semester.  This minor would be attractive to students from different disciplines including Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Computer Information Systems, or Aviation. 
 
Project management is a dynamic and expanding field. The Minor in Project Management is designed to immerse students in the foundation and theories of sound project management techniques.  Upon completion of this minor, students will be able to define the attributes of a project, identify the steps involved in the project management process, articulate the benefits of project management, and understand the project management life cycle. The field of project management is supported by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
 
Demand for project managers will grow as businesses and government continue to invest in innovation, quality, and aggressive growth.  The project management profession will be placed under increased pressure as global competition continues to expand. The demand is high for project management positions.

PMI indicates that membership in PMI grew by 22% and the total number of certified Project Management Professionals grew 25% from 2002-2003.  It is a great time to earn a minor in the field of project management.
 
COB's project management courses and seminars are certified by the PMI as a preferred educational provider. 
BS in Information Security
The Bachelor of Science in Information Security and Risk Management (BSIS) is a new undergraduate degree program through the College of Business (COB).  The BSIS is offered for those interested in protecting information from hackers trying to exploit the Internet.  The demand for qualified individuals to protect organizational assets has greatly increased. 
 
There are many great internship opportunities in this field, allowing for students to earn credit toward a bachelor's degree while gaining experience through on-the-job training.
 
The demand for Information Security Specialists has increased as cyber attacks have become more common.  This field will continue to grow as businesses and government continue to invest in protecting computer networks.  A BSIS can offer careers as, network security engineer, security architect, security analysts, and many more. 
 
To learn more about the BSIS please visit the following website:
http://www.lewisu.edu/academics/infosecrisk/showacademicprog.htm?pdegreeid=294&pdegree=Information
Faculty News
Dean Khasawneh Member on ACBSP Editorial BoardRami

Dr. Rami Khasawneh, dean of the College of Business, was invited to join the Editorial Board for ACBSP, Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, Conference Proceedings.  He also was editor of the Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Technical Barriers to Trade and Standardization.   


Professor Marvin Bates and Dean Khasawneh Speak at ACBSP Conference

BatesProfessor Marvin Bates and Dr. Rami Khasawneh made a presentation titled, Doing More with Less: Transformation through the Initial ACBSP Accreditation- Challenges, Strategies and Hints for Success at the ACBSP Conference in June 2009.


 
 
COB Faculty Led a Panel Discussion
Dr. Faisal Abdullah, Dr. Laura Leli-Carmine,Dr. Eveann Lovero,Laura Leli-Carmine and Dr. Rami Khasawneh participated in a panel discussion titled, Online Education: What is the Future of Online Education and Technology Used at the MBAA, Midwest Business Administration Association, Interrnational Conference in March 2009.
 
Business Administration Professor Presents at Conference
Bob Atra

Dr. Roberto Gamarra, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, presented a paper at The Second International Business Conference at Reading University, United Kingdom, on March 30, 2009; "Catching Up and Technology Ownership in International Business Theorizing." The chief aim of this paper is to make a contribution to International Business Theory to make it relevant for both international managers and students of International Business.

 
 

Business Administration Professor, Paper AcceptedGKlemic 

Dr. George Klemic, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, and his research partner, Roger Goodson, have just had a paper titled, "The Internet, ICT'S, Learning and Communities of Practice," accepted for the Ubiquitous Learning Conference to be held at Northeastern University in Boston during December 2009.
 
COB Faculty Promoted
Dr. Faisal Abdullah is promoted from Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems to Associate Professor of Management Information Systems.Dr. Abdullah is the director of the Master of Science in Information Systems. He has been a part of the Lewis community since 2005. 
 
 
Frank RoseDr. Frank Rose. is promoted from Assistant Professor of Finance to Associate Professor of Finance. Dr. Rose is a former Senior Vice President of Strategic and Product Research, at the Chicago Board of Trade.  He has been at Lewis for the past four years.    
If you have any questions or comments regarding The Bottom Line E-Newsletter, contact Editor Tracy Joyce at [email protected] or (815) 836.5991.
                                 Belltower