LUKENDA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

LUKENDA SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS
VOLUME I, ISSUE 1
DECEMBER 2013
Lake Superior State Universty
South Hall Renovation Project Update
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder took time out from the Sault Ste. Marie
SmartZone accelerator building opening on Aug. 16 to take in a quick
briefing on Lake Superior State University's South Hall Lukenda School of
Business renovation project slated to start next spring. Joining him were
State Representative Frank Foster and State Senator Howard Walker.
Gov. Snyder approved the $12 million construction project earlier this
month, with the state investing $9 million and LSSU securing private donations for the remaining $3 million. The renovation includes much
needed infrastructure upgrades, as well as classroom and office renovations. The project adds approximately 12,000 sq. ft. to connect the building’s original two wings and form an atrium that creates an interactive
commons with an expanded café, new program rooms, and support space.
Shown here in front of South Hall with elevation renderings are, from left,
LSSU President Tony McLain, Gov. Snyder, Sen. Walker, and Rep. Foster.
http://www.lssu.edu/whats_new/articles.php?articleid=2664
Enrollment Up in the Lukenda School of Business
For the second consecutive year, enrollment in the Lukenda
School of Business continues to increase. This Fall enrollment was up 4.4%.
Sports and Events Marketing
Students Set New Record for
Community Fundraising
Eighteen students in Prof.
Valerie Philips’ Fall 2013
MRKT 379 class succeeded
in raising more than $5,600
(net) for two community initiatives: the Department of
Human Services (DHS)
“Care for Kids” fund, which
provides for special programs
for local area foster and underprivileged children, and
War Memorial Hospital’s
“Road to Recovery” program, which assists cancer
patients with transportation to
out-of-town chemotherapy
and radiation appointments.
Students in the class created,
organized, and hosted The
DHS Golf Scramble event in
mid-October, as well as Sault
Ste. Marie’s first-ever color
run, “Colors for Cancer,” on
November 3, which attracted
more than 100 runners to
LSSU’s campus. Importantly, students raised the
$5,600 in net proceeds in less
than 8 weeks, and outperformed last year’s class by
securing an additional $1,500
(+35% vs. 2012) for the two
causes.
Page 2
LUKENDA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
The LSSU Board of Trustees recently granted tenure to two faculty from the Lukenda School of Business.
Professor Mindy (Poliski) McCready teaches Accounting. McCready is a Certified Public Accountant
and has seven years work experience in the public accounting field. She keeps her accounting skills sharp
by providing professional services to local organizations such as the Diane Peppler Resource Center, The
Sault Education Association and the Sault Wesleyan Church.
Dr. Ralf Wilhelms is a senior business analyst and entrepreneur. He was hired as an Assistant Professor
in the Lukenda School of Business in 2009. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2011. Wilhelms
serves on the editorial board for the International Journal of Business and Management Research. Over
the past four years, he has enjoyed the financial support of organizations such as the Michigan Economic
Development Cooperation, Michigan State University and several federal agencies.
Enactus is a
worldwide
organization in over
36 countries. Enactus
teams strive to make
the world a better
place through the
positive power of
business.
ENACTUS
The Society for Human
Resource Management
(SHRM) is the world’s
largest association
devoted to human
resource management.
The Society serves the
needs of HR
professionals and
advances the interests of
the HR profession
SOCIETY OF HUMAN RES OURCE MANAGEMENT
Lake Superior State’s 2013
-2014 chapter is comprised
of over 25 members, and is
working on projects this
year to help them compete
at the National competition
this spring.
Lake State Enactus is currently working on 4 projects this year. Our first
project GREENS is in the
process of designing plans
for local business to help
them to become greener
and help them save money.
Healthy Kids is another
project that our team is
working on, we are helping teach the students in
The LSSU chapter of SHRM
recently hosted Alumnus
Bobbie (Heilman) Kyle, Phr.
Ms. Kyle presented to the
group about her position as
Human Resource specialist
at Old Mission Bank. She
also gave the students some
insight into preparing for the
Phr exam.
SHRM offers an Assurance
of Learning exam that students can take one year prior
our community the importance of healthy eating. Project Elle is working with the Diane Peppler Resource Center to
help the women currently
at the shelter get back on
their feet and assist them
in trying to find jobs, creating resumes, and also
helping them create a
monthly budget. Our last
project The Full Movement is working with the
Campbell’s Let’s Can
Hunger grant, by collection canned food and cash
donations to donate to our
local food bank.
to graduation and up to one
year after graduation. The
LSSU Chapter of SHRM
will be hosting study sessions during Spring semester
for anyone interested in taking this exam. The exam is
$135.00 for SHRM members
and $155.00 for nonmembers.
This spring we will be traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio to
compete at Enactus Nationals with teams from all
over the country. At nationals we also have an opportunity to attend a career fair
with numerous companies
to find jobs for graduation
seniors, and internships for
underclassmen.
If you have any questions
about Enactus, or have any
suggestions for our team,
please contact us at [email protected].
Page 3
V O LU M E 1 , I S S U E 1
LSSU ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY
Student Katie Weckesser
and Professor Robert
Boston complete an
Economic Impact Study for
LSSU.
Each student who attends
Lake Superior State University brings $45,000
worth of economic activity
annually to the region, for
a total economic impact of
$113 million per year, according to a study recently undertaken by an
LSSU professor and one
of his students.
LSSU professor of business Robert Boston and
student Katie Weckesser,
a senior finance and economics major from East
Lansing, completed the
study in the spring and
recently presented it to
the LSSU Board of Trustees. Boston and David
Finley, dean of the LSSU
School of Business and
Engineering, later presented the study to the
Sault Ste. Marie City
Commission on Oct. 7.
Boston and Weckesser
said the study showed
that the economic impact
of LSSU in the community
means the equivalent of
1,400 jobs, or 9 percent of
all of the jobs in Chippewa County. The two
said the total includes $27
million in wages circulated
in the local economy, and
$10 million spent by visitors who come to campus
to visit students, hold
business meetings, and
more. Students spend
$37 million in tuition, room
and board, in addition to
food and services in the
community.
Sigma Beta Delta Induction
On Friday, April 19, 2013, the Lukenda School of Business
Sigma Beta Delta 2013 Induction Class
inducted 24 students into the business honor society, Sigma
Beta Delta. Junior and Senior students were selected based
on their class ranking and school involvement. Membership
is the highest national recognition a business student can
receive at a college or university with a Sigma Beta Delta
chapter. To be eligible for membership, a business student
must rank in the upper 20 percent of the junior, senior or
master’s class and be invited to membership by the faculty
officers. The purposes of Sigma Beta Delta are to encourage
and recognize scholarship and achievement among students
of business, management and administration, and to encourage and promote personal and professional improvement
and a life distinguished by honorable service to humankind.
ACBSP Accreditation
The Lukenda School of Business is continuing on the
path toward ACBSP accreditation. Our preliminary
visit questionnaire was approved by ACBSP
(Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs) in September 2013, and we were given permission to begin our self– study. We are currently working
on the Self-Study with the goal of submitting the document in August 2014.
Congratulations to Professors Valerie Philips and Gerald Root on their recent promotion to Associate
Professor, effective Fall 2013.
Lukenda School of Business Professional Advisory Board
Advisory Board from College of Business Meet
This past month saw the Lukenda School of Business Professional Advisory Board visit campus. These
alumni and friends of LSSU from throughout the Midwest gave generously of their time in support of students
in the school. In addition to the standard board activity reports and school updates, board members discussed
the status of various industries and specific company initiatives with student attendees. Students shared brief
overviews of the many exciting projects that are being undertaken this year. In another session, students
anonymously share the good, bad, and ugly of their time on campus, along with ideas for improvement. Advisory board attendees were presented specific ideas for "giving back" to strengthen these academic programs,
as well as bolster enrollment.
Members of the Lukenda School of Business Professional Advisory Board are:
David Firack
CEO
Old Mission Bank
Dennis West
President
Northern Initiatives
Katie Pepin
Controller
Precision Edge Surgical Products
Bruce Orttenburger
President & CEO
Dickinson Area Partnership
Mark Nogalo
Vice-President-Operations
Essar Steel
James Brogan III (Jay)
CEO
Hiawatha Communications Inc .
Tom Fornicola
Owner
Subway/Dairy Queen
Cathy Abramson
Director, Unit 1
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Jan Bednarz
Vice-President
MJ Insurance, Inc
Cathy Mason
Senior Vice President
Central Savings Bank
Don Wilson
Owner
Don Wilson Insurance Agency
Sherry Brooks
Vice President for Finance
Lake Superior State University
JoAnne Lussier
Director
Sault Area Career Center
Pat Caruso
Former Director
Michigan Department of Corrections
Stephen Peacock, CPA
Principal
Rehmann
Kerry M. Jones
Owner
Burns and Eustice Agency