Link Team practices presentation

LINK TEAM FINISHES AMONG TOP 13
IN MICROSOFT’S INTERNATIONAL SOFTWARE DESIGN COMPETITION

VCU School of Business’ Team LINK, James Barrett, John McKeon and John Sells, represented the U.S. proudly at the world competition in Yokohama, Japan. You can read all about the competition at www.vcu.edu.

Team Link will be demonstrating their entry as part of the program for 2005 Virginia Information Technology Symposium (COVITS) on September 19. The program honors outstanding achievements and recognizes technology and economic development initiatives in the public sector throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

(Photo by Mike Ford)

MINI-CAMPERS BEGIN FAST TRACK PURSUIT

The Class of 2007 began Mini-Camp on Friday, July 22. Mini-Camp serves as a refresher on technology topics and skills for incoming students accepted into the VCU School of Business Fast Track Executive MBA Program. It is optional, although 90-95 percent of students attend. The Mini-Camp sessions are offered for three consecutive weekends prior to the start of the program, and include an intensive review of math, calculus, statistics and accounting. These sessions are a great review for the students, and also helps to get them acclimated back into a learning environment before actually beginning the program.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CERTIFICATE
BEGINS 8TH YEAR SERIES – REGISTRATION OPEN

The VCU School of Business and Richmond-based cosponsoring organizations are offering the 8th Annual International Business Certificate (IBC) program beginning September 6 and ending November 22. The IBC program takes place over 12 weeks meeting on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. The registration fee is $1195, which includes all course materials, readings and other materials distributed during class. Class size is limited to 40, and participants are selected such that a class network of business owners, entrepreneurs, managers, executives and advanced students is created.

Speakers include Allen King, CEO, Universal Corporation, Andrew Kohut, CFO, Chesapeake Corp., and instructors Dr. Van R. Wood, Philip Morris Chair in International Business and George Hiller, adjunct professor in international business and former VEDP trade specialist. For further information visit

www.bus.vcu.edu/market_buslaw/

” TIME USE” KNOWS NO NATIONALITY

During June 2005, Dr. Leslie Stratton, professor of economics, continued her research on “time use” both in the U.S. and in Europe, presenting papers in Denmark, Sweden and Germany. On June 5 she presented at the Society of Labor Economists meeting in San Francisco.

Following her research leave last year at the Aarhus School of Business in Aarhus, Denmark, she now is working on papers with several Danish as well as American colleagues. This spring she made presentations on March 10 at the Virginia Association of Economists in Richmond, on April 1 at the Population Association of America meeting in Philadelphia and in May at a seminar at the Aarhus School of Business.
A research grant from the Danish Research Agency ensures that she will remain in contact with her collaborators there for several years. Coauthors presenting joint work have participated in the American Economics Association meetings in Philadelphia and will be presenting this summer at the European Society of Population Economists in Paris. The paper (coauthored with David Ribar at George Washington University and Charlene Kalenkoski at Ohio University) presented at the AEA meetings was published in May 2005 in the American Economic Review, Papers and Proceedings. Much of this work entails looking at households’ allocation of time to childcare and/or housework, with particular attention to how these decisions affect labor market outcomes.

http://www.vcu.edu/uns/news/vcuview/archives/2005/aug/nasa.html

EMBA GRAD CONTINUES WORK WITH NASA

Dr. Azhar Rafiq an EMBA '04 graduate and instructor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery is off to Houston Aug 8-19 to train a team of NASA astronauts on basic surgery skills that could be used in an emergency situation on a space mission. Read more about his activities on the VCU website.

EMBA NETWORKING ACTIVITIES
INCLUDE FAMILY NIGHT AT THE DIAMOND

Networking among Fast Track Executive MBA students plays a major role in VCU School of Business’ program. On July 14 over 180 EMBA students, alumni, faculty, staff and families cheered for the Richmond Braves who won over the Louisville Bats. Read more about this event on the Home Page There are almost 500 students and alumni representing over 300 different companies in the VCU EMBA Family

http://www.bus.vcu.edu/news/diamondnight.html

VCU GRADS NAMED TOP STATE FINANCIAL ADVISORS

Three VCU School of Business alumni were recognized in the August Virginia Business issue as among “Virginia’s Top Financial Advisers.” Financial author R. J. Shook selected 30 advisers from Virginia as role models for the financial industry and listed them in his book, “Winners Circle”. Kent Cox ‘78, Fred Facka MBA'92, and their business partner Craig Dunbar of Smith-Barney in Richmond were named and ranked No. 7 in the state. Cox is a senior vice president of Smith Barney and a past Alumni Board member. He currently serves on the School of Business Council. Fred Facka, financial consultant, is currently on the School of Business Alumni Board.

The third VCU graduate named is R. Taylor Waller, Jr., senior vice president of investments at the stock brokerage firm of Advest, Inc., Richmond. Waller received an MBA in 1998.

“Clients want to simplify their lives and consolidate their financial affairs to a single trusted adviser or small advisory team that they know well, and they expect unbiased, conflict-of-interest-free advice,” says Cox.

Clients, especially the ultra-wealthy, are also concerned about multigenerational planning for children and grandchildren, addressing not only the family’s finances but also social responsibilities. For instance, their advisory team has “set up a family foundation to benefit a charitable cause and helped the family designate an adult heir to run it.”

http://www.virginiabusiness.com/magazine/yr2005/aug05/advisers.shtml

Included in the August issue of the magazine was a second story about Virginia’s powerful business women. Among those listed is Joseé Covington, founder, president and CEO of Covington Travel.  Mrs. Covington is a longtime supporter of the School of Business.  She serves on the School of Business Council and was recently elected to serve as a Founding Trustee for the School of Business Foundation.

CENTER FOR CORPORATE EDUCATION BEGINS FALL PROGRAMS

The Center for Corporate Education will launch its fall program the week of August 29. The SHRM Learning System kicks off its fall programs with an Orientation meeting on Tuesday, August 23 from 6-7:30 p.m. in Room 1129. The program begins on Tuesday, August 30.

This program is designed to provide an overview of key areas in human resource management. Materials include six modules that correspond to the six functional areas, responsibilities, and associated knowledge as defined by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).

Besides being an excellent orientation resource for the PHR or SPHR certification exams, the SHRM® Learning System Program provides a solid foundation for managing HR challenges in a demanding work environment. This program is offered in cooperation with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and uses study material compatible for preparing for the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification examinations administered by HRCI. Candidates who satisfactorily complete this program receive a non-credit Certificate from SHRM and the VCU School of Business.

The Financial Planning Certificate Program will also begin the week of August 29. Modules for Insurance will be held on Mondays. The first class is August 29. General Principles will be held on Tuesdays, with the first class on August 30. Retirement will be held on Thursdays with the first class on September 1.

The Six Sigma Certification program kicks off the week of October 3.

For further information on any of these topics go to www.bus.vcu.edu/cce/shrm.html or call 828-3165.

TEENS USE OF WEB AT SCHOOL
UP 45 PERCENT SINCE 2000

Friday, Aug 5, 2005 6:00 AM EST from mediapost

Not only are almost nine out of 10 teens online these days, but the majority are visiting the Web at school, according to a recent report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The report found that 78 percent of online 12- to-17-year-olds have used the Internet at school--a 45 percent increase since 2000, when just 47 percent of youngsters between the ages 12 and 17 went online at school.

What do teens do online? About six out of 10--57 percent--research colleges or other schools, with 61 percent of girls doing so, compared to 53 percent of boys.

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