Business

A child stepping on giant books

What if…We Educated Citizens Rather Than Consumers?

Many years ago, when I was teaching at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, I attended a talk given by Benjamin Barber, an American political theorist.  I remember the talk well, because he posed what seemed to me a profound question—did American colleges and universities educate their students to be citizens or consumers?  You might imagine that a political theorist would think we should strive to educate and develop good citizens first, perhaps even at the expense of educating them to be good…
Person walking up stairs into the sunlight

What if... We got serious about preparing for the future?

As my wife and I contemplate our 68th birthdays, we are increasingly thinking about what we plan to do for our remaining years, and the world we will leave our sons and daughter; even more to the point, what kind of world our 21-month-old grandson will grow up to see.  Because I teach strategy and business ethics courses, I naturally relate national and world issues to a business context.  As I look at the biggest problems facing us now, two related points stand out to me:  1) Business, writ large, is a (…
BLK & Bold Coffee

Alumni's coffee business lands deal with NBA

Pernell Cezar, Jr. (Marketing and Financial Management, ’10) doesn’t allow himself too much time for pinch-me moments. The co-founder and CEO of BLK & Bold Specialty Coffee, Cezar prefers to look ahead — “keep my eye on the ball,” Cezar says. “I can get easily overwhelmed if I pause and acknowledge those moments.”
Students presenting

Business students learn creative problem-solving in managerial course

Being a creative but logical manager is an asset in today’s business world. That’s why Sarah Rosol, Instructor of Management, has centered her managerial problem-solving course around a “whole-brain approach,” mixing the analytical skills on the right side of the brain with the creative left side.
Members holding the trophy

UNI advertising team takes top honors

On Friday, April 22, 2022, a team of advertising students from UNI took home the top prize at the AAF District 9 National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) in Kansas City, Missouri for their winning campaign for Meta to promote the Quest 2 VR headset.  
MIS student

What can you do with a Management Information Systems degree?

In today’s business climate—which is ever-increasingly digital—a background in management information systems (MIS) is crucial for any organization. As you might have guessed, this career is expected to grow even more over the next decade as businesses become more technology-focused. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, positions in MIS are expected to increase 12% by 2026. And because demand is so high for this type of background, median salaries are above average compared to other college…
Money taken from wallet

What if... Moral motivation makes you a poor business person?

At some point way back in history, my wife and I were raising three elementary school aged kids.  They each participated in the annual “Odyssey of the Mind” competition, designed to promote creativity among students.  The central ideology of the program was “If it doesn’t say you can’t, you can.”  My wife coached both their teams (I actually know how to do math—two of our kids were on the same team).  Seeing the incredible amount of time and effort she put into that, I quickly opted out of coaching, and…
UNI students Ryan and Trevor Pentico

UNI students win Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Student Venture Competition, advance to final round

Three student-owned businesses at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) won the regional Pappajohn Student Venture Competition and will advance to a final pitch with the hope of earning seed money.