Attracting the Best and Brightest:
Development Priorities for the Raj Soin College of Business
Some of the "best and the brightest" students tell their stories on how scholarship support has made a difference in their lives.
From left recipients include Chad Fast - Deloitte, Ashley Bussen -Magner , Lori Berger - Flagel, Huber, Flagel & Co, Holly Gebert - Dovel, Sarvan Reddy - Paperman Click here to read how generous supporters have helped these students.
The Best and the Brightest is more than a book title from American history. If we are to compete successfully in today’s business world, the Raj Soin College of Business must continue to develop the “best” facilities for our students, attract the “brightest” students and faculty, and offer innovative programs that foster a vibrant economy in the region and beyond.
As we partner with you, our alumni, and others in the business community, in achieving this vital mission, it is important to share with you our fundraising priorities for the College. They include endowed faculty positions, special programs, student scholarships, and the latest technology to focus on emerging business opportunities.
These funding priorities are central to preparing successful and ethical business leaders, advancing knowledge through research, and providing professional, entrepreneurial, and economic development assistance for our region.
Attracting Top Faculty – Our Quest to Be the Best
Endowed chairs and professors help us retain and attract top faculty talent, encourage these “brightest” faculty stars to reach highest achievement levels, and bring increased national stature to our school. In keeping with our mission to respond to the needs of the business community, we have determined that the highest priorities for endowed chairs and professorships are in the following areas:
- Department of Accountancy
- Information Systems and Operations Management (ISOM), to direct the Executive Logistics and Supply Chain Management Program,
- and Business Ethics, to direct the activities of the Institute for Business Integrity.
With the business world changing like never before, we must move with speed to not only stay ahead but to lead in these areas and achieve our quest to be the best College Business in Ohio. Our goals are $1.5 million for endowed chairs and $500,000 to $1 million for endowed professors.
Accounting Leadership Program - Designed to develop future leaders for both the accounting profession and the business community, this program, unique in Ohio, recruits a cohort of 20 to 25 highly achieving high school students with a particular emphasis on underrepresented populations. The program provides students with specialized courses, leadership activities, and mentorship opportunities.
State-of-art MTC Technologies Trading Center - Thanks to the vision and exemplary financial support of Raj Soin and MTC Technologies, we are opening a new “Wall Street” trading center in the fall of 2005. This new facility will enhance our highly successful student-managed investment program which consistently outperforms the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index and provides students with the opportunity to invest a portion of the University’s assets. Some $500,000 in start-up costs and $64,000 annually are projected for this state-of-the-art teaching facility. The trading facility will also be available to the business and financial communities and is expected to server 600 students annually in all majors.
Launching a Best In-class Master’s Program in Logistics & Supply Chain Management
This executive master’s program is supported and designed by an industry advisory board of over 25 companies spanning the globe. The program will begin in January thanks to a generous financial contribution from the NFC Foundation, the endowment arm of the Nash Finch Company. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Nash Finch is a national leader in food retailing and distribution that recorded $4 billion in revenue last year.
“We are particularly pleased to support the M.S. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Program at the Raj Soin College of Business,” said Nash Finch CEO Ron Marshall, a Raj Soin College of Business graduate and a member of the Wright State University Foundation Board of Trustees. “The program focuses on developing strategies that increase efficiency, streamline operations and enhance productivity of supply chains—values that we share at the Nash Finch Company,” Marshall said.
“This unique program is one of only a few in the nation that focuses on logistics and supply chain management in this type of a blended education arrangement,” according to Vikram Sethi, chair of the college’s Department of Information Systems and Operations Management. “Supply chain management is a major factor in the business world because of the costs involved,” Sethi added. “Retailers can lose half of their sales when customers can’t find the right product at the right time.” He said a breakdown in the supply chain can lead to an annual loss of $40 million for a billion dollar company.
Link here for more information to apply to the program or phone Vikram Sethi 937-775-2895.
http://www.wright.edu/business/departments/isom/index.html
Enhancing Our Institute for Business Integrity- With the support of the Institute’s founding sponsors, we are continuing our popular Ethics Briefings and expanding our scholarship and consulting services for the business community. These founders including Huffy Corporation, MTC Technologies, National City Bank, Reynolds & Reynolds, Soin International and Standard Register deserve special recognition for their leadership and generosity.
$300,000 annually is the College’s goal to elevate the IBI as the premier national resource for promoting responsible business practices. Through service, teaching, and research, the IBI strengthens ethics in business, supports responsible business practices, leads in principled business education, and partners with other organizations to advance business ethics.
Link here for more informationhttp://www.wright.edu/business/ibi/
Developing a Sophisticated Information Technology Laboratory - This proposed Information Technology and Applications Laboratory (ITAL) will blend teaching and group work to enhance the students’ technology skills, and will be available for advanced applications for external organizations and executive training programs. In this dedicated learning environment, students will learn skills in CISCO internetworking, network security, SQL, XML, ERP and CRM. $150,000 in start-up funds and $55,000 annually are required to develop and support this important addition to the College’s information infrastructure.
Wright Financial Path Continues Vital Student Service - This confidential and free program for WSU students involves peer counseling through assistance of the Finance and Financial Services Department. Students from the program have been recognized at the Financial Managers Association annual Student Leaders Conference in Chicago A campus-wide survey under the direction of our college revealed that some 80 percent of the students reported debt as a major issue, and 84 percent said they have debt in some form. $40,000 annually will continue to support this unique and innovative program to help students.
Dean’s Discretionary Fund Leverages Opportunities - If we are to stay ahead of the game in this highly competitive business environment, we must have the resources to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. This non-restricted fund enables the College to address priorities such as marketing the college and supporting professional development for faculty. An annual goal of $100,000 has been set for the discretionary fund
.
Career Mentoring and Recruiting – Helping Students Excel - Sharing your experience and insight with students who are exploring a career in business or just starting their professional careers is invaluable. The College hosts a number of annual career recruiting and networking events throughout the year. And we offer a variety of mentoring, intern and coop programs that benefit both our students and your companies. It’s a win-win for your company and for our students.
I know with your ongoing participation, suggestions, and financial support, we are on the path to achieving increased recognition for the Raj Soin College of Business and our students in the years to come.
To learn more about how you can collaborate with the College, please contact me or Colleen Lampton-Brill, Director of Development at 937-775-2852
colleen.lampton@wright.edu.
Best Regards,
Berkwood Farmer
Dean
