2017-18 College of Business Annual Report
Dean's Message
Welcome to the 2017-18 College of Business Annual Report! It has been an exciting and productive year for our growing College of Business! The 2017-2018 academic year saw the largest graduating class yet in our Business Administration (BSBA) and Sustainable Hospitality Management (BSSHM) programs. Our MBA program enrollment grew to the largest ever, with the second largest cohort of graduates since the launch of the program. Students performed well in the job market, with 100% of hospitality program graduates hired and an overwhelming majority of business administration graduates receiving job offers within six months of graduation.
Our Diamond Key, Internship Excellence, and Career Gateway programs continued to grow, with record attendance and student engagement, as did the Startup Monterey Bay series of entrepreneurship programs, led by our Institute of Innovation and Economic Development (iiED). Our students embraced opportunities to study abroad in new and innovative international programs, such as the entrepreneurship program at the University of Urbino in Italy and the ecotourism program in Costa Rica.
We made significant progress toward AACSB accreditation by completing our Initial Self Evaluation Report, in which we examined our strengths and weaknesses, as well as goals and plans for continuous improvement. Our outstanding faculty continued to publish pioneering applied research in the world’s top journals and shared their research at leading conferences and universities worldwide. Our faculty engaged in the general education program transformation process which was a focus project for the university. We implemented significant upgrades in our BSBA and MBA programs to stay ahead of the curve in the changing world of business and technology and meet AACSB accreditation requirements. We also added two new joint industry certificates: the Business Analytics Certificate, sponsored by the prestigious SAS Institute, was awarded to 17 students, and the National Interpreters Certificate, sponsored by the National Association of Interpreters, was awarded to 34 students.
We continued to grow our deep engagement with the Monterey Bay and Tri-County community through collaborations on forums, events, and capstone. Together with the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and the College of Science, we hosted the Greater Vision New Frontiers Water Forum with local, regional, national and international speakers and over 150 community participants in addition to our students. Our annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum, in collaboration with the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science, attracted a large and engaged audience on the “Ethics of Fake News” with key speakers of national reputation and outstanding local and regional panelists/moderator. Our Business Showcase honored two outstanding regional/national leaders for the Community Leader and Business Leader of the Year awards. The iiED’s Women in Tech and Agribusiness Forum was a first-of-a-kind, well-attended community event, as were the iiED’s other events. Our wonderful Business Capstone program continued to excel with students engaging with leading companies, non-profits, and social enterprises in the region.
I look forward to another successful year ahead with our outstanding students, faculty, and staff!
Features
GREATER VISION 2017 - NEW FRONTIERS WATER FORUM
16th Annual Ethics and Responsible Forum 2018
The Ethics of Fake News: Who Controls the Future of Democracy?
Women in Ag & Tech Entrepreneurship Forum
Over 100 CSUMB students, faculty, and community members came to hear women in traditionally male-dominated agriculture and technology fields share stories of the challenges they’ve faced, as well as current and future opportunities for women.
Agribusiness Club
The Agribusiness Club hosted a speaker’s series featuring Ag industry leaders from the region presenting on a variety of topics at a total of 12 events throughout the academic year.
Diamond Key Professional Development Program
2018 Business Outlook Forum featured three College of Business Alumni
Faculty Excellence & Publications
College of Business Faculty are active scholars, authors, and researchers as well as competent and caring and instructors.
The College of Business Progresses Toward AACSB Accreditation
"I want to congratulate the College of Business for earning approval of its initial application for accreditation by the AACSB. Final AASCB accreditation would place the College among the 5 percent of business schools in the world that have achieved this blue-ribbon accreditation."
Capstone: A Unique Applied-Learning Experience
Rather than working on theoretical case studies, students in the Strategic Management course, BUS 499, evaluate the operations of local businesses or non-profit organizations. Students work in small teams of four-to-six, with the goal of helping companies and organizations solve real-world problems and gain a strategic advantage.
The 33rd Annual National Conference on Ethics in America
The 33rd Annual National Conference on Ethics in America (NCEA), hosted by the Simon Center for Professional Military Ethics (SCPME), was held at the United States Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY, on February 13-14. The conference is part of the USMA Cadet Character Education Program (CCEP) and civilian students from universities across the country are invited to attend. Through the generous sponsorship of The Good Steward Charitable Fund, the College of Business was able to send four students to the two-day conference: Noelle Forgach, Carolanne Garibay, Amanda Mast, and Chris Riggin.
Italy 2017 - Business Students Study Abroad
For the second year in a row, CSUMB business students traveled to Italy for two weeks in May 2018 as the culminating experience linked to BUS 332: Area Studies in International Business. Led by CSUMB Professor Dante Di Gregorio and Professor Pete Cullen from the University of Urbino, the program pairs one of the youngest CSU campuses with one of the oldest universities in the world.
BSSHM Program Costa Rica 2017
Sustainable Hospitality Management students participated in a week-long study abroad program in Costa Rica led by Dr. John Avella and Dr. Roberta Atzori.
College of Business Showcase: Alumni Chapter
The College of Business Alumni Chapter continued its expansion in 2017-18, growing to 130 members. The Chapter keeps in touch with members through monthly newsletters containing news, events, and helpful information to maximize success.
Donor Spotlight: Dale Meyer
Dale Meyer’s passion and innovative thinking led her to support CSUMB’s Colleges of Science and Business in finding solutions to the Central Coast’s water issues.
College of Business Showcase: Outstanding Graduates and Distinguished Alumni
Outstanding Graduates: Patrick Recinto, MBA '18; Nicole Sharpe, BSBA '18; Lynnette Vong, BSSHM '18 Distinguished Alumni: Bethany Mayer, MBA '11
College of Business Showcase: Leadership Awards
Business Leadership and Community Leadership Award recipients are selected by members of the College of Business Advisory Council from nominees proposed by university and area community members,