2020-2021 Academic year Digital design

Fall 2020/Spring 2021 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1

Page 2 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Divisional Changes 3 4 Sales for Social Impact 5 NBMBA Case Competition 6 Virtual Internships, Real Experience 7 Traditions continue through COVID 8 Victory XULA Partnership 8 XU Crypto On Campus 8 Business Achievers Summer Program 9 Virtual HBCU Sales Competition 10 Highlights http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Page 3 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 Divisional Changes Dr. Cary Caro, Incoming Division Chair, Dr. Joe M. Ricks, Outgoing Division Chair and Dr. Richard Peters, Appointed Associated Dean There are significant changes in the Division of Business. After eleven years Dr. Joe Ricks is rotating out as chair of the division and moving back into fulltime teaching and research. Dr. Cary Caro is the next division chair and Dr. Richard Peters has moved to the College of Arts and Sciences as Associate Dean. Dr. Caro started transitioning into the chair’s role this summer and he stated: “First we are all incredibly grate- ful for the leadership that Dr. Ricks has shown over the course of his tenure as Chair. The Division has a sol- id foundation moving forward thanks to his perseverance, leadership, and his love of our university. That said, it is important for me to continue the work that we have started. Divisional growth is critical, as is the expansion of our programs and majors. As we move forward, my focus will be to add new programs that can attract the brightest and best students from across the country, and solidify our position as one of the premier HBCU business programs in the country.” Dr. Ricks’ teaching load will increase and he will put more focus on research. Dr. Ricks has a funded NIH NIMHD RCMI pilot to study messaging effects on African American participation in clinical trials. He has submitted an NIH NIMHD Ethical, Legal and Social Implications Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant to empirically examine and measure the perceived ethics of race based biomedical research, and he and Dr. Peters is working on a book project presenting a model for business strategy based on Christians principles. Dr. Ricks is looking forward to next phase of his career as he stated “these last 11 years, leading the Division of Business, has been the most fun and rewarding of my career but I’m really excited about diving deeper into my research and the possibilities that come with it.” Dr. Peters, in his new role as Associate Dean, assists the Dean’s office in its efforts to manage, strengthen and broaden the scope of programs and courses offered, primarily at the undergraduate level, while also supporting the operations and general administration of the CAS. Dr. Peters will teach one class a semester and engage in his research as much as possible. While his teaching role is greatly reduced, he’s excited about his new role and happy that he can still teach and stay engaged with students in the divi- sion. http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Page 4 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 Sales for Social Impact Jailyn Heisser, Finance Major, Ashley Allen, Management Major, Frederick Quinn, Sales and Marketing Major, and Kailyn Hinton ,Sales & Marketing Major The COVID—19 pandemic did not stop Sales for Social Impact in 2020. The course sponsor 3M, along with a group of focused and committed XULA students executed a successful class in which a local non-profit organization was assisted. Fund 17, a New Orleans non-profit that provides training and technical assistance to startup busi- nesses in New Orleans, was this year’s partner. The Xavier team, consisting of Finance major Jailyn Heisser, Management major Ashley Allen, and Sales and Marketing majors Frederick Quinn and Kaelyn Hinton, pooled their intellectual resources to conduct a feasibility study regarding Fund 17 expanding their services to become a Kiva Hub. Kiva offers its plug-in micro-lending platform to make capital accessible to financial- ly excluded business owners. As a Hub, Fund 17 augmented their small business consulting with the financ- ing that many of their clients need to implement their business plans. The team interviewed a number of local entrepreneurs and stakeholders and generated a report for Fund 17 that included a social media tool kit. Usually the students visit 3M’s corporate headquarters to deliver a presentation but the pandemic prevented that, so the team delivered the presentation with a video and they responded to questions via a Zoom meeting. Sales for Social Impact takes students out of their comfort zone by requiring them to apply the academic knowledge that they acquire in the classroom. Though challenging, they quickly adjust and deliver a quality product while learning how business works in the real world. Kudos to Team XULA! http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Volume 12 Issue 1 DoB Newsletter Page 5 National Black MBA Case Competition Standing: Dr. Cary Caro, Advisor and Jean Claude Biayi. Sitting: Wacuka Gitahi and Kaelyn Hinton The Division of Business placed as National Runner-up in the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Undergraduate Case Competition, the highest finish in school history. Faced with finding solu- tions for Netflix's strategic positioning in what has become a crowded consumer market, Jean Claude Biayi, Wacuka Gitahi, Kaelyn Hinton, and Jakobi Bruce created Netflix Ares, modelled after the Greek God of War, as their strategic plan for global expansion. Netflix Ares called for further expansion into India, taking ad- vantage of, and building relationships with existing Bollywood production studios to create and curate con- tent designed specifically for the fastest growing television and streaming market in the world. Sponsored by Walmart, the NBMBAA hosts its annual Undergraduate Business Case Competition at its annual conference. Like most others, this year’s conference and competition was held virtually due to COVID—19. What the pandemic did not change was the hands-on student consulting experience provided to our students and the early exposure to MBA-level business case strategy that allows them to be consid- ered for competitive summer internship and employment opportunities. The XULA team advanced from a competition pod that included Boston University, Georgia State University, and recent National Champion, Indiana University. The Ohio State University, the University of Southern California, the University of Alabama, and the 2020 National Champion Howard University were among other participants. \"This is yet another example of the value of a Xavier Business education. Our fac- ulty prepares our students to compete in every arena, and I could not be more proud of this team and how they represented our University,\" added Dr. Cary Caro, Associate Professor of Management and the team's faculty advisor. The team members were awarded a scholarship to help continue their studies at XULA. http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Page 6 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 Virtual Internships, Real Experience For more than a quarter-century, the Atlanta Consulting Group (ACG) Samuel Blakely, Sophomore, has provided an elevated level of investment insight to institutional clients and Finance major family offices throughout the United States and the world. During the Fall 2020 semester ACG sponsored a remote based Internship for XULA Business stu- dents . The purpose of the Internship was to give our students exposure to fi- nancial consulting for institutional investors. In order to give students high level insights into the industry, ACG management taught class content, guided stu- dents through related projects and discussed their jobs and career opportuni- ties. In addition to receiving three hours of college credit and financial compen- sation, the participating students Samuel Blakely, Cathy Huynh, Kyle Grant, Wakuka Gitahi, Mya Boylds, Makhi Austin and Jailyn Heisser gained numerous benefits from the experience. Here are a few student testimonies: “During the Fall 2020 semester, I had an opportunity to intern and expe- Cathy Nuynh, Jumior, Ac- rience the operations and practice of the Atlanta Consulting Group (ACG). The counting major ACG offers a wide range of consulting services within the financial services in- dustry. I had the pleasure to enhance my knowledge and insights about the history of Investment Consulting, Investment Policy Statements, International, Frontier and Emerging Markets and more. The various speakers specialized in either Consulting, Investment Analysis, Performance Analyst, Operations, Busi- ness Development and Marketing which allowed me to receive a \"bird's-eye view\" of how these disciplines operate within a practical real world business setting. I enjoyed the internship because I had a chance to enhance and expand my understanding about the domestic, foreign and international stock mar- kets.” - Samuel Blakely “Last semester a group of accounting and finance students participated Wacuka Gitahi, Senior, Ac- in the ACG Fall Semester Internship. This was an extraordinary opportunity counting major where we learned about different financial and investment concepts and how they are utilized in the consulting industry. For the duration of the internship, we spoke to different people from the company with various responsibilities such as the business development manager and the marketing coordinator. This allowed us to hear different perspectives on how a consulting business op- erates. Overall, the internship was a great experience and I am extremely pleased with the people that I got to meet.” -Wacuka Gitahi We couldn’t be prouder of our student as we continue to prepare to- Jailyn Hessier, Fall 2020 morrow’s socially responsible business leaders. graduate– Finance http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Volume 12 Issue DoB Newsletter Page 7 Traditions continue through COVID Fall 2020 newly inducted business student pose for a group photo Spring 2021 award recipients pose for a group photo dur- during our annual Blazer Ceremony ing our annual Awards Banquet The COVID 19 pandemic presented a number of challenges during the 2020/21 academic year. One of those challenges was keeping our important traditions alive in a way that was safe and as normal as pos- sible. To meet this challenge the division planned and executed their annual blazer ceremony and awards banquet in an in-person-hybrid format. “The DOB code of conduct is the pillar that we should all strive to achieve as business professionals” Doriana Green Senior Accounting Major. In her student reflections Doriana reminded us all of how the pan- demic has challenged all of us to live our code of conduct. Because of COVID – 19 and all of the changes and disruptions to the student experience it has caused, the Fall 2020 blazer ceremony was not only an im- portant rite of passage, it also served as an almost normalizing event for the Division of Business’ student experience. Our ninth annual blazer ceremony was a hybrid in person event where 32 of 34 students re- ceived their Division of Business blazer in person and 2 participated in the ceremony remotely. The event was held at the Riverside Hilton Hotel where there was enough ballroom space to execute the ceremony with the appropriate social distancing. Remote access to the ceremony allowed families of the recipients to participate, and witness their students receive their blazer and make their public pledge to the Xavier Divi- sion of Business (I CARE) Code of Conduct. The alumni speaker for the ceremony was USDA accountant 2016 XULABusiness alum Dahlia Daniel, summed up the event well “The aspects of business ethics and your pledge today of integrity, community, academic honesty, responsibility and engagement are the keys to your success in the business world.” In the spring we were back to the Hilton for our annual awards banquet where the division recog- nized it’s top preforming students in academics, leadership and service. The students that were honored included business student organization officers, Dean’s Honor Roll, Highest GPAs in each discipline, Delta Mu Delta Honors Society inductees, Outstanding Student Athlete, Outstanding Service, and the Division’s highest award the “ACBSP Student Leadership Award.” The recipient of the ACBSP Student Leadership Award is a graduating senior who is either self, peer, or faculty‐nominated and selected by the Division Fac- ulty Selection Committee. This year’s winner was finance major, Wacuka Gitahi. During her time Ms. Gitahi exhibited all the qualities for outstanding leadership, academically and in her professional pursuits. Accord- ing the division chair Dr. Joe Ricks “This year in particular it’s extremely important to recognize our students that perform at a high level in imperfect conditions, but to be able to do it in-person to create some since of normalcy is awesome!” http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Page 8 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 Victory XULA Partnership Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. has established a scholarship program for XULA students who are in- terested in pursuing careers in the investment management industry. Through the newly introduced Vic- tory Capital Scholars Program, $50,000 of direct financial support will be provided to XULA students for the 2021-2022 academic school year to pay expenses not covered by existing grants and awards. These “gap” scholarships will be awarded based on need and merit, with special consideration given to students in the Post-911 GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon Program with preference going to those with a declared major or minor in Business or Finance. In addition, Victory Capital has agreed to provide $50,000 in funding to launch an Investment Club at XULA. The proceeds will be used to seed an investment portfolio managed by students, providing hands -on experiential learning opportunities. Finance professor Dr. James Bartkus who will advise the invest- ment group stated “This is an excellent opportunity for our students to get some hands on experience exe- cuting principles they learn in class. It’s an exciting time.” “Xavier is grateful for the support that Victory Capital is providing for our students,” said Dr. Reyn- old Verret, President of Xavier University of Louisiana. “With their diverse holdings and forward-thinking business model, Xavierites interested in finance, management, and business leadership could learn a lot from their experiences. Victory Capital’s investment in the talented young women and men of our institu- tion allows for the opportunity of our students to explore new avenues of growth and achievement.” XU Crypto On Campus: $10,000 in 10 Weeks The Division of Business and the Entrepreneurhsip Institute are bringing cryptocurrency to campus this fall. Participants can earn XUCC tokens (XU Crypto on Campus) by taking a survey, attending events, following the project on twitter and from the project student ambassadors. These tokens can then be digi- tally exchanged for prizes as well as chances to win cryptocurrency. Tokens can be deposited in a raffle prize pool which will offer weekly prizes in cryptocurrency. Additionally, students will be given cryptocurrency to deposit into a Pooltogeth- er.com pod with a chance to win prizes as long as their deposit is in the protocol. Students and faculty should be on the lookout for the project mascot- the Crypto Cool Unicorn at events around campus. This project is made possible by an award from the FinTech center at Morgan State University as well as a development grant from blockchain protocol Pooltogether.com. Scan the QR code for details. Business Achievers Summer Program The Business Achievers Program has been operating for over 25 years. The Summer of 2021 we had 15 incoming freshmen participating in the Program. They earned three hours of college credit in the Introduction to Business course. Local business professionals , entrepreneurs, and Xavier alumni facili- tate presentations and serve as role models. Although much different than past years we were still able to bring a level of commitment to prepare our business students for future roles and business insights. http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Page 9 DoB Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 Xavier hosts Virtual HBCU Sales Competition Pictured is junior sales and marketing minor Teri Blake and 3M buyer/Judge Edwina Thompson-Lopez during the final round. Xavier Division of Business hosted the spring 2021 Partnering for Progress HBCU sales competi- tion sponsored by 3M. With travel restricted during the pandemic, the competition went virtual for the first time this year as students role-played 3M reps selling a water filtration system to a chain of conven- ience stores portrayed by real 3M sales professionals. Student teams from Tuskegee University, More- house College, Harris Stowe University, Alabama State University, St. Augustine’s University competed along with the Xavier team. “The Xavier host team has done an amazing job,” said 3M Frontline program manager Celeste Hughes. “This whole program has gone off without a hitch.” Xavier competitors included senior sales and marketing minor Lionel Banks, junior sales and mar- keting minor Teri Blake, and sophomore sales and marketing major Deia Williams. Lionel Banks received a “best in class” award and both Lionel Banks and Teri Blake were semi-finalists. First place went to Marc Domingue from Morehouse College. “The case competition is an opportunity to work collaboratively and learn from each other…. Robert Befidi Jr., president of the 3M Separation and Purification Division said at the opening ceremony. “I remember doing this when I was in school. There’s nothing more fun than digging in and finding a way to showcase your understanding.” In the closing ceremony, Hughes gave this advice to the students: “In this situation there are no losers because everyone here, by taking that chance and putting yourself out there, you’re becoming a better version of yourself and challenging yourself to the next level.” http://www.xula.edu/business or follow us on twitter: @XULA_DOB #XULABusiness

Highlights Follow us on Social Media : Twitter: @XULA_DOB Instagram: xulabusiness, LinkedIn group: Xavier University of Louisiana Di- vision of Business and our Facebook group: Xavier University of Louisiana Division of Business For more information on programs offered by the Division of Business contact us at: [email protected] 504-520-7505 Building 40 (Xavier South) room 325