Brrrr, it's cold

Yesterday morning greeted me with single digit temperatures. There should be a rule that if it's that cold, we get to stay inside in front of the fire. Today was better; I think it was in the 20's. I should not complain. Many areas of the country are getting blasted by winter storms and lots of snow. I am much more fond of the weather when it's 50 and above. The good thing about winter in Arkansas is that it is short and we don't typically have very many days in a row that are bitterly cold. We get brief reprieves during the winter months. I'll take them.

Today is the last day of finals. Students are loading up and heading home for the Holiday break. Classes resume on Tuesday, January 18. MBA Orientation is January 10-14. There are 31 students in the new class. Averages are:

GMAT = 649
GPA = 3.5
age = 25
work experience = 2 years

This class is 39% female and 26% international.

Early decision deadline for the Walton MBA for the class that will begin in January 2012 is April 1, 2011. A complete list of our application requirements can be found at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. Be sure to apply by this date to be eligible for funding.

Another semester over

Today is the last day of class for the fall semester of 2010. When I arrived at work this morning at 7:50, the parking deck was already filling up. This is unusual. It does not typically get full this early in the morning. I guess students have decided they had better attend their last class. Tomorrow is dead day and then finals begin on Thursday.

I have not put up my Christmas tree yet. This is not like me. We usually put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving. That didn't happen this year and now it is almost two weeks later. Christmas is a little over two weeks away. Hopefully I will get it done this weekend.

One of the reasons I haven't done it yet is Zoey's basketball schedule. She had games last week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. I made it to all but one. Her team is doing pretty good. She plays again tonight and then she may be off until next week. I say "may" because her coach has a tendency to add a scrimmage or other opportunity when he can. As of now, there is nothing on the schedule after tonight until next Friday.

Tomorrow is the Walton College annual Christmas party. This year it is being held at the Pratt Barn. This is a very nice venue in Fayetteville. Check it out at http://prattplaceinn.com. On Friday, Jack has a birthday party at the Jones Center. This is also a very nice facility. The kids will ice skate, which I am not thrilled about. He is 6 and can barely roller skate. See what the Jones Center has to offer at http://thejonescenter.org. This is the child who broke his collar bone in May. Fingers crossed. The same night, Zoey has her first school dance of the year.

This is a very busy and exciting time of year. Our new MBA students will be joining us soon. Orientation is January 10-14 and then classes start on the 18th.

AND, the Razorbacks are playing in the Sugar Bowl on January 4. This is their first appearance in a BCS Bowl. We are very excited.

Finals are around the corner

I survived the holiday break. Monday back in the office after a few days off can be a little hectic, too. It's almost 5:00 so I can mark this day off the calendar. My kids were out of school last week and I did take some time off to spend with them. This really means that I ran them around from place to place and broke up arguments between the two. Good times.

Thanksgiving was at my house this year. My sister and her family came over as did my mom. We even did some shopping on Black Friday. That afternoon, my mom, the kids, and I went and saw Tangled. It was very cute.

Finals begin next Thursday, December 9. The students came back today full of turkey and ecstatic over the Razorback win on Saturday. They have to focus for a few more days. The Hogs are currently ranked #7 and we are expecting an invitation to the Sugar Bowl on January 4 to play The Ohio State. We'll see how it all turns out.

Walton Alumni Quoted in Forbes

Research conducted by Heather Dixon-Fowler and Daniel Slater, alumni from the PhD in Management, is cited in this Forbes article: http://blogs.forbes.com/freekvermeulen/2010/11/22/does-an-mba-make-you-unethical-finally-some-evidence/.

This is quite an honor. Heather is featured in our PhD brochure at http://gsb.uark.edu/brochures.asp. Application deadline for PhD is January 15. You too can join their ranks as graduates from a Walton PhD program.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Holidays are approaching

I have to say that I approach this time of year with mixed emotions. I truly enjoy the holiday season. Fayetteville is beautiful right now. The leaves are still very colorful. Within the next few days the Lights of the Ozarks will begin. Festivities are kicked off with a Parade. Visit http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2010/11/15/lights-of-the-ozarks-parade-and-lighting-ceremony-set-for-saturday/ for full details. While I do love this time of year, things can get hectic.

My travel is finished for the semester. I am attending the RLUG meeting this afternoon in Rogers. RLUG stands for RetailLink Users Group. I am looking forward to talking to this group about the Walton Managerial MBA.

I will be taking some time off Thanksgiving week. My mother and my sister and her family will be coming to my house for Thanksgiving dinner. I need to get my house clean and get everything ready for company. I also need to make the final run to the store. Here is where the hectic part comes in. My daughter's (Zoey) basketball season has begun. She is playing in a tournament this week. We played in the first game last Saturday and they won. They play their second game tonight. If they win again, she'll play on Saturday. Did I mention that this tournament was in Berryville, about an hour away? Good times. I do love basketball season but it can be exhausting. Typically there are a couple of games each week, at least.

Before we know it, the Christmas holidays will be upon us. The students are gearing up for their finals and are counting down the days to the end of the semester. Dead day (no classes) is on December 8 and finals begin on December 9. After this semester is behind them, they will only have one semester left. They can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The next MBA class will begin in January, only two months away. I do have a couple of late applicants who are trying to get everything submitted to begin with this next class. It looks like we may be reviewing a few more files.

So, there is quite a bit going on right now. My kids are out of school next week - yippee. My time off will be spent entertaining kids. I am looking forward to spending some time with them. I am sure we'll take in a movie or two.

I'll try to check in over the holiday break. The University is closed November 25 and 26. I'll be in and out between now and then.

Lean Six Sigma

I am participating in Lean Six Sigma White Belt training today. This course is being offered as part of Professional Development (PD) to our MBA students. Our PD series in the Walton MBA is truly unique. Students earn a total of 5 hours of PD credit. One hour is earned through attending 10 guest speakers over 3 semesters. Another credit is earned through your interactions with the Career Development Center. PD credit is also earned through attending workshops that cover various topics that are not already covered in the MBA curriculum. We have offered workshops on Advanced Excel, Negotiation, etc. Not everything can be covered in a typical class and it does take some time to implement a new course into the curriculum. By offering and requiring PD, we are able to add significant value to the Walton MBA. This also allows us to remain current and cutting edge.

Today's workshop is on Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma improves processes and eliminates waste and excess cost. It is also based on data and facts. Lean is a methodology that focuses on reducing cycle time and eliminating waste in a process.

I am very excited about learning more about Six Sigma. It is not uncommon for me to run into a "black belt" when recruiting for the MMBA, our part-time MBA program. Now I will understand this process and be able to relate to these individuals more effectively. Today's class is being led by Greg Hayes, a black belt with Walmart.

GWIB

You may be asking, what is GWIB? GWIB is a new organization, Graduate Women in Business. If you are a woman in business, please join us for our first get together this Thursday at PF Chang's in Rogers.

MBA Campus Visit Day was yesterday

Whereas the Walton College hosts an Open House here on campus each semester, this was our first attempt at an event specifically intended to attract MBA prospective students into visiting our campus. The Open House events are held in the evening and are for our local students. The Visit Day is for those students who may not be from this area, making an evening event difficult to attend. We decided to host this day on a Monday so that students could travel to Fayetteville over the weekend. Last weekend was Homecoming and students were given information regarding how to purchase football tickets.

The event yesterday was 8:30-1:00. Ten prospective Walton MBA students attended. I was very pleased with this inaugural result. The day began with the necessities - application requirements and MBA program specifics. This was followed by a campus tour. The weather cooperated beautifully. The leaves are turning and it is a very nice time to visit Fayetteville. Next was lunch with current MBA students and alumni. This gave our visitors a chance to talk to the current class as well as to ask how our alumni are doing. At this time, Dr. Jeff Murray, MBA instructor, provided a lecture on Semiotics. Following the lunch and learn, our visitors were able to talk more specifically with our alumni.

Walton's first MBA Campus Visit Day was a success. We'll host another event in the spring.

On Friday, November 12, Walton College is hosting an SAS day. Visit: https://sharepoint.uark.edu/sites/UITS/sas/default.aspx for more details.

MBA Campus Visit Day is Monday

We have a very informative day planned for MBA Campus Visit Day on Monday. Registration is 8:30-9:00, 9:00-presentation, 10:00-campus tour, 11:00-lunch and learn with Dr. Jeff Murray and current Walton MBA students, 12:30-alumni panel. The day should end by 2:00. See more specific details below. There will be another opportunity next semester.

Halloween is Sunday and if you have followed this blog, you know I have two children. All kids LOVE Halloween and mine are no different. Events started the 16th with a fall festival at their school. Then on Tuesday, they did trunk or treat at their school. This is where parents pull into the parking lot, open up their trunks, and the trick or treaters go car to car. It is safe and well supervised. They also had two blow up toys in the gym - a bouncy house and a slide. Tonight, Fayetteville does trick or treating on the Square. The merchants on Fayetteville's downtown Square stand outside their doors and the ghosts, goblins, fairy tale princesses, ninja warriors, power rangers, and Hannah Montanas walk around the Square trick or treating. Also a very safe time for the kids. This is held 3:00-5:00 so I will be picking my two up from school and heading straight there. It is always a very well attended event.

Tomorrow is Homecoming for the Razorbacks and we will be playing Vanderbilt. This weekend is packed with events and activities connected with both Homecoming and Halloween. It is also a beautiful time to visit Northwest Arkansas. The leaves are changing colors and there is a bit of a nip in the air. It cooled off today. We had been experiencing higher than normal temperatures.

Next week will be a busy time for the GSB. Monday is our Visit Day, and Wednesday I will be attending a Career Fair at the University of Central Arkansas. After this fair, I am going to UAMS in Little Rock to talk about the Walton part-time MBA and after that I am meeting a student in the area who is also interested in the MMBA. Wednesday will be a long day for me. On Thursday I will be at a Career Fair at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Also on Thursday and Friday, the 4th and 5th, the McNair scholars are visiting the University of Arkansas. The GSB will be hosting visiting students who are interested in master's degrees in Business.

After next week the recruiting travel schedule slows down. For the rest of the year we'll be wrapping up the MBA class that will begin in January and getting ready for that Orientation. Thanksgiving is around the corner and before you know it, we'll be on winter break. Time sure does fly when you are having fun.

Campus Visits

For those of you contemplating a graduate program, I cannot stress enough how strongly I feel about visiting your prospective campuses. This is very important. You need to meet the individuals in the Graduate School you will be working with. It is also helpful to talk to current students and to observe a class. This information will be helpful in finalizing your decision regarding which program to attend. Many programs provide opportunities to visit throughout the year. If none of the set dates are convenient for you, contact them directly. They should be willing to schedule an individual visit.

The next opportunity to visit the Walton College is next Monday, November 1. See the invitation below. We will host another Visit Day in the spring. As always, contact me with questions at gsb@walton.uark.edu.

MBA Campus Visit Day

Walton College is hosting an MBA Campus Visit Day on Monday, November 1. This is for full-time MBA only. I am attaching the invitation. For those of you contemplating the Walton MBA, this is an excellent opportunity for you to experience it before you commit. You will be able to observe a class and meet current MBA students, as well as alumni. Be sure to RSVP so that we know how many to expect. Email gsb@walton.uark.edu with questions. I hope you can make it.

I am back

I have been a horrible blogger these last couple of weeks. I travelled to Charleston the last week of September to attend a CASE conference for marketing and communications professionals. I came away with many great ideas. I am looking forward to implementing a couple. Last week I went to a Career Fair at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. We have many fantastic students in our graduate programs from this school. After the fair, I met with a couple of professionals in the area about our part-time MIS. It was a good trip. This week I travelled to Jonesboro on Monday for a Career Fair at Arkansas State University. Yesterday I visited Unilever and the Bentonville Plaza to talk about the Walton Managerial MBA.

Today is a big day as well. Tonight we are hosting a Master's Open House at 5:30 in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall. This is a good opportunity for prospective students to visit our campus, see our building and technology, and learn more about the application process and the program. We are also hosting a Social tonight at Powerhouse, 6:00-8:00. The Social is for current, former, prospective students and Walton Grad faculty. This allows our prospective students to mix and mingle with current students and faculty. Please join us for the Open House and Social.

Next week, I will be in Chicago Wednesday through Friday attending a conference on part-time MBA programs. I have not attended this conference before and am looking forward to gaining some more valuable insights into this specific and unique graduate program.

MBA Numbers

The MBA admissions committee met last week. Application deadline was September 15. Late applications will be accepted through November. However, all funding has been awarded. Early decision deadline for the class that will begin in January 2012 is April 1, 2011.

Our class that will begin in January 2011 currently looks like this: 36 students, average GMAT = 638, average GPA = 3.5, average age = 25. This class is 44% female, 25% international, and 17% come from underrepresented populations. These numbers will change as students respond to this last round of offers. We will also continue to admit highly competitive applicants through November.

Fayetteville was a very exciting place to be this weekend. #1 ranked Alabama came to town and we almost pulled off the upset. The Razorbacks lost by 4 points. Record breaking crowds were in attendance - over 76,000. Students began camping out in front of the stadium last Monday. There were over 100 tents. It was a very festive atmosphere and the Hogs really did play well for most of the game. Things began to fall apart at the end. I just hope we finish the season strong.

I will be out of town tomorrow through Friday. I'll try to post but I am not making any promises. I'll be attending a conference in Charleston, SC. Hopefully no tropical storms or huricanes will blow me away.

Hello from Stillwater

Where, you may be wondering. Today I am at Oklahoma State University at their Business Career Fair. I attend Career Fairs looking for students who are considering graduate programs in business.



Yesterday I was at the University of Tulsa. Tomorrow I will be back in the office. I will provide more data about the Walton MBA class that will be starting in January.

This is a very big weekend in Fayetteville. The Arkansas Razorbacks (#10) will play #1 ranked Alabama. Not since 1979 have 2 top 10 teams played in Fayetteville. It is sure to be a very exciting time. GO HOGS.

Very Busy Couple of Days

This week is insane. Yesterday we did have an admissions committee meeting for the Walton MBA. I don't have all of the details yet but I can tell you, letters are going out this week. I hope to have summary data for you either by the end of this week or early next week.

Last night was the Career Development Center's Pre-Career Fair Networking Event. This is an opportunity for employers to mingle and socialize with each other and our outstanding students, both undergrads and grads. They also announced the winner of the MBA internship presentation.

The MBA students have posters that explain their internship. This is a chance for prospective employers to walk through and talk to them about this experience.


Here are our winners, in order: First place - Jamie Fletcher, second place - Alana Hale, third place - Alex Kieslich, and fourth place - Issam Moussaoui.

Today was the Walton College Career Fair. This event is always very well attended. We have outstanding companies who come to Walton to recruit the very best.

This is Matt, a current student in the part-time MBA, recruiting for his company.

J. Edward is an MBA alumnus who attended to find other highly qualified MBA students. He is talking to JR, a current Walton MBA.


Tomorrow I will be at the Business Career Fair at the University of Tulsa and on Thursday, I will be at Oklahoma State University. A rolling stone...

What a weekend

Wait, you are saying. It's Wednesday. Why is she just now talking about the weekend. I offer no excuses. I have been a crazy woman lately and I am just now getting the chance to write. I am sharing pictures from Saturday. My son, Jack, is running me and my husband ragged. For a very brief period of time (4 weeks to be exact), his sporting events are overlapping. Currently his (and my) Saturday looks like this: 9:00-Soccer, 10:30-Basketball, 12:00-football. I leave in the morning with 3 uniforms in my car and a full water bottle. We had to hit the drive-thru between basketball and football and we ate in the car as he was changing into his last uniform of the day. It all went very well with only one minor slip up on my part. He wears cleats for soccer and football. For basketball, he wears his tennis shoes (I was not going to buy basketball shoes for a 6 year old to wear in 4 games and then outgrow before next year). After dressing him in his basketball uniform, I realized I forgot socks. Oops. Oh well - all considering, it could have been worse. Here is Jack in action.






Northwest Arkansas has amazing opportunities for our children. As you can see, soccer, basketball, and football are available in the fall. Spring brings baseball and soccer again. There are also competitive leagues in Springdale at the All Star Sports Arena - including volleyball. Students and their children have many options in this area. It's fun for everyone.

Yesterday I went to the Business Career Fair at Missouri State University. I had a great trip and tomorrow I venture west to the University of Oklahoma. This is back in my home stomping grounds.

MBA and early decision deadline for Master of Accountancy is today. MBA admissions committee meets on Monday. I'll have news regarding the next MBA class next week. We will accept late applications through November.

MBA Internship Presentation Finals

This morning our MBA students competed in the final round of internship presentations. During the summer, between the first and second semester of the Walton MBA (remember, we begin each January), our students complete an internship. Upon their return in the fall, they submit a few course requirements, as they do earn course credit for the internship, and they do a presentation. The first round of competitions are judged by corporate execs.

Today, seven students competed in the final round, also judged by corporate executives. The winner will be announced at the Networking event on Monday, September 20. This event is being held in conjunction with the Walton Career Fair, which is on Tuesday, September 21.

Our finalists, and their companies, were Adrian Burks-Budgetext, Alana Hale-Dannon, Alex Kieslich-Walmart, Ankita Kumar-Sam's Club, Issam Moussaoi-Hilti, Jake Wineman-Dial, and Jamie Fletcher-Dr. Pepper/Snapple. Here are a few pictures from this mornings presentations.


They all did a fabulous job and I can't wait to find out who won.

Where did the weekend go?

Even though today is Tuesday, it is much more like Monday since the University was closed yesterday. Regarding admissions, things are definitely winding UP (NOT winding down). Let me tell you what is going on this week. Phone calls, emails, and requests for student appointments are pouring in. This is because the MBA application deadline AND the MAcc early decision deadline is next week, September 15. For me, after the Labor Day weekend, I pretty much hold on for dear life until mid-November. I posted the September recruiting schedule last week. In between the traveling, I meet with students and respond to emails and phone calls. I hope it doesn't sound like I am complaining. I thrive on this pace and it truly energizes me. I do tend to crash afterwards, though.

I am nearly finished with my scheduling for this semester. I am working with a few more current and former students to schedule corporate recruiting visits and I need to finish the fall numbers. My goal is to complete these tasks this week since I do hit the road next week.

The holiday weekend was beautiful in Fayetteville. The weather cooperated and the Hogs played exceptionally well, after that first series (and except for the interception, a fumble or two, and the incomplete pass that should have been a TD). Hopefully they have their jitters overcome and have worked out the kinks. Next Saturday the Razorbacks play Louisiana Monroe in Little Rock. This is an interesting and unique phenomenon. Home games are split between Fayetteville and Little Rock. Five games are played here and two are played in Little Rock. The next game to be played in Fayetteville is on September 25 against Alabama. This will be a huge game. Our pre-season ranking was #17. I do not know if that has changed after the first weekend of play. Razorback fans have a significant amount of hope this year. We'll see how it goes.

Final Numbers for Fall

I posted the PhD numbers yesterday. I now have all other programs available except for Master of Information Systems. I will post those next week.

Master of Accountancy received a total of 110 applications. Admission was offered to 67 and 48 enrolled. Average GMAT was 583 and average GPA was 3.4. Early decision for fall 2011 is September 15.

Master of Arts in Economics received 23 applications and enrolled 2 students. The Economics Department would prefer to admit directly into their PhD program, thus the reason this class is small. Average GRE is 1285.

Managerial MBA (part-time) program received 107 applications and enrolled 56 students. Average GMAT is 583 and average GPA is 3.3. This class averages 7.8 years of work experience and is 31 years old.

MIS and Professional MIS information will be posted next week. The University of Arkansas is closed on Monday, September 6 in honor of Labor Day. Currently the weather in Fayetteville is absolutely beautiful. It is about 80 degrees and perfect football weather. The opening game for the Razorbacks is tomorrow against Tennessee Tech. I am taking both of my kids and we are all very excited.

Have a wonderful weekend!

PhD Numbers As Promised

I now have final number for our PhD programs. We enrolled 19 students this fall.

PhD Accounting received 45 total applications. They enrolled 4 students. Their average GMAT is 713, average master's GPA is 3.93, their average age is 28, and they average 4.8 years of work experience. This class is 50% female.

Phd Economics received 26 total applications and enrolled 3 students. Average GRE is 1193 and average undergrad GPA is 3.63. This class has an average age of 24. This program admits the majority of its applicants directly from undergrad.

PhD Finance received 32 total applications and enrolled 1 student. Due to this fact, numbers will not be published as anonymity would be impossible.

PhD Information Systems received 32 total applications and enrolled 3 students. Their average GMAT is 665 and average master's GPA is 3.63. This class has an average age of 25 and they average 10 months of work experience.

PhD Management received 49 total applications and enrolled 5 students. Their average GMAT score is 653 and average master's GPA is 3.57. Average age is 29 and they average 3.2 years of work experience.

PhD Marketing received 31 total applications and enrolled 3 students. Average GMAT is 633 and average master's GPA is 3.73. This class has an average of 15.7 years of work experience and their average age is 39.

My September Schedule

This time of year is spent planning my travel for the semester. My schedule for this month looks like this:

September 1 - Corporate Visit to Walmart ISD. I make this trip every semester to recruit students for our two part-time programs. We get amazing students from here.

September 7, 8, 9 - I will be visiting an undergraduate business class, Business Strategy, each of these days. All undergraduate students at Walton are required to take this class. I visit each section each semester to talk about grad school. Sorry, you can't get out of here without listening to me.

September 10 - internship showcase finals - more on this later

September 14 - Career Fair - Missouri State University

September 16 - Career Fair - University of Oklahoma

September 20 - Networking event - Alumni House (in connection with Walton's Career Fair)

September 21 - Career Fair - Walton College, University of Arkansas

September 22 - Career Fair - Tulsa University

September 23 - Career Fair - Oklahoma State University

September 28- October 1 - Conference - I'll go brush up on my marketing skills.

Looks like I'll stay busy this month. I'll post October's schedule at a later date. If you are at any of the above locations, be sure to stop and say hi.

First week of class and goodbye Dr. Ellstrand

This week has been very busy in the Walton GSB. I wasn't able to finalize fall numbers yet. Surprisingly, I saw several students this week. Typically during the first week of classes, students are settling in to their routine and are not thinking about graduate school. Well, not this year. They came back geared up and ready to go. Hopefully next week I will be able to post the final enrollment numbers for this fall.

I can tell you about the Master of Accountancy program . They enrolled 48 (up from 35 last year); their average GPA is 3.4 and their average GMAT is 583. This class is also 50% female. Early decision deadline for fall 2011 is September 15. Yes, this class just got started and we will be making the first round of admissions decision for next year within the month. Final application deadline is March 1.

Last week we said farewell to our MBA Director, Dr. Alan Ellstrand. Dr. Ellstrand has served as MBA Director for the Walton College for 7 years. He is not leaving us completely but moving on to bigger and better things. He is now the Department Chair for Management. Dr. Ellstrand has been a joy for me to work with and I will miss him. The role of MBA Director will not be filled but will be covered jointly by our new Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs, Dr. Moez Limayem, and the Walton GSB Assistant Dean, Marion Dunagan. Here are some pictures of Alan's reception. The first photo is of Dave Gearhart, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas.


Alan is listening to all the very nice things being said about him and his tenure as MBA Director.

Several faculty and staff members (and even a few current and former MBA students) came to honor Alan.

This is Dr. Moez Limayem. He will be assuming many of the responsibilities of MBA Director. Dr. Limayem was formerly the Department Chair of Information Systems and is now the Walton College's Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs. I am looking forward to working with Dr. Limayem in this new role.

Marion Dunagan is the Walton Graduate School of Business Assistant Dean. She will be sharing the duties of the MBA Director, along with Dr. Limayem.

Annual Block Party

Today was the annual Walton Block Party. This is our "welcome back students" event. It is very popular with students, faculty, and staff. See for yourself. It's always a good time.

Welcome New Walton Graduate Students

Today is the first day of classes, except for the MMBA program which had class on Saturday. I do not have all of the final numbers yet for the incoming classes. I hope to work on them this week and then post by Friday. I will let you know the class sizes, as well as the averages for GMAT, GPA, etc.

It's supposed to be very hot again today but then it will cool off. Tomorrow's high is expected to be nearly 10 degrees cooler than it will be today. I am hoping it does cool off. It has been very hot here for awhile and I am pretty sure we are all ready for a break.

With classes starting, you can definitely tell a difference in Fayetteville. Students are back in town and traffic is much worse. Be sure to allow for plenty of time to get to campus and find parking. Also, watch the crosswalks. The University of Arkansas is expecting a record number of students this year. We won't have official numbers until after the 11th day of class.

PhD inquiries are on the rise and I have even begun to schedule campus visits for these students. These visits are unofficial and designed to give the prospective student the information needed to determine if he/she wants to apply. There is a more official, formal visit after the Departments have reviewed applications. PhD application deadline is January 15; however, I recommend those applying to Walton PhD programs to submit all materials by December 1. The application requirements can be found at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp.

MBA students are also finalizing their applications for spring 2011. Application deadline is September 15. Even though classes have now begun for fall 2010, the Walton GSB admissions staff is still hard at it. Next year's students will be here before we know. There is a lot to do between now and then.

First Day of School

Area schools in Northwest Arkansas began school today. My children began the first grade and the eighth grade. Here is a picture of them this morning before we left for school.

They'll be getting home soon and I am anxious to hear how it went.

Today was also our last Orientation. Eleven PhD students attended in Information Systems, Management, and Marketing. Total Walton PhD enrollment this fall is 19. Eight went through Orientation in July prior to the Math summer class that was required for new students in Accounting, Economics, and Finance.

Classes at the University of Arkansas begin on Monday, August 23 and our first MMBA class of the semester is on Saturday, August 21.

Master of Accountancy Orientation - Day 2

The second day of MAcc Orientation is winding down. They will soon be dismissed for the day and will then head to the reception at Powerhouse tonight at 5:00. Today, the new students were able to listen to many professionals in the industry offer their words of wisdom and advice. Three different discussion panels presented different topics to our new students.

Here are a few photos from yesterday.

Tomorrow is the Walton Graduate School of Business' last day of Orientation. Our new PhD students in Information Systems, Management, and Marketing will arrive tomorrow.

Photos from MIS Orientation Yesterday

I didn't have a chance to share photos from the Master of Information Systems Orientation in yesterday's post. I want to do that now. This first photo is of Jeff Mullins. Jeff is one of the program coordinators for the Walton full and part-time MIS programs.


These next photos were taken during lunch. It can be challenging to take picture while people are trying to eat. I try to snap in between bites and I try to make sure no one is chewing. I don't always succeed but I do only share the good ones.

This last photo includes Dr. Paul Cronan (on the left). He is the other program coordinator of the Walton MIS programs.

Today is Day 1 of Master of Accountancy Orientation

As this is the week of Orientations, MAcc Orientation is today and tomorrow. Students new to the University of Arkansas started the morning with us at 9:30. Their morning went like this:

9:30 Check in
9:45 Welcome and important Graduate School of Business information
10:00 ISIS Overview (ISIS is the UofA student information system)
10:15 Walton Career Center
10:45 Blackboard Overview (Blackboard is our web based classroom system)
11:00 to Union for student IDs

At 11:30, the MAcc students who attended the University of Arkansas joined Orientation and the afternoon looked like:

11:30 check in
12:00 lunch
12:30 Welcome everyone-Moez Limayem, Associate Director of Research and Graduate Programs, and Marion Dunagan, Assistant Dean for the Graduate School of Business
12:45 MAcc program overview
1:45 Break - very important - walk around, stretch your legs, have a snack
2:00 Razorback Career Link - our online job and resume system
2:30 Team building with me and Jordan Frevert
3:30 Dismissed

Tomorrow the students will have the privilege of observing three discussion panels. These panels are staffed with individuals from Ernst & Young, BKD, Frazer Frost, Hogan Taylor, Walmart, PWC, Conoco Phillips, Erin & Company, JPMS Cox, Tyson, Deloitte, Windstream, S. F. Fiser, and ASPCA. The topics are Professional Office Skills, Managing Time and Assignments, and Career Tracks and Competencies. The day will end with a reception at Powerhouse Seafood and Grill.

I will share pictures of Walton Master of Accoutancy day 1 Orientation tomorrow.

MIS and Professional MIS Orientation is Today

We are welcoming our new full and part-time Master of Information Systems students to the University of Arkansas today. The new Walton full-time students began their day this morning and the part-time students will join us for lunch. The agenda looks like this:

8:00 Breakfast and check-in
8:30 Welcome from Marion Dunagan, Assistant Dean
8:45 Welcome and MIS program overview by Dr. Paul Cronan, Program Director
9:15 Graduate School information - Deb Williams, Associate Director, Graduate Programs and Jordan Frevert, Student Development Specialist
9:30 Career Development Series, Dr. Heather Sprandel, Director of the Walton Career Center
10:00 Fall scheduling and advising, Dr. Paul Cronan
11:00 Technology overview, Sandy Kizer and Will Allred, Walton Technology Center
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Welcome to the MIS Program, Dr. Moez Limayem, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs
1:15 MIS Program overview, Dr. Paul Cronan
2:00 Orientation to online learning, Marion Dunagan, Assistant Dean, and Jim Goodlander and Carolyn Smith - both from Walton's Technology Center
3:15 Technology training and student IDs

The full-time students will have additional sessions Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Master of Accountancy Orientation is tomorrow and Wednesday. This week is very busy for us and it is also very exciting. This is when enrollments are finalized and we know for sure who is attending. This is also when I find out if enrollment goals were met. Fingers crossed.

To follow up on my last post, I had a very nice weekend with my friend from Tulsa. I am also glad to have my daughter back. School starts on Thursday for children in this area. Students were moving in on-campus this weekend. There is chaos and excitement in the air. It is "back to school" time for everyone.

It is Friday the 13th

For many Americans this day invokes fear and trepidation. Hey, it's Friday so I really cannnot complain. It's been very busy in the Walton GSB and I am looking forward to a couple of days of recuperation.

Last weekend was MMBA Orientation. I did take Monday and Tuesday of this week off but I went to visit family in Oklahoma so it was not very relaxing. I drove from Fayetteville to Claremore to Owasso to Bartlesville to Tulsa to Bartlesville to Claremore to Fayetteville. Ugh.

This week has been very busy for all of us. My colleagues in Student Services have been getting ready for more Orientations next week. Monday is Orientation for MIS and Professional MIS. MAcc Orientation is Tuesday and Wednesday and then we wrap it up with PhD Orientation on Thursday.

On the Admissions side of the GSB, student traffic has really picked up. I have been visiting with lots of students regarding graduate school for next year. It seems to have started a little earlier this year. We are also finalizing our admissions for this fall.

MBA application deadline is September 15. The goal is to admit 20 more students. Over the next few weeks I will be "working" these applications. This means I will be going through the files, seeing what is missing, and then notifying students. I want to complete as many folders as possible so that we can review as many applications as possible.

I am also working on my fall schedule - scheduling career fairs and corporate visits as well as classroom visits. It's hard to believe classes start in just over a week (August 23). My children start school on the 19th and I haven't even got school supplies yet. This is very unlike me. I think I have been in denial - summer cannot possibly be over already.

My daughter, Zoey, has been away this week. She has spent some time with my sister in Claremore and a friend, Maddy, in Tulsa. She is coming back tomorrow. My friend, Stephanie (Maddy's mom), is bringing her back home and then will stay overnight. She is bringing Maddy as well. The girls are the same age and Stephanie and I went to school together in Nowata and Tulsa University (my mom also graduated high school with her dad). It's great that our daughters also enjoy each other. I am looking forward to her visit. I think we will go to Hog Haus for dinner tomorrow night and then maybe to Willie D's, a piano bar. I'll report back on Monday.

MMBA Orientation Days Three and Four

As promised, here are some photos of the Social that occurred on day Two, Friday. The Social was held at Powerhouse.

Day three of MMBA Orientation began with a very stimulating lecture by Dr. Moez Limayem. Following this lecture, the class was divided into teams. These teams then worked until 5:00 on a case presentation. Here are some photos of this process.



On day four, the last day of Orientation, the teams compete in a case competition. This first photo is of our illustrious panel of judges.

This next one is of some of the students posing. I ran around with the camera for four days and they wanted to be ready for one.

This last photo is the winning team. Great job!