Walton College GSB Admissions Blog

Big, Deep Breath

2012-01-24T12:02:00.002-06:00

Let me pause for just a minute to get by bearings and my breath. The University was closed last Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Tuesday through Friday we worked frantically to process PhD applications. The deadline was January 15. Our goal was to have all incoming materials processed (entered into the computer, scanned to our online file system, and matched-documents come in piecemeal and they must all be filed with the corresponding application). We were successful. Before we left the office on Friday, the Departments had been given electronic access to their applications. As the days go by, we continue to receive incoming materials and these are processed and forwarded to the Departments.

The deadline for University fellowships is February 1. Departments will submit their nominations to us and we will process them and deliver them to the Graduate School. First round offers will go out mid-February as will our denies. A short waiting list will be kept for each program. Depending on the responses received from the first round, second round offers will then go out. All PhD programs are admitting this fall except for Information Systems.

Master of Information Systems deadline is February 1. You can find our list of application requirements at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. Our focus will turn to MIS as soon as fellowship nominations are delivered to the Graduate School. Next week I will go through the MIS files and notify students of any missing documents. The admissions committee will not meet until mid-February. This gives us a chance to process the first round of PhD offers. MIS offers will then go out mid-late February.

I will also begin traveling next month. My February calendar looks like this:

February 8 - Corporate Visit to Walmart's ISD
February 15 - Corporate Visit to Tyson
February 16 - Open House and Social-Walton College and Powerhouse Seafood and Grill
February 21 - Career Fair-Walton College
February 22 - Career Fair - College of Engineering-UofA
February 23 - Career Fair - Hendrix
February 23 - Corporate Visit - UAMS
February 29 - Career Fair-University of the Ozarks

Days 2, 3, and 4

2012-01-12T15:47:00.003-06:00

I am behind. Let me catch up. Tuesday, Day 2 of Orientation, was Team Day. The class had completed StrengthsQuest, on online assessment that determined their top 5 strengths out of a possible 34. The day looked like this:

8:00 StrengthsQuest summary
10:00 Break
10:15 Team building activity
12:30 Lunch
1:30 How to present a case
2:00 Presentation pointers
2:30 Dismissed

This was a very fun day. It began with relevant information regarding personal strengths. This helped students better understand themselves and also provided important information to allow them to work better in teams. The day flowed smoothly into a team activity.

Day 3 was spent working in teams on a case presentation.

Day 4, today, was the Case Competition. The class was divided into 12 teams. Three teams advanced to the finals. The winner of the 2012 MBA Orientation Case Competition was Team K - Thibault Vittet, Amberle Morgan, Mark Eastham. The case used was a Google case so here they are with their Google Championship Belts (complete with spinning "G"). I will post more photos next week.

Tomorrow is Retail Immersion day. We will start bright and early in the morning at 7:30. We'll load onto a bus and head to a Walmart distribution center. Lunch will follow and then the day will be capped by a visit to a local, major Walmart vendor. More to follow next week.

The University will be closed on Monday, January 16th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

MBA Orientation - Day 1

2012-01-09T14:33:00.003-06:00

We kicked off our MBA Orientation today. The final class looks like this:

# = 46
GMAT = 631
GPA = 3.2
age = 25
35% female
32% international-representing China, India, Hong Kong, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and France.

Today's agenda looked like this:

8:00 - check-in and breakfast
8:15 - welcome
8:30 - ice breaker
9:45 - break
10:00 - program overview
10:30 - building your brand
11:30 - mentor activity
12:00 - lunch
1:30 - technology set up
2:20 - break
2:30 - graduate assistantships
3:00 - academic integrity
4:00 - career services
5:30 - current student/alumni panel off-campus

Tonight is also the national championship between LSU and Alabama, the only two teams the Razorbacks lost to this year.

Tomorrow we will start again at 7:45. I will update and post pictures as the week progresses.

Welcome Class of 2013!

Happy New Year

2012-01-05T10:07:00.003-06:00

The University was closed Friday, December 23 through Monday, January 2. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday catching up on email. This is a very exciting and busy time for us at the Graduate School of Business.

On the Student Services side, we have MBA Orientation next week. Orientation is Monday, January 9 through Friday, January 13. This is one of my favorite times of year. We are expecting 44 students. Many of them I have met, but there are also several others I have not yet had the privilege of meeting. I greatly enjoy meeting the students I have been emailing and corresponding with for so long. This is a busy, fun-filled week. I'll post more details and pictures as the week progresses.

On the Admissions side, our first of many application deadline is approaching. The PhD deadline is January 15th. Walton has PhD's in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain. The first round of admissions decisions will go out mid-February.

The Master of Information Systems deadline is February 1. You can find the complete list of our application requirements at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. Those who apply by the program deadlines are eligible for funding. Information about the funding available can be found at http://gsb.uark.edu/finaid.asp.

Tomorrow night is a big night for the Razorbacks. We play Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl. GO HOGS!

I Can't Believe Another Year is Nearly Over

2011-12-14T12:13:00.002-06:00

I can remember when I was a little girl, hearing my grandmother lament about the passage of time. I often heard, "Where has the time gone?" Or, "I can't believe it's time to put up the Christmas lights again." I never really understood what she meant. As a child, time marches along fairly slowly - summer vacation is forever away and the days before Christmas seem to last 48 rather than 24 hours. As we age, we start to use the phrases of our parents and grandparents. I now find myself saying, with alarming regularity, "I can't believe another semester is almost over."

The University is closed for the Winter Holiday beginning on Friday, December 23. We return to the office on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. YES, 2012! Wasn't it just yesterday that we were storing water and batteries in preparation for world chaos to reign on January 1, 2000?

MBA Orientation is Monday, January 9 through Friday, January 13 and then the spring semester begins on Tuesday, January 17. On Monday, January 16, the University will be closed in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

PhD application deadline is January 15; however, I do recommend submitting all materials as soon as possible. Many departments will begin reviewing files before this published deadline. First round offers will go out mid-February. We do keep a small waiting list while we wait to hear back from this first group. Second round offers are then made if necessary.

MIS application deadline is February 1. You can find a complete list of all application requirements at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp.

At this time of year, students are anxious to learn the status of their files. We, in admissions, answer these queries as quickly as possible. As the spring semester begins, we have back to back application deadlines. We will process PhD and MAECON, then move on to MIS, then to MAcc, Professional MIS, and finally to MBA and MMBA. I review all files prior to each deadline and inform students of any missing documents. Please be patient with us as we do have a small admissions staff and we are receiving more and more applications each year. This is an excellent problem to have.

Happy Holidays!

Catching Up

2011-12-09T12:48:00.003-06:00

I have been trying to write on the blog all week. I am not sure what happened but I haven't been able to get it to save and publish. I split up what I wrote and am posting it in two separate posts and for some reason, it's working. Ah, technical difficulties.

I have been off the radar. Where have I been? I have had Disney on the brain. My family went to Disney World over Thanksgiving break. We surprised the kids and did not tell them until the day we left. It was a fabulous trip. If you have not been, I highly recommend it.

The kids and I visited the Lights of the Ozarks on the Fayetteville Square earlier this week. This is an annual Holiday tradition for many.

2011-12-09T12:42:00.006-06:00

We are in our final stages of admissions for the MBA program to begin in January. We currently have 40 students who will start next month. I have four more complete files for committee review and I am expecting two more to be finished by the end of the month. Average GMAT is 632, average GPA is 3.25, and average age is currently 25. These numbers will change as we finalize this class.

For those who are planning on starting the Walton MBA in January of 2013, now is the perfect time to get started. To be eligible for funding, all material must be submitted by April 1. See our complete list at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. Book your first GMAT for February. This way, if you need to retest, you can do so in March. Book it now! February fills up. Start studying! You need these two months to prepare adequately for the test.

Those most competitive for admission will have a 620+ on the GMAT, two years of work experience, and a 3.3 on their last 60 hours. These are NOT minimums. It does not mean that someone with a 660 and one year are not admissible and it does not meant that someone with a 580 and seven years of work experience are not admissible. The committee selects the best 40-45 of the pool. The pool varies from year to year.

Be sure to email gsb@walton.uark.edu with any questions about the Walton Master's or PhD degree programs.

MBA Update and Misc.

2011-11-17T13:48:00.003-06:00

Of that list of 10 applicants that were sent to committee for the MBA program, six were offered admission. That brings our total possible to 41. We are unable to accept any more international applications due to the time left before the start of the program. It would be hard for me to turn down a highly qualified domestic applicant right now. This offer is open through the end of November. To find the complete list of our application requirements, visit, http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. The ideal candidate, at this last stage, would have a 620+ on the GMAT, two years of work experience, and a 3.0+ on his/her last 60 hours of degree credit. If you meet these criteria, you can apply at http://gsb.uark.edu.

For those looking to start the Walton MBA in January 2013, be sure to submit all materials by April 1, 2012 to be considered for funding opportunities.

PhD application deadline is January 15. First round of decisions will go out early to mid-February. I do not know yet how many seats each Department is looking to fill. It is usually 2-4. No specifics yet. More to come later.

This Saturday the Lights of the Ozarks will be turned on. I am not a huge fan of the cold but I do love this time of year. The Lights of the Ozarks are located on Fayetteville's historic square. From November 19 through the New Year, the lights will come on each night. This is a very popular destination for families and visitors. It is complete with pony rides, carolers, and even a camel or two.

I will be out of the office next week. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Last Week of Travel

2011-10-31T14:14:00.002-05:00

This will be the last week that I am on the road. On Wednesday, I will be in Conway at the University of Central Arkansas. That evening I am meeting a group of prospective students in Little Rock for dinner. On Thursday, I am back in Conway and I will be at Hendrix. I'll be back in the office on Friday; however, I will be assisting with a workshop and will be away from my desk.

We are sending 10 more files to the MBA admissions committee this week. I believe I'll have one more batch ready for review at the end of the month. That will wrap up our MBA class for January. After this week's meeting, I am expecting to be at 40-42 and I am hoping to be at 45 at the end of the month. There is usually some attrition before the program begins; I am hoping to have 40 in January.

In my last post, I mistakenly wrote that the game this last Saturday was home against South Carolina. Nhiem pointed out my error. The game was in fact at Vandy. This Saturday's game, November 5, is against South Carolina and it is at home. The Razorbacks are ranked #7 and South Carolina is ranked #9. It will be a very exciting game. The Razorbacks like to give us panic attacks and keep us on the edge of their seats. They are fond of coming from behind. I guess this is better than getting an early lead and losing it. There is another big SEC game this weekend - Alabama and LSU will face off as well. We will play LSU on Friday, November 25th.

My daughter, Zoey, ran in the Conference Cross Country meet last Saturday and placed 3rd. She will run next Saturday in the State Cross Country meet. This is very exciting since she is only a freshman. Next weekend will be quite busy.

How Time Flies

2011-10-25T12:55:00.002-05:00

A lot has transpired since my last post. This month I have traveled to Joplin (MO), Clarksville, Fort Smith, and Philadelphia. Yes, as in PA. Marion and I attended a part-time MBA conference there. It was nice to see some old friends and get up to date on the latest and greatest regarding this program. Tomorrow I will visit Arkansas Tech in Russellville. Next week will round out my fall recruiting schedule and I'll be in Conway Wednesday and Thursday - UCA on Wednesday and Hendrix on Thursday. Wednesday evening I will be meeting Kellen Utecht, an MBA/MPS student, and some prospective MBA students in Little Rock. Kellen is helping us recruit at the Clinton School. We offer a joint degree with the Master of Public Service, offered at the Clinton School. It's a great option for those looking at going into non-profit.

As far as what else I've been up to: Jack's last football game was this last Saturday. This was his first year of tackle football. He played 6 games, all on Saturdays. He also played a mini (4 week) session of basketball, also on Saturdays. That is over as well. Thank goodness. Mom is worn out.

Zoey is running cross country. This is her first year and I think she's done great. She's run in 5 meets and has placed in 3 (in order: 5th, 1st, and 14th). The Conference meet is this Saturday.

This Saturday is also a home game against South Carolina. Go HOGS!

Oh, I almost forgot. We also held our Fall Open House and Social last week. We had a great turnout. The next event will be in February. I can't believe it's already the end of October. The semester will be over before I know it which means MBA Orientation is around the corner (January 9-13). The current class has 35 students. We will wrap up admissions the end of November. Our goal is 40 and I am confident we'll reach it.

So much to write about...

2011-09-29T15:00:00.003-05:00

Where to begin. Our very own Dr. Carol Reeves is featured in Fortune: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/smallbusiness/1109/gallery.most_powerful_women_entrepreneurs.fortune/9.html. She is the amazing advisor for Walton GSB small business plan teams. Be sure to check out this article.

There is also an elevator pitch competition coming up on October 27. This is what the flier says:
THIS IS A GREAT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTORS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND ENTREPRENEURS.
WHAT IS AN ELEVATOR PITCH?
AN "ELEVATOR PITCH" IS A CAREFULLY CRAFTED MESSAGE DESIGNED TO EXPLAIN A BUSINESS TO A POTENTIAL INVESTOR. THE CATCH — IT MUST BE GIVEN IN THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO RIDE UP AN ELEVATOR.
200+ ATTENDEES WERE AT THE LAST EVENT!
WHERE: BUCK NEKKID BBQ
3825 NORTH SHILOH DRIVE
FAYETTEVILLE, AR 72703
WHEN: OCTOBER 27, 2011 AT 6 PM
R.S.V.P. ATTEND, SPONSOR, OR COMPETE
WWW.NWAEA.NET

We also had another MBA admissions committee meeting this week. Official letters will go out tomorrow. Prior to the meeting, we had 21 in our class that will begin in January. We will make 15-17 more offers based on this meeting. The number is not set in stone because we are still waiting on an item or two from a couple of students in order to finalize the decision.

WE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS FOR THE CLASS THAT WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY 2012. This is due to the processing involved and the time remaining until Orientation (January 9-13).

Domestic applications will continue to be accepted through November as space is available. Our goal is 40 students. Email gsb@walton.uark.edu with questions.

I'm back - for now

2011-09-23T10:36:00.002-05:00

This has been a very busy week for the Walton Graduate School of Business. While I was out running around in three different states, my colleagues have been hosting a group of visiting Panamanians. Our visitors have had a fun-filled, jam-packed schedule that included: the Arkansas World Trade Center, Pinnacle Mall, Walmart Distribution Center, a visit to Sam Walton's first store in Bentonville, a networking event, lunch with current Walton MBA students, a trip to Eureka Springs, a visit to Procter and Gamble, and a trip to our RFID lab, just to name a few of the items on their agenda.

My week included a trip to Missouri State University in Springfield on Tuesday, Tulsa University on Wednesday, and then Oklahoma State University on Thursday. I met many wonderful new prospective students. It is important that our students come from many different institutions and have a variety of academic majors. This adds to the experience of everyone in the program.

Monday is our MBA admissions committee meeting. We currently have about 20 students in the class and we are hoping for a class of 40. We'll continue to accept applications through November as space is available. I'll post the results of the meeting on Tuesday and on Monday afternoon, I will email the students the committee's decisions.

Tomorrow the Razorbacks face a daunting challenge. We are going up against #3 Alabama (AP Poll). Last year this game was played in Fayetteville. Alabama was then #1 and we were #10. It was the first time 2 top 10 teams had played in Fayetteville since the 60's or 70's. It was insane. We led through the entire game and then lost it in the 4th quarter. It was tough. This year proves to be another tough one for the Hogs. We are ranked #14. On the USA Today poll, we are #2 and #12, respectively. This year the game is in Alabama. Come on Hogs.

It doesn't get any easier for the Hogs. That's part of being in the SEC. The rest of our schedule includes Texas A&M, Auburn, Mississippi, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Tennessee, and LSU. There are 5 SEC teams in the top 15. So, we need all the cheering we can get. All together now, GO HOGS!

Fall Travel Schedule

2011-09-12T15:20:00.002-05:00

It is that time of year again. I will be hitting the road, shaking the trees for graduate students. My schedule looks like this:

September 15 - UofA Engineering Expo
September 20 - Missouri State University Business Career Fair
September 21 - Tulsa University Business Career Fair
September 22 - Oklahoma State University Career Fair
October 5 - Missouri Southern State University Career Fair
October 6 - UofA Career Fair
October 19 - University of the Ozarks Career Fair
October 20 - UAFS Career Fair
October 26 - Arkansas Tech University Career Fair
November 2 - University of Central Arkansas Career Fair
November 3 - Hendrix Career Fair

The application deadline for the next MBA class is September 15. The admissions committee is meeting on September 26th. Applications are accepted after this date on a space available basis. Early decision deadline and to apply for funding for the class that will begin in January 2013 is April 1, 2012. Email gsb@walton.uark.edu with questions.

Block Party

2011-08-26T15:32:00.005-05:00

The Annual Walton College Block Party was this last Wednesday. We do this each fall to welcome our students back to campus. There was pizza, hot dogs, watermelon, cookies, Shake's frozen custard, and lots of Coke. Here are a few pics of our MBA students. As you can see, it's a good time.

And another year begins

2011-08-22T14:17:00.005-05:00

Today is the first day of class here at the University of Arkansas. The UofA is expecting another record-breaking freshman class. Last year's University population was about 21,500. This year's expected enrollment is over 23,000. Official numbers are not released until after the 11th day of class. I am anxious to see them.

The GSB did survive another round of Orientations. You may think admissions can now take a break. Well, that would be an incorrect assumption. Final deadline for MBA is September 15. We need to wrap this class up and believe it or not, applications are already coming in for 2012. PhD deadline is January 15. If you are applying to a Walton PhD program, I recommend applying by December 1. This facilitates the process for the Departments and the GSB.

Whereas application numbers started out slowly for the Walton MMBA (part-time MBA), we ended up with record breaking numbers. I do not have any final numbers yet for this fall. I will work on these next week. Preliminary counts for the MMBA show that we received over 130 applications (compared with 109 and 110 for the last two years). This class did end up with 68 new students as a result.

On the home front, I now have a child in high school. This doesn't seem possible. My daughter, Zoey, started 9th grade this year. She is running cross country right now. This will be her first year doing this sport and we are hopful that she will have a little success at her meets. She is also doing karate and just tested for her yellow belt two weeks ago. She was very glad to get rid of that white belt.

Jack is in second grade this year and so far so good. My kids started school last Monday. This will be his first year of tackle football and he is very excited.

The Razorbacks will kick off their football schedule with a home game against Missouri State on Saturday, September 3. I love football.

The summer was pretty busy for the GSB. We'll need to ramp it up because now that school's started, we'll get even busier. I start traveling next month, too. I guess that's why I love admissions, never a dull moment.

Tis the Season

2011-08-11T15:27:00.003-05:00

For Orientation, that is. Today was the beginning of eight days of Orientation. We began this stretch with MMBA, which will go today through Sunday. Monday will be MIS and Professional MIS, Tuesday and Wednesday will be MAcc, and Thursday is PhD.

The MMBA program is kicking off with 68 students this year. This is a little larger than usual. We did see an increase in applications for this program (unofficial count is 136 compared to 109 from last year). Average GMAT is 568, average GPA is 3.29, average age is 30 and average work experience is 7 years.

This group has degress from BYU, Texas Tech, UNC-Chapel Hill, George Washington, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Michigan State, Arizona State, Case Western, as well as UofA and many others. They represent companies such as Walmart, JB Hunt, Tyson, Smucker, Kraft, Hershey, Nestle, ABF Freight, General Mills, Bayer, SC Johnson, Dr Pepper Snapple, Sam's Club, and many more.

During this four day Orientation, they will take their first two-hour class, An Introduction to the Value Chain. Their first class will be August 27. This program is completed in two years by taking one class each month. You can see this year's schedule at http://gsb.uark.edu/mmba.asp.

Early decision deadline is April 1 and our application requirements are at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp.

Admissions Update

2011-07-13T14:48:00.005-05:00

The Walton Graduate School of Business has implemented a new program for University of Arkansas students - the Integrated Master of Accountancy (IMAcc). Accounting students who want to join the Master of Accountancy (MAcc)can now apply a year early. Criteria are: 90 hours, 3.0 GPA, and specific accounting prerequisites. If these are met and they complete the application process, students can be admitted into the IMAcc prior to their senior year. They will finish their senior year and will go directly into their MAcc. This locks their seat a year early and for those who receive an out-of-stat tuition waiver, they get to keep this award which is a significant savings.

The deadline for this new program was July 1. It looks like we'll have approximately 20 new IMAcc students this first year. I am very pleased with this result. This means we already have 20 students in the MAcc for fall 2012. This leaves 30 seats available. Everyone else will apply for the MAcc for fall 2012 by March 1. This program does usually receive about 100 applications. This number will be down since 20 students have already applied and been accepted. It also means the other 75 or so will be competing for 30 seats. Very exciting.

In other news, we are wrapping up the MMBA program. I sent another round of files to the committee today. I am hoping for results early next week. I anticipate one more round at the end of the month and then I have a few stragglers who will finish the first week of August. Orientation is August 11-14 and is mandatory. We can't accept applications past August 5. My goal is to have 50-55 and I do anticipate meeting this number.

Projected enrollments for fall are as follows:

MAcc - 40
IMAcc - 20
MAEcon - 2
MIS - 12
Professional MIS - 10
Certificate students - 10
MMBA - 55

Two MBA Students Intern in South Africa

2011-07-06T15:28:00.002-05:00

Alex Kieslich and Jason Wu are interning this summer in South Africa. Alex is a 2011 graduate of the Walton MBA and Jason will graduate in 2012. To learn more, visit http://newswire.uark.edu/article.aspx?id=16374.

Internship opportunities like this is one way that Walton truly differentiates itself from the competition. MBA students have interned at Walmart, Tyson, Dannon, Hershey, Kellogg, Dial, Dr. Pepper/Snapple, just to name a few. We are very fortunate to have many corporate partners.

The Walton Career Center begins working with our MBA students prior to their arrival, assisting them with their resume so that they are prepared to begin the internship search. These opportunities contribute significantly to the excellent placement of Walton MBA students.

Application deadline for the next class to begin in January is September 15. Visit http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp for a complete list of requirements. Those with a GMAT of 620+, 2 years of work experience, and a GPA of 3.2+ will be most competitive.

Check out Nhiem's blog

2011-06-29T15:49:00.002-05:00

He is updating cycleWood's status on the competition circuit as well as in the "real world." Nhiem is concentrating all of his efforts in getting this start-up up and running.

Walton has had several successful start-ups come from the small-business plan competitions. Here are a few and their websites:

cycleWood - cyclewood.com
Silicon Solar Solutions - siliconsolarsolutions.com
BiologicsMD - biologicsmd.com
Merchant View - mvretail.com
TiFiber - tifiber.com

I had a great week off last week. This week I have been catching up on email and working on the new MBA brochure. Next week I will focus on my annual report and getting files ready for Integrated MAcc committee review. These files will go to the Department either Friday, July 8 or Monday, July 11.

Yippee for vacation

2011-06-17T15:10:00.002-05:00

It is late Friday afternoon and I am off next week. Can you tell I am excited? One would think that things slow down in a university office during the summer and one would be wrong. We have been very busy. This summer I am working on redoing our brochures. Four to be exact. The goal is to have them done by September 1. I am not alone; my Assistant Dean, Marion, is in this mess with me.

My other "must do" this summer is to finish the MMBA class. Orientation is August 11-14. By August 5, I need 15 more students. Files are pouring in and these must be processed and taken to committee.

You may wonder what my plans are for next week. I hate to disappoint, but I am staying home, for the most part. Next Wednesday, June 22, is my 20th wedding anniversary. We are planning a big to-do. Afterwards, my kids will visit friends and family in Oklahoma while mom and dad enjoy a little alone time. I'll head over to pick them up on the 25th.

I have one more meeting today before I can officially be "off." This is a little humorous, or not depending on how you look at it, but I am never very far away or disconnected; if I didn't keep caught up with my email, I'd go stark raving mad when I got back.

I'll try to do something entertaining so that I have a great story to recount. More when I return.

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth

2011-06-08T14:41:00.003-05:00

I know it's been awhile. I had a family emergency last week and was out of the office. This time off wasn't planned and I have been playing catch up this week. It has been very busy.

We are hosting an MBA Open House this Friday, June 10th at 5:30 in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall. This is an ideal opportunity to learn more about our full and part-time MBA programs.

Applications are being accepted for the part-time MBA (MMBA) through July 31. A complete list of requirements can be found at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. Orientation for this program is August 11-14 and it is mandatory.

Deadline for the full-time program is September 15. This program only starts in January and is three semesters long.

New Blogger

2011-05-20T09:01:00.004-05:00

Meet our new blogger, Kellen Utecht. Kellen is from North Dakota. He has worked with Small Business Development Centers and volunteered in the Peace Corps. Kellen is now completing the dual program - MBA and MPS. For those of you who don't know what the MPS is, it is the Master of Public Service offered by the Clinton School in Little Rock. Visit them at http://www.clintonschool.uasys.edu/. The link to Kellen's blog is located on the right of this page. Be sure to follow his journey as he pursues this dual program.

Commencement was last Saturday. I have great pictures to share of the graduation party and commencement. I'll post them on Monday. Have a great weekend, everyone.

Wrapping up the semester

2011-05-10T12:15:00.005-05:00

Finals began on Saturday and will end Friday, May 13th. Hopefully our students are not overly superstitious. The University Commencement will be held Saturday, May 14. Walton Commencement is that afternoon, at 12:30. This is a busy week for our students. The Graduate School of Business hosts a graduation party on Friday, May 13th. I enjoy these end of year festivities. The students are giddy with excitement and their families are pretty happy too.

In other news, our two teams competing in small business plan competitions this semester are featured in the May 23 issue of Fortune magazine. cycleWood finished 4th at the Rice University competition and TiFiber finished 6th. A record 510 plans were submitted this year. Forty two are then selected to compete. Two Walton teams finished in the top 6!

Walton MBA #1 in the nation

2011-05-02T15:37:00.002-05:00

The Walton MBA is number one in the nation in placement at graduation. For the full story, visit

http://poetsandquants.com/2011/04/25/best-b-schools-for-getting-a-job/.

Pay particularly close attention to the comments at the bottom comparing our cost of living to that of New York.

The Great Flood of 2011

2011-04-28T16:14:00.008-05:00

This week has been one for the record books. On Monday, the University closed at 3:30 due to flooding streets. This is my 13th year with the University and it's never closed for rain. Several area streets were closed due to high water. All of the rivers had overflowed their banks. My children were stuck at school. Their buses didn't run and my husband had to go pick them up. When we got home, we had water in our basement. Not bad but he had to get outside and redirect the flowing water that was coming down the hill behind our house. Many, many people had significant damage. Northwest Arkansas made the national news and we were on the Today show on Tuesday morning. It was quite dangerous; many rescues had to be made either due to flooded homes or cars that became stalled while trying to drive through water that was too high.

This is the field across the road from my house. I have never been able to see the river from my house. It is out of eye sight. However, on Monday night it looked like I lived across the road from a lake. Here are before and after pictures.

Tornadoes also tore through the south this week. Significant damage and several fatalities have resulted in Arkansas and Alabama. However, today is beautiful. The sun is shining and it's about 70 degrees right now. My son has a baseball game tonight. It's his first game; all of his games last week and earlier this week were cancelled because of the rain.

Tomorrow is my daughter's 14th birthday. I can't believe it; time goes by so fast. She wants our family to go to Fast Lanes in Rogers. They have laser tag, bowling, go carts, video games, etc. It should be a lot of fun.

Dominating the Governor's Cup - AGAIN

2011-04-21T16:32:00.008-05:00

As you may remember, the Walton graduate teams swept (winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) the Donald W. Reynolds Small Business Plan Competition last year. We learned this year's results yesterday and once again, we did very well. Here is the governor.

cycleWood Solutions, LLC won the elevator pitch (they are undefeated in this category), won the agricultural award, and took first place. To learn more, read Nhiem's blog.

Our other team, TiFiber, LLC placed second.

Both teams will advance to the tri-state competition in Las Vegas in May. The top two finishers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Nevada will face off to determine the regional winner.

cycleWood Solutions, LLC and TiFiber, LLC competed earlier this week at the Rice University Business plan competition.

cycleWood Solutions won fourth place taking home $9,000 with prizes from Murphree Venture Partners, $2500 Best Sales and Marketing Award from ContentActive / Houston Business Journal and Austin Ventures best elevator pitch for $1000. cycleWood is developing a lignin-based plastic, XyloBag, which functions like a regular plastic bag but decomposes within 150 days of exposure to bacteria found in natural environments.

TiFiber took home sixth place overall for $18,500 with $3000 from Fulbright & Jaworski as well as the $15,000 Robert A. & Virginia Heinlein Trust Prize. TiFiber holds an exclusive license to prepare Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) into nano-fibers for use in filtration systems, aerospace, thermoplastics, textiles, and medical applications.

These two teams beat teams from Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins, BYU, University of Chicago, Georgia Institute of Technology, London Business School, and the list goes on. For more information, visit:
http://www.alliance.rice.edu/alliance/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=128.

The Walton College truly dominates the field of business plan competitions.

First Round MBA decisions

2011-04-13T15:51:00.003-05:00

The MBA admissions committee met on Monday. Results are as follows:

MBA
55 applications were reviewed
24 were offered admission
average GMAT = 652
average GPA = 3.38
average age = 26

Letters are going out tomorrow. Final application deadline is September 15 and this class will be 35-40. Application requirements can be found at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp. ALL FUNDING HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR THE MBA CLASS THAT WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY 2012!

MMBA
42 applications were reviewed
31 were offered admission
average GMAT = 590
average GPA = 3.28
average age = 31

Applications will be received through July 1. This class will be 55-60.

Briefly Back in the Office

2011-04-08T15:07:00.003-05:00

I was in the office on Monday, April 4. Then on the 5th I was in Arkadelphia for a career fair at Henderson State and OBU. On Wednesday I was off to Pine Bluff and then on Thursday, it was ATU. Today I am back in the office - briefly. I assisted most of the day with an Open House that was held by the UofA's Grad School. I have also been working on MBA files.

Monday is our MBA admissions committee meeting. The first round of MBA offers will go out, hopefully by Friday, April 15th. The first round of offers will also be made for the Walton Managerial MBA (MMBA). Applications are being accepted for MMBA through July. Class size will be 55-60. Final deadline for MBA is September 15. Those who are wondering what the results are on Monday can email me for the committee's decision. I will try to answer all emails that afternoon but it will depend on how long the committee meeting runs. It may be Tuesday before you receive an email from me.

My traveling is done for the year; well, at least until September when the fall career fairs will begin. This semester is nearly over. I cannot believe it.

New US News Rankings

2011-03-21T13:12:00.003-05:00

The latest US News Rankings came out last week. The full-time MBA is still ranked #25 among public MBA programs. The part-time or Managerial MBA (MMBA) is ranked #29 among publics and #50 overall. The Walton Supply Chain program was also ranked. They climbed from #23 overall last year to a tie with Georgia Institute of Technology at #14 overall. Among publics, we are tied at # 9. The Walton College is forming a new Supply Chain Department. This is very exciting and we are hoping it assists us further in the rankings.

I have been very sporadic in my posting lately and I thought I should explain why. Here is my schedule for March and April:

March 2 - Career Fair at University of Central Arkansas
March 3 - Career Fair at University of Arkansas as Fort Smith
March 10 - Open House and Social
March 16 - Corporate Visit to Walmart's ISD
March 17 - Career Fair at University of the Ozarks
March 17 - Information session in Rogers
March 22 - Career Fair at Philander Smith
March 30 - Corporate Visit to Tyson
April 5 - Career Fair at Henderson State University
April 5 - Career Fair at Ouachita Baptist University
April 6 - Career Fair at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
April 7 - Career Fair at Arkansas Tech University
April 8 - Grad School Open House
April 11 - Admissions committee meeting for MBA and MMBA

It's a pretty busy time of year for us. Graduation is May 14 and we'll host a graduation party on Friday, May 13. This week is the University's Spring Break. I am in the office today and Wednesday. The University is closed on Friday and I am taking Thursday off so that I can spend some time with my kids. By then they'll be geared up and ready to get out of the house. We did visit friends in Tulsa this last weekend but now they are home. I am sure they will run me ragged this weekend. I'll be hearing, "Hey mom, can we go...?" I am hoping the weather cooperates so that we can get outside.

Spring Open House and Social

2011-03-11T11:20:00.002-06:00

We held the Spring Open House and Social last night. Both were a resounding success. Twenty-two potential Walton master's students attended the Open House. The purpose of this event is to explain the application process and to discuss each master's degree offered by the Walton College.

Following the Open House, we headed down to Powerhouse for the Spring Social. This is a very popular event held every semester for all current, former, prospective Walton GSB students, and faculty. Over 100 attendees signed in. The Social is a great opportunity for our current and former students to mix and mingle and it gives our prospective students a chance to ask them questions about their programs of interest.

Next week we begin processing MBA and MMBA applications. Deadline is April 1 and the committee will meet the week of April 11. Decisions will be sent out the end of that week.

Admissions update

2011-02-25T09:55:00.004-06:00

We are in the midst of admission season. Here is what is going on.

- PhD decisions have been made and letters are going out as I write. First round offers are being made and denials are being sent. We do have a waiting list. Depending on the results of the first round offers, those on the waiting list will then either receive denials or an offer of admission. For reference, Accounting received over 30 applications and expects to enroll 3 students. Average GMAT of these three is 703. Economics received nearly 30 applications. They plan to enroll four. Their average GRE score is 1330. Finance received approximately 30 applications. Two offers of admission were extended. Average GMAT is 735. Information Systems received over 20 applications and has offered admission to three students. Their average GMAT is 653. Management intends to enroll three students this fall. Offers have been extended and their average GMAT is 725. Marketing has not made all admissions decisions yet. They did receive over 30 applications.

- Master of Information Systems deadline was February 1. The Department has made their decisions. They received nearly 70 applications and will extend offers to 10. Their average GMAT is over 600 and average GRE is over 1250. Letters are being done now. They have a very high qualified waiting list. Depending on the results of the first round offers, those on the waiting list will then either be offered admission or will be sent a notification of denial.

- Master of Accountancy deadline is March 1. We expect decisions mid-March and then letters will go out mid-to-late March.

- MBA early decision deadline is April 1. All funding will be awarded to those who apply by this date. The committee will meet mid-April and then decision letters will be sent mid-to-late April.

Great Fayetteville Video

2011-02-22T15:38:00.001-06:00

Check out this wonderful video about Fayetteville, Arkansas.

http://accessfayetteville.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1164

Women in the Workplace

2011-02-21T16:21:00.003-06:00

The Northwest Arkansas Young Professionals are holding an event Thursday, February 24, 6:00-7:30 in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall on the University of Arkansas campus.

Here is a line-up of the speakers:
1. Dina Howell, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi X
2. Machelle Gifford-Selbe, Senior Manager, Member Program Development, Sam’s Club
Marketing Chair, Walmart Women's Resource Council
Walmart 100 Member, and Regional Co-Secretary, Network of Executive Women
3. Stephanie Clawson, General Mills Director for Walmart Perishable
4. Susan Van Hosen, Vice President, Retail Business Development - Walmart & Sam's Club Team, Disney Consumer Products

This will be a wonderful opportunity to network with other professionals and to gain some valuable information too.

Snow, snow, and more snow

2011-02-09T10:50:00.003-06:00

The University of Arkansas is closed today due to the unbelievable amount of snow falling in Arkansas right now. I heard on the news this morning that we received around 25 inches last year. This was a record breaking year. We may receive over 2 feet with this storm. This year's snow totals will obliterate last year's. This area of the country is not equipped for this type of weather. We do not have the plows to keep up with the snow fall. Everyone is encouraged to stay home. Roads are currently impassable in may areas. Most often, it will snow and then melt away the next day. Temperatures have been staying cold enough that the snow is accumulating and occurring on top of what we had last week. In northern areas of the US, this is normal. It is not typical in this part of the country. Next week we are expecting 50-60 degree temperatures. Tomorrow it is supposed to be below zero in the morning. Until it warms up, we are stuck.

It is a beautiful snow, though. The snow is expected to continue until this afternoon or evening. It's not finished yet. I have tried to upload photos but it is not currently working. I'll try again later.

Crazy weather

2011-02-04T15:24:00.003-06:00

The University of Arkansas was closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week. We opened today at 9:30 and will close at 4:00. The snow is really coming down right now. This episode is supposed to produce 3 to 6 inches. Another storm is coming in on either Sunday or Monday.

If you have been trying to reach us, be patient. The weather is putting a serious kink in our daily operations.

First round offers for PhD will hopefully go out mid-to-late February. The MIS application deadline was February 1. We have not been in the office to process these applications. Again, please be patient with us as we work through this trying time. The Department hopes to make decisions the week of February 14. All files will be prepped for departmental review next week. As we do this, we will notify applicants of missing documents. As long as materials are received prior to committee review, they will be treated as completed on time.

Email gsb@walton.uark.edu with any questions. I appreciate your understanding.

Walton ranked in CCH Public Accounting Report

2011-01-31T09:03:00.002-06:00

In their 29th annual professor's survey, the University of Arkansas' accounting program was ranked #11 (and #9 among publics) among undergraduate programs-Category II. Among graduate programs-Category II, we were ranked #18 overall and #13 among public institutions.

The Master of Accountancy application deadline is March 1. For a complete list of our application requirements, visit http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp.

Day 4 & 5 of MBA Orientation

2011-01-24T12:11:00.003-06:00

I am a little behind. Okay, more than a little behind. The application deadline for PhD was January 15. After a deadline, we scramble frantically matching incoming documents (transcripts and letters of recommendation) to files. We then need to get these files to committee for review. For some reason, this admission deadline seems to be the most challenging in our office. The Walton College has 6 PhD programs. Many of these students are eligible for fellowships offered through the University. That deadline is February 1, so the month of January can be a little crazy. To learn more about the fellowships, visit http://gsb.uark.edu/finaid.asp.

So now that I have explained my lack of blogging, let's play catch up. Day 4 of MBA Orientation consists of a case competitions. The MBA class is divided into 9 teams. Three teams compete in one of three rooms. Each room has a winner and these 3 advance to the finals. Here is a photo of the winning team.

Bethany Haefner, Creed Tumlinson, Senthil Raman, and Bryan Boone.

Day 5 was Retail Immersion Day. The class piled onto a tour bus early that morning and headed off for the day. The morning was spent touring a Walmart Distribution Center. Lunch was then held at P&G. The afternoon was spent touring stores.

As you can see from the schedule for this week, it is a well rounded experience designed to prepare our new MBA students for an intensive 16-month program. We introduce concepts and begin to clearly outline expectations. This week gives them a chance to get to know each other and they are led through this process by our year 2 students. This is important component - mentoring can make a big difference during that first semester of an MBA program.

Classes began last Tuesday, the 18th. Northwest Arkansas was then hit with a winter storm and the campus closed on Thursday the 20th at 9:30. We are back in the office on Friday but campus didn't open until 10. Many of us are now playing catch up.

February 1 is the Walton Master of Information Systems deadline. The next deadline is March 1 - Master of Accountancy. We'll have a bit of a break between these two so hopefully we'll get our feet back beneath us.

Even though the MBA program just started, early decision deadline for January 2012 is April 1. If you are planning to apply, be sure all materials are submitted by this date.

I am ready for spring. It has been cold and I do not particularly enjoy cold weather. I must admit that we have had much less snow so far this year than we have for the last two so I should stop complaining. I will give it my best shot.

Walton MBA is mentioned in US News article

2011-01-19T14:37:00.002-06:00

The Walton MBA receives some attention in US News & World Report. Check it out at:

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-business-schools/articles/2011/01/14/mba-programs-go-global

I'll wrap up MBA Orientation tomorrow. It's been very busy in the office this week. Spring classes began on Tuesday and PhD application deadline was Saturday. There has been a pretty steady stream of students in the office and we are working to prepare PhD files for committee review. We expect decisions by mid February. That is when letters will be sent.

Day 2 & 3, MBA Orientation

2011-01-12T12:05:00.007-06:00

Yesterday was day 2 of Walton MBA Orientation. The schedule had to be amended due to weather but it still went off without a hitch. This day was spent doing team activities and also gaining presentation tips as well as learning how to present a case.

Today is day 3 and our new MBA students are working in their teams on their case. Tomorrow they will compete in a case competition. This is what today looks like. Don't let them fool you; they are eaten up with excitement and their competitive juices are flowing.

Day 1, MBA Orientation

2011-01-10T13:07:00.011-06:00

We welcomed 31 new Walton MBA students to campus today for Orientation. Their agenda looked like this:

8:00 - Check in and breakfast

8:20 - Welcome and announcements

8:30 - Icebreaker

10:00 - Break - very important

10:10 - Program overview

10:45 - Image Consulting - Elise Mitchell from Mitchell Communications Group spoke to the new class about their brand. Image consulting is part of the Walton MBA program.

11:45 - Students met with their mentors (from the MBA class that will graduate in May) and had lunch.

1:30 - Technology training and laptop configuration - the Walton Tech Center makes sure that all new MBA students have what they need on their laptops and that everything is working smoothly.

2:20 - Break

2:30 - GA paperwork

3:00 - Career Services overview

4:00 - Dismissed for the day

An overnight experience was scheduled for tonight at Mount Sequoyah. We received some snow last night and we are expecting more later today. Mount Sequoyah is closed, so we have had to cancel this component of Orientation. Tomorrow's team building activities, which were supposed to take place at Mount Sequoyah, will now take place in Willard J. Walker Hall. I'll provide tomorrow's agenda tomorrow.

Here are some pics of this morning's activities.

Hello, 2011

2011-01-05T13:22:00.003-06:00

It's been awhile since my last post. Let's recap what has happened over the last few weeks. The University was closed for the holidays December 24-31. I took a few extra days off since my kids were home. I also needed to finish the Christmas shopping and wrapping. I had a very nice break and I am happy to report that neither of my children broke anything. If you have been following me for awhile, you know this is a major cause for celebration.

We spent Christmas at home. My husband and I were up before the kids on Christmas day. There is something wrong with that. After they finally got up and opened their gifts, we piled on the couch and watched A Christmas Story. I love this movie and we watch it every year. Zoey and Jack spent the day playing with their new gifts. I like spending this day at home. On Sunday we loaded up and visited my family in Oklahoma.

The week between Christmas and New Year's went by very quickly. The kids and I spent some time with friends in Oklahoma. On New Year's Eve we went to the movies to see True Grit. We watched the ball drop in Times Square that night and then headed to bed. No late night festivities for me this year.

I was back in the office on Monday. This is an exceptionally busy time of year for us in the Graduate School of Business. My colleagues on the Student Affairs side of the office are getting ready for MBA Orientation, which is next week. Those of us in GSB Admissions, Regena and I and our part-time help (without whom we would lose our sanity), are processing piles and piles of applications.

PhD application deadline is January 15. When we return from the holiday break, we spend the next three weeks preparing PhD files for committee review. This means filing all the information that came in while the office was closed. It usually takes us a while to get caught up. This is a crazy time for us. Following right after the PhD application deadline is the MIS deadline, February 1. The MAcc deadline is March 1 and then both MBA programs have an April 1 deadline. There is no rest for the wicked. I am not sure what that says about me and Regena because for the next few weeks, we will be moving at a pretty quick pace.

Our new MBA class arrives on Monday. I will post their Orientation schedule later. After working with these students for months, I am always very excited for them to arrive. Be sure to check back in next week to see how their Orientation is going.

Our Hogs lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl last night. It was a tough game. This was Arkansas' first trip to a BCS Bowl and I am proud of them. Hopefully, it was only the first of many. They had a great year.

Brrrr, it's cold

2010-12-15T14:36:00.002-06:00

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

2010-12-07T08:56:00.003-06:00

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

2010-11-29T16:47:00.003-06:00

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

2010-11-24T09:25:00.002-06:00

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

2010-11-18T10:01:00.002-06:00

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

2010-11-12T08:23:00.002-06:00

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

2010-11-09T08:29:00.004-06:00

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

2010-11-02T09:45:00.002-05:00

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

2010-10-29T12:23:00.002-05:00

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

2010-10-25T10:50:00.006-05:00

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

2010-10-18T12:40:00.003-05:00

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

2010-10-14T15:08:00.002-05:00

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

2010-09-27T09:42:00.002-05:00

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

2010-09-23T13:11:00.004-05:00

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

2010-09-21T15:56:00.010-05:00

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

2010-09-15T13:50:00.009-05:00

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

2010-09-10T13:23:00.012-05:00

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?

2010-09-07T11:43:00.003-05:00

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

2010-09-03T14:28:00.002-05:00

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

2010-09-02T13:44:00.003-05:00

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

2010-09-01T15:20:00.002-05:00

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

2010-08-27T08:47:00.009-05:00

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

2010-08-25T15:05:00.010-05:00

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

2010-08-23T11:37:00.002-05:00

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

2010-08-19T14:30:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-18T15:05:00.008-05:00

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

2010-08-17T16:05:00.004-05:00

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

2010-08-17T15:46:00.002-05:00

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

2010-08-16T10:46:00.002-05:00

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

2010-08-13T13:28:00.001-05:00

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

2010-08-12T08:39:00.012-05:00

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!

New Walton Video on YouTube

2010-08-10T17:24:00.002-05:00

We have an amazing new video on YouTube. Take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP9pdY_NYQg. This is providing a better look at Graduate Student of Business life - in and out of the classroom.

Day 3 and 4 of MMBA Orientation are still to come. I haven't forgotten.

MMBA Orientation - Day two

2010-08-07T14:57:00.001-05:00

I tried to post this yesterday and wasn't able to publish. Here is the day 2 account on day 3. Day 3 account to follow.

Today is winding down. The agenda was:

7:30 - breakfast - very importatn
8:00 - class lecture
10:00 - break
10:15 - Walton Career Development Center, see pictures below
10:45 - introduction to fall classes
11:30 - walk to Union for student IDs and lunch
1:00 - class lecture
3:00 - break
3:15 - case overview
4:15 - hand out case for case competition
5:00-7:00 - Networking event at Powerhouse

Here are a few pictures from today.

Breakfast

Dr. Heather Sprandel from the Walton Career Development Center
Renee Clay from the Walton Career Development Center
Working in the classroom

Be sure to come back tomorrow for pictures of the Networking Event

Welcome MMBA Class of 2012

2010-08-05T13:53:00.007-05:00

Today kicked off our part-time MBA orientation. This is a four-day orientation where we provide a great deal of information, the students get to know each other, and they take a class worth two credit hours. This morning we had a lot of fun with an ice breaker, our technology department provided info about our method of delivery and assisted with configuring their laptops. During lunch, the new students were able to ask questions of a current and alumni student panel. The day is almost over and then they'll be back again in the morning for day two. Here are a few pictures of the Walton MBA class of 2012.

Walton part-time MBA Orientation kicks off tomorrow

2010-08-04T16:03:00.002-05:00

Walton Managerial MBA (MMBA) Orientation is tomorrow through Sunday, August 5-8. This is a four-day event jam packed with fun and some learning, too. Students will get their first two credit hours during this four-day weekend, so there is a classroom component. Orientation serves several purposes. New students get their ID; meet their fellow classmates; and learn about the program, policies, and procedures. There is also an opportunity to have lunch with recent alumni. This four day Orientation is very important. Students in the MMBA attend class one Saturday each month for two years. This four day experience allows them to get to know each other and begin to form the bonds and relationships that are important for retention. I am always excited about Orientation. I am able to meet everyone I have been working with during the application process.

As promised, here is the data about this class.

57 students
26% female
583 = average GMAT
3.27 = average GPA
7.8 = average years of work experience
31 = average age

Fayetteville is green

2010-08-04T16:02:00.002-05:00

Fayetteville has been named a green city by Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/04/7-unexpectedly-green-citi_n_667171.html#s121404.

Welcome PhD students in Accounting, Economics, and Finance and Master of Arts in Economics students

2010-07-29T11:16:00.002-05:00

Today is Orientation for our PhD students in Accouting, Economics, and Finance, as well as Master of Arts in Economics. These students get started a little earlier than the other PhD students. They are required by their Departments to take a Math class prior to the beginning of their first semester. This class starts on Monday and runs for three weeks. Our other Orientations are as follows:

MMBA - August 5-8
MIS and Professional MIS - August 16
MAcc - August 17 & 18
PhD - Information Systems, Management, Marketing - August 19

Fall classes begin on Monday, August 23.

I will be out of the office tomorrow. My family is going to Devil's Den for the weekend. Devil's Den is located very near Fayetteville; it's only about 20 miles away. They have a beautiful camp ground, hiking trails, caves, cabins, swimming pool, canoes, and paddle boats. It is very hot out so we are not camping. We have a cabin. My kids are very excited. You can check out the Devil's Den website at http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/devilsden/.

I'll be back in the office on Monday. Next week will be a bit insane since we have MMBA Orientation beginning on Thursday and we are still admitting students to this class. This is our largest group of students. We are currently expecting 58 students and I have 3 more students who are testing this week in hopes of being admitted. Once this groups is finalized, I'll share their stats.

Walton MBA Student Bloggers

2010-07-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

If you haven't been following our MBA student bloggers, you really need to check them out. Brock is just getting started on his blog and has done a great job explaining why he chose Walton. For those of you trying to make a decision as to which MBA programs to apply to, read his blog for helpful pointers and to understand his reasoning and thought processes. http://doogiehausermba.blogspot.com/

Nhiem has been writing about his internship quite a bit this summer. For more insight into the Walton MBA internship experience, be sure to stay tuned to http://nhiemsmbajournal.blogspot.com/. Nhiem also has written in detail about his other activities this summer as well as networking opportunities that have been available to him as a Walton MBA student.

Alana is providing the girls' guide to the Walton MBA. This doesn't mean she is writing for women only. Her blog provides great insight into her internship as well as the New Venture Development class. This is the first class that our MBA students who are interested in participating in small business plan comeptitions take. She'll be chronicling her adventures during this process at http://mbagirlsguide.blogspot.com/. Fall semester is spent in New Venture Development. Students form teams, choose their "idea" and fine tune their plan. They take it on the road to various competitions in the spring. If you have been reading this blog, you know how successful these teams have been. Alana will be providing inside information regarding this process and for those of you who may be interested in participating in Walton small business plan competitions, this is incredibly valuable insight.

The Walton MBA bloggers each provide a unique perspective. Be sure to follow them as they finish their program.

Where have I been all week?

2010-07-23T13:47:00.011-05:00

I can't believe it is Friday and I am just getting around to posting for the first time this week. There is no excuse. Tuesday evening I went to watch several of our MBA alumni play softball. This is the class that just graduated so it is really nice to see that they still enjoy hanging out with each other. Here are a few pictures.

I was out of the office on Wednesday. I took my kids to the Prairie Grove Aquatic Center. Prairie Grove is a few miles west of Fayetteville. They have a very nice swimming pool with water slides. It is not very crowded during the week. My kids really enjoy going. I enjoy sitting with a good book while they play in the water. It was so hot on Wednesday that I ended up spending my time in the water. I wasn't even able to read my book.

I do have another MMBA admissions update. Another group of students was offered admission this week. That brings are total up to a possible 54. We'll know for sure once our offers are either accepted or declined. There will be one more round next week. I am expecting that the committee will offer admission to 3 or 4 more next week bringing our class to about 56-59. This exceeds our goal which makes me very happy.

New MBA Blogger - Brock Hauser

2010-07-16T14:36:00.002-05:00

The Walton Graduate School of Business has another new MBA student blogger - Brock Hauser. Check out his blog at http://doogiehausermba.blogspot.com/.

Busy Day Yesterday

2010-07-16T14:12:00.002-05:00

Tyson brought their interns in information systems for a campus visit yesterday. Eight students participated from University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, New Mexico State University, Abilene Christian University, University of Texas-Pan American, and Grambling State University. I led them on a tour of the University; they were able to meet the program directors for the Walton part-time MBA and part-time MIS and had a nice lunch at Ella's Restaurant.

Ella's is a very nice restaurant located on the University of Arkansas campus. It is located in Carnall Hall. Carnall Hall was once a women's dormitory in the early 1900's. It then spent time as a fraternity house. A few years ago it was renovated into an Inn. Hospitality majors here at the UofA manage the Inn and Restaurant. This is a great opportunity for them and it's wonderful to have this resource on campus. If you come for a visit, it's a great place to stay. To learn more about the Inn or Ella's, visit: http://www.innatcarnallhall.com/The_Inn_at_Carnall_Hall.html.

I was very glad that this groups was able to visit while they were spending their summer interning at Tyson. In the next few weeks, they will be heading back to their respective Universities to finish their bachelor's degrees. Maybe they'll decide to pursue their master's degree at the Walton College.

Things are heating up

2010-07-14T15:31:00.002-05:00

It's hot in Northwest Arkansas. We are under a heat advisory today through Friday. The actual temperature is only expected to be in the mid 90's but with the heat index, it'll feel like it is over 100.

It is beautiful in Fayetteville right now, though. The sun is shining and there is a breeze. I gave a campus tour this morning to a visiting prospective PhD Marketing student. It was a little warm, even at 9:00.

When it's hot like this, it's the perfect time to take advantage of all of the water nearby. Fayetteville is close to the White River, Buffalo River, Elk River, Kings River, and Illinois River. Beaver lake is also very close by. As a student at the University of Arkansas, you are able to rent equipment from the Outdoor Connection Center. Visit their site for more details: http://imrs.uark.edu/8051.htm. You can get camping equipment - tents, cook stoves, etc. as well as canoes and bikes. It's a great resource.

This afternoon, after work, I am going to a local bar and grill, Grub's, for a colleague's going away party. Fayetteville provides plenty of opportunity to sit on the patio with friends.

Walton MBA/MMBA Class Profiles

2010-07-13T15:01:00.003-05:00

Where do we stand as of right now? I say, "right now," because it literally changes by the minute.

For MBA, we have made 28 offers of admission and 24 have accepted our offer. One student never responded to our offer so I assume he is not accepting. This is a very high positive response which makes me very happy. These 24 students have an average GMAT score of 662. The last three classes to enroll have had an average of 630, 628, 629, respectively. The enrollment goal of the Walton MBA for the class to begin January 2011 is 40. Of the 24 students who have accepted our offer, 12 are women. This also makes me very happy. If you have been reading Alana's blog, you know why. Final application deadline is September 15. All funding has been awarded. If you need funding, apply by April 1, 2011 for the class that will begin January 2012.

For the Walton MMBA, 50 offers of admission have been made. Two offers were made very recently and we have yet to hear their response. Other than these two, 45 have accepted. This is the program that is experiencing daily changes. Orientation is August 5-8 and is mandatory. We are looking for 8-10 more students; applications are still coming in and prospective students are frantically trying to complete the application process by July 30. That is the absolute final date applications will be accepted for this fall.

An example of how quickly things can happen , I chatted (live chat function at http://gsb.uark.edu/) this morning with a student who is currently in Arizona. He had planed to attend another MBA program this fall. However, he is coming for an interview with Walmart this week. He asked about starting the Walton MMBA instead. It's an incredibly exciting time right now as we come down to the wire. I am optimistic that we'll meet our enrollment goals. There is nothing like cutting it close. Hey, it keeps me on my toes.

I will take another batch of files to the admissions committee either at the end of this week or early next week. I have a few students nearly finished with the application process and I want to be sure and take as many completed files as possible. Stay tuned for future MMBA class updates.

What a Tremendous Success

2010-07-12T10:27:00.006-05:00

I am happy, happy, happy. Our events last Friday were tremendously successful. We began the evening with an MBA Open House. The weather was not cooperating and there was some concern about attendance. Apparently the rain can't keep you away because we had nearly 30 in attendance. It was a great group. See for yourselves.

Our Third Annual MBA Summer Social was held at Powerhouse Seafood in conjunction with the Open House. Newly admitted, current, and former Walton MBA students got the Social kicked off. When we were finished with the Open House, prospective students joined them. Several MBA faculty were also in attendance. Nearly 90 signed the guest book.

I am thrilled by the turnout and the success of the events. The next opportunity will be in October and it will be for all master's degree programs. Stay tuned for more details later.

On a personal note, I picked my daughter up from camp on Saturday. She was gone for two weeks. I was very glad to see her. She and I then went to see Eclipse that afternoon and then she, Jack, and I saw Despicable Me yesterday. Both were good and it was time well spent. All in all, a great weekend.

Big Day Tomorrow

2010-07-08T14:11:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow night, Friday, July 9 is going to be jam packed with fun, fun, fun. The Walton Graduate School of Business is hosting an MBA Open House at 5:30 in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall. This event is for prospective students who would like more information about the Walton MBA programs (both full and part-time). Students are able to meet the MBA Director (and me, I know, big bonus) and see our world-class facilities.

Following the Open House, we are hosting our Third Annual MBA Summer Social, 6:00-8:00 at Powerhouse. This event is for prospective, new, current, and former Walton MBA students and faculty. Those attending the Open House will join the Social, already in progress. For prospective students, the Social provides an amazing opportunity to meet current students, faculty, and to get a "feel" for the Walton MBA experience. New students are able to meet and form bonds with classmates before classes begin.

These events are very popular and well attended. They provide a unique insight into Walton, its programs, and students. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. The next Open House and Social will be held in October.

Final Look at the Success of Walton Business Plan Teams

2010-07-07T14:44:00.002-05:00

I am using the word, "final," very loosely. I may or may not have anything more to say. It will depend on their continued success. For a summary of this year's amazing teams, read the following articles:

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=122677.54928.134815&cID=6&view=all

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=122472

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=122446&view=all

As I read these articles, I shake my head in wonder. I am blown away. Great work Carol, BiologicsMD, InnerVision, and Silicon Solar Solutions!

Busy Week

2010-07-06T15:15:00.002-05:00

This is a short but busy week for us in the office; the University of Arkansas was closed yesterday in observance of 4th of July. Tomorrow I will be participating in the Education Fair at JB Hunt, 11:00-1:00. Then on Friday at 5:30 we are hosting an MBA Open House in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall. This event is followed by our Third Annual MBA Summer Social at 6:00 at Powerhouse. Prospective students (those not admitted) who are interested in learning more about the Walton MBA should attend the Open House. The Open House will end around 6:30 and we will then join the Social, already in progress. The Social is for prospective, new, current, and former Walton MBA students as well as our faculty. The Social is a great chance for our alumni to keep in touch, current students to check in over the summer, and for our new students to meet their classmates. It also gives prospective students an opportunity to talk to current students and meet faculty. This is a very popular event that we host three times (spring, summer, fall) a year. If you miss this one, your next chance will be in October.

For an in-depth look into the life of an MBA...

2010-07-02T13:45:00.002-05:00

If you want to know exactly what it is like to be a Walton MBA student doing an internship over the summer, Alana Hale's blog is a must read. Visit it at: http://mbagirlsguide.blogspot.com/. Alana provides wonderful detail into the daily life of a summer intern. Check it out.

MBA/MMBA Admissions Update

2010-07-01T15:16:00.002-05:00

It is nearing the home stretch for MMBA admissions. Official application deadline was April 1. We accept applications throughout the summer as space is available. We are currently expecting 44 students for the Walton Managerial MBA to begin in August. I am working with several students who are finishing the application process this month. Our goal is to enroll 55-60. Completed applications for this program are down this year. This is due to several factors. Among them is the fear of committing to a two year program during this current economic climate. Also, many employers have changed or discontinued their tuition assistance program. I am hoping we are able to admit 10-12 more this month. No pressure.

For the full-time MBA, admission was offered to 27 students in April. Twenty three students accepted our offer. Average GMAT for this class is currently 662. I anticipate this number will go down somewhat when we admit the rest of our class. For the last three years, the average has been right at 630. The goal for the MBA class that will begin in January is to admit 20 more students with hopes of having a class of 40. Final deadline is September 15.

If you are interested in the Walton MBA and need funding, apply by April 1, 2011 for the class that will begin in January 2012.

The 4th of July is right around the corner. The University is closed on Monday in observance and many will make it a four day weekend by either taking tomorrow or Tuesday off. I will be here since others in the office will be out. Northwest Arkansas is absolutely beautiful right now. Temperatures aren't too bad today. It was only 80 degrees when I was out for lunch. Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Third Annual MBA Summer Social

2010-06-29T10:45:00.002-05:00

The Graduate School of Business will host its third annual MBA Summer Social on Friday, July 9, 6:00-8:00 at Powerhouse. Just prior to the Social, an Open House will be held at 5:30 in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall. These are wonderful opportunities to tour our beautiful, state-of-the-art facilities, meet the MBA Director, and talk to current students.

The Open House is specifically for those interested in learning more about the Walton MBAs. We have two options: full and part-time. The Social is for prospective, former, and current MBA students. Our students truly do provide the best information about the realities of the programs. Prospective students should plan to attend the Open House and then afterwards, the Social. Be sure to take advantage of these opportunities.

Hello, San Diego

2010-06-23T23:07:00.005-05:00

Deb and I have safely arrived in San Diego for the GMAC annual industry conference. This is our chance to learn what is new in the MBA world. We get our batteries recharged and come back with some great ideas.

I have never been to San Diego and it is a beautiful city. When we left Fayetteville, we were experiencing a heat wave - tempertures in the 90's. In San Diego, it is in the 70's. This is the view from the balcony of my room. Yes, my room has a balcony. I am not sure how I ranked this but I am not complaining. You can see the sail boat bobbing by. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Here is another view from my balcony. I may never leave. Talk about small world. When we arrived at our hotel, as we were checking in, a large group walked by. They were with a different conference. Amazingly, I saw one of our MBA graduates from 2007. What are the odds? And even more bizarre, he's actually from Northwest Arkansas. We just ended up on the West coast in the same hotel at the same time. Twilight Zone moment.

The conference gets kicked off tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing some old friends and to gaining some new insights.

Let's Talk MBA and MMBA

2010-06-21T21:41:00.002-05:00

We are still accepting applications to the part-time MBA program. This program starts this fall with a mandatory Orientation August 5-8. Applications will be accepted through July 31. The next admissions committee will meet the week of June 28th. Application requirements can be found at http://gsb.uark.edu/admissions.asp.

Final deadline for the full-time MBA is September 15. All funding for the class to begin in January 2011 has been awarded. If you are interested in the Walton MBA and need funding, apply by April 1, 2011 for the class that will begin in January 2012. I cannot believe I am talking about 2012 already.

Today Regena and I worked on our annual report. We were crunching application numbers for this fiscal year. I'll be sure to post the final results but so far, we have seen a very nice increase over last year's numbers.

I will be out of the office for the rest of the week. Tomorrow is my 19th wedding anniversary. I know, I know, I can't possibly be that old. Unfortunately, I am. Wednesday through Saturday, Deb and I are attending the GMAC Annual Industry Conference in San Diego. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Before I know it, it'll be fall and I'll be hitting the road, recruiting. Keep a close eye on our website - http://gsb.uark.edu/ for my travel schedule.

We are hosting an MBA Open House on Friday, July 9 at 5:30 in 403 Willard J. Walker Hall. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the full and part-time MBA programs, meet the Director, and visit Walker Hall.

I AM BACK!

2010-06-15T16:34:00.008-05:00

Today is my first day back in the office since Thursday, June 3. We had an absolutely wonderful time. Here are a few pics.

This is a water fall in Yellowstone.

Here are buffalo walking down the road in front of our car.

This is a pretty good sized black bear. This was very exciting. Many people will got to Yellowstone many times and never see a bear.

Devil's Tower - Eastern Wyoming.

If you ever get the chance to visit Mount Rushmore, go at night. They light it up at 9:00. Very beautiful. The kids did well and we all survived. Good times. Now it's back to my summer chores. That is, once I get caught up on my email.

I Am Getting Ready For Vacation

2010-06-02T15:52:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since my last post; I do try to post several times a week. This past week I have been getting ready for vacation. A "for real" vacation this time, not just time at home away from the office where I am still working. I am loading up the kids tomorrow after work and we will head to my mom's in Bartlesville, OK. We'll then leave from there, with my mom, on Friday morning. Day one will be spent driving to Nebraska. On day two we will pull into my cousin's cabin in Ryan Park, WY. My mom talked to my aunt and they still have quite a bit of snow up there. We'll be going from 90 degrees to snow. My kids'll love it. From my cousin's, we then go to Jackson Hole, WY. The Grand Tetons are absolutely amazing. We'll spend a day in Yellowstone and then we head east toward Devil's Tower and Mount Rushmore. It will be a very eventful trip - especially traveling with a 6-year old with a broken collarbone. He has been doing exceptionally well but this means no swimming on the trip. Bummer for him. I will be out of the office from Friday, June 4 through Monday, June 14. I'll be sure to share pics from the trip when I get back.

Walton Alumni Win TCBY Great Store Giveaway

2010-05-26T09:28:00.003-05:00

The announcement was made this morning that Walton alumni, Jared and Sarah Greer, had won the TCBY Great Store Giveaway. This is very exciting for us in Northwest Arkansas and at the Walton College. You can see the video announcement at: http://www.kfsm.com/news/kfsm-news-nwa-tcby-winner-announced,0,3637094.story.

If Jared's name seems familiar, it is because he was a member of the successful small business plan team last year, Tears for Life. Jared, Sarah, and TCBY will now choose a location and will be breaking ground soon. Let's help them make this a successful venture by buying lots of TCBY yogurt.

Weekend Summary

2010-05-24T16:45:00.004-05:00

I was off on Friday to enjoy a very nice 3-day weekend. Well, I did enjoy it, for the most part. On Thursday night, Zoey was spinning Jack in her computer chair. Gravity and the G force won and he fell. No one said anything though. On Friday, my day off, I noticed Jack's coloring was off and that he didn't look well. You don't ask a 6 year old if he is sick - especially when he knows his mom has the day off. I kept my eye on him and noticed he was holding his arm very protectively against his side. I finally asked him what he did to his arm. That is when I got the spinning chair story. I asked Zoey to show me how he fell and when I saw how he landed on the floor, I decided to take him to the doctor. We were able to feel his shoulder and move his arm around. He flinched a little but no tears and no cries of pain. I thought he probably knocked his shoulder out.

As you can see, that is not a dislocated shoulder. That is a broken clavicle (collarbone). And of course there is not a should immobilizer small enough for a 6 year old little boy - which I find odd. I know it is not uncommon for little boys to break their collarbones. I told him that this is why I am always telling him to stop jumping on the couch. So, my Friday morning off was spent in the doctor's office and then trying to find something to put on him to hold him still for his bone to heal. We ended up putting a figure 8 on him and a sling. He is still able to move his arm entirely too much. The rest of my weekend was spent camping on the Elk River in Noel, MO. My mom came into town so she got to stay with my daredevil children. The weather was beautiful but we weren't able to float. The River was too high.

This is going to make our trip to Yellowstone very interesting. Poor guy is now finished with T-ball this year and he can't swim for 6 weeks. Maybe now they'll listen to their ol' mom.

Great Way to End

2010-05-20T09:36:00.002-05:00

Well, I hate to brag. Wait a minute, no, in fact, I love it. Walton business plan teams had another great week. Silicon Solar Solutions placed 1st at the Licensing Executives Society business plan competition in Boston yesterday.

The Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Competition was held May 17-19 in Las Vegas. The top two finishers from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Nevada advance to Vegas to crown a regional winner. Walton's Innervision placed 1st and BiologicsMD placed 2nd.

To recap the success of these teams, here are the results (that I am aware of):

University of Louisville - BiologicsMD - 1st and winner of spirit award.
University of Cincinnati - BiologicsMD - 1st and 2nd in trade show
Carnegie Mellon - Innervision - 1st in technology
WBT Showcase - Silicon Solar Solutions (SSS) - 3rd
San Diego State - BiologicsMD - finalist & winner - trade show
University of San Francisco - Innervision - 3rd and winner of elevator pitch
Manitoba - SSS - 1st
AR Governor's Cup - Innervision - 1st, BiologicsMD - 2nd, and SSS - 3rd
Oakridge - SSS - 1st
Rice - BiologicsMD - 1st, Innervision - 3rd
Moot Corpt - BiologicsMD - 1st, SSS- 3rd
Licensing Executives Society - SSS - 1st
Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State - Innervision - 1st, BiologicsMD - 2nd

What is going on in the Walton GSB?

2010-05-18T15:30:00.003-05:00

Commencement was on May 8 and last week was a week without students on campus, meaning that spring semester had ended and the first summer session hadn't begun yet. We all took advantage and took a day or two off. The first part of May is very busy. Summer school started yesterday so we are back to sharing the parking deck with students. Last week I took advantage of the peace and quiet to finally get some things cleared off of my desk. It felt great. I do have a few projects that I will be focusing on over the summer - things I don't typically have time to work on during the school year.

Of course, we are not finished recruiting for the MBA - both full and part-time. Full-time application deadline is September 15 and we are continuing to accept part-time (MMBA) applications through July 31. In fact, I am meeting a Walton alum and a few prospective students he works with on Thursday for lunch. There is no rest for the wicked and I will continue recruiting for our MBA programs this summer.

The student programs side of the office (my side of the office works with applicants and prospective students through the admissions process. Once admitted, student programs takes over and provides services for them while they are students) are wrapping things up for the graduated students - conferring degrees - and getting ready for the new students who will begin in the fall. We do have MBA students interning this summer and a few of them are in the area. They pop in from time to time. Before we know it, it'll be time for new student Orientation.

I have a couple of upcoming trips that I am very excited about. I am taking my kids to Yellowstone National Park in two weeks. We took my daughter when she was 5 and I am looking forward to going back with her and my son. I have family in Cheyenne and Rawlins so we'll spend some time there first before we head on up to the Park. We'll also see Jackson and Cody. Jackson, Wyoming is incredibly beautiful. This time we are going to go to Mount Rushmore as well. It will be my first time there. I'll be out of the office from Friday, June 4 through Monday, June 14. It's a long trip; we'll be covering many, many miles. I hope I survive with my kids in the car. I'll be sure to blog all about it.

Another New Blogger

2010-05-17T11:04:00.002-05:00

Alana Hale joins our group of student bloggers. Follow her Walton MBA experience at http://mbagirlsguide.blogspot.com/. Alana began the MBA in January and will graduate next May (2011).