the exchange Newspaper of the College of Business at Oregon State University >> Spring 2006 Stockamp Helps Educate Future Workforce (Continued from cover) We have been successful at OSU in both recruiting and retaining top students and our results in filling our technical positions with graduates from the MIS and CS programs have been particularly strong. We look forward to maintaining this great relationship.” Stockamp & Associates’ Uwe Gluhr, ‘01, a senior products ana- lyst, said, “We have had good experience getting the right kind of people in our recruiting efforts at OSU. We like the MIS pro- gram. It is one of a few in the state.” However, according to Gluhr, students have to be active in internships if they want a good job. “Students need at least one internship after their junior year. It shows motivation, initiative and that they have a taste for what it is like in a real work environ- ment,” said Gluhr. “As an employer, if a graduating senior doesn’t have an internship, it is a red flag.” For Meredith Wellman, ’01, ’02 MBA, a Stockamp senior prod- uct analyst, it is the interest in solving business problems with technology that counts. “Examples of pertinent, previous experi- ence and internships that demonstrate a deeper business under- standing or exposure to databases, design and testing, should be demonstrated during the interview. Specific examples are com- pelling,” she said. Uwe Gluhr, ’01, and Meredith Wellman, ’01, MBA ’02, at work at Stockamp & Associates. Professionalizing Students direction the project may take. This is unnerving for both stu- Rostamizadeh. “We finished it in three months with a huge crunch In an effort to add “experiential learning” to their BA 370 and dents and instructors, but it provides a good sample of what it to get it done.” BA 371 Business Systems Analysis and Design classes, Reitsma means to serve the information needs of organizations in the pro- “For Stockamp, this was a trial-run, low-risk scenario,” said and Raja worked out an agreement with Stockamp. They would fessional business world.” Gluhr. “Internships are a great opportunity to assess employees, devote the “experiential learning” component of two classes to a not only in their thought processes and results, but more impor- Stockamp case study and as a follow-up, Stockamp offered two Maximizing Opportunities tant, their fit with the company.” internships the following summer. “There were at least 20 students in the class and I knew from “Getting out of the classroom for an internship experience was For the class project, students collaborated with Greg Laird, a the class project that it was up to me if I wanted to get an intern- huge,” said Johns. “The culture at Stockamp is great. Everyone Stockamp senior products associate and Jack Rusina, a Stockamp ship,” said Rostamizadeh. “I checked out the company website, loves what they do,” he said. back-end product manager, to improve an existing health care bill- worked hard on the project and was proactive in asking questions Then, during the middle of the school term, both Johns and ing and claim denial information system. This included under- during the interview.” Rostamizadeh were notified that Stockamp had openings. “Be- standing Stockamp requirements, business processes, customer “I was really enthusiastic about the project because it was a fore the career fair came around, I had an offer,” said needs and database and application development activities. Ac- real-world challenge,” said Johns. “We learned a methodology Rostamizadeh. As of January, both work for Stockamp’s remote cording to Reitsma, students reacted well to the opportunity to for building a solution, but there were no ‘do it this way and it implementation team. learn about systems analysis and design in the context of a real- will work’ directions.” “When I started in electrical engineering and computer sci- world case study. In exchange, Johns and Rostamizadeh earned paid summer ence in school, I enjoyed them, but knew I didn’t want to code “Working on an externally-sponsored project is very different internship opportunities under the direction of Gluhr. “After some everyday,” said Rostamizadeh. “I talked with friends and did some from working on the often trite and unrealistic problems found initial training, we worked on an internal quality review system research and determined that MIS, because of its business ele- in textbooks,” said Reitsma. “The real world is full of unknowns that involved creating a dynamic, database-driven application for ment, was a great fit for me. The classes and internship solidified and uncertainties and not even the instructor may know the exact auditing how representatives handled client issues,” said this and I’m excited to have a career opportunity with Stockamp.” 1 LETTER FROM THE DEAN COB News Bytes ... t seemed like only yesterday when then Dean Lynn Spruill, at the suggestion of Ken and Joan Aus- Itin, took a risk with Pat Frishkoff and started $1.5-Million Gift Benefits Foundation, the Marin Ballet Association and the Austin Family Business Program (AFBP). At the College of Business the Harvard Business School Associates. She time, we were one of just a handful of business schools died in 1998. A $1.5 million gift from the estate of Will- to offer a family business program. Now, celebrat- When the Kimballs made the initial gift to iam R. and Sara Hart Kimball to the Oregon ing its 20th anniversary, the AFBP is one of the top endow the dean’s position, Sara Hart Kimball State University Foundation will expand support programs in the world. said, “We feel there is no better investment in for OSU’s College of Business, nearly doubling It is that kind of foresight that will help carry the the future than education. We support education an endowment supporting the dean’s position. College of Business into the next 100 years. With not only financially, but also as volunteers. Bill The Kimballs established the Sara Hart distinctive programs like the AFBP and the Austin and I feel so strongly about the importance of Kimball Deanship, now held by Ilene Entrepreneurship Program (AEP), we are, as Gov- education that we, and mainly I, want to say a Kleinsorge, in 1989. ernor Ted Kulongoski said at the AFBP Awards Din- huge ‘thank you’ to Oregon State. We hope this “Strengthening business programs is a high ner, building “the skilled workforce that is needed gift will be viewed as a leadership gift, and that priority for OSU,” said Sabah Randhawa, OSU’s to be successful in this state.” many others will experience the enjoyment it provost and executive vice president. “Our Col- But, we are not stopping there. Over the next two gives Bill and me to be able to do this.” lege of Business helps meet a critical need for years, you will see a transformation of the College well-educated graduates to compete successfully in the programs we offer and the graduates we produce. We aren’t talking an improvement Baxter on Team to Improve in a global marketplace and for new economic or a turnaround, although it will be both. It is truly a transformation. Starting with input innovation for the state and nationwide. Campus-Wide Advising from a small group of faculty and students, we developed a compelling vision and aspirations “Through the Kimball deanship, we are help- for our future. With endorsement from internal constituents, we currently have five working Charged by OSU Vice Provost Becky Johnson ing to meet these goals and using the funds in a to improve advising and establish consistent ad- groups of faculty and staff innovating ways to help us reach our goals. And, we have the full way that reflects the Kimballs’ long-standing in- vising principles for OSU, a dozen advisors from support of the University. terest in the College of Business,” he added. Next time you read this column, our planning will be complete, we will share our progress across campus attended the National Academic Endowed dean’s positions are important re- Advising Association (NACADA) Summer In- and you will understand the depth of our transformation. We have a purpose behind every- sources in higher education, allowing the uni- stitute in Colo- thing we do: being a leader in developing learning outcomes for all our curriculum; enlisting versity to recruit and retain top candidates for MBA and AEP teams in developing plans to help commercialize OSU technology and en- rado Springs, key leadership positions. The endowment gives Colorado. couraging more experiential learning opportunities for our students by starting the Close to the holder of the position additional funding to Brenda Baxter, the Customer Project. Our research continues strong with triple the external funding com- meet pressing needs and seize new opportuni- pared to last year. More than $200,000 in business scholarships are awarded annually to COB head advi- ties, including annual faculty research grants, sor, spent a week business students. Our alumni continue to win University honors. By reading The Ex- start-up initiatives, student scholarships and in- with advisors ex- change, you’ll see there is much, much more. ternship programs. Your loyalty and affection for the College of Business is contagious. We thank you for ploring ways to The Kimballs made an initial gift of $1 mil- better foster stu- your time and financial support and encourage you to stay tuned to see what we have in store lion to endow the dean’s position in the College dent success and by 2008 for the next 100 years! of Business 17 years ago. At that time, they also — Ilene Kleinsorge retention. made plans to benefit OSU after their lifetimes.