Business Plan Competition for MTSU Students and Alumni

www.mtsubusinessplan2015.istart.org 

The Wright Travel Chair in Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition is open to MTSU students and alumni. First prize, $7,500; second, $5,000. Applications and submissions are due by noon Feb. 26.

• www.mtsubusinessplan2015.istart.org 
• http://www.mtsu.edu/entre/wright_travel.php

New Jones College Course on Family Businesses

A new course starting in January will focus on family businesses: BCEN 4100. http://www.dnj.com/story/money/business/2014/11/28/new-course-focuses-family-businesses/19611143/

Assistant professor Jerry Kudlats will teach the class, and Patrick Geho, executive state director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, is helping him line up guest speakers.

Jones College Honors 3 with Achievement Awards

Jim Ayers, left; Steve Anderson, center; and Rob Harper, right

Jones College has honored three businessmen with achievement awards: banker and philanthropist Jim Ayers (a Parsons, Tennessee, native now living in Nashville), Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award; and two MTSU alumni, technology expert Steve Anderson of Nashville, Jones College of Business Exemplar Award, and developer Rob Harper of Florida, Joe M. Rodgers Spirit of America Award. [details at http://www.mtsunews.com/jones-college-of-business-honors-three-with-achievement-awards/]

Millennial Conference

Here's a recap of the Jones College Millennial conference from the DNJ: http://www.dnj.com/story/news/local/2014/10/31/conference-millennials-good-business/18253323/

Entrepreneurship Resources

http://www.12thandbroad.com/entrepreneurs 

Jones College of Business is partnering with 12th and Broad on a venture provide resources and information for entrepreneurs. It will feature interviews with the new chairholder of the Wright Travel Chair of Entrepreneurship, Bill McDowell. [Tennessean article]

Jones College Annual Report

http://issuu.com/mtsuberc/docs/jonesannualreport2014web 

The Jones College Annual Report 2013-2014 is online now.

http://issuu.com/mtsuberc/docs/jonesannualreport2014web

Millennial Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference

REGISTER NOW for the Jones College Conference "2020 Millennial Game Plan: Maximizing Millennial Entrepreneurship and Innovation" on Oct. 31 from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. Keynote speakers are Matt Thornhill and John Martin of GenerationsMatter and John Boyens of the Boyens Group. [register]

Jones College Partners with Dale Carnegie

http://www.mtsunews.com/jones-college-dale-carnegie-partnership/ 

Jones College is entering an exciting partnership with Dale Carnegie to provide training in "soft skills" to all Jones College majors so they will be even better prepared for the workforce! (read more)

Jean Wilson, an instructor and coordinator of career planning in the Department of Management and Marketing in the MTSU Jones College of Business, gives a two-minute presentation on job interviews as part of August training sessions given to College of Business faculty and staff at the Business and Aerospace Building. Those going through the training will become certified instructors for Dale Carnegie courses and will teach College of Business students the courses as part of their curriculum starting in spring 2015. (MTSU photos by Andy Heidt)

Value of Student Organizations

In today's Daily News Journal, marketing major Andrew George discusses his role as Student Government Association president. He notes "he was not heavily involved in university life when he was a freshman, but joining organizations turned around his entire student career."  http://www.dnj.com/story/news/education/2014/09/11/communication-top-priority-sga-president/15444491/

MTSU Foundation Honors Paula Thomas

http://www.mtsunews.com/career-achievement-award-2014/

Accounting professor Paula Thomas was honored Friday as the 13th recipient of the Career Achievement Award during MTSU’s Fall Faculty Meeting at Tucker Theatre. [article]

Seminar July 24: How to Start a Business

The Small Business Development Center will offer a seminar on how to start a business July 24 at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce from 3 to 6 p.m. [read more]

International Fellow

Dr. Thomas Tang, Department of Management and Marketing, was named a Fellow of the International Association of Applied Psychology. He will receive his award at the closing ceremony of the quadrennial meeting of the International Congress of Applied Psychology in July in Paris, France. According to the Journal of Business Ethics, Tang is being honored for his work in economic psychology and is best known for his research on the meaning of money, love of money, and monetary intelligence. [read more]

Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter

The Jones College chapter of BGS has been recognized as an Exemplary Chapter for 2013-2014. Membership in the international business honor society is the highest honor for a business student at an AACSB-accredited school.

Computer Lab Facelift

This fall Jones College students will find the computer lab upgraded with an increased focus on student convenience and customer service in an open work-centered environment. [read more]

This May 2014 photo shows the existing Jones College computer lab. The lab, closed this summer for renovations, will reopen by fall semester.

Institute for Leadership Excellence

The recently completed Institute for Leadership Excellence included presentations by David Foote, institute director and associate dean of Jones College, and faculty members Earl Thomas and Deana Raffo of the Department of Management and Marketing. [Read more at http://mtsunews.com/institute-of-leadership-excellence-2014/.]

New Leadership Middle Tennessee Director

Patti James has been named the new executive director of Leadership Middle Tennessee. She will replace Susan Taylor, who is retiring. [Read more in the Tennessean.]

Hemby Named NBEA Collegiate Educator

Congratulations to our very own Dr. Virginia Hemby for recently winning 2014 NBEA Collegiate Educator in LA, CA! (At right is Robert Blair.)

Enactus Students Help Local Shelter

With funds from a Coca-Cola grant, the Jones College student group Enactus has supplied the Way of Hope Women’s Resource Center with a computer, software, printer, phone system, and retooling of its website. [article]

From L to R, Brad Blomgren, founder and executive director of the Way of Hope; 

MTSU student Eric Wedgworth; Kimberly Bean, director of the Women’s Resource 

Center and program director; and MTSU student Brittany Page. 

CIS Accelerated Degree Program

Computer Information Systems Chair Charles Apigian recently hosted an information session on the new CIS Accelerated Bachelor's and Master's program (ABM).

Nathan Neely was the first student to enroll
in the new CIS ABM.

CIS Chair Charles Apigian
explains the accelerated degree program.

Nonprofit and Social Innovation Student Summit

The Nonprofit and Social Innovation Student Summit was a great success. Hosts were Jones College and the College of Liberal Arts with Management and Marketing, Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, and Speech and Theatre (Organizational Communication) departments.

Meagan Flippin, CEO of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, spoke to MTSU students Friday, April 4, about nonprofit leadership during an opening session at the inaugural Nonprofit & Social Innovation Student Summit at MTSU. (MTSU photos by J. Intintoli)