Author: James Schisler

The Barton School of Business has installed a new art exhibit in partnership with the Envision Arts Program. Gretchen Howarth is the latest artist who is visually impaired to be showcased on the third floor of the Barton School.

“The Envision Arts installation has become a stalwart exhibit at Woolsey Hall,” said Dr. Duane Nagel, senior associate dean of the Barton School of Business. “It is a true inspiration to everyone.”

Howarth is legally blind with much of her vision gradually lost to Stargardt, a genetic eye disorder that causes progressive vision loss. This disorder creates thousands of holes in the retina. For Howarth, she sees through “a galaxy of tiny dots” and has no center focus.

The Collegiate DECA chapter at Wichita State continues to showcase the remarkable talent of its students. DECA, an international association connecting students to business and professional development opportunities, saw the WSU team compete in a statewide competition in Hillsboro, Kansas Feb. 23. Eight WSU students won eleven medals qualifying them for the upcoming national competition in Austin, Texas, from April 20 to 23:

• George Giem: First place in corporate finance
• Maley Hansen and Grace Skelton: Third place in the marketing communications team event
• Maley Hansen: Second place in marketing management
• Nathan Holloway: First place in hotel and lodging, Second place in restaurant and food service management
• Raven McPherson and Valishia Landrum: Second place in the event planning team event
• Raven McPherson: Second place in human resource management
• Ronish Rasaily: First place in travel and tourism, Second place in hotel and lodging
• Tayshaun Washington: First place in financial accounting, Second place in corporate finance

“Seeing our students excel on such a competitive stage is a testament to their hard work and dedication,” said Pattie Bradley, the group’s faculty advisor as well as the Barton School’s associate educator in economics. “Nathan, Tayshaun and Raven are part of the original students who started DECA at the Barton School in 2022, and they are graduating this spring. Their success, and the success of the entire chapter, not only reflects their individual talents but also speaks volumes about their leadership. We’re eagerly anticipating nationals in Austin and I am confident they will continue to make us proud.”

The Barton School of Business has named its two recipients of the 2024 Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship. This year’s winners are Annika Lindeman from Eisenhower High School in Goddard, Kansas, and Abby Rexford from West Jessamine High School in Wilmore, Kentucky. They will each receive more than $32,700 spread over four years to attend WSU and major in entrepreneurship.

“The Barton School’s commitment to entrepreneurship goes beyond just lessons in the classroom,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “These scholarships are a testament to remaining one of the premier institutions for entrepreneurship in the country. I’m excited to welcome Annika and Abby to the Barton family.”

The Jabara Scholarship is one of the largest of its kind nationally for future entrepreneurs. To qualify, a student must write an essay and have achieved at least a 24 score on their ACT, a 3.5 high school GPA and declare entrepreneurship as their major. The scholarship is named after the late Fran Jabara, who was a WSU faculty member for 40 years and founded the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU. Along with serving as the dean of the College of Business Administration, Jabara received the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the President’s Medal in 2002.

On Saturday, Feb. 17, the Barton School of Business hosted its first-ever “Beyond” Hall of Fame gala. The event took place at the beautiful and iconic Mark Arts and inducted three members into its inaugural class: W. Frank Barton, former president of Barton Distributors and co-founder of Rent-A-Center; Clark Bastian, chairman of the board at Fidelity Bank; and Fran Jabara, founder of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Barton School of Business. Business and university leaders, community members, esteemed alumni, and family and friends of the inductees attended. Each honoree was recognized in a special manner and received their well-deserved awards. Family members of Frank Barton and Fran Jabara accepted these posthumous inductions on their behalf.

The proceeds from the “Beyond” Hall of Fame were raised to enhance and enrich the student experience, ensuring their success. These initiatives are instrumental in shaping the next generation of business leaders, attracting and retaining exceptional student talent and ultimately strengthening the workforce pipeline for businesses in Wichita and across Kansas. As a result, the Barton School is investing in the future of business education and empowering the leaders of tomorrow. More than $800,000 was raised in support of this effort, exceeding its target goal.

The Barton School of Business is launching a Bachelor of Business Administration in hospitality. The program will begin in fall 2024 with applications now open for interested students. It was developed in response to growing local and national employment needs in the industry.

“The hospitality industry employs 15 million people and is on track to add another 500,000 jobs by the end of this year,” said Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “The hospitality major at the Barton School of Business could make important contributions to our industry’s talent development by preparing graduates to efficiently lead operations, ensure superb customer experiences and operate financially sound enterprises.”

The Barton School of Business’ School of Accountancy has announced the return of its annual Barton Accounting Forum on May 15. This one-day conference is tailored for accounting and finance professionals, as well as students studying accounting. Attendees can receive eight hours of Continuing Professional Education credits by participating in the conference in addition to invaluable networking opportunities.

This marks the first conference held by the School of Accountancy since 2022, and it will take place on Wichita State’s campus.

On Wednesday, February 7, members of the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University stopped by Maize High School to award senior Faith Swart the 2024 Clay Barton Scholarship. The surprise, coordinated between the Barton School and Maize High School officials, included an announcement and presentation of a ceremonial check to Swart during one of her classes. The $50,000 scholarship is one of the largest business scholarships in Kansas.

“I was not expecting it at all,” said Swart after receiving the exciting news. “Now that I’ve won it, I’m able to do so much more. This will open up opportunities like internships, a sorority and clubs that I wouldn’t have had time for. I’m so happy, I can’t wait to call my dad.”

Swart, who plans to major in marketing, was named the 2024 Barton Scholar after competing against numerous other high school seniors in a series of speeches, group exercises and other activities.

The Barton School of Business has announced that Dr. Seth Cockrell will serve as the next chair of the Marketing Department. Cockrell, who has been working at the Barton School for more than five years as a faculty member, will take over from Duane Nagel, recently appointed as the Barton School’s senior associate dean.

“Seth is well-suited to guide our marketing department to unprecedented levels of excellence, building upon the growth trajectory established by Duane’s leadership,” remarked Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School.

Cockrell has a wealth of experience from working in both corporate settings and academia. He has served as an SAP consultant with HCL AXON where he worked in the areas of logistics, operations management, MIS and CRM on projects for notable companies such as Sikorsky Aircraft, Schweizer Aircraft, TXU Energy and Consumers Energy.

The Barton School of Business has finalized the inaugural group for the Erin and Kyle Cummings $500,000 Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). The class consists of 30 students from across the world representing 10 majors.

“This represents the epitome of applied learning. The unmatched experiences and opportunities to invest real money will be a substantial asset, fostering the growth and knowledge of each participant.” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School.

In February, SMIF students will embark on a historic venture, collaboratively investing $250,000 in stocks, bonds and more — the first opportunity of its kind in school history. Guiding and inspiring them will be Paul Attwater, a seasoned industry executive boasting over 40 years of experience in investing and wealth management.

The proceeds from the portfolio will be reinvested into the program, allocating a percentage to bolster Barton School’s student experience and support initiatives aimed at enhancing their success.

The Barton School of Business is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Duane Nagel as its senior associate dean. In this role, Nagel will oversee the successful implementation of the school’s strategic plan and related key initiatives, manage undergraduate and graduate programs, lead efforts to maximize on its enrollments, advance faculty and research affairs, among other key areas. His collaborative efforts with Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School, and other key leaders will focus on identifying areas for enhancement and innovation across these domains.

“Exemplifying an extraordinary blend of talents and skill sets, Duane is the ideal candidate for this position,” Genin said. “His steadfast commitment to excellence and nuanced understanding of the Barton School will play a pivotal role in propelling innovation and contributing to the prosperity of our school.”

Before his appointment as the senior associate dean, Duane served as the chair of the Department of Marketing at the Barton School. Since assuming the role in the fall of 2022, Duane has led the department through an impressive period of growth, witnessing a remarkable surge in enrollment by nearly 25%, among many other accomplishments related to modernizing the curriculum and forging crucial industry connections.