by Neely Borger | Oct 30, 2014 | Academics, Careers In..., COBA Faculty, Current Students
The student chapter of ACU’s AMA (American Marketing Association) spent the Fall Break in Seattle, WA visiting some of the most renowned companies in the world. Marketing Professor, Jennifer Golden, Career Development Advisor, Samantha Matta, and Management Sciences Department Chair, Dr. Mark Phillips led the group of 19 students, learning about the behind the scenes operations and unique cultures of these successful companies. The companies the group visited included Starbucks, World Vision, Costco, Microsoft, Amazon, and the Seattle Mariners.
Judith Barajas, a junior Marketing major with a minor in International Studies, enjoyed touring the Starbucks headquarters. Starbucks highly values their employees, calling them “partners” and creating an environment where everyone feels significant and important. When looking for a future employer, Judith learned how important it is to find a company where you can be motivated and excel. She also realized the importance of teamwork in the marketplace and working together to achieve common goals. In the future, Judith is interested in working in product development and customer needs.
“God’s plan for us is what rules the course of our life, and we cannot plan for everything he has in store for us. So many of the people we talked to were doing things now they never planned for when they were our age but because they were able to follow God, they now are doing things they never thought possible,” says Judith Barajas.
Cheyenne Rawlings, a senior Marketing major from Houston, was impressed by the Microsoft corporate office. Because ACU students tend to be more familiar with Apple products, Cheyenne enjoyed learning about Microsoft’s culture and company goals. She says, “It was neat to experience big corporations because I have not had a lot of experience with companies at the corporate level. It is a much different environment!”
All of the companies presented different goals and various ways to run operations, but all companies had one thing in common: building a positive foundational culture for employees to feel motivated and succeed, reaching beyond the standard process to achieve lofty goals. This trip was an excellent opportunity for students to learn firsthand how teamwork and culture are the key ingredients for any company to succeed.
by Neely Borger | Oct 27, 2014 | Academics, Careers In..., Current Students, School of Information Technology and Computing
Over the fall break, students from the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy and the School of Information Technology and Computing traveled west to Silicon Valley. Dr. Jim Litton and Dr. Brad Crisp led the group of 16 students to visit and explore several tech companies varying in size and function, from start-ups to some of the most recognized companies in the world. Some of these included Google, LinkedIn, Circa, the Silicon Valley Bank, Livingly, Yahoo! and Square. Students were able to learn about the fundamental principles of technological companies as well as having the opportunity to network with alumni and potential employers.
COBA and SITC students tour Yahoo!
Connor Osborn, a junior Accounting and Finance major from Southlake, enjoyed visiting Silicon Valley Bank. SVB’s mission is to “increase innovative companies’ probability of success worldwide” and is the premier bank for all venture capital firms. The group learned about the services the bank offers as well as the complex system by which the capital is distributed, put to work, and then returned.
Students were toured around LinkedIn by ACU alum, Asa Kusuma.
Spencer Woolfolk, a junior from San Antonio, found the trip to be highly valuable, learning what it looks like to work in Silicon Valley and the purpose and vision of the companies’ brands. The experience of personally visiting such well-known companies is unlike anything one can learn inside the classroom. Spencer is excited to use this knowledge going forward, integrating his passion for marketing with entrepreneurship and technology.
Spencer Woolfolk
“I am very grateful to the faculty that put the trip together. It was invaluable to be able to learn more about Silicon Valley and the technology field,” says Woolfolk.
by Neely Borger | May 27, 2014 | Academics, Careers In..., Current Students, Faith Infusion, Placement stories
Nick Rector, a management major from Abilene, accepted a job offer from Bishop Lifting Products. BLP was founded in 1984 and is a leading manufacturer and distributor of services, products, and solutions for North American rigging and crane applications as well as applications worldwide. BLP offers offshore and land based inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, modernization, and lift specialist consulting for their clients. Nick admires the company for “truly seeing their work as a team effort. No job is more essential than another, but in order to achieve perfection, every person is needed to show up and do their best.” When asked how COBA has impacted Nick’s experience, Nick replied by describing how much he has grown over the past four years, spiritually and academically, because of COBA. The COBA culture and professors have empowered Nick to enter the marketplace with humility and confidence, eager to impact the world in a positive and Christ-like way. Nick says, “It’s incredibly awesome to reflect and see how much progression has happened over the past four years here at ACU and COBA.”
Congratulations, Nick, on joining Bishop Lifting Products!
by Neely Borger | May 21, 2014 | Careers In..., Current Students, Placement stories
Evan Webb, a Management major from Houston, recently accepted a job offer from PrimeSource. PrimeSource specializes in building products, leading the industry in providing exceptional product quality at the most competitive prices. Evan admires what the company stands for, treating their customers and employees with integrity and respect. Evan will start in a “Leader-in-Training” program for four months before taking a full-time position. Evan encourages students to take advantage of CareerLink, the ACU Career Center, and the COBA Career Connections office when looking for jobs and internships. COBA’s Career Connections is one of a kind, bridging the gap between students and employers and finding ways for students to get plugged into the marketplace.
“COBA has prepared me by giving me real world opportunities to interact with actual business men and women, allowing me to see how I can be a successful Christian influence in the marketplace.”
by Neely Borger | May 19, 2014 | Careers In..., Current Students, Faith Infusion
Sarah Puckett, a Marketing major from Amarillo, took a job offer from PFSweb to join their team in Dallas. Sarah is excited to start working with a company with such a unique culture, striving to make a difference in their industry with their customers and employees. PFSweb is a leading global provider of comprehensive eCommerce solutions. Their services include eCommerce technology, order management services, financial services, interactive marketing services, product content management, high-touch customer care, and global logistics. PFSweb provides services for well-known brands in the marketplace, including Asics, T.J. Maxx, L’Oreal, and Pandora. Sarah believes that COBA has prepared her well for this job opportunity, challenging her to think in new ways and be a good steward with the talents He has given her. COBA classes and events such as Leadership Summit have built the foundation for the person Sarah wants to be in the marketplace. By learning from COBA mentors and professors, she is ready to enter the workforce with a strong sense of purpose and mission. Sarah will begin working for PFSweb on June 16th. Congratulations, Sarah!
“Something that is far more important than all of the applications and material that I learned from COBA was how to be a strong Christian in the business world and constantly look for ways to serve others and be a good steward,” says Sarah Puckett, a Marketing major now working for PFSweb in Allen, TX.
by Neely Borger | Apr 30, 2014 | Academics, Careers In..., College Decisions, Current Students
On March 27th and 28th, five COBA students along with Dr. Terry Pope attended the RISE Investment Conference at the University of Dayton. The conference was a two day event and included students, faculty, and practitioners from all over the world interested in the various areas of investment. On the first day of the conference, participants attended panels that featured leading investment speakers from around the world, including President Sandra Pianalto from the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, anchor Kelly Evans from CNBC, and Chairman Chief Investment Officer Bill Miller from Legg Mason. On the second day of the conference, participants attended breakout sessions, learning about equity evaluation, wealth management, foreign exchange trading, and technical analysis. Dr. Pope was excited to expose students to influential people with powerful roles on Wall Street. The students were able to hear from the experts about their day-to-day lives working in the investment world. COBA highly supports and encourages students attending business conferences like RISE to learn from experienced professionals practicing in the marketplace.
Dr. Terry Pope with COBA students Grant Wilson, Collin Graves, Bibb Frasier, Luke Luttrell, and Chloe Meung at the RISE Conference at the University of Dayton.
