School of Business News
Student-led stock portfolio takes first at national competition
Students recognized for outstanding ethical behavior
Business professor earns lifetime service award
Class of 2007 takes the stage
Student-led stock portfolio takes first at national competition
With a 2006 stock portfolio return of nearly 30 percent, students at the KU School of Business outperformed teams from more than 40 universities to earn first place at the Redefining Investment Strategy Education (RISE) portfolio competition. The students' return was significantly greater than the S&P 500's return of 13 percent.
The KU students won the Hybrid Category of the competition, held in April at the University of Dayton. The Hybrid Category is defined as portfolios that include short securities and/or invest in derivative securities, such as options. The Applied Portfolio Management (APM) class took first place in the Hybrid Category two years ago, as well.
The student-led portfolio is part of the APM class offered by the School of Business and taught by Catherine Shenoy, b'79, g'84, PhD'92, assistant professor and director of APM. The class manages a real investment portfolio, currently valued at $2.4 million.
"This was a well-earned award for the students in the APM class," Shenoy said. "They spent countless hours researching companies in our portfolio, meeting with executives and drafting research reports. It's great to see their hard work pay off in such a big way."
Students recognized for outstanding ethical behavior
Seven students from the KU School of Business received inaugural Positive Code of Conduct Awards. The students were recognized in front of peers, faculty and the general public at the Sutton Ethics Lecture, sponsored by the business school April 27.
This year's winners were Travis Grosser, b'00, Sarah Kierl, Olivia Pfannenstiel, Ric Rosenfield, Stefany Samp, b'06, Erinn Schaiberger and Zelin Zhang.
The awards acknowledge students for maintaining outstanding ethical behavior as defined in the school's new Positive Code of Conduct. The code was developed by students in an ethics class taught by Douglas May, professor and co-director of the International Center for Ethics in Business. The seven virtues of the Positive Code of Conduct are represented by the acronym RESPECT: Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Self-Esteem, Personal Integrity, Equity, Compassion and Teamwork.
Faculty members nominated the students. A group of their peers then selected the winners.
Business professor earns lifetime service award
Allen Ford, the Larry D. Horner/KPMG Distinguished Professor of Accounting at the KU School of Business, received the 2007 Outstanding Service Award for the Midwest region of the American Accounting Association.
The award was presented to Ford at the AAA Midwest region's annual meeting April 14 in St. Louis. The Outstanding Service Award is given in "recognition and appreciation of lifetime service to the Midwest region," which consists of 11 states.
"It has been an honor to serve the Midwest region for so many years," Ford said. "Receiving this award is very special to me."
Ford was president of the region from 1998-'99 and has served as program chair and vice president-academic. He has completed two three-year terms on the region's steering committee and frequently presents research papers at the region's annual meetings.
Class of 2007 takes the stage
More than 500 students graduated from the KU School of Business this spring. The Recognition Ceremony to honor their achievements was held May 18 at the Lied Center.
At the ceremony, Erinn Schaiberger of Mesa, Ariz., spoke as the undergraduate student speaker, and Jennifer Weaver, c'01, j'01, of Lawrence addressed the crowd on behalf of the graduate student body. Twenty student awards were also presented to seniors and master's students at the ceremony. In all, about 409 students earned their bachelor's degrees, 109 received master's degrees and eight doctoral degrees were awarded.
The Undergraduate Business Council coordinated the inaugural Recognition Ceremony Reception, which was held outside the Lied Center following the graduation ceremony. The reception allowed students and their guests to meet with KU business faculty and staff.
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