Business student honored with 2008 Chancellor’s Award
Business faculty write "tell-all" book about Applied Portfolio Management class
New major holds lucrative job options
Communications Office receives prestigious awards

Business student honored with 2008 Chancellor’s Award

KU officials presented finance student Peter Curzon with the 2008 Chancellor’s Award during a surprise visit to his business class last month. Curzon received the Caryl K. Smith Student Leader Award, one of 10 awards presented to graduating seniors for their academic achievements and community involvement.

As part of his honor, Curzon’s name appeared in the program and he was seated on the platform during the 2008 Commencement May 18 in Memorial Stadium, alongside Chancellor Robert Hemenway and other awardees.

“I am honored and thrilled to receive this award,” Curzon said. “It will be wonderful to be recognized at Commencement with all of my family and friends present. I have had an incredible experience here at KU and I’m happy to finish my time here on such a high note.” Read more.

Business faculty write "tell-all" book about Applied Portfolio Management class

This isn’t a book filled with gossip and conjecture, but rather one filled with facts. In their new book, Applied Portfolio Management: How University of Kansas Students Generate Alpha to Beat the Street business school faculty members Catherine Shenoy and Kent C. McCarthy explain the critical skills it takes to become a financial analyst and an active stock investor.

KU faculty use examples from class research and actual results of the Applied Portfolio Management (APM) program at the business school to teach readers the fundamentals of valuation and investing. The real-world experience of APM students’ management of investments led to a performance track record that even the pros would envy.

“The students have earned an annual average return over 20 percent since 1994 when the Applied Portfolio Management program was founded, blowing away the NASDAQ’s average nine percent over the same period,” said Shenoy. “We wrote the book to show investors the process that the class goes through to research a stock. The publisher thought that if a group of students could generate exceptional returns, that was a story that should be told.”

In addition to drawing attention to success of APM students at the business school, 50 percent of royalties from the sale of this book will be returned to the University. Read more.

New major holds lucrative job options

A new major offered by the business school has already caught the interest of employers across the country. A degree in Supply Chain Management (SCM) arms students with the skills they need to plan, implement and control the product operations of a company from origin to consumption as efficiently as possible.

The business school developed the SCM major in fall 2007, responding to industry changes and requests from employers. David Byrd-Stadler, business school employee relations coordinator, said even Kansas companies had to recruit from Arizona State or Michigan State prior to the major being offered at KU.

“We have never had recruiters more excited,” said Byrd-Stadler. “These companies are able to save time and money. They no longer have to travel great distances to find the students they want.”

KU is one of the only schools in the Midwest currently offering the SCM major. The business school is exploring new avenues for recruiting students to SCM, including a recent partnership with the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth to offer a Master of Science in Business Degree to military officers.

For more information, visit www.business.ku.edu/Undergraduate-SupplyChain.

Communications Office receives prestigious awards

Toni Dixon, director of communications, and the School of Business Communications Office won three Bronze Quill Awards of Excellence from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for its publications. The Bronze Quill Awards are a coveted recognition of excellence in business communications.

“Invest in Their Success” received two Bronze Quill Awards of Excellence in the category of Publications (recognizing writing, message and overall look of the publication) and in the category of Design & Photography in a Brochure.

“Dean’s Report 2007” received a Bronze Quill Award of Excellence in the category of Annual Reports. The project team for both publications included Toni Dixon and Justin Lueger, as well as photographer Mark Hutchinson and graphic designers Kevin Friesen for “Invest in Their Success” and Doug Barth for the “Dean’s Report.”

The IABC-Topeka Chapter presented the Bronze Quill Awards. IABC is a global organization of communication professionals and a leader in business communications, with chapters around the world.

Visit the School of Business Web site for more information.