Featured Stories October 2021
The Muma College of Business and TGH have embarked on an innovative initiative to provide critical people skills to hospital staff ranging from top-shelf surgeons to valets. The People Development Institute will equip not just employees, but also hospital partners, vendors and associates with the tools they need to create better relations with patients, customers and the medical community. Read more.
A self-paced version of the “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace” certificate program is available through the USF Muma College of Business. It is the second time this year the program is being offered. The first drew more than 135,000 registrants. “The concept of diversity, equity and inclusion is in our DNA at the Muma College of Business,” said Dean Moez Limayem. Read more. To enroll, click here.
Not satisfied that the Moffitt Cancer Center already has an international reputation as a leading cancer research hospital, Patrick Hwu plans to take it not only to the next level, but to the top tier of research facilities on the planet – and, beyond. Hwu, CEO of Moffitt for less than a year, will be the next guest at the Conversation with a CEO event later this month. Read more. To register, click here.
University of South Florida President Rhea Law took time recently to take a tour of the Muma College of Business. She met with Dean Moez Limayem, had lunch with school deans and directors, visited the Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation Lab and sat in on a presentation delivered by the Applied Securities Analysis students. To view a slideshow of the visit, click here.
For consumers who are buying products from online sources like Amazon, and Etsy, scrolling down to a product’s “Top Reviews” or “Most Helpful Reviews” section has become a routine part of the process. But what do the reviews of products or services really tell us? A recently published paper co-authored by Associate Professor Dezhi Yin has some answers. Read more.
Sam Armes has a front-row seat to the cryptocurrency revolution taking place in Florida. The 2018 USF graduate with a bachelor’s degree finance is the founder and president of the Florida Blockchain Business Association, a nonprofit that is helping stage a bitcoin and blockchain summit scheduled next month in Tampa, To read more, click here.
William Brewer, a 2010 alumnus and a former 25 Under 25 honoree and a member of the Alumni Advisory Council, is prepping to ride 70 miles a day for three days across South Dakota. The senior manager of Capital Markets and Treasury at Bristol Meyers is part of a group that will make the Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer Ride, which stretches from Oregon to New Jersey. Read more.
The Stanley Cup, won by the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second consecutive year, stopped by the Muma College of Business recently, courtesy of the Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program. The cup posed for photos with grad students in the program and then hopped to the atrium where students and staff stopped by to sneak quick selfies. To view a slideshow of the visit, click here.
Students in the Executive MBA program learn about the quality of leadership, the value of human resources, accounting, information systems and marketing. Russell Clayton is offering a chance for them to give back to the community. With funding from an anonymous donor, Clayton, who teaches a course in communications, teaches students to help some local nonprofits. Read more.
Doctor of Business Administration Program to be Available Online

The popular Doctor of Business Administration program at the Muma College of Business will soon be available in a fully online format. College leadership says the inaugural cohort will contain about 15 students drawn from professionals in all occupations including the private sector, military and government.

Like the current program, which began in 2014, the online DBA offers a doctorate recognized by AACSB International, the accrediting agency that sets the standards of excellence for business colleges and programs worldwide. The online DBA program incorporates a flexible schedule to accommodate work schedules. It is a cohort-based model in which students benefit from experienced professional classmates who have been in the workforce for at least a dozen years with a minimum of five years of executive, senior managerial or senior technical experience.

Like the original USF DBA program, instructors and advisers are drawn from the university’s most accomplished researchers and alumni.

Applications for the online DBA program are now open. 

Read more. To view a video about the new program, click here.
Student Spotlight: Philip Jimenez Focuses on a Career in Underwriting, After 15 years as Baggage Handler at TIA

Thirty-five-year-old Philip Jimenez was working full time as a ramp agent with Southwest Airlines at Tampa International Airport and had been for 15 years when he reached a point at which the physical job began taking its toll on his body.

That’s when he seriously took the advice of an uncle who clued him in on career opportunities in a field he had never considered. Like many not involved in the business of risk management and insurance, Jimenez thought the only options were being an agent or broker selling policies.

“I mentioned going back to school,” he said, “and my uncle suggested pursuing a career in the insurance field.”

Integrity Takes Center Stage in a Business Ethics Essay Competition with Cash Prizes

The focus of this year's Muma College of Business's second annual Business Ethics Essay Competition, open to all USF undergraduate business students, is "The Importance of Ethics in Real Estate."

In 2,000 to 2,500 words competitors are asked to explain why ethics are especially important in the field of real estate. Interested students can self-enroll at usf.to/Ethics21 with no obligation to submit. Competition details are also provided on the competition course home page. Essays must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 5 via the "Submit Assignment" button.
The winners will receive scholarship prizes of $700 for first place, $500 for second place and $300 for third. The competition is presented by Professor Greg Smersh and funded by his Exide Professorship in Business Ethics. Winners will be announced approximately two weeks following the submission deadline. Anyone with questions can submit them to bsn-ethics@usf.edu 
Alumna Spotlight: Deb Franklin is helping to grow the School of Risk Management and Insurance

Deb Franklin, the newest member of the USF Muma College of Business's School of Risk Management and Insurance Advisory Board, has come full circle in her relationship with USF.

A 2014 Executive MBA graduate, Franklin was the lone insurance industry executive during her time in the program and, as such, was subject to playful ribbing from classmates from other professions.

Now, however, Franklin is back where she started – and playing a key role in helping to build up the fledgling risk management and Insurance program.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” said Franklin, who was appointed chair of the school's advisory board soon after joining in August. “There’s an affinity now. I feel like a Floridian giving back to Florida, which is important for me.”

Despite Ongoing Global Disruptions, USF Graduates are in Demand for Supply Chain Jobs

The holiday shopping season could be challenging for retailers and consumers thanks to the ongoing pandemic-induced disruptions in the global supply chain. Toys, clothing, electronics and furniture are among the products expected to be in short supply, and analysts project prices will continue to increase.

Nor is this a short-term problem. Many experts, including Elaine Singleton, executive director of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability in USF’s Muma College of Business, anticipate that the supply chain bottlenecks could last for another year-and-a-half to two years.

However, for students graduating from USF with bachelor’s degrees in supply chain management, the future is very bright.

“We had 20 students who received degrees last May and all of them had multiple job offers before they graduated,” Singleton said. “The average salary offers were between $65,000 and $75,000.”

AMA Students Receive Scholarships, Stage Record-Breaking Golf Tourney

The American Marketing Association recently funded 17 scholarships to AMA students to cover the cost of their dues. The donations came from a wide range of donors in the marketing community.

“Your generosity and support of University of South Florida Muma College of Business students make a difference in their lives and their future,” said Loran Jarrett, marketing instructor and faculty adviser for the chapter.

“Thank you for supporting your alma mater, your favorite college organization," she said, "and this next generation. Go Bulls!”

The chapter also organized a golf tournament last month that broke a record for pledges by 31 percent. 
Faculty Spotlights
Alumni Careers
Michelle Harrolle, director of the Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program, was quoted in a Fox13 story about a new Esports Living Lab on campus. Read more.

Rob Hooker, associate professor in the School of Marketing and Sales Innovation, was interviewed by 10 Tampa Bay, discussing supply chain management and consumer strategies regarding when and where to do their holiday shopping. Learn more.
Tony Kong, associate professor of management, co-authored a paper that was recently accepted by the Journal of Personality. The study, titled “Why do Followers Feel Inauthentic and Withdraw? The Joint Effect of Leader Machiavellianism and Perceived Collectivistic Work Climate,” examines how manipulative leaders make followers withdraw from work.

Bob Tiller, finance instructor and Raymond James Financial Director of the Personal Financial Planning Program, was the featured speaker at a September eMoney continuing education program for hundreds of Certified Financial Planners across the country. To listen to the session, click here.
Andy Hafer (’90, MBA) and his wife, Eileen, recently donated $1.2 million to create UMatter, a USF College of Education program offered on USF’s St. Petersburg campus that will provide students with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to take part in higher education and campus life. He is the founder and CEO of Dynamic Communities and a member of the Muma College of Business Executive Advisory Council. Read more.
Emily Gorman (‘[16, MBA) became the youngest – ever – director of Sierra Club Florida, a chapter of the national Sierra Club that is made up of volunteer leaders and civic activists representing more than 34,000 members from all over the state. She previously served as a national organizer for the Miami-based Sierra Club Florida’s Ready For 100. As a national organizer, Gorman worked on issues relating to clean energy, environmental justice, transportation and disaster resilience.

Sebastian Marin (‘17, Marketing) was named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. He is the manager for project management leadership for Publix Super Markets.
In Other News ...
The USF Alumni Association wants to see a big turnout for the homecoming football game featuring the USF Bulls and the University of Houston Cougars and has collaborated with the USF Athletic Department to invite alumni to the game to celebrate 25 years of USF football.

Alumni are encouraged to join fellow former classmates, family and friends to celebrate the 2021 USF Homecoming with a weekend full of events on Saturday, Nov. 6. The evening before, alumni are welcome to come to the Tampa campus for a homecoming parade watch party

An exclusive alumni ticket discount is available for the game. The USF Alumni Association will host a tailgate, and alums are encouraged to stop by before the game for free USF spirit supplies. More information about USF Alumni Homecoming events can be found here.
Dates to Remember
Here are some upcoming events planned over the next few months. Some may be virtual, others may be face-to-face:

  • Oct. 21, 8:30 a.m., the Muma College of Business's Conversation with a CEO featuring Patrick Hwu, president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center, takes place at CAMLS, 124 S. Franklin St. Tampa. The event is free. To register, click here
  • Oct. 26, noon to 1:30 p.m., the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability open house will be in the Muma College of Business atrium. To RSVP, click here.
  • Nov. 5, 5:30-8 p.m., the Muma College of Business hosts a Homecoming Watch Party. To register click here.
  • Jan. 21, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., the fifth annual State of the Region will take place in the University Student Center Ballroom on the USF St. Petersburg campus. Watch for details.