November 2023 Newsletter from the USF Muma College of Business

USF business professors launched a series of free, online courses to train Florida’s public sector employees on how to spot phishing scams, counter ransomware attacks, and thwart cybercriminals.

Students spent the day exploring sustainable tourism on Egmont Key and learning about the island's rich history through virtual reality. The trip was part of Brooke Hansen's class on sustainable tourism.

After spending 10 years in the military, Air Force fighter pilots Captain Zach Eastman and Major Liz Eastman are currently serving as flight instructors all while working to complete their online MBA from USF.

The BBC explored the dark side of touch screen tipping in a news story about the digital gratuity trend. USF marketing professor Dipayan Biswas shared his views about "smart tipping."

Reading this newsletter from your mail.usf.edu inbox? USF is phasing out those email domains. Don't miss a newsletter — especially the release of our 2023 Holiday Video — by joining our subscriber list with an alternate email address.

Student Spotlight: Cherish Alston set her sights on finding an internship as an incoming freshman. A few internships later, she hopes to make a career in the cybersecurity industry.

Alumni spotlight: Maria Fernandez. As the COO and executive VP of Sony Latin Iberia, Fernandez ('21, MBA) won the Recording Industry Association of America's 2023 industry executive of the year award.

The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur placed USF's graduate entrepreneurship program No. 9 in the nation and No. 6 among public universities in its annual ranking of Top Schools for Entrepreneurship 2024.

Lisa Penney, a stress researcher and professor of management, says stressful situations can impair decision-making abilities by hindering the brain's ability to process information and weigh the options.

The Corporate Mentor Program hosted 130 students and their mentors at a kickoff event. Keynote speaker Gordon Ryerson shared how mentors shaped his career in finance.

Watch the video→

The second Fintech|X Accelerator concluded with a Pitch Night event at USF St. Petersburg where 15 high-growth startups showcased their solutions in the world of business and fintech.

The Sarasota Cybersecurity Lab is an innovative and interdisciplinary research lab hoping to delve deeper into the psyche of cybercriminals as a way to propel the field of cybersecurity.

Internships abound at the Bellini Center showcase

Over 200 students joined 13 employers at the Bellini Center for Talent Development's Internship Showcase. The event gives students the chance to find out what interning for top local companies is like in an informal setting. Watch the video→

Accounting Circle CPE Conference set for May 16

Save the date for the USF Accounting Circle CPE Conference set for May 16 in the Marshall Student Center on USF's Tampa campus. This year's conference theme is 2024:Times Change, So Must We. A networking reception will follow.

Faculty spotlights

Tim Greer, an assistant professor of instruction in the Kate Tiedemann School of Business and Finance, was featured in a Rethinking65 story about the graying financial planning community in Florida.

Adam Carmer, an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, was quoted in a BNN Bloomberg story about Japanese whisky supplier Suntory expanding its output.

Seçkin Özkul, the director of the Supply Chain Innovation Lab, was featured in the Digital Supply Chain with Tom Raftery podcast discussing AI, robotics, and the evolution of the supply chain.

Anand Kumar, a professor in the School of Marketing and Innovation, contributed to a blog post on Wallethub.com on the best car insurance company.

Carol Osborne, the director of the Zimmerman Advertising Program, discussed the business of Halloween on an episode of Florida Matters on WUSF.

View more faculty notes

Alumni updates

Chris Klein (‘11, MS, Finance) was named to the 2023 class of Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 honorees. He serves as director of financial planning and analysis at Cirkul.

Chris Harden (‘07, MBA) won Mom’s Choice Awards for his story-driven games “Find Stanley! The Christmas Treasurehunt Game” and “Stanley & the Candy Cane Wormhole.”

Federico Giovannetti ('22, DBA) has joined the Information and Technology Management Department at the University of Tampa's Sykes College of Business as an assistant teaching professor of cybersecurity.

Stephanie Morge (‘06, BS, Finance) was named to the 2023 class of Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 honorees. She serves as the director of learning and development at Power Design.

James Chaudry (‘18, MBA) became the national men’s singles champion in the 2023 English Nationals Pickleball championship.

View more alumni notes

In other news

About 100 Sarasota high school students received a crash course on the cybersecurity industry — and how USF and corporate partners can prepare them for a potentially lucrative career in the field — during a first-ever Cybersecurity and AI Day at the Sarasota-Manatee campus.

The campus is home to the college's Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Management (IACM) undergraduate program led by Professor Giti Javidi.

Upcoming calendar

• Nov. 23 and 24, Thanksgiving holiday, no classes, USF closed.

• Dec. 8-9, Fall Commencement, Yuengling Center, Tampa. Schedule.

• Dec 21-Jan. 1, Winter break, USF offices closed.

• Feb. 12, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. State of the Region, Marshall Student Center Ballroom, Tampa campus.

• April 18, 8:30-10 a.m. Conversation with a CEO featuring Brian Murphy, CAMLS, 124 South Franklin St., Tampa.

4202 E. Fowler Avenue

Tampa, FL 33620

813-974-2011

Connect With Us