Category Archives: Departments

2013 American Marketing Award

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Ryan O’Keefe has been chosen as the 2013 marketer of the year in Lewis University’s chapter of The American Marketing Association.  As president of the A.M.A. this past year Ryan has planned and executed fundraisers, service events including a 5k race for RML Specialty Hospital, and trips to marketing departments and advertising agencies to give members a glimpse into the real world of marketing.  Some of the trips the A.M.A. went on this year have included a meeting with executives at Leo Burnett, Laughlin Constable, Cooper’s Hawk, and Cadence Health hospital to name a few. Ryan is graduating with a major in marketing, minor in international business, and a certificate in leadership as part of the graduating class of 2013.

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Social Media Marketing scholarships awarded

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Ken Lomasney, chief operating officer of leading Social Media Marketing Services Company UMarketing, recently funded two scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each for social media marketing majors.  In order to be considered for the scholarships, applicants had to show they are self-motivated, highly interested in social media and that they exemplify the mission of Lewis University.  Applicants submitted a 2-3 minute video to YouTube explaining why they should be awarded the scholarships.  The two recipients of the Ken Lomasney Social Media Marketing scholarships are Blessing Honey and Stephania Esparza.

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Three 2013 Outstanding Student Award Recipients Honored

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Each year in the college of business we look to honor students who have gone above and beyond in their time here at Lewis.  The outstanding student award is one way we get to recognize these students and reward them for their hard work and commitment to the mission of the University.  We look at the student’s GPA, the number of majors/minors the student is undertaking, their involvement in the college & university, and recommendations from faculty & staff.  This year we are proud to announce three recipients of the outstanding student award; Lauren McCartney, Brandon Ceplecha, and Christian Axelsen.

Lauren McCartney acted as Professor Abdullah’s T.A., created the MIS department’s Facebook page, and participated in two Information Security Service Learning Projects for the Will County Community Health clinic and the Cornerstone Foundation all while maintaining an excellent GPA.  “She was a pleasure to teach; she is a model student who helped set the tone for the class room with her work ethic, work quality and preparation.” Professor Joe Hatch

Brandon Ceplecha has been a model student.  Eager to learn and help others when possible, Brandon has maintained an excellent GPA while staying very active on campus.  “He goes about the job of being a student in a very professional manner; there’s a certain, rather uncommon intensity and focus in his classroom presence.  He’s totally engaged and always comes to class prepared.” Dr. Frank Rose

Christian Axelsen, chosen as the outstanding student for the Accelerated Business Program, excelled in his studies while expressing a great love for education.  College of business faculty have said he possesses “an eagerness to learn and participate in class above and beyond expectations.  His assignments were comprehensive, well-written, and interesting to read.”  Mr. Axelsen has been described as generous, organized, proactive, pragmatic, a leader, and strong of faith.

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Mr. Bryan Durkin receives honorary membership from Delta Mu Delta Honors Society

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The Lewis University chapter of Delta Mu Delta is proud to announce the induction of Mr. Bryan Durkin as an honorary member.  Delta Mu Delta is a national honors society focused on recognizing exemplary scholastic achievement and promoting higher learning. His loves for Lewis University and for helping to guide young professionals are part of what make Bryan Durkin such a good fit for Delta Mu Delta.  Mr. Durkin is currently the chief operating officer of the CME Group, the world’s largest futures exchange company, and has held this position since July of 2007.  He is also the president of GFX Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of CME Group focusing on providing liquidity in foreign exchange futures.  Prior to working at the CME Group where he led the global integrations following CME’s merger with The Chicago Board of Trade, Mr. Durkin was serving as Executive Vice President and chief operating officer of the CBOT.  Mr. Durkin is himself a Lewis Alumnus and has shown great love for his alma mater over the years.  Congratulations to Mr. Bryan Durkin on receiving this honor and to Delta Mu Delta for receiving such a great honorary member into their ranks.

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C.O.B. Alum appointed V.P. of SeverStal Dearborn

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            Severstal North America, one of the largest steelmakers in the United States, has appointed a Lewis University alumnus Ronald Kostyo to the position of Vice President & General Manager of Severstal Dearborn.  Severstal serves more than 20 steel markets including automotive, appliance, construction, and containers and has long been considered one of the leaders in North American Steel production.  Mr. Kostyo, formerly manager of steelmaking brings with him 34 years of steel-industry experience to his new position in the company.  Mr. Kostyo holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lewis University that he earned in the Business Adult Accelerated Program.  “I am pleased to welcome Ron to our leadership team.  Being highly regarded as an exceptional leader and professional in the industry, he will help Severstal North America meet the highest standards of operational excellence.” said Sergei Kuznetsov, CEO Severstal North America

Lowell Stahl Center for Entrepreneurship and Real Estate welcomes new director

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We are proud to announce the placement of Kristin Nance as the new Director of the Lowell Stahl Center for Entrepreneurship and Real Estate.  Kristin previously served as the Assistant Dean for the College of Business at Roosevelt University where she oversaw the creation of the Entrepreneurship Academy as well as the implementation of their Social Entrepreneurship degree program.  During her time at Roosevelt University Kristin also served as the Director of the Executive Education Program and the Assistant Director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate.  Kristin has a Master of Business Administration from Illinois Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Real Estate from Roosevelt University, and a Master of Accounting from Roosevelt University.

Kristin Nance picture for her hiring blog post actually used

New Inductees welcomed into Delta Mu Delta Honor Society

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The 2013 Senior Awards Night marked not only the end of another great year and the sending off of another class of prepared graduates, but also the induction of new members into the Delta Mu Delta chapter at Lewis University.  Delta Mu Delta is an international honor society that was founded at Harvard University back in 1913.  Its purpose is to recognize academic excellence in business administration programs, promote higher education, and reward scholastic achievement.  There are currently over 150 Delta Mu Delta chapters worldwide and it is a highly prestigious group to be invited to join.  Only the top 20% of the junior or senior College of Business students and 2nd year graduate students are invited to join.  The chapter’s faculty advisor is Dr. Yuntaek Pae and this year’s induction class includes Robert Boldog, Timothy Lydigsen, Brandon Ceplecha, Michael Bueno, Jr., Scott Denham, Alissa Digrazia, Jonathan Hicks, Martha Liace, Agnes Rychtarczyk, Steven Schoiber, Dean Schumacker, and Berenice Vargas.  Congratulations again to all of you and best of luck to this new group of inductees into the Lewis University chapter of Delta Mu delta.

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Job Prospects looking up for College of Business Graduates

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With a job market that continues to struggle and many students choosing majors in overly competitive fields leading to post-graduation woes, it seems that the majors offered here in the college of business are just what the doctor ordered.  Of the 11 positions in business forecasted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to see a 29% growth rate from 2010-2020, we currently offer majors relating to all 11.  Business majors are currently the most popular among students nationwide, at an impressive 22% of all student majors.  This may seem like an overly competitive percentage that will lead to a fierce job search after graduation, but 63% of companies surveyed by the National association of colleges and Employers said they were looking to hire business majors.  In fact by graduating with a major from the college of business, students place themselves among the 55% most likely to be hired post-graduation for an entry level position.  Of the 8 best jobs by salary for recent College Graduates listed by The Huffington Post, we currently offer majors related to 6 of the jobs including Financial Analyst and Marketing Research Analyst.  While the economy continues to see dismal growth rates, college of business majors are in a position to succeed in the years to come.

Cybersecurity expert Amy Maskiewicz visits Lewis

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Dr. Faisal Abdullah’s Computer Forensics class was recently honored to host Lewis alumna and digital forensics professional Amy Maskiewicz.  Ms. Maskiewicz led a discussion on the role of digital evidence in investigations involving cybercrime such as data theft and corporate espionage, and detailed various career paths available to those majoring in corporate digital forensic related fields.  Maskiewicz is currently employed by an internal computer forensic examinations team, and has previous experience working for the Chicago Police Department and the Regional Forensic Computer Lab at Chicago.  “Amy’s presentation helped the students to understand the career opportunities in the field of corporate forensics.  Most people assume that computer forensics involves only law enforcement agencies.  However, most cases involving internal investigations of employees are not even reported to law enforcement agencies and are investigated by an internal team of computer forensic examiners.” –Dr. Faisal Abdullah, interim chair and associate professor of Management Information Systems.  The event was organized as a part of the Information Systems Speaker Series initiative.

Market Research Students gain real world experience

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In order to expand the learning of his students beyond the classroom, Marketing Professor Arthur Regal has developed a survey to measure why students attend different suburban High Schools.  With some High Schools costing upwards of $48,000 for four years, deciding what High School their child will attend has become quite a daunting task for parents.  Cost is of course just one factor parents must consider when choosing a High School, and the survey takes many others into account including the academic curriculum, average class size, and religious affiliations.  The survey will initially be implemented at Montini Catholic High School in Lombard, and is a great opportunity for Lewis to further connect with and support our fellow Catholic and Lasallian community members.  The survey will help local High School administrators to better understand and serve student needs, while providing Lewis marketing students a great chance to experience the many steps that go into creating, implementing, and interpreting a survey correctly.