News from the College of Business

and Public Affairs...

News_______________________________

• Largest gift in the history of the College of Business and Public Affairs
  
  R. Clayton McWhorter, Nashville Business Executive and long-time friend and benefactor of UT Martin, has established a charitable remainder trust, worth $2 million to benefit the College of Business and Public Affairs. Upon his death, funds from trust will endow the R. Clayton McWhorter Excellence Fund which will be used at the Chancellor's discretion to improve the college's programs and meet the needs of future students.

• College of Business and Public Affairs moves to temporary quarters
  
  The College of Business and Public Affairs has temporarily vacated the Business Administration Building and is now housed on the third floor of Clement Hall. The move was necessary so that the heating and air conditioning system (including ducts and registers) in the BA Building could be replaced. The $3 million project is scheduled to be completed in August 2008, in time for the college to return to BA Building for the opening of fall classes.
  
  
• Finance students excel in TVA Investment Challenge
  
  Since 1998, the Tennessee Valley Authority has given university students in its service region the opportunity to take a portion of TVA's Nuclear Decommissioning Trust and develop a portfolio of stocks. UT Martin seniors and graduate students interested in finance have managed their portion of the fund very well. With the help/oversight of UT Martin finance professors, Dr. Mahmoud Haddad and Dr. Arnold Redman, UT Martin students increased the value of their portfolio by 71% over the three years ending April 30, 2007. The compound annual growth rate for UT Martin's portfolio over the three year period was 19.9%, far exceeding the 12.3% annual growth rate of the benchmark S&P 500 Index. At the end of May UT Martin's portfolio had a market value of more than $900,000, more than $500,000 larger than portfolio's value just four years ago. UT Martin's finance students, having won the award for highest annual returns in 2005, are well on their way to being the top performer in 2007.
  
  
• Regional Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (REED) Center completes its first full year of operation
  
  The REED Center partners the College of Business and Public Affairs, the Dunagan Chair of Excellence in Banking and the Hendrix Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise with the City of Martin, the counties of Carroll, Gibson, Henry, Obion, and Weakley, regional banks and the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. During its first year, the REED Center counseled 78 clients interested in opening or growing their own business. Clients who responded to a recent survey reported 91 new jobs created, 2 new businesses opened, and increases in both payroll and revenues. The Center sponsored 20 seminars during 2006. Seminars covered such topics as E-Commerce and your Business, How to Start a Small Business, How to Write a Business Plan, Customer Service, Government Contracting, and Personal Financial Planning. 248 people attended the seminars and, by the fall, average attendance had grown to 15 per seminar.
  
  
  
• Students and Faculty travel abroad
  
  In the past year, a total of 54 CBPA students and 10 faculty members completed travel-study trips to one or more of these locations: Scotland , France , England , Spain , Mexico , Belize , Tanzania , and Germany . 44 of these students received scholarship support from the second year of the Business and International Education Grant awarded to the College by the U.S. Department of Education under the Title VI grant program. In addition, five faculty members received support from the grant to participate in a two week excursion to study the booming Chinese economy. Highlights of the trip included touring cultural and business sites in Beijing , Xi-An, Gui-Lin, and Shanghai.
  

• Agricultural Finance Conference
  
  For the past four summers, the Dunagan Chair of Excellence in Banking has co-sponsored with the Tennessee Farm Bureau a conference focused on agricultural lending. The conference brings together bankers, producers, farmers, and educators to discuss a variety of topics of mutual interest. Last year's conference, held on the UT Martin campus, attracted 225 registrants. In 2007, the conference added a second sponsor, COBANK.
  
  
• Faculty Award Winners announced
  
  At the annual CBPA Honors Banquet held on April 27, 2007, Emery Gathers , Professor of Computer Science was named recipient of the Bob Figgins Mentoring Award. The award which carries a $2,000 stipend is given every other year to a faculty member who has helped large numbers of students over the years reach professional goals they thought were not possible. Funds for the award were given to the college in honor of Dr. Bob Figgins , professor of economics and long-time department chair, by a former student who believed he owed his success to Dr. Figgins' efforts. Other award winners at the banquet included:
  
  Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards to: Dr. Chris Baxter, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Dr. Nell Gullett, Professor of Finance, and Dr. Paula Hearn Moore, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Business Law.
  
  Outstanding Graduate Teaching Awards to: Dr. Bill Davis, Professor of Economics, Dr. Paula Hearn Moore, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Business Law, and Dr. Dan Tracy, Assistant Professor of Management.
  
  Outstanding Service Awards to Dr. Tim Johnston, Associate Professor of Marketing, Dr. Chris Baxter, Assistant Professor of Political Science, and Dr. Otha Britton, Professor of Computer Science.
  
  
• Internship Programs
  
  The College's internship programs placed 38 juniors or seniors in work directly related to their majors during 2006. To qualify for an internship a student must be at least a junior with a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Faculty in the major field must certify that the work to be performed by the student is significant and directly related the student's major. 20 of the 38 business internships were arranged by the College's internship coordinator, who is housed in the Regional Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center.
  
  Another significant internship experience is the Legislative/Governmental Internship Program. During 2006-2007, five students were awarded these internships and spent the spring semester in Nashville . UT Martin students were assigned to the Office of Lieutenant Governor, the Office of House Minority Leader, the House Calendar and Rules Committee, the Office of Rep. Mark Maddox (House Majority Whip) and the Office of Rep. Phil Pinion.
  
  

  
  
  Please visit our tent in Quad City during Homecoming 2007.
  
  
  
  This electronic newsletter is produced by the Office of Alumni Relations and electronically distributed to alumni of the College of Business and Public Affairs.