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.: Engaging Community: It's no longer "just academic" That successful businesses have adopted as part of their strategy a plan for civic and community action-for engaging community-is widely recognized. Works such as Sagawa and Segal's Common Interest, Common Good detail how corporations as varied as Home Depot, Calphalon, Denny's, Boeing, even Microsoft have developed win-win strategies for creating value through public-private sector partnerships. More recently, universities have begun to learn the same lesson: engaging community strengthens not only the community in which the university sits, but also the university itself as well as its graduates. Drawing upon businesses' experiences and working through such national organizations as Campus Compact, universities have opened up their classrooms to the community and its needs. The Civic Engagement Initiative in the College of Business Administration (CBA), with its roots dating back to 1989, has a wide range of programs in which students in classes and through student organizations put their developing business and managerial skills to work confronting community problems.
Indeed, over this past year, the CBA has embarked on a broader path: that of engaging our community partners in cross-sector-business, social, and academic-partnerships. The first of these, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, or VITA-is a partnership with the IRS, several of our local tax firms, Miami-Dade County, and our School of Accounting (see related article in "In the Community"). Our Miami Benefits Club is a partnership that brings local business professionals and CBA students together to work at Habitat for Humanity, with the City of Miami's Neighborhood Enhancement Teams, and elsewhere. This Club also has begun to develop community-corporate partnerships through which company volunteers and FIU students work on an individual company's community projects. Students in our Weekend BBA program engage the companies that employ them in a Fall "Tools for School" project and a Spring "Fill the Pit" food drive for the Daily Bread Food Bank. Finally, this month, we will be searching for our first community-partnership student intern to work at Pan American Horizons Credit Union. If you or your company is interested in working with the College on community programs, please contact "Dr. Bob" (Professor Robert Hogner), Director of the CBA's Civic Engagement Project.
.: Chapman Graduate School to offer customized MBA program for Miami-Dade County managers. The Chapman Graduate School of Business has developed a customized Master of Business Administration degree for managers in Miami-Dade County (MBA-MDC) that is designed to meet their unique educational needs as identified by the County's leaders. Based on the School's prestigious Executive MBA program, the new MBA for Public Managers will require students to complete fifteen courses and attend a series of three professional development seminars. Students enrolled in the MBA-MDC will have the option of taking at least two elective courses in fields related to Public Administration, Social Welfare, and International Relations. Furthermore, they will have the opportunity to specialize in a field such as accounting, finance, or human resource management and obtain a certificate testifying to this effect. For additional details about this program or to find out about a customized program for your organization, contact Flavia Iuspa in the Chapman Graduate School, (305) 348-1987, e-mail iuspaf@fiu.edu. .: 2004 Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon will take place on May 13th. The 2004 Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon-the College's premier alumni event-will take place May 13th at The Parrot Jungle. The event, which honors alumni of the College and other members of our business community who have achieved distinction as founders and builders of new business enterprises, is sponsored by SunTrust Bank, Miami and supported by media partners South Florida CEO, NBC 6, and Telemundo 51. This year, Joseph L. Caruncho (BBA '81) and Justo L. Pozo (BBA '80), Founders, Preferred Care Partners PSO Health Plan, will be inducted into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. In addition, special awards will be presented in the following categories:
Executive Dean Joyce Elam hosted a breakfast this month for winners and all category finalists, who also will be recognized at the event. Winning student teams in the Howard J. Leonhardt New Venture Challenge Business Plan Competition will be announced during the luncheon celebration as well. For additional details and to rsvp, visit http://business.fiu.edu/web/ehof or call 348-4227. .: CBA-NHCC partnership's symposium on Hispanic marketing is scheduled for June 16-18. The College and its partner, the National Hispanic Corporate Council (NHCC), are accepting reservations for "Planning Today for a Different Future," a three-day symposium featuring sessions focusing on the latest trends in various areas of Hispanic marketing. Prominent guest speakers and panel experts will address the dynamics of this growing market and offer forecasts for doing business within the market in the year 2015. As space is limited, early registration is encouraged for the event, which will be held June 16-18 at the Hilton Miami Airport Hotel. The CBA and NHCC formed a partnership in June, 2003, to implement value-based projects that would capitalize on the complimentary skills and assets of both entities and help both organizations continue to build their reputations as key resources for business issues affecting Hispanics. For more information or to register for the symposium, visit http://www.nhcc-hq.org/events/fiu.cfm.
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.: Students bring tax preparation relief to low-income earners. For the second year in a row, accounting undergraduates are taking a little of the sting out of paying taxes for low-income earners by helping them prepare their returns. The ninety-plus students in the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program can complete the forms in about half an hour. These volunteers will be out in the community-at libraries, churches, and Navarro's Pharmacy on SW 8th Street and 122nd Avenue-two days a week until April 14th. To achieve proficiency, the students devoted much of their Sunday afternoons during November and January to mastering the software program TaxWise and to learning how to complete the required paperwork for filing. David Lavin, associate professor of accounting, and several dedicated students from last year's group of more than fifty provided the training. For more information about the College's Civic Engagement Initiative, visit cba.fiu.edu/service.
.: Alumnus shares tips for success at Chapter's quarterly breakfast.
The Quarterly Business Card Exchange Breakfast took place on February 24th at the Miami Airport Hilton. Business Alumni Chapter members enjoyed networking and special guest speaker Rick Escudero's presentation: "The Five Cornerstones of E-Commerce Success." Escudero (BBA '92, MAcc '93), executive vice president and CFO of ClickPharmacy, discussed how ClickPharmacy, founded in 1998, was able to overcome the ".com crash" and become a leading Internet and telephone marketer of pharmaceutical products and services. In his presentation, Escudero gave attendees useful insights into the online health industry as well as tips on how to succeed in the e-commerce arena.
For more information on ClickPharmacy, please visit its web site www.ClickPharmacy.com. If you missed the Business Card Exchange Breakfast, please visit the Business Alumni Chapter's web site for upcoming networking opportunities.
.: Salsa dancing benefits a great cause. College alumni joined Nelson Vallin (BBA '99), the Chapter's community service chairman, for a special party at The Victim's Assistance Center for Battered Women on February 29th. Volunteers transformed one of the rooms of the facility into a party setting with decorations, cake, refreshments and goodies for all to enjoy. The night was filled with Latin music and laughter as the Center's women and our CBA alumni learned salsa moves from Vallin. The sassy foot work proved to be no challenge for the ladies. However, the same cannot be said of some alumni when the tables were turned and the ladies tried teaching them hip-hop steps. Other volunteers played with the Center's children and kept them entertained while the women enjoyed much needed time off. By the end of the night, everyone had learned a few new dance moves and left with a smile. To be part of upcoming community service volunteer events, please visit the Chapter's web site. .: Leaders wanted: Nominations are open for 2004-2005 Chapter Board. Are you a leader? Or do you know someone who is? If so, the Chapter is looking for you! The Chapter is seeking committed individuals for its 2004-2005 Board of Directors. Ideal candidates will help increase Chapter membership and strengthen members' involvement. The following positions are available: President, President Elect, Vice President, Treasurer, VP of Chapter Programming, Secretary, and Historian. Nominate someone you know and/or yourself. You may complete your nomination on line at http://cbalumni.fiu.edu. Don't wait! Nominations will close on March 19th. Be sure to visit the Chapter's web site between March 22nd and April 30th to cast your vote. Voting is open to all College alumni. This is your Chapter; make your vote count! Questions? Call the College's Office of Alumni and Partner Relations at 305-348-4227 or e-mail cbalums@fiu.edu.
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BUSINESS NETWORKS is published by the Marketing, Communications, and Publications Office and developed in conjunction with the College's Alumni and Partner Relations Office in the College of Business Administration at Florida International University. Editor: Sally M. Gallion.
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