Networking is big focus of Business Week
The Jon M. Huntsman School of Business kicked off Business Week Sept. 23, with plans to provide students with a range of activities to help them serve others, develop professional skills, to promote the college all while showing a more relaxed, fun side of the college, said ASUSU Business Senator Scot Marsden.
“Culturally, we want students to feel there is a powerful network and that there is an excitement within the school,” Marsden said.
Marsden said one of the key purposes of Business Week is to provide business students with opportunities to gain special abilities, as they look forward to their career, through business-related seminars and networking opportunities.
The Partners in Business seminar will highlight many individuals who have been successful in the business world. Dell Loy Hansen and Lynette Hansen, owners of Wasatch Property Management, will be giving the Dean’s Convocation, Sept. 28. This will be followed by the Hansen Scholar Reception.
Sept. 26, the Professional Development Luncheon will allow students to meet and talk with career accelerators, internship advisers and faculty. The idea of this is to provide students with internal networking within the Huntsman School, Marsden said.
There will also be an Alumni Networking Dinner Sept. 28, for $18, at which students will be able to eat a steak dinner with USU Business College alumni and make connections that, Marsden said, could become invaluable after graduation.
Additionally, a special “Jeopardy” series will “show students’ prowess and analytical rigor,” Marsden said. This “Jeopardy” event will feature 20 students over three separate days of competition.
The marquee event of the week happens Friday, when the football game played at BYU will be aired on a giant, inflatable projector screen in the Fieldhouse. Although the event itself is free, any profit made from food sales and games will be donated to Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Marsden said he hopes to get a good turnout at the Fieldhouse during the football game. He said it’s a “BYOC” event — students must bring their own chair, cushion, couch or anything else to sit on. He said he wants it to be a fun, relaxed environment. There will be raffle tickets sold for prizes including headphones, Dillard’s packs with lotion, clothes and other Dillard’s merchandise inside, and Huntsman merchandise.
He said organizers will work to raise money for the Huntsman Cancer Institute, alongside the USU chapter of Sigma Chi as it participates in Derby Days. The first of such activities was a golf tournament hosted by both organizations, Saturday. Sigma Chi officer Robert Lieske said $2,500 was raised.
Tuesday, both organizations host The Last Dash Relay, a 10-kilometer race open to runners, bikers, longboarders, rollerbladers and scooter riders working individually or in teams of two. Proceeds from this event will also be donated to Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Marsden said those organizing Business Week and Derby Days have a total donation goal of $10,000. Lieske said Jon Huntsman, Sr. has promised to match and donate whatever amount is raised.
Huntsman is a Sigma Chi alumnus.
“We really have a brotherhood with Huntsman,” Lieske said. “It’s a tradition here to raise money for our brother’s foundation.”
Sigma Chi will also be selling food and T-shirts in front of its house throughout the week, with all proceeds going to the cancer institute.
A service project will take place Sept. 29 in which members of the Huntsman School will assemble house essentials kits for 17 families, who are temporarily living near the Huntsman Cancer Institute while family members are treated.
“Under our service pillar, this is our chance to thank Jon Huntsman for all he’s done,” Marsden said.
Marsden said he hopes Business Week will allow students to see what the business school is doing and accomplishing, while having a good time.
“We want to demonstrate the academic presence and the strength of the school,” Marsden said. “We want to have a sweet week, and we want our students to have a party week.”
Tuesday, Dogs With the Dean will allow students to eat a free hot dog with Dean Doug Anderson in the Business Building, he said.
“We want to influence all people’s lives for good. All people — students, faculty, community and families,” Marsden said. “We want to walk away having made a little bit of an impact on our campus and on our community.”
– bracken.allen@yahoo.com