Archive 2003

Week of December 15, 2003 NIU Holiday Closure

The College of Business offices will be closed December 20, 2003 through January 4, 2004. For students, classes begin the week of January 12, 2004. For more information and helpful links for faculty, staff, and students, go to the COB Closing Information page.

Week of December 8, 2003 Illinois CPA Society EXCEL Award Recipient

One NIU CPA Review candidate who successfully passed the May 2003 exam was honored on Monday, November 17 at the Illinois CPA Society Awards Banquet held at the Chicago Hilton. To be eligible to receive the EXCEL Award, Illinois candidates must have finished within the top 120 nationally and achieved a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam. In addition to achieving a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam, EXCEL Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are granted to the top scoring Illinois candidates who finish within the top 120 nationally. To learn more about the NIU CPA EXCEL Award Winner, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/excelwinners/niucpaexcel_nov03.asp. View this slide show of the November 2003 ICPAS banquet.

Week of December 1, 2003 Fall 2003 Finals and Graduation

December 8-13, 2003 is finals week at Northern Illinois University and the College of Business. For information on final exams, you may check the Fall 2003 Semester Information and Schedule Book on line at http://www.reg.niu.edu/regrec/schedbkinstr/fall/fall_2003.pdf. Just click on the Exam Schedule Fall 2003 bookmark within the pdf file. You may also contact the instructor for the course to verify the exam schedule when in doubt. Congratulations to all our December graduates! As you graduate and look to the future and a new year, please feel free to keep in touch by visiting us in Barsema Hall and on the Web. The College of Business Fall Commencement will be held Sunday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The ceremony will be held jointly with the College of Engineering and College of Education and will combine candidates from doctoral, masters, and baccalaureate degree programs. For additional commencement information, contact the Office of Registration and Records at 815-753-1197 or 815-753-0681. For directions to the Convocation Center, go to http://www.convocenter.niu.edu/resources/directions/index.html. Parking is free on graduation day in lots off the Lincoln Highway (Route 38) entrance.

Week of October 13, 2003 Tailgate with the College of Business at Homecoming

Ready for some Huskie football? Join us at the College of Business tailgating tent before NIU's Homecoming game against Western Michigan for food, drink, and a chance to connect/reconnect with faculty, staff, students, and fellow alumni. Tailgating activities are from 12:30 p.m until 2:30 p.m The game kicks off at 3:05 p.m.

Week of October 6, 2003 New Virtual Tour of Barsema Hall

A new virtual tour of Barsema Hall has been created. To view it, go to http://www.cob.niu.edu/barsema/VirtualBarsemaTour/pages. Please share this link with anyone you know who hasn't been able to visit the building in person.

Week of September 29, 2003 Meet the New Faces in Barsema Hall

Every school year ushers in new beginnings. This is particularly true for new faculty and staff. Their presence adds to the energy and professionalism that is the hallmark of the College of Business community. To meet the new faces of Barsema Hall, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/newpeople_fa03.asp.

Week of September 22, 2003 College of Business Alumni Tailgating Party

NIU College of Business Alumni, together with the NIU Executive Club and the Rockford Area Business Alumni Club, will co-host a tailgating party on Saturday, September 27, 2003 at the NIU Huskies vs. Iowa State football game. The tailgating party is from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.; game time is 3:05 p.m. Join us for an exciting day of football!

Week of September 8, 2003 Dean's Conference Room Celebration

On Friday, September 12, 2003, faculty and staff along with invited guests will join in celebrating David and Diane Graf's generous gift of the Dean's Conference Room in Barsema Hall. The celebration will take place in Suite 139 from 2:00 until 4:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. We thank the Grafs for their generosity and their dedication to the College of Business and Barsema Hall.

Week of September 1, 2003 Spotlight on College of Business Highlights Page

The College of Business Highlights page for Academic Year 2002-2003 provides an overview of the many achievements in the college, including the college's national distinctions as well as newsworthy items such as the Jan/Feb 2002 BizEd magazine feature about Barsema Hall. At this site, you'll also find an overview of the college's academic offerings (from undergraduate through professional continuing education), a listing of student scholarships, a description of student career resources that are designed to help our undergraduates launch their professional careers, and an outline of noteworthy achievements made by students and faculty over the past academic year. To check out these and other interesting college fast facts, visit the College of Business Highlights page at www.cob.niu.edu/highlights/.

Week of August 25, 2003 Welcome to Another Year at Barsema Hall!

Welcome to a new semester and new beginnings. One year ago the College of Business moved into Barsema Hall to begin a new chapter in the College's history, with exciting opportunities for taking classroom learning to another level. Whether you are a new or returning student or faculty member, there is much to discover about Barsema Hall. Looking for a person, place, or department? Visit one of the directory kiosks (or check the directory online at www.cob.niu.edu/kiosk). Want to learn more about the College of Business and campus activities? View the monitors throughout the building for announcements. Need a place to refuel? Stop by the Three Sons Cafe in the lower level of Barsema Hall for lunch or a snack. It is a great place for study groups and gathering with friends.

Week of August 25, 2003 MicroSoft Patch Available at Technology Resources

Don't turn on your wireless laptop unless you have the MicroSoft patch installed. Get it at Barsema 228. We will be glad to help you have a productive day.

Week of August 18, 2003 New Student Welcome Reception

On Friday, August 22, 2003, the College of Business will host a welcome reception in the Three Sons Cafe area from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. for new students. Refreshments will be served. Faculty and staff are invited to join in welcoming our newest business majors to NIU and the College of Business.

Week of July 21, 2003 Business & Technology Solutions Show

The 2003 Business & Technology Solutions Show will be held August 26-27. This event will include a free Northern Illinois University Alumni Luncheon on August 26, 2003 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event is open to all NIU graduates and faculty. To register or for more information about the Show, visit http://www.btshow.org/show/show.html or call 312-993-0393. For a flyer on this event, visit the Home Page of Northern Illinois University CPA Review at www.cob.niu.edu/cparev/.

Week of June 23, 2003 Beta Alpha Psi Website Redesigned

The Beta Alpha Psi website has been redesigned this summer by senior Accountancy major Douglas Reese. This new website will provide its members with a tool to research firms, view service activities, read fun accounting jokes, and view recent pictures. In addition, the website will be entered into a national BAP contest recognizing the chapter with the best redesigned website. To view the redesigned BAP website, go to http://www.cob.niu.edu/accy/bap/index.htm.

Week of June 9, 2003 NIU Accountancy Faculty Members Recognized for Research Productivity

NIU Accountancy faculty members have been recognized by two recent articles that rank research productivity by Accountancy faculty. A recent article compiled the most prolific Accountancy researchers during the 35-year period 1967-2001. The top 10 researchers based on number of publications in the top accounting journals were identified by year of doctoral graduation. David Sinason and Jim Young are both listed in the top 10 researchers for the year of their doctoral graduation. Congratulations! The Journal of the American Taxation Association is considered to be one of the best outlets for academic research related to taxation. An article ranking the schools whose faculty members published the most articles in the Journal of the American Taxation Association during the 1979-2000 time period ranked NIU as 18th in the country.

Week of May 19, 2003 College of Business Spring Fling Hot Dog Cookout Well Attended

On Wednesday, April 29, the College of Business Staff Council sponsored the annual Spring Fling hotdog cookout as a show of gratitude to all the students. 700 hotdogs were served from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m with the help of faculty, staff, and student workers. Due to rain, the serving line was moved indoors . . . which did not stop the large turnout of students. View the slide show to see photos of the event.

Week of May 5, 2003 Illinois CPA Society EXCEL Award Recipients

Three NIU CPA Review candidates who successfully passed the November 2002 exam were honored on Thursday, April 24 at the Illinois CPA Society Awards Banquet held at the Chicago Hilton. To be eligible to receive the EXCEL Award, Illinois candidates must have finished within the top 120 nationally and achieved a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam. In addition to achieving a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam, EXCEL Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are granted to the top scoring Illinois candidates who finish within the top 120 nationally. To learn more about the NIU CPA EXCEL Award Winners, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/excelwinners/niucpaexcel_apr03.asp. View this slide show of the April 2003 ICPAS banquet.

Week of April 28, 2003 Spring 2003 Finals and Graduation

May 3 and May 5-9, 2003 is finals week at Northern Illinois University and the College of Business. For information on final exams, you may check the Spring 2003 Semester Information and Schedule Book on line at http://www.reg.niu.edu/regrec/schedbkinstr/spring/spring_2003.pdf. Just click on the Exam Schedule Spring 2003 bookmark within the pdf file. You may also contact the instructor for the course to verify the exam schedule when in doubt. Congratulations to all our May graduates! As you graduate and take the next fork in the road of life, please feel free to journey back and visit us in Barsema Hall and on the Web. The College of Business Spring Commencement will be held Saturday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The ceremony will be held jointly with the College of Engineering and will combine candidates from doctoral, masters, and baccalaureate degree programs. For additional commencement information, contact the Office of Registration and Records at 815-753-1197 or 815-753-0681. For directions to the Convocation Center, go to http://www.convocenter.niu.edu/directions/index.html. Parking is free on graduation day in lots off the Lincoln Highway (Route 38) entrance.

Week of April 28, 2003 Beta Alpha Psi Bunny Competition Fundraising Results

Of the 15 student and faculty members who volunteered to be candidates for the Beta Alpha Psi fundraiser to raise money for the Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund, Mike Orchowski, Student Accountancy Society president, and Dr. David Sinason, Accountancy professor, were chosen to hop about Barsema Hall in a bunny suit on Tuesday, April 29 and Thursday, May 1, respectively. The Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund was established by Beta Alpha Psi, the Accountancy Department's Honorary Society student organization, in memory of Brian Deets, an Accountancy major who was killed in a car accident on his way to class in February 2001. Each year since 2001, the members of Beta Alpha Psi conduct a fundraiser for the Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund in order to provide scholarship monies to future outstanding students. This year's fundraising theme was a bunny suit competition, raising a record $2,102.12 from individual contributors. In the last three years, this fine student organization has raised over $14,100 for the Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund. Kudos to Beta Alpha Psi, to Sally Webber (Accountancy Professor and Beta Alpha Psi Advisor), to all the outstanding faculty and student participants in this competition, to the "winners"--David Sinason and Mike Orchowski--and to the very fine friends, students, staff, and faculty in Barsema Hall who contributed to the success of this incredibly worthwhile effort.

Week of April 21, 2003 College of Business Alumni Receive Prestigious 2003 Alumni Association Awards

Three College of Business alumni were among the ten recipients at the Alumni Associaion annual awards program for 2003. The recipients were honored at a dinner on April 9, 2003 at the Kishwaukee Country Club in DeKalb. Learn more about this year's College of Business award winners by reading these brief biographies.

Week of April 14, 2003 NIU Rockford Alumni Club Hosts Successful Scholarship Fundraisers

The NIU College of Business Rockford Area Alumni Club was honored to host Dennis and Stacey Barsema in Rockford on March 24, 2003. Over 60 alumni and friends attended an Endowed Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon at NIU-Rockford. The luncheon proceeds were used to benefit the College of Business Rockford Area Alumni Endowed Scholarship. The 2nd Annual Huskie Network Night was held the same evening at Giovanni's Restaurant in Rockford. This was a more informal networking event open to alumni, friends, and MBA students. Larry Jackson was presented with the 2003 Rockford Area Scholarship Award. Larry is a Finance major from Winnebago, Illinois. Both events offered an opportunity for alumni to meet Dennis and Stacey Barsema on a personal level and contribute to the scholarship fund as well. The proceeds from these events provided the funding necessary to create an endowment to provide scholarships for business students from the Rockford area.

Week of April 7, 2003 NIU Executive Club Spring Face-to-Face

On March 18, 2003, the NIU Executive Club held its Spring Face-to-Face meeting. A panel discussion on "Changing Course in a Down Economy: Investing In and Starting Your Own Business" provided perspectives from differing investment avenues. Panelists included Bart Carlson, Kathy Halloran, J. B. Pritzker, Gordon Reichard, and Dick Reck. The panel discussion was moderated by Eric Wasowicz of Greenbrier & Russel ('80, Computer Science) and Bill Boston of Kinetic Systems Company ('70 Marketing; '71 M.B.A.). Over sixty alumni and guests enjoyed the discussion and an evening of networking.

Week of March 31, 2003 Professor David Sinason Receives Undergraduate Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. David Sinason, Accountancy Professor, is the recipient of the 2003 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. The award will be presented on April 13 at 5:00 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center's Duke Ellington Ballroom. Congratulations Professor Sinason! The College of Business is fortunate to have you among our talented faculty. For further reading, see the Northern Today article entitled "Parker, Scudder and Sinason Win 2003 Undergraduate Teaching Awards" at http://www.niu.edu/northerntoday/2003/mar31/uta.shtml.

Week of March 24, 2003 Business Network, Spring 2003 Edition, Is Now Accessible on the Web

The College of Business' Spring 2003 edition of Business Network has recently been made available. This edition features the grand opening of Barsema Hall and its technology, recognition of the accomplishments of faculty and college programs, as well as news and updates on various alumni acitivities and achievements. View it online at http://www.cob.niu.edu/alumni/busnetSpring2003.pdf.

Week of March 3, 2003 Message from the Dean: BizEd Article Puts Barsema Hall on the Map

I am very pleased to share with you the publicity our building received in the January/February 2003 issue of BizEd, the official industry publication for academia. BizEd's readership includes the deans and professors at the nation's top universities that are listed annually in U.S. News & World Report. The article, "Smarter, Faster, Better," puts Barsema Hall in outstanding company. The story profiles our state-of-the-art facility alongside nationally recognized and prestigious universities such as Wharton, Case Western, and the University of Arizona. The story is also a strong reminder that the Barsema Hall facility went from schematics to reality in record time because of the shared vision and input offered for many years by our students, business friends, alumni, faculty, and staff. I am proud of your commitment to your educational experience and to your efforts on behalf of the college. I hope you feel as proud and as fortunate as I do to continue to work together to put the College of Business at Barsema Hall on the map. Sincerely, David Graf Dean, College of Business at Barsema Hall The School of Choice The BizEd pdf file of the story "Smarter, Faster, Better" can be found at www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/bized.pdf.

Week of February 24, 2003 Scott Leslie Becomes the First Finance Major to Receive USOAR Grant

Finance major, Scott Leslie, has become the first student from that major to receive a USOAR--Undergraduate Special Opportunities in Artistry and Research--grant. For his project, "Economic Forecasting's Effect on Asset Allocation," Mr. Leslie will investigate whether the use of economic forecasts can improve investment performance. He is working with Professor Richard Dowen, Chair of the Department of Finance. Funded by money derived from NIU's exclusive contract with Pepsi, USOAR is a program that encourages students to pursue independent projects in artistry or research. Want to learn more about the program or how to submit proposals? Go to the USOAR website.

Week of February 17, 2003 Marketing Major Wins NIU Co-op Student of the Year Silver Award

NIU's Cooperative Education/Internship Program recently announced that senior marketing major, Julie Conran, won the NIU Co-op Student of the Year Silver Award for 2002! Julie completed a sales internship last summer with Abbott Laboratories--Hospital Products Division in Bannockburn, IL. As a Silver Award winner, Julie will receive a scholarship and will be honored at the annual Co-op awards luncheon. Congratulations Julie! NIU's College of Business is proud of you.

Week of February 3, 2003 Rick Ridnour Elected to Northern Star Hall of Fame

Dr. Rick Ridnour has been elected to the Northern Star's Hall of Fame, in the "Friend of the Star" category. Most past inductees have been newspaper people who have served on the Star's Board over the years. In Professor Ridnour's case, he has been a mentor to many advertising and business-office students at the Star. New inductees will be honored on Saturday, February 22, 2003 at the Annual Hall of Fame Dinner at the Holmes Student Center.

Week of January 27, 2003 Barsema Hall Featured in Chicagoland Newspaper

Barsema Hall has been featured in a variety of publications, most recently in the Chicago area Daily Herald. Headlined as "Barsema Hall Gives NIU Business School a Big Lift" in the business section of the paper, the article highlights the smart classroom technology that is used to simulate business situations students will encounter in the corporate world. The building, made possible through the $20,000,000 donation by alumnus, Dennis Barsema, represents Barsema's long held belief "that Chicago is uniquely positioned to be a third technology center [along with Silicon Valley and Boston] in the United States." This could be made possible with NIU's high-tech business facility, Barsema Hall. The article appeared in the Daily Herald's Wednesday, January 29, 2003 issue.

Week of January 13, 2003 Information Technology Services (ITS) Appreciation Day

The College of Business is hosting an Information Technology Services (ITS) Appreciation Day on Wednesday, January 8. Many staff members from ITS, the campus organization that handles phones, networks, computer labs, and a variety of other services, helped implement the infrastructure that made the opening and success of Barsema Hall possible. The morning program includes private tours of the building by the Technology Services staff for ITS guests. Refreshments will be served at the end of the tours in the atrium cafe area, where COB faculty and staff will join to express their appreciation to ITS. The College of Business community--faculty, staff, and students--says, "Thank you, ITS, for making life in Barsema possible!"

Week of December 23, 2002 NIU Holiday Closure

The College of Business offices will be closed December 24, 2002 through January 1, 2003. For students, classes begin the week of January 13, 2003. For more information and helpful links for faculty, staff, and students, go to the COB Closing Information page.

Week of December 16, 2002 Paul Fricilone - 2002 Recipient of the NIU Executive Club Endowed Scholarship Fund

This year's recipient of the NIU Executive Club Endowed Scholarship Fund is Paul Fricilone. The money for this scholarship is raised through the NIU Executive Club Endowed Scholarship Dinner Dance and Silent Auction and is used each year to recruit outstanding freshmen to the College of Business. Paul graduated first in his class of 725 from Lockport High School in June 2002. He excelled academically and participated in numerous extracurricular activities. In addition to being captain and starter on the soccer team, Paul was involved in student government, the National Honor Society, and the French National Honor Society. He demonstratred leadership and participated in various community service activities, including St. Bernard's Teen Group, Order of the Sons of Italy, and collecting for the Alzheimer's and Cooley's Anemia Funds. Paul describes himself as "an involved, determined person who is passionate about the business world." He plans to use his prestigious business education from NIU as a foundation for a career as a portfolio manager.

Week of December 9, 2002 Fall 2002 Finals & Graduation

December 9-14, 2002 is finals week at Northern Illinois University and the College of Business. For information on final exams, you may check the Fall 2002 Semester Information and Schedule Book on line at http://www.reg.niu.edu/schedbkinstr/fall/fall_2002.pdf. Just click on the Exam Schedule Fall 2002 bookmark within the pdf file. When in doubt, you may check with the instructor for the course to verify the exam schedule. Congratulations to every student graduating this December! As you graduate and enter a new phase of your life, please come back and vist us in Barsema Hall and on the Web. The College of Business Fall Commencement will be held Sunday, December 15 at 1:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The ceremony will be held jointly with the College of Engineering and will combine candidates from doctoral, masters, and baccalaureate degree programs. For additional commencement information, contact the Office of Registration and Records at 815-753-1197 or 815-753-0681. For directions to the Convocation Center, go to http://www.convocenter.niu.edu/directions/index.html. Parking is free on graduation day in lots off the Lincoln Highway (Route 38) entrance.

Week of December 2, 2002 Accountancy Department Program Ranking

The College of Business' quality Accountancy program has once again earned recognition by the annual survey of Top Accounting Programs published in the Public Accounting Report. The undergraduate program ranked 7th, climbing from last year's 13th position, while the graduate program posted 16th in the rankings after having been unranked last year. This is a well-deserved honor. To read more about this accomplishment, refer to this recent Northern Today article. To learn more about the Accountancy Department's undergraduate and graduate programs, visit their web site at www.cob.niu.edu/accy.

Week of November 25, 2002 Illinois CPA Society EXCEL Award Recipients

Five NIU CPA Review candidates who successfully passed the May 2002 exam were honored on Wednesday, November 20 at the Illinois CPA Society Awards Banquet held at the Chicago Hilton. To be eligible to receive the EXCEL Award, Illinois candidates must have finished within the top 120 nationally and achieved a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam. One successful candidate, Allison Wheeler, holds the distinction of being the EXCEL Gold Award Winner in the state of Illinois as well as in the United States. In addition to achieving a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam, EXCEL Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are granted to the top three Illinois candidates who finish within the top 120 nationally. To learn more about the NIU CPA EXCEL Award winners, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/fall2002/excelwinners.html. To see a list of all NIU CPA Review candidates who successfully passed the May 2002 exam, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/fall2002/cpapass.html.

Week of November 18, 2002 Dan Loescher Named '02 Rockford Area Distinguished Alumnus

Dan Loescher received the 2002 Rockford Area Distinguished Alumnus award at the M.B.A. Colloquium Executive Lecture Series held in Rockford on Wednesday, October 23. Dan Loescher (B.S., Accountancy, 1976) is president of Loescher & Associates, Ltd., Certified Public Accountants, specializing in individual, estate and gift taxation, and planning and serving the diverse needs of closely held business. He was previously Managing Partner and Tax Partner-in-Charge of Coopers & Lybrand's Rockford office. Dan earned an associated degree from Highland Community College, B.S. in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University, and M.S.T. from DePaul University. He has been honored with the 2002 Highland Community College Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2000 NSFRE Outstanding Community Volunteer Award, and the Rockford Community Foundation Trivet Award for Outstanding Service. Loescher currently serves as a board member for Modern Plating Corporation, Riverside Community Bank, Rockford Products Corporation, and Northern Illinois Community Development Corporation. In addition, he serves on a large number of non-profit boards including Council of 100, YMCA Camp Endowment Committee, Scott and Virginia Webster Charitable Foundation Trust, Woodward Governor Company Charitable Trust, Lutheran High School Foundation, Rockford Local Development Corporation, Goodwill Abilities Center, Anderson Gardens, Rockford Area Arts Council, Crusader's Health Foundation, and the Rockford Rotary Charitable Association Investment Committee. He is an active member of the Northern Illinois Rockford Area College of Business Alumni Association--a chapter he was instrumental in founding. Dan and his wife, Amy, have three children: Christian, Katherine, and Jakob. For more perspective on our portrait of a philanthropist, visit this recent Northern Star news release.

Week of November 11, 2002 Third Annual College of Business Case Competition

The College of Business is sponsoring its Third Annual Case Competition that is open to all business majors. This is a great opportunity to distinguish yourself from other students in the College. The competition will require knowledge of business and strategy to form a solution and make recommendations to a real business problem. Deadline to enter is Friday, November 15 at 12:00 noon. Entry is limited to six teams and will be entered on a first come, first serve basis. A sign up sheet must be completed by each team member and include a copy of their resume. Each team should send one person to the Dean's Office to register. For more details regarding the competition, please see this page containing information and initial rules. Email any questions to bobschaffer27@hotmail.com.

Week of November 4, 2002 M.B.A. Students Invited to College Executive Lecture & Reception

The College of Business M.B.A. Programs cordially invites all M.B.A. students to the Colloquium Executive Lecture and Reception held at NIU-Hoffman Estates on Tuesday, November 12. The program topic is "Investing for the Future: Taking Control of Your Money." It will be presented by David Aarvig of Merrill Lynch, Rege Eisaman of Morgan Stanley, and Gerald Jensen, NIU Finance Professor. Registration begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by the presentation and reception. To make reservations, call 800-323-8714 or email pmyers@niu.edu by Friday, November 8. For directions to the Hoffman Estates campus, visit http://www.niu.edu/hoffmanmap.html.

Week of October 28, 2002 College Highlights Page Updated!

Though the College Highlights page was featured this past summer, it has once again been updated and is well worth revisiting to reach a broader audience. This site highlights some of our national distinctions as well as discusses some of the tangible ways we help our undergraduates launch their professional careers. The site also includes a listing of scholarships, an overview of our academic offerings (from undergraduate through professional continuing education), and an overview of our faculty (including the universities from which our faculty earned their degrees). To see these and other interesting college fast facts, visit the College Highlights page at www.cob.niu.edu/strplan/facts.html.

Week of October 21, 2002 Three Sons Cafe Has What You Need

The Three Sons Cafe is centrally located on the first floor of Barsema Hall in the atrium. The cafe with its 136 seating capacity is designed to offer a sense of community, an atmosphere conducive for group study and interaction, and a central place to socialize. Among the cafe's offerings are Starbucks coffees, Tazo teas, fountain drinks, a variety of breakfast pastries, sandwiches, hotdogs (including Cajun dogs), salads, chips, and cookies. Particular cafe favorites are mocha, hot tea, and hot caramel apple cider. Customers are also trying the newest Starbucks canned coffee, Doubleshot--2 shots of espresso and cream. Every month the cafe offers a drink of the month. The featured drink for October is iced cinnamon mocha. Within the month pizza and soup will be added to the menu. Check out the Three Sons Cafe, and try some of the favorites or discover one of your own! Operating hours for the cafe are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., and Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The cafe is closed on weekends. The Three Sons Cafe is operated by NIU's Food Service and is named for Dennis Barsema's sons: Matthew, Eric, and Jason.

Week of October 14, 2002 College of Business Moves Tailgating to Barsema Hall

The College of Business is changing the tailgating venue this year to Barsema Hall. As many alumni and visitors will be on campus for Homecoming, the College will be opening the doors for them to see the new facility. Buses have been arranged to shuttle people from the Stadium/Tailgating area to Barsema Hall every half hour (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon). Refreshments will be provided in the Three Sons Cafe area, and tours will be offered of the building. Come see Barsema Hall before enjoying an afternoon of NIU Huskie footfall! For a complete homecoming schedule, including ticket and lodging information, visit the Alumni Association Homecoming page.

Week of October 7, 2002 Congratulations, Dr. Tanuja Singh!

Dr. Tanuja Singh, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing, has been named the "Outstanding International Educator at NIU," a university-wide award. The award is designed to recognize an NIU faculty member who has, over time, contributed significantly toward international education at NIU through their teaching, research, public service, and student service efforts. Tanuja teaches International Marketing and International Business at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has published extensively in international journals. Tanuja served on the Presidential Task Force on International Education and represents the College of Business on the International Programs Advisory Council. When you have a chance, congratulate Tanuja on this award.

Week of September 30, 2002 Look, Mom! We're in Barsema Hall!

This year we as a community celebrated a new chapter in our history with a new College of Business building, Barsema Hall. But a building is just a building without the faculty and staff to give it life, a human dimension. For the second year, we as a College acknowledge the newest members to our living family. To learn more about the people who help keep the College vital, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/fall2002/people2002.html.

Week of September 24, 2002 Barsema Hall Grand Opening Draws Hundreds

The College of Business proudly celebrated the grand opening of its new home, Barsema Hall, on Monday, September 23, 2002. The event drew over 800 people from across campus as well as across the country. The highlight of the day was Dennis Barsema's presentation that was delivered to a packed auditorium and broadcast to overflow rooms and spaces throughout the new building. The event officially marked the beginning of a whole new chapter in the College of Business at NIU as Barsema Hall provides faculty, staff, and students with an unparalleled learning and working environment.

Week of September 16, 2002 Barsema Hall Grand Opening

Join us September 23, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. for the official open celebration of Barsema Hall. The day's events begin in the Dennis Barsema Auditorium (with overflow seating available) with keynote address by Dennis Barsema himself. At 12:00 noon, the program continues in the atrium followed at 12:30 p.m. with building tours. Refreshments will be served. A shuttle bus will be offered from the entrance of the NIU Visitor's Lot and Lots A and A1 behind the Engineering Building on Kishwaukee Drive from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A shuttle bus to Barsema Hall is also offered from the west side of the Holmes Student Center and west entrance to DuSable Hall from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please join us for this memorable occasion and have a chance to check out the building that all of campus has been talking about.

Week of September 9, 2002 Sales Training Suite--Latest Online Technology

Thanks to the continued generosity of Dennis and Stacey Barsema, the Marketing Department's nationally recognized sales program is now further supported by the sales training suite. This integration of four rooms provides a unique audio and video environment that allows students to master their presentation and interview skills. All audio and video can be controlled centrally from the classroom and allows faculty visibility to all locations and the ability to display all activity via a quad-view in the classroom. The Sales Training Suite is another example of how Barsema Hall allows NIU's College of Business to take an already successful program to an even higher level of excellence. For more information on the Sales Program, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/mktg/sales/salespro.html.

Week of September 2, 2002 Catch the Barsema Shuttle!

Catch the Barsema Shuttle to the Student Center or DuSable Hall. The bus runs 3 times each hour during the day Monday through Friday and makes stops at Barsema Hall (in the drive common with the Engineering Building), at the Student Center (at the bus turnaround in front of the entrance to Sandburg Auditorium and the Huskie Den), and in front of DuSable Hall. Click here for the complete bus schedule.

Week of August 26, 2002 Welcome Home! A New Semester in a New Building!

Less than two years after the official announcement of the generous gift by Dennis and Stacey Barsema to build a new building, the College of Business is holding its first semester of classes in their new state-of-the-art facility. Learn more about the building and story behind it by visiting www.cob.niu.edu/barsema. When you come to visit, stop by one of the directory kiosks to locate a person, place, or department (or check the directory online at www.cob.niu.edu/kiosk). Also, stop by the Three Sons Cafe in the center of Barsema Hall for lunch or a snack.

Week of August 12, 2002 Moving Day Arrives!

Two years ago Dennis and Stacey Barsema donated an unprecedented $20 million to the College of Business at NIU to build a state-of-the-art building to support all business programs. Following 8 months of planning and designing and 14 months of construction, Barsema Hall opens this month. From August 13 through August 16, the entire faculty, staff, contents, and technology of the College of Business move to its new home. Phones should be operational through most of the move, so please phone first before visiting one of the college's departments to determine where they are located. By Monday, August 19, all offices should be located in Barsema Hall.