Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

LinkedIn: An Effective Tool in Finding a Job

While many students and professionals hear about the great advantages of networking, at times we find ourselves asking, “Where do I start?”

This week the Huntsman School of Business is hosting its first ever “Get LinkedIn Week” to answer that question. Before attending some of the events I wanted to know why LinkedIn was so special. I found a quick article on wsimarketingstrategy.com that gave a dozen advantages of LinkedIn. I will share what I think are the most beneficial advantages with you.

One advantage I found useful was the ability to browse the jobs directory and LinkedIn job postings. With this feature you can pick your job title and desired area, and LinkedIn comes up with results for jobs just for you. For an upcoming graduate or a professional just looking to move up in the business world, this is a great place to start searching.

Another advantage of having a LinkedIn account is the opportunity to ask questions and seek advice. The article advises to “take advantage of the experience and expertise of this vast professional community online!”

The last advantage I chose to share could possibly be the most useful. You can use the search feature to find people by company, industry and city. “This way you can research your prospects before meeting or contacting them,” the article states. This will also enable you to find the people and knowledge you need to achieve your business and professional goals. If you can walk into an interview and say that you have been following that company’s LinkedIn profile for three years because you have always wanted to work for them, you can prove your passion for the company.

For a calendar of this week’s events click here.
Klydi Heywood
Klydi Heywood

Monday, October 29, 2012

Huntsman Hall Will Implement Ideas That Have Been Tested in the Classroom

While much of the learning at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business occurs outside the classroom, we've been working hard to ensure that our new classrooms in the Huntsman Hall will optimize our students’ educational experience. I’d like to share some ideas about the technology we plan to include in the new building.

In an earlier blog I wrote about an experimental classroom that was set up in room 318 of the George S. Eccles Business Building. This room allowed us to test out a number of teaching tools to see which ones we’d want to make a part of our Huntsman Hall classrooms.

Room 318 has four projectors that allow us to project images on three of the four walls of the classroom. We have learned that while we often use two of the walls, we rarely use all three. It was rare that we used two walls at the same time but we found that we might reconfigure the classroom by moving chairs and tables to use a side wall or the front wall.

In our new flat classrooms, the projectors will allow us to project on two different walls. In the tiered classroom, we’ll also have two projectors but they will both point forward so that one could project on half of the white board while the other half could be used to write on. We’ll also be able to use two projectors on the white board at the front of the room in the tiered classrooms to make for a larger single image.

Our professors have also discovered that movable white boards offer them a lot of teaching flexibility and more writing space, so we have decided that each classroom will have white boards that can slide back and forth or up and down.

There are still details to be worked out when it comes to the podium but, based on some good faculty input, we know that we do not want a podium that is part of a large desk in the middle of the classroom. We plan to move the technology controls from the front of the classroom to some place that will be out of the way so as not to block anything the professor is doing. We will use Wi-Fi to control things as much as possible.

It’s interesting to see how much needs to be conceptualized and planned before it all takes its physical form. It’s like that in the classroom too. There, we poke at the theories, envision the solutions, and experiment with new approaches as we prepare to go out and test our ideas in a global marketplace where the classroom never stops changing.
Ken Snyder
Ken Snyder

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Negotiation Navigation

Over time, I’ve come to learn that negotiation is a necessary skill, not just in business, but in everyday life as well. The following is a list of tips and tricks that might help you close your next deal, whatever it may be.

1. Prepare
In an article from entrepreneur.com, it is suggested that you list your purpose, goals and desired outcome. It can be easy to lose track when you are negotiating because certain goals might change, but always focus on your primary objectives. Do your research, know your facts and get more information about the other party. If you practice beforehand, be aware of your body language and keep your emotions in check. You don’t want the other party to know that you are nervous or easily agitated.

2. "Take your ego off the table"

Use “we” instead of “I”, states this from an article on forbes.com. Using “we” shows that you are willing to work together to achieve your individual goals and reach a win-win situation.


3. "Listen before you speak"
An article from inc.com suggests that in the art of negotiating, it is best to be patient and let the other party talk. Observe their body language and analyze the facts or offers that they bring to the table. This will help you come up with a good offer, or counteroffer, when it’s your turn to speak.  

Based on experience, CONFIDENCE, for me, is key to successful negotiation. With confidence, half the battle is won. 

Nadiah Johari


Monday, October 22, 2012

A Better Education

Ask me why I’m receiving a better undergraduate education than students at BYU or Harvard. In my video resume at careerbio.com, I ask potential employers or graduate schools this same question.

Like most students, I came to USU because I simply fell into the school after discovering a passion for my major. However, after researching other schools, I have become convinced that Huntsman Students have unsurpassed opportunities. The resources available and education environment is better than anywhere for students. How do I know this? I’ve listened to transfer students and current students at rival institutions. Many tell me that the Huntsman School is unique in that it has caring professors and top programs to engage students. It is small enough that all students can take advantage of the possibilities. Outside of the classroom, opportunities are not overwhelmed with applicants like they are elsewhere. Try applying for a Business Internship in Africa at Harvard! Here, it is a realistic option. Where else can you be paid to teach illiterate but motivated people basic business and finance skills? There can’t be any more rewarding and life-enhancing opportunity than SEED internships. Our school is growing rapidly and administration ensures that opportunities for students grow with enrollment.

Our dean, Douglas D. Anderson, once told me that only half of education takes place in the classroom. He implied that education is so much more than just a piece of paper representing four years of exams and textbooks. My degree will represent more than just a signal to employers, but has real value by increasing my ethical leadership skills, global vision, and real world skills. My degree alone won’t just pad my resume. I have real skills and experience, and the school has been working to bring Huntsman Students to the top of the pile of prospective employees.

 Our school has a dedicated entrepreneurship center and entrepreneurship club that brings expertise to students across all majors that want to pursue their idea. I sincerely hope that all students engage themselves in an international experience with programs like Go Global that lets students experience business principles in action!

Additionally, students can explore career options by visiting top employers like Goldman Sachs and Deliotte in New York, or Zion’s Bank and D.A. Davidson in Salt Lake. “Career Exploration” trips are a prime opportunity to meet a prospective employer and get a lift up in the competition for jobs. The Huntsman School of Business works hard to bring top recruiters to Utah State like Honeywell and Raytheon. New Huntsman professors are additional evidence of the fact that our school’s reputation for excellence is growing. Top economists from University of Chicago and MIS professors from Pepperdine show that our school has something special.

So how is it better here in the Eccles Building than at any Ivy League? Four words: Realistic opportunities and top-tier education. I’d much rather have a Huntsman School of Business Degree even though the world may see a Harvard Degree plaque as more valuable…for now.

Jeff Parker
Business School Senator


Friday, October 19, 2012

List-maker Shares End Zone Time Management Approach

Have you ever had a to-do list so long that it’s hard to feel like you are making progress? I’ve had days where I started with a list of 60 things I felt I had to do; I accomplished 40 of those items, but still ended up with 72 things on my list. That’s because assignments came in faster than I could complete them. It was like digging in sand.


Imagine you were quarterbacking a football team and you had to drive to the other end of the field but the length of the field kept changing, in fact, at times you were so far away from the end zone that you couldn’t even see the goal posts.

This is how I’ve felt at times, especially on those days when I accomplish a lot and still end up further away from the end zone than when I started the day. I work hard. I want to run into the end zone and celebrate every now and then. So that’s why I developed a time management system I call “Define the End Zone.”

Here’s how it works. You put your to-do list into a numbered word document. Then you pull from that to make a short list of just the things you want to accomplish before noon. That might be just six or seven items on your list. It might look like this:

  1. Take the mayonnaise jar out of my backpack. 
  2. Return Mitt Romney's call.
  3. Finish "zinger document" for President Obama. 
  4. Call back Clooney and tell him I do not want to meet Friday at 9:30 p.m.
  5. Work on the Bloomberg report of the Zero Project for 60 minutes. 
1
Now, I may have a huge list but this is all I need to think about between now and noon. I do the same thing between noon and 5 p.m., and 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

So, how do you deal with unexpected interruptions that derail your list and threaten to push the end zone back? Let’s say that you are just about to call Mitt and the fire alarm goes off. Because you hate it when you literally catch on fire at work, this instantly changes your priorities. It’s okay. The end-zone approach is flexible.

You must then calculate in your mind how long you think this interruption will take and, if your office doesn’t burn up while you are away, you make an adjustment when you get back. Let’s say that you figure this should be a 15-minute interruption. When you get back you adjust your list by knocking 15 minutes off the last item. Now the last item on your list reads: “Work on the Bloomberg report of the Zero Project for 45 minutes.” The end zone hasn’t moved.

Now you don’t deduct how much time the interruption actually took because, in the case of a fire alarm, you could make that detour last all morning if you are a creative procrastinator. That wouldn’t be fair to the other team. You also have to decide which things can never be deducted such as processing e-mail. I need to force myself to be less attentive to e-mail, so if I stop to go through my e-mail more than once before noon, I’m just making it harder to reach the goal posts. I don’t knock anything off the bottom of my list to compensate for e-mail time or low priority things  that use up valuable seconds such as gazing at the vending machine.
You hit the end zone if you can cross all the items off your list before noon. That’s worth three points. If you do it with 30 minutes to spare, that’s worth 7 points. If you fail, you just punt, make a new list for the new block of time and go after it again. Don’t forget to give the other team its points – seven points if it takes you more than 30 minutes past your deadline to finish your mini-list.

This approach works best when you have a moderate level of incoming traffic. If things are changing too fast, it becomes a distraction. If it’s a quiet, peaceful day where you know you can work on just one project all day, then you don’t really need it.


Since I was in junior high I have been in search of the perfect time management system. In my job now I get to interview many top executives, consultants, and entrepreneurs and I usually try to squeeze in a question in about how they manage their workload.

Their answers are interesting. One executive told me the secret was just to get a good administrative assistant and let her take care of managing all your appointments, priorities and life. Others have talked about getting up early in the morning and never multi-tasking. Someday I’ll write about what the late Stephen R. Covey, the Huntsman Presidential Chair in Leadership (2010-2012), told me when I interviewed him in his home. His focus was on being very clear about your mission and eliminating those tasks from your life that don’t help you reach your most important goals.

Once I took a top executive of a major company out to lunch to find out his approach. He said I should just delegate everything and if there were still things on my list I have to do, I should then do the ones that interested me most. If I neglected an important task, eventually a subordinate would work up the courage to bring it up to me again. Obviously, we were on different worlds. I live on “Planet Delegation” where ideas thought up in meetings and on airplanes come to live on long to-do lists.

I’ve never found a system that works effectively in all situations. The end-zone approach is just one of several strategies that work for me and I don’t do it every day. I find when I use this approach I get to the end of the work day with nothing left in the tank. I leave it all on the field, which is good from a work point of view, but not so good if you get home and you need to actually interact with other people. If my wife wants me to mow the lawn, take out the garbage and explain why I left the back door to the house open all night that can prove very difficult to do on three brain cells.

I have an approach I use when my brains are totally fried at the end of the day but I know I must keep going. I have a strategy for when I want to sprint and set records. I have a marathon approach for when I know I must endure a long list of intimidating tasks that have to be dealt with even if the sun goes down. I have a scheduling approach that brings an unbelievable euphoria of total control at first and then eventually, by the end of the second day, a complete mental breakdown.

If you have a system that works for you, I’d love to hear about it. Send me an e-mail at steve.eaton@usu.edu.

I recognize that there are very few sane people out there who will relate to this blog post. If this blog causes others to stage an intervention for me, I will keep such posts to myself in the future. But we are expected to dare mighty things here at the Huntsman School of Business, right? Well, maybe I’m trying to dare my mighty things in a defined end zone. Don’t be surprised if you catch me suddenly raising my arms in a victory punch or doing pushups in my office. I probably just scored.

Steve Eaton


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Resume References: People Other Than Your Boss That Make You Look Good

At the bottom of my resume, the names and contact information of three important people are listed. I was talking to a friend about how important those three references are to me. All three of my references are professionals in my field of work and all three know me, and my work ethic, well. So when I read this article on resumewriting.com/blog, it gave me a new perspective. 

Most people think of their references as their current and/or former bosses. But the article says that if you stop there, you might be making a big mistake. 

"There are other people in your employment life who make excellent references," the article states, and then goes on to offer these suggestions. 

Competing Bosses

"Do you work hand in hand with other companies? Do they like you and think you do good work? Are they people your new employer knows and does business with?" the article asks. Well it advises that if you have a reputation around your industry, then showing that you're well known and well liked, even outside previous employers, can go a long way. It also shows that you have great connections across the board and that you work well with others, which, to some, is a big deal.

Team Players THEY Know

Having some connections within the organization you are applying can be a great in. If they hold some professional capacity, put their name as a reference. "Getting a good word from your boss is one thing, but getting a good word from someone they know from their own team can be doubly powerful," the article states. 

Clients

"Do you have a list of clients or vendors that you work with all the time? Better yet, do you have a list of clients, vendors or prospects that your new employer might covet?" the article asks. Showing that you have good relationships with those people might give your new employer all the reason they need to hire you. 

In short, "references" aren't only about previous employers and bosses. You should certainly have a previous boss on your reference list, but having a broader reference list can go a long way to helping you get hired. 
Klydi Heywood
Klydi Heywood

Monday, October 15, 2012

10 Networking Tips from Business Professional Andrea Nierenberg

In many business instances, getting a job is not entirely about what you know, but rather, who you know.

Real-life networking is an important skill for students to develop in helping one get a job, keep it, and get promoted, said Andrea Nierenberg, president of The Nierenberg Group and co-author of the definitive guide to "Networking for College Students and Recent Graduates". 

"Real networking can happen anywhere, anytime and can be learned from all the people you meet," she said. 

In an article found on pearsonlearningsolutions.com, Ms. Nierenberg explores 10 networking tips to help students in successful networking. 

1. Be prepared. 

Ms. Nierenberg states that opportunities for networking can happen anywhere and at anytime. In order for students to be ready for these interactions they must be "polished, poised and professional 24/7." 

2. Be confident. 

Things like eye contact, a strong handshake, and actually listening to another person will help students to create a unique presence. 

3. Have a prepared introduction. 

Ms. Nierenberg states that it is best to begin a conversation with a generic statement about oneself including things like major, pursued degree, and expected graduation date. However, keep this opening statement short and clear and have several different lines that you will be able to use in different settings. 

4. Have a goal to actually build a relationship in which you give before you get. 

Business professionals like to know the skills that students have to offer as an individual that could potentially benefit their company. As a student, let the business know that you have these skills and are willing to offer them to the company for the company's betterment. 

5. Show genuine interest in the people that you meet. 

Ms. Nierenberg suggests that students should ask personal questions about the professionals they meet inquiring about their own business experiences and any advice that they could give. 

6. Do your homework. 

It is wise for students to research the companies and people that work for them before actually meeting them, said Ms. Nierenberg. This is a good idea so that students have talking points and so that the professional knows that you care enough about the company to understand how they work. 

7. Always follow up — no matter what. 

When you do this, be sure to ask for the preferred method of follow-up communication as well. People have different preferences of communication and it is best to never assume. 

8. When at an event, be on-time and in character. 

Ms. Nierenberg said that students need to realize that at any type of professional event where the potential of networking is possible, they are on display from the minute they walk in the door. Therefore, they should be on their best behavior. This includes taking the initiative in meeting people, being genuinely interested in what they have to say, listening more than you speak and taking some notes. 

9. Always carry a business card. 

Students should create a card with their name, contact information and areas of interest so that others can easily contact you, Ms. Nierenberg said. She also added that it's a good idea to carry a piece of paper and pen so you can write down things that you need to follow up on, and remember important things that people told you. 

10. Send a "Thank You" note. 

Ms. Nierenberg suggests following up with people that you have just networked with by sending a note and thanking them for their time. This will help you stand-out and create a lasting impression. 


Allie Jeppson


Saturday, October 13, 2012

Sound Baffles

Plans for the new Huntsman building are dedicated to benefiting students in a way that is conducive to their learning. In order to provide a state-of-the-art learning facility, the feature of sound baffles will be added to the structure of classrooms and lecture halls in the new building.

Sound baffles are tools of noise mitigation and will make it easier for students in the classroom to hear the instructor. A couple of different types of baffles will be included in the new classrooms. The first type of baffle will be placed at the front of the room where the ceiling and front wall meet. The baffle will join the ceiling and the front wall at a slanted angle allowing the teacher’s voice at the front of the room to be better carried throughout the entire class. The sound will echo up to the baffle and then be projected back to the students.

The other type of sound baffle to be included in classrooms will be located along the surrounding walls of the classrooms. These wall-type baffles are designed to deaden any noise outside of the classroom and enhance sound inside of the classroom. While the baffles in the layout below look fairly pronounced, they won’t be quite so noticeable in actual reality.
Sound baffles are just one of the ways that classroom design has gotten better over the years and as an institution, we are trying to take advantage of that by creating facilities for students in which they can become better learners.
Layout of ceiling and wall baffles in new Huntsman School classrooms
Side view layout of ceiling baffles in new Huntsman School classroomsLayout of wall sound baffles in new Huntsman School classrooms.
Ken Snyder
Ken Snyder 

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Apple vs. Samsung: Innovation vs. Plagiarism

Although I don’t own a smartphone or a tablet, I’ve been following the news on the ongoing lawsuit between Apple and Samsung religiously. If you’re like me, you should know that in the US, the patent infringement lawsuit rules in favor of Apple. 

I love Apple products and I am biased toward Apple. In fact, I’m typing this blog post on a MacBook Pro. This case, however, made me think about the negative message that Apple is sending to potential entrepreneurs.

As entrepreneurs, creativity, invention and innovation are essential to start businesses. Common sense tells you that creativity leads to invention and creativity plus invention equals innovation. Innovation, by my definition, simply means improving an existing entity for the betterment of society.

In my opinion, although creativity and innovation are not the same, they are similar in terms of the mutual relationship that they have with one another. Without innovation, there won’t be any room for creativity. Just imagine if mankind were not allowed to innovate. There wouldn’t be digital cameras as we see it today. We’d probably still live in caves and people would still drive steam trolleys instead of cars.

So where do we draw the line between plagiarism and innovation?

All I can say is that potential entrepreneurs might be afraid to innovate for fear of hurting their reputation as a result of the ugly battle between Apple and Samsung. Businesses should probably think twice about the future of innovation before they start suing each other for plagiarism.  

Until then, you can view some of Samsung's advertisements at the following link, which may or may not be an act of retaliation toward Apple (Apple fans be warned): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DateFKa5j_c


Nadiah Johari


Monday, October 8, 2012

Why I Wish I was a Huntsman Student: Excellent Professors

Let me start off by saying that I am a proud print journalism major in the journalism and communications department. I've greatly enjoyed my time as a student in this department and have grown to love the students and faculty members that I work with. 

That being said, in another life, with the experiences that I've had working for the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, I think I would have really enjoyed being a Huntsman student and here is one reason why: because of the Huntsman School professors. 

Last week I had the opportunity to meet with a couple different professors as part of a work task that I needed to complete. I was able to sit down with Management Department Head, Dr. James Davis as well as Associate Professor, Dr. Tim Gardner to discuss some things. While in our meetings, the concern that these professors had for their students was so apparent that even an outsider like myself was able to see that these professors have the best interest of their students in mind. They are more than willing to go to great lengths to ensure their students' academic and future success.

Not only that, but many Huntsman professors that I've seen while working at the Huntsman School of Business or while at a business school event, work diligently to establish a relationship with their students. Many times I will see an interaction between a student and a teacher that I think is invaluable to the student's education. The fact that professors are so willing to freely build relationships with their students and talk with them, as if they were old friends to offer advice or mentor-ship, is something that students should greatly treasure because though relationships such as these are found in other colleges around campus,  it is not seen so often or to this great extent. 

Students of the Huntsman School of Business, take advantage of the willing and able professors that you have. I've seen first hand how willing they are to help you; They are there for YOU and want to help you succeed and this is one reason that I wish I was a Huntsman student. 

Allie Jeppson


Friday, October 5, 2012

Bus Rides and Parachutes Could Improve Presidential Politics


Editor’s note: Steve Eaton, who works for the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, writes a column for the Deseret News. We thought that with the presidential debates going on, this satirical article, which ran before the first debate, might demonstrate how some innovative thinking could change the political process. It is used with permission from the Deseret News.
By Steve Eaton
We are getting to that point in the presidential elections where some of the foolishness is set aside and we can get down to the serious business of picking our next leader.
This is when we try to figure out who can best bring people together to work for the good of the country by pitting the two candidates, who are capable of raising and spending money the fastest, against each other. We ask them to get up on a stage to demonstrate their leadership abilities by having them argue with and criticize each other before a live audience of millions. The presidential debates are upon us.
Up until now, the election has focused on seeing which candidate could go the longest without saying something that could be lifted out of context and called a "gaffe." Now, instead, we'll be watching to see which candidate can go the longest in a debate without saying something that can be lifted out of context and called a "gaffe."
It's not that there hasn't been some serious campaigning. One of the candidates, and I won't say which one, has sent large, colorful, empty campaign buses around the country to help us decide who would be the best guardian of our money. I'm not naming names because I don't want the other guy to feel bad because he doesn't have as many empty buses available to him. But he shouldn't feel at a disadvantage. He has this cool plane with a bump on it that he borrowed from Harrison Ford and a fleet of bullet-proof cars.
The bottom line is that both of these candidates want to connect with the average voters who struggle to make ends meet and let them know that they will care about them deeply until the election. And while holding campaign rallies where we are allowed to scream our praise at them and applaud enthusiastically is one way to do that, I have a few new ideas I'd like to throw their way.
Why not let some of us ride around in the buses? We had one stop in Logan recently and there wasn't even a surrogate on it, that I know about. If a crowd of hard-working Americans is willing to gather just to look upon a campaign bus and imagine a caring candidate inside, wouldn't it make sense to have a bunch of real people on the bus?
You could have 10 or 20 people at a time taking turns getting off the bus and getting praised enthusiastically while connecting with the other average voters. The more articulate and creative bus riders could get off the bus and shout promises at the crowd to make them feel loved. If the crowds got too big, you could send a couple of campaign Cadillacs around the country, too, and have contests to see who could drive two of them at the same time.
Or the other guy could take people on his airplane with him. We could convince him to do this by booting off the press and letting real people sit in the back. It would be a big party and if anyone tried to get too serious or started to ask questions, like the press always does, everyone could go downstairs and watch the candidate throw the offending people off his plane like Harrison Ford did in "Air Force One." We'd give those who had literally fallen out of favor with the candidate colorful parachutes with campaign slogans on them and the promise that someone would eventually find them and feel their pain.
But such talk is probably foolish at this point because the debates are what it is all about. And yet, while it may be disrespectful for me to suggest this, I think there are a few ways we could make them more interesting.
The use of a fire hose would change things quite a bit. What if all the impartial fact checkers the TV people employ were set up back stage and had the power to blast a candidate with a fire hose whenever he stretched the truth or misstated a fact? I'm not talking about a sustained blast that would force us to stop everything to go try and find the candidate, but just a short burst that would knock them off their feet.
Too extreme? How about arming each candidate with a bike horn? That way instead of having to patiently wait, sighing heavily, while the other candidate went on and on about you, you could presidentially honk your horn to drown him out. Then, sometime during the opening statements the networks could make the debate screen into a little box of honkers and we could watch regular network programming while we enjoyed the debates, too.
And now that the replacement refs are out of work, what if we brought them in and let them call penalties on the candidates and gave them the power to keep score or suddenly end the contest? A little humor wouldn't hurt things any. We could even test out the candidates by rolling a football across the stage and letting them each dive to see who was best at recovering fumbles. The refs could then rule against the winner and we could see how the candidates deal with an injustice. That might create some very entertaining "gaffes" and we'd get to see Mitt Romney's hair messed up.
Of course, I believe a combination of all three ideas would work best. I know, I know, I didn't build this campaign or our democracy. There are going to be some bumps in the road in an imperfect system. If they put me in charge, I'd probably just get fired by someone who likes to fire people and then I'd end up being dependent upon the government.
Instead, I'll just sit back and watch them argue. Oh, I'll have my own bike horn to keep me company, even though that's not my first choice. My wife has already warned me that — "especially during the debates!" — garden hoses are not allowed in the house.

Steve Eaton’s columns can be read here:


Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Lessons From Legend Steve Sabol

The late Steve Sabol, (October 2, 1942 – September 18, 2012) was one person young entrepreneurs not only know about from watching football their whole lives, but is also an outstanding business man to learn from. His entrepreneurial efforts helped revolutionize the sports broadcasting industry by co-founding NFL Films.

According to an article on entrepreneur.com there are three lessons from Mr. Sabol's life that can inspire others to start something great:

1. Know how to tell your story. 

Mr. Sabol was known for being an amazing storyteller and every entrepreneur has a story to tell. According to the website, “there are both stories of success and failure, but your story defines who you are, what you do and how you can help others. Telling your startup story in a compelling way can be the difference between someone choosing you over your competitor, so take the time to define your story and let the world know why you are great at what you do.”


2. Assemble a great team. 

“As a team, Sabol and his father meshed perfectly. Ed was seldom short of ideas but what he didn't think of, Steve did. And often, it was Steve who suggested the artistic touches that set NFL Films apart and helped the NFL grow in popularity,” the article said.


This example of teamwork should teach us the importance of understanding both our strengths and weaknesses, but also finding the people that can fill in your gaps.

3. Be willing to take risks. 

The article stated, “back in the 1960's, the concept of reverse angle replays, wiring coaches and players during games and setting highlights to music were unheard of. However, as Steve stated in an interview with the Associated Press, ‘Today, of course, those techniques are so common it's hard to imagine just how radical they once were. Believe me, it wasn't always easy getting people to accept them, but I think it was worth the effort.’”


Successful entrepreneurs are wired in a way that allows them to overcome their fears and take on risks that others are not. Part of that is filtering out negative feedback from people who don't understand what you are doing. If you have a vision, take a risk and see it through.

Learning vicariously can motivate our thoughts into actions. I hope we can take a lesson from Mr. Sabol today and, as entrepreneurs in embryo, change the world. 

Klydi Heywood
Klydi Heywood


Monday, October 1, 2012

New Building Will Feature Many New Classrooms

The most important space in our new building is the space dedicated to classrooms. These classrooms will dramatically improve the learning environment for our students. There is more space dedicated to new classrooms than to any other function in the new building.

Our current working design has plans for 22 classrooms in the new building. That’s a huge increase in the number of classrooms on campus. These new classrooms will help ease the campus-wide classroom shortage. Some of the classrooms will be tiered classrooms and some will be flat classrooms. Some will be computer lab classrooms. All of the new classrooms will be classrooms equipped with new technology designed to enhance the learning experience. We have various sizes of classrooms, with some smaller classrooms with as few as 30 seats, and some larger classrooms with 80 seats. These new classrooms will be the dominant feature on the first, second, and third floors of Huntsman Hall. This is such as an important part of the new building that I’ve decided to write about them over the next few weeks. I want to discuss what they will offer our students and how we, as faculty will use them. 
Ken Snyder
Ken Snyder