The CBE Fall Career Fair, which was held Friday, Oct. 9, drew in nearly 100 CBE students and 16 local employers. Continue reading “CBE students network with local industry partners at the CBE Fall Career Fair”
Accounting students network with employers virtually for annual recruiting event
On Friday, Sept. 25, 115 CBE students and 43 employers participated in the annual Accounting Open House, which took place virtually through the TU Handshake platform. Continue reading “Accounting students network with employers virtually for annual recruiting event”
Crunch Time: New competition for data analysis and visualization
This year, TU students will have the chance to participate in a new CBE competition for data analytics with the chance of winning $2,500. Continue reading “Crunch Time: New competition for data analysis and visualization”
J.P. Morgan Chase to present case for CBE’s signature strategy competition
J.P. Morgan Chase will provide the business case study for the College of Business and Economics’ semi-annual Live Strategy Case Competition this fall and coming spring.
The fall competition kicks off in October. Over the course of the semester, students in the capstone MNGT 481 Strategic Management course will analyze the current business climate and propose solutions for J.P. Morgan Private Bank.
“J.P. Morgan Private Bank is thrilled to be partnering with Towson University for their annual case study competition, and we’re eager to see the creative solutions and ideas that this class has to offer,” said Doug Holthaus, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Baltimore.
“This year will be drastically different for TU’s students, and we hope that our project will help foster connections and collaboration—so important in a university education—amid a remote learning setup.”
Like almost all companies and organizations, J.P. Morgan Private Bank has adopted new business practices and embraced emerging trends in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The case study challenges teams of students to recommend which of these measures should continue and answer the question: “How should the bank adapt its business to thrive in the post-COVID-19 world?”
Student teams will conduct external analyses of the private banking and retail sectors as well as internal analyses of J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s competitive advantages. They will also make recommendations on the bank’s post-COVID-19 strategy for its business, which relies on building trusted, personal relationships.
“We hope that our project will help foster connections and collaboration—so important in a university education—amid a remote learning setup.”
More than 400 students representing all majors within the college compete in this competition each semester. The top team from each class section presents to a panel of judges from the partner company, who select the winning teams. This fall’s competition, including the final presentations, will take place virtually.
Live Case Study Coordinator Anna Obedkova, Ph.D. says J.P. Morgan is an excellent partner all around. The company will also sponsor the case for the Spring 2021 competition.
“Doug is very involved and is looking forward to finding out about the strategies the students come up with,” she says. “His excitement about the case study is really encouraging to the faculty and students.”
J.P. Morgan Chase joins a growing list of partner companies that have participated in this unique program since its launch in 2015. It’s a win-win program for all involved. Students get experience working on a real-world business project while companies get valuable consultative insights and proposals.
New Faculty: Meet Leila Khoshghadam, Department of Marketing
Leila Khoshghadam
Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING
Education
Ph.D., Business Administration, Old Dominion University
MBA, Marketing
B.S., Electrical Engineering
What are your research interests?
My primary focus is on interactive marketing in offline and online settings. In one research stream, I investigate the role that consumer sentiment has on the success/failure of firms’ interaction efforts. In the second stream, I seek insight into actionable strategies to manage successful interaction between front-line employees and consumers.
What are you looking forward to in your new role at Towson University?
I am passionate about teaching students and helping them prepare for future jobs. In this position, I am looking forward to growing my skills and helping my students succeed, which is very important to me! Moreover, I intend to expand my research by collaborating with fellow TU faculty members and learning new things.
What is your plan for teaching in the remote space?
First and foremost, I intend to maintain a positive attitude and a supportive environment. Students should feel safe and certain about their education path, despite all the uncertainty around us.
Second, I have made changes in my teaching strategies to keep the quality of my online classes high. For example, to make students more engaged with topics, I spend less time on lectures while using more case studies, real examples, and news sharing. This will facilitate interactions between students and help them develop skills such as critical thinking and teamwork in remote classes.
What do you like to do in your free time? Any new quarantine hobbies?
During the lock-down, I found myself caring more about my health: I started doing more workouts and eating healthier. I also enjoy reading my favorite books, which have been waiting for me on my bookshelf for a long time! Despite all the frustration, I try to think positively of this situation and catch up with work that I always want to do, but never seem to find a time to complete.
If you had one piece of advice to give to your students right now, what would it be?
Do not get discouraged if the situation is not as you expected a year ago. A setback is an opportunity for a comeback! You can be at home and still progress every day. Try to learn new skills and build your resume, even when you are at home. Read the book Conversations with Myself, by Nelson Mandela and keep it in mind that he wrote the book when he was in prison!
I am also a good listener and I love to meet new people. In case you need two ears to share your concern, you can count on me!
What is something few people know about you?
I am a good interior designer. I love to match colors, fabrics, and textiles. I always receive compliments about my design taste!