DEAN’S REPORT
2014-2015
COMMUNITY
LEARNING REVERENCE
WHERE BUSINESS IS TAUGHT AS A NOBLE PROFESSION™
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FROM THE DEAN
Each year, as I sit to draft this letter for the Dean’s Report,
I take time to reflect on how quickly the year passed, how
much was accomplished by our students, faculty, and staff
and how grateful I am for our sponsoring organization, the
Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania. The closing of the 201415 academic year completed the 35th year of offering a
values driven business education at Lourdes University,
while the start of the 2016 academic year will mark the
100th anniversary of the Sisters’ of St. Francis’ presence and
sponsored ministries in Sylvania, Ohio.
At Lourdes University, our society’s concern for a lack of
ethical and socially oriented business leaders did not go
unnoticed. We trademarked the following tagline: Where
Business is Taught as a Noble Profession™. It has served
as the rallying cry for the College of Business & Leadership’s
faculty, students, and alumni to act boldly in this period of
uncertainty by standing together. It is our College’s deep
desire to cultivate an environment that prepares our students
to become 21st century socially conscientious leaders in
global business. It is the spirit of our Franciscan heritage
and the crux of our community, supported by the Sisters of
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St. Francis of Sylvania, that enables us to attract and retain
faculty, staff, and students who embody this presence in all
that they do in their professional and personal lives.
As a result of our commitment to providing programs
of distinction and excellence, the College of Business
& Leadership underwent an extensive process for reaccreditation by the International Assembly of Collegiate
Business Education for our eight undergraduate majors,
and for the first time, applications for the initial accreditation
for our Master of Organizational Leadership and Master
of Business Administration programs were submitted. In
the end, after a year-long process, our faculty, staff, and
collective stakeholders successfully went through the entire
accreditation process and received re-accreditation for
all eight of our undergraduate majors and both graduate
programs in the College. Many thanks for all those that
were involved. Special gratitude goes to Jean Kujawa,
M.B.A., Associate Professor, and Laura Ott, M.O.L., Director
of Advising, Recruitment & Assessment in the College, who
both worked tirelessly to ensure that all of our programs were
accredited.
In undertaking this comprehensive accreditation process, it enabled our team to begin a year-long vision process to
understand not only how we (the faculty and staff ) see our College, but more importantly how the various stakeholders
within our community see us. We learned that the key elements that define our team reflected a vision where we develop
knowledgeable, values-centered, globally aware graduates who will practice business as a noble profession. Our strategic
planning identified three strategic initiatives that will create the framework for achieving our goals in the next several years.
Those three initiatives were Curriculum, Identity, and Collaboration. I encourage you to read more about our strategic
vision in the following pages and I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize Dr. Patricia O’Connell and Dr. Jennifer Sader, faculty
members who took on the additional responsibility and increased tasks to guide the College along the path to make
Vision 2018 a successful reality.
In visualizing our future, I also returned to our past year’s successes within all of our programs and activities that continue to
sustain student success. We in the College of Business & Leadership take seriously our vocation to develop and support our
students in becoming strong and ethical leaders who will carry forth the values of community, learning, and reverence into
their professional careers. In realizing this integration of values with knowledge and a sense of service to our communities, the
following are just a few highlights of recent accomplishments.
1. Dr. Philip Fink named the Larry & Kathy Ulrich Endowed Professorship in Accounting
2. Combined University efforts to establish a Study Abroad Program in Italy
3. Created Health Care Administration Advisory Council
4. Witnessed a 17.5% increase of COBAL students participating in service learning projects
5. Realized a more active, engaged, and visible alumni with a 13.6% increase in participation
These examples shared above are only a brief sampling of all that our dedicated faculty and staff – including our essential
adjunct faculty members who number nearly 50 leaders within our community – strive to support and establish as we work
towards a common goal of student success for our more than 325 students in both undergraduate and graduate business
& leadership programs. I wish to share that we cannot accomplish these successes alone. We need the community to be
involved and lead as examples for our students to realize that business truly is a noble profession.
Therefore, I welcome and encourage you to become involved with the College of Business & Leadership. There are a myriad
ways to help – from providing internships to sharing professional expertise in the classroom, to endowing fellowships
and scholarships, and by recruiting our students. In all that we do, we must remember that our calling is not just business
education, but to be a standard bearer in the challenge to use business as a powerful force for good in the world. We have
ambitious goals and dreams that we cannot accomplish alone. The College of Business & Leadership at Lourdes University
needs your continued involvement in our programs and students’ lives to ensure that we can continue building upon our
tradition of Business as a Noble Profession for the next 100 years.
Sincerely,
Ryan D. Butt, JD, MSA
Dean, College of Business & Leadership
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UNDERGRADUATES
MICHIGAN
200
150
100
OHIO
50
0
1 199 3
140
4
2 56 21 5
149
# Males
135 students participated
in service learning.
3
# Females
6693 total credit hours were earned
by graduates this year.
STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN SERVICE LEARNING
Cherry Street Missions
150
Helping Hands of St. Louis
Junior Achievement of
Northwest Ohio
120
Tent City
90
United Way
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Students volunteered 1157.5 hours to
various organizations during the year.
Undergraduates by Major
9
Accounting
49
43
Accounting & Finance
Business Administration
23
34
Associate of Art in Business
Healthcare Management
Human Resource Management
6
Integrated Business
19
66
37
4
Management
Marketing
Pre Business
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GRADUATE STUDENTS
MBA/MOL
50
40
30
20
10
0
32 46 1 1
0 2 0 0 12 9 4 5
13/16
36/46
# Males
6
0 0
# Females
MBA data
MOLdata
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Designed to build
strong and ethical leaders who will positively impact their
community, Lourdes graduate faculty promote a career-like
atmosphere throughout your MBA experience. All students
are required to have a strong business undergraduate
background to gain acceptance into the program. With
courses like Creativity, Innovation and Integrative Thinking and
the Global Learning Immersion Experience, our MBA prepares
you to take on challenges when you graduate.
Our graduates consistently attest to how these benefits of
an MBA from Lourdes University have helped them gain a
foothold in their professional careers. MBA students can enroll
in a one-year program or have the flexibility to take courses
part-time over two years. In addition, graduate assistantships,
scholarships and graduate housing opportunities are available
to those students pursuing the one-year MBA program.
Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL) A proven program that
assists professionals from all fields to achieve their career
goals, the MOL has graduated more than 100 leaders within
the business and nonprofit sectors over the past 12 years.
Our graduates hold leadership roles in health care, business,
criminal justice and many other professions across our
community. Designed for current and prospective leaders
at all levels within an organization, graduates can update
their organizational leadership knowledge, skills and
abilities thus enabling them to enhance the performance
and culture of their respective companies and make a
positive difference. And students have the opportunity
to participate in the global immersion program as well as
pursue elective courses within healthcare and nonprofit
administration. The MOL program launched a cohort at the
JEEP plant in January 2015. There is sufficient interest at the
same facility to launch a second cohort in the future.
36/13/0
46/16/0
FEMALE/MALE/NOT DISCLOSED
AMERICAN INDIAN/
NATIVE ALASKAN: 0
ASIAN: 1
BLACK: 12
HISPANIC/LATINO: 4
NATIVE HAWAIIAN/
PACIFIC ISLANDER: 0
TWO+ RACES: 0
UNKNOWN: 0
WHITE: 32
49
ENROLLED
FEMALE/MALE/NOT DISCLOSED
33
AVERAGE
STUDENT AGE
LEADERSHIP
AMERICAN INDIAN/
NATIVE ALASKAN: 0
ASIAN: 1
BLACK: 9
HISPANIC/LATINO: 5
NATIVE HAWAIIAN/
PACIFIC ISLANDER: 0
TWO+ RACES: 1
UNKNOWN: 2
WHITE: 46
62
ENROLLED
40
AVERAGE
STUDENT AGE
48/1
32/30
1 YEAR / 2+ YEARS
2 YEAR / 2+ YEARS
LEADERSHIP
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BACKPACK to
BRIEFCASE
CAREER trek
To prepare students, the Lourdes MBA program
offers the Career Trek program for our candidates.
This uniquely personalized program requires our
MBA candidates to undergo several behavioral
analyses, industry-specific interviews, create
their own branding through resume and cover
letter writing, and participate in ongoing career
development sessions, including workshops, panels,
and receptions specific to their career search. In
addition, the program provides MBA candidates with
access to potential employers through partnerships,
professional immersions, corporate presentations
and regional networking events.
In the Lourdes MBA’s Career Trek Program, you will find:
• A personal hands-on approach to your career path
• Career assessment utilizing the Gift Compass
Inventory and Discover your Passion tools
Undergraduate business majors benefit from this
comprehensive program designed to provide
the skills needed to find employment in their
chosen fields. The Backpack to Briefcase program
is delivered through students’ business core
curriculum and begins in their freshman year.
Real-world opportunities outside the classroom
are also provided through major-specific career
engagements, access to university job fairs and
networking events, membership in Enactus, and
community and civic engagement opportunities.
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• Career professionals guiding you along every step
• Cultivation and expansion of professional
contacts
• Business Alumni mentoring & networking
opportunities.
INTERNSHIPS
Lourdes University facilitates internships with various companies all over
Northwest Ohio. Internship and professional immersion are part of our
curriculum at the College of Business and Leadership. In the academic year of
2014-15 students completed a total of 54 internships, many of which were
paid. Many of our students are offered a job with the company they intern
at after graduation. Students and businesses looking for more information
on internship opportunities are welcome to contact Robert Arquette,
Coordinator of Career Experiences.
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INTERNATIONAL
immersions
MBA candidates complete a global immersion experience
as part of their required curriculum; while MOL candidates
can choose to participate in an elective course in their
Global Leadership studies concentration. In the Global
Business and International Immersion Program, which is
taught and organized by Dr. Patricia O’Connell, students
broaden their perspectives and gain relevant insights into
today’s international business environment.
In January, students worked with leaders of global business
in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa; while in
May students visited with business leaders in Beijing and
Shanghai, China. Next academic year, students will be able
to participate in business opportunities in Italy.
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NEW PROFESSORSHIPS
WILLIAM KELLER
Doctoral Studies- Ohio State University
MBA- University of Maine
BBA- University of Massachusetts
Prior to coming to Lourdes, taught Accounting and
Business courses for the University of Maryland
University College in Europe. Countries in which he
taught include: Belgium, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
Mr. Keller is currently teaching classes in Accounting and
Finance for Lourdes University.
GARY BENTLEY
MBA- University of Findlay
Bachelors of Art in HR ManagementLourdes University
Worked with the United States Post Office Human
Resource Department for 25 years. While there, he acted
as Manager of Employment and Training and Supervisor
of Customer Service Support. Mr. Bentley served in
the (Major) United States Air Force - Ohio Air National
Guard as base commander. Mr. Bentley teaches courses
including Business Policy and Labor Relations.
KIMBERLY YOST
Ph.D., Leadership and Change,
Antioch University
Master of Organizational Leadership, Lourdes
University
Bachelor of Fine Art,
Wright State University
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Prior to entering higher education held varied careers
ranging from television news editor/copywriter to actor
to office management, corporate communications,
and human resources positions in industries such
as residential property management, event and
communications management, television news, arts
organizations, auto manufacturing, health insurance,
and economic/workforce development. Kimberly
Yost has also given many presentations and has been
published several times.
A FOND FAREWELL
Dane Copti, MBA has had a monumental
impact on Lourdes University. Having been part
of our family since 1991, Dane has held many
roles in the college and has helped Lourdes
transition into what it is today. Many students
knew Dane as a marketing and business ethics
instructor. But Professor Copti was also an
advisor to his students, as well as the faculty
advisor for athletics. Crucial in the creation of
Masters of Organizational Leadership program,
Dane also made a community impact as a
member of the Better Business Bureau and
by working alongside Junior Achievement of
Northwest Ohio. Dane Copti was a finalist for
the Teaching Excellence Award 16 times, as
well as receiving the Lourdes College Student
Organization Advisor of the Year Award, the
San Damiano Award for Faculty Excellence in
Service Learning, and the Junior Achievement
Volunteer of Distinction Award. Students and
Faculty alike will miss the man commonly
thought of as the “Lourdes Teddy Bear”. From all
of us at COBAL, we wish him only the best as he
pursues his next endeavor.
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u
Pro
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nter for
Ce
t
sio
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The Center for Professional Studies (CPS) at Lourdes University offers multiple mock interview opportunities to students.
John Blodgett, Business Resource Specialist, over the course of the 2014 academic year, conducted 204 mock interviews to help
students become familiar with frequently asked questions in the real world interviewing process.
CPS offers technology and staff experts to help business majors achieve their professional goals. Students can take advantage of
APA writing assistance, an interviewing lab, career and professional preparation tools, and technology workshops. CPS also offers
print and electronic resources including business and educational software, periodicals, newspapers, etc.
204 mock interviews were
conducted to help students.
Joseph M. Magliochetti Business Center
is named in
honor of a former president and CEO of Dana Corporation.
The newly-established Business Center was made possible
because of his family’s generous gift to Lourdes. The center
provides all business students access to breakout areas,
with conference tables, a stock ticker that provides up-tothe-minute stock quotes and an array of leading business
publications available for students to read.
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