Fall 2013
Volume 4, Issue 3
DoB Newsletter
Division of Business
Xavier University of Louisiana
Inside this issue:
BioTech Industry
2
Honors in Business
2
Delgado 2 Xavier
3
Louisiana Quality Foundation
3
SSI continued
3
Highlights
4
The Division of Business SBDC consultant Erik Waters, works with clients at the local LSBDC office.
Sales for Social Impact (SSI) exemplifies the mission of the Division of Business;:“We prepare tomorrow’s socially
responsible business leaders.” Since 2011, highly motivated students with a desire for business leadership and contributing to
society have applied their academic skills to improve the lives of others in the SSI course. SSI is offered by the Division of
Business annually to students throughout the university. It focuses on incorporating a marketing and sales plan to meet the
needs of those under-served that reside near or at the base of the socioeconomic pyramid. SSI is funded by 3M Foundation
which provides grants to partner colleges and universities in 3M’s Frontline Sales Initiative. The Frontline Sales Initiative is an
innovative, educational partnership with 12 colleges and universities across the United States, designed to increase the amount
of sales education content at universities with the goal of elevating sales as a discipline and a profession.
SSI is distinctive because it enables students to conduct intensive research into specific needs of targeted individuals .
The students then determine the feasibility of the venture, complete a comprehensive business plan, and finally, present it to
executives at 3M in St. Paul, Minnesota. Comments from students that have participated include ”life-changing,”
“inspirational,” and “educational.”
The most recent project is Agrowtopia, andurban farm that will be developed in Gert Town and will provide affordable
fresh, locally grown foods to local residents and the Xavier university community. New Orleans, with a population of more than
300,000, well known for its culinary options and one of the fastest growing cities in the country, also contains many food
deserts. The US Department of Agriculture defines food deserts as areas in which healthy food is not available and not
affordable to the local population. These areas are plagued by various health ailments such as obesity, hypertension and heart
disease. Gert Town, where Xavier is located, is a food desert.
Continued on page 3
Students test the Aqua Therm solar water pasteurizer
Student prepares donation boxes for Steps for
Empowerment.
http://www.xula.edu/business
Steps for Empowerment team at the 2012 3M
SSI presentation in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Page 2
DoB Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 3
Biotech in New Orleans
Business Week Fall 2013
During Business Week held in October 2013, the Division of Business brought
together the local community, academia and business professionals to examine topics of
interest. Given the future completion of the $2 billion biomedical complex in the coming
Rodrick Miller(l) president and CEO of the
years providing 3.6 million square feet of new hospital space as well as an additional 1
New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA),
Shafin Khan(c) Director of Technology Com- million square feet in research and development space, the Division held three informercialization at the New Orleans BioInnova- mation sessions designed to educate the Xavier and local community on the issues and
tion Center. And James P. McNamara (r) Presi- major players in the Bio Technology Industry in New Orleans.
dent and CEO of BioDistrict New Orleans.
The first event was a panel discussion with the goal of introducing the major
players in the development of Bio Technology in New Orleans. The session entitled,
“Learning the Bio Tech Industry in New Orleans,” featured panelists from the New
Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA), The New Orleans Bioinnovation Center (NOBIC) and
the New Orleans Bio District. The City of New Orleans, through its economic
development organization NOLABA, has identified Bioinnovation and Health Sciences as a
prioritized industry. New Orleans currently has 14,000 health science jobs and
employment is expected to grow to 20,000 over the next two decades. The panel highlighted ongoing efforts to incubate biotech businesses, the growing demand for direct
and ancillary support services for health service industries and the challenge of raising
Dr. Mack Crayton (l), Biology, Dr. Jason
venture capital.
Berntsen, Philosophy, .Dr. Mark Gsthohl,
The second panel discussion “The Roles of Universities in the Biotech Industry”
Theology, Dr. Joe Ricks, Division of Business
Chair, and Dr. Shael Wolfson, Business.
featured panelists from NOBIC and the Technology Transfer Office of Tulane University.
This session explored how universities work with business incubators, academia and
entrepreneurs to bring technology and research from the laboratory to the marketplace.
Finally, students and community members packed the seminar room of the Convocation
Center Annex and participated in a lively program entitled ”The Ethics of Bio Tech” featuring Xavier professors Mack Crayton (Biology), Mark Gsthohl (Theology) and Jason
Berntsen (Philosophy). The session began by defining ethical situations in a philosophical
context then continued with theological points of view. The participants then examined
specific applications regarding stem cell research and genetic engineering. According to
Brandy Simmons, Senior, business management major “I really learned a lot this week
about the local biotech industry; the entrepreneurial opportunities are really exciting.”
Overall we had a phenomenal week, in addition to providing a 360-degree view
of
the
bio
technology industry in New Orleans; we also held a career fair with various orStudent gain valuable insight during
ganizations from the New Orleans area and student development seminars conducted by
“The Roles of Universities in the Biotech
Industry panel discussion
our Business Advisory Council members. During the student development seminars our
BAC members had discussions with students about mentor-mentee relationships, and the
types of goals students should set and outcomes they can expect from their first job.
Honors in Business
The Division of Business is proud to offer
Honors in Business
The Division of Business is proud to announce that starting May 2014 graduates can attain an Honors in Business designation. According to Dr. Ricks Chair of the Division of
Business, “I think it is really important to give special recognition to students that put in
the extra academic work to perform at an exceptional level in their business studies.” In
order to receive the honors designation students majoring or minoring in business must
have an overall 3.3 GPA. For majors, students must have a 3.5 in their concentration
courses, and for minors they must have a 3.5 in their minor course work. Students with
Honors in Business will receive an honors rope and will be recognized during the
university commencement exercises.
http://www.xula.edu/business
Page 3
DoB Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 3
Delgado 2 Xavier
During the Fall semester the Division completed an articulation agreement with Delgado Community College creating the
Delgado 2 Xavier program in business. Since the signing, the Division held an information session at Delgado introducing the
Division of Business to Delgado students.
Louisiana Quality Foundation
The Division of Business recently completed our application process for the Louisiana Performance Excellence Award
(LPEA), which is sponsored by the Louisiana Quality Foundation (LQF). The application process consisted of a narrative application and a site visit by an independent LPEA Review Team. The LPEA application is another in a long line of continuous improvement processes currently deployed by the Division.
According to the LQF website, “Louisiana Performance Excellence recipients demonstrate their achievement of award
criteria benchmarks that align with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria, an internationally recognized standard
for performance excellence initiated in 1987.” The Baldrige Award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence
of both public and private U.S. organizations given by the President of the United States. It is administered by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, which is based at and managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency
of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The LQF is the state level organization that administers the Baldrige-based performance
excellence award.
For the Division, the application award process provided an opportunity for independent, non-academic review, to ensure that its core business practices aligned with its mission and the mission of Xavier University. Dr. Ricks, Chair of the Division
of Business, adds, “Going through this process challenged us to take a critical look at ourselves and get better the same way we
challenge our students. The application process helps us practice what we teach.” The Division expects notification on the results
of their application in the early spring.
….SSI continued
Agrowtopia is scheduled to be developed on a vacant lot owned by the university.
The students worked with a local urban farmer, conducted a survey of local residents and
university students, faculty and staff, and created a business plan that demonstrates how
affordable locally grown food can be grown and sold to Gert Town residents at an affordable price.
“I have always wanted to learn the details of launching a business, and I’ve
learned how to do that in this class” said Kevin Joseph, a junior finance major from Donaldsonville. Added Tayler Loyd, a senior Sales and Marketing major from Atlanta, “This
class awakened me to the negative impacts of poor diet on low income communities.”
Previous SSI projects were NOLA Pure, a company that would market solarpowered water pasteurizers to microenterprises in emerging countries as a way to
increase the availability of clean water, and Steps for Empowerment, an initiative to collect
used shoes for resale to the Republic of Liberia.
Another distinctive feature of SSI is its interdisciplinary appeal. Although the
course is offered by faculty of the Division of Business, it has been taken by students who
are majoring in the Health Sciences, Education, and the College of Pharmacy. SSI allows all
students to apply their area of interest to address the needs of people by incorporating
business and free enterprise principles. The cross pollination of backgrounds and skills
among the students strengthens the plans and allows all students to learn and teach each
other.
http://www.xula.edu/business
Future home of Argowtopia
Xavier’s Agrowtopia Team presents to 3M
Business Leaders and Frontline Partners in
St. Paul Minnesota
A group photo at the Division of Business’ 2013
homecoming reception
Team Agrowtopia along with Alumni and 3M
Global Business Manager, Amelia Hardy 98’ at
the 3M 2013 Sales for Social Impact presentation
Students, faculty, staff and alumni enjoy the Division of Business’ homecoming 2013 pig roast,
tailgate and open house festivities
Fall 2013 Divisional meeting highlighting the
Google Community Leaders internship and
Xavier’s Career Advancement Center
Student congregating at the Career Fair to kick
off the Fall 2013 Business Week
For more information on the programs offered by the Division of Business, please email us at business@xula.edu or call us at
504-520-7505. Or visit us in building 40 (Xavier South) room 325.
For previous editions of our Newsletter, visit us at http://www.xula.edu/business/newsletters.html
http://www.xula.edu/business
Xavier University
Division of Business
1 Drexel Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125-1098