Missouri State’s College of Business (COB) has a long history of corporate outreach, something that’s consistent with its mission and accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

“Through intentional corporate outreach, COB not only strengthens our relationships with organizations that recruit and employ our graduates; we also receive insight and feedback to ensure curriculum throughout the college remains current,” says Dr. David Meinert, dean of the College of Business. “Industry input is essential to ensure graduates are career ready, not just for entry-level roles, but for long-term career advancement as well.”

Meinert shared a few examples of how COB puts these principles into action. “Prospective students and their families expect higher education to provide experiential learning, internship prospects and placement opportunities,” he says. “Our corporate outreach, active advisory boards and networking opportunities are invaluable in helping us meet these goals for our students.”

Engaging Industry Professionals

For several decades, the School of Accountancy (SOA) has assisted in the planning, registration and delivery of the Institute of Management Accountant’s (IMA) Heartland Regional Council Education Conference. Through this event, accounting majors gain valuable experience in planning, volunteering and networking with accounting professionals. They also have opportunities to attend workshops, where they gain valuable professional insight.

SOA Director Dr. Kimberly Church says, “Students get to act the part of an accounting professional for the day by sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with practitioners who are expanding their professional network and participating in sessions to stay current with industry trends.”

In recognition of the impact Missouri State’s faculty and students have on the conference and the importance of this support, IMA’s Heartland Regional Council shares a portion of the conference revenue with SOA — a great benefit for the SOA students and program. This fall, SOA further strengthened this relationship by hosting the conference on our campus. Because of the event’s outstanding success, IMA’s Heartland Regional Council already plans to return to Missouri State for the Fall 2024 conference. Bringing prospective employers to campus increases Missouri State’s visibility and enhances the university, COB and SOA brands.

Expanding Relationships Through Advisory Boards

The College of Business has a rich history of engaging with industry professionals via college, departmental, and program advisory boards. In total, COB currently has 11 advisory boards, and there are three more in the works. COB’s Executive Advisory Council (EAC) includes executive- and senior-level business professionals who represent a wide range of local, regional and national firms. Through semi-annual meetings, the EAC provides advice and input to COB leaders.

Five departmental advisory boards provide discipline-specific support and feedback to academic unit leaders and faculty. Program-level advisory boards (such as those for the construction management and entertainment management programs) focus on strengthening curriculum, enhancing internship and full-time placement opportunities, and mentoring students, along with other forms of support. Many of the firms represented on these advisory boards already employ our alumni and participate in COB career fairs, where they actively recruit interns and employees.

Connecting Students and Employers

These COB career fairs happen each September, when we put on two events that connect prospective employers with COB students. We originally hosted these on campus; they grew so popular that we now hold them at the Springfield Expo Center, where we can accommodate more employers and attendees.

This year, 1,159 students — a record number — had the opportunity to interact with 187 unique employers that represent public firms, private firms, government agencies and nonprofits. The recent growth in COB internships and the College’s 95% placement rate (for the most recent reporting period) can be attributed in large part to these career fairs. It is rewarding to see that a high percentage of the corporate recruiters are COB graduates, returning to campus to help current students secure internships or embark on their professional careers.

Around Campus…

The team at Missouri State Libraries is seeking input about the future of Meyer Library. You can use the LibQUAL+ service quality survey, offered by the Association of Research Libraries, to help our Libraries personnel assess best practices.

The Libraries team says that the survey is especially useful because it will allow them to determine where library services can make improvements to better serve the Missouri State community.

Access the Survey

(Please note: Be assured that your answers are confidential as they are anonymous. No identifying links between responses and the individual responding will be retained and only aggregated data will be reported. By clicking on the link, you are consenting to participate in the 2023 LibQUAL+ survey. Participants are intended to be members of the Missouri State University faculty, staff, and/or student body who are 18 years of age or older. If you have any difficulty accessing the survey or if you have any questions, contact the Library LibQual Team at LibraryLibQual@Live.MissouriState.edu or call (417) 836-4732.)