Tabor College Business Department Journal

The seating of the Opera House.

On February 25th, 2010 the Tabor College Business Club traveled to McPherson to tour the newly refurbished Opera House.  The McPherson Opera House was built less than 20 years after the city of McPherson, Kansas, was founded, and its history is richly intertwined with that of the city.  The Opera House has been transformed throughout the years from an Opera House to a movie theater and back to the Opera House as we see it today.

The preservation of the Opera House began in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Preservation Company (now the McPherson Opera House Company).  The Opera House was finished in early 2010 and is currently

A Preserved painting above the stage.

hosting many different events.

The Business Club had the opportunity to walk through the Opera House.  We began on the bottom floor sitting in the front row seats.  While sitting we heard from, John Holecek , Executive Director, who told us about the history of the Opera House, the funding of the project, and some of the problems they faced along the way.  We then got to see the 2nd and 3rd balcony, the ball room, the dressing rooms, we stood on the stage, and saw the grand entrance to the building.  The Opera House also has rooms that use to be sleeping quarters for performers.  The sleeping quarter rooms are now rented out and used for different business in McPherson.

After we toured the Opera House the group went to The Well.  The Well is a Christian bookstore and coffee shop.  The coffee shop side of the business created us our own special menu and served us lunch.  It was was a great ending to a good day.  For more information on the McPherson Opera House see their web site at

http://www.mcphersonoperahouse.org/

For more information on The Well see their site at

http://www.splashinthewell.blogspot.com/

Our group on the balcony.

In the ballroom.

The day started at 4:45a.m. when 17 students and 2 faculty met in the business building to embark on the days  adventure.  The destination was Omaha, Ne.  The quest was touring Gallup University and Rosenblatt stadium.

If you are driving from Hillsboro to Omaha you are guaranteed at least 5 hours in a car for some high quality bonding experiences.  The group divided into two vans.  One of the vans had a GPS named Lou Lou.  When we arrived at Omaha, Lou Lou became a much needed companion.

After a few wrong turns and getting aid from Lou Lou we arrived at Gallup.  The Gallup tour was a cool experience.  We didn’t get to tour the whole building because of how big it is, but we saw a good majority of it.

On the tour we saw the CEO’s office and learned that he is only at Gallup in Omaha a few months out of the year because he resides in Washington D.C at the corporate headquarters.  On the tour we also saw that the company supplied a daycare, bank, and a workout center.  Gallup wants their employees to have conveniences right in the work place.

We also experienced the technology room. The technology room at Gallup has a database of all the data they have collected over the years. The database is secluded in a room that is highly secure.  The room is designed to with stand tornadoes.  The database is also backed up in another location.  These precautions prevent the company from losing any of  the data they have collected over the years.

The database is securely locked down so no hackers can break through.  Gallup hires companies to try to hack into their computers.  This prevents any leakage of information and gives confidence that everything remains confidential.

Gallup’s main products include:  research, Strengths Qwest, Gallup Poll, and they just recently started a Global Poll.  The company does not have an overall mission statement, but instead has individual missions for each employee that targets the values of the company.

After Gallup we headed straight to Rosenblatt Stadium.  Rosenblatt Stadium is home to the College World Series.  While we were at Rosenblatt, we learned that the Stadium is going to be torn down and two new stadiums will be built.  One of these stadiums will be specifically for the College World Series while the other will be for the Omaha Royals.

Rosenblatt Stadium is an outdated stadium, but it was still fun to tour.  We started the tour by going down on the field and taking pictures standing on it.  Then we saw the locker rooms, announcers box, press boxes, and party rooms.  The marketing manager of Rosenblatt gave us the tour and was very informative on sports management and everything it entailed.

After Rosenblatt we stopped for supper then headed home.

By the time we returned back to Tabor it was around 9:00p.m. It was a long day, but we had a lot of fun, made memories, and learned more about different jobs in the business field!

This week the business students at Tabor are on the move.  The auditing and intermediate accounting classes will be in Wichita on Wednesday and the Business Club will be in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday.

On Wednesday, November 18 the auditing and intermediate accounting classes will be attending the Annual Professional Issues Update  in Wichita.  The Kansas Society of CPA’s (KSCPA) is responsible for organizing the Professional Issues Update and have focused the discussion around issues currently affecting and potentially affecting the accounting profession.  The main speaker of the day is  James C. Metzler who is  Vice President of Small Firm Interests Amerian Institues of CPA’s.  Mr. Metzler will specifically be speaking on IRS testing of tax return preparers, the latest national survey results, student recruitment, staffing issues, technology, and much more.  All accounting students and faculty have been invited to attend the event which gives Tabor’s students a chance to connect with other accounting students in the area.

On Friday, November 20 the Business Club will be making the long trek to Omaha, Nebraska.  The day will be packed full of tours and presentations on different types of jobs available to a business major.  We are going to start the day  by going to Gallup.  Gallup is one of the largest marketing and research firms in the United States and is  most commonly known for the Gallup Poll as well as Strenths Quest. While we are at Gallup, they are going to be giving us a tour of their facilitiies, talk to us about the history of their company, job opportunities, and we will eat lunch in their cafeteria.  After Gallup, the club will then go to Rosenblatt Stadium.   Rosenblatt Stadium is where the college baseball world series is played.  The business club is going to tour the stadium and get to go down onto the field.  They are going to hear a presentation on the history of the stadium and the recent decision that has been made on building a new stadium.  They are also going to see possible job opportunities that are available for Business Professionals who love sports and specifically baseball. After touring the stadium we will make the long journey back home.

Both trips will be great opportunities for Tabor Business Students to network with other business professionals as well as learn about different job opportunities that are available.  The days should allow us to gain awareness of future jobs we would like to pursue and work towards. As well as, help us become aware of issues and circumstances affecting business today.

It seems to me that as we keep moving through the semester, it keeps getting busier and busier.  Homework, group projects, tests, midterms,  football games, volleyball games, soccer games, cross-country meets, Sadie Hawkins the list keeps going on and on.  With so many events taking place, it is hard for me to believe we are already half way through the first semester.

The business students at Tabor have settled into a comfortable, yet hectic, routine and are working hard to successfully complete their courses.  For some, this routine includes scheduling  time with their newly assigned mentor.  The new mentoring program for business students is currently underway.  Each student that had an interest in participating in the program has been partnered up with a successful business studies alum.  The mentor and mentoree are encouraged to make some kind of contact with each other at least once a month.  The goal of the program is  “to prepare business students to become future business leaders by linking them with senior mentors who have taken that path and are committed to sharing with the next generation.”

On November 18th, seven accounting students will be going to an “Annual Professional Issues Update” which is being presented by the Kansas Society of CPA’s.  At the presentation, the students will hear issues currently affecting the accounting profession and predictions of issues that could arise in the future.

The business studies building has also been asked to create a survey to collect information in order to determine instructional needs of technology at Tabor.  We have sent out the surveys using survey monkey and have received feedback, but are still awaiting more.

If you are interested in us keeping in contact with you, please email us at business@tabor.edu . We would be glad to let you know all the happenings on campus!

Studying, tests, projects, and assignments has been the latest news from the Business Studies Building.  All the students have settled into a routine and have been working hard.

For the first time in 20 years Tabor is once again offering Agriculture as a class.  This class was added because of high interest from some of the students.  Taking a look at some of the other classes, projects are a huge part of the curriculum.    Some of the projects are individual projects where you demonstrate what you have learned throughout the course while others are group projects which give you the opportunity to collaborate with other students.  Financial Management is one example of a class where the students are working hard on an individual semester long project while gaining knowledge from a text book.  The entire Public Relations class is working on one big group project.  The project is creating a PR Campaign for the Student Success Office.  The campaign will cover many forms of advertising and is design to promote the tutoring program.   International Business, Auditing, Accounting, and Marketing classes have all challenged the students with at least one test already this semester.

Many of the students are excited for this weekend as the homecoming festivities will be underway.  Starting the festivities on Wednesday night, is  the  homecoming musical “Children of Eden.”     “Children of Eden” has involvement from many of our students and will be presented Wednesday through Sunday.  Along with the musical the students are looking forward to the big game which also encompasses the dedication of our new stadium as well as the crowning of the king and queen.  The students also look forward to the campus coming alive as we meet up with old friends that have graduated as well as be introduced to Tabor Alumni from years gone by.

On September 3, 2009 Tabor’s Business Club had the opportunity to meet four representatives from Koch industries.  Koch, one of the largest privately owned companies in America, employ’s  about 70,000 people and they have a presence in almost 60 different countries.  They own companies involved in refining and chemicals, pollution control equipment and technologies, minerals and fertilizers, forest and consumer products, and financial trading and services.

Koch’s presentation to the students was on “Getting a New Prospective.”  One way to gain a new prospective is by taking part in an internship program.  Koch’s  internship program is highly competitive.  They have approximately 40 positions to fill for their summer program.  Koch  is looking specifically for Accoutning/Finance majors.

Since this process is competitive, they  gave advice on how you can succeed in the application and interviewing process.   First, how you present yourself on your resume is crucial.  Choosing the right words to describe yourself can be a major factor on whether you get the job.  Second,  extracurricular activities in comparison to your GPA will heighten your chances.  Koch is looking for students who have become involved in other activities outside the classroom. Especially if those activities have taken you into a leadership role.  Koch is  more likely to take a student with a lower GPA and lots of leadership skills then a student with a high GPA and no  leadership skills.  Third, when going in for an interview make sure you have specific life instances that show your true self.  Koch is looking to find out what makes you stand out among the other students  applying.  They want to know how you have responded in certain situations and if you are aware of your actions.

Having Koch come to campus was a great opportunity for students to network with other business professionals as well as get feedback on what will help each one succeed.  We are grateful Koch was willing to take the time to come and present to us.

With finals finally over and all final project and papers handed in, students here at Tabor College can lean back in their chairs and give a huge sigh of relief as the ’08-’09 school year has come to an end.

Another semester full of hard work and effort still yields the same results, another semester full of great experiences, a lot of knowledge and growing friendships. Tabor College is a very tightly knit community between students and faculty, one that creates not just an educational environment but a family environment. Here in the Tabor College Business Department, we highly emphasize in student-student communication as well as teacher-student communication. This type of environment helps minimize stress, and creates a better quality learning environment.

So to the seniors who are graduating, the Business Department would like to say Congratulations Class of 2009, and good luck in all of your future endeavors. To those seniors looking to further there educational boundaries in Graduate School, Good Luck! And to those whom are returning to Tabor College next year and the years to come, have a great and blessed summer and we will see you in the Fall semester of 2009.

Once again, Congratulations Class of 2009 in another monumental accomplishment. God Bless.

-Tabor College Business Department-

This last stretch of the school year for most is a time aspiration and crunch time. With summer just lingering around the corner, students just can’t help but think ahead of the fun and relaxing times in the sun. However, this is a very important time of the school year as many group projects are nearing its end, and finals are less then a month away.

For those individuals graduating in May, the nerves begin to tremor just a little bit more. This is a time of recollection for those individuals as their time here at Tabor College is nearing its final end. The Business Department would like to extend an early congratulation to the graduating class of 2009.

The Business Department would like to wish the entire Tabor College student body and faculty a successful and strong finish to the final home stretch of the 2008-2009 school year.

The food drive held by the Tabor College Business Club to help out Main Street Ministries of Hillsboro, KS was a great success. The Business Club was able to compile a significant amount of participation from the Tabor Community as well as the Hillsboro Community by placing collection sites both campus and city wide. I huge thank you to those who participated in this event.

More Tabor College Business Club updates consist of t-shirts for the business club member. The design for the business club t-shirt is currently in the design process and will be posted as soon as it has been completed. The t-shirts will assist in spreading a campus wide awareness of who partakes in the Business Club and its events, as well as offer the members some kind of memorabilia.

Lastly, the Business Club is bringing a guess speaker on April 16, 2009. The guess speaker will be speaking on the topic of ethics. The guess speaker is soon to be announced. We are looking forward to the presentation, as it will provide helpful information for the future for our business club members and seminar attendees.

Welcome back Tabor College student body and faculty. We hope that your Spring Break was safe and relaxing. We hope that your travels to and from your locations were also safe.

Spring Break is a great time to take a step back from all of the hard work put into the first half of the spring semester. It is a time to take a deep breathe and reduce stress built-up throughout the semester. But it is also a time to mentally prepare for the last stretch of the spring semester, and for those whom are graduating in May, their final stretch.

Spring Break marks the midway point of the semester, which means group projects are beginning to reach their climax in work-in-progress. Group projects are usually presented towards the end of the semester, but these group projects consist of sections that are to be completed in sequence until the final product is presented. These groups have met routinely to stay on pace for a set completion date. Good luck to those groups in finishing up those projects.

Once again, the Tabor College would like to welcome back the Tabor College Community, and hopes that everyone had a safe break and travels.