Fall 2000 - NIU College of Business - Northern Illinois University

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“Northern gave me the foundation for what I have achievedin the business world,” said Barsema. “Even as a student, Ialways hoped that someday I would be in a position to helpthe school out and make a difference, so this is really adream come true.”“Higher education is something we both feel very stronglyabout,” said Stacey Barsema. “It is the foundation for futuregenerations, so we are very excited that we can make sucha gift.”The building, which will be built on Garden Road, just northof the Engineering Building, will house the entire College ofBusiness, bringing all functions under one roof for the firsttime in decades. It will replace 41-year-old Wirtz Hall and96-year-old McMurry Hall as home for the college. Thoughno specific plans have been made, the College of Business’move into new quarters will free up space and help theuniversity address some long-standing shortages aroundcampus.When it is completed in the spring of 2002, it will be thepremier business school facility in the nation.The design will incorporate the latest trends of corporateAmerica, which is well suited to Barsema’s long-term vision:to see NIU become a leader in transforming the Chicagoarea into one of the nation’s leading technology centers.“We share that vision,” said David Graf, dean of the Collegeof Business. “I sincerely believe this facility will help us tobetter prepare students for careers in the new economy.”The centerpiece of the building will be a soaring three-storyatrium that the architect believes will help foster a sense ofcommunity for students, faculty, and staff—one of theprimary goals identified in the design process. On the mainfloor, the atrium features a central café with a coffee bar,tables, and booths where students can meet, study, orrelax. Surrounding the café will be seating areas suitable forsmall groups, quiet study, and socializing. The main levelwill also have direct access to a terrace overlooking a smallpond on the east side of the building.“The atrium is going to be a fun space and should reallymeet their need for a place that will bring everyone together,”said architect Mark Hopkins of HKM Architects +Planners.The need for communal space was also addressed throughthe creation of small formal and informal meeting areasthroughout the building where teams and groups cangather to work. “That was important to us since we have ourstudents involved in more team projects than any othercollege on campus,” Graf said.To Hopkins, including such spaces in a business schoolmade perfect sense. “This is the way that office buildingsare being designed today. Companies want more openspace, and more flexible space, where groups can gatherto work on projects. This will be right on the edge ofcorporate thinking,” he said.While the design of the building is impressive, perhaps itsmost spectacular aspect is the technology that it willincorporate. It will be wired throughout with the fastestInternet connections available. Every desk in every class-Stacey and DennisBarsema discuss plansfor Barsema Hall.room, the seats in the auditorium—even the couches in thelounge areas—will be wired for power and the Internet.There will be more than 1,000 connections in all, a starkcontrast to the college’s current quarters, which do not offera single Internet connection for laptop users.“There will be no technological or power constraints of anykind. The most complex charts, diagrams, or streamingvideo will be available at the touch of a button,” said WalterCzerniak, NIU associate vice president for informationtechnology. “Technologically speaking, just about anythinga professor or student can imagine, they will be able to do.”“State-of-the-art is a phrase that gets abused an awful lot,but when Barsema Hall is opened it will truly set thestandard for modern business schools,” Graf said. “It willmeet our needs not only for the present, but for the foreseeablefuture, and it will help us educate the business leadersof tomorrow for years to come.”The Barsema gift, and interest earned by the NIUFoundation’s investment of that money, will cover the cost ofconstructing the building. And while the building will benamed in honor of Dennis and Stacey Barsema, there willbe ample opportunities within the building to recognizeothers who make major gifts to support College of Businessprograms by naming rooms in their honor.Current plans call for the building to be completed in 19months, with project design to begin in September 2000and construction to be completed by the spring of 2002.4
A Northern Success StoryDennis Barsema, ’77 ManagementIn the spring of 1999, Dennis Barsema, ’77, set out toconvince Wall Street that his company was the next bigthing in Internet technology.For three grueling weeks he talked up the technology anddefended the company’s business plan to the shrewdestfinancial minds in the industry. When he finally broughtRedback Networks to market, it had the fifth most successfulinitial public offering in Wall Street history up until that time.Not bad for aguy who had towork hard toearn Bs whileenrolled in theNIU College ofBusiness, andwho spent hiscollege yearsstruggling toovercome alifelong stutteringproblem.His successamazes evenBarsema, whobegan hiscareer earning$11,500 a yearselling calculators.“Dennis Barsema’s career should stand as an example forevery NIU student,” said NIU President John G. Peters. “Hisroots and his background are the same as so many of ourstudents today; they should see themselves reflected in him.His example of determination and drive should inspire themto find their own path to success in life.”Despite his many accomplishmentsand such accolades, Barsemaremains the friendly, outgoing guywho served as social chair andpresident of the Sigma AlphaEpsilon fraternity in the mid 1970s,days he recalls fondly.“My NIU education gave me a solidfoundation for my career and forlife,” Barsema recalls. “I had someexcellent professors and classes,but more than anything, it taughtme never to give up.”In appreciation for those lessons, Barsema and his wife,Stacey, recently made the largest gift ever to NIU, giving“Dennis Barsema’s careershould stand as an examplefor every NIU student,” saidNIU President John G. Peters.$20 million for the construction of a new College of Businessbuilding, funding scholarships, and supportingoutstanding programs. Those things, he hopes, will benefitnot only NIU, but also the entire Chicago region.“We firmly believe that education precedes growth,” saysBarsema, who envisions a day when Chicago can rivalSilicon Valley or Boston as a high-tech center. “For that tohappen, however, we must refocus the education system ontraining people whowill create or join hightechcompanies. Wehope this sets anexample that otherswill follow to make thatdream a reality.”It is a lofty dream for aman who grew up inwhat was then ruralNaperville, as the sonof Harold and LindaBarsema. His parentshelped shape hisfuture by giving him asolid set of values andalways supporting himthroughout his life.They taught him thevalue of hard work,and he took to it early,finding a job as astable hand at the Oak Brook Polo Club when he was just13 years old. He kept that job through his days as a studentathlete (basketball) at the College of DuPage, and gave itup only when he enrolled at NIU as a junior in management.At NIU, Barsema sheepishly admits, he sometimes devotedas much energy to fraternity duties as to studies. In hisspare time, the 6' 4" Barsema playedbasketball at the field house andworked as a bouncer at the Red LionInn. His life plan didn’t extendbeyond pursuing a career in sales,an unlikely choice for someone whostuttered.“I am a big believer that you have toget outside of your comfort zone,” hesays, adding that he took speechclasses his senior year to control thecondition.He began his career at Burroughs Corp., selling calculatorsdoor-to-door. His salary was modest but he was thrilled forContinued on page 65
Page 1 and 2: BUSINESSNETWORKFall2000Barsema Hall
Page 3 and 4: Making a World of DifferenceBusines
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Page 12 and 13: Class of 2000Profile of Our Future
Page 14 and 15: The Ireland ConnectionInternational
Page 16 and 17: 1999-2000 Faculty RetirementsRobert
Page 18 and 19: Alumni EventsNIU Business Alumni Ro
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Page 24: The M.B.A. Programs at NIUQuality-C

Fall 2000 - NIU College of Business - Northern Illinois University

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