NO BUBBLY GAIN, NO PAIN, NO TARP - School of Business ...

FROM THE DEAN
As we publish our second issue of the Annual Report of KU
Finance, I am pleased to invite you to read about some of our
successes. Foremost among them is the recent announcement
that the University of Kansas School of Business has advanced
in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. U.S. News now
lists our School’s undergraduate program 28th in the country
among public institutions.
We believe this and other acknowledgements of success are the
result of a momentum the School has been developing over the
past few years. It is generated by the outstanding quality of our
students, alumni, faculty and staff and the excellent programs
we offer.
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Clearly the addition of new
majors to our programs has
contributed significantly. It
is notable that the Finance
major was the most rapidly
growing choice of the new
majors among our students.
The addition of the Finance
Scholars Program provides
tangible evidence of the
School’s commitment to the
Finance program.
At KU Business, we offer high
quality education in the core
competencies of Business
academics. We also offer a
great deal more. Our multiple
international study opportunities,
the Jayhawks on Wall Street
program, internships and much more mark the distinguishing
difference for our School, and our graduates.
In order for us to offer so many valuable educational and
experiential opportunities to our Finance Scholars, we rely
heavily on the support of individuals and corporations. In this
issue of Annual Report of KU Finance are fine examples of how,
by partnering with donors, alumni and friends, KU Business is
able to provide greatly enriched learning experiences for our
students. These and the great many other opportunities we offer
our students contribute to the overall advancement of the KU
School of Business.
I know you will enjoy reading about our successes.
William L. Fuerst
Dean
FROM THE
DIRECTOR
Our 2nd Annual Report of
KU Finance is a great read.
We have accomplished a
lot, and the report gives a
flavor of some of the exciting
activities undertaken and
some of the people who
have been making things happen. The continuing interest in our
Finance Program over the past year is a tribute to its quality,
even in difficult economic times.
KU Finance works to establish strong ties with industry in a
number of ways. For our students, internships are an important
means to acquire real-world finance experience. For our
business constituents, these internships give an opportunity to
gauge the attributes of our students. The report showcases eight
recent successful interning students, all impressive people on
their way to making fine careers. Other profiles within the report
describe the many talents of a very diverse group of Finance
students. Among these is KU’s current starting quarterback
and successful Finance major, Todd Reesing. All the students
showcased are impressive people, making a difference today
and sure to do more in the future.
The report also highlights several faculty members:
Chris Anderson, Jide Wintoki, and Kara Tan Bhala. The talents
and energies of these people are remarkable. And reaching
back, we also profile George Pinches, retired Wagnon
Distinguished Professor of Finance. Many of us who’ve been
around here a few years fondly remember Professor Pinches as
a demanding, excellent instructor and a wonderful colleague.
As you will see, he’s hardly “retired” from a productive life.
While our Finance faculty members publish in top finance
journals, we also work to disseminate cutting edge research
to the broader business financial community. Two examples
highlighted in this report were timely conferences engaging top
academicians and leading business people. Both conferences
demonstrate KU Finance’s commitment to expanding the reach
of the best financial research.
There is quite a bit more in this report that helps to describe
the scope of KU Finance. I think you’ll enjoy the read and be
encouraged by what we are doing. While we are pleased with
these accomplishments, we now are busily working to make
next year’s annual report an even more impressive read!
Douglas Houston
Area Director: Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences