HBA Dinner with Professor Events Connect Students Outside of Class

Each year, the Honors Business Association (HBA) coordinates Dinner with a Professor (DWAP) events for BHP students. These are some of our most popular events. Students and professors enjoy getting to know one another outside of the classroom. For the professors, it is also a chance to share their interests and life outside of academia with the students. We thought we would recap some of the events we had this year. Thank you to parents who support these events by donating to the BHP Parents Endowment!

Dinner with Prof. Ashish Agarwal and Prof. Prabhudev Konana, April 2017

Freshmen attended our most popular DWAP with MIS 301H professors Konana and Agarwal. Prof. Agarwal hosts the event at his home. Around 50 students attend each year. Per usual, students were treated to Indian food and a brief dance party hosted by the two professors.

Dinner with Prof. Neuhann at Clay Pit March 2017

Students enjoyed family-style Indian cuisine at Clay Pit, talking about anything from travels, finance, to famous soccer players with their FIN 357H professor.

 

 

 

Dinner with Prof. Scott at Peached Tortilla, February 2017

These students “R” happy after enjoying a meal with their statistics professor at Peached Tortilla! If you aren’t in the calss, we might need to explain that the pun references the programming language R, which is used in professor Scott’s BHP statistics course. After dinner, the group went to Amy’s Ice-Cream for dessert!

 

 

Dinner with Prof. Hann at El Mercado, November 2016

BHP Students shared chips and queso with thFIN 357H professor Joe Hahn. Although he is not teaching the class this semester, he will be back teaching for BHP in the fall.

 

 

Dinner with Prof. Newman at Maudie’s Tex-Mex, November 2016

Students enjoyed a filling meal at Maudie’s with everyone’s favorite accounting professor, Dr. Paul Newman. Dr. Newman will be retiring this year after having taught at UT Austin since 1987. He will be greatly missed.

 

 

 

Dinner with Prof. Greenberg and Prof. Lukoff, November 2016

BHP Sophomores had a great time grabbing pizza with their STA 309H professors.

 

 

 

Dinner with Prof. McAlister and Prof. Peterson at Trudy’s, October 2016

BHP juniors made important connections with their marketing professors over queso and stuffed avocados. Do you see the Mexican food theme arising? It is always one of the students favorites!

 

 

 

Dinner with Prof. Greta Fenley at Gusto Italian Kitchen, September 2016

Amid plates of delicious Italian food, students got to know Prof. Fenley outside of the classroom and had the opportunity to share their backgrounds and interests.

Alumni Spotlight – Chris Crump – Class of 1991

Like most BHP students, I started my career with a desire to achieve as much as possible.  A 1991 BHP graduate, I started at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in 1992 after getting my MBA at McCombs.  I worked at Accenture for 22 years, 12 as a partner in Accenture’s Strategy practice.  Focusing on organization change, leadership, and employee engagement, I worked on some of Accenture’s largest global accounts at places like Exxon, Chevron, Cargill, and DuPont.  Along the way, I enjoyed exciting work; fantastic teams; and the opportunity to be on the inside of some of the biggest companies in the world.  I also earned 4 million airline miles, and though that sounds great, the travel began to take a toll on my health and well being.

Time for a Change

The plan was never 22 years.  Like most new consultants, I thought 2-3 years of experience across industries would give me a good idea on what I wanted to do next.  As it turned out, I was too busy to figure out what to do after consulting.  After preaching change management to my clients for two decades, it became clear that I needed to embrace change in my own life.  So I walked away from consulting to start a sabbatical, and I did so without a plan!

So, Now What?

On March 12, 2014, I was unemployed for the first time since the Reagan Administration.  Not surprisingly, I was a bit lost on what to do next.  There was no new promotion to go after, no new client to win over, no important executive to network with.  With none of the usual demands on my time. I was able to spend more time with my family and friends and to nurture some new interests.

When I left Accenture, my son was a 7th grader.  After having missed way too many teacher conferences and school events due to business travel, I fully embraced being a stay-at-home dad.  Making breakfast every morning, and cooking with my son in the evenings are memories that will stay with me forever.  Even though he is about to be a high school junior, I am still the first 30 minutes of conversation after school each day.  It is nice to be available at 3:30!

All this is great, but I still needed to figure out what to do with my time and energy.  I considered any number of possibilities, from writing to teaching to opening my own coffee shop.  As nothing seemed quite right, I decided to spend my time learning instead of stressing on what’s next (didn’t I leave work to avoid stress in the first place?).

First, I dusted off the French textbook from college and committed to learning a second language.  Three years later, I am largely fluent, devouring French newspapers, movies, and novels.  Despite all my business travel, I had rarely traveled internationally for leisure.  With my new found language skills in tow, that quickly changed.  With time for longer trips abroad (yes, I backpacked, no I did not stay at a youth hostel), I gained a deeper appreciation and study of European history, politics, art, and architecture.  No longer worried about the next client, I can now be found tweeting on the French election instead.  I have enjoyed the process of learning French so much, that I have recently began learning German as well.

The break from work also gave me more time to reconnect with the University.  Now serving on the BHP Advisory Board, I enjoy the time I have spent talking to students and other alumni.  It has served as a good reminder about how much I care about the University and how nice it is to connect to today’s BHP students.  They are truly an impressive group of young people.

Second Act

Still in my forties with lots of energy, I have started a more active search for what’s next.  Freed from concerns about the next promotion or the next deal, I am looking at opportunities differently  than I did in my prior life.  One of my favorite things about Accenture was working on globally diverse teams.  Of all the  I miss from my prior career, what I miss most is the opportunity to work with smart people from other countries, learning how they do things and what they value.

Given my preference for international work, and my new-found language skills, I have begun the process of networking in Europe with the goal of finding meaningful work there.  Specifically would like to apply what I learned in the business world to education, teaching, and preparing future leaders.  I’m not sure yet if that will lead me to a think tank in Paris, a classroom in Zurich, or the UN in Geneva, but, as I now live my life free of plans and expectations, I am happy to patiently wait to see what comes my way.

Like many BHP graduates, I left school looking to always have a plan and to be in control.  Surprisingly, I have found that giving up control can actually lead to a more fulfilling life. I know not everyone can take multiple years off from work, but for those that can even take a short sabbatical, I highly recommend it – you never know where you may end up!

Faculty Spotlight: Jedrzej Bialkowski – STA 375H

Written by Megan Tran-Olmsted

After building relationships with The University of Texas during his first visit in 2012, visiting professor Jedrzej Bialkowski was invited by the Department of Finance to teach and conduct research at UT for the Spring 2017 semester. With his breadth of knowledge in research areas such as microstructures and market risk management, The McCombs School of Business is lucky to have Professor Bialkowski for the semester!

Professor Bialkowski is teaching the Statistics and Modeling for Finance course (STA375H) to Business Honors Sophomores. The course serves as a hybrid between statistic skills learned in Statistics 309, market topics in Finance 357, and coding skills from MIS 301 – all courses required by BHP. The course seeks to help students utilize programs like SAS and @Risk to analyze market data and draw conclusions about financial performance. When teaching the class, Bialkowski routinely gives students real-world data from projects that he has worked on, allowing students to see the material learned in practice.

Jedrzej Bialkowski has been recruited by the world’s top universities and has been teaching for almost a decade after receiving several higher educational degrees. Professor Bialkowski was born and raised in Poland, but has received his education from universities around Europe. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, he pursued a master’s degree in mathematical finance, received his PhD in financial economics in Frankfurt, Germany and his post-doctoral degree in Paris, France.

Professor Bialkowski was then contacted by the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand for a research and teaching position within the finance department. After spending several years at the university, Bialkowski took an associate professorship at The University of Canterbury within the department of economics and finance.

When Dr. Bialkowski was choosing a career path, he briefly considered a career in financial services, but saw the benefits of academia as far greater. He says that his favorite aspect of teaching is that he can see students growing throughout the semester. Additionally, Bialkowski says that being a professor allows him to be the owner of his own time, something that he sees as invaluable.

In his free time, Professor Bialkowski enjoys traveling and has done so in several countries and across multiple continents. Though he was born in a country known for its chilly winters, Bialkowski says that he has an inkling for warm weather, and a particular weakness for the pacific island of Fiji. During class times, Bialkowski spends the last five minutes of class discussing notable places to travel within New Zealand, including famous beaches, museums, and even a bungee jumping spot that he ventured to.

If you spot him around McCombs, be sure to ask Dr. Bialkowski a couple of these questions:

  • Where are your favorite travel spots within New Zealand?
  • What are your favorite sports and classes that Gregory Gym offers?
  • Where else would you like to teach or live?

Stop by Professor Bialkowski’s office hours on Monday and Wednesday from 4:30PM – 5:30PM in CBA 3.440. He is eager to get to know students with interest in statistics, finance, and more.

BHP Students Honored for Leadership, Service and Scholastic Achievement

Congratulations to all of the students recognized at the McCombs Honors Convocation this past Friday. Here is a list of the BHP students who received awards at the event. In addition to these individuals, we were proud to honor many of you for your outstanding scholastic achievements and want to congratulate all business students and organizations who were honored with an award this year.

McCombs BBA/MPA Alumni Advisory Board Award


Rising Star Leadership Award
 – Bethany Rolan

This award is presented to a graduating McCombs undergraduate or MPA student who has proven an established commitment to service within the McCombs School through outstanding scholarship and achievements, as well as exemplary leadership and community involvement. The recipient demonstrates significant growth potential as a future leader in the McCombs community.

BHP Award


Conrad Doenges Award – Bethany Rolan

This award is given to a Business Honors senior, who in the judgment of their peers and the BHP faculty and staff, have distinguished themselves in academics and leadership.

Accounting Award
Excellence in Accounting – Natalie McDole

This award is presented to an Accounting senior who has demonstrated excellence at all levels of their accounting coursework. The recipient of this award embodies a mastery of accounting knowledge that suggests the recipient will be a leader in a professional accounting environment.

Management Award

Management Excellence Award – Sarth Raj

This award is given to a Management major who exhibits outstanding academic performance and the potential to excel as a management professional.

Supply Chain Award

Outstanding Supply Chain Management Student Award – Katie Stephens

The Outstanding SCM Student Award recognizes an undergraduate Supply Chain Management student that exhibits academic excellence and significant peer leadership experience.

Undergraduate Business Council Awards

George Mitchell Business Leadership Award  This award recognizes students who have exhibited strong leadership within the McCombs School. There are two winners per class.

Freshmen – Pranay Tamminayana

Sophomores – Genny Li, Uttam Eamani

Junior – Ananya Jha

Texas BBA Program Awards

BBA Outstanding Service  and Leadership Awards – Madison Gove, Zach Schultz, Katie Stephens, Paige Kimball, Humza Tariq, Neo Nanna, Sean Sellers, Imelda Resendiz

 

Alumni Spotlight: Ben Pyne and Bekah Thayer Pyne – Global Health Corps Fellows

Ben Pyne and Bekah Thayer Pyne graduated from BHP in 2013. They met in the program and married a few years after graduating. They both went to work as Deloitte Strategy & Operations consultants, but after three years, they felt called to use their skills to further social justice causes of importance to them. In the fall, they both became Global Health Corps (GHC) Fellows and moved to Kampala, Uganda. It has been a big adjustment for them, but they are loving the experience and the work they are doing.

As a GHC Fellow, Ben is working with IntraHealth International as a Health Worker Performance Management Officer. The organization’s mission is to improve the performance of health workers and strengthen the systems in which they work. IntraHealth has partnered with local communities in over 100 countries since 1979 to make sure health workers are present where they are needed most, ready to do their jobs, connected to the technology they need, and safe to do their very best work.

In Uganda, IntraHealth is implementing a five-year USAID-funded project called Strengthening Human Resources for Health (SHRH). Across the country, a high rate of absenteeism in the public health workforce hinders patients’ access to care. The absenteeism rate has been estimated consistently above 40% in past years and stems from a number of systemic factors. In his role, Ben is planning, designing, implementing, and monitoring a sustainable system for tracking attendance of health workers and making data-driven decisions to manage absenteeism across the Ugandan healthcare system.

The SHRH Project builds capacity to manage HR (including attendance) data from the largest national hospital to the most remote facilities that may only have one formally trained health worker. This means involving central government stakeholders, 111 Ugandan decentralized districts, and health workers across thousands of health facilities. “Not surprisingly, working in this role and in this context has been a huge challenge and growth opportunity for me both personally and professionally,” said Ben. “Still, I am thrilled to be one of many helping to solve such a systemic and troublesome problem impacting Ugandans’ healthcare.”

Bekah is working with Days for Girls (DfG) as a Monitoring & Evaluation Officer. DfG’s mission is to create a more dignified, free, and educated world through access to lasting feminine hygiene solutions. The mission is carried out in three main ways – through offering locally-made, high-quality washable menstrual hygiene Kits; reproductive health education training; and women-led enterprise development. Days for Girls has already reached over 640,000 women and girls in 100+ countries.

“When you give a woman or girl a Days for Girls Kit, you give back days of education, health, and economic opportunity that would otherwise be missed,” said Bekah “Equipping half of our global talent pool isn’t just the right thing to do – it has an insurmountable impact on the growth and development of our societies.” A UNESCO report estimates that in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, 1 in 10 girls miss school during their menstrual cycle.

Bekah is developing the infrastructure, tools, and evaluation systems for the global M&E department. “Days for Girls’ innovative approach to empowering women captured my heart along with the role which is perfectly aligned with my desire to use data to promote gender parity.” A report by No Ceilings points out “Only by collecting consistent and complete data can governments and policymakers fully understand the issues facing women and girls, develop targeted solutions, and measure progress or lack thereof.” Bekah created digital field data collection tools which work without an internet connection to ensure the organization can manage information across all of the areas in which they work no matter how remote. She’s excited to see how the new M&E systems are helping Days for Girls make data-driven decisions and share the impact of their work in a credible and tangible way.

The Global Health Corps program operates a partnership model. All fellows work in teams of two at each placement organization, with one national fellow and one international fellow. Both Bekah and Ben have greatly enjoyed and benefited from that model. They are also enjoying the program’s commitment to producing tangible results and the structured professional development opportunities during the fellowship year.

Ben and Bekah have another four months of work through GHC and their placement organizations in Uganda. After completing the year-long fellowship, they plan to combine their past corporate experience with their field experience to continue their pursuit of careers in development and social innovation. Ben and Bekah assert that despite the stresses of working in a new field, living in a new country, and no longer benefiting from corporate America’s generous benefits, pursuing these opportunities has been one of the most interesting, joy-giving, and enriching experiences of their lives.