2020 News
WCU Entrepreneurship Club Wins Chapter Award at CEO Global Conference and Pitch Competition
December 7, 2020
The College of Business and Public Management is excited to share and celebrate that the WCU Entrepreneurship Club – Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) WCU Chapter won first place in the category for Best Cross Campus Entrepreneurial Diffusion Innovation & Networking Award from the CEO Global Conference and Pitch Competition, which took place November 6-7, 2020.
This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without the team effort by Joey DiGiacomo, Nicole Waslenko, Zaria Jones, Mykeer Spuriel, and the Entrepreneurship Club’s President Cassidy Williams. As Williams attests, “networking has given our chapter an exceptional amount of insight into the minds of our current and prospective members.”
This award recognizes a CEO chapter that is “not only impacting business majors, but expanding well beyond the college of business and interacting, organizing and engaging other colleges of programs.”
The CEO chapter from The University of Texas at El Paso won second place in this category.
The WCU Entrepreneurship Club is the local chapter of the nationwide Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO), and aims to inspire, enlighten, and empower its members to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation. The club has weekly meetings where student entrepreneurs are introduced to a variety of entrepreneurial concepts through workshops, guest speakers, chapter activities, presentations and conference. Interested students can contact Club President Cassidy Williams (cw914651@wcupa.edu) and Faculty Advisor Dr. Yong Wang (ywang2@wcupa.edu) for more information.
The WCU Entrepreneurship Club’s activities have been supported by Dr. Monica Zimmerman, who leads the Entrepreneurship Minor program in the Department of Management, and Professor Pattie Diggin, who is the Director of the Dr. Edwin Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center.
CEO is the premier entrepreneurship network which serves to inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation. With a diverse entrepreneurial community and global network, CEO provides student entrepreneurs with opportunities, events, chapter activities and conferences to help start businesses.
Kreischer Miller Funds Scholarship for Diversity In Accounting
November 9, 2020
West Chester University is pleased to announce the creation of the Kreischer Miller
Scholarship for Diversity in Accounting. Kreischer Miller, a leading independent accounting,
tax, and advisory firm serving the Greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, has
been active with West Chester University for many years and employs several WCU alumni,
including its Managing Director, Chris Meshginpoosh (pictured).
“Kreischer Miller is already lucky to have so many talented WCU alumni on our team. Having benefited from the education, mentoring, and support I received as a student at West Chester University, I know firsthand how well West Chester prepares students for their careers in accounting,” Meshginpoosh said. “By establishing this scholarship, we hope to provide diverse students with the opportunity to realize those same benefits, as well as help shape a profession that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.”
Awarded annually by the chair of the accounting department in the University’s College of Business & Public Management and in collaboration with the WCU Foundation, this scholarship serves as a reflection of Kreischer Miller’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the field of accounting. Recipients must be recently declared WCU accounting majors from a racial or ethnic background that the University has identified as an underrepresented minority group. Recipients will also have the opportunity to connect with Chris Meshginpoosh for a personal conversation.
The sentiment behind this scholarship mirrors important efforts that the College of Business and Public Management has already set in motion. In fall 2020, the College launched a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee to focus on initiatives related to student support and outcomes, especially for: underrepresented – students of color; culture and climate in the college; and curricular and co-curricular programming. The committee includes a faculty member for each of the College’s departments, a staff representative, and will eventually incorporate graduate and undergraduate student representatives.
The Department of Accounting has historically provided the opportunity for students from the group National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) to attend the NABA Eastern Region Student Conference. The conference includes workshops, seminars and interview sessions designed to prepare students of color for careers in accounting and financial management disciplines – this year’s conference was held virtually at the end of September. Another student group, Women In Business, helps members develop professionally and cultivate connections.
“West Chester University is committed to the success of our students and to building a diverse and inclusive culture,” said Evan Leach, dean of the College of Business and Public Management. “This scholarship program will move us forward in attracting the best and brightest students to our accounting program.”
The Kreischer Miller Scholarship for Diversity in Accounting adds a significant sum to existing resources for students of color, including several donor-funded scholarships.
The WCU Foundation is proud to partner with the University to advance the common mission of student success.
Supply Chain & Operations Management Competition A Learning Experience for Students
October 9, 2020
The First Supply Chain and Operations Management Case Competition hosted by the Department of Management and the Supply Chain Management Center went virtual this fall. The event was sponsored by Clark Associates (1st-place sponsor) and the Management Fund started by Professor Yu Ru (2nd and 3rd places).
Six student teams were provided one of three business cases developed by Universal Health Services (UHS), United Parcel Service (UPS) and the Department of Management. The cases each addressed a different aspect of supply chain and operational management.
The group of Austin Hake, Ryan Link and Andres Penaloza took first place presenting on UHS’ Procurement Case. Second place went to Sofiane Bensmail, Lauren Cooperman and Mya Ruffin on the Study Abroad Case from the Department of Management, and Shelby Applegate took third also on the Study Abroad Case.
UHS developed a case related to the healthcare industry experiencing product availability issues. The teams with this case were challenged to analyze the challenges, develop a cost-efficient procurement plan to ensure the products that are needed to treat patients are available, and recommend alternative sources of products when production is back to normal.
The case by the management department was developed around a study abroad trip to China. All available spots on the trip were filled within one day of applications opening, but due to changes at the partner university, housing at the university is no longer being offered which has raised additional hotel costs. The study abroad trip was later canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. In this case, students were asked to discover the challenges, develop a risk-mitigation plan for future study abroad trips, and identify which entities that should bear the costs associated with the trip.
UPS’ case focused on the logistics of a company expanding into international markets and how to most efficiently create a supply chain for their first international warehouse wholesale store. Students were asked to first identify the challenge in this case, develop a strategic plan for constructing a facility to assist its supply chain, and determine a supply chain strategy to minimize cost and obsolete inventory.
The judging panel which included J.B. Anderson, Risk Strategy & Execution Vice President at JPMorgan Chase & Company, Yana Walker, Global Supply Chain Director at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Jennifer Taylor, Contract Manager at Universal Health Services (UHS), Michael Bracciante, President of APICS Brandywine Valley, Yu Ru, Executive Senior Director at TEVA Pharmaceuticals, Jennifer Ahern, Senior Contract Analyst for UHS, and Jack Kupsky, Director of Procurement for Clark Associates provided feedback and engaged with the students in evaluating their proposals.
A Strong Showing for WCU Teams in the Virtual 8th Annual Business Idea Competition
September 25, 2020
The grand prize winners of this year’s Business Idea Competition was a team in the WCU Graduate Student, Alumni, Faculty and Staff Track. PROmotion Health, an application to assist in detecting depression in college athletes was presented by the team of WCU Faculty members Lindsey Keenan, Rachel Daltry and Kellianne Milliner.
In addition to being the 2020 Business Idea Competition winner, PROmotion also took home the top prize in the WCU Graduate, Alumni, Faculty & Staff Track. The team plans to use the $4,000 in prize money to continue to advance and promote PROmotion for use by athletic departments in the PASSHE system and the NCAA.
From the West Chester University Undergraduate Track, Grace McDonough, Dylan Martin, Eric Garman, and Samuel Gangel won first place forRent DubC, a user-friendly application that provides knowledge to first-time student renters. The application is designed to educate users about leasing and insurance, in effort to make the rental process more efficient.
The winner of the Chester County High School Track was Shruti Meenakshi for OpTIMEmistic, an application designed to provide young students with personable schedules, in effort to improve time management. The application aims in assisting students to add structure to their day and maximize work output.
The winner of the Chester County Based Start-up Track was Adam Salamon for Pression, an innovative, active wearable compression technology to help athletes recover faster, train harder, and increase their winning potential.
This year’s pitch event was sponsored by Meridian Bank (Host Sponsor), Univest (Gold Sponsor), and PSECU (Gold Sponsor). The Eighth Annual Business Idea Competition was co-hosted by the Dr. Edwin Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center, the Keiretsu Forum Mid-Atlantic, and The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.
WCU Alum Frederick E. Hubler, Jr. Emerging As A Leading Expert
September 23, 2020
West Chester University alumnus and current WCU Business Advisory Board member Frederick E. Hubler, Jr. ’96 has emerged as a leading expert in the field of alternative investments, especially over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. Just this year, Hubler has had more than 10 media mentions by local, regional and national outlets. Most prominently, Hubler, who is the President and Chief Wealth Strategist of Creative Capital Wealth Management Group, has appeared in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) twice this summer. Hubler’s contributions to articles in the WSJ can be found here:
The Case for Alternative Investments
If Saving During a Pandemic Is Hard, Here’s How to Stay Motivated
M.S. in Human Resource Management Achieves SHRM Alignment
September 15, 2020
West Chester University of Pennsylvania’s College of Business and Public Management announced today that the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has acknowledged that its Master of Science in Human Resource Management program has renewed its alignment with SHRM’s HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.
Every five years, the program goes through the process of asking the Society for Human Resource Management – the professional body representing HR practitioners in the United States – to recognize the program as being aligned with their academic curriculum. Throughout the world, over 400 programs in approximately 375 educational institutions have been acknowledged by SHRM as being in alignment with its suggested guides and templates.
The HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates were developed by SHRM to define the minimum HR content areas that should be studied by HR students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The guidelines – created in 2006 and revalidated in 2010, 2013 and 2017 – are part of SHRM’s Academic Initiative to define HR education standards taught in university business schools and help universities develop degree programs that follow these standards.
WCU Joins SAP University Alliances Program
September 9, 2020
West Chester University’s College of Business and Public Management is now a member of the SAP University Alliances program. The Department of Management and the Supply Chain Management minor will be offering the SAP Student Recognition Award certificate to students who successfully complete SAP-integrated courses beginning during the Fall 2020 semester.
The SAP University Alliances program “enables faculty around the world to educate next generation talent with SAP skills for the intelligent enterprise and the experience economy, engage with SAP events, build industry partnerships, launch graduates in the SAP ecosystem, and inspire young thinkers.”
WCU’s SAP pilot courses include three sections of MGT 341 and one section of MIS 300 in Fall 2020. During the Spring 2021, one section of MGT 351 and one section of MGT 381 will be added as SAP integrated courses. Students who complete three of the SAP-integrated courses with a grade of “C” or better are eligible to receive the SAP Student Recognition Award certificate. Students who earn this certificate have gained hands-on understanding of technology-enabled business process integration, business data mining, and strategic thinking.
Students who plan to take these courses specifically to obtain the SAP Student Recognition Award certificate should check with the instructor to ensure the required SAP content will be covered. It is highly possible for students to graduate with the Minor in Supply Chain Management and the SAP certificate since most SAP-related courses are based on the supply chain management minor courses. For additional information about the SAP courses and the SAP Student Recognition Award certificate program, please contact Dr. Mark (Ma Ga) Yang at myang@wcupa.edu.
SAP Student Recognition Award certificate courses:
- MGT 341 Production and Operations Management (three sections From Fall 2020)
- MGT 351 Supply Chain Management (one section from Spring 2021)
- MIS 300 Intro to Management Information Systems (one section from Fall 2020)
- MGT 381 Quality Management (one section from Spring 2021)
Scott To Serve As Practitioner-in-Residence for Public Policy and Administration
August 19, 2020
The Department of Public Policy and Administration is pleased to announced Chaya Scott as its “Practitioner-in-Residence” teaching PPA 533 Nonprofit Fundraising Essentials for the Fall 2020 semester.
Scott brings a wealth of subject matter expertise and practitioner experience to the classroom for West Chester University Master of Public Administration (MPA) students. Students benefit from being mentored by practitioners who have engaged in practice outside the academic setting.
Scott, Chief Aspiration Officer for Chaya Scott Consulting, LLC, has been serving in executive leadership roles in the nonprofit sector for over 18 years, including the establishment and significant growth of two nonprofit organizations.
Scott began consulting in 2001 to inspire mission-based and for-profit businesses to build more sustainable organizations that anchor thriving communities. In 2008, her career pivoted when her services were retained by the Brandywine Health Foundation to design and lead a community planning process that resulted in a new youth development initiative serving the greater Coatesville community. Following the creation of the Coatesville Youth Initiative, Scott became its founding Executive and served in that role from 2009-2019.
Scott earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations (Magna Cum Laude) from Temple University, a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Immaculata University, and various leadership development certificates.
She began teaching in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at West Chester University as an adjunct professor in 2016. Scott taught MPA courses in Foundations of Nonprofit Management, Grant Writing, and Nonprofit Fundraising.
Center for Newcomer Onboarding Hosted "Best Practices in New Faculty Onboarding" Virtual Event
July 24, 2020
West Chester University’s Center for Newcomer Onboarding hosted a Zoom event on Thursday, July 23, 2020, for leaders in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), titled Best Practices in New Faculty Onboarding (NFO). The event had participation from 10 of the 14 state universities, and each university gave a brief presentation of a best practice, followed by Q&A. The event was very interactive, providing each school with the opportunity to highlight one strength of their NFO, and for all participants to interact and learn from one another.
The Center for Newcomer Onboarding is devoted to facilitating newcomer onboarding experiences through teaching, research, and practice. West Chester University’s Johnna Capitano, Julie Ferris, and Diane D'Archangelo organized and moderated the event.
To learn more about the Center for Newcomer Onboarding, please visit the center’s website.
Long Presents with Marshall Award
June 30, 2020
West Chester University graduate student Gabrielle Long was awarded the Lewis H. Marshall Award which is presented annually by the Chester County Association of Township Officials (CCATO) to a West Chester University student demonstrating academic excellence with a career intent to work in local government in Chester County.
Long, who earned a B.S. in Integrative Biology in 2018 and GIS Certification in 2019, recently completed her M.S. in Geography in 2020. She has served as a GIS Analyst and Parks & Recreation Ambassador for East Goshen Township.
The Marshall Award dates back to in or around 1972 and honors Lewis Marshall. Marshall served as the Secretary/Treasurer of West Goshen Township, CCATO, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.
Anderson Earns CREW Philadelphia Scholarship
June 12, 2020
West Chester University graduate Melanie Anderson ’20 was recently announced as one of six recipients of a Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Philadelphia Scholarship. Anderson graduated this spring with her M.S. in Geography.
CREW Philadelphia awards annual scholarships to deserving local college and university women who are pursuing a career in or related to commercial real estate. The women chosen for the scholarships receive a monetary award, as well as benefits including membership in CREW Philadelphia and opportunities to attend Chapter and CREW Network events.
“Throughout my academic experience, I have completed many courses and projects that focused on sustainability,” Anderson said. “My passions are in sustainable economic development that prioritizes the best interest of the people and our natural environment.
“As an Urban and Environmental planning major, I have learned about the importance of community engagement, planning history and ethics, population geography, and land use planning. As a graduate student, I have gained more experience in GIS and data analytics. I hope for a career in commercial real estate where I can apply all these skills to assist in creating a place that will be representative of all values of sustainability.”
CREW Philadelphia is the commercial real estate industry’s premier business network dedicated to supporting the achievements of women in commercial real estate. They have more than 180 local members who are engaged in all facets of commercial real estate. CREW Philadelphia is one of 75 local chapters of CREW Network. More than 11,000 CREW Network members represent nearly every discipline within the industry and are located in over 70 major markets across the globe.
Olejarski Completes First Year as Managing Editor of Public Integrity
June 9, 2020
Dr. Amanda Olejarski, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration, is finishing up her first year as Managing Editor of Public Integrity. Public Integrity is the flagship scholarly journal for the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) addressing ethical issues affecting society.
“Working with my co-editor, Mike Potter, our editorial members, and the publisher at Public Integrity has been one of the most rewarding and fun jobs in my academic career,” Olejarski said. “For so many people to join together in support of ethics in public service is inspirational.”
Olejarski was selected to a three-year editorial term by the ASPA, and began her service on July 1, 2019. Part of her responsibilities, along with editor in chief Mike Potter, include onboarding manuscripts, communication with authors and reviewers, and recruiting editorial members.
Cottrell Center's Business Idea Pitch Goes Virtual
May 19, 2020
Read more about the Business Idea Competition Finalists
Outstanding Student Award Winner Recognized
May 1, 2020
West Chester University of Pennsylvania’s College of Business and Public Management is proud to announce our outstanding student award winners for the 2019-2020 academic year. These students were recognized during a virtual awards ceremony held on April 30.
The Outstanding Student Awards recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in each College of Business and Public Management program. Each department nominates and selects their award winners based on criteria individual to that department.
Congratulations to the following students:
Outstanding Undergraduate Students
Department of Accounting
Carly Coll
Caitlin Kelly
Alexa Laskowski
Department of Criminal Justice
Megan Clancey
Dean Haralambidis
Department of Economics and Finance
Keith Hazen
Kyle Sukley
Jacob Zeitz
Department of Geography & Planning
Hadjer Ahner
Ryan Gehman
Department of Management
Kevin Crumbling
Makinzie Kennedy
Department of Marketing
Lauren Kirkpatrick
Cameron Leofsky
Kaylee Richard
Outstanding WCU Philadelphia Center Student
Sofiane Moulla
Outstanding Delaware County Community College Student
Kristen Lillie
Outstanding Graduate Students
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Sarah Franzone
Master of Science in Geography
Corey Shamy
Master of Business Administration
Rachel Brutosky
Matthew Mannino
Master of Public Administration
Derek Davis
Damesha Wells
Doctor of Public Administration
Emily Devereux
Master of Science in Human Resource Management
Joann Puccino
WCU Earns Tree Campus USA Recognition for Eighth Consecutive Year
April 21, 2020
Read more about Tree Campus USA
Evan Leach Named Dean of the College of Business and Public Management
April 20, 2020
Following a national search, Evan Leach has been named dean of the College of Business and Public Management at West Chester University (WCU). His appointment is effective immediately.
A faculty member in the WCU Management Department for 25 years, Leach most recently served as the interim dean of the College of Business and Public Management (CBPM) for the past 20 months, overseeing more than 150 faculty members across seven academic departments. He has held a variety of administrative positions at the University including associate provost, vice chair (chair, elect) of West Chester University’s Council of Chairs, chair of the Management Department, and chair of the CBPM Curriculum Committee.
Published in numerous refereed journals, Leach’s research focuses on cognition in employee selection decisions and performance measurement in nonprofit organizations. In addition, Leach conducts research on management pedagogy, specifically in the area of team effectiveness. His research has been published most recently in the Journal of Employment Counseling and Internet Research.
“Dr. Leach’s expertise and experience will continue to advance WCU’s College of Business and Public Management and his leadership is a tremendous asset to our students,” said Laurie Bernotsky, executive vice president and provost. “His leadership will enhance the strategic path that the University is taking to prepare our students to work in a variety of demanding fields and expand their opportunities for rewarding careers in jobs not yet identified.”
Leach received both his doctorate and his master’s degree in Organizational Behavior from Yale University, as well as a master of arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from West Chester University and a bachelor of arts in Psychology from Penn State.
The College of Business and Public Management offers nine undergraduate degrees, 12 undergraduate minors, and seven graduate programs. The CBPM School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, the global accrediting body for schools of business, and the Master of Public Administration is accredited by NASPAA. The college is also committed to incorporating social responsibility into its curriculum and is a signatory school of Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).
WCU Online MBA Is in the Top 20 on the East Coast
April 6, 2020
Read more about the MBA program rating
WCU Students Finish Runner-up at 2020 Regional CFA Institute Research Challenge
February 19, 2020
A team of West Chester University students from the College of Business and Public Management finished as runner-up at this year’s Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge for the Philadelphia region. This marks the first time that West Chester University has been represented in the regional finals.
Sultan Ali, Clay Corcimiglia, Eric Parker, and Jacob Zeitz comprised the WCU team that was among the four finalists in the Philadelphia region this year. Other area finalists were teams from the University of Delaware, Rowan University and La Salle University. The finalists were chosen following the first round which began in October 2019, which required the team to research and analyze a publically traded company and create a detailed report, along with a recommendation to buy, sell or hold stock from that company.
West Chester returned on February 18 for the second round of the challenge where the four finalists all presented their research report to a panel of industry experts, and WCU was named the regional runner-up.
The WCU student team were advised and mentored by professors Dr. Dazhi Zheng and Dr. Euikyu Choi, and industry mentor, Jean M Rosenbaum, CFA, Portfolio Manager, Hotaling Investment Management, LLC, during the challenge process. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a worldwide investment competition with over 1,000 universities competing in a challenge that tests the critical analysis, valuation, report writing, and presentation skills of university students. Teams from over 20 universities in the Philadelphia region participated in the 2020 CFA Institute Research Challenge.