Mays Impacts

The Mays College and the Association of Former Students recently recognized faculty members who illustrate excellence in teaching and research. Three faculty members received Association of Former Students college level teaching awards. Uday Murthy, associate professor of accounting; Lorraine Eden, associate professor of management; and Duane DeWald, lecturer in marketing, were named this year. In addition, the college recognized Tina Dacin, associate professor of management, and Mike Wilkins, assistant professor of accounting, for their excellence in research.

Three former students were recently honored at the Mays College’s annual Outstanding Alumni Awards. John T. Eubanks of Grapevine and Larry Levine and John V. McNevin, both of Houston, were chosen because of outstanding contributions in their professional careers and exemplary service to their communities, said Dean Benton Cocanougher.

Eubanks, who received a BBA in Accounting 1962, is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Mesco Metal Buildings, a manufacturer and builder of engineered metal building systems and components. Receiving his BBA in Management in 1971, Levine is president of Levcor, Inc., a full service real estate development company, and of Levtex Hotel Ventures, a developer of shopping centers and office buildings. McNevin received his BBA in 1973 and MBA in 1974 and is the founder and chairman of EnFORM Technology, a high-tech consulting firm.

Unlike the twenty-something characters on the popular “Real World” television show, Mays College graduate students realize challenges await them upon commencement. To help ease the transition of entering, or often re-entering, the workforce, the college’s Graduate Business Career Services recently hosted its annual career conference. Unlike typical career fairs, the conference used a roundtable format, matching a handful of students with representatives from a particular company for a 45-minute discussion.

“Students like the fact that the conference provides a more casual atmosphere, and they are more comfortable asking questions and discussing job opportunities,” said Kaci Yates, coordinator of this year’s conference. Yates said representatives from more than 30 companies and approximately 300 students attended the two-day event, which was held in Reed Arena.

Thanks to the generous support of Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte, 75 undergraduate and graduate distinguished business students are pursing their educational through the Mitte Scholarship Program. The Mittes were recently honored at a reception and dinner by the college, which featured entertainment by the Texas A&M Singing Cadets. The 2000 Mitte Scholars were also recognized during the program for their academic achievements.

Representatives of Ford Motor Company recently visited Texas A&M, meeting some of the Mays College’s brightest students. Undergraduate and graduate students in the Ford Scholars Program were on hand to greet representatives from Ford Motor Company and acknowledge the company’s generous support of their academic pursuits in the college. Members of Ford’s team visiting the college included: Carlos E. Mazzorin, group vice president of global purchasing and South America; Chuck Maitland, director of manufacturing; Linda Plawecki, purchasing manager; Candy Chatawanich, body structures engineer; Alberto Piccone, purchasing manager; and Denny Igun, recruiting account manager.

Through a recent partnership with the college, the Ford Scholars Program was established to recognize students’ outstanding academic achievements. Thanks to the collaboration, the Mays College also established the Ford Motor Company Chair in Consumerism/E-Commerce/E-Business, the Ford Faculty Fellowship and the Ford Excellence Fund.

Graduates of the Mays MBA program are getting more bang for their buck, according to a recent issue of Business Week. The magazine’s “Best B-Schools” issue ranked the MBA program as having the best return on investment, or ROI, particularly when it comes to careers in marketing. Figures released in the biennial rankings show that Mays MBA graduates who chose careers in marketing could earn back their educational investment faster than graduates of any other U.S. business schools. The program was also touted as having the sixth fastest payback for MBAs, regardless of career choice, as compared to other programs nationwide.

“Texas A&M has relatively low tuition costs, especially for Texas residents,” said Dan H. Robertson, director of the MBA program. “Students who choose Mays for their MBA can potentially leverage a modest investment into a very attractive starting salary.”