VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver’s Carson College of Business celebrated the ninth anniversary of its Business Growth Mentor and Analysis Program May 8 with an event to recognize the businesses, volunteers and students involved in the program.
Created in 2011, Business Growth MAP is a pro-bono student-led consultancy. Student teams of four or five help local businesses in the areas of growth, marketing and accounting. Volunteer mentors from the business community meet with student teams weekly during the semester-long project to offer advice and feedback. Faculty members from the Carson College of Business oversee each project.
This year three student teams were recognized for outstanding work. All team members are 2018/2019 graduates.
OUTSTANDING GROWTH ASSESSMENT PROJECT
Slumberkins
- Kamyar Abtin
- Molly Bartley
- Shannon Leininger
- Shelby McGuffey
- Sarah Moe
Slumberkins is a Vancouver-based company and has become a leading educational children’s brand working to promote positive social/emotional life skills for both children and parents. They came to Business Growth MAP seeking assistance in ways to handle their extreme growth, particularly when it came to inventory management and e-commerce. The student team recommendations included a product line profitability model, a marketing budget solver and three executive dashboards.
OUTSTANDING GROWTH ASSESSMENT PROJECT
Self Balance Massage
- Garrett Behrman
- Gerardo Guevara
- Taylor Scukanec
- Zachary Torson
Self Balance Massage is a Vancouver-based massage and spa business with most revenue generated from medical and chiropractic referrals. The owner had recently acquired the business and came to Business Growth MAP for analysis and recommendations to formalize internal processes. The team’s recommendations included a comprehensive plan to restructure operations through renegotiating contracts, strategies for decreasing operational costs and collecting outside receivables.
OUTSTANDING MARKETING PROJECT
Human Services Council
- Tosha Bryant
- Daniel Cordova
- Samuel Etter
- Savannah Penland
- Jaason Wilson
Human Services Council is a Vancouver-based nonprofit that has a “Volunteer Connections” program focused on promoting and providing volunteer opportunities to the public. They came to Business Growth MAP looking for ways to engage the next generation of volunteers. The team’s recommendations included implementing a user-friendly, efficient volunteer management tool, website redesign, launching social media and setting up new ways to gather revenue.
Businesses that would like to apply for Business Growth MAP services may call 360-546-9533, email gmap@wsu.edu">bgmap@wsu.edu or visit business.vancouver.wsu.edu/bgmap. New projects begin in late August.
About WSU Vancouver
As one of six campuses of the Washington State University system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
# # #
CAPTIONS TO ACCOMPANY PHOTOS
Team Slumberkins - From left:
back row - Mike Pawlowski (mentor), Kelly Oriard (client), Callie Christensen (client), Molly Bartley, Jerry Petrick (mentor)
front row - Kamyar Abtin, Shelby McGuffey, Sarah Moe, Shannon Leininger
Team Self Balance Massage - From left:
Jack Bothwell (mentor), Richelle McMann (client), Garrett Behrman, Gerardo Guevara
Team Human Services Council - From left:
back row - Jaason Wilson, Samuel Etter, Professor Alberto Sa Vinhas
front row - Daniel Cordova, Savannah Penland, Marcia Hale (client), Tosha Bryant, Laura Chester (mentor)
VANCOUVER, Wash. – ELL IMPACT, a federally funded program offered by Washington State University Vancouver, is recruiting paraeducators working with English language learners to become teachers at a lower cost than traditional degree programs.
Participants earn a BA in elementary education, residency teaching certificate for kindergarten through 8th grade and a K – 12 English Language Learners teaching endorsement. Bilingual applicants also can earn the highly valued K – 12 Bilingual endorsement.
The program consists of evening and summer classes for two years, starting June 2019 and finishing April 2021. Paraeducators can continue their day jobs while taking classes. The cost of classes is reduced through the ELL IMPACT grant, and numerous scholarships and other funding is available. Classes are offered at WSU Vancouver and Evergreen Public Schools.
The application deadline is May 31. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in any field, a year or more of paraeducator experience and submit a letter of recommendation from a school district administrator.
About ELL IMPACT
ELL IMPACT’s first cohort, recruited from a pool of outstanding paraprofessionals in 2017, is graduating at the end of this summer. Recognizing the value of experienced teacher candidates who can meet the needs of diverse students across Washington state, WSU Vancouver is supporting paraeducators through a “grow your own teacher” strategy with local school district partnerships. The first cohort of ELL IMPACT has graduated from WSU and are now beginning their careers as teachers in the classroom. The second, final cohort is now nearing the end of the recruitment phase.
For more information, contact Gisela Ernst-Slavit at nst@wsu.edu">gernst@wsu.edu.
About WSU Vancouver
As one of six campuses of the Washington State University system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
# # #
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Learn how to lead through organizational change at Washington State University Vancouver’s next Business Growth MAP Alliance forum. The event will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. May 15 at the Columbia Bank Community Room, 101 E. Sixth St., Vancouver.
The forum will discuss the key components of organizational change and the critical role leadership plays in ensuring successful outcomes. Attendees will walk away with an action plan for building change leadership skills.
This month’s speaker, Alex N. Ryan, is the CEO and solution strategist at Evolve Solutions Group. She has supported start-ups to Fortune 100 organizations as an internal and external consultant for more than 20 years. As a Camas small business owner who employs a primarily virtual team, Ryan has a unique perspective on how to lead, manage and support an organization through any change. She is the co-author of “Advanced Change Methodology: A Tactical and Practical Guide and Tools for Strategic Organizational Change.”
The forum is open to all. Register online at business.vancouver.wsu.edu/bgmap and click the link “Upcoming events.” Cost is $10 per person in advance or $15 per person at the door. There is no cost for students with a valid WSU student ID.
The Business Growth MAP Alliance brings together small businesses and entrepreneurs to learn from each other, industry experts and WSU Vancouver faculty.
About WSU Vancouver
As one of six campuses of the Washington State University system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
# # #
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver will graduate 1,045 students at its 2019 Commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. May 4 at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater in Ridgefield, Wash. The ceremony will also be live streamed. Go to vancouver.wsu.edu/commencement to connect. Chancellor Mel Netzhammer will preside, and Ian Muck, past president of the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver, will deliver the commencement address.
BACKGROUND ON THE GRADUATES
The 2019 graduates include 39 doctoral candidates in the areas of anthropology, education, environmental and natural resource science, math and science education, neuroscience, nursing practice, prevention science and sociology.
The 88 master’s candidates will receive degrees in business administration, computer science, education, electrical engineering, environmental science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, nursing, prevention science, psychology, public affairs and teaching.
The 918 bachelor’s candidates will receive degrees in anthropology, biology, business administration, computer science, criminal justice and criminology, digital technology and culture, earth and environmental science, economic science, education, electrical engineering, English, history, hospitality business management, human development, humanities, mathematics, mechanical engineering, neuroscience, nursing, psychology, public affairs, social sciences, sociology and strategic communication.
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Ian Muck, who graduates with a bachelor’s degree in public affairs with a concentration in politics and policy, has been deeply involved in campus activities. In addition to serving as interim president of ASWSUV, he has been a student ambassador, finance chair for student government, leader of the Cougar Pride Club, facilitator and research assistant for the Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service Initiative for Public Deliberation, and research assistant in history. He enrolled at WSU Vancouver in fall 2016, transferring from the American University of Paris. Muck works as a legal assistant and plans to attend law school.
COMMENCEMENT DETAILS
Sunlight Supply Amphitheater is located at 17200 NE Delfel Road, Ridgefield, Wash. Parking and gates open at 11 a.m. The seating area opens at 11:30 a.m. Concessions will be available. Commencement is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.
Sunlight Supply Amphitheater is a covered outdoor venue. Umbrellas and strollers are not allowed in the seating area. Golf cart and wheelchair service will be provided to guests who need assistance. Accommodations will be available for deaf and hearing-impaired guests, including closed captioning, sign-language interpreters in a designated area and amplification devices available at the information booth.
For more information about WSU Vancouver’s 2019 Commencement ceremony, visit vancouver.wsu.edu/commencement.
ABOUT WSU VANCOUVER
As one of six campuses of the Washington State University system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
# # #
PRESS PASSES – Members of the media who would like to take photos during the commencement ceremony will need a WSU Vancouver-issued press pass. Present your credentials at the on-site information booth to get one.