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PhD STUDENT
Md Enayet Hossain
Md Enayet Hossain, doctoral candidate in accounting, recently had his research accepted for presentation at the prestigious 2023 Rising Scholar Conference, hosted by MIT Sloan School of Management. The annual event, now in its fourth iteration, was open exclusively to doctoral students and postdoc candidates from business disciplines, and Hossain stood out among the exceptional group of forty-eight selected scholars.
Hossain's paper, one of four in the accounting discipline, competed on a national (virtual) stage and showcased his innovative research on the implications of large language models and generative AI for accounting research and practice. His work delves into the intricate world of financial disclosure and the financial media setting, demonstrating the cutting-edge ideas that are shaping the future of the field.
“I am constantly on the lookout for new developments in the field of generative AI and how these developments can be used to improve the current state of the academic accounting literature,” explained Hossain.
Hossain's presence not only highlighted his own outstanding contributions to the accounting field, but also put UNT on the map as one of 31 universities represented at the conference. The three other scholars representing the accounting discipline came from esteemed institutions such as MIT, Boston University and Boston College.
“It was a proud moment representing UNT among other prestigious universities,” said Hossain. “This is a great recognition of the quality of research going on at UNT, especially in the accounting discipline.”
The conference also offered Hossain the unique opportunity to engage with fellow scholars in a mentoring session, where he had the privilege of learning from one of MIT's distinguished faculty members. This interaction promises to further enrich his research and career prospects.
“Sharing my research with the community and getting feedback from prestigious scholars in my field was an amazing learning experience.”
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FACULTY
Govind Iyer
The UNT Ryan College of Business has tapped Professor Govind Iyer as its new Director of the Center for Energy Accounting and Sustainability, formally known as the Institute of Petroleum Accounting.
Iyer brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the industry as an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Before joining UNT, he was a faculty member at Arizona State University and Louisiana State University. He is also a Visiting Professor at IE Business School and MYRA Business School and has taught courses in individual taxation, corporate taxation, tax research, accounting information systems, enterprise process analysis, managerial accounting and control, strategic innovation, decision support systems and cyberlaw. His primary research interests include the areas of auditing, managerial accounting, information systems and taxation. He has published numerous articles in academic and professional journals and has made presentations at accounting and information systems national and international conferences.
“I decided to pursue the role of director at the Institute of Petroleum Accounting to promote academic and professional research, engage with the industry, and enhance academic programs in energy accounting,” said Iyer. “This is a crucial endeavor, especially in Texas, where the energy sector plays a pivotal role in the state's economy. Additionally, the growing importance of sustainability makes this even more exciting at this time.”
As the director, Iyer is working to accomplish a multitude of goals for the Center, helping to put it, and its students, in a promising position for advancing industry and academia as it relates to energy accounting.
“As the director of the Center, I hope to actively engage with the profession, facilitate cutting-edge research in the industry, disseminate most recent industry information (issues, practices, etc.), promote academic programs, and provide alternative career opportunities to students in the growing area of energy and sustainability.”
Iyer's help in building industry connections to bridge gaps between industry and education will help expand research opportunities and, in turn, give students new opportunities for success in their field.
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Addressing attendees at the September 29 dedication of the career center that bears his name, Wilson Jones (’85) recalled how decades ago he nearly dropped out of school.
From behind a podium stationed outside The Wilson Jones Career Center, newly opened in the Business Leadership Building at UNT’s G. Brint Ryan College of Business, the retired president and CEO of Oshkosh Corporation, a manufacturer of military and other tactical vehicles, recounted his struggles as a first-generation student.
The Denton native worked multiple jobs throughout college, including one at a local tire store. After he “bombed” his midterm exams, Jones said he decided to withdraw from classes.
“We all have those intersections in life, and we hope we make more good decisions at those intersections than bad decisions,” he said.
Jones prepared to tell professor Charles “Chuck” Bimmerle about his intention to depart from UNT. “He took an interest in me. He knew where I worked. He actually asked me about tires for his vehicle. … I felt like I owed it to him to tell him.”
But before he could deliver the news, Bimmerle offered Jones some words of encouragement.
“He said, `I just want to tell you … I don’t think you understand the potential you have,’” Jones recalled. “I was ready to give up and he said some other nice things to me and then I was thinking, `How am I going to tell him I’m quitting school now?’”
Instead, Jones went home and looked at himself in the mirror. “I said, `You know, you may not believe in yourself, but you have someone who does and he’s smarter than you, he has more experience. I’m going to listen to him.’”
Jones continued his studies and earned a bachelor's in Business Administration. Over the years, he reconnected with Bimmerle, who died in April 2023.
Bimmerle’s daughters — Stephanie Laubacher and Valerie Price — attended the Wilson Jones Career Center dedication.
Jones went on to a successful career that included being named one of the top CEOs of 2018. Three years later, he was honored with the UNT Distinguished Alumni Award and inducted into the G. Brint Ryan College of Business Hall of Fame.
He and his wife, Jane Jones, are strong supporters of student success at UNT, having previously created the merit-based Wilson and Jane Jones Endowment Scholarship and the Wilson and Jane Jones Extra Mile Scholarship, which is awarded to students who work at least part time to support their education expenses.
In 2022, the couple presented the G. Brint Ryan College of Business a $5 million gift – the second-largest donation in its history – to create The Wilson Jones Career Center, which provides guided career preparation for the college’s 9,500 business students. Services available through the center include career exploration, resume development and critiques, workshops, mock interviews and assistance identifying internship opportunities.
READ MORE...
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Published by UNT News, October 2023
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Ideas to impact: inspiring students through crowdfunding
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Since joining the UNT faculty in 2020, professor and G. Brint Ryan Chair of Entrepreneurship Jeremy Short has presented a unique and impactful challenge to students in his social entrepreneurship class. Each semester, students are tasked with raising a cumulative $10,000 using one of two potential crowdfunding platforms— DonorsChoose (a crowdfunding platform that directly delivers supplies to public schools in the U.S.) or GoFundMe (a crowdfunding platform that supports a wide variety of social causes).
This year, to kickoff the challenge, students competed in class by providing their initial project pitches—and the winning team received tickets to see Kendra Scott at the popular UNT Kuehne Speaker Series.
Students Cody Siegfried, Daniela Vara and Mattie Syler won the pitch competition in support of their cause, Shatterproof, “a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming addiction treatment, ending stigma and supporting communities." And as attendees of the event, they were given the opportunity to not only listen to Scott speak, but also sit with her team and ask them questions directly.
“Hearing Kendra Scott speak was an unforgettable experience. I enjoyed hearing her perspective on starting from the bottom and getting to where she is now,” explained senior communications major Mattie Syler. “I got the opportunity to ask [Scott’s team] questions about their careers, too, and how they got to where they are now… They inspired me to continue to pursue my goals and acknowledge that it will take time and ambition.”
One of Syler’s goals? To raise money for Shatterproof and create a campaign that motivates people to become educated about a cause she has a personal connection with.
“About four years ago I lost a cousin to a drug overdose. It devastated my family and opened our eyes to the drug crisis in our country,” said Syler. “My aunt has dedicated her life to advocating against drug/alcohol addiction in America and is now an ambassador for Shatterproof.”
Syler and the rest of her classmates will celebrate their campaigns on November 16, during Short's second annual Greensgiving crowdfunding celebration event. The event this year will be held at the UNT Colab, a space that helps connect UNT students to a variety of entrepreneurial experiences and serves to host a number of community events.
Greensgiving will feature a silent auction and live DJ as students work to help fund their campaigns and celebrate their entrepreneurial efforts on behalf of the greater community. To date, Short's class campaigns have created approximately $50,000 for a host of causes including mental health, support for local homeless causes, veterans support and public education.
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Department of Homeland Security aids research efforts for three college faculty
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Three UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business faculty were announced awardees of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Summer Research Team (SRT) Program for Minority Serving Institutions Follow on Funding Award.
Eighteen project teams from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) were selected to receive nearly $1.8 million in total to further their 2023 SRT Program projects. UNT professors Dr. Dan Kim, Dr. Michel Fathi and Dr. Dipakkumar Pravin were among those selected.
According to DHS, “each team was chosen based on their excellence in research, innovative ideas, leadership qualities and dedication to advancing homeland security-focused research.”
Kim’s research focuses on phishing techniques and susceptibility, Fathi is analyzing Game Theory as it relates to the U.S. Political Asylum Process, and Pravin is exploring machine learning in cybersecurity—all of which address complicated challenges that DHS frequently encounters.
UNT was the only university to receive more than one Follow On Funding Award, positioning the college as a strong partner of DHS research initiatives. |
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Alumni shine with distinguished awards
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Two Ryan College of Business alumni were presented with UNT’s prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award, the most revered award given by the UNT Alumni Association, on October 25.
Honoring alumni for professional achievement and significant contributions to society and the university, Drew Lawton (’91 MBA) and Phil Sorgen (’88, ’90 MBA) took home the honors.
Lawton, the retired CEO of New York Life Investment Management, a role he served in from 2010 to 2015, is a member of the UNT McConnell Society, UNT Alumni Association and UNT President’s Council for Student Success and Philanthropy. He and his wife, Jill, have established multiple endowed scholarships at UNT that are targeted to support student veterans and first-generation students. Lawton also serves as an adjunct professor in the Ryan College of Business, and developed the course titled “Profiles in Leadership.”
Equally as impressive, Sorgen has been a venture partner at Tola Capital since 2021, having previously worked at Microsoft for 24 years. He and his wife, Lea, a fellow UNT alumna, made a gift to the Career Center Excellence Endowment in 2019 that was then matched by Microsoft through the Benevity Community Impact Fund. The Sorgens have also established the Phil and Lea Sorgen Career Center Excellence Fund, which serves as internship support for current students.
Other noteworthy Ryan College of Business alumni honorees of the evening included husband and wife duo, Harry (’79 MBA) and Linda White (’72, ’82 MBA) Eaddy. The pair co-founded the Denton Black Film Festival, which addresses under-representation in film and media by providing Black creatives a platform to share culture and build community. Now celebrating 10 years, the Denton Black Film Festival is attended by thousands annually and showcases cinema, art, music, spoken word and more.
The combined support of these astounding individuals propels UNT, the Ryan College of Business, and the Denton community forward.
READ MORE...
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Published by UNT Alumni Association, 2023
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Sport Entertainment Management program gains worldwide recognition
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In its first year of ranking eligibility, the UNT MBA in Sport Entertainment Management landed a top spot among the world’s best sport business programs. According to the 2023 SportBusiness Postgraduate course Rankings, UNT’s program is 21st in the United States and 32nd in the world.
Globally, UNT graduates made the seventh highest salaries in the industry, enrolled the fourth highest percentage of female students, boasted a perfect score for mentorship, and was rated fourth highest by graduates on efforts of faculty to place their students.
In addition to the 2023 SportBusiness Postgraduate course Rankings, the UNT Sports Innovation Project was also recently ranked as having the most productive research faculty—earning UNT a spot among only eleven schools that qualified for both rankings.
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MBA in Music Business earns Billboard Magazine Top Music Business School ranking
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The UNT MBA in Music Business, in partnership with the UNT College of Music, once again made Billboard Magazine’s list of the top music business programs in the country.
The Music Business program has now been ranked by Billboard for six years in a row, establishing itself as a leading competitor in a complex music industry.
A master’s in music business was added to UNT’s comprehensive music business program three years ago, further solidifying the university as the go-to resource for innovative curriculum designed to help students succeed in their entrepreneurial music goals.
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PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES AT THE RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
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THE WILSON JONES ENDOWMENT FOR RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CAREER SUPPORT SERVICES
Alumnus Wilson Jones (’85) and his wife, Jane, donated $5 million to the college in 2022 to create a new career center in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. This generous gift will not only go towards the build out of a space that will serve to better prepare students for successful careers, but it will also fund the hiring of new staff and resources to support the college's growing student body. Working in conjunction with this gift, the Wilson Jones Endowment for Ryan College of Business Career Support Services will provide additional assistance to reach these goals and support services that promote career readiness.
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G. BRINT RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT FUND
Frank Dudowicz was an ardent supporter of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Before he passed away on May 1, 2022, one of his final requests was to have memorials be made to the Ryan College of Business Communications Support Fund, a testament to his ongoing efforts to be a positive force in the UNT community. Donations made to the Communications Support Fund aid Dudowicz’s most recent board efforts to increase brand awareness for the Ryan College of Business. Click here to honor Frank's memory with a gift. |
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