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FACULTY
Dr. Lidan Xu
Assistant Professor of Marketing Lidan Xu might be new to UNT, but she is already bringing innovative research to the college.
Dr. Xu’s research, “Leveraging Creativity in Charity Marketing: The Impact of Engaging in Creative Activities on Subsequent Donation Behavior,” has been accepted into the Journal of Marketing, a premiere journal for marketing research.
Analyzing best practices for increasing non-profit donations, Xu’s research revealed that creative engagement is a key factor to donor outcomes.
“This research suggests that charitable organizations can enhance donation contributions by inviting potential donors to do something creative, such as engaging in creative activities during a charitable event or a gala,” explained Xu.
“The important nuance is that it is the creative process, and not ultimately how creative the output is, that makes people more charitable. This is because engaging in a creative process makes people feel that they have a high level of freedom, which makes them happy and hence they donate more.”
This is the first paper that Xu has published in the Journal of Marketing.
“The Journal of Marketing is one of the best journals in Marketing... Also, this journal has the audience base of not only academics but also practitioners, and I really hope that my research can be helpful for the practitioners to better design their fundraising programs,” said Xu.
Xu's publication comes with a $1,000 stipend from the college, as does any publication that makes it into a top-quality journal (i.e. Financial Times 50 and UTD List of journals).
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FACULTY
Dr. Jianren Xu
The American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA) has awarded the Casualty Actuarial Society Award to UNT Ryan College of Business Assistant Professor Jianren Xu.
“It is a great honor to earn this prestigious award. It is important to my career and I am proud to bring the award to UNT. The past award recipients are mostly from top-tier research institutions. I feel fortunate to have their company,” said Xu.
A rare honor, Xu is not only the first recipient of the award at UNT, but also the first in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. In fact, the only other university in the state of Texas to win the award has been the University of Texas Austin.
The Casualty Actuarial Society Award is one of the top two awards for articles published in the Journal of Risk and Insurance (JRI) (a “Premier” journal designated by the college's journal list), and Xu’s paper was the only one to earn the honor by ARIA in 2021.
His award-winning research is titled, “Estimating the Cost of Equity Capital for Insurance Firms With Multiperiod Asset Pricing Models."
“Previous research on insurer cost of equity (COE) focuses on single-period asset pricing models. In reality, however, investment and consumption decisions are made over multiple periods, exposing firms to time-varying risks related to economic cycles and market volatility. We extend the literature by examining two multi-period models—the conditional Capital Asset Pricing Model (CCAPM) and the intertemporal CAPM,” said Xu.
“Using 29 years of data, we find that macroeconomic factors significantly influence and explain insurer stock returns. Insurers have countercyclical beta implying that their market risk increases during recessions.”
The Casualty Actuarial Society Award, established in 1997, is made to the authors of a paper published by the American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA) that provides the most valuable contribution to casualty actuarial science.
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Whitley Penn has joined the college as its newest Corporate Partner—adding to the list of prestigious institutions that are enhancing student experiences.
In addition to the experiences Whitley Penn provides to UNT students through their partnership, students are also adding value to Whitley Penn. Just ask Justin Roberts, Whitley Penn audit partner and 2005 UNT alumnus.
"Whitley Penn's partnership with the UNT G. Brint Ryan College of Business creates a network of bright-eyed professionals that unlock new opportunities for our firm’s growth," said Roberts.
UNT accounting graduates come ready to excel in their field—and Whitley Penn has a track record for recognizing and benefiting from their work-ready preparedness.
"As a proud alumnus, I am confident to say that UNT undoubtedly shapes well-rounded professionals that excel in all areas. We are grateful for this relationship and look forward to growing it for many years to come.”
To learn more about the mutual benefits of becoming a corporate partner, contact Director of Development Mike Farrell: Michael.Farrell@unt.edu.
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UNT SHRM team places second in tie-breaking case competition
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UNT Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) officers Caroline Poch and Trent Harris placed second in the 2021 Texas SHRM Case Study Competition.
The pair represented the smallest team competing, yet still beat out four other Texas institutions: University of Texas Austin, University of Texas Tyler, Southern Methodist University and Baylor University.
Given just a week to compose a succinct winning solution to a panel of virtual judges, Poch and Harris overcame several odds.
“We only had ten minutes to present in front of the three judges—explaining our analyses and implementation strategies. I pulled two all-nighters, and I even presented without sleeping for 42 hours, as we had a lot of ground to cover with only two team members,” explained OBHR major Poch, who served as team captain.
A tie was initially deemed highly unlikely, but Poch and Harris made things difficult for the judges with their compelling analyses. Calling in a fourth judge and a second, tie-breaking presentation, Poch and Harris were asked to do it all again before deemed runner-up to University of Texas Dallas.
Through it all, Poch successfully managed the added challenge of competing virtually with a disability.
“The most challenging aspect stemmed from me being functionally deaf. I was completely confident, I knew Trent and I had an excellent case solution, but I was constantly worrying about whether closed captions would be available,” she said.
Luckily, the steadfast support of advisors Dr. Julie Hancock and Dr. Mariya Gavrilova Aguilar played a large role helping Poch overcome her fears and instill confidence in their team.
READ MORE...
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TXCPA names two UNT alumna 2021 Rising Stars
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Two UNT accounting alums have been selected as Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA) 2021 Rising Star honorees.
Taylor Franta, 2016 alumna who currently works for Howard, LLP (pictured on the right), and Katelyn Woods, 2013 alumna who currently works for Whitley Penn, LLP (pictured on the left), were among the nineteen TXCPA members under 40 years old who earned the distinction this year.
“Earning the TXCPA Rising Star honor was absolutely unexpected. Receiving this sort of recognition this early in my career has reminded me that I’m on the right path. This is an industry I love being a contributor to, and to be acknowledged by your peers for the work you have done is an immense privilege not everyone has the fortune to experience,” stated Franta.
According to TXCPA, their Rising Stars represent those “who have shown innovative leadership qualities within the accounting profession and their communities."
As valued contributors to their field and community, both Franta and Woods serve on the UNT Accounting Junior Advisory Board where they play a role in molding the future of the department and its students.
“Serving on the UNT Accounting Junior Advisory Board provided me with the opportunity to interact with, and give back to, students who will soon be peers... Getting involved in this program provided me the position to, on some scale, make sure future graduates are mentally ready, thoroughly informed, and properly prepared,” said Franta. |
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New student-visa data paint an optimistic picture for fall enrollments
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As U.S. consulates around the world reopen, student-visa issuance is returning to pre-pandemic levels, bringing relief to American colleges that had feared yet another semester with many international students stranded overseas.
American consulates approved almost 117,000 F-1 student visas in May and June, or 93 percent of the number of student visas issued in the same two months in 2019, according to a Chronicle analysis of U.S. Department of State data. More than 143,000 F-1 visas were authorized from January to June of this year, 83 percent of the number issued during the same period two years ago.
The months leading up to the start of the fall semester — May, June, and July — are typically the busiest of the year for student-visa applications. On average, 60 percent of all F-1 visas are granted in those three months alone.
This year’s numbers reflect the clearing of a backlog, as not only new international students but also those who deferred or who studied remotely over the past year seek visas...
Lizhi Hu is looking forward to returning to the University of North Texas, where he is studying finance through the dual-degree program. He said he is “mostly excited and a little bit anxious” to come to the United States after more than a year of studying online.
“It would be great to meet professors and friends again,” Hu said. “Plus, I am really looking forward to starting a new stage of my life in America.”
READ MORE...
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Published by Karin Fischer & and Dan Bauman, The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2021
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Certification program provides MBA Cohort students with heightened leadership skills
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Students pursuing their MBA from the G. Brint Ryan College of Business are earning more than just a degree. UNT’s Management Cohort will now be offering its students a “Fundamentals of Inclusion” certification as part of their full-time, 11-month degree program.
In collaboration with the UNT Office of Diversity and Inclusion, a four-part series of workshops will introduce students to the basics of bias awareness, inclusive language and creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion platform.
“Completers of the series will be equipped with foundational knowledge and awareness to contribute to an intentionally inclusive workplace,” explained Director of Corporate Outreach and Student Recruitment Julie Jernigan. “Most importantly, our students will be better able to professionally engage with empathy and integrity, no matter where they land in their careers.”
By bringing an awareness to biases and microaggressions, students will become more well-rounded professionals, ready to contribute to an equitable workforce upon graduation.
“The skills and knowledge provided through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion training program provides the future leaders of our MBA Cohort with the skills necessary to become successful leaders; providing value, respect and inclusivity to our community and in the workplace,” said Cathy Westurn, Department of Management lecturer.
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ISACA gifts $25,000 to UNT accounting students
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In June, 2021, the North Texas Chapter of Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) committed $25,000 to the UNT Department of Accounting—the largest donation it has ever contributed to the college.
Since founded, ISACA has dedicated its efforts to advancing the information systems audit, security, risk, and control community. With 200 chapters and nearly 3,000 members around the world, its North Texas chapter is among its largest worldwide and has been supporting the G. Brint Ryan College of Business for over a decade.
Facing today’s uncertainties, ISACA North Texas took steps to make an even greater impact than in years prior—offering its academic partners additional financial support.
Their generous donation to UNT will provide scholarship assistance to deserving students pursuing accounting careers at the Ryan College of Business—serving as a vote of confidence in the education the college delivers to its students.
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PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES AT THE RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
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THE MCNATT EMERGENCY FUND
Since 2019, Jim ('66) and Linda McNatt have poured more than $500,000 into The McNatt Fund for Students in Financial Crisis (The McNatt Emergency Fund), a scholarship established to create ways to assist students in crisis situations. Their generosity, coupled with the high demand for financial need during this past year, has since compelled others to contribute as well. Unfortunately, however, our students are in such dire need of help that the McNatt Emergency Funds are now nearly depleted.
This is where we need your help. Our students are relying on support from the McNatt Emergency Fund to graduate and we desperately need your continued support to meet their needs. Your gift, no matter the size, will make an immediate impact to help our students continue their pursuits of earning a UNT degree. |
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G. BRINT RYAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS DEAN'S EXCELLENCE FUND
The Dean’s Excellence Fund also provides immediate, essential support to our students. This fund serves as a vital resource to help our students and campus respond to opportunities and challenges as they occur. When you support the Dean’s Excellence Fund, you support the strategic vision of the college by allowing the Dean to have flexibility in directing the use of resources to the priorities of the college during this difficult time. |
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