The Potential US-China Trade War, and More – Los Angeles News
Take a look at the latest news coming out of business schools in the Los Angeles metro.
Potential Trade War Shadows An Otherwise Healthy Economy, Chapman Economists Say – Chapman University Newsroom
The Economic Forecast Update, a recent report from economists at Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business, takes a look at the recent economic growth throughout the country, but warns of potential trouble down the road for California.
“In 2018 we see a strong economy, but clouds are on the horizon for California, especially if the trade war intensifies and especially if we lose construction as a major engine of economic growth, California’s economy will slow down,” commented Jim Doti, Ph.D., Chapman economist and President Emeritus.
The report, which was put together by Dr. Doti and economists at the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research, also looked into factors beyond price that increase value for California properties. With assistance from undergraduate research, the Chapman report breaks down the areas in California with the most under and over-valued properties.
Find more information on economic insights coming out of the Argyros School of Business here.
CSUF Startup Incubator Helps Entrepreneur Launch Student-Focused, Money-Saving App – Mihaylo Community News
Through a partnership with the CSUF Startup Incubator at the Mihaylo College of Business, entrepreneur John Barton was able to turn his idea into reality—a discount app for student that encourages participation in diverse social experiences.
“I wanted to have an outlet for students who didn’t want to go out every night but wanted to have some type of social interaction that didn’t involve going to bars,” Barton explains. His Point ‘n Save app, which was developed through the mentorship and support of the school’s incubator program, is now available for anyone with a university email address. The app offers discounts for a wide variety of activities and local businesses, with rewards for frequent users.
The new Point ‘n Save app, which was helped by the CSUF Startup Incubator, offers students new, diverse experiences.
You can read more about Mihaylo’s entrepreneurship incubator and the development of Barton’s app here.
Aaron Concha: Pathway to Leadership Paved with Service – UCI Paul Merage School of Business Newsroom
Aaron Concha, a 2018 graduate of the full time MBA program at University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, is a stand out example of the kind of impact Merage students can make in their work.
Returning home after serving as a medic in Afghanistan, Concha was drawn to the Merage School of Business because of how his army experience was recognized and appreciated by the admissions office, according to the recent piece. In the first year of the program, class projects encouraged Concha to gain a deep understanding of interpersonal conflict, gaining the confidence he needed to take on even bigger challenges in his second year. He went on to become president of the Merage Student Association (MSA), under which all student organizations operate. During his time in the MSA, Concha not only learned how to turn an idea into reality, but also gained a lasting community of friends and professionals.
“My military service gave me the humility to understand how tough decisions impact an organization,” Concha comments. “The Merage MBA has given me the experiences to make those decisions.”
Check out more about the full-time MBA program at UCI Merage here.
Mihaylo Conference Inspires Tutoring Innovation
Mihaylo College of Business and Economics recently hosted the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) Business Plan Competition. The competition featured 18 competing groups. One of those groups was led by Brent Maxinoski and Cayman Elkin, who pitched an online platform that would pair students with peer tutors.
Maxinoski and Elkins placed fourth in the competition and were inspired to take steps to turn their pitch into a functioning entity. The business is different from other tutoring programs, because it pairs students with other students who have excelled in the class with which the client is struggling, rather than pairing them with a grad student who is not familiar with the curriculum. Maxinoski had the idea for the business while studying for an accounting exam.
“I just realized … I would much rather just pay some small or affordable amount to a peer who was either in the same class as me or had taken the same class as me, and done well in it, to help me understand the concepts and do well on the exam, rather than paying 75-80 bucks for a professional grad-degree-type tutor,” Maxinoski, the startup’s CEO, said.
There is a great deal of support for the startup, which the team is calling “Wecademi,” at CSUF. Professors believe an affordable tutoring system that involves students versed in the curriculum could decrease the considerable no-pass rates of core classes, and consequently improve graduation rates.
According to Elkin, this program is promising because it is pairing students with tutors who are familiar with the class, rubrics, and exam formats.
“Just because you get an accounting tutor who’s a CPA, that doesn’t mean they can help you in CSUF Accounting 201A, because they might not know the exact material and they might not know the curriculum. But if you have someone who just took that class last semester and got an A in that, they can convey that material,” Elkin said.
The website is currently up and running, though the team is still open to obtaining feedback and making improvements.
