Source: Olivia Law-delRosso, 785-532-0865, olivia@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Olivia Blanco, 785-532-2753, oblanco@k-state.edu
Monday, Sept. 26, 2011
INTEGRATED LEARNING: TRADING AND SALES LABS OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN CALVIN HALL
MANHATTAN -- For students in Kansas State University's College of Business Administration, learning is doing. With the opening of the Sales and Trading Labs, students enrolled in marketing and finance courses will have the opportunity to learn, test and improve their skills with the newest technology.
On Friday Sept. 30, the Sales and Trading labs will be officially inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by donors, faculty, students and university administration. The ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m. on the third floor of Calvin Hall.
The Sales Lab is a two-room relational selling laboratory where students have the opportunity to record themselves as they practice their salesmanship. Later, they can watch their videos and receive valuable feedback to improve their skills.
The Sales Lab is part of the Relational Selling Initiative, headed by Dawn Deeter-Schmelz, professor of marketing and the J.J. Vanier Distinguished Chair in Relational Selling, who joined the College of Business Administration this fall.
"By watching themselves, students can more quickly gain mastery of concepts and skills as well as benefit from the increased confidence that comes with using those skills," Deeter-Schmelz said. "The Sales Lab will provide our students with the same simulated sales experiences that have become the top-ranked sales training tool in business and industry."
The Trading Lab, headed by Eric Higgins, finance department head and the von Waaden Chair in Investment Management, is part of the Integrated Investment Management Initiative and the integrated investment management certificate. The Trading Lab is a dedicated computer lab with 12 Bloomberg stations for updated financial information, and a sophisticated simulated trading software designed specifically for education, as well as a stock market ticker with up-to-date market information.
"Our students are able to experience and work with the same technology that they will find in their future jobs, which puts them at a great advantage when searching for jobs and once they are in the work force," Higgins said.
Kent and Rhonda Gasaway, Tim and Sue Regan and Dennis and Sally von Waaden are the generous donors for the new Trading Lab.
"The vision and support of our donors is allowing us to bring these very important opportunities to our students and will help us continue on the path to K-State's 2025 vision," said Ali Malekzadeh, Edgerley Family dean of the College of Business Administration.
After the ribbon-cutting, faculty and students will offer tours of the facilities and will answer questions about the programs related to both initiatives.
