CSUF Students Win Second-Place
Award in National Competition
August 4, 2003 :: No 14
A team of Cal State Fullerton business undergraduates
has added another award to the College of Business and Economics’
long list of national honors.
The five-member team, under the direction of Farouk
Abdelwahed, associate professor of management, finished second in
the Small Business Institute Directors’ Association Field
Case Competition in the undergraduate comprehensive category.
Christopher S. Herrmann of Rancho Cucamonga, Jose
Jimenez of Santa Ana, Matthew J. Klahorst of Fullerton, Stephanie
M. Lomibao of Placentia and Joyceline M. Tweede of Arizona were
members of the award-winning team that worked with T. Christy Enterprises,
a manufacturing firm located in Anaheim.
Putting their classroom experience to work in a real-world
situation, teams consult with small businesses, recommending changes
in marketing, finance and operations.
“It’s an extensive, comprehensive
analysis of the company,” stresses Abdelwaded. “Student
teams must meet no less than six or seven times with the owner of
the company. The objective is for the students to gain valuable
practical experience in using what they have learned and for the
company to become more successful than they were.”
“They did a fine job. It was clear, concise
and on point…a tremendous value,” said John Christy,
president of T. Christy Enterprises. “The report is a wealth
of information.”
“It was one of the hardest things that
I’ve ever done in my life,” says Lomibao. “But
I was working with a really excellent team, and each of us did our
part. It’s something that we can carry with us into the professional
world.”
Teammate Tweede agrees. “Working together as
a team during the small-business project acted as a stepping stone
to my career.”
Cal State Fullerton teams have served more than 700
businesses and won more than 40 prizes for outstanding case work
from the U.S. Small Business Administration, including the Leavey
Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education from the Freedoms
Foundation.
“To win top honors, a team must provide
evidence that their efforts resulted in significant and lasting
benefits to the business,” said Michael D. Ames, professor
of management and director of the university’s Small Business
Institute and Center for Entrepreneurship.
Cal State Fullerton’s Small Business Institute
is now accepting inquiries from business owners who wish to have
their firms participate in the institute’s student consulting
program. For information, call (949) 644-4541.
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Media Contacts: |
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Michael D. Ames at (949) 644-4541 or sbiames@fullerton.edu
Farouk Abdelwahed at 657-278-3073 or fabdelwahed@fullerton.edu
Pamela McLaren of Public Affairs at 657-278-4852 or pmclaren@fullerton.edu |
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