Author: James Schisler

The Barton School of Business has launched a new, industry-aligned Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) program. The innovative curriculum will be taught by top faculty members and focused on the latest industry trends and content to more effectively prepare students for greater responsibilities at the executive level.

The 30-credit hour program spans 18 months and will begin October 2023. A key feature of the new EMBA program is students will be paired with a personal executive coach. Their coach will guide them to discover their unique talents and develop a strengths-based approach to solving current and future leadership and business challenges.

The Barton School of Business has chosen Paul R. Attwater III as the Erin and Kyle Cummings Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) industry faculty advisor. Attwater is a senior vice president and founder of his team at a major financial institution. As advisor, he will engage students participating in SMIF (recruitment will begin in fall 2023 semester) to invest $250,000 in stocks, bonds and other securities. Proceeds from the portfolio will be reinvested into the program, with a percentage going to strengthening student experience and success initiatives further.

Attwater has more than 38 years of experience in the financial services industry – focusing on comprehensive wealth management for high-net-worth families and small foundations. A native of Wichita, he graduated from Wichita Collegiate School, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Kansas State University.

The Barton School has partnered with Helm Inc., a leading technology and services provider serving the automotive aftermarket, to initiate a collaborative research project to create “data-driven consumer insights.” With substantial undergraduate students’ involvement, the project investigates consumer attitudes and preferences toward extended warranties across multiple product lines and identifies the key factors driving consumer decisions to adopt extended service programs.

The project will be split into three parts concluding at the end of the fall 2023 semester. Students will produce a comprehensive report of in-depth analysis of business models employed by companies offering extended warranties in the consumer electronics, consumer appliances, and vehicle industries. Students will also identify key factors driving consumer decisions in the aforementioned industries. Finally, the research team will conduct additional data analysis by implementing advanced machine learning techniques on consumer reviews for extended warranties to determine the driving factors of extended warranty adoption.

The Barton School announced the selection of three distinguished industry leaders to be inducted into its inaugural “Beyond” Hall of Fame. The inaugural group of inductees will be recognized for their visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to the Barton School and community during an induction celebration Feb. 17, 2024:

• Frank Barton: President of Barton Distributors from 1952 until 1979 and co-founder of Rent-A-Center in 1973 with partner Tom Devlin. In May 1987, he and his wife, Patsy, gave $12 million to endow WSU’s Business School, which was later dedicated in his name. He passed away in September 2000. His son, Craig Barton, will accept the honor on his behalf.
• Clark Bastian: Chairman of the board at Fidelity Bank. He served a three-year term as chairman of the dean’s advisory board of the Barton School of Business. He is also a member of WSU’s National Advisory Council. He has served on numerous boards, including those of the Wichita Community Foundation, WSU Foundation and Rotary Club of Wichita.
• Fran Jabara: Founded the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU, which was the first of its kind on a college campus and has been recognized internationally as one of the finest, most comprehensive programs in the nation. He was a former dean of the Business School and in 1996, Jabara Hall was dedicated in his honor. Jabara passed away in 2015, and his family will accept the honor on his behalf.

The application process for the 2023-24 Widener Global Leadership Program cohort are now open. It is currently seeking 8-10 undergraduate women students from either the Barton School of Business, Elliott School of Communication or College of Fine Arts.

Interested applicants should submit a resume along with a statement of interest by Friday, July 7.

The Widener Global Leaders Program is designed to foster an inclusive community for women majoring in business, communication, or fine arts at Wichita State.

After two years of success, the Widener Global Leaders Program (WGLP). led by the Barton School of Business, will continue for the next five years. The continuation of the program is made possible by a $300,000 gift from Peri Widener, the visionary behind the program.

WGLP is an interdisciplinary program designed to create a transformational experience and foster an inclusive community for women majoring in business, communication and fine arts. The integration of the three disciplines reflects the skillset of Peri Widener, who utilized her background to thrive in the international business world.

The Barton School has announced the formation of its new Marketing Advisory Board. In conjunction, 15 marketing leaders from across the country have been selected to serve on the board.

The Marketing Advisory Board serves to advance the mission of the Barton School and the strategic vision of the Marketing Department. By sharing ideas and making recommendations, each member will work to enrich the student experience and shape the future of the department based on industry projections and insights. This includes advising on curriculum, department initiatives, business partnerships, outreach and student opportunities.

The roster of board members stretches the country and encompass leaders from numerous industries including banking, technology, aviation, restaurant management, professional sports and more.

Art created by an artist with a visual impairment is now on display at Woolsey Hall, home of WSU’s Barton School of Business, in partnership with the Envision Arts Program.

Nick Wooding is the newest Barton School featured artist. His mixed media pieces can be found on the third floor of Woolsey Hall.

Woolsey Hall, the new academic building and home of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, is now home to the Chris Brunner, WSU alum, sculpture, “The Entrepreneur.”

A ribbon cutting ceremony to honor Brunner and “The Entrepreneur” will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 10 in Woolsey Hall. A reception will follow featuring remarks from Brunner as well as appetizers and beverages. The event is open to the public.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business has chosen two recipients to receive the 2023 Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship. This year’s winners are Kayla Atkinson from Andover Central High School and Caleb Lowry from Eisenhower High School.

They will each receive more than $32,500 spread over four years to attend Wichita State and major in entrepreneurship.