The Briefing
Faculty research: Same-sex couples navigate the traditional wedding industry
Over a two-year period, Amber Epp, the Wilbur Dickson-Bascom Professor in Business and an associate professor of marketing at WSB, conducted interviews with 30 same-sex couples across different areas of the U.S. Together with her co-author, Epp also observed bridal expos, publications, and event-planning businesses to learn more about the challenges these couples face in navigating the traditional wedding marketplace.
New entrepreneurship major prioritizes curiosity, ambition, and creativity
Starting Fall 2024, undergraduate students will be able to pursue WSB’s new, standalone entrepreneurship major. Designed to raise the profile of entrepreneurship at the school, the in-demand major incorporates experiential learning opportunities, acts as a strong complement to other majors, and includes a new class to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
School programs empower women in supply chain
WSB is paving the way for more women to enter the supply chain management field and find success. In the 2023-24 academic year, 60% of students in WSB’s undergraduate supply chain management degree program were women. “That’s not prevalent everywhere else,” says Breanna Schneider (BBA ’24), who shared these findings at a conference. “This is vastly different from a lot of other universities around the nation.”
The Ticker
- High marks for UW: The Princeton Review ranked UW–Madison #15 for best alumni networks among public institutions and named the university as one of its “Best Value Colleges.”
- Business Badger transition: Alisa Robertson (BA ’94, MBA ’03) will succeed Mike Knetter as Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association chief executive officer in 2025. Knetter served as WSB dean from 2002 to 2010.
- Triple feature: What do The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and The Guardian have in common? All three recently featured research on behavioral nudges from WSB’s Evan Polman.
- Hot off the press: The Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Update magazine is here! Read about alumni making an impact, including this year’s savvy 8 to Watch lineup.
- The Wisconsin Idea in action: As UW–Madison’s 175th anniversary comes to an end, Business Badgers share their most impactful experiences from their time on campus—and beyond.
- Students ‘stick’ together: See how students showcase their personalities through decorative laptop stickers.
Back to School
Brush Up on Campus Art
In addition to historic buildings and iconic points of interest, the UW–Madison campus is admired for its breathtaking collection of public art. Sprinkled throughout university grounds, these works of art provide joyful and thought-provoking experiences to those passing by. Here’s one that will surely catch your eye:
The Mendota Wall: More than 100 spotlights are carefully positioned over 1,284 blown-glass pieces to overwhelm people with light and color. The 140-foot wall installation was created by legendary glass sculptor alum Dale Chihuly (MS ’67), who studied at the nation’s first studio glass program at UW–Madison.
Can you guess where this colorful exhibit is located on campus? Check out UW–Madison’s most successful and notable works to find out!
Tip Sheet
WSB’s Alan Stoffer Addresses Key Questions About AI in Business
WSB is producing short “micro-courses” to provide learning opportunities for industry and alumni. Based on pressing issues and participant questions, these courses consist of email and video content, followed by an optional in-person discussion.
Back by popular demand, WSB is offering Alan Stoffer’s (MBA ’13) AI course—and special bonus content—at no cost to alumni. During this exclusive learning opportunity, Stoffer will discuss key questions submitted by alumni about AI in business.
This course is conveniently delivered through email and will be followed by the optional opportunity to meet with Stoffer, marketing program director at WSB, and other faculty on September 13 on campus.
If you are interested in this free program, or would like to be notified of future programming, reach out to lifelonglearning@wsb.wisc.edu
Alumni Opportunities
August 6: Join fellow alumni and the WSB MBA and Master’s Employer Relations team for Wine and Nibbles in Palo Alto, California. Drop in to this fun and informal gathering for networking and WSB updates. Venue is TBD and will be announced by email to those who RSVP.
September 19: Save the date for WSB in MPLS, an in-person networking event for Twin City Business Badgers.
September 27: Join WSB’s Strategic Human Resource Management Center for the 2024 SHR Symposium at UW–Madison’s Pyle Center. Register today to reconnect with peers, engage with faculty, and hear from one of WSB’s recent 8 to Watch alumni, Marcus Alston (MBA ’19).
October: Get ready for the launch of Badgers in Tech, a new initiative to increase opportunities for employment and partnership within the tech industry in Chicago and beyond.
October 26: Save the date for WSB’s 2024 Homecoming Bash! WSB donors receive priority access to Bash and football tickets—watch your email for details.
What’s new?: Submit a Class Note to share life and career updates with fellow alumni.
Share the love: In honor of the school’s upcoming 125th anniversary, tell us what you love most about WSB. Your submission might be featured in a future publication or other WSB communication channels.
About Business Casual
Every other month, alumni and friends of the Wisconsin School of Business will receive insider updates with news about our alumni, faculty, students, and programs. If you want to share Business Casual with friends, they can sign up at go.wisc.edu/wsb-biz-cas.
Questions or comments? Email businesscasual@wsb.wisc.edu
Tags: