Monday, December 19, 2022
Happy holidays and best wishes for the New Year!
The past year has been as hectic and eventful as ever. We marked several notable milestones in expanding the reach of our brand, including world-class research, record-breaking philanthropy and, as always, impactful teaching for our talented, intelligent, high-achieving students. I can’t express often enough how fortunate I feel to work in such a vibrant, collaborative, welcoming community. As we head off into a well-earned winter break, it is my hope for each of you that your holiday celebrations bring you joy and the new year greets all of you with peace and prosperity. See you in 2023!
Faculty research: For credit rating agencies, reputation matters
Contrary to popular belief, credit rating agencies provide more accurate, timely, conservative, and informative credit ratings for higher-risk companies – a discovery that calls into question the conventional wisdom that they cater to their clients. Sam Bonsall, Deloitte & Touche Teaching Excellence Professor in Accounting, and Karl Muller, Robert and Sandra Poole Faculty Fellow in Accounting, along with colleagues at Harvard Business School, HEC Paris and Purdue University, recently published a paper detailing these findings in Management Science. Read the story.
Smeal MBA team wins sustainability case competition
A team of five Smeal residential MBA students won the 2022 MBA sustainability Case Competition. Read the story.
CGSB funding available for student research assistants
The Center for Global Business Studies funds several students each semester to work with Smeal faculty doing broadly defined international business-related research. Students will receive $750 for completing about 50 hours of faculty support. The work assigned to students can include research assistance for publications or conference papers you are working on, or to develop global content in courses you teach. The brief, one-page application form requesting a research assistant can be found here: https://www.smeal.psu.edu/cgbs/faculty. Please return it to Terrence Guay by Dec. 23 for Spring 2023 semester funding. Terrence has already received several applications from very qualified and ambitious students, so please consider the opportunity to work with one of them.
Consider nominating a great Smeal teacher
The college is seeking nominations for the following teaching awards:
- Teaching excellence (separate awards for undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. levels)
- Excellence in online teaching
- Excellence in teaching by an early career faculty member
- Excellence in teaching by a Ph.D. student
- Innovation in teaching tools and methods
Nominations for the 2022-23 academic year (Summer 2022-Spring 2023) will be accepted until May 5, 2023, and recipients will be selected by the Smeal Teaching Awards Committee over the summer. The recipients will be announced and celebrated in September. Nominate someone today.
Business Building will be locked over winter break
The Business Building will be locked during the winter break, beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday through Jan. 2. As we approach and then leave for break, office holders are reminded to practice safety protocols and stay vigilant about locking offices.
Smeal Update taking a holiday break
After today, Smeal Update will be on hiatus until Jan. 9. We will ring in a new year and a new semester with the first news update and gather for the initial Smeal Community Zoom. See you then!
Smeal in the News
Guide quoted in story on CNN.com
Dan Guide, Smeal Chaired Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, was quoted in a CNN Underscored story titled “Why you should avoid online returns, according to the experts.” Read the story.
Know someone who rocks?
Each month the Smeal Staff Advisory Committee names a You Rock! Award recipient. You can nominate a co-worker for the You Rock! Award online. Nominate them.
The Smeal Community Weekly Poll
Participate in this week’s survey. Results will be shared during the next Smeal Community Zoom, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 9. Take the poll.