FROM THE DEAN
Taiwan Report
This month I was privileged to represent the School of Business, Government, and Economics during a Rotary District 5030 relationship development tour of Taiwan. We met with government, university, and business leaders throughout the country and learned that Taiwan is enjoying an economic boom that is providing a lot of momentum for growth in its middle class.
I also had time to meet in Taipei with SPU alum Doris Brougham and to become familiar with her Studio Classroom ministry and her Overseas Radio and Television Christian media outlet. Doris is an amazing woman, and I encourage you to get to know her ministry.
Taiwan has a strong tradition of university education in the United States. About 10 percent of Taiwan’s 23 million people are Christians, and the country has an undeniable entrepreneurial spirit. Taken together, it means that SPU in general and SBGE specifically can provide great opportunities for young people coming to the USA from Taiwan. I am looking forward to helping extend SPU’s reach into Asia, and this trip was an important step in building the right relationships.
Blessings,
Joseph Williams
SBGE alumni from every era gathered February 7 at First Free Methodist Church’s Fine Center, where they heard a panel of four alumni discuss strategic opportunities and effects of the incorporation of Political Science and Global Development Studies into SBGE.
This event also served as an opportunity to honor the long-time service of Dr. Herb Kierulff, who will be retiring at the end of this school year after 35 years at SPU. As a professor, mentor, and friend, he will be greatly missed.
Watch a video tribute to Herb Kierulff.
Jeff Wilcox ’82 and Bryan Papé ’07
This year we also introduced two new annual awards for SBGE alumni: Alumnus of the Year and Young Alumnus of the Year. Alumnus of the Year was awarded to Jeff Wilcox ’82, a member of our Executive Advisory Board and founder of Third Sector Company. Young Alumnus of the Year went to Bryan Papé ’07, founder and CEO of MiiR. These awards recognize outstanding service to, and influence in, the greater community — as well as continued engagement with SBGE. We are looking forward to honoring more of our distinguished alumni in years to come.
At this year’s 14th annual Burton and Ralene Walls Distinguished Speaker Series Luncheon, we welcomed back Alec Hill, former SPU professor of Law and Ethics, as well as former dean of SBGE. Dr. Hill earned both his BA and his MA from SPU (and his JD from the University of Washington School of Law), then later went on to lead SBGE to its achievement of AACSB accreditation during his six-year tenure as dean. In 2001, he became president and CEO of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, where he has served since.
Dr. Hill spoke on the topic of “Leading a Mission: The Business Side of Nonprofit Ministry.” He explained how he manages InterVarsity and shared some of the many lessons he’s learned along the way. Students (especially those considering a career in the nonprofit sector) benefited greatly from his insight and experience.
SBGE officially ushered in its next class of students on the evening of February 19 at the New Majors Dessert. This event celebrates the admission of undergraduate students pursuing degrees in Business, Accounting, Economics, Political Science, and Global Development Studies. Students were introduced to SBGE faculty and staff, got to know their peers, and heard an inspirational word from Dean Joseph Williams about how SBGE distinguishes itself and uniquely prepares its students for success. Congratulations to all newly accepted SBGE majors!
SBGE is pleased to welcome two new tenure-track faculty members who will join us in the fall.
Dr. Randy Beavers will be an associate professor of finance and will teach a variety of finance classes. He will also work with the Social Venture Plan Competition.
Randy comes to SBGE after receiving his doctorate in Finance from the University of Alabama — where he also earned his bachelor’s degree and taught business finance and financial management. His research interests focus on executive compensation, corporate finance, and corporate governance.
Before joining academia, Randy interned at the Bureau of Justice Statistics in Washington, D.C. During his internship he worked on several projects, including some that addressed deaths in custody and HIV in prisons.
Randy is an avid sports fan and supporter of Crimson Tide athletics. In his spare time, he loves to play tennis and travel. He will marry his fiancé, Katie, this summer. They both currently attend Valley View Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Bradley Murg, assistant professor of political science, will take on leadership of the Global Development Studies program. As such he will teach the Global Development Introduction, Capstone, and internship classes. Also, because he is a political scientist, he will teach Comparative Governments. Brad has been an adjunct professor for SPU in Political Science and Global Development studies for the past two years while he finished his doctorate at the UW.
Brad’s research, supported by grants from the Social Science Research Council and the International Research and Exchanges Board, focuses on institutional reform, the political economy of foreign aid, and economic development in post-socialist economies. He also works regularly as a consultant/advisor to the Asian Development Bank and World Bank on development issues in China and East Asia.
Brad graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University, where he also completed his master’s degree, focusing on the moral philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. He holds an MSc in Economic History from the London School of Economics, and is preparing to defend his doctoral dissertation on legal reform and economic development in China, Russia, and Kazakhstan at the University of Washington. He is fluent in French, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese, with proficiency in German, Dutch, Uighur, Tagalog, and Latin.
When not on campus, he is generally found indulging his passion for kayaking from his houseboat on Lake Union or adding to the list of the 78 countries he has visited (most recently, Ecuador). Brad attends Christ Our Hope Catholic Church in downtown Seattle.
The Student Investment Fund, or the Investment Club, was started four years ago under the leadership of James Cannariato ’12 and Professor Dan Hess, the faculty advisor to the SIF. The group has grown from five students to 15, and initial seed money of $100,000 provided by SPU has grown to approximately $140,000 — with an equity portfolio of about 30 companies.
The club meets weekly to analyze companies, discuss investment ideas, vote on buy/sell decisions, and plan the future direction of the portfolio and the club. Plans for the future include increasing the dollar size of the portfolio through donations, creating a standardized securities analysis template to provide analysis consistency for the future, and creating a better leadership structure.
Meet the club officers
Christian Roy, president, senior, Accounting and Business: Finance double major.
“I chose SPU for small class sizes, personal education, and to be in Seattle. Also for my ability to have hands-on experience with shaping the fund’s portfolio and making real decisions with real money.”
John Heffel, vice president, senior, Accounting and Business: Finance double major.
“I came to SPU because I wanted to live in a cool city, I liked the small, private Christian university atmosphere, and I knew they had a good business program. I’ve been interested in investments since I was a little kid — my mom would trade and always be tuned into CNBC. I love the complexity and excitement in the market, and I enjoy the analysis and screening process and getting to look at different sectors. Being around people who share my interest in the markets is a really fun experience.”
Addison Parker, senior analyst, senior, Accounting and Finance major.
“I came to SPU because it had a good reputation and was close to home. The investment fund has taught me a lot about how our own personal psychology affects our investment decisions, and I have been able to experience this first-hand.”
Garrett Greene, VP of analysis/portfolio manager, junior, Political Science: International Affairs major.
“I came to SPU to be at a small Christian school where student-professor interaction is high and to be in the amazing city of Seattle. As VP of analysis, I’ve had the pleasure and responsibility of developing a portfolio performance and reporting procedure that will hopefully be a staple in the fund for years to come.”