Month: March 2021

The current event that I chose to read up on was in regard to COVID-19 and its impact in Chile. One article that I read was titled “Death brings assault on health care workers in Chile”. At first, one may believe that it is assault in a figurative sense regarding the intense stress put on health care workers due to the virus, but in actuality, it was a literal assault on a nurse. Between 12 and 18 people entered the hospital and broke furniture, a computer, and other property while also throwing water and verbally attacking the staff. This was because the family wanted to have a funeral for their father who passed away due to the coronavirus but were not allowed to because protocol. Eventually, the family was allowed to say goodbye, but even this was outside of the hospital’s set of rules.
The family also stated that they did not believe in COVID-19, which is an explanation for the intensity of their actions. Dr. Mauricio Munoz talks about the difficulty that health care workers must go through. Chile has seen more than 4,000 daily cases. He mentions that with the increasing number of people who test positive, the cases become more and more complex which leads to loss.
There has also been protests for more security. While the government has denounced violence against health care workers, there is still a push more policing at health facilities. The point was also made that health care workers are already at risk by exposing themselves to the virus, and that the attacks are just another issue to worry about. A nurse even commented that some of her colleagues are on stress leave and even medication because of the pandemic and hostility they face.
In even more recent news, Santiago (where UFT is located) has gone into a lockdown because of the high number of cases. While I received most of the information by talking to professors in class, I also read an article titled “Chile Locks Down Santiago With Cases Near Pandemic Worst”. The article mostly talks about how despite the fact that most of Chile’s population has been vaccinated, there are still a large number of cases. Furthermore, the article did not mention anything about the stressful environment that healthcare workers are put into because of the pandemic.
It makes me wonder that Chile may be seeing a large increase in the number of cases because of people that do not believe in the virus, like the family aforementioned. I have not read any article or heard anything that Chileans share the “anti-vax” mentality that some Americans have, so I wonder if the virus is spreading simply because of people who refuse to take it seriously. Furthermore, there may be those that have gained overconfidence in the idea that Chile is one of the world leaders when it comes to percentage of citizens vaccinated. It is always interesting to learn from other countries, and apply the lessons they’ve learned to life at home.

By: Emmy Tran

Intercultural Business Challenges in Latin America course is one of my study abroad courses at Finis Terrae University (UFT), Chile. It is interesting to me because I can deeply explore Latin American economies and their challenges in intercultural business. This course is a chance for me to input my knowledge of doing global business for my future career. Fortunately, I do not worry about Spanish because the professor uses English. The class started last week, so I have not learned much about it. However, my Chilean professor gave me detailed information about the course, and I am also excited to study this course as a team group.

Beginning the class, the professor explained the purposes of the course. In the Intercultural Business Challenges in Latin America course,  I will have a better understanding of the business environment in Latin America. Then I can identify cultural issues affecting stakeholders on the region’s business. In addition, this course provides me with knowledge of the impacts and dynamics of globalization and the changing nature of the global economy. Through the history, politics, culture, attitudes, and economies of nations, I am able to realize the importance of culture in international business. I will learn more about how and why different management styles around the world and lead different relationships in navigating cultures and economies on this course. It helps identify cultural barriers as they occur in Latin American countries. This course is broad as it teaches in both global and Latin American economies. It was more than my expectations for this course.

This course style of teaching is similar to Millikin University courses, but it is also slightly different. During the first days of class, the professor invites other professors or guest speakers to present the globalization economy and Chilean history and economy. Then he requires students to do the reports from these presentations on that day with the teammates. This course’s grades include mid-term, written reports from speakers, team presentations/cases, and a final team project. For this class, everything will be done by a team of two members.  There are four primary books and some articles that need to be read before class. He also gives us the links to find these articles. Millikin University also does so. Therefore, it is helpful for me to adapt to the Chilean professor’s teaching style. The differences are in the ways they deliver the material or lesson to the students through “Documents,” used as Moodle in the U.S. I get used to following lessons or assignments on Moodle at Millikin University. However, this course does not assign the lessons followed by dates on “Documents.” That is why I feel a bit inconvenient in the first few days. Now, everything else is good for me.  

In short, my study journey seemed very adventurous as I have experienced American and Chilean cultures and now gain knowledge of Latin American economies and globalization. Many people have never had many opportunities to explore other countries like me. In Intercultural Business Challenges in Latin America course,  I can understand why cross-cultural barriers pop up more often in Latin American countries and identify and manage the different cultures for domestic and foreign businesses in these countries and globally.

I chose to interview Kentina Ishimwe for the blog post; She is a sophomore finance major here at Millikin. Being a foreign exchange student, Kentina is a long way from home, which takes a lot of bravery. During her stay at Millikin, Kentina has been very resourceful with her time.

Depending on the day during the week, she either starts the day with morning classes or goes to work and vice versa as the week enrolls. Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre is a student-run venture with people that have a passion for performing arts. This venture takes up most of her mornings. Giving me a summary she says, “For example, I wake up every day, and I make sure that everything that I need to do as their director of Finance is done.” In addition to that, Kentina is a part of the Women in Business Organization here on campus that also helps in building connections, knowledge, and wisdom for when she completes her degree. On the weekends, she makes sure her work has been completed and takes time for herself to regenerate for the coming week.

I next asked Kentina “What advice would you give a Finance major?” She responded “My advice would be to make sure you what you’re in for. If given an opportunity, you should strive to do an internship or be a part of a business like myself so that you are certain that Finance is what you want to do for a lifetime. “The reason  I say this, especially concerning this major, in my opinion, what we do in class is theory-based and can only take you so far. If you are experienced in your field of studies, you have an upper hand.” -Kentina Ishimwe

Advice from Professor Osei

Before you choose a major, make sure you see a future with it. Choose Finance if it’s something that interests you and you’re willing to work hard for it. “Everyone should know a little finance”-Osei. The process of building and creating wealth over time is important to know. Trying your best is the most important thing. Doing your assignments and making sure you understand the material is important as well. 

Finance is also something we use in our daily lives. Osei mentioned there might be a time where you’re in an interview and they ask you some practical questions that might apply to finance and could be resourceful. The results will pay for the work we do now at the end of the day. Osei stressed giving your very best at all times, and with that, he said it should be okay.

By: Angela Arnold

A deep dive into one of my study abroad courses: I began virtual classes at Artevelde University in Belgium about a month ago. I am enrolled in two courses which are People Management and European Business. Of the two, European Business has been my favorite thus far. My professor has had an extensive career working in many European businesses and at the European Parliament. She is also quite an inspiration as she speaks 8 languages and has 2 small children at home. European Business only meets once a week and the majority of the class is lecture based. At the middle and end of the class every week we meet with other students in random breakout rooms to discuss the topics and our relevant experiences. Since these courses do not assign homework, a large part of our grade is based on the work we do in our semester team assignment. We were assigned to groups of 6 and as a team we will work throughout the semester to provide a research paper and presentation on a European business sector. My team has chosen the real estate sector and the research that we have completed thus far has been very dynamic and interesting, especially the variances by location. 

Another difference is with the class setup. As I said we do not receive homework, so our grade is based fifty percent on the team assignment and then fifty percent on the final exam. This is a big shift for me as I am used to the U.S. course structure of having multiple quizzes, tests, and a midterm exam. Since U.S. based educational institutions generally do not teach students about European businesses unless they specialize in it, I came in with a limited background of knowledge. What I knew came from reading the paper or watching the nightly news, so compared to my European classmates I had somewhat of a disadvantage. Within the first week the professor gave us website resources focused on European business and current affairs which I read at least twice a week now. Some of the topics that we have discussed up to this point include institutions of the European Union, the single European market, competition policies, European Union consumer rights and how to contact the European Consumers Centres (ECC-Net). We also spend the first half hour of class discussing current affairs in order to understand the impacts they could have on business and trade. 

In comparison to classes that I have taken at Millikin, I have noticed that courses at Artevelde are much more relaxed. They are focused on ensuring that you understand the content and take good notes rather than piling on homework assignments. I am so used to having homework every night that I feel like I’m missing something or that I have forgotten to do my homework. I compensate for that feeling by taking thorough notes and reading European news articles often. For future students interested in studying at Artevelde, I would absolutely recommend it because the pace is much different. I also suggest taking European Business and perhaps a language course if you’re interested in the Dutch, German or French languages. 

I chose to interview Davion Jefferson; he is a senior here at Millikin majoring in Digital Media Marketing as well. Having been an ex-athlete all of his life, finally having time throughout the day, that isn’t designated for practice or working out is a new part of Davion’s life.

What does your day consist of?

My day starts at 7:30, as I wake up, I mentally prepare myself for the day and tasks ahead. Having been a former football player, it is still an adjustment for me, to not have to get up and do some kind of physical activity. From there I get ready and eat. I have been an intern at Bob Brady’s Cadillac and GMC auto mall for the last 3 months. This has been a fairly new process to learn but I have enjoyed learning the business from the ground up. When I arrive the first thing I do is settle in and ask my manager, “Do you have anything that needs done”. Usually, the work that I do is, Direct customers to the right sales associate, make copy’s as well as excel sheets, car upkeep, which is moving the vehicles, fueling them, arranging them, making sure the cars are tagged, setting up sales displays for vehicles, organizing keys, as well miscellaneous tasks that I am asked to do. “Honestly, I am enjoying my time here. This is a new chapter in my life and I never thought I would be in this professional environment. It is rewarding and feels good to learn something new.” When I asked if he had any advice for students In the major, he says “Always keep your head down and your chin up. Always keep moving. Eventually, you will get to where you need to go.

My time generally consists of teaching classes, having office hours, working on research, grading, committee meetings, faculty meetings, and attending University events. It is tough to say what an average or typical weekday looks like because there is a lot of variance.  Some semesters, like this one, I am teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  So, for those days I do less research, grading and other meetings. If I am fortunate, I am able to occasionally carve out a weekday where I just focus on research which involves a lot of reading and writing.  “Iv learned that time management is the key to staying on top of work”.

Meet the Author: Stephen Gudino is currently a junior here at Millikin U. He is majoring in Digital Media Marketing and hopes to be able to run brand awareness and social media strategy for an international business.

What is an average day like for a business major in college? I wanted to find out so I reached out to a friend of mine that is a college student majoring in business. My friend’s name is Tommy Anderson. Tommy is 20 years old and goes to Millikin University. I asked Tommy a few questions about what he typically does on an average day as a business major.

Tommy said “Normally my average day is pretty boring. I wake up and get on zoom for my first class of the day. The first class of the day is always the worst because it’s hard for me to wake up want to learn. Once I get in the shower I normally start to wake up get in a happier mood. After my first class, I look online and see what homework I have to do. After that, I plan out the rest of my day and work on any homework that I have. After I do my homework I get ready for any other classes I have later in the day. I also try to spend some time with my girlfriend if she isn’t busy with either her schoolwork or sorority life. At the end of the day, I normally put away all my school stuff and either hang out with my friends or I play video games.”

I also asked Tommy if he had any advice for someone thinking about majoring in business in college, and he said “The best advice that I could give someone that wants to major in business would be to first take some other classes so you can see what other options for classes. I say to do this because you may find something else that you really enjoy and it’s better to discover that sooner rather than later in college. Secondly, I tell people that if you just stay on top of all of your schoolwork you will be fine and should nothing to worry about because once you fall behind it is hard to catch back up.”

I reached out to Professor Braxton. A business teacher at a local college and asked them the same questions that I asked Tommy. Braxton told me ” An average day for me starts off with me waking up and getting ready for work. I then spend time with my family before I go to my office. Once I get to my office I read my emails, grade homework, and prepare for my classes. After my classes, I have my office hours available for my students. After office hours I go home and have dinner with my family.”

When asked what advice Professor Braxton had for an incoming business major he said “Keep your eyes on your goals in life. Your life and goals may change but you have to remember to keep your eyes on the prize and to never give up no matter how tough it gets.”

Hello, my name is Vonkesha Brent, and I attend Millikin University majoring in Organizational Leadership. This is my senior year, and I will be graduating in December of 20121. I interviewed a fellow classmate of mines named Shonta Mckissic. I decided to interview Shonta because we face similar challenges will being a student in the flex program. The instructor that I interviewed is Keyria Rodgers. I decided to interview Keyria because I have known her since I was a kid. I ran into her at my first year at Millikin and had her as professor for a couple of classes.  

Shonta is a mom just like me. She also finds it hard to balance being a mom, a student, and working full time. She feels like she does not give her kids enough attention because she’s doing homework in her free time. A lot of her time is spent focusing on her classes. She’s taking 15 credit hours this semester and spend at least 2 hours on each course to get her homework done. Shonta barely have time to relax or do fun things due to working and focusing on school. “My typical days of being in the program is frustrating!” 

Professor Keyria Rodgers teaches many criminal justice classes at Millikin University in addition to her director roles. Professor Rodgers has many other obligations. She is the grant administrator for Macon County’s Adult Redeploy Illinois program, board member for the Juvenile Justice Initiative, founder of the Global Restorative Justice Partnership, and an independent consultant for grant writing and restorative justice training. In her free time, Keyria likes to play a variety of games and puzzles. She is also a business investor with many gaming companies which I think is cool. “It’s not just a hobby, it’s a part of life for me.”

 

Throughout the program it has been hard for me to focus. I am a single mother, full time student, and full-time worker. It has been extremely hard for me since the fall semester last year. My kids are attending school via virtual learning. It is hard trying to keep them and myself on track with our studies. Like Shonta, I feel bad at times because I have not had much time to spend with my kids. I explain to them that I am just busy right now. I try to take a day out of the week to spend quality time with my girls. I have not had much time to myself lately and it is well overdue. I am overwhelmed but I keep telling myself that it will be over soon. I am hoping things will get better for me to lift some weight off my shoulders because the load is just too much for one person. Despite the circumstances, I will make sure to push myself all the way through. My kids motivate me to be a better person all around. The long sleepless nights will pay off one day soon. I advise other OL students to not take on too much at one time. Also try not to get behind because it is hard to catch-up. 

The life of a student athlete is a hectic one. Being able to balance studies as well as being a collegiate athlete can be very challenging, especially in a difficult major such as biology. Student-Athlete, Austin has played baseball since he was 6. “I always wanted to play baseball” Austin said, “my love for baseball, also led me to chiropractic”. Austin has been accepted to Logan chiropractic school in the fall.

 The schedule of someone in a rigorous major takes a lot of planning already, “I wake up around 8:30 to study before heading to class or practice”. A normal day consists of 1-2 classes and 2-3 practice sessions. “Normally, we have hitting in the morning, and then practice for several hours again in the evening” Austin said.  On an average day, Austin says he spends about 5-6 hours at practice, 3 hours in actual class and usually at least 3 more hours studying and doing homework.

“Enjoy it, even though it’s stressful. Do what you love, and make time for the people that count”- Austin

A professor serving the biology department said, “it is important to balance your schedule and spend ample time with the material”. This professor also said that it is important to spend at least 4 hours of time with the material outside of regular class work per week.  “I really try and take the initiative to plan out my schedule” Austin said “because I am so busy, I have to take the time to study when I can”.

Meet the Author

Mackenzie is a senior biology major with a minor in environmental studies and a certificate in photography.  After receiving her undergraduate degree Mackenzie plans on pursuing a career in conservation.  Outside of academics Mackenzie is an active member of Alpha Chi Omega, My College Buddy and Big Blue Backpacks.  She is also on the Cross Country and Track teams. 

Often times it is impossible to break into the more “comfy” financial side of corporate America without certification in higher education, i.e. degree(s). A concentration choice becoming evermore popular because of its flexibility in use is organizational leadership. This major offers potential students an education in influence, effective communication, team building, and management. Millikin University offers this concentration with a twist— a flexible learning curriculum to accommodate the not-so-average college student.

Jordan Carroll, a student in Millikin University’s organizational leadership program, works full-time while being enrolled in the program. She starts her day early with work and spends the evening pursuing her studies. With the spaces in between she fits in time for herself.

“Make sure you spend enough time on school and school work, but don’t drive yourself crazy. Make sure you give yourself a day off.”– Jordan Carroll

Dr. Jan Kirby serves in a leadership role of the college, along with being a professor in the department. She wears many hats and has the duty of delegating her tasks to meet her responsibilities. She manages her schedule based on the order things are due.

“…deadlines! I check to see what is coming up next then I plan what I do around it. That’s how I keep track of what’s important.”– Dr. Jan Kirby

 Organized Chaos of Adult Learners

A Day in the Life of Mike Wilkin:

Mike begins his days at work between 5am and 7am.  Mike spends approximately 25% of his day reviewing production defects documented by the internal auditors and then sorts them by location for investigation.  He then spends 50% of his day investigating the validity of those production defects and interviewing operators to determine root cause and corrective action.  Mike spends the remainder of his workday working with individual departments fixing any processing or material defects that need addressed and corrected. 

When Mike gets off work, he dedicates a few hours each evening to homework.  Mike is in the FLEX program at Millikin University and is a full-time student.  While Mike juggles his own assignments, he has a 17-year-old daughter that is currently remote learning.  She needs Mike’s help with her work as well due to the struggles high school students that are online learning seem to be experiencing.  Mike states, “online learning for high schoolers is pure garbage.”  These are some challenging times we are in and parents were not prepared for the added stress.

On Tuesday’s, Mike takes time for some selfcare.  Mike spends from 7pm-9pm at the bowling alley.  He is on a league and bowls 4 games individually.  On the other nights, Mike makes sure to take some time for himself.  He spends about an hour or so at the gym working out or playing Tennis.  Once Spring hits and the weather improves, Mike replaces these indoor activities with outdoor activities, including Softball.  Mike enjoys staying active and makes sure to take time for himself outside of the work/school obligations.  This is a great work/life balance.

Despite Mike’s busy schedule, he does his best to maintain a routine sleep schedule to ensure he is getting enough rest.  Rest is important when you are trying to maintain a hectic schedule.  Mike tries to get to bed around 8:30pm most nights.  Sleep is important to avoid burnout.

 Mike’s advice to anyone considering entering the FLEX Organizational Leadership program at Millikin University is to “learn to manage your time.”  Mike has realized that this is an intense program and every minute counts.  He wants everyone to know that the instructors want you to be successful and you will build relationships with those you are in the cohort with.  Mike’s final words of advice, “Ask for help!” 

I have enjoyed engaging with Mike over the last two years as we have worked our way through this program.  I can relate to Mike in the busy, non-stop, chaos and deadlines of work, school, and day-to-day obligations.  I cannot agree more that the work/life balance is key and so is learning to manage your time.  I also work many hours, have a teenager remote learning, and am a full-time student.  I struggle to make time for myself, but it is important to maintain your sanity.

Melinda Rueter is a Professor at Millikin connected to the Organizational Leadership major and Tabor School of Business.  She teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays but adds a 4-hour evening class in the Fall semester.  She advises Communication students on internships which can consume a considerable amount of her time during different parts of the semester. 

Melinda Rueter has worked with FLEX students and knows that most of them have a full-time job and often families in conjunction with the schoolwork.  Her observations from working with FLEX students who have jobs and/or families has been that finding a balance that allows them to complete all assignments can be a challenge.  Recently with COVID, she has noticed this to be especially hard for parents who have children that are also home participating in remote learning.

Melinda’s advice for students in the OL FLEX program is “to find a structure that works for you.”  She recommends advocating for yourself and finding support from family, friends, and other classmates.

About the writer:

Data-driven OSHA 30 certified safety specialist with 15 years industry experience.  Experienced maintenance technician in the manufacturing/construction industry. Strong operations experience and safety compliance with the ability to create a culture of engagement and organizational effectiveness. 

Dedicated to supporting performance excellence and continuous improvement processes while creating a competitive safety culture.  Strong case management, program implementation, and large project oversight with the ability to support business continuity.  Possesses team building strategies that support empowerment and continuous colleague development.  Ability to work in teams and create sustainable improvements within multiple levels of a company. 

Co-Founder of @NotForgotten a local non-profit that develops community engagement and resources for people living with exceptional needs.

Full-time student of organizational leadership at Millikin University and member of the Tabor School of Business Honor’s Society.