14 Broadcaster Press December 18, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com Professor works to increase Native American business majors Native Americans are largely absent from corporate boardrooms, executive positions in major corporations as well as many small and medium-sized businesses, but Amy Klemm Verbos, Ph.D., J.D., an assistant professor of management at the University of South Dakota, is working to change that. Verbos and educators from institutions across the United States, including Deanna Kennedy, assistant professor of operations management at the University of Washington Bothell; Joseph Gladstone, assistant professor of public health management at New Mexico State University; and Dan Stewart, associate professor of management at Gonzaga University; are developing strategies to attract Native American students to business majors as part of The PhD Project. Founded in 1994, The PhD Project is a program that supports African American, Latino American and Native American students into Ph.D. programs with the goal of putting more professors of color in front of business students. Last year, according to The PhD Project, only 12 Native Americans were in enrolled in business doctoral programs. “The great news is that we’ve been enormously successful as our graduation rate for students in the program is better than 90 percent,” said Verbos, who is a member of the Pokagon band of the Potawatomi Indians. “The problem is improving those numbers for Native American students, who have been largely overlooked when it comes to doctoral programs.” Verbos and her colleagues’ work was highlighted nationally in the publication “Diverse Issues in Higher Education” (http://diverseeducation.c om/article/49678/) outlining their mission of increasing Native American students majoring in business and directing graduates toward doctoral programs. For the last five years, Verbos, Kennedy, Gladstone and New USD Veterans Center fulfills students’ needs By Travis Gulbrandson travis.gulbrandson@plaintalk. net It has only been a few weeks, but since the new Student Veterans Resource Center opened on the USD campus, it has rarely been empty. “It’s rare that I’m the only one here studying,” said Eric Gage, former president of the USD Veterans Club. “This room is probably one of the biggest deals for veterans on campus that I can think of.” Located at the Temporary Student Center, the room had its official ribbon-cutting Nov. 13 and offers student veterans a venue to study, interact or just take a break between classes. “Veterans can come and do their homework, print off a study guide, have a cup of coffee, get benefit information and just feel safe and belong,” Gage said. “It’s quiet here, and everybody here is in this room for a reason. It’s not that we’re trying to segregate ourselves from everybody else, but in a common space it can be very loud. It’s very uncomfortable, and veterans don’t like to be in crowds. “We each have our own unique needs and things we have to deal with, and in this room, it’s safe,” he said. If a student veteran has gone there once, they most likely will be there again – and often – Gage said. “Everybody is welcome,” he said. “Even if it’s somebody you’ve never 3 ???3???????3  3 ????????? 6 3???????3???????3?3 ????3????? 4 3 ??????????3?3??????3??????????3??3????????3 ? 3??????3???????3???????3??3????3?????? 9 3 883848?8984344458 ? 3 ??????????? J oin us in the true spirit of the season with prayers of peace and goodwill toward all mankind. Best Wishes for a Blessed Christmas & a Happy New Year ansen Funeral Home Serving Families Since 1931 met before, you strike up a conversation because you know you have things in common with that person.” USD’s veterans coordinator Jason Dean said the acquisition of the room is the culmination of 10 years of work in assisting the university in the implementation of other veteran-related programs. The first of these was the reestablishment of the USD Veterans Club in 2004, which helped veterans to increase their on-campus visibility. Further advances were made when Dean was installed in his current position less than two years ago. “In my office, students come in, and if they’re eligible for benefits I help them along to file applications, to fill out the necessary paperwork, to get the information that they need in order to get their GI Bill benefits rolling,” he said. “I’m the first person they need to see if they have any military affiliation, and I’ll point them where they need to go, or figure out how many of their services I can offer.” Justin Smith, project director for the Fides Grant, said Dean’s role is a big one. “Before, there would be just somebody in the registrar’s office would handle veterans’ benefits, and every year or two, whoever did it would change. So there was very little consistency,” Smith said. Massage For Health Lois Hazen, LMT Give the Gift of Health this Holiday Season! Call, stop by or purchase online @ loismassages.com Open Mon-Fri • 216 W. 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Main Street, Irene, SD • 605–263–3343 605.624.6291 Stewart have traveled the country presenting at conferences and publishing papers on the importance of Native American values and the impact those principles have in encouraging Native America students interested in business as a major. “At USD, we present to First-Year Experience students and talk about why they may wish to consider business as a major,” added Verbos, who has taught at USD since 2009. “We show them what they can accomplish with business degrees and that there’s a tremendous need for people with business degrees. “Business, as a major, has been a little less important in the tribal community generally,” Verbos continued, “but the importance of those degrees is becoming greater in South Dakota and across the nation.” For more information about the PhD Project, please visit https://www.phdproject.o rg. Read & Recycle! FAX US YOUR AD Use your FAX machine to send us your Classified ad. Remember to include your name & ad. Prepayment is required when placing classified, we accept Visa or Mastercard. Classified FAX number: 605-624-2696 THE BROADCASTER P.O. Box 357 • 201 W. Cherry • Vermillion, SD 57069 • Phone: 605-624-4429 Thank Y ou The family of Delores Frahm would like to extend our deepest thanks and appreciation for your kindness shown to our family during the time of our loss. Thank you to our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers for the kind words of sympathy, prayers, food, flowers and memorials. Special thanks to Fr. John Fischer for the beautiful service and burial; and to the St. Agnes Funeral servers for serving lunch. We feel truly blessed to have everyone’s support and love. Leon Frahm Rick & Pam Chaussee Danny & Sandy Brown Layne & Deb Schulz Grandchildren Great Grandchildren