I would just like to say CONGRATS to the NEWEST members of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies!

These pictures and more are located online at http://www.flickr.com/photos/67134631@N00/ 

As I sit and think about my freshman year, I think of all the exciting things that have happened to me....

• I came in second with the Biz Blog name which won me an Ipod and the right to write this blog....
• I was accepted into the Honors Society....
• I survived my Problem solving report in X204- Business Communications! (I will never be able to look at Ethanol the same again!)
• I survived my Accounting A-100 course and I will now be well prepared for more to come!
• I survived FINITE MATH... I think I deserve an applause for this one!
• I made it through my freshman year working on my pre-rec's to get into Kelley....
• I applied and have been accepted into KSB this FALL! This will be my top accomplishment this year, I would say.

So, LOOK OUT KELLEY.... Here I come....

One of the highlights of my job is working with students in the Kelley School of Business Honors Program.  The 11 students graduating with Honors this May have been the most recognized group of Honors graduates in the history of Kelley Indianapolis.  They have studied abroad, been named multiple times to the list of IUPUI Top 100 and Top 10 students,  had amazing internship experiences, and many are ready to begin enviable jobs when they graduate in less than a month.

On Sunday evening, April 22, the Kelley Honors Program, in conjunction with the IUPUI Honors Program, held a recognition dinner for the Honors graduates, their friends, and their families.  This was the first year that Kelley students have been invited to this ceremony and, of course, they stole the show.  Here they are:

From left to right:  Nodira Issamiddinova, Branden Harbin, Jaime Nieto Jimenez, Kim Donahue (Honors faculty), Drew Boyd, Alam Crumly, Amy Wright, and Danielle DeNise. 

Students unable to attend included: Wendy Hoffman, Jayna Kadel, Juliana Mattheis, and Tisha Talley.

The Kelley Honors Program has grown from a graduating class of less than 10 students two years ago into a program that now accepts a select group of 30 high-achieving Kelley students each Fall.  Much of the credit for this growth can be directly attributed to this group of students - Thank you.

It has been an interesting few weeks. Everything has been going too fast, as usual. I had my last undergraduate class yesterday! It just hit me. The last four years of my life have really been an adventure. It has been great, challenging and exciting. I am sad that everything is coming to an end, but life goes on. My last final is next Friday, May 4th at 6 p.m. (I know, last day and time possible!). After my last final, I will probably go Salsa dancing with a few friends, or do whatever but I am celebrating! I wanted to send a bigger e-mail but finals and projects are still keeping me busy. I will make another post soon, once all this madness is over. Good luck with finals!

Keep it very simple this time,

Jaime

I know that title makes many of you happy. 

For me it means there are students who are graduting and we may not see them again.  It is exciting to see them achieve their goal of finishing their bachelor degree.  Knowing they are off starting their career is such a rush.  That is why I enjoy Commencement so much.  As I watch the Dean hand the diploma cover to the graduates it gives me chills.

The end of Spring also means lots of work.  Summer is when I try to catch up on all the things I didn't get done during the spring.  Alas, there is no rest for us here at the Student Services Office.  I code degree progress reports, update records, certify grads, set up new files, shred old files and any other projects my director has for me.  I keep thinking I am going to get it all done during the summer, but it never happens.  There is too much to do and the summer is MUCH too short.

The end of Spring also means vacations.  That is always fun. I am not sure if I am going anywhere this summer.  I may put it off and take more time at the end of Fall semester.

What ever the end of Spring means to you, I wish you the best summer ever.  If you are taking summer classes, I hope you do well and have some time to relax.

At the end of my eighth semester I find myself going through a very similar routine.  Checking all of my syllabi and making sure I have finished all of my assignments, I have turned in all of my papers, and I am prepared for my finals.  One new realization that I have about college is that many things really do not change.  Yes, the classes change, but in the end they all have similar structure.   I have decided that I am very happy I am not graduating yet.  I have the opportunity to enjoy one last summer and I will be working with The Indianapolis Tennis Championships (formally the RCA Tennis Championships) as a Marketing Intern.  I am excited because I will be working in the sports industry and I will be involved with many hands on activities throughout the summer.  All of my work will lead up to the tournament in July and my team and I will be able to see all of our work pay off.

The spring soccer season came to a very successful end last weekend as we finished 8-0. Our team battled through some sporadic weather this spring, but we overcame the adversity.   I have talked with many of the players and they are all excited about the fall season.  It is a weird situation for me because last year at this time I thought I was entering my last season of soccer, but because I redshirted that was not the case.  I am experiencing many of the same feelings all over again, but this time I know this is my last collegiate season ever.  I am sure I will become more anxious as August approaches, but for now I am looking forward to the summer and hopefully some random trips to who knows where.

If you are a regular reader of the Wall Street Journal, IBJ, Indianapolis Star or any of the dozens of other magazines and newspapers dedicated to business, it is hard not to feel a little discouraged at times.  It seems that every day at least one company announces the need to restate earnings due to accounting errors or another high profile executive is caught in the stock options backdating scandal.  Colleges and universities have not been able to escape the limelight either, with several of the country's most well know institutions having engaged in what appear to be, at the very least, questionable practices regarding student loans.  Imagine my surprise when I read that Notre Dame, my alma mater, was swept up in the student loan probe. 

I'm not as cynical as the previous paragraph may suggest, but I do believe that these issues highlight how important it is, even 5+ years after the Enron debacle, for every individual to understand the important role ethics occupy in the workplace.  Most of us can confidently say that we have a set of beliefs and follow our own set of moral and ethical guidelines in our personal lives, but what about when we are at work.  Do the same standards apply or are we a little more lax in our application of ethical standards?

Yesterday the Career Placement Office offered its 3rd workshop in our Issues in the Workplace Series (webasts of previous workshops).  Jackie Smith, the Network Privacy & Compliance Officer for Community Health Network, led an incredibly interactive and thought-provoking workshop entitled Ethics in Business.

Here is one of the many scenarios we discussed for you to consider:

Scenario: You are going on your first business trip for your company.  This is a 2 week engagement.  You decide to go out to dinner at Ruths' Chris (I would choose St. Elmo's, but it's not my scenario).  It is more expensive than what you would normally pay for dinner.  Should you charge it to your expense account?

Additional information: It is your last night and you are taking a client out to dinner.  How expensive of a restaurant should you select?  Is Ruths' Chris too much?  Do you charge both meals to your account?

Even more additional info: The client makes references to attending a strip club after dinner.  What do you do?

Most of us face these types of ethical dilemmas, or even smaller ones at work.  Very few of us are in the position to decide how to account for $12,000,000 in stock options.  Instead we wonder how we should feel about ourselves or colleagues taking home a few office supplies or surfing the internet at work.  The important thing is that we at least spend some time thinking about how we apply our ethics in the workplace. 

Jackie suggested that when confronted with an ethical dilemma in the workplace you should begin by asking yourself the following questions to determine if you are on thin ice:

• What would this look like in the newspaper?
• What would I tell my child to do?
• Will I sleep soundly tonight?
• How would I feel if my family and friends knew what I was doing?
• Am I being fair and honest?
• If you are still unsure, seek guidance from someone whom you trust and respect.

This weekend April 20-21st Warren Central High School is hosting the 2^nd Annual Literacy Classic. The proceeds from this tournament go to local and intercity children literacy funds. This tournament will host the best soccer teams in the Mid-West. The opening game on Friday at 5pm showcases a long running intercity rival (IUPUI vs. Butler).  The following game will display IU vs. Cincinnati. Also, in the tournament on the men’s side are; Valparaiso, IPFW, University of Illinois Chicago, and Ohio State among others. There will also be a women’s side of the tournament of which I do not have the details. IUPUI will play two other matches on Saturday at 11am and 6pm. This is a great opportunity to see very high quality Division 1 soccer right in your backyard. The tournament is for a great cause and it will showcase the best talent in the Mid-West.

Okay, okay.... I'm not the only one here that's feeling the end-of-the-term-squeeze-stress-thingy.... I'm sure that's not the technical term, but it will work..

I've recently had to turn down a job offer to accept a more fitting to my studies job. After I accepted the job, I got a call for a different interview. I went to my orientation on Monday and found out wonderful information about my new home, National City Bank! I haven't started working yet... but the anxiety of starting a new job is kicking in....

I got my grade in A100 (Intro to Accounting)...This was one stress that was lifted off my chest. Who would have known that little 1 credit hour class could be so mind wrecking?!?!? Definately don't take this one for granted....

I've got three tests this week (Whew!) AND 4 more next week.... AND I have to study for my finals....

So what's stressing you guys??? Drop me a comment and let me know. I will come up with some remedies for your stressers.......

I am now a week late in submitting my blog.  I have been very busy answering e-mails, seeing students, reviewing transcripts of returning and transfer students, and other duties as assigned.  Writing my blog totally slipped my mind.  Now I am trying to figure out what to write.  I have always hated deadlines for papers!

Yes, I am like many of you.  When I had to write a paper I put it off until 2 a.m. of the day it was due.  I am not saying it is the best way to write a good paper.  It is just how it always happened.

Now, I am writing a blog and can't think of anything to write!  HEY!!  I have an idea!

I applied to graduate school earlier this year.  I appled to the Higher Education and Student Affairs program.  I worked very hard writing my personal statement, finding people to write my letters of recommendation and getting all my college transcripts rounded up and mailed. It is a bit of a hassle to get them all.  One of the schools I attended is no longer a school.  I have to contact a state agency to get it.

I got it all done by the deadline date of January 15th.  Then I waited, and waited and waited.  Then I got an e-mail telling me of the Outreach 2007 for candidates to come and visit Bloomington and meet their possible colleagues.

It was very different for me.  I am older than most of the people who were there.  I also stayed in a dorm room.  That was a BIG adjustment for me.  I never stayed in a dorm room before.  I got to know some of the candidates and envisioned us in classes together.

Well, I just found out I was denied admission to the program.  Disappointing, yes.  But I found I wasn't as upset as I thought I would be.  I found another program that sounds very interesting and had a deadline date of July 1.  That means I still have time to apply for this fall!!

I do have to write another personal statement, find someone to write recommendation letters for me and get my college transcripts put together.  I am better prepared for the process this time.  I feel better about getting into this program.  I think this is the one for me...I hope!

Anyway.  Realize you are not the only one looking at starting something new.  Your friendly Academic Recorder is going to become one of you...A STUDENT!!

Wish me luck!

The conference was great and we got to present about IUPUI's Democracy Plaza. It is truly a unique project that allows all of us to be more aware of current events and at the same time allows us to express our opinion on the same topics on a safe way. On the last day of the conference, they had an award for the most innovative and most sustainable projects. Democracy Plaza won the Most Innovative award!

I must say that through out my four years at IU I have had many opportunities to attend national and regional conferences, case competitions and many other important events. These all have helped me develop personally and professionally. I encourage all of you to take advantage of these opportunities when they become available to you, they are invaluable.

My final race to the end starts tomorrow. I have one exam and then another one on Tuesday. Good luck to all of you and I'll try to write something in between all these madness.

Keep it simple,

Jaime

It all started when I was helping my grandma get rid of some unnecessary items around her house.  We came across a huge wine goblet or brandy sniffer. (Why my grandma had this item is beyond me).  But she asked me if I would like to have it.  I was like--sure!! And took it home with me.  I decided I had two options on what to do with this rather large goblet.  I could a) use it for its actual purpose and put some sort of beverage in it or b) I could put fish in it.  I chose option B.

So, I'm all excited-- and I decide that I just want two goldfish.  I went to the pet store.  Picked the two I wanted and made sure I got everything I needed.  Rocks, scooper upper thing, food, and something the pet store lady suggested-- aquarium salt.  Okay, so I get them home--all safe and sound-- and I get the bowl ready.  I wash it out with hot water and then put the rocks, new water, and aquarium salt in it.  Then I let the water sit for almost 4 hours to get to room temperature.  Then I let the bag sit on top of the water for 15 minutes so they could get used to the temperature.  Then, it was time to set Harry and Lloyd free. (Yes, I named them Harry and Lloyd-- from Dumb and Dumber).

They seemed to be doing fine as soon as I put them in the bowl.  I sprinkled some food on the top of the water but they never tried to even eat it.  So, I left for work and when I came back home... I saw only Lloyd.  He wasn't moving.  Harry was no where to be found.  I thought, "OH MY WORD-- LLOYD ATE HARRY!!!" But then I noticed that Lloyd wasn't moving and at a closer look I then saw that Harry was floating at the top.  THEY WERE DEAD!!! I hadn't even had them for ONE day and they were dead!

After a brief moment of sadness-- I then went to the bathroom and flushed them down the toilet. What else was I to do with them?! How sad.  But, I think there was something to learn here.  The moral of the story is...something can always go wrong even if you think you're completely prepared.  Life is unpredictable--but that's what keeps it interesting!!!

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it" (Ferris Bueller).  This is how life has felt to me lately. I have really enjoyed the last four years of my life, but where has it gone? 

We had two soccer games this past weekend in Chicago and we won both. After the games I was able to go home for a night to spend Easter with my family. 

While at home I was able to talk with my brother and mom for a while and through our conversations I started to realize just how much has occurred in the last four years.  I had a true rush of memories, from my first drive down to campus when I got a speeding ticket, to my first soccer game, to my first college girl friend, to being a Biology major and switching to Business, and many more.  My mom and I were talking and I really cannot believe how much my life has changed in the last four years.  All of these thoughts made me think of that famous Ferris Bueller quote.  While my life has moved rather fast, I have taken the time out to look around and I cannot think of many memories that I would do different.  Yes, there are a few decisions here and there that might not have been the best, but every decision in my life has led me to where I am now and I could not be happier.  “Never take college for granted it really will be over before you know it.”  Every college student is told this a million times, but until you finally realize it, it does not seem to mean that much.

 I am very happy I will have one more semester of soccer and school ahead of me because I am not ready to give up the sport I have loved for so long and I am only almost ready to enter the real world.  The scary part about the real world is once I get there, there is no going back.

Okay... It's that time again.... The Spring Semester is winding down and everyone's planning their summer. My summer includes Micro-economics and Accounting 201. Okay, it's not as fun as a trip to Florida, but we all do what we have to do.

I'm sure a lot of you are looking for jobs, since money pays the bills. In my X204 (Business Communications) class, a representative from the Career Placement Office stopped by to offer awesome tips on Resume writing to find that job. She offered a Powerpoint of information that was very helpful to young resume writers. She even showed us 5 examples of different resumes and asked us who we would interview. AND, at the end of class she even took a peek at my personal resume and gave me good pointers on how to make it look even better! (How awesome is that? Free advice!)

Anyone in the Kelley School of Business can go to the Career Placement Office located in BS4090. They can help you with your resume, help you find internships (some are FOR college credit), perform mock interviews (by appointment) and much more! Their website is www.kelley.iupui.edu/careeropps if you'd like more info!

Good luck to everyone on their job hunt! And, if you're not looking for a job, it's never too soon to build that resume! You never know when you might be in the right place at the right time. You want to be prepared!

By the way, I recently got a job myself at the Plainfield JC Penney's!

My blog is up a little late this time (and will be a little shorter than usual) simply because my schedule has been as packed as it has ever been over the past month. 

Why? It's getting closer and closer to the end of another academic year, which is, without fail, the busiest, most exhausting, and most fun time of the year for me.  There is never a dull moment around the office - just check out a small sampling of events from my calendar over during March and April and you'll see what I mean:

Everyday – All Day (almost)
Individual career counseling appointments

Sometimes it feels like I see more students in the last two months of the year than I do in the previous 8 months combined.  I've already met with dozens of students looking for help finding summer internships or looking to line up a job prior to graduation - and I expect to see dozens more during April. 

Tuesday April 3rd – 1:30-2:30
IUPUI Internship Council Meeting

Every month I meet with faculty and staff throughout the IUPUI campus who coordinate internship opportunities.  Some of the recent projects we have taken on have included planning and carrying out the 2007 IUPUI Intern Connections Fair and developing an employer guide that will help external organizations navigate the maze of IUPUI schools and departments.

Monday April 9th - 10:30-11:45; 1:30-2:45; and 3:00-4:15
Interactive Interview Presentation for X204 - Business Communications course

I will actually be in Kelley classrooms on a regular basis over the next month (along with the rest of the CPO) giving activity-based presentations on resumes and interviewing.

Thursday April 12th – 11:30-1:30
Employer visit to Brightpoint

I will be meeting with members of Brightpoint’s recruiting staff to discuss setting up a rotational internship program within their Finance department.  Additionally, there are over 150 jobs and internships posted on KelleyCareers - and I am constantly on the phone, emailing and visiting with employers interested in recruiting Kelley Indianapolis students.

Thursday March 1st and Thursday March 29th – 4:00-6:00
Finance Meet the Recruiter & Management/Marketing/Human Resources Meet the Recruiter events

During the month of March the CPO put on two on-campus job fairs as well as coordinating several on-campus interview sessions for companies hiring Kelley Indianapolis students   Finance Meet the Recruiter Event and the Management/Marketing/HR Meet the Recruiter Event.  There were over 50 employers on-campus recruiting for internship and full-time positions - and there were 100 students at the Finance event alone.

And today we just scheduled our 2007 summer retreat so that we can get a head start on next year!

We have entered the last few weeks of the semester. It is officially April and I am sure most of us are freaking out about the end. Paper, projects, and finals are comming. Not to mention graduation stuff, work and life seems to get in the way...lol. Nonetheless, I am sure we are used to this end-semester rush and we'll get through just fine, after all we are Kelley Students!

Last Friday we had the Top 100 Dinner at the Marriot downtown. At least 600 people were attended the event and it was a great time. I was very excited to see that 16 Kelley students made it to the Top 100 list, further 3 of them were on the Top 10! This really speaks highly of the quality of peers that we have here at Kelley. The MC was pretty funny, too-- he had a doll with him ( kind of different :)). Nevertheless, the doll was one of those that can "speak"-- it said "You can do anything you want" or something along those lines. That is so true, all of us are capable of doing anything, and only oneself can limit that. Through out my stay at IU, I have learned that lesson.

Looking back at elementary school or highschool, I remember limiting myself to many things because I thought people wouldn't like this, or that. But really, these people that we worry so much sometimes go on with their lives and do not really care that much about us. So do not limit yourself, go out play and reach your potential.

Good luck with midterms, finals and anything else that you might have going on. Until next time,

Jaime