The College of Business is involved in many areas of engagement and service with individuals, organizations, and communities to educate Iowans. Through these efforts, the college caries out the mission of a land-grant university.

Understanding Our Constituents
The College of Business listens to several external constituencies and responds to needs as able and appropriate. This is consistent with the College’s strategic plan goal to “Increase visibility and reputation within the State of Iowa,” in part by increasing faculty interaction with Iowa companies. To assist this endeavor, the College supports a fulltime, non-faculty position specifically tasked with developing business partnerships. This individual regularly meets with Iowa businesses and works with other campus entities, such as the Iowa Manufacturing Extension Partnership (IMEP) and the ISU Community Extension Directors, to identify business needs.

The Iowa State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) regularly surveys its clients, receives input from the State Advisory Board, and holds discussions with key constituencies and partners to determine needs. The SBDC also has subcontracts on ongoing relationships with the other two Regent Universities in Iowa and ten community colleges. Because of these relationships the SBDC is able to expand the outreach of ISU to all 99 counties of the state, enabling them to serve year in and year out.

The Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship surveys clients either during or after they have received assistance from the Center. These surveys are used to evaluate services and to implement new programs or procedures as needed.

Another aspect of engaging with our constituents is through the process of linking business recruiters with our students. The Raisbeck Business Career Center staff meets with Iowa employers annually to discuss their needs, best practices in college recruiting and hiring climate for the year. In addition, the Center conducts an annual evaluation of the College’s on-campus recruiters with respect to how the College can best respond to their needs.

Using information obtained by learning from our constituencies, several different outreach programs have been implemented, a sample of which is described below:

• College of Business-sponsored internships for minority-owned businesses.

In order to expand our outreach activities to diversity in business, as well as to expose our students to diversity in business, the College implemented an internship program for minority-owned businesses, in which the College covers half of the intern cost.

• Student Consulting Lab

In direct response to business demand for assistance with business problems, the College is expanding its efforts in supporting the Student Consulting Lab. Students address companies’ specific business problems under the mentorship of faculty.

• Networking Breakfast

In response to business recruiters’ concerns in recruiting diversity, a Networking Breakfast was held in conjunction with the Spring 2005 Business Career Fair. This event connected 40 students with 40 employers interested in hiring students of diversity.

• Iowa State University Economic Development Open House

The College assists in planning and hosting this annual event, which showcases the ways in which the College can assist Iowa businesses and organizations with economic development.

• Business Succession Program

The SBDC has recently developed and implemented a business succession program for small business owners. SBDC counselors will work with small business owners to develop a succession plan.