Olin Business School

Two prominent economists made headlines last week in visits to the Olin Business School when they shared their views on the economy and its recovery from the “Great Recession.” Former Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker and St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank president and CEO James Bullard, PhD, offered different perspectives on jobs, financial reform and the global economy. One dared to suggest the need for increased taxes in the near future; one said the current crisis in Greece could slow the U.S. recovery.

Students graduating from Olin Business School’s undergrad, MBA and Executive MBA programs receive diplomas in separate ceremonies this month.  The will also receive some words of wisdom and advice from those who have gone before them.  Olin alumni will be the featured speakers at commencement exercises on the Danforth Campus.

The economy and recovery from the “Great Recession” will be in the spotlight this week with two prominent speakers on campus.  Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank and current St. Louis Fed president Jim Bullard will share their views at two separate events. 

Olin alumni and a faculty member were in the spotlight April 13 at the annual dinner and awards ceremony hosted by Olin Business school. Judi McLean Parks, PhD, the Reuben C. and Anne Carpenter Taylor Professor of Organizational Behavior, was the winner of the third annual Olin Award that reconizes research that transforms business.

Area business students had one week to solve a real-world corporate problem in the inaugural case competition sponsored by the St. Louis Association for Corporate growth. A team of four Olin finance students cracked the case and took the top prize.

Olin’s Center for Research in Economics and Strategy welcomes its second annual Distinguished Women in Economics & Strategy speaker to campus April 26 and 27: Judith Chevalier, PhD, Yale University. 

Should movies and television shows be free on the Internet? Which business models will benefit artists, producers and distributors? Questions such as these are being pondered in a popular course at Olin Business School, “The Economics of Entertainment.” Industry executives visit the class to provide corporate insights about the challenges facing film and music makers in the Internet age.

What do ballroom dancing, fresh farm produce and paper beads from Africa have in common? They are central to the business plans of award-winning ventures in the 2010 YouthBridge Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition. Five start-up businesses dedicated to helping others shared a total of $155,000 in cash grants presented at a ceremony April 13 at Washington University.

Olin Business school doctoral student Michael McLaughlin in one of 10 students from across the United States to receive a 2010 Doctoral Fellowship in Accounting presented by the Deloitte Foundation. His personal story is inspiring.

Entrepreneurs dedicated to helping empower and build strong communities have reached the final stage of the annual business plan competition sponsored by the YouthBridge Foundation and the Skandalaris Center at WUSTL. The seven finalists have presented their business plans to the judges who will award $155,000 in seed money to the winners. The award ceremony takes place April 13 after a keynote speech by Kevin Salwen who has just published a book about his family’s experience with selling their home, living with less and giving back to their community.