September 2023

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Dr. Chris Surprenant, Dr. Gregory Price, Wayne Encalarde, Jr., & Marques Colston

Dr. Gregory Price and Adjunct Faculty Member Wayne Encarlarde Participate in "Dollars to Dreams" Program Funded by John Templeton Foundation

The Urban Entrepreneurship and Policy Institute was awarded a three-year, $2 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation. Dr. Chris Surprenant, Dr. Gregory Price and Marques Colston are leading the research into the impact of high school financial education courses and will “design more effective courses based on their findings.” 

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UNO's Division of Business and Economic Research

Dr. Ali Bustamante joined UNO in December 2022 as the new director of the Division of Business and Economic Research (DBER). In addition, he serves as professor of practice in the Department of Economics & Finance and is currently teaching undergraduate microeconomics. Dr. Bustamante earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Economy from the University of Miami. He has previously worked for the Roosevelt Institute as a senior research associate and the Louisiana Workforce Commission as chief economist.   

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Eight new PhD students were welcomed into the program in Fall 2023. This year there are a total of 47 students in the program, which is the largest enrollment ever. The rigorous program produces graduates in both economics and finance who go on to careers in higher education. Dr. Walter Lane commented on the program that has been ongoing for almost forty years, “We do an amazing job. Our students have been very successful.”

The Beach and StartUpUNO Displays VR Wind Energy Experience

On Sept. 7, The Beach, UNO’s premier research and technology park, showcased the Collegiate Wind Team’s wind energy project via a Virtual Reality 3D experience. 

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Jalen Holmes, a junior pursuing his undergraduate degree, has been selected to participate in the AICPA Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop, Oct 25-27 in Atlanta. Jalen adds this to his long list of accomplishments, which include an internship at Eisner Amper Gulf Coast, election as vice president of the National Association of Black Accountants and a scholarship from Raytheon Technologies. 

A $10,000 scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board was awarded to 369 students across the country. Melanie Redmond, a senior pursuing her B.S. in accounting, was one of the recipients.

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Faculty Research and Publications

Dr. Yaojie Li, Dr. Cherie Trumbach and co-authors published an article in Computers & Security entitled “The Mediating Role of Security Anxiety in Internet Threat Avoidance Behavior." This study demonstrates that Internet users’ risk aversion is strongly influenced by their perception of security threats, response efficacy and security self-efficacy within the online environment and that individuals’ security anxiety can partially mediate the relationship between perceived threat and Internet threat avoidance behavior.

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Spotlight the Employer Highlights

Waffle House, Inc. Recruiting Director Jessica Herring spoke to students at a Lunch and Learn on Aug. 29 to give advice on how a business faces challenges and emergencies and how to overcome them. She recruits students into managerial positions at Waffle House, and for several years, she has been successful in helping UNO students get involved in internships and the job listing process. 

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Faculty in the News

Dr. Hassan, professor in the department of economics and finance, placed in the ranking for Best Economics and Finance Scientists, which requires rigorous “publications and citation data for [their] examined discipline.” 

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Regina Davis, who earned her MBA from UNO, was named manager of Exxon Mobil Baton Rouge Refinery. Native to New Orleans, she started at the refinery in Chalmette as a process contact engineer in 1999. After over 20 years working for ExxonMobil, she was named manager at the Baton Rouge refinery, which is one of the largest refineries in the U.S.

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Stuart Gay, who received his bachelor’s in finance from UNO in 2001, has been selected to serve as a member of the Board of Directors and the Finance Committee for KID smART. Gay was the CFO for Algiers Charter School, and he is currently the chief financial officer for NOLA Public Schools.

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