- Dean's Welcome
- Programs/Departments
- Faculty & Staff Directory
- Financial Aid
- Services
- Bryan Career Services
- Undergraduate Student Services
- Study Abroad
- Centers/Offices
- Bryan School On-Campus Laptop Policy (PDF)
Bryan Students Hone in on Target - and a Chance for $4,000
Students in Joe Erba's Business Policy and Strategy capstone course not only have a chance to make a good grade with their final class projects. They also have a shot to win $4,000 and impress officials from Target, one of America's most well-known retailers.
Six student teams will present their case studies on Target to a group of company executives Wednesday, May 5, at 1 p.m in Bryan Building, Room 206. Media are welcome to attend the case study presentations. The winning student group will be awarded a $4,000 academic scholarship to be split among team members.
Student teams wrote their papers on a variety of topics, including sustainability, store staffing and meeting the needs of changing demographics. Each case relates specifically to a Target business opportunity or to a current business trend within the retail industry. All cases are designed to expose students to actual challenges that retailers face in today's competitive market and encourage students to incorporate a semester's worth of course materials into their proposed strategies.
"Target is excited to be in partnership with UNCG to help develop great leaders for our future," said Ashley Petzold, the Target district team leader for Greensboro and the surrounding areas. "Target has a strong commitment to education and through this partnership we are able to give back to the community while offering a unique business experience to the students of UNCG."
The potential to present their ideas to Target executives inspired the students, said Erba, a faculty member in the Bryan School of Business and Economics. "I think they like the idea of working on a real-life situation by working with a real-life company," he explained. "By having Target come in early in the semester to talk about it and describe it, that added some validity to it. And having a sizable award at the end adds an incentive."
But students are also getting a taste of the pressure that can come with a high-stakes job, he added. "On the downside, they're feeling the pressure. The students have to do their homework."
The Target executives evaluating the presentations will include Petzold; Mike Romano, assets protection business partner; Meredith Connell, district facilities manager; Steve Page, store team leader (Greensboro); Kat Stolle, store team leader (High Point); Lina Akbar, investigations team leader; Jessica Springborn, group campus recruiter; and Ashleigh Stutzman, group recruiting specialist.