If your company is sourcing new talent, no doubt McCombs students are top on your list. But your relationship with the business school has the potential to bring your company many more benefits — and you just might change a life in the process. Deloitte, Target and General Motors have experienced firsthand how meaningful their relationship with McCombs can be. The school honored their involvement at the Third Annual McCombs Corporate Recognition Dinner April 14, 2011.

Target: Experiential Learning at Its Best

Target's Doug Houseman and Dean Tom GilliganProfessor Michael Hasler and Target executives took to heart Dean Tom Gilligan’s strategic initiative to increase experiential learning opportunities for students. They recently collaborated to develop an innovative course for students to trace products from Target stores to their origins in Asia. “I like to say I lived the supply chain,” said McCombs BBA student Jarred Pelley. “I would have to check with Dean Gilligan, but I think it was the first time students were recruited at the Great Wall of China,” joked Pelley while explaining his unique experience as part of the program. Hasler and Pelley presented the Blazing Saddles award to Target for its ground-breaking, year-long participation with the Introduction to Operations Management class. The award honors a company that has the most unique and innovative involvement with the McCombs School over the past year. “It’s not often you get a chance to work on something truly fun. Thanks to everyone at McCombs for this amazing partnership,” said Senior Project Coordinator Doug Houseman while accepting the award on behalf of Target. The successful class will continue to enrich students’ lives into the future.

Colleen Charles with General Motors: Mentoring Future Business Leaders

General Motors' Colleen Charles between Velma Arney and Dean Tom GilliganVelma Arney, director of BBA Career Services, has worked with General Motors’ Colleen Charles on student initiatives for the past seven years. “Colleen created a relationship that allowed GM to think outside the box,” said Arney. Indeed, Charles has taken more of a mentorship approach in her relationships with students. She gets to know them and assesses their unique skills and does not hesitate to tailor learning experiences for them, such as creating new international internship opportunities for students with strong language skills. “It is so personally gratifying to watch students grow,” said Charles when accepting the Outstanding Corporate Champion award, which honors an individual within a company who has made significant, ongoing contributions to the relationship between the school and their company. “It is amazing to watch a freshman intern become a sophomore intern, and then a junior intern, to working on assignment in Venezuela as a full-time employee,” continued Charles. Colleen regularly participates in key student activities including various case competitions, diversity initiatives, Target Your Future, the BBA Women’s Council and high school recruiting events for underrepresented students. Arney shares Charles’ creative involvement ideas with other companies as a best practice model for making the most out of student relationships.

Deloitte: Leading Societal Change in the 21st Century

“Deloitte’s reach truly extends to all key areas of the McCombs School,” said Dean Gilligan while presenting the Outstanding Corporate Supporter award, which honors a company whose support and engagement extends Corporate Recognition Dinner Awardsbeyond recruiting and reaches broadly across the McCombs School’s key areas for partnerships. Deloitte sponsors a broad range of initiatives that greatly differentiate the school as a leader in business education for the 21st century. Deloitte is a founding member of the Energy Management and Innovation Center and made a three-year commitment to the Center for Customer Insight and Marketing Solutions.  Most recently, Deloitte Foundation made a $500,000 commitment to support the “McCombs Ethics in Action” video series.  This gift will enable the McCombs School to develop a ground-breaking, global application for ethics teaching as it prepares future ethical business leaders.

In addition to program support, Deloitte executives dedicate their time to participate in the MPA Lyceum, VIP Distinguished Speaker Series, serve in advisory roles and develop practicum projects that offer invaluable real-world experience to our students. Additionally, Deloitte actively recruits students from across the BBA, MPA and MBA programs and the strong alumni base at Deloitte is passionateDeloitte's Kathleen Farlow and Dean Tom Gilligan about extending the relationship with the school as is evident through the Matching Gifts Program. Since 1983, seven endowments and excellence funds have been established to provide critical faculty and student scholarship support for the Accounting Department. Together with the Deloitte Foundation, which matches qualifying contributions made by Deloitte professionals, McCombs alumni have raised approximately $2 million to date for these important initiatives.

“We are delighted to find synergy between Deloitte, the dean, faculty and students.” said Kathleen Farlow, partner, Deloitte & Touche, LLP, accepting the award on behalf of the organization. “Thanks to everyone here for supporting this outstanding business school.”

If your company would like to learn more about getting involved with McCombs School students, faculty, research centers and other priority initiatives, contact the Corporate and Foundations Relations team.