College of Business
St. Ambrose University is dedicated to your growth as a student – and as a person.
We share a relentless commitment to what is right, and will challenge and empower you to achieve – and exceed – your goals.
In the College of Business, you'll grow from an aspiring and ambitious student into a fearless leader who, like us, is always focused on the greater good.
Visit Days With the College of Business
In conjunction with select Admissions On Campus visit events, business faculty and current business majors who want to share with you what makes studying business at SAU so rewarding and inspiring.
For your visit, we've arranged a question and answer panel with faculty and students, team building exercise, time in a mock business class, and a tour of our renovated McMullen Hall (home to the College of Business).
2019-20 College of Business Annual Awards
We Support Our Veterans
According to U.S. News & World Report, St. Ambrose is one of the best schools in the country for providing academic financial aid to veterans and active-duty service members.
First and Best
Offering the very first MS in Information Technology Management program in the Midwest, St. Ambrose prepares IT professionals to advance into corporate management and business professionals looking to move into IT.
Welcome From the Dean
Empowering all people to create better versions of themselves is at the core of everything we do here at the College of Business (COB). We believe that diversity in people and ideas enhances the educational experience in every business academic program. Our focus on the greater good serves as a catalyst for the transformation of students into ethical business professionals who have a positive impact on their organizations and society.
Moving the COB to the recently expanded state-of-the-art McMullen Hall has strengthened our academic programs and the learning experience for our students. The Professional Development Center supports the community's working professionals with cutting-edge training programs. The COB Sales Center, affiliated to the University Sales Center Alliance, advances the selling profession through curriculum development and experiential learning. We offer a distinctive education anchored in strong engagement with our alumni and the business community as well as innovative programs for our students. Our faculty includes outstanding scholars from some of the finest Ph.D. programs in the country and lecturers who have lived our ethical values as leaders in top corporations.
I invite you to explore our page and visit us in person or virtually to learn more about our College of Business, the Ambrose experience, and meet our faculty and students.
Mensaje de Bienvenida de la Decana
En la Facultad de Negocios, nuestra misión es empoderar a todas las personas para que alcancen su mayor potencial. Creemos que la diversidad en gente y en ideas es lo que enriquece la experiencia educativa en los programas académicos de negocios. Nuestro enfoque en el bien mayor sirve como catalizador para la transformación de estudiantes en profesionales éticos que tienen un impacto positivo en su organización y en la sociedad.
La inauguración del recién expandido y remodelado McMullen Hall, hogar de la Facultad de Negocios, ha fortalecido nuestros programas académicos y la experiencia de aprendizaje para nuestros estudiantes. Asimismo, el Centro de Desarrollo Profesional apoya a los profesionales de nuestra comunidad con capacitaciones y programas vanguardistas. De igual manera, el programa subgraduado en Ventas ha sido reconocido por la University Sales Center Alliance, por su avanzado currículo y el uso de aprendizaje experiencial. Ofrecemos una educación de calidad centrada en un fuerte vínculo con nuestros ex alumnos y la comunidad empresarial. Nuestro profesorado incluye destacados académicos provenientes de los mejores programas doctorales en el país y conferenciantes que se han distinguido como líderes éticos en las principales empresas de la región.
Te invito a explorar nuestra página y a que nos visites en persona o de manera virtual para que conozcas la Facultad de Negocios, la experiencia Ambrose, y a nuestros profesores y alumnos.
McMullen Hall
This new home for the College of Business features:
- 16,000-square-feet of new construction
- A two-story, light-filled atrium
- Three floors of updated, modern classroom styles that allow collaboration and preparation for the business world
- Sales Center with breakout rooms
- Finance Center
Worker Bee
Curious and confident, Nathan is a sales operations analyst for HON Finance Division, HNI Corporation.
Dedicated Faculty
Dr. Miller teaches sales and marketing courses, bringing to the classroom a unique perspective and practical experience.
About the College of Business
Faculty
100% of our full-time College of Business faculty earned doctoral degrees. Many have professional work experience in the fields they teach, and high-quality adjunct instructors bring a wealth of current practice and experience into our classrooms.
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs
We have approximately 500 students, with more than 100 majoring in Marketing or Management. More than 90 are majors in Accounting. Other majors include Finance, Business Economics, Human Resource Management, and International Business. More than one-third of our students secure internships during their course of studies.
More than 400 College of Business graduate students are in the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL), Master of Accounting (MAcc) or Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programs.
Employment
Based on a survey of recent graduates conducted by our Career Center, 48% had jobs in Iowa and 44% in Illinois. Other states include California, Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, and Texas. Of those who were seeking employment at graduation:
- 97% were employed
- 92% were employed full time
- 85% were employed full time in their field.
Approximately 75 different organizations employ St. Ambrose University graduates, the most frequent being John Deere and the Rock Island Arsenal. Our recent grads have jobs in the following industries:
- Financial services, banking or insurance (16%)
- Manufacturing (25%)
- Retail (6%)
- Government or government-related at the Rock Island Arsenal (9%)
- Professional services (20%)
- Marketing or sales (9%)
- Communication (8%)
Our Alums
A 2012 survey of alums from the past 30 years showed:
- 93% are very satisfied or generally satisfied with their St. Ambrose University business education.
- 91% agreed or strongly agreed that they were prepared to understand professional concepts related to their major.
- 99% of our alums have been active as volunteers in the past year.
Maritza Espina, PhD, Dean and Professor
Arun Pillutla, PhD, Asst. Dean and Professor
Deb Bennett, Academic Program Specialist
Jayne Knott, Assistant to the Dean
Michele Leonard, Graduate Student Support Specialist
Janela McCarty, Student Engagement and Community Liaison
Megan Tarasi, Director of Professional Development
Marketing and Sales
John Byrne, PhD
Myungjin Chung, PhD
Joe Miller, PhD
Ron Wastyn, PhD
Liang Zhao, PhD
Finance, Business Economics, and Accounting
Allison Ambrose, PhD
James Bang, PhD
Greg Bereskin, PhD
Michael Cipriano, PhD
Janene Finley, PhD
Xiaowei Liu, PhD
Imtiaz Mazumder, PhD
Art Moreau, PhD
Liquan Wang, PhD
Management
Dan Ebener, DBA
Monica Forret, PhD
Jessica Greenwald, Phd
David O'Connell, DBA
Jennifer Palar, PhD
Jie Peng, PhD
Arun Pillutla, PhD
Jason Senjem, PhD
Mission
To empower all people to become better versions of themselves, the COB focuses on the greater good.
Vision
We will be a leading Midwestern college of business, engaging students, faculty and professionals in building the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to lead, manage, and make a positive difference in the world.
Core Values
As part of St. Ambrose University, we value academic excellence, social justice and community service. We also seek to embody the following values as we live out the College of Business mission:
Discovery: Create stimulating learning environments
Individual Attention: Devote care and attention to each individual student
Flexibility: Adapt the environment to suit the needs of students and faculty
Innovation: Try new and creative ways to teach and learn
Empowerment: Enhance students' full potential to lead and manage
Professionalism: Model and develop professional skills
Integrity: Promote professional practices that live out these core values
Our Programs
The College of Business undergraduate majors and graduate programs are all accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Learn more about our majors and adult accelerated programs:
Undergraduate
- Accounting
- Business Economics
- Finance
- Human Resource Management
- International Business
- Management with concentrations in Supply Chain Management or Entrepreneurship
- Marketing
- Sales, Business and Healthcare
Adult Accelerated
- Business Administration (BBA) with concentrations in Accounting Management, Cybersecurity, or Human Resource Management
- Business Administration-Accounting Management
- Applied Management Studies
Learn more about our graduate programs:
Microcredentials are awarded based on skillset competency and separate from traditional degrees.
St. Ambrose University began offering microcredentials in 2020, and the College of Business has developed two badges:
The St. Ambrose University Professional Development Center (PDC) serves the greater Quad Cities area in educating a diverse workforce.
We offer classes, workshops, virtual, and customized training that's academic-based and coupled with real-world applicability.
Practical guidance throughout your career lifespan is our specialty!
Contact
Maritza Espina, PhD, Dean
College of Business
McMullen Hall, 1st floor
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
563-333-5723
COB@sau.edu