Fogelman Features - September 2026
- Mark your calendar for the “Cookout with the Dean”
- Greg Boller and Adriana White received recruitment accolades
- Alex Pratt published research on mixed-body-type mannequins in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
- Tom Stafford featured on “AI Goes to College” podcast
- Kurt Kraiger underwent open-heart surgery
- FCBE/Bloomberg Industry-Academia Workshop Series
Mark your calendar for the “Cookout with the Dean”
Join Dean Bobby Garrett for the fall semester cookout celebration on Tuesday, September 29 from 11AM – 1 PM. The event will be held in the parking lot of FCBE’s temporary home, the former Holiday Inn building (3700 Central Ave.). Come and enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, fun games and great company as we celebrate the start of another successful semester. All FCBE students, faculty and staff are invited to attend. Please be sure to register in advance.
Greg Boller and Adriana White received recruitment accolades
Dr. Greg Boller, professor and interim chair of the Department of Marketing, and Adriana White, FCBE recruiter, were honored at the fall semester kick off meeting hosted by UofM Enrollment Management Services. Greg was named the recipient of the “Eye of the Tiger Faculty Excellence Award,” which was given to one faculty member who exhibits exceptional enthusiasm, positivity and pride when promoting UofM. Adriana was the first of three college recruiters to receive the “Tiger Trailblazer Award,” which honors the campus partners who participate in the greatest number of recruitment events and outreach efforts. Congratulations to Adriana and Greg on these well-deserved recognitions!
Dr. Greg Boller (L) and Adriana White (2nd from the R) receive recruitment awards
Alex Pratt published research on mixed-body-type mannequins in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Dr. Alex Pratt, assistant professor in the Department of Marketing, recently published a paper in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science examining how mannequin diversity influences consumer responses to brands.
Across seven studies, the research finds that retail displays combining traditional and plus-size mannequins lead to more favorable brand attitudes, greater willingness to pay and increased product choice compared with displays featuring only one body type. The research shows that diverse displays work by increasing consumers’ perceptions of brand inclusivity and strengthening their connection with the brand. The benefits are particularly strong for mass-market brands but are attenuated for luxury brands. The research also finds similar benefits when mannequins vary in skin tone, suggesting that the effects extend beyond body-size diversity.
The findings offer retailers practical guidance for implementing inclusive visual merchandising strategies and demonstrate that how brands represent diversity in their stores can meaningfully shape consumer behavior. Click here to read the entire article.
Dr. Alex Pratt
Tom Stafford featured on “AI Goes to College” podcast
Dr. Tom Stafford, professor and chair of the Department of Management Information Systems, was recently featured on the podcast AI Goes to College. During the interview, he discussed his research examining faculty and staff AI usage and perceptions.
While highlighting FCBE’s new Applied AI programs, Stafford also shared emerging findings from his workplace AI usage study. Among the key findings is the importance of connecting AI power users with more reluctant users to encourage broader adoption and promote productive use of AI’s emerging capabilities. Click here to listen to the full episode.
Dr. Tom Stafford
Kurt Kraiger underwent open-heart surgery
Dr. Kurt Kraiger, professor and chair of the Department of Management, underwent open-heart, valve replacement surgery in July. We’re happy to share that both the surgery and rehabilitation went well. Please join us in wishing Kurt continued healing and a smooth recovery!
Dr. Kurt Kraiger
FCBE/Bloomberg Industry-Academia Workshop Series
FCBE recently hosted Bloomberg experts from New York in the Cook Analytics and Trading Lab and launched the 2026-27 Bloomberg Workshop Series, an industry-academia initiative.
The workshop series provides students and faculty with opportunities to engage directly with Bloomberg professionals and gain practical experience with industry-leading financial data, research and analytics tools.
In the latest session, participants reviewed Bloomberg Certificates, explored portfolio analysis tools and learned about advanced data analytics capabilities and terminal workflows. The session also introduced resources available through the Bloomberg Professor Portal, upcoming Bloomberg trainings and opportunities to incorporate advanced Bloomberg tools into classroom instruction and student learning.
Bloomberg representatives Ash Lopez, Municipal Bonds and Equity Derivatives Specialist, and Jibril Elmi, Quant Solutions Specialist, shared insights into Bloomberg’s tools and workflows and discussed opportunities for continued collaboration with FCBE and the Finance Department.
Through this ongoing partnership, FCBE continues to strengthen the connection between
academic learning and industry practice, helping students and faculty develop practical
financial technology and analytical skills relevant to today’s financial industry.
If you are interested in joining the free Bloomberg Workshop Series, please contact
Sama (Samaneh Mohebalizadeh) at smhblzdh@memphis.edu.
Upcoming workshops will be announced on a monthly basis. Stay tuned for the announcement of our next session date.