Department of Business Administration & Economics at Simpson College, 701 N C Street, Indianola, IA (2026)

05/07/2026

Happy to report that the McNeill faculty/staff photo gallery has been unveiled! Representing Business Administration, Economics, and Marketing Communication.

05/01/2026

Simpson College held its annual Research & Creativity Symposium on April 23. Student teams studying International Marketing collaborated on research during the semester, culminating in a presentation titled "One More Swipe: The Trap of Social Media Feeds." Excellent Q&A regarding screen addiction and its impact on health. Thanks to Kendra Bliss, Drew Fleming, Sam Rich, Kendrick Achebe, and Braxton Jones for a great session!

05/01/2026

Students studying Business Management and Marketing Communication recently participated in the annual Research & Creativity Symposium on the Simpson College campus. In a deeply-researched presentation titled "FDA-Approved Poison," Becca Perschall, Chris Foster, Lanae Coffee, Tyler Deal, Ben Reyes, and Mason Brouillet compared and contrasted food regulations in the EU and the USA. "GRAS" on one side of the pond, the "Precautionary Principles" on the other. Nicely done!

04/17/2026

Emily Harrold is a senior double-majoring in Accounting and Business Management. She attended Pocahontas Area Community High School, graduating in 2023. Emily had a partnership through Iowa Central Community College which enabled her to take college courses while still in high school. This experience shaped her future significantly.

A random decision to take an accounting class with her friends quickly turned into a passion. While some class members struggled, Emily found herself drawn to the subject and decided to take as many accounting courses as she could. After high school she earned an Associate Degree from Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC) in Sheldon, Iowa in 2024 before transferring to Simpson for her junior and senior years.

During her time at Simpson, Emily built connections with the faculty and staff. Professor John Walker made an especially lasting impact through encouragement and thoughtful gestures, like giving her paper that she folded into origami swans during lectures. Although Emily didn't participate in sports-related activities, she made a lot of connections in the classroom. One of her favorites was a May Term class where they did a funny and chaotic silent film about a finals week fever dream which involved flying potatoes and an eagle attack.

Emily plans to enroll in a master’s program in accounting to continue working towards her career goals. Her advice to students is to make sure they are passionate about their major because passion makes it easy to stay motivated. She also encourages students to find balance in their school life by mixing in fun courses alongside more challenging ones. Emily says these Gen-eds can be very interesting and you may find something that sparks your interest. All right then Emily – next stop, grad school!

04/05/2026

Grant Love, originally from Estherville, Iowa, is a double-major in Marketing Communications and Sport Administration with a minor in Interactive Media. Grant chose Simpson because of the numerous opportunities it offered him, such as the chance to continue playing tennis, numerous clubs and organizations to get involved in, and strong academic opportunities.

Grant built an impressive resumé during his time at Simpson. Here are some highlights: Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), Student Government Association (SGA), Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), and Men’s Tennis. He has also taken part in intramurals and the Disc Golf Club. During his varsity tennis career, Grant was a two-time Golden Thunder Award recipient and a two-time MVP.

Grant has worked hard to perform at a consistently high level in academics. Although some semesters can feel like a roller coaster, he has found support in professors and friends. Grant will be graduating with an impressive list of academic achievements. Grant has made the President’s List twice and the Dean’s List four times. He is a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District and a two-time A-R-C All-Academic.

Grant has had the opportunity to gain incredible work experience as a marketing intern at Arnold’s Park Amusement Park at Lake Okoboji and as an intramurals intern for On-Court Operations at the Cincinnati Open.

Professor of Sport Administration Matthew Garrett and Professor of Multimedia Communication Lisa Carponelli are two faculty members Grant would like to thank for being amazing advisors. Grant says he will cherish the knowledge and wisdom Professor Garrett provides, while making his courses engaging and meaningful. He does a great job staying in touch with students and providing all Sports Admin students with employment, volunteering, and networking opportunities. He has also thoroughly enjoyed his time with Professor Carponelli as she showcases lots of passion for her work, is always willing to provide great feedback, and has been very helpful in guiding him to a successful college career.

As Grant's time at Simpson is coming to an end, he plans to enter the sports industry in an operations or management role, with the hope of working for a professional team.

03/26/2026

Today’s Senior Spotlight: Claire Hughes! Claire Hughes graduated from Marshalltown High School and is originally from Marshalltown.

Claire is majoring in Marketing Communications with minors in Marketing and Interactive Media. Claire is very involved on campus at Simpson, serving as Senior Class President in Student Government Association (SGA), Vice President of (Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), and Co-Marketing Director for Student Media, while also participating in Greek Life. Claire truly keeps herself busy and makes a strong impact on the Simpson community.

During her time at Simpson, Professor Siebert played an important role in Claire’s academic experience, providing support and mentorship along the way. Claire said, “I love that Marketing Communication mixes creativity with strategy. It allows me to tell stories and create campaigns that connect with people.”
Favorite Memory: My favorite memories are the spontaneous, random moments with my friends and campus traditions like Campus Day, Homecoming, and Stand Around. Those moments made Simpson feel special and are what made my time here so memorable.

What is Claire's plan after graduation? Putting her Marketing Degree to quick use, she plans to start her full-time job in marketing and communications at 21st Century Rehab in Nevada, Iowa! We are excited to see where life takes Claire after graduation. With her dedication, leadership, and involvement on campus, we know she has a bright path ahead. We wish Claire the very best of luck as she begins this next chapter of her journey.

03/06/2026

Our Senior Spotlight today is Teegan McEnany! Hailing from Independence, Iowa, Teegan has made the most of his time at Simpson College while pursuing a major in Economics: Finance and minors in Accounting, Business Analytics, and Marketing.

When beginning his college search, Teegan knew exactly what he was looking for. He wanted the opportunity to play baseball at the collegiate level, attend a school with smaller class sizes that fosters strong relationships and mentorship from professors, and be close to a larger city for internship and networking opportunities. Simpson checked every box, making his decision easy!

During his first three years on campus, Teegan was a member of the Simpson Baseball Program. This year he decided to step away to focus more intentionally on his career goals and professional development. Being a part of the baseball program was an experience Teegan will cherish forever. Beyond baseball, he was also involved in the Accounting Club and remains an active member of the Disc Golf Club, which has provided a new competitive outlet following his collegiate athletic career.

In the classroom, Teegan credits much of his academic and professional growth to Professor Todd Kielkopf. In ECON 338 – Eberhart Student Aid Fund, he helped manage a student-run equity portfolio of over $1 million that is part of Simpson College’s larger endowment. Through this hands-on experience, he developed a strong foundation in valuation techniques, key company metrics, and writing in-depth research reports to support investment proposals. This course ultimately sparked Teegan’s interest in pursuing a career in asset management. Beyond the technical skills, Professor Kielkopf consistently offered career advice, shared insights from his real-world experience, and connected students with professionals in his network. Each class left Teegan feeling more confident and prepared for his future in finance.

Outside of the classroom, Teegan has gained professional experience through competitive internships. In his current role at Security Benefit, he works in investment-grade corporate credit, covering both private and public credit. He assists with investment analysis, portfolio management, and preparing reports that inform key investment decisions.

Last summer, he interned in Kansas City with Piper Sandler in their Public Finance Investment Banking group. There, he supported municipal bond transactions for school districts and municipalities by building financial models and preparing client presentations. This exposure to structuring and financing public projects further solidified his interest in capital markets and a long-term career in finance.

Following graduation in May, Teegan will be joining Eldridge Capital Management as an Investment Associate in their Des Moines office. With his strong academic foundation, leadership experience, and real-world exposure to financial markets, there is no doubt he will continue to excel in this next chapter.

Congratulations, Teegan – we can’t wait to see all that you accomplish!

02/27/2026

Meet Kaelyn Tally! Kaelyn is from Grants Pass, Oregon, where she attended North Valley High School. Kaelyn graduated in 2021, and then attended her local Rouge Community College before making her commitment to Simpson.

Kaelyn primarily chose Simpson for its gymnastics team, which started in 2022. Kaelyn recognized a unique opportunity to be part of Simpson history, to be on the very first Storm women’s gymnastics team.

Kaelyn made the right choice! Since joining the gymnastics team, she has been selected as team Captain three years in a row. She’s been grateful for the opportunity to guide her team and grow as a leader, which has made her experience even better. Kaelyn explained that being a leader on the team has also allowed her to step out of her comfort zone and prove to herself that she is more than capable of translating her leadership qualities into her future roles.

Along with her great leadership came her great accomplishments. Kaelyn had been named a three-time Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Academic All-American, placed fifth at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (WIAC) Championship on vault in 2025, and qualified for the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships for vault in 2025. For the icing on the cake, she was named a Division III Second Team All-American following the 2025 season, while maintaining a cumulative 3.5+ GPA. In fact, Kaelyn made the Dean’s List three times and the President’s list one time. In short, Kaelyn is flippin’ awesome!

When Kaelyn isn’t flipping through the air, she’s staying busy around campus. She’s currently enrolled in COMM 363, the Multimedia Communication seminar, where she’s working on developing a full marketing communications plan for a potential recreational gymnastics program at Simpson. With the recent opening of the Fiterman Training Center, Kaelyn is helping lay the groundwork for what could become an additional source of income and opportunity for the school and gymnastics team in the near future. As someone who helped lay the foundation for the women’s gymnastics program, it’s only fitting that she helps to shape its future.

Kaelyn is also a writing consultant at the Writing Center, a role she’s held since her sophomore year. She loves connecting with fellow students and helping them grow more confident in their writing. On top of that, she’s gaining professional experience as an intern at LS2 Group in Des Moines, working in the public relations department. Balancing academics, athletics, and her personal career, Kaelyn is making the most of her time on campus. With plans to pursue a career in public relations or marketing after graduation, she is on a direct route to success!

We congratulate Kaelyn on her hard work and her achievements here at Simpson and wish the best of luck for her future!

02/27/2026

Our Senior Spotlight today is Kristen Roe! Kristen is from the small town of Pleasantville, Iowa. Kristen is double-majoring in Accounting and Business Management. She also played on the Simpson women's golf team for all four years. Kristen decided to attend Simpson because of the strong business program, while also falling in love with the golf program. Growing up near Indianola, she has always loved the campus, so she was excited to live on a campus that already felt like home.

Kristen says, “Being on the women's golf team at Simpson has given me a strong sense of belonging, and my teammates have become some of my closest friends. Having the privilege of competing and golfing with my friends will be my greatest memories from college.”

Shoutout to Professor Kelly Swinton! Kristen notes, “The faculty member who has affected me the most during my time at Simpson was Assistant Professor of Accounting Kelly Swinton, who retired at the end of last year. She was able to guide me in my major and helped me find a career path I could look forward to.”

Kristen’s advice for future Simpson students: “Never be afraid to talk to the people around you! Whether it's a classmate who could become your best friend or a professor who can give you advice, these relationships in college help you find community and direction.”

Future Plans: Following graduation in May, Kristen plans to sit for the CPA exam and pursue a career in accounting. We wish Kristen the best of luck in her journey after graduation!

02/24/2026

Senior Spotlight coming at you from someone raised in Washington, Iowa, a student who attended Hillcrest Academy (formerly Iowa Mennonite School) and is at Simpson following his family’s legacy. If you weren’t able to guess based on this information, this spotlight is about Gabe Bruns. With two brothers and his dad all attending Simpson, the choice was made simple. Gabe put it clearly — his dad “wasn’t helping pay for anywhere else.” The smaller campus vibe and the ability to easily connect with students and professors made the decision even easier.

Gabe is graduating with a major in Finance and minors in Accounting and Philosophy, because why not mix money and deep thought?

During Gabe’s time at Simpson, he stayed busy. He started by competing on the swim team for three years, then switched to volleyball his senior year. During his freshman and sophomore years, he participated in College Activities Board (CAB), along with Accounting Club and SARA. Oh — and he also started the Golf Club.

He’s also been a dedicated member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) since joining in fall 2022, serving as President during his junior and senior years. Leading a fraternity is no small job, and Gabe stepped up to make an impact. On top of all of this, he stayed close to campus by working in the mail room all four years — so thank him if you got a package on time.

When it comes to professional experience, he doesn’t waste any time. He spent a month in the Big Apple, New York, interning with Sigma Computing, and has worked with Edward Jones since his sophomore year. After graduating, he plans to continue with Edward Jones as a Financial Advisor, putting his Finance degree to quick use.

When asking Gabe, what would he do if he could do it all over? He says, “start golf club sooner.” Which has been an amazing experience for him.

Outside of campus life, Gabe enjoys playing Magic: The Gathering and golfing, which, if you’ve met him, seems very on brand.

From swimming to SAE to building clubs, Gabe has made his mark at Simpson. We’re excited to see him take on the financial world, and we’re confident his investment advice will bring the same energy he had on campus.

Department of Business Administration & Economics at Simpson College

05/07/2026

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04/17/2026

04/05/2026

03/26/2026

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02/24/2026

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