Newly named Sentry School declares that ‘Sentry Does’
What’s in a name? A lot — when it’s the Sentry School of Business and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
The name reinforces the historically strong connections between the university and Sentry, a Fortune 650 company and one of the city’s largest employers.
The Sentry School name is also tangible evidence of a $10 million gift made by Sentry to the business school, and it’ll be further solidified when the business school moves into the proposed Sentry Hall during the 2027-28 school year.
“We firmly believe the presence of a strong university is critical, not only for our company but for the community,” said Sentry CEO, president and chairman Pete McPartland when the gift was announced in December 2022. “We’re able to thrive due in large part to UW-Stevens Point.”
A hands-on approach to business
But there’s even more behind the naming and ascension of the Sentry School. It’s a proclamation that UWSP means business, and a special sort of business education.
“If I had to characterize the education at the Sentry School, it would be hands-on,” said Kevin Neuman, assistant dean and head of the Sentry School.
“We express hands-on in multiple ways,” Neuman added. “First, there’s the requirement that every business major completes an internship. This gives students real-world experience in a field that’s pertinent to them.”
In addition, students can get hands-on with prominent national speakers, skill-development events and more through the Sentry School’s vaunted Professional Events program.
Started in 2010 to broaden opportunities for business majors, Pro Events has grown into more than 300 speakers and activities annually, leveraging the talents of more than 250 outside resources.
Teaching is also hands-on at the Sentry School. The faculty’s mix of skilled academics and lecturers with extensive professional experience helps ensure that Sentry School students get a firm academic foundation plus exposure to real-world business skills and knowledge.
Classes in areas like artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics and business systems equip graduates to excel in competitive work environments.
And that’s not all. Through programs like Agency 81, the Sentry School’s in-house, student-run marketing agency, students can hone their skills throughout the school year.
Training successful students
Not surprisingly, a strong entrepreneurial current runs through the Sentry School. Many students want to start their own businesses, and the school supports them through a strong partnership with the local Small Business Development Center as well as opportunities to compete in local and regional “pitch” competitions.
In fact, UWSP’s Haley Densow took first place in The Pitch competition in Fox Cities with her idea for DormDash, a campus-based food-delivery service. And one of the runners-up was Sourcer AI, a browser extension that can detect political bias in online news articles.
“Without the Sentry School’s help, DormDash wouldn’t have placed as high as it did and wouldn’t have received the funds needed to build an app,” said Densow, a junior marketing major from Kewaskum.
“I know for a fact that I would not have been able to succeed with my business at any other school,” added Sourcer’s founder Alex Soucha, a sophomore from Sheboygan.
“What Haley and Alex have been able to achieve speaks to the culture we’ve built,” Neuman said.
Part of that culture is active support. From the day a student applies to UWSP to graduation day — and beyond, in many cases — advisers and staff are providing guidance and encouragement.
This extends to the Sentry School’s MBA program, which offers hybrid and online learning and a 4+1 track for undergrads and is particularly welcoming to female and nontraditional MBA candidates.
Sentry’s unique approach
The Sentry School’s culture has earned its “best-kept secret” status among state business schools — but expect that to change. A part of Sentry’s gift is going toward a bold rebrand.
“’Sentry Does’ emphasizes our philosophies of learning by doing, teaching with passion and providing active support,” Neuman said. “It helps us stand apart from other business schools.
“We appeal to that student who wants an engaged business education, who wants to do things and get things done, who wants to see their ideas come to fruition,” he added. “We realize that’s a different approach from other business schools, and that’s okay. It’s who we are, and we’re going to stay true to that.”
Expect to see more from UWSP’s Sentry School of Business and Economics — and expect to see more from its students, too.
They’ll be easy to spot. They’ll be the ones getting things done.
For more information, check out the Sentry School online and on LinkedIn.