Harms Tells Students To Get Involved by Michelle Johnson Sitting in Mary Beukema Harms' office is a caricature sketch of her in full Superman, or in this case Superwoman, garb. It was a gift from some of her employees, who know better than anyone the demands of Harms' super human schedule. No one benefits more from Harms' lifestyle than her marketing students. As the owner and CEO of two retail businesses, Harms emphasizes the highlights of entrepreneurship and encourages her students to be leaders. "I view myself as an entrepreneurial role model for these students," said Harms, an adjunct instructor in the College of Business. "In a world where companies are downsizing and streamlining their workforces, I want students to look at entrepreneurship as an option." It was an option for Harms and her late husband, Doug, who started a screen printing business (T-Galaxy) out of their garage. A few 100-degree days and several sacrifices later, business is booming. "The key is creative thinking and flexibility," Harms said. "Those are qualities that are central to being a leader in whatever project you undertake." A mantel full of awards indicates that Harms has mastered those qualities and then some. She was the 1992 Ames Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year and the 1990 Entrepreneur of the Year, the latter shared with her husband. She received the Business Council's Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Business in 1990 and 1993 and was named the 1993 Veishea College of Business Outstanding Professor. Also in 1993, the Des Moines Register listed her as one of the state's "Up and Comers." ISU and the Ames community have tapped into Harms' keen marketing sense. She has helped improve the ambiance of Campustown, make Veishea more profitable and popular with students and strengthen the marketing efforts of the ISU athletic department. She also lent her marketing expertise to the development of the new Cy logo. "I think students come to college to learn more than what they find on the pages of a textbook," Harms said. "I stress getting involved to my students. To this day, I am still using what I learned in my extracurricular collegiate activities. By incorporating my leadership roles in campus and community activities into my classroom, I try to set a good example." Furthering student involvement and providing leadership opportunities for students is foremost on Harms' professional agenda. Last year, she proposed that Career Day, shared by the colleges of Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences, be combined and expanded into a fall Business Week. In her proposal, she emphasized the importance of giving students the opportunity to get to know each other and their professors, as well as mingle with members of the business community. A convincing argument. This year's Business Week will begin Monday. As coordinator of the College of Business marketing internship program, Harms finds opportunities for students to gain practical business experience, something she says business recruiters find lacking in most college students. "I am always hearing recruiters say how much they admire the brightness, honesty and work ethic of ISU students," Harms said. "But they often overlook our students because they are missing that exposure to the real business world. I feel strongly that the internship program and events like Business Week help fill that void." _____ contact: Michelle Johnson, News Service, (515) 294-8986 updated: 9-15-95