This episode of the Bengal Business Radio Show features Interim Dean Dr. Alex Bolinger in conversation with marketing professor Haley Hardman and healthcare administration professor Sonali Salunkhe about how research, mentoring, and experiential learning are transforming student lives in Idaho State University’s College of Business. They trace their own research journeys and the mentors who normalized failure, built advanced methodological skills, and opened doors to impactful projects in healthcare access and retail strategy. The discussion highlights how undergraduates are being pulled into real research—from econometric modeling that leads to national conference presentations in Washington, D.C., to marketing projects that evolve from dissertations into conference papers—while also building quantitative skills, public speaking confidence, and comfort with peer review. Hardman describes taking students on a first-in-memory College of Business study abroad to Greece, including a visit to the island where “Mamma Mia” was filmed, and previews an upcoming multi-country program to Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic centered on culture, history, and business visits to firms like BMW and FC Bayern. Salunkhe shares details of a four-year, $2.2 million multidisciplinary grant spanning Health, Business, and Education that aims to expand Idaho’s behavioral healthcare workforce through internships, stipends, workshops, and job fairs that keep trained graduates in the state. Throughout the episode, the guests return to themes of ISU’s collegial, cross-departmental culture and the crucial role of donors and institutional support in funding student travel, research presentations, and study abroad experiences that they describe as truly transformative.
Bengal Business Radio Show – Mentors, Research, and Transformative Student Opportunities with Haley Hardman and Sonali Salunkhe
