UConn in London

busnmag_uconn-in-londonThis article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 3, Issue 1 (Fall 2012)

Summer 2012 in London was a remarkable place to be—a time and place where hopes and aspirations were fulfilled for many a member of the UConn family. Among the UConn contingent in London this summer were 40 undergraduate students studying abroad, international alumni ambassadors, visiting alumni, faculty, staff, athletes, fans, and friends, who were drawn together by the Olympic games.

The School of Business is proud to have been globally represented by such an extraordinary delegation of students, alumni, and Husky Olympians, including Asjha Jones ’02, USA Women’s Basketball; and Chinyere Pigot ’15, Suriname Flag Bearer during Opening Ceremonies and Swimmer (50-meter freestyle).

Summer Olympics Study Abroad

Forty undergraduates ranging from sophomores to seniors in a variety of majors spent six weeks in London this summer learning about complex global issues ranging from gender iniquities in sports to urban poverty. The students took courses through the Florida State University (FSU) Center in London, studying “London and the Olympics, a Cultural History,” “Shakespeare in a Global Context,” “New Media, Politics and Society,” “Literary London,” and “London’s Global Geographies.” In addition to coursework, an internship component designed to enable the students to learn about community building placed them in London schools, inner city youth projects, and the local women’s basketball center where they coached local kids in basketball fundamentals.

The students also found time to enjoy the Olympics and to experience some of London’s cultural activities. In addition to reading Shakespeare plays for class, they also saw live performances at The Globe Theatre. Each student was provided with tickets for two Olympic basketball games and attended an event featuring Geno Auriemma and the UConn alums on the U.S.A. women’s national basketball team.

“These students exhibited a great deal of enthusiasm, passion, and excitement about UConn and about being in London,” remarked School of Business Dean John Elliott, who spoke with some of the students at the event in London.

International Alumni Ambassadors

As part of a program started by the University of Connecticut Alumni Association in 2008, International Alumni Ambassadors serve as a point of contact for information about their countries of residence for UConn alumni, faculty, or students who may be traveling to that region. Elizabeth James ’08 and Alejandro Blanco-Moreno ’07 currently serve as ambassadors in London.

Elizabeth James ’08

londonElizabeth (Liz) James, a 2008 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Business, is an International Alumni Ambassador, fundraising volunteer, and a 2012 Olympic Torchbearer. A Greenwich, Connecticut native, James was a Marketing and Professional Sales major at the School of Business and a member of the National Honor Fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi. Commenting on her undergraduate experience, Liz says, “The UConn Business School laid the foundation for my business knowledge and pushed me to achieve more than I ever thought possible.”

Liz was hired by the Nielsen Company after graduation as part of their Emerging Leaders Program, which moved her from Tampa to San Francisco, Chicago, and

New York. After working on some sports-related projects, she was asked to go live and work in London in 2010 in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.

Six months before the Olympic Torch Relay, Liz was nominated by her peers and selected by a panel of senior managers at the Nielsen Company to be a Torchbearer. “I was flattered to be selected out of 1,500 candidates in our UK offices!” exclaims Liz. One of nearly 8,000 torchbearers to carry the Olympic flame during its 70-day journey across the UK as part of the ancient Olympic Torch Relay tradition, Liz carried the flame through the London Borough of Bromley on July 23. “It was amazing to meet my fellow torchbearers on my route (there are 30 people per route) and to be around such wonderful, selfless people. When I got off the Olympic bus to start my 500-meter run, I was greeted by about 40 family members, friends and work peers! Everyone had either an American flag or a UConn flag to show their support… I ran as slow as I could with the torch, so I could soak up every moment of it! This is an experience I will never forget.”

Now that the Olympics are over, Liz is preparing for her next adventure. Will it be Rio for the next Olympics, or perhaps back home to the United States? Says Liz, “Our company is in over 150 countries, so the possibilities are limitless!”

Alejandro Blanco-Moreno ’07

Alejandro (Alex) Blanco-Moreno, is a 2007 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Business and has been living in London for over five years, where he also serves as an International Alumni Ambassador.

Originally from Spain, Alex enrolled at UConn through UCAELI, a program for international students to learn English and qualify to attend universities in the United States. When asked why he chose UConn, Alex responds, “Most of my relatives have studied abroad in different countries, and I did quite a lot of research. I was looking for a school in a rural setting that had a good balance between sports and academics. [The UConn School of Business] was starting to greatly improve its position nationally, thanks to the big investment taken not only to provide its students with brand new classroom facilities, but also to greatly increase its staff and broad offer of available majors and study programs. That was the final reason that made me leave Spain and start my new life in Storrs.”

A couple of months before graduation, Alex accepted a job offer that would return him to Europe. Joining structured credit brokerage OTX, a start-up company in London at the time, Alex rose through the ranks quickly, eventually taking on the role of CFO. Commenting on the experience, he notes, “The fact that we started trading right in the middle of a global financial meltdown only helped to put into practice everything that I learned back in the classroom, and combine it with all the non-textbook experience that you gain in an economic event with such huge international consequences as the one we have gone through the last few years.”

On hiatus this summer, Alex spent time with many notable UConn friends in London, among them alumnus and donor Mark R. Shenkman ’65, who was elected to the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame in 2002 and has endowed the Shenkman Family Chair in E-Business for the business school. Mr. Shenkman is founder and president of Shenkman Capital Management, Inc., a registered investment advisor with offices in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut. “Of course it was a great honor to be able to meet Mark Shenkman and his family during their stay for the London 2012 Olympics. Mark is not only a very important and generous alumnus to the University, but also an extremely nice and approachable person,” mentions Alex. When Mark and his family needed advice on directions or things to do in London, Alex was happy to share his knowledge about the city.

Serving as a local advisor and arranger, Alex provided many London visitors this summer with information on matters ranging from getting to the Olympic arena, organizing dinners at restaurants to satisfy all budgets and palates, and coordinating a tour of the city with plenty of interesting facts that are unknown even to many fellow Londoners. “As Alumni Ambassador here in the UK, I always try to assist any fellow members in anything I can… It is always very exciting to see how many proud Huskies are out there, even after having graduated many years or decades ago,” said Alex.

Reflecting on his UConn experience, Alex notes the importance of how international the School of Business is. “[It] fully represents the environment you encounter when you start working after graduation.”

Alex is now looking for a bit of a career change, with a continued focus on finance. He is also full of ideas for increasing alumni involvement in the UK. “I really hope that our network keeps growing at an even faster pace in the future, so we can show the huge international presence and importance that our students and alumni have all around the world today,” Alex says.

Alumni Event

In a celebration of the UConn family in London, nearly 250 alumni, students, faculty, family, friends and donors gathered at the Charing Cross Hotel on August 8 for an evening sponsored by the UConn Alumni Association, UConn Foundation, Office of Global Programs, and the School of Business. Highlights of the evening included welcomes by Lisa Lewis, Executive Director of the Alumni Association; Warde Manuel, UConn Athletic Director; and Team USA women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma. Recognized attendees included international alumni ambassadors, donors, and the athletes present, including Tony Hanson ’97, a former UConn Guard, and the 6 former huskies on the national team, including Asjha Jones ’02.

In a moving “special presentation,” Geno presented former men’s basketball coach (1969-1977) Donald “Dee” Rowe with an autographed basketball and game shirt. Rowe was unable to attend the 1980 Olympics as assistant coach of the U.S. team due to a national boycott of the Moscow Olympics that year.

Several alumni traveled to London just to attend the reception and to see the women’s basketball events, coming from across Europe and the United States. “We have a group of very dedicated alumni whose loyalty to UConn was strongly felt at this event,” commented School of Business Dean John Elliott. Deb Crary, Manager of Alumni Services at the UConn Alumni Association added, “Everyone left there feeling really proud to be connected to UConn.”


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