Author: Claire Hall


Alum Who Created ‘Merican Mule Cocktail Company Has Plenty to Celebrate

UConn Today -Sales of ‘Merican Mule premium cocktail have skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, fueling the good spirits of its UConn alumnus co-founder.

“Sales have been shot out of a cannon,’’ says Dean Mahoney ’09 (BUS). “The pandemic posed challenges to people who typically went to bars and restaurants. They wanted a quality cocktail at home, so they shifted their search to liquor stores.Continue Reading


Professor Emerita Susan Spiggle Gives Large Gift to PhD Program

Professor Emerita Susan Spiggle, pictured above, teaches a course in 2018.
Professor Emerita Susan Spiggle, pictured above, teaches a course in 2018. Spiggle recently made a generous donation to the School of Business. (Contributed Photo)

For novice writers, it is often difficult to accept constructive criticism and develop a willingness to edit and repeatedly revise their work.

Overcoming that reluctance is essential for Ph.D. students who plan to become professors, because their careers hinge on their ability to clearly define their research and present it in a concise and appealing way to editors at top academic journals.

“For future faculty members, being able to write is their bread and butter,” said Professor Emerita Susan Spiggle. “You can have all the best data in the world but if you can’t write clearly and define the importance of your work, it really doesn’t matter at all.”Continue Reading


Professor Mitra: Marketers Who Don’t Maximize Data Analysis Are Sitting On An Untapped Gold Mine

Graphic displaying a giant magnifying glass looking at data increases and 4 small people observing.
(istockphoto.com)

Marketers often collect and analyze customer information that is easy to access and synthesize, but omit or gloss over the deeper and more valuable analytics that can foster a powerful competitive advantage for their corporations.Continue Reading


A Taste of Something New! Alumnus Creates Monthly ‘Subscription Box’ Filled with Distinctive Local Goodies

Curated CT provides products from a variety of local sources. Pictured above, is a sample from a previous month.
Curated CT provides products from a variety of local sources. Pictured above, is a sample from a previous month. (Contributed Photo)

For more than a decade, alumnus Donald Pendagast ’20 MBA, had been thinking about ways to introduce people to local, small food businesses that they might not try otherwise. In October, his idea came to fruition with the creation of Curated CT, a subscription food box featuring local delicacies, including cheese, coffee, chocolate and sometimes beer. The company is already turning a profit and donates some of its profits to a different local charity every month.Continue Reading




UConn Students Repeat Winning Tradition During National Analytics Challenge

A female worker wearing a hardhat and safety vest standing in front of a work truck.
This year’s JMP Discovery Summit challenged participants to build a model for a telecommunications company. UConn’s team took 1st place. (istockphoto.com)

For the second consecutive year, a team of UConn graduate students earned the first-place award in a national analytics competition. Their award-winning presentation addressed how a telecom company can analyze and utilize data to help retain existing customers.Continue Reading



New Business Law Program Promises Answers To Tough Questions on Equality, Inclusion

Image of Equity Now Speaker Series logo on black background.
What are some recommendations to make a business more welcoming to the LGBTQ community?

What employment rights does an employee have if he or she is experiencing a lengthy recovery from COVID-19?

And do new technology-enhanced corporate hiring tools eliminate, or exacerbate, sexism and racism in the workplace?

Those are some of the questions that legal scholars will address in UConn’s “Equity Now!” business law series, which is open to students, faculty, alumni, friends of UConn and other sponsoring institutions.Continue Reading


Alumna to Share Mindset Secrets To Help Women Entrepreneurs Prosper

Portrait of Charlene Walters.
Charlene Walters ’92, pictured above, will headline the upcoming xCITE networking event. (Contributed photo)

As brazen as it might seem in an uncertain economy, now may be the ideal time for many women to take that giant step into entrepreneurship.

That’s the advice of UConn alumna Charlene Walters ’92, who has created a blueprint for women interested in pursuing their own businesses.

Walters, an entrepreneurship coach, business and branding mentor, and author, will be the keynote speaker at the School of Business’ “xCITE: Women in Entrepreneurship Network” series for women who are, or want to become, entrepreneurs. The event, which will be virtual this year, is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16. This is the first in a series of programs to connect women entrepreneurs.Continue Reading