UConn Magazine – If you’ve compared cell-phone costs at a Spectrum/Charter kiosk, played around on a display screen at a BMW dealer designing your own dream car, or compared features on a series of premium hot tubs, you’ve likely experienced the work of Reality Interactive in Middletown, Connecticut. The high-tech firm creates customer-focused, digital display technology experiences for Fortune 500 and other multinational companies, including BMW, Nintendo, Titleist, Behr Paint Company, and P.C. Richard & Son. “What we accomplish here is breathtaking,” says Jack Nork ’91 (CLAS), the company’s implementation director. “When I see the finished product, it is actually cooler than I ever thought. We have smart, highly educated employees who love to learn new things and then apply them.’’
Author: Claire Hall
UConn Business Partners with Prestigious Chinese University to Enroll Top Grad Students
UConn Today – The School of Business on Thursday signed a formal partnership with Shandong University in China, one of that nation’s top universities, enabling Shandong students to begin graduate coursework in China and complete their degrees at UConn.
The Shandong students, who will come to UConn starting in Fall 2025, can pursue degrees in financial technology, business analytics and project management, or financial and enterprise risk management.
Meeting the Team: Insurity Offers Unfettered Access to C-Suite
UConn Today – Long before Chris Lafond ’87 (CLAS) became the CEO of Insurity, a $350 million software company headquartered in Hartford, he was trying to figure out the best strategy to develop and showcase his business abilities.
He quickly discovered the importance of being inquisitive and developing knowledge beyond what is expected.
Chairman Rodney Butler ’99: ‘You’re Here for a Reason’
UConn Today – This past spring, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler ’99 (BUS) addressed a large audience of students, faculty, and staff at the Student Union Theatre. One member of the audience paying especially close attention was Samantha Gove ’24 (CLAS), a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation who worked extensively with UConn’s Native American Cultural Programs during her time in Storrs. Shortly after Butler’s visit, he and Gove connected over video call for a conversation about Butler’s time at UConn, what he’s learned in two decades of leadership in the Nation, and what he wants Native students to keep in mind. The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
‘Change Happens When One Person Makes a Bold Move’
UConn Today – Alumna Medina Jett ’08 EMBA delivered a commencement speech to the Class of 2024 that emphasized something she knows well: the importance of being brave and thoughtful in the face of change, whether celebrated or not.
“I stand before you not only as a fellow Husky, but as someone who understands the challenges and triumphs that come with the journey of life,’’ Jett told some 700 enthusiastic undergraduates, their families, and friends on Saturday afternoon in Gampel Pavilion.
‘Hall of Fame’ Inductees Share Business Wisdom, Keys to Personal Success
UConn Today – The UConn School of Business’ Hall of Fame Ceremony offered a collection of stories, both funny and poignant, an abundance of heart-felt gratitude, and enough great business advice to fill an Adam Grant bestseller.
Innovation Quest’s Three Winning Teams All Passionate About Human Health
UConn Today – Although personal health-tracking devices have proliferated in recent years, entrepreneur John Toribio, a Ph.D. candidate at UConn, believes his innovation is far superior to what’s available on the market today.
Toribio Labs is the winner of UConn’s 2024 Innovation Quest (iQ) entrepreneurship competition and has received a $15,000 award.
Meet University Scholar Christian Chlebowski
UConn Today – Commencement weekend will be a busy one for Christian Chlebowski ’24, ’24 MSA, as he receives two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s in accounting, all earned in the last four years.
After he attends all three ceremonies, he is planning an all-out visit to the UConn Dairy Bar to celebrate with his family.
New Master’s Degree in Social Responsibility & Impact in Business Seeks Students Interested in Making a Difference in the World
UConn Today – The School of Business’ Marketing Department has created a 30-credit Master of Science in Social Responsibility & Impact in Business, addressing an escalating demand for professionals in the field and significant student interest in pursuing careers that impact economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
The new degree program was approved by the University’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday, April 17, and launches this fall. The degree will prepare graduates to drive innovative and impactful business decisions for positive social change.
U.S. News & World Report Again Ranks UConn MBA Among the Best
UConn Today – U.S. News & World Report has again ranked the UConn School of Business’ part-time MBA program, known as the FLEX MBA, as among the top graduate business programs in the nation.
The 2024-25 Best Graduate School Rankings were released today and the UConn program now ranks at No. 33 in the nation. That’s up from No. 37 last year and reflects a steady increase from the No. 70 ranking in 2018-19.