UConn Today – Call it fate, serendipity, or just plain good luck, but alumna Mackenzie “Kenzie’’ Blowers ’25 had a stroke of career fortune during her second year as a UConn student.
Blowers was assigned to the second floor of Belden Hall and her RA was Danielle Harrington ‘24. Harrington had created a poster for students to get to know a bit about her, and she included her experience as an intern at The TJX Companies.
UConn Today – Marilena Mademtzi ’25 MBA had already earned two advanced degrees, including a Ph.D., when she enrolled in the UConn MBA program.
A career-long advocate for students with autism and mental health struggles, Mademtzi ultimately hopes to drive innovation in pediatric behavioral healthcare throughout Connecticut.
UConn Today – As an undergraduate, Isabella Williams ’25 received internship offers from all of the Big Four accounting firms, a very rare accomplishment.
She accepted an internship at PwC and is now an associate in the company’s Investigations & Forensics sector, based in Boston. There she found both a professional challenge and very welcoming colleagues.
UConn Today – If you ask U.S. Army Major (Ret.) Henry H. Washington III ’21 EBV about the experiences that set him up for success as a youngster, he will credit three things:
Today he is the Founder and CEO of the Henry H. Washington 3 Foundation, which serves to better the lives of children, teens and young adults in metro Atlanta. The foundation offers a wide range of services, but is particularly focused on helping youth find a career path, stay out of trouble, and serve the community.
UConn Today – Senior Shravani Daptardar is studying analytics and information management, with a concentration in business intelligence, and she’s debating whether to go directly to work after graduation or to enroll in graduate school.
On Wednesday, she attended the School of Business Career Expo and had a chance to talk to recruiters from more than 30 top employers, as well as grad-school experts, about her options.
UConn Today – The Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty’’ award will be presented in September to 40 business standouts, including four who are affiliated with the UConn School of Business.
The recipients include: Haley Heslin, Director of Human Resources at LAZ Parking and a student in the UConn MBA program; Thomas “Tommy’’ Hyde ’19 MBA, Chief of Staff at AdvanceCT; David Steuber ’08, ’21 MS, and Andrew “Drew’’ DiSilvestro Jr. ’15 EBV Cert., President of AmeriTech Contracting.
UConn Today – When former President Joe Biden revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with an advanced and aggressive form of prostate cancer, the news rattled UConn’s Reza Amin ’18 Ph.D., ’19 MS.
Amin is the CEO and Founder of Bastion Health, the first and largest virtual urology group in the country. Bastion, a UConn startup, addresses men’s health care through at-home diagnostics, specialist-led care, and elimination of impediments to medical attention.
UConn Today – When graduate student Dmitrii Tuzov ’26 MS heard about an opportunity to learn about decentralized AI (deAI) from experts in the field, and potentially create business-enhancing technology, he couldn’t have been more excited.
“My first reaction was, ‘Definitely! That’s what I want to do,’’’ he says. Now in the early stages of the project, he and four other UConn graduate students are learning technical skills, setting goals, and defining the scope of their work. “The deeper I dive, the more I see how big this opportunity is.’’
UConn Today – CREA Foundation, Inc. has created two, renewable scholarships for UConn students interested in studying commercial real estate, and they include bonus opportunities to set them up for success.
“We’re excited and eager to partner with CREA to introduce more students to the real estate industry,’’ said David Wharmby, director of the Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies at UConn. “This gift will ensure that they are not just career-ready but have solid work experience in the industry.’’
UConn Today – Alumnus Rich Eldh ’81, an entrepreneur who created a $300 million global research and advisory firm, told business undergraduates that servant leadership is one of the most important, and misinterpreted, components of business success.
“Servant leadership means leading with strength, for the benefit of others,’’ he told more than 700 graduates, their family and friends, during the Commencement ceremony on Saturday at Gampel Pavilion. “It means empowering your team, fostering growth, and creating environments where others can shine.’’