Alumni

On a Mission

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today -(This story first appeared in the 2024 Dean’s Annual Report)

Patricia “Tricia” Margarido, a 2019 graduate of UConn’s Executive MBA program, leads a critical care team that takes care of patients in the most desperate, dire, and frightening moments of their lives.

She and her colleagues at Hartford Hospital’s LIFE STAR program treat patients 1,500 feet in the air, in the tight confines of a moving helicopter, assisted by equipment with the technological capacity found in an ICU. Their workspace is 11-by-5 feet, and their missions often take place in the darkness of night.

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Swimsuit Entrepreneur, UConn Alum Hayley Segar to Appear on ‘Shark Tank’

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Women’s swimsuit entrepreneur and UConn alum Hayley Segar ’17 (CLAS) will appear on next week’s segment of “Shark Tank,’’ the competitive entrepreneurship TV show with almost 3 million viewers.

Segar, whose swimsuit company onewith came to fruition with the support of UConn entrepreneurship programs, will appear on the show at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 on ABC.

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From Ardent UConn Soccer Fan to Co-Captain, Jack Loura’s Work Ethic Paid Off

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Two years before he joined the UConn Men’s Soccer Team as a walk-on player, Jack Loura ’24 (BUS) was part of the “goal patrol,” a pack of ardent fans standing behind the opposing team’s net and heckling the goalie.

Loura wrapped up his college soccer career just a few weeks ago, devoting three years to playing for the team and serving as a co-captain. Today he’s pursuing a graduate degree in financial technology at the UConn School of Business. And he’s hoping to further his soccer career with the United Soccer League, parent company of the Hartford Athletic team.

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Mom Would Be So Proud

Posted on by Grace Merritt

UConn Magazine – Working as the head of an investment management firm for 19 years, Steve Wilson found himself frustrated by the gender disparity he saw in the field. He wanted to hire women as investment professionals but struggled to find enough who were trained and qualified.

“I realized that colleges weren’t preparing enough women to enter the field,” Wilson explains. “I think it was a combination of a lack of awareness of career opportunities and perhaps, to some degree, self-selection — with too many fully qualified women thinking ‘I’m not good enough, so I’m not going to try’ or ‘It’s a hostile space, so why would I put myself out there?’”

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Entrepreneur, Gender-Equity Advocate to Discuss How Women Can Move from the Sidelines to the C-Suite

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Any company that strives to be profitable and successful needs to include women and other diverse representatives in its leadership. Yet even in the most forward-focused organizations, women may still face obstacles to inclusion.

Sameer Somal, a tech entrepreneur and the co-founder of Girl Power Talk and Girl Power USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping you women become leaders in business and society, will share his experiences and perspective on empowering women during the next Equity Now presentation on Nov. 19. The event is sponsored by School of Business.

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Three UConn Business Students/Alums Helped Shape Network News, Entertainment Industry This Year

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Business student Emily Laput ’26 (CLAS) created her own marketing and consulting firm when she was in high school. That impressed interviewers at NBC Universal in New York City, and helped her capture a coveted summer internship.

Across the city, recent alum Peter Spinelli ’24 (BUS, CLAS), is working as a production intern at ABC News. He is passionate about increasing the percentage of Gen Z adults who watch TV news.

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Camaraderie, Enthusiasm Punctuate Wolff New Venture Competition

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – A novel treatment for long-term pain management that could revolutionize post-operative care and eliminate the need for opioids for many, won the first-place, $30,000 grand prize at the Wolff New Venture Competition last week.

Professors and esteemed UConn Health researchers Lakshmi Nair, Ph.D. and Yusuf Khan, Ph.D. say they were both surprised and thrilled that their startup, Soleia Biosciences, received the award. With the financial and business support they’ve received, they hope to advance the treatment that has been in development for 10 years.

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MSA Marks 25th Anniversary with Celebration on Oct. 17

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – The MSA program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, a significant milestone for the trailblazing program that consistently ranks among the best in the nation.

“I wish I could take the spirit, the energy, and the interaction that occurs in this program, bottle it and present it to potential students,’’ said accounting professor Steve Pedneault, who owns a forensic accounting firm and has been teaching in the program since 2007. “If they knew how special it is here, they would all come to UConn.’’

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UConn Alumni, Car Fanatics Creating Marketplace for Second-Hand Auto Parts

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – When they were college students at UConn, Kyle Mayers ’13 (BUS) and Wally Namane ’13 (BUS), ’18 MBA both drove identical older, red BMW coupes. Friends used to confuse them as they zipped around campus, until one of them finally connected the two men on Facebook.

Mayers and Namane had a great deal in common. They were both ambitious, both car enthusiasts, both first-generation college students.

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