CCEI



Students Prepare Almost 800 Tax Returns—For Free

Sameir Rankins '17, right, helps a client with her tax return.
Sameir Rankins ’17, right, helps a client with her tax return (Devin Basdekian/UConn School of Business)

VITA Volunteers Eliminate Frustration, Expense of Taxes

Yvette Eley, a native of the United Kingdom, had to file U.S. taxes for the first time this year and just the thought of it was daunting.

Eley, a post-doctoral fellow in geosciences, turned to UConn’s Voluntary Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), which helped her prepare her return for free. Adjunct faculty member Leanne Adams spearheads the program. Continue Reading


Unique, Creative Startups Win $30,000

2017 Innovation Quest Awards

Innovation Quest Tops Participation Record; Winners Present Vastly Different, Creative Startup Ideas

The winners of this year’s Innovation Quest (iQ) competition had a unique set of people to credit for inspiring their success, including:

  • A friend with a teddy bear tattoo, emblazoned with his ex-girlfriend’s name;
  • A waitress who was trying to handle a mad-house of customers during a blizzard, when the rest of the wait staff didn’t show up;
  • A little brother who leaves his EpiPen home because it is too bulky to carry;
  • Americans who have very polarized beliefs about political events, depending on which news source they follow.

Continue Reading


‘Like Building an Airplane in Mid-Flight’

Portrait of Michael Zacchea.
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Michael Zacchea ’12 MBA, director of the School of Business’ Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) will be signing copies of his book, “The Ragged Edge” on April 25 at the Graduate Business Learning Center in Hartford. Proceeds from books sold that evening will benefit the EBV. (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

UConn’s Mike Zacchea Describes Many Challenges He Faced as First U.S. Military Adviser to New Iraqi Army

In his new book, “The Ragged Edge,” set for release on April 1, U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Michael Zacchea ’12 MBA shares the staggering hardships and unique challenges of the U.S. mission to build an Iraqi Army virtually from scratch. Continue Reading


Enhancing Corporate Strategy

Portrait of Timothy B. Folta.
UConn Management Professor Timothy B. Folta (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

International Conference Organized by Professor Folta Yields Strategic Management Book

An international conference about resource redeployment in multi-business or multi-product firms, organized by UConn management professor Timothy B. Folta, has yielded a new book on the subject. Continue Reading


EBV Graduates 22 Veteran Entrepreneurs

22 veterans graduated from the School of Business; Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), a 10-day program that gives veterans the knowledge, skills and helping hand they need to create their own businesses.
The 2016 Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) Class. UConn’s EBV is a 10-day program that gives veterans the knowledge, skills and helping hand they need to create their own businesses. (Lisa Ducharme)

‘I Can’t Believe How Lucky I Am!’ Veterans’ Plans Include Cookie Business, Animal Shelter, Counseling Center

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Damone “D” Garner has a secret weapon for his post-military career.

Hailing from a family that boasts three generations of talented bakers, Garner has a collection of secret, family-cookie recipes that will make other bakers quake in their aprons. Continue Reading


A First-Place Tie

The creators of LambdaVision with two undergraduate student interns who helped represent the company during the CCEI fellowship and again at the Wolff competition. From left, Dr. Jordan Greco '10 (CLAS), '15 Ph.D., Molly Zgoda '17 (CLAS), Audrey Gallo '17 (CLAS), and Dr. Nicole Wagner '07 (CLAS), '13 Ph.D.
The creators of LambdaVision with two undergraduate student interns who helped represent the company during the CCEI fellowship and again at the Wolff competition. From left, Dr. Jordan Greco ’10 (CLAS), ’15 Ph.D., Molly Zgoda ’17 (CLAS), Audrey Gallo ’17 (CLAS), and Dr. Nicole Wagner ’07 (CLAS), ’13 Ph.D. (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

Revamped Wolff New Venture Competition Surprises Audience with Two Medical-Device Champs

The late Thomas John Wolff ’56 was an entrepreneur, and UConn School of Business alumnus, who ran five businesses simultaneously. He exemplified values like enthusiasm, mentorship and appreciation. Continue Reading


‘You are an Entrepreneur!’

Kathryn Friedrich, Head of Global Monetization, YouTube.
Kathryn Friedrich, Head of Global Monetization, YouTube (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

UConn’s New Xcite Conference Draws 200+ Women; Strives to Increase Connecticut’s Women Business Leaders

It was a simple assignment that YouTube executive Kathryn Friedrich gave to the audience of 200 business women: take a minute and think of an entrepreneur.

“If you’re not thinking of yourself, think again, because you are an entrepreneur,” she said. “Entrepreneurship is a mindset. You don’t have to start your own company to be an entrepreneur. You can start working on it right away!” Continue Reading


‘The World Is …Brimming with Opportunities’

Sumit Kumar '17 MBA, one of 5 UConn graduate students who participated in a new summer program called The Verge Consulting Group.
Sumit Kumar ’17 MBA, one of five UConn graduate students who participated in a new summer program called The Verge Consulting Group. (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

Graduate Students Find Fulfillment in Assisting Startups; Business Owners Grateful for Helping Hand

Sumit Kumar, a second-year MBA student, couldn’t believe his good fortune.

This summer he was able to devise a market strategy for a growing beverage company and conduct market analysis and funding research for a biomedical-device manufacturer, both in Connecticut.Continue Reading