UConn Today – Nine UConn students have been selected as recipients of a grant through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2023-24 academic year. The program provides grants for individually designed study and research projects or for English teaching assistantships around the world. Students meet, work, live with, and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences.
Alumni
Alumna Melinda Brown Tells Class of 2023 to Make Great Plans, Know When to Pivot, Work in the Office Sometimes
UConn Today – Leave it to a fashion-industry titan to offer UConn business students some words of wisdom that will likely never go out of style.
Alumna Melinda Brown ’77 (BUS) ’85 MBA shared her business perspective based on 40 years working in global consumer products and luxury retail companies.
Alumni Spotlight: Molly Cournoyer ’22
Molly Cournoyer graduated from the UConn School of Business in December 2022. During her time at UConn, Molly made sure to focus on both her physical and mental health to ensure success in starting her career. Molly explained, “I think in today’s world being able to work from home can get in the way of work life balance as you can just hop on your device to answer a few emails. By choosing to prioritize my health while in school I became a better student and now a more successful employee.”
Molly is currently working as a Sales Representative for Pure Barre. The company’s focus on health and wellness is what attracted her to the role. “The team is very focused on having a healthy mind and body for the clients, along with each other;” she continues, “The deciding factor for me was how I felt in the studio. I would say I’m a pretty intuitive person so when I felt at home as I walked into the studio I knew it was a good fit.”. For Molly, a typical day in her role is centered around strong customer service. She works to make sure members are getting what they are looking for out of their memberships, as well prospecting for new members. Her main objective is to get them into the studios and eventually into memberships that will work for their own routines and personal goals.
Molly recalls her favorite professional experience so far would be making so many connections with her professors while at UConn, especially those who are adjunct professors. “Having professors who are still in the field has been such a great opportunity for connections that will help in my professional life;” Molly stresses the importance of networking, “The connections you make can bring so many opportunities your way. Something that I’ve done to advance my career is keeping an active LinkedIn account and consistently growing my network.”. Molly’s advice to current undergraduate students is to be prepared for whatever comes your way. She notes that “When you are in an interview you are also interviewing that company. Be prepared, ask questions, and follow your gut instinct. Learn to be your best self. If a company is not going to accept you for who you are, and what you have to offer then there are bigger and better things coming your way!”.
‘Hall of Fame’ Ceremony Celebrates Alumni Success—From Main Street to Wall Street
UConn Today – More than 300 alumni, faculty, and friends of the School of Business celebrated the 30th anniversary Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Hartford Marriott Downtown on Friday evening.
The celebration welcomed five outstanding and accomplished alumni to the Hall of Fame, while simultaneously honoring business, ingenuity, friendships, family, education, and even the men’s basketball team. Inductees also shared their advice to the many undergraduate and graduate students in the audience.
UConn EMBA Alumna: ‘I Believe I Can Change the World’
UConn Today – In her work as a vice president at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Annamarie Beaulieu supports strategic initiatives and research that contribute to new therapies and better medical care for children.
Beaulieu, who also has a master’s degree in public health from UConn and has raised four children to adulthood, has long known that maternal and child health was her passion.
Three Compassionate Alumni Win Competition, Offer Ideas to Help Make-A-Wish Reach More Connecticut Children
UConn Today – Three recent alumni, all with competitive spirits and a soft spot in their hearts for children battling illness, are the winners of the recent School of Business’ Global Alumni Case Competition.
The competition was designed to help the non-profit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut to reach more children who could benefit from the services, more sharply communicate the organization’s purpose, and draw an expanded team of volunteers.
Mike Morris ’23, School of Business
UConn Today – Mike Morris had his sights set on an MBA degree for a long time, but the obligations of work and military service – Morris holds the rank of colonel in the US Army Reserve – meant that had to be put on hold. When the time was right, Morris chose UConn – and found a seamless process from application to acceptance to support in course work and studies in the School of Business’ Online MBA program. And although the OMBA program is designed for non-traditional students, Morris was still able to take advantage of a familiar student activity: an immersive trip to study abroad, in Europe and North Africa. Having been elected to the UConn School of Business Student Hall of Fame, he’s looking forward to the next goal in life.
MEM Co-Director Craig Calvert, Who Goes Above-and-Beyond for Students, Recognized as a Top UConn Educator
UConn Today – Professor Craig Calvert, co-Director of the MEM Program, a top-rated professor, and a champion of students pursuing their job searches, will be honored with the UConn AAUP Teaching Excellence/Early Career Award in April.
Despite Significant Challenges, Students, Alumni and Industry Professionals Share Optimism About a More ‘Green’ World
UConn Today – The School of Business’ second annual Global Business Leadership in Sustainability Summit offered a blend of optimism and stark reality about the future of business and the planet to a passionate group of students, alumni, faculty, and industry experts.
The event addressed a variety of topics, including how some 90 percent of Connecticut’s food supply is imported. Other speakers warned about companies ‘greenwashing’ their track records and environmental efforts. Even U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt entered the discussion, as he was an early adopter of electric vehicle technology, riding in an electric motorcade during a 1902 visit to Hartford.
UConn Alumnus, CEO of Software Innovator, Named Small Business Person of the Year
UConn Today – Dennis Nash ’04 MBA, the CEO of Control Station in Manchester, a software company that serves a rapidly growing portfolio of leading and multinational manufacturers, has been named Connecticut’s 2023 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.