Department News

Articles about activities within the academic departments


Hartford Business Journal Honors MBA Executive Director Mia Hawlk As a Top Woman In Business

UConn TodayMia Hawlk, the Executive Director of MBA Programs and a relentless advocate for graduate students, will be recognized next month with a ‘Top 25 Women in Business Award’ presented by the Hartford Business Journal.

Hawlk oversees the Online, FLEX and Executive MBA degree programs at UConn, serving 675 students. Her responsibilities have included the creation of an online MBA program two years ago, and more recently the redesign of the FLEX MBA, allowing students a highly customized education.

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Why a criminology prof wants addiction clinics within 500m of major transit hubs

CBC Radio – Jeffrey Cohen, a professor at the University of Connecticut’s School of Business, has been researching the benefits of bringing addiction and mental health treatment facilities near public transit routes. His research project ran between 2013 and 2018 is currently a working paper under peer review.

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Student Spotlight: Morgan Darby

Morgan Darby started her UConn career by commuting to the Waterbury campus and eventually arrived at the Storrs campus. Morgan is pursuing a Dual Degree of a Bachelor of Arts in Psychological Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. Balancing this 145-credit course load in 4.5 years required the ability to be malleable and pivot as necessary. The choice to pursue a Dual Degree erupted from a desire to gain a holistic perspective. Morgan understands the value of emotional intelligence in the workplace, explaining that “emotional intelligence or EQ is not only a required skill for life but necessary for effective teamwork and leadership. Now more than ever it’s clear that business doesn’t operate in a vacuum.”

Over the years, Morgan has totaled 7 part time jobs in different industries: retail (clothing, food & beverage), government/nonprofit, education, residential construction, environmental remediation, and research/academia. She explains that learning how to work under various management styles has been beneficial in her understanding of the governance of corporations. She states, “Recognizing where the decision-making power and funding trickles down from has allowed me to more effectively implement feedback as necessary.” One of Morgan’s most standout opportunities was serving as a Project Intern for Shelton Economic Development Corporation. “In a very fast paced environment, I had the privilege of learning how to perform the act of effective grant writing from the President himself.” Morgan recalls, “During my first two weeks, we had a 9-day deadline to successfully earn the city a $410,000 Small Cities Grant for their Sensibaugh Heights project. Seemingly learning on the spot how to acquire and produce 50 supporting exhibits/permissions was a learning curve. This effectively laid the groundwork for future projects which require tight-deadline management. This experience ultimately offered me know-how into navigating cross-departmental communication between the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), the Mayor’s office, and the local municipality’s Housing Authority. This experience ultimately offered me know-how into navigating cross-departmental communication.” These projects gave Morgan insights into the function and allocation of not only city planning, but an introduction to the expansive world of environmental remediation. As graduation approaches, she is seeking a Marketing position in branding or a role that sits in the realm of ESG/Corporate Responsibility. For students interested in these topics, she recommends the following courses: MKTG 3208 on Consumer Behavior; MKTG 3253 on Sustainability, Markets, Society; MGMT 4900 on Strategy, Policy and Planning.

As a first-generation college student, one challenge Morgan found breaking into the professional world was attaining networking skills. She advises students to discuss their career with everyone, even if it’s just to gain knowledge of a specific industries’ systems. She describes how this exposure can give you a competitive edge on landing your next role. “Being able to bring value to a brand through personal experiences can only benefit consumers and society on a macro level.” She states, “At first, I felt this pressure to fit a certain ‘mold’ of the standard corporate intern, but I found more success by bringing my personality to the forefront of every discussion. Critical problem solving requires thinking outside of the box. Ask questions and try everything!”


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.

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UConn student-led venture fund bets on sustainability, insurtech, edtech startups

Hartford Business Journal – When Aria Penna enrolled at UConn as a finance major she was eager to begin her coursework, but also knew she wanted to get more out of college life than just books and lectures. So she signed up for a relatively new program called Hillside Ventures, a student-led venture fund that invests in early-stage startups. She’s one of six women in the 31-student program.

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Best Paper Award: Marketing’s Justin Sieow and Professor Christina Kan

Marketing doctoral candidate Justin Sieow and assistant professor of Marketing Christina Kan’s paper titled “The Business Case Against (and for) Product Gendering,” was named the best paper by the Marketing for Higher Education Special Interest Group, the “Marketing to Evolving Consumers” special session at the 2023 American Marketing Association winter conference. Their paper examines the efficacy of product gendering in contemporary society and suggests that contemporary consumers generally prefer ungendered over gendered products, and perceive the act of product gendering as a marketing action that is aimed at encouraging purchase in a manipulative manner. Justin stressed that, “This research would not be where it is at without Christina’s input and keen eye to details. It has been an absolute privilege and honor working with someone as amazing and dedicated as Christina. I could continue singing her praises, but I’m sure everyone who has worked with her already know all of that.”


Professor Plesko—Awarded Researcher, Enthusiastic Advocate for Students–Named Top Tax Educator in the Nation

UConn Today – Professor George Plesko, the head of the accounting department, a beloved mentor, and a researcher whose work changed IRS policies, has been honored as the top tax educator in the nation.

The 2022 Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator Award, a prestigious award from the American Taxation Association, is given to a faculty member with a distinguished career and outstanding contributions to teaching, curriculum development, service, participation in professional activities, and academic research.

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