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Student Graduation Speaker: Parth Rana ’16

Parth Rana '16 (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)
Parth Rana ’16 (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

Finance major Parth Rana ’16, the student graduation speaker, told his classmates that they shouldn’t use their UConn knowledge strictly to excel in their careers. To do so, would be an injustice to the values of the university, he said.

Instead, he urged students to show gratitude to the innumerable people that helped carry them to this height and to blend knowledge with action. Meet new people, push yourself out of your comfort zone and express passion and excitement in all that you do, he said.

Related Commencement 2016 Stories

2016 School of Business Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony (Video)

View a copy of the 2016 Commencement Program

Listen to Your Mother! New York Life President John Y. Kim ’87 MBA Delivers Light-Hearted, Advice-Filled Commencement Speech

Graduate Profiles

When School of Business Dean John A. Elliott introduced the Class of 2016 at Commencement on May 8, he congratulated them on the significant milestone of graduation and reassured them that they are well prepared for what lies ahead.

“You are poised to become prominent members of your communities, voters whose votes will guide our choices, leaders whose words will affect others,” he said. “You are prepared to continue to learn, to leave your mark on our world, to innovate and create, to produce new products and new companies and to be leaders in your communities.”

Below, some of the top students from the Class of 2016 share their future plans:


Marketing Professor Wynd Harris Awarded Prestigious Fellowship to Study at Middlebury College

Wynd Harris - Hebrew Studies

Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, has awarded a prestigious fellowship to Wynd Harris, associate professor in-residence of marketing, which will allow her to pursue her interest in learning modern Hebrew, and ultimately assist her in researching the relationship between military expertise and entrepreneurship.Continue Reading


Schneider Electric, the University of Connecticut and Eversource Energy Partnering to Bring Innovative Storm Damage Modeling Capabilities to Broader Utility Industry

Schneider Electric – Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, announced an exclusive long-term partnership with the University of Connecticut (UConn) and Eversource Energy to combine the companies’ storm outage prediction technology to create one, more precise and accurate model. UConn’s unique analytics model will be integrated into Schneider’s WeatherSentry Online (WSO) platform, enabling utilities to better understand the expected impacts of storms on their utility infrastructure and to make smarter decisions in preparing for storms to minimize restoration time, cost and impacts to customer.


David J. Reilly Honored with Real Estate’s Lifetime Achievement Award

David J. Reilly, retired president and CEO of Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, and John Glascock, director of the UConn Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies. (Zack Wussow/UConn School of Business)
David J. Reilly, retired president and CEO of Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, and John Glascock, director of the UConn Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies. (Zack Wussow/UConn School of Business)

Pictured above: David J. Reilly, the retired President and CEO of Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, and a longtime friend of and instructor in the UConn Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies program, received the Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award from Director John Glascock during the Center’s 14th Annual Awards Banquet on April 14. Reilly’s contributions to UConn have been many, including facilitating Cornerstone’s $1.4 million pledge in support of the program; co-teaching a course called “Real Estate: A Practical Approach,” and inviting students to visit Fan Pier, the $4 billion Boston waterfront development project in which Cornerstone is a partner.


Printing New Ideas: OPIM Workshops Offer New Technology

Jonathan Moore (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)
Jonathan Moore (Nathan Oldham/UConn School of Business)

Although 3D printing has been around for a few years, its potential capabilities continue to amaze academics and consumers alike. Jonathan Moore, an instructor-in-residence in the department of Operations and Information Management (OPIM) said the use of 3D printers to print prosthetics, at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods, continues to impress him.Continue Reading


School Launches MBA Alumni Mentorship Program

(UConn School of Business)
(UConn School of Business)

The School of Business is expanding its Alumni Mentor Program to give Full-time MBA students additional professional contacts, who can guide, advise and encourage them in their career pursuits.

“We have some fantastic alumni out there who want to give back to the school in various ways. They recognize the importance of mentoring in their own careers and want to pay it forward. And what better way than to mentor current MBA students?” said Suresh Nair, associate dean for graduate programs.Continue Reading


UConn Maintains Prestigious AACSB Business and Accounting Accreditation

UConn School of Business | AACSB Accredited

The UConn School of Business has earned re-accreditation by AACSB International—the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—for both its business and accounting programs. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest-serving, global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.Continue Reading


Trams, Fast-Talk and New Friends: UConn Students Test Their Negotiation Skills In Vienna

In a twist to The Negotiation Challenge, preparation and negotiations were held on a tram in Vienna, Austria (Nora Madjar/UConn School of Business)
In a twist to The Negotiation Challenge, negotiations were held on a tram in Vienna, Austria (Nora Madjar/UConn School of Business)

Imagine trying to negotiate an agreement, while riding a tram around Vienna, one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and trying not to get distracted by all there is to see.

How well would you do?Continue Reading


Lucy Gilson: The Impact of Gender in Academia and Professional Life

Best Work Best Life– Dr. Lucy Gilson, Professor and Management Department Head at University of Connecticut’s School of Business, and the Director of the Geno Auriemma UConn Leadership Conference, joins Kathy and Mo in a fascinating discussion about the impact of gender on the roles women and men play in academia and also the choices they make both personally and professionally. Dr. Gilson shares her keen perspectives as an educator, a leader and a researcher, revealing underlying patterns and trends that unconsciously shape both men and women in their career directions and their futures. (And don’t miss what her 14-year-old son shares as his top tips for a successful life!).