Analyze…Manage…Communicate… Analyze an industrial size dataset, manage the project risk and time commitment, present and “sell” your results to all the stakeholders. This was the theme of the capstone course in the MS in Business Analytics and Project Management (MSBAPM) program, taught by Sudip Bhattacharjee, Mark Tschiegg, and Michael Vandusen from January – April 2013. The final student presentations were held on Monday, April 22 at the Graduate Business Learning Center (GBLC) in downtown Hartford.Continue Reading
News
All School of Business pressroom news
Marketing Students Develop Advertising and Promotional Campaign for 2013 Honda Civic
In an Integrated Marketing Communications (MKTG 3265) course this semester, a team of students—named the “Blueprint Integrated Marketing Team”—engaged with EdVentures, Inc. to develop an advertising and promotional campaign for the 2013 Honda Civic sedan.
As one of twenty university teams around the country, the Blueprint Integrated Marketing Team branded their campaign, Honda Push-Play. On April 9, the team featured three 2013 Civics on Fairfield Way with opportunities for students to experience the car and participate in games and giveaways. UConn students’ awareness of the Honda Civic and interest in purchasing the car increased significantly as a consequence of the team’s social media campaign and on-campus promotion. As the team made their final presentation on April 30 to representatives from Honda’s local advertising firm, EdVentures, and Manchester Honda, they were excited at having had the opportunity to work on a real project for a top automotive brand.
2013 Honda Push-Play Related Links:
YouTube
The Hartford Courant
Mansfield Patch
UConn Students Win 1st Place in Statewide Competition – Venture Business Category
On Friday, April 26, eighteen finalists from nine Connecticut universities competed in the statewide 2013 Connecticut Collegiate Business Model Competition. Among the first place winners were UConn School of Business undergraduates Tim Hidu ’13 and Paul Melancon ’13, whose business, Sea Green Organics, was awarded first place in the venture business category, coming ahead of three competing MBA teams. Sea Green Organics aims to commercially produce and distribute an organic liquid seaweed-based lawn fertilizer. They are one of among four teams working with faculty advisor Tim Dowding from the University of Connecticut School of Business in Stamford that were competitively selected as finalists in Friday’s competition.
The competition, administered by the Entrepreneurship Foundation, was held at the New Haven Lawn Club in New Haven, Connecticut. Student teams had ten minutes including Q&A to convince a panel of investors and authorities on entrepreneurship that their business was the best investment. Winners were awarded cash grants, free services, and advice to encourage and assist them to move forward with their new ventures.
The purpose of the competition is “to recognize excellence in entrepreneurship education and to bring to light innovative business models with the promise of providing new jobs and economic growth for the state.” Approximately 100 business plans were submitted in total.
Winning Student Businesses
Personal Business Category
First Place
Cinegame, Cinema Marketing Platform, Central Connecticut State University
Second Place and Best Written Executive Summary
Pancake Power, Gateway Community College, A food truck serving healthy gourmet pancakes
Best Oral Presentation
IGreekU, Social media network for Fraternity and Sorority life, Quinnipiac University
Venture Business Category
First Place
Sea Green Organics, organic liquid seaweed-based lawn fertilizer, University of Connecticut – Stamford
Second Place and Best Written Executive Summary
Pulse.ly, Mobile phone-based customer feedback at the point of sale, Yale University
Best Oral Presentation
WattMarket, Connecting investors with clean energy projects through the web, Yale University
Awards
- The Winning Personal and Venture Businesses each received a $1000 grant Sponsored by Day Pitney LLP and Launch Capital.
- The Personal winner also received a $2500 booth for one day at the Eastern States Exposition in September. The Venture winner also received a Legal Services Package from Day Pitney LLP valued at $5000 and an invitation to “Breakfast with a VC” at Launch Capital.
- The second-place Personal and Venture Businesses received a $500 grant.
- The Best Personal and Venture Oral Presentation received a $500 grant. Sponsored by Dolores and Cliff Ennico
- The Best Personal and Venture Written Executive Summary (as determined by the Semi-Final judges) received a $500 grant.
- The winning school for each of the four awards received a trophy.
Colleges and Universities
Central Connecticut State University
Fairfield University
Gateway Community College
Quinnipiac University
University of Bridgeport
University of Connecticut – Stamford
University of Hartford
University of New Haven
Yale University
Pictured L to R: Master of Ceremonies Cliff Ennico, Paul Melancon and Tim Hidu of Sea Green Organics, and Judge Ben Wiles of Day Pitney LLP
Additional photos from the event can be viewed here.
UConn NABA Inaugural Awards and Recognition Reception
On Tuesday, April 23, the UConn chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) held their inaugural awards and recognition reception at the School of Business to recognize the organization’s achievements this year, welcome the 2013-2014 Executive Board, acknowledge the summer internships and full-time positions of the members, and most importantly to thank the corporate sponsors for their wonderful support this academic year.
The event was well attended by students, faculty, staff, as well as the Vice Provost for Diversity, Dr. Jeffrey Ogbar. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards to the following corporations: Travelers, IBM, Ernst & Young, PwC, Deloitte, CohnReznick, General Electric, KPMG, and McGladrey. The chapter also thanked INROADS and the NABA Professional Chapter for their continuous support of the members.
Three special awards were given for the following categories:
- Faculty Advisor of the Year – Dr. Mohamed Hussein
- President’s Award for Outstanding Alumni Support of the Chapter – Troy Woolery ’12
- Top Recruiter – Ernst & Young
The chapter was also very proud to announce 100% job placement of the graduating seniors.
Lastly, the 2013-2014 Executive Board for the UConn NABA chapter was welcomed:
Co-presidents
Daniella Loma ’14
O’Rayne Clarke ’14
Vice President
Christina Headley ’14
Chief Financial Officer
Danielle Wellington ’15
Secretary
Frankie Richardson ’14
Membership Outreach Chair
Rachel Gavin ’14
Social Media Co-Chairs
Shanice Rountree ’16
Shantaye Taylor ’16
Bridging the Distance between UConn and Asia
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Spring 2013)
Alumnus David Jou supports students with scholarship
For David Jou ’89 CLAS, ’92 Bus, and his family, bridging the distance between UConn and Asia has become a tradition they’d like to share with other students. The Jou Family Scholarship fund will support that goal, providing financial support for international students accepted to UConn and for American students at UConn who study in Asia.
The scholarship fund, established by Jou with a pledge of $25K every year for five years, will also help students with their
travel costs.
“Our training at UConn had a significant impact on our lives and our careers,” says Jou, who received his master’s degree in mathematics in 1989 and his Ph.D. from the School of Business in 1992, while his wife Frances received her master’s degree in mathematics in 1990. Their son graduated with honors from the College of Liberal arts and Sciences with a degree in actuarial science in 2011.
“Time went by almost too quickly for us,” say Jou of his time in Storrs. He returned in 2011 to Ph.D. at the School of Business commencement ceremony when his son graduated.
After receiving his degree from UConn, Jou returned to Taiwan where he taught finance and risk management at National Taiwan University. He also served as chairman of the Taiwan Insurance Institute, a professional think tank, and served as a CEO for a major life insurance company in Taiwan. He is currently the chief financial officer of Taikang Life, one of China’s largest life insurance companies, which is currently preparing for an initial public offering on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
Frances Jou is an associate of the Society of Actuaries and currently serves as an associate professor and head of the Department of Risk Management and Insurance at Ming Chiuan University in Taipei. Both encouraged their son to attend UConn and continue the tradition.
“We would like to see more students from Taiwan going to the University of Connecticut,” says Jou. “And we would like to see UConn students learning more about Taiwan and the rest of Asia, which is an important market in the global economy.”
Jou has fond memories of his mentor, Gene Sellers, who was the assistant dean of the Graduate School of Business. “He was so helpful and supportive of us. I remember telling him that, if I were successful, I would try to give back to the school so it could help develop other talented men and women. I am happy my family is able to make that wish come true.”
Weathering the Storm
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Spring 2013)
Three stories of learning accelerators helping Connecticut
Immersing students in real-world learning, experiential learning accelerators at the School of Business aim to empower students to manage challenges within today’s dynamic and complex corporate world. Recent and ongoing projects are no exception: from complex cost-benefit analyses, to identifying commercialization opportunities and economic viability of proposed projects, experiential learning remains at the forefront of UConn’s business education and a contributor to the State of Connecticut. Continue Reading
Stamford Focuses on Finance
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Spring 2013)
The city of Stamford in Fairfield County, Connecticut, has been listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the best places for business and careers. Nestled along picturesque Long Island Sound, this bustling business community houses numerous Fortune 500 companies and many notable investment management firms.
And when you enter the title of “financial analyst” into the search engine of the Stamford-based job site Indeed.com, you’ll be rewarded with approximately 900 advertised openings within a 25-mile radius.
There is a high demand for positions in the financial services sector, and to meet this growing need, the UConn School of Business is launching an undergraduate Financial Management major at the Stamford campus which is uniquely designed to fit the needs of the business base in Fairfield County.
According to Robert A. Johnson, a sernio Stamford business student, “my job and focus is in the Stamford area, and I want to graduate from UConn with a Finance degree. Now I can do this and not have to attend the Storrs campus for more than a semester.”
The proposed major makes sense to employers on the Gold Coast as well. As Peter Ijomah, Director of Engineering, Service Management at Travelers, aptly notes, “once students can graduate from Stamford with a Finance degree, we can recruit more students from the Stamford campus for our employment needs in our finance department.” While the proposed curriculum will require the same general education courses as the School’s traditional business majors, it differs from the mainstream finance major offered at the main Storrs campus in that its courses are constructed to prepare students for careers in corporate money management and investment.
The plan of study aims to ready students for the Level 1 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam, a standard of excellence in the investment community. The major will continue to link with the Stamford Chartered Financial Analyst Society (SCFAS), which was instrumental in its curriculum development, to apply for the status of CFA Program Partner. This distinction would signal to the business community that it is rooted in professional practice, embraces professional standards of ethics and well prepares students for the exams.
The major will also integrate with the new Investment Management Program (IMP) hosted by the local SCFAS. The IMP will allow for guest lecturers and mentoring directed at providing students with local industry-specific support mechanisms and instilling strong ethical behavior, practical knowledge and a current exchange of ideas. Michael Dineen, Senior Vice President of Atlantic Asset Management, notes “the partnership uniquely exposes students to a structured program closely tied to professional practice and a level of mentoring support well suited for a highly competitive marketplace.”
UConn’s new Financial Management major just may be the return on investment that the Fairfield County financial world has been hoping for.
Hartford’s Changing Landscape
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Spring 2013)
A quick chat with Colleen McGuire
Colleen McGuire is the Director of the Graduate Business Learning Center, 100 Constitution Plaza Hartford, CT and is responsible for the Executive MBA, Part-time MBA, and Executive Education Programs, as well as the expansion of relationships with the Hartford business community. After almost a year on the job, we chatted with Colleen about the School’s direction and presence in the capital city.
What were your first impressions or thoughts as you got deeper into the job?
One of the first comments I heard as I began to engage in discussions with the community, was that UConn’s downtown Graduate Business School was a “well-kept secret”. Given the breadth, depth and quality of our academic offerings, not to mention the affordability factor of being the state’s flagship university, I was surprised to hear that many companies and organizations did not know that UConn has a sizable operation downtown. So while there has been work to do to optimize and staff the operation, I have no doubt there is tremendous opportunity for growth and expansion of our downtown programs.
How do you see the role of the UConn School of Business in Hartford?
To the extent that a strong workforce drives the economy, I see us as the premiere partner in educating and developing the state’s human talent-base. Whether it’s working with an individual on his/her life-long journey of continuous education or developing mid-level managers into C-suite executives, we can help. UConn’s School of Business can meet business educational needs through such programs such as our Executive or Part-time MBA, customized executive education programs designed and delivered for a particular organization’s employees, or providing more specialized discipline-specific Master’s degree programs.
In addition to the Executive MBA Program and customized education offerings you reference, what other programs are offered in Hartford?
Our largest and most successful program is the Part-time MBA program. In the last couple of years we’ve added specialized masters programs in the areas of Risk Management and Business Analytics & Project Management. We also have an online Master’s degree in Human Resource Management, as well as various Advanced Business Certificates in functional business areas such as marketing and operations management. We also run very successful programs for veterans such as the annual Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) which provides education, skills, and contacts to assist returning vets in starting their own businesses. One of our goals moving forward is to expand our portfolio of services to the veteran population.
In what other ways does the School partner with the community?
Beyond the traditional educational programs offered, we also have multiple opportunities for companies to get involved with our graduate students and research faculty. Because of our strong focus on “experiential learning” – through such innovative programs as the Financial Accelerator, Innovation Accelerator, and our social entrepreneurship accelerator, SCOPE – we’re constantly looking for real, live projects for students to tackle. Though these opportunities require thoughtful development and company commitment in the way of time, money and data access I’m happy to report that the results consistently exceed the organization’s investment(s) and objectives.
Can you share some new things that may be on the horizon?
After a complete and thorough review of our Executive MBA Program, I am pleased to share the launch of our redesigned EMBA program beginning with the entering class this fall. Building upon the quality of the existing faculty and curriculum, the new EMBA program is expected to transform its participants. The 2015 cohort will be a diverse executive student group comprised of individuals who have a history of increasing responsibility and professional success. Importantly,
participants will have a passion for learning in a collaborative environment and seek to lead at the senior level of their organizations.. In addition to the EMBA redesign, we’re focusing quite heavily on Executive Education which includes everything from non-degree and certificate programs to highly-customized company-specific programs.
And of course, we’re very excited about the West Hartford campus relocating and joining us in downtown Hartford. The close collaboration among the public and private sectors, as well as higher education can be a powerful force in the
revitalization of Hartford.
Business Briefs and Accolades (Spring 2013)
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Spring 2013)
Innovation for Business Growth in Fairfield County
Over 110 UConn Alumni and business leaders from the greater Stamford, Connecticut area gathered at the “Innovation for Business Growth in Fairfield County” event at the Stamford Learning Accelerator. The event, hosted by the UConn School of Business and The Business Council of Fairfield, Connecticut, featured a panel discussion on topics such as new business growth in Connecticut and why companies are relocating to Fairfield County. Continue Reading
Office of Diversity & Inclusion Hosts Promising High School Prospects
Eighteen high school students from Murry Bergtraum High School in New York recently spent a day at the UConn School of Business learning about college opportunity and all that the University of Connecticut has to offer. Office of Diversity Program Specialist Michael Mallery and students O’Rayne Clarke and Begum Abadin delivered presentations on college readiness and life in college. Afterwards, the students and counselors explored the UConn Student Union and got a chance to dine inside.
Student mentor and advisor of the Financial Women’s Association Mentoring Program, Beth Dorfman, a legal attorney with Bank of America, said, “I want to thank all of you for the outstanding job you did in welcoming our high school sophomores and juniors in our program and exposing them to UConn’s business school and college life. I can only imagine how much work went into making such a program come to life. You should know that your efforts exceeded our expectations and that meetings like the one we had, have a deep impact on the students.”
The School of Business Office of Diversity Initiatives Program Director Seanice Austin was very pleased with meeting the young students from New York.