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Student Spotlight: Emma Grayeb ’24

Name: Emma Grayeb
Class: 2024
Major: Economics & Anthropology
Certificate: Finance & Banking Certificate
Hometown: Darien, CT

  • Which Business Certificate Program are you planning to pursue? 

I am planning on pursuing the Finance and Banking Certificate.

  • Which Business Certificate Program workshop experience was the most impactful and why? 

Personally, I think that the most impactful workshop experience for me was the Corporate Finance and Banking workshop. One of the activities that we did was read and analyze a case study, which allowed me a glimpse of what private equity investors have to do as a part of their job.  I have not done the Fullbridge program yet. I plan to accomplish this my sophomore year.

  • Do you believe your experience with Fullbridge and the workshops will help you be prepared for the business world?

I think that the workshops have helped prepare me. I would say that the alumni who come speak to us about their experiences in the business world provide incredibly valuable insight.

  • If a prospective student was visiting Holy Cross and asked you about the Ciocca Center’s certificate programs, what would you tell them?

I would tell them to absolutely get involved in one of the certificate programs. Not only does it increase knowledge of business concepts and jobs, but it also is a great opportunity to connect with Holy Cross alumni.

In addition to the Certificate in Finance & Banking workshops, Emma also attended the 15th annual Women in Business conference held in November 2020.  Following this conference, she applied and was accepted to join the WIB planning committee as a freshman.  The Ciocca Center is thrilled with Emma’s level of engagement, enthusiasm, and drive.  We look forward to working with you over the next few years!

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How Entrepreneurial Thinking is Preparing Holy Cross Students to Wrestle With Problems of the Future

When Ja-Naé Duane introduces entrepreneurship to students at the College of the Holy Cross, she doesn’t start by talking about business ideas, product development or marketing strategy. Rather, she tells students: “Pick a problem.”

As head of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program within the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society at Holy Cross, Duane encourages students to work on solutions only after they’ve wrestled with complex, global problems. For example: “Why don’t we have fresh water in all parts of the world? And what are the potential causes for the water wars that have started to exist?”

Duane, an entrepreneur herself, explains: “A true ethical leader needs to look at all sides and as many perspectives as possible in order to build something that is not only sustainable, but is also sustainably good for humanity.”

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program is one of many initiatives within the Ciocca Center, which combines the power of a liberal arts education with experiential learning to shape the next generation of ethical leaders and critical thinkers — and has offerings open to students from all class years and majors.

One way students are getting that hands-on entrepreneurial experience is by running their own incubator, HC Launch. Using a holistic approach, the incubator focuses on bringing students’ business ideas to life.

>> Read more in the Holy Cross Newsroom

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Ciocca Center Reaches International Audience Over J-Term

With COVID19 came a revised academic schedule which changed the opportunity for the Ciocca Center to offer workshops during the semester.  The new January term over winter break became the opportune time for programming and the Ciocca Center did not disappoint.

Nine workshops during the month of January attracted 125 alumni from around the world and  200+ students from all four class years.  Many of the students participated in more than one opportunity as they worked towards Business Certificate Program completion.  The virtual program list included everything from Corporate Finance & Banking to Global Supply Chain Management, a Women in Business alumna speaker, and a month-long Excel Tutorial.

From Oregon to South Carolina, Europe, China, and India, alumni and students were able to connect with fellow Crusaders online.  This expansion of alumni who might not normally have been able to participate in person increased the wealth of knowledge and expertise within the already robust Holy Cross network. “One perk of the virtual world we are living in” as Connor Fitzgerald ’16 shares after presenting during the Marketing Communications & Sales workshop, “is getting to present to some awesome Holy Cross students all the way from Nashville, TN!”  Gathering the Holy Cross network often creates a sense of community, something we are all looking for during times of social distancing.

Of the many workshops,  the Ciocca Center in partnership with the Office of Sustainability, offered a new three-week opportunity, the Pothos Project, for students interested in consulting. Fourteen students divided among three teams using a B-Corp assessment provided suggestions for how the Lobby Shop at Holy Cross could be more sustainable.   The pilot program included alumni mentors as well as campus partners, an opportunity that integrated Conference Services into the co-curricular programs and provided students with a real-world consulting experience.  “What a cool opportunity! I absolutely loved working on this project”  shares Katelyn Cody ’22, who goes on to describe the work as having  “real-world impact.”

 

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Caroline Quinn ’22 Shares Virtual Fullbridge Program Experience

Student

My name is Caroline Quinn ‘22. I am a junior at Holy Cross, majoring in International Studies and working towards a Certificate in Business Fundamentals through the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society.

In August 2020 I participated in the Fulbridge Professional Edge Program. This four-day-long intensive virtual program is designed to help prepare Holy Cross students for the business world by connecting the liberal arts to the working world. Speaking from my experience, Fullbridge did that and so much more. I was among the first group of students to participate in this program remotely. I logged onto the platform on the first day of the program, and I was surprised by how hands-on and engaging the Fullbridge team was. I could tell right off the bat that the coaches were so excited to be there, and that energy was contagious! Continue reading “Caroline Quinn ’22 Shares Virtual Fullbridge Program Experience”

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15th Annual Women in Business Conference Celebrates Around the World

The conference provided opportunities for hundreds to network with and learn from successful women entrepreneurs and executives.

“We were thrilled with the number of registrants from around the world,” said Cassie Gevry, associate director of the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, & Society. “The strong interest from alumnae is a testament to the strength of the Holy Cross network and something we will continue to foster through the Women in Business network, even when we return to in-person events. It seemed that now, more than ever, women were looking for a way to come together to discuss their careers in business, and we were so glad the remote format gave so many attendees the ability to hear our speakers.”

>> Read more in the Holy Cross News Room. 

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Brittany Alkes ’15 Shares Sales Industry Insights

Nick Bettenhauser ’24, George Caldwell ’24, and Cole DiGregorio ’24 are current freshmen who are not wasting time. The three Sales Group chairs are making the most of our virtual semester by connecting with alumni, getting advice, and creating opportunities. Just one month into the fall semester and the group invited Brittany Alkes ’15, client development consultant for Thomson Reuters, to speak to the Sales Club on Thursday, October 1.

Brittany Alkes ’15 shared valuable advice, including:

  • Branding: start now! Create a LinkedIn account and start connecting with Alumni
  • Be Active: when on LinkedIn, be active and post articles that will gravitate towards your clientele
  • Personalize, Listen, Read, Share: share things that represent you, your company, and the beliefs of both
  • Holy Cross: work on skills like selling yourself and branding before you graduate
  • Alumni: add every alum you meet on LinkedIn

Stay tuned for more events! Make sure you are on the mailing list by registering for a student business club.

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Real Estate Club Hosts Panel and Networking Event

On Tuesday, September 22nd over 40 students attended the annual 2020 Real Estate Panel and Networking Reception. This year, unlike in years past, the event was held virtually on Zoom with many more alumni panelists involved. The event started with an overview of the real estate market in the United States today by Cameron Lawson ’17 (Fun Fact: Cameron started the RE club on campus!). He explained that the US housing market was worth over $34 trillion dollars. He also went on to explain that the US real estate market can be broken down into 5 sectors: offices, industrial, multi-family, retail, and hospitality. He also talked about the many career opportunities that are involved in real estate for those who were interested. Cameron’s overview helped paint a clear picture for students to know how the real estate industry has an effect on every aspect of American society. 

The panelist section of the webinar included:

  • Colin Blair ‘00 of Cushman & Wakefield
  • Cassandra Clark ’02 of JP Morgan
  • Paul Formichelli ’96 of JLL
  • Bill Garey ‘12 of Taurus Investment Holdings
  • Cameron Lawson ’17 of National Development
  • Rob Rossi ’16 of Taconic Capital Advisors
  • Robert Valenti ‘11 of Kosmont
  • James Whelan ’00 of JP Morgan

Each panelist gave a brief informative presentation of how they ended up in their respective line of work which helped students understand the many different paths you can take to end up in the Real Estate industry. While all of the panelists are now currently in the Real Estate industry, almost all of them did not expect that they would end up working in real estate while at Holy Cross. The panelists also gave students advice on the best ways to enter into the Real Estate sector coming out of college, including using the feature on Handshake (Enter Link) for those applying for internships. 

There are loads of upcoming events and meetings, so consider joining a student business club!

Learn more about student business clubs.
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Resources & Advising through the Ciocca Center

The Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society is virtually available to you as you navigate your time at Holy Cross.  We have a number of resources available including office hours (see below), as well as a business LibGuide, financial aid for workshops, various workstudy and intern positions, and more!

Consider all of the ways you can reach out…

General Inquiries & Certificate Programs: 
Prof. David Chu, Cassie Gevry and/or Kathy Kinnarney
    • Zoom 1:1 Meetings: 20 minute slots available via Google Calendar on Wednesdays 10-11:30am & Thursdays 2-4pm
    • Chat (with workstudy Nalani Ramos Ruiz ’21) Wednesdays from 10-11:30am  and Sundays 7-9pm via Canvas Chat
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program:
Prof. Ja-Nae Duane

If you are interested in studying the institution of business through a historical and philosophical lens, consider pursuing the academic Minor in Business, Ethics & Society through CIS.  Please contact Prof. Kendy Hess…

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Advisors Give BES Minor Application Advice

More than 40 students tuned in on September 15th for the Business, Ethics, and Society (BES) minor application workshop. The BES Team worked with the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS) to develop the workshop in response to the high levels of student interest in the minor.  As Professor Hess said, “We wanted the students to understand how the minor works, and to have a chance to explore the many different opportunities it can provide.”  Continue reading “Advisors Give BES Minor Application Advice”

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Annual Info Session with Bonus Virtual Club Fair

On a warm Tuesday night in early September (9/8/20), over 130 students registered for a virtual version of the annual Business Program Info Session, with a bonus business club fair! Professor David Chu and Professor Kendy Hess, co-directors of the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society at the College of the Holy Cross, shared an overview of the opportunities for students to connect their liberal arts education to the business world.

“Three out of four Holy Cross alumni, that’s 75%, currently work in business roles.” shares Prof. David Chu.

Watch the five-minute video to recap the multiple pathways to business, including the Business Certificate Programs and the minor in Business, Ethics, and Society. Continue reading “Annual Info Session with Bonus Virtual Club Fair”

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