student – Page 4 – Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society Blog

December 7, 2021

Jack Dennehy ’21 Interview by JP Cunninhgam ’23

Jack Dennehy ’21, Student at UVA McIntire School of Commerce
Holy Cross Studies: Political Science Major, Finance & Banking Certificate
Interviewed by JP Cunninhgam ’23

JPC: How was your experience as a student at HC pursuing one of the business certificates?

JD: I enjoyed my experience pursuing this certificate—the Fullbridge Program especially gave me good experience in being able to research a company and present on it. Additionally, the Finance Boot Camp was particularly helpful in terms of networking and learning more about different banks and specific roles there.

JPC: Was there one workshop, class, professor, club, activity, etc. that has influenced your perspective on the professional world to the greatest extent?

JD: The Finance Boot Camp definitely did. I gained valuable insight into the financial services world by getting the opportunity to see what the average day looks like in this field across many different companies. Additionally, visiting these different banks and learning more about them was a very unique experience that I valued greatly.

JPC: During interviews, how did the certificate help you to land your first job or internship? Continue reading “Jack Dennehy ’21 Interview by JP Cunninhgam ’23”

December 2, 2021

Lily Droesch ’21 Interview by JP Cunningham ’23

Lily Droesch ’21, merchandising assistant, Macy’s
Holy Cross Studies: Sociology Major, Business Fundamentals Certificate
Interviewed by JP Cunningham ’23

JP: How was your experience as a student at Holy Cross pursuing one of the business certificates?

LD: I had a really good experience. I found the requirements to be a great addition to my courses and only enhanced what I was learning in the classroom.

JP: Was there one workshop, class, professor, club, activity, etc. that has influenced your perspective on the professional world to the greatest extent?

LD: I think that the job shadowing program solidified my decision to pursue a career in fashion because I got to spend the day with alumni and see firsthand what goes on on a day-to-day basis. Continue reading “Lily Droesch ’21 Interview by JP Cunningham ’23”

October 29, 2021

Business Certificate Presentation Tips and Tricks

Mackenzie Madden ’22 pursuing the Business Fundamentals Certificate through the Ciocca Center for Business, ethics, and Society at the College, shares how her workshop experience has provided her with countless opportunities to practice presenting in front of an audience. Read on to learn her tricks to a successful presentation!

From the Fullbridge Program to Marketing Communications & Sales to the Global Supply Chain workshop, I’ve had different audiences and presentation goals, worked with different teams, and created a variety of different presentations, all while keeping the same tips in mind. Continue reading “Business Certificate Presentation Tips and Tricks”

October 10, 2021

Ciocca Intern: JP Cunningham ’23

My name is JP Cunningham ‘23 and I am a junior at Holy Cross majoring in International Studies, with a thematic focus of International Political Economy and a regional focus of Europe. I am also in the process of pursuing my Certificate in Business Fundamentals, having completed the Excel Tutorial and the Fullbridge Program and Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) workshop. So far, my experience with the Ciocca Center has been very enlightening in helping me gain real-world business experience. For example, the Fullbridge Professional Edge Program was a very exciting, fast-paced workshop that allowed me to put myself in a realistic office-like environment and work with a team on a growth opportunity for a specific company. In addition, the GSCM workshop provided an in-depth look at the many components of the global supply chain as well as the opportunities to meet with different supply chain managers, including a site visit to the Polar Beverages manufacturing warehouse right here in Worcester. This workshop was very interesting given the many complexities and relevant issues within the supply chain in today’s post-pandemic climate.

Through the Academic Internship Program, I am taking the course Sports Marketing & Sponsorship with Dr. Robert Prior while I am interning in the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, & Society for the internship requirement. Throughout the semester, I will be conducting interviews with alumni to shed light on their various career paths and stories throughout their professional careers while tying the liberal arts to the business world. I think this will be a great opportunity for me to explore different fields of business and expand on different skills. I am hoping to get my foot in the door of the business and finance world in the coming months and am excited to see where this unique opportunity takes me.

JP Cunningham ’23 interviewed several alumni for the internship:

September 21, 2021

Experiential Learning at Holy Cross

My name is Mackenzie Madden and I am a senior economics and psychology double major participating in the Business Fundamentals Certificate Program here at Holy Cross. Through my time at Holy Cross and through the Ciocca Center, I have felt the power of a liberal arts education while understanding the ways this type of education prepares students for business roles. I am actively searching for jobs within finance and consulting before graduating this spring. I am confident that I will be ready to work these jobs after the preparation the Ciocca Center has provided for me. From Fullbridge to the Global Supply Chain workshop to job shadowing and internship opportunities, the Ciocca Center has ensured that all students are exposed to business industries early on in their college career and gain exposure to the alumni network. Continue reading “Experiential Learning at Holy Cross”

May 15, 2021

College Podcast Features Ciocca Center

The Mission-Driven Podcast features conversations with alumni who are leveraging their Holy Cross education to make a meaningful difference in the world around them. Produced by the Office of Alumni Relations at the College of the Holy Cross.

In this episode, modern-day Renaissance woman Yolanda Rabun ’90, recent Women in Business speaker, is joined in conversation with Holly Tente ’23, Student Diversity Liaison for the Ciocca Center. Their inspirational conversation covers a lot of ground. With their shared passion for social justice, they speak about how Holy Cross inspires them to work hard and make change in their own communities.

Listen to this podcast episode.

April 2, 2021

Holy Cross Offers Students a Well-Rounded Education

Caroline Krumsiek ‘22, is an economics major at the College who is also pursuing a Certificate in Business Fundamentals through the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society. “One of the best things about Holy Cross is that the school gives you unique opportunities to obtain a well-rounded education,” starts Caroline “and the Ciocca Center introduces you into the world of finance, business, and entrepreneurship.”

As a part of the Business Certificate Programs, all students must first explore an introductory overview of business through the Fullbridge Professional Edge Program at Holy Cross. “My favorite part of Fullbridge was being in a professional environment because it helped me to learn how to communicate effectively and professionally. I think my experience with Fullbridge and the other industry-specific workshops will help me to be prepared for my upcoming summer internship. I gained experience in a professional environment, and learned important skills such as Excel, data analysis, and communication.”

As a rising senior, Caroline has successfully completed all of the required workshops, her favorite being Interview Prep because it “was the most impactful and I learned what to expect in professional interviews, and gave me advice on how to best present myself as a compelling candidate.”

Caroline is working hard to check off the certificate requirements, including the required internship, and is excited to apply what she has learned so far during her upcoming summer internship as an Incoming Credit and Wholesale Banking Summer Analyst at Bank of America. Congratulations and good luck!

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Many thanks to Conor Hatton ’22 , marketing assistant for the Ciocca Center, for interviewing and writing this student’s experience.

March 5, 2021

New Student Diversity Liaison Shares Outreach Strategy

Hello! My name is Holly Tente and I’m from Rumford, Rhode Island. I study History and Film at the College of the Holy Cross. In addition to my academics I am highly involved in different organizations across campus. I am a tour guide for the Admissions Office, a participant in ACT, and a co-editor for the History department’s newsletter History on the Hill. My most exciting endeavor recently has been working towards completing the Certificate in Business Fundamentals offered through Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society. This work has brought me to my current position as a Student Diversity Liaison for the Center.

This role is incredibly important to me because I truly believe in the importance of graduating with exposure to the world of business. Networking, Emotional IQ, and communication skills are all necessary when entering the workforce. Every industry has become evermore competitive due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the Ciocca Center has been able to form a curriculum so that every student at Holy Cross can benefit and be prepared to enter the real world. I am definitely not a traditional business student. In fact, I plan on entering the film industry in order to work on documentaries. As this work is not always stable, I recognized that I should expand my knowledge of the world of business. The Certificate in Business Fundamentals has helped me to polish my resume, LinkedIn, interview prep skills, and so much more.

“Everyone deserves the opportunity to explore the world of business. As a Holy Cross student who is taking an unconventional approach to their academics, I want to help students become aware of the offerings within the Ciocca Center.”

As a Student Diversity Liaison, I plan on sharing my story so that students across departments, sports teams, RSOs, MSOs, and class years can recognize that it is possible to learn about business while on the Hill. My position will give me the opportunity to serve as an advisor to students that are considering opportunities to gain technical business skills through the Ciocca Center. During my time in this role, I hope to use my creativity to engage students in all aspects of the Holy Cross community through advertisements and interactive opportunities. I am looking forward to helping students and proving why everyone should consider adding business to their academics!

February 19, 2021

Student Spotlight: Nick Bettenhauser ’24

Nick Bettenhauser ’24 participated in several of the J-Term business workshops offered by the Ciocca Center towards completion of the Certificate in Business Fundamentals.

In a recent article published by The Spire, he commented that “my favorite one was Fullbridge. It started out learning the ins and outs of business including learning some calculations and definitions. My favorite part was when we were assigned a company and a group. We were to research the company, find a problem, and propose a solution. My group was assigned to Diadora, an Italian sportswear company. Being a small company our group had a hard time obtaining the financial information needed to assess Diadora but our hard work turned into some great results as we had a very successful presentation to the judges. It felt like a virtual Shark Tank.”

February 16, 2021

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!