workshop – Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society Blog

December 16, 2024

86 Students & 50+ Alumni Participate in Fall Break Business Workshops

Finance Boot Camp students group photo

Every fall break, the Ciocca Center holds concurrent workshops for students involved in the Business Certificate Programs to connect with alumni, make real-world connections, learn industry insights and practice presentation skills. 86 students and over 50 alumni participated in last weeks iteration, details below.

The annual Global Supply Chain Management Workshop helped 45 students understand that everything we wear, eat, drive, and consume comes through an organized supply chain from different parts of the world. The alumni presenters included Pete Mondani ’79, Roger Lobo ’04, John Burke ’10 and Conor Moynihan ’13 – all practitioners in the field. They shared the inner workings of a global supply chain and how it manages the distribution of various goods and services. Teams of 4-5 students met with Holy Cross vendors, spanning from coffee to sweatshirts, to understand the inherent political, cultural, and ethical issues. They even got off campus to experience a working supply chain during a company site visit to Polar Beverages with a tour by Chris Crowley, executive vice president of the company.

Concurrently, the annual Finance Boot Camp brought 41 students to NYC to meet alumni on Wall Street as part of the Finance & Banking Certificate program. Starting with an alumni-led current event discussion and professional communication overview, students were prepped on campus for the overnight trip to the city. Alumni at JP Morgan, Piper Sandler, CIBC, KeyBanc and Morgan Stanley hosted the cohort to share industry insights, interview tips and discuss the various fields within the industry including sales and trading, investment banking, and wealth management.

Maeley Nakamura ’26, Megan McFarlane ’26, and Lindsay Julia King ’27 shared their student experience on the College’s Instagram account, which can also be seen on @holycrossbusiness.

Congratulations to all of the student participants and a big thank you to all of our alumni who are giving back to Holy Cross, like so many have done before them.

October 11, 2024

Innovative Solutions for Global Issues: Lessons from the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Workshop

This past weekend, I was presented with the amazing opportunity to participate in the Entrepreneurship and Global Innovation Workshop, hosted in collaboration with Ycenter and its USA genius-grant recipient CEO, Dhairya Pujara. Over the course of a weekend, our group of twenty passionate students worked together in teams, each tasked with developing innovative solutions that would address some of the world’s most prevalent issues. My team focused on tackling inequalities in the healthcare system, especially the issue of people being exploited by pharmaceutical greed and systematic corruption.

As we were taught new and innovative ways of thinking about these issues, we brainstormed creative lines of attack against these tribulations in order to make a positive difference in the world. We came to the conclusion that the specific goal we wanted to address would be the issue of pharmaceutical confusion, a problem that, according to the Milken Institute, affects nine out of every ten Americans.

When continuing to reflect on the incredible aspects of this workshop, I realize that even though our ideas were a great start in making a change in the world, we never would have been able to create these solutions if it were not for Dhairya Pujara teaching us the power of creative thinking. This program highlighted the important questions that often escape us as we are both anxious and perplexed by the chaos of the world. We were taught how to identify specific issues then begin solving problems, rather than just providing quick-fix solutions.

As I begin my life in the working world of Public Relations next year, I am very excited to work with my team in order to identify client needs and think of the problems that consumers need resolved. I am very grateful for the lessons provided to us by both Ycenter and the Ciocca Business Center here at Holy Cross, and very much looking forward to standing out in the workplace because of what I have learned.

Written by Aidan Philbrick ’25

September 30, 2024

Cutting-edge Python workshop offered by Beau Lescott ’95

Last year the Ciocca Center was contacted by Beau Lescott ’95, (philosophy major) COO -Public Investing at Silver Point Capital because he wanted to pilot a workshop focused on giving liberal arts students technical skills in the area of coding. “Two of my favorite classes were logic,” starts Lescott, “taught by philosophy professor Karsten Stueber, and a philosophy of mind class that was offered jointly by the philosophy and psychology departments. These classes taught me the power of a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving. As an investor, there is nothing more important than to be able to evaluate a puzzle from multiple angles. This ability grows in relative importance the further you are in your career.”

In the spring of 2024, we offered Beyond Excel: Python for Business Data Analytics, a workshop for 15 students from all four classes and a variety of majors. The goal was to help students gain exposure to the python programming language and learn how to approach strategic business questions using data-driven insights through coding exercises.

This year we will offer it again as a two-part series, one weekend in the fall and the second in the spring, to provide students with the foundation to continue self-directed learning in more advanced areas of data analysis and draw on examples from real-world business operations.

January 22, 2024

Students Explore Business Over Winter Break

Kicking off the spring 2024 semester, 160+ students participated in four concurrent workshops the week before classes began. The week of January 18-22 was led by 25+ alumni presenters and mentors in the following areas:

Fullbridge Professional Edge: This simulated workweek provides exposure to the basics of business and an opportunity to collaborate in teams through active learning culminating in a final presentation where students present a growth idea for a Fortune 500 company. Special congratulations to Team Under Armour for the innovative growth idea securing them each the top prize of a $300 Apple gift card! Kathryn Sweet ’26, Charles Bacon ’27, Marisa Mamak ’27, and Mary Powers ’27 led by Coach Carmen!

Corporate Finance & Banking: 38 students toured at top Boston banks including Bank of America with Ted Lynch ‘84, SV Health Investors with Tom Flynn ‘87, and Natixis Asset Managers with Beatriz Pina Smith ‘87. The highlight of the workshop was the fourth annual networking event held at Fidelity, hosted by Tom Jessop ‘88.

Interview Prep: Personal branding and a core value proposition are key to successful interviewing. 86 students further developed their elevator pitch and practiced interview skills with the Center for Career Development followed by successful career tips from notable alumnae including Mimi Doherty ‘02 and Christina Imrich ‘08.

Marketing Communications & Sales: Alumni led 34 students through the practical exploration of advertising, marketing, sales, and public relations including, JR Butler ‘08, Catherine Cote ‘18, Tyler Dooley ‘17, Katie Macdonald ‘07, Kerri Mannion ‘19, Courtney Quinn ‘96, Cal St. Denis ‘08. Teams competed in the PepsiCo Challenge, each tasked with bringing SodaStream to the next level with short- and long-term strategic thinking. Thank you to our PepsiCo judges Rowan Burgess ’23, Maureen Connolly ’18, Alex Smith ‘14, and Chris Vandervoorn ’19.

Many of the students participated in more than one opportunity as they worked towards Business Certificate Program completion, including the month-long Excel Tutorial offered during the month of January.

Check out the @holycrossbusiness Instagram page for photos from the event and follow to stay up to date with future programming and highlights.

October 18, 2023

81 Students & 50+ Alumni Participate in Fall Break Business Workshops

Every fall break, the Ciocca Center holds concurrent workshops for students involved in the Business Certificate Programs to connect with alumni, make real-world connections, learn industry insights and practice presentation skills. 81 students and over 50 alumni participated in last weeks iteration, details below.

The annual Global Supply Chain Management Workshop helped 53 students understand that everything we wear, eat, drive, and consume comes through an organized supply chain from different parts of the world. The alumni presenters inlcluded Pete Mondani ’79, Bill Liesman ’72, Roger Lobo ’04, and Conor Moynihan ’13 – all practitioners in the field. They shared the inner workings of a global supply chain and how it manages the distribution of various goods and services. Teams of 4-5 students met with Holy Cross vendors, spanning from coffee to sweatshirts, to understand the inherent political, cultural, and ethical issues. They even got off campus to experience a working supply chain during a company site visit to Polar Beverages with a tour by Chris Crowley, executive vice president of the company.

Concurrently, the annual Finance Boot Camp brought 28 students to NYC to meet alumni on Wall Street as part of the Finance & Banking Certificate program. Starting with an alumni-led current event discussion and professional communication overview, students were prepped on campus for the overnight trip to the city. Alumni at JP Morgan, PIMCO, Barclays, KeyBanc and Morgan Stanley hosted the cohort to share industry insights, interview tips and discuss the various fields within the industry including sales and trading, investment banking, and wealth management.

Trey Rabuffo ’25 and Helene Cummings ’25 shared their student experience on the College’s Instagram account, which can also be seen on @holycrossbusiness.

Congratulations to all of the student participants and a big thank you to all of our alumni who are giving back to Holy Cross, like so many have done before them.

August 4, 2023

Students Prepare for Bank Visits with Jargon Cheat Sheet

This list of finance vocabulary is a sampling of some of the terms and abbreviations students can expect to hear during conversations at the various site visits to banks in Boston and NYC as part of the Certificate in Finance & Banking program. Get acquainted with industry jargon and concepts, and review courses and guides to gain more from your upcoming experience, including the ability to ask better questions to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Be sure to access the College’s free readership program for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and New York Times (NYT) to connect with these terms in a real world context.

Finance Jargon

Asset: Resource with economic value that a corporation owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide a future benefit; Assets are reported on a company’s balance sheet and are bought or created to increase a firm’s value or benefit the firm’s operations.

- Asset Allocation is an investment strategy that aims to balance risk and reward by apportioning a portfolio’s assets according to an individual’s goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. The three main asset classes – equities, fixed-income, and cash and equivalents – have different levels of risk and return.

Book Building: Process by which an underwriter attempts to determine the price at which an initial public offering (IPO) will be offered. An underwriter, normally an investment bank, builds a book by inviting institutional investors (such as fund managers and others) to submit bids for the number of shares and the price(s) they would be willing to pay for them.

Book Value: Referring to an investment, it is the price paid for a security or debt investment. When a company sells stock, the selling price minus the book value is the capital gain or loss from the investment.

Broker: Individual or firm that acts as an intermediary between an investor and a securities exchange; Buy and sell financial instruments on the behalf of a client and charges a fee for doing so.

Bull and Bear Markets:

- A Bull Market is a market that is on the rise and where the economy is sound. (Tip: A bull charges “up” with horns.)
- A Bear Market exists in an economy that is receding, where most stocks are declining in value. (Tip: A bear charges “down” with paws.)

Buying Size: Occurs when a trader offers to buy a large volume of shares

Buy-Side/Sell-Side:

- Buy-Side is the side of the financial market that buys and invests large portions of securities for the purpose of money or fund management; Includes investment managers, pension funds, and hedge funds.
- Sell-Side is the other side of the financial market, which deals with the creation, promotion, and selling of traded securities to the public; Includes investment banks, advisory firms, and corporations.

Continue reading “Students Prepare for Bank Visits with Jargon Cheat Sheet”

July 27, 2023

Tom Patton ’86 Returns to the Hill to Teach Entrepreneurship Course

Tom Patton graduated from Holy Cross in 1986 studying economics and accounting while playing on the football team. Following HC, he attended law school at Georgetown. “After five great years of practice as a litigator at a D.C. law firm, I leapt naively into a general counsel job at an orthopedic device company in Memphis, TN” shares Patton. ” Five years after that, as the company was circling the drain, I was asked to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO, a.k.a., the Boss.) Our team fixed the company and sold it, and just like that, I became a medical products “turn-around” specialist, meaning, I was the person to jump in and run companies when things were really bad. I did that three more times. In between CEO jobs, I worked with private equity firms that invest in healthcare companies. I also started a healthcare diagnostics company with two doctors as partners. We sold that start-up after six years of hard work to a multinational medical products company.” He goes on to add that he learned constantly which included good and bad decisions, good and bad hires, and good and bad investments. “Over time that accumulation of hard-earned experiences turned into what people my age call wisdom,” Patton closes.

Over the years as an alum, Patton supported the Ciocca Center programs by co-teaching during various business workshops such as the Executive Leadership Workshop and most recently Business Ethics & Principled Leadership. This fall he will be returning to campus in a new capacity as an adjunct professor to teach Entrepreneurship. Through this class, its readings, interactions, and experiences, “I hope to relay some of that wisdom and give you the chance to learn some of the entrepreneurial stuff I wish I knew before I was handed my Holy Cross degree” shares Patton. Students can expect to come away from this course with:

an understanding of the component parts of a successful entrepreneurial enterprise.
a new vocabulary and a new lens to see, understand, and critically analyze business techniques and entrepreneurial opportunities that surround you every day.
entrepreneurial confidence to apply sometime in your career if or when those entrepreneurial opportunities arise.
the tools to follow a rigorous process to maximize the likelihood that your entrepreneurial venture is successful.
honed your writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
understanding that all business endeavors, whether for-, or not-for-profit, can be consistent with a purpose-driven life and the mission of being men and women for and with others.

February 20, 2023

Fullbridge Prepares Students for Internships and Jobs

My name is Maeley Nakamura and I am a freshman at the College of the Holy Cross. I plan to declare economics as my major, and I am also pursuing Certificates in Business Fundamentals and Entrepreneurship through the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society.

The Ciocca Center offers students opportunities to successfully incorporate a business education into any Holy Cross major through workshops, events, and clubs. For me, the Ciocca Center presents an incredible opportunity to combine critical business skills and experience, with Holy Cross’ well-rounded liberal arts education, which will help me ethically contribute to society and focus on more than just the bottom line.

For me, the Ciocca Center presents an incredible opportunity to combine critical business skills and experience, with Holy Cross’ well-rounded liberal arts education, that will help me ethically contribute to society and focus on more than just the bottom line.

Continue reading “Fullbridge Prepares Students for Internships and Jobs”

July 7, 2021

Summer Internship Series: Reflecting on Certificate Experience

Caroline Quinn ’22 is pursuing the Certificate in Business Fundamentals and is checking off the internship requirement this summer. Follow along as she reflects on her experience, lessons learned, and how her liberal arts education and Holy Cross network are helping her along the way.

Summer Series: Part One

I’m in the midst of my ten-week-long internship as a Sales Strategist with PepsiCo, and I’m happy to say that my experience thus far has been extremely captivating and enriching despite it being 100% virtual. For starters, I’m working on the Allied Brands Team which focuses on PepsiCo’s partners (like Ocean Spray and Voss Water) who independently produce/manufacture their products and then distribute/sell through PepsiCo. This is a symbiotic relationship with this arrangement because the Allied Brands benefit from PepsiCo’s nationwide presence and reach, and PepsiCo benefits from selling products that it doesn’t produce or typically sell. My particular project is oriented around an Allied Brand called Bundaberg Brewed Drinks. Before PepsiCo partnered with Bundaberg in 2017, it had never sold a craft soda. But now, PepsiCo is highly competitive in that market because of this partnership. Bundaberg’s top-selling product is ginger beer which is a premium, non-alcoholic, craft soda that is commonly used as a mixer. Regarding my project, I’ve been tasked with creating a feasible strategy to grow Bundaberg sales by 4X in the US. While this is a tall order, I am confident that I am putting together a really great pitch that I’ll present at the end of my internship. Much of my confidence can be attributed to the Ciocca Center and Holy Cross as a whole. Continue reading “Summer Internship Series: Reflecting on Certificate Experience”

April 22, 2021

Jack Browne ’22 Reflects on Alumni Network Available through the Ciocca Center

Jack Browne ‘22 is an international studies major with a concentration in Latin American Studies who is also pursuing a Certificate in Business Fundamentals through the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society. Jack spent the past year working to complete the requirements over the course of the ongoing pandemic. The virtual workshops included alumni presenters from across the country to present industry-specific sessions and attend networking events. “One aspect of the business workshops that have been particularly helpful to my development,” starts Jack, “is how alumni are brought in to speak on their fields of expertise and their professional journey. It was very reassuring for me to connect with recent graduates during the Marketing Communications & Sales workshop who now work at PepsiCo and hear about these individuals having success in the world of business without having gone on to business school.”

“The concerted integration of Holy Cross alumni into the Business Certificate Program reinforces the reality that graduates of the school care about current Holy Cross students.” – Jack Browne ’22

The Business Certificate Programs provided by the Ciocca Center offer excellent opportunities for students to network with alumni and help kickstart their careers. With the help of hundreds of alumni across the various Business Certificate Programs, students can see that the Holy Cross liberal arts education supports a variety of career interests. Jack goes on to say, “The workshops provide students with a blueprint to learn more about industries, interact with alumni, and develop skills in professionalism that I have used firsthand to navigate interviews and internship applications.”

Jack has completed nearly all of the Certificate requirements this academic year, many of which were held virtually. He hopes to apply the knowledge gained through these experiences during an upcoming summer internship. 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.