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

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.

March 28, 2023

Major in Sociology and Succeed in Business

My name is Kasamba Amiri ’24 and I am a junior at Holy Cross majoring in Sociology pursuing a Certificate in Business Fundamentals. While working towards my Certificate, I have completed a few workshops including Interview Prep, Global Supply Chain Management, and Marketing Communication, & Sales. I have obtained valuable skills and knowledge in these areas, including the Microsoft Excel Tutorial.

With a liberal arts education, we are taught to think about the people behind each facet of a larger functioning body, a skill that proves helpful in developing and maintaining relationships. My relationships with the faculty and staff on campus have helped me understand why I want to pursue a career in business. Working with and meeting alumni through the Ciocca Center has assisted me in networking with professionals as I explore my career options. I was able to connect with Maegan Moriatry ’20 and discuss both the industry and life as a Holy Cross post-graduate! The connections formed through the Ciocca Center have not only helped me prepare for a life in business but for a life as an adult.

My relationships with the faculty and staff on campus have helped me understand why I want to pursue a career in business.

Continue reading “Major in Sociology and Succeed in Business”

January 23, 2023

Five Workshops & One Week: 177 Students Explore Business

The spring 2023 semester started off with 177 students participating in five concurrent virtual business workshops. The week of January 18-22 was led by 70 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.
  - - Special congratulations to Team Adidas for the innovative growth idea securing them each the top prize of a $300 Apple gift card! Will Croce ’25, Will Sampson ’24, Ignacio Sanchez ’26 and Thomas Foster ’26 let by cCoach Carmen!
- Corporate Finance & Banking: With virtual tours at top banks and overviews of corporate finance, corporate banking, and asset management, 20 students spent two days gaining a comprehensive understanding of the industry. Opportunities to understand the application process and culture of the industry included a recruiter panel and a virtual networking event.
- The new Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Workshop was led by Bob Allard ’91 and Michael Yatco ’06 where they discussed the entrepreneur’s mindset with 15 students working through business strategy and innovation..
- Interview Prep: Personal branding and a core value proposition are key to successful interviewing. 60 students further developed their elevator pitch and practiced interview skills with the Center for Career Development followed by successful career tips from notable alumnae.
- Marketing Communications & Sales: Alumni led 45 students through the practical exploration of advertising, marketing, sales, and public relations. Teams competed in the PepsiCo Challenge, each tasked with bringing SodaStream to campus for individual use.

February 9, 2022

Ciocca Intern: Conor Joslin ’23

My name is Conor Joslin and I am currently a junior at Holy Cross majoring in Political Science while pursuing a Certificate in Business Fundamentals.

This semester, I am interning at the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics and Society while taking the course Business of Sport with Doctor Robert Prior as a part of the Academic Internship Program, a requirement for the Business Certificate Program.

Throughout this semester I will be connecting and interviewing various Holy Cross alumni to learn about different career paths and how each used their liberal arts education to succeed in the business world. Through the Business Certificate Program at Holy Cross, the multiple workshops I have completed, and the variety of clubs, there is such a vast network of successful alumni that I am eager to connect with. On a more personal level, I am very interested in the sales industry, along with some interest in real estate, which is why I am so fortunate for this opportunity to connect with so many brilliant alumni and learn about different career paths.

Take a look at these interviews by Conor!

January 30, 2022

Winter 2022 Offers Second Chance to Participate in Business Remotely

Students found a second chance to participate in virtual winter programming during yet another year of an ongoing pandemic. Once again, the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society offered five workshops for remote student participation.

Virtual opportunities to explore business over winter break included Fullbridge Professional Edge at Holy Cross, Corporate Finance & Banking, Marketing Communications & Sales, Interview Prep, and Business Strategy & Innovation. Many of the students participated in more than one opportunity as they worked towards Business Certificate Program completion.

100+ alumni from around the world and nearly 200 students from all four class years participated in the exploration of business. Students were eager to share their stories via Instagram takeovers ahead of their return to campus for the academic semester. Read on to read some key takeaways from current students:

Alice Russo ’22, mathematics and economics major, pursuing the Certificate in Finance & Banking quoted Bill Cole ’07 during an asset management session. She shared his advice to “invest in your network” and enjoyed the opportunity to connect with alumni with “at least two if not ten alumni, which was incredible, so willing to help and connect and offer advice. ”

Molly Skoglund ’22, economics major, business, ethics and society minor, pursuing a Business Fundamentals Certificate, reflected on her experience in the Interview Prep workshop. She built her unique personal brand with Mimi Doherty ’02, practiced interview skills with Ben Cannon of Career Development, and is inspired to make career choices that make her happy with the advice received from Patty Carfora ’01.

Thanks to students for your understanding, alumni for your support, and Holy Cross for keeping the community safe. Cheers to 2022!

December 17, 2021

Nearly 100 Students Participate in Entrepreneurship Program

Throughout the fall 2021 semester, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program has been in full swing moving student engagement from virtual offerings to in-person ones. The following is a list of opportunities that nearly 100 students had this past semester to engage with the E&I program, led by Ja-Nae Duane.

Entrepreneurship Class: This semester, the entrepreneurship class saw its largest registration ever with 56 students. The class created 15 business ideas with the intent of five of them to continue on after the semester. Additionally, the students engaged with three alumni during the semester to hear their insights about entrepreneurship.

HC Launch: This semester, the student-led incubator supported three business ideas and two businesses with a total of 19 students involved. The students also continued their successful virtual alumni mentor meets and had 13 alumni meet with the students throughout the semester.

Innovation Challenge: This falls the theme of the Innovation Challenge was “Systems of the Future” with a focus on the systems here on campus. The event was co-sponsored by the Information Technology Services Department at Holy Cross and had 14 students participate from across campus with eight concepts pitched. Currently, three of the eight are moving forward into the conceptual and prototyping stages.

Business Strategy, and Innovation Workshop: This fall, the Business Strategy and Innovation workshop was offered again for students in all of the Business Certificate Programs. This workshop ran virtually in October for students and will be held in-person during January break for another ten students.

Venture Hill: This semester was the inaugural semester for Venture Hill, the student-led venture fund. During the semesters, nine students learned some of the fundamentals of venture capital with the intent to begin investing in student ventures (no equity taken) in the spring.

Watch for more opportunities to get involved in the new year! Keep an eye out for Entrepreneurship Week in March 2022 and get involved in the clubs.

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”

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 5, 2021

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.”

June 8, 2020

Ciocca Center Announces Virtual Summer Opportunities

The Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society has been an important partner in helping students to stay ahead of the consequences caused by the pandemic. There have been many unexpected twists and turns leaving students unsure of Certificate Program progress, summer internship plans and what to expect this fall when classes resume. The Ciocca Center has partnered with various Holy Cross offices to try to mitigate some of these new realities with additional funding and new opportunities.

Read on to see what’s happening and get involved! Continue reading “Ciocca Center Announces Virtual Summer Opportunities”