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Local Colleges Attend Inaugural Student Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit in Worcester

People chatting in circle

Last month at WorcLab, Worcester’s premier business incubator and coworking space, the city hosted the inaugural Student Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit (SEES) to bring the startup community together on Saturday, March 25.  Organizations and local businesses set up tables to share their resources with budding student entrepreneurs. The event brought nearly 25 students together from various colleges in the Worcester area including Holy Cross, WPI, WSU, Clark, Assumption, and UMass. Students had the opportunity to learn directly from local business owners, pitch their businesses and explore resources. SEES provided an excellent platform for students to gain practical knowledge and insights from the successful entrepreneurs next door. 

The event kicked off with food and networking on the 7th floor of the Printer’s Building on Portland Street in downtown Worcester. During the summit, students interacted with business owners from a diverse range of industries including biotech, gaming, and maker spaces. They learned about the challenges that these entrepreneurs faced when starting and growing their businesses, the strategies they used to overcome these obstacles and the many resources available to them in Worcester.  Continue reading “Local Colleges Attend Inaugural Student Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit in Worcester”
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Ciocca Center Announces New Director

Rob Murner at head of class

“I’m very honored and excited to take part in continuing the excellent programs that David, Cassie, and Kathy have developed” shares Rob Murner, new director of the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society “and we’re already in the planning stages for where we take the Center next!”

Rob joined Holy Cross in the spring of 2019 as an adjunct professor to teach the Business Fundamentals Lab. Commenting on his new role at the College, Rob states “I’m especially looking forward to meeting and interacting with the students and my door is always open.”

Prior to teaching he spent 30 years as a strategic and global executive where he focused on building enterprise value for public, private, and start-up organizations in the aerospace & defense, materials sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, and software industries. His work included engineering, program management, sales/marketing, company turnarounds, teaching/coaching, and corporate financial management to include international banking.

Drawing on these experiences we can foresee the Center to develop “an alumni-student mentoring program, and various efforts to connect with local business communities.” Rob goes on to share that “we will be initiating an outside-in look at what we have to offer and will be soliciting input from students, parents, alumni, businesses, and partner organizations within the College.”

Rob is a graduate of the University of Michigan (aerospace engineering), and Wright State University (MBA). He is a life member of the Beta Gamma Sigma academic honor society and U of M alumni community. He has conducted business in several countries including China, Taiwan, Canada, Europe, and Russia.

Rob started his career in the United States Air Force where he took part in the development of several aircraft, space, and jet propulsion systems. He lives in Shrewsbury Mass with his wife of 32 years, Christine.
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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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Your Guide to Career Direction = Fullbridge
INFO SESSION>> Tuesday, March 21 at 5PM in Hogan 519
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To complement the Holy Cross rigorous education, Fullbridge Professional Edge will immerse you in business, finance, marketing, and innovation—for career direction. Working closely in teams to tackle real-world projects, you will develop a strong core of work competencies, and develop confidence to take your next step. Your Fullbridge coach will be your guide and mentor throughout the six-day program.

Classrooms will be transformed into a simulated workplace – the program is an intensive lecture-free hands-on experience that culminates in a final team presentation. Get real world experience. Fast. 

UPCOMING PROGRAMS>>
  • August 21 – 26, 2017 (week before fall classes begin)
  • January 15 – 20, 2018 (week before spring classes begin)
  • May 17 – 23, 2018 (week between finals and graduation)

GET STARTED>> fullbridge.com/holycross

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PREBUSINESS: Road to Success 4/18

Prebiz-screenshot

The COES Pre-Business Office will soon be hosting Prebusiness: Road To Success on Monday, April 18 at 5pm in Stein 188B, featuring Holy Cross senior panelists outlined below.  These seasoned seniors, along with those receiving the COES Professional Program Certificate of Readiness, will share their experiences and insights on all things from internships, interviews and job offers, COES workshops and the different events and clubs in which they participate. Psst! Free Pizza!

Here’s a snapshot preview of what our panelists have accomplished during their time on the hill.  Hope to see you there! 


RArmstrongRichie Armstrong ‘16, an Economics major, spent a semester in the Washington D.C. Program last year, where he interned at International Business-Government Counselors. This past summer, Richie interned as a Summer Analyst at the Blackstone Group. He has taken an interest in finance and sales through his involvement in the various Prebusiness clubs, including the Sales Club. He also participates on campus as a senior interviewer, in SPUD,  and in the Holy Cross Outreach Program. This summer he will begin working full-time as a client support analyst with Eze Software.

   Marios Marios Dardas ‘16, a Computer Science major, spends much of his time immersing himself in new experiences and ideas. Last summer he interned at Harvard University working alongside ecologists, chemists, computer scientists and other researchers at its’ 3500 Acre research facility known as the Harvard Forest. At Holy Cross, he is actively involved in the Prebusiness program whether it be its’ workshops, seminars, clubs, or the usual visit to Professor Chu’s office. This summer he will begin working full-time with data scientists as a
Technical Analyst at JP Morgan Chase in NY.

mlashotoMaryAnn LaShoto ‘16, an English major, studied abroad last year at Trinity College in Dublin. She returned from Ireland to an internship at Boston Globe Media, where she worked as a Business Communications/Community Relations Intern. At Holy Cross, she acts as Senior Chair of the Agency (Marketing/Communications Club) and as a planning committee member of the Women in Business Conference, along with Sydney.

medinaJake Medina ‘16, an Economics major with a Peace and Conflict Studies minor, interned last summer at J.P. Morgan as an Investment Banking Analyst in New York. At Holy Cross he is Senior Chair of the Finance Club. Jake also participated in this year’s Shark Tank Competition, pitching his company as Co-Founder and President of Student Empowerment Program, and walked away with 2nd place. With the winnings, he continues to expand the non-profit start-up.

sydneySydney-Zeferina Pugliares ‘16, an English major and Italian minor, spent her junior year abroad in Florence, and returned last summer to intern at Victoria’s Secret in the Merchandising department. At Holy Cross, she is involved in the Prebusiness program as the Senior Chair of the Holy Cross Entrepreneurs Group (HCEG) and as a Student Assistant in the office. She also works with MaryAnn on the Women in Business Conference planning committee.