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Arts Transcending Borders: Cultural Entrepreneurship
Pato_DinnerOn Thursday September 25th, Cristina Pato – a Galician bagpiper, pianist, composer and Artist in Residence here at the College of the Holy Cross – held a special dinner lecture titled: “Cultural Entrepreneurship: At the Intersection of Business & the Arts.” Pato has an active professional career devoted to Galician popular and classical music and jazz, and her dual careers have led her to perform on major stages throughout Europe, USA, India, Africa, and China.
The night started with Cristina telling the dinner guests about her story. She was the first female Gaita (Galician bagpipe) player to release a solo album in 1999, and she became a huge pop star in Spain. Since then, she has also collaborated on world stages with Yo-Yo Ma, Arturo O’Farril, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Osvaldo Golijov, to name a few. However, she had no idea that she could become this product: Cristina Pato. She was fortunate enough to have a edge in the music industry as the first female, soloist playing a Galician bagpipe. Yet other artists today do not always have this competitive advantage. Thus, she developed the Galician Connection, an annual festival dedicated to promote intercultural dialogue through music and encouraging cultural entrepreneurs to rise.As the night went on, Cristina got all the dinner participants to interact at their tables and gave each table a scenario to discuss. Scenarios included: Being an artist with no initial funding, being an artist with public funding, etc. The fundamental idea was to come up with a way for the artist to market their product and make a sustainable income. After each table presented their plan of action, Cristina posed the question: “What is holding the artist back? What’s stopping all of us from sculpting, from being a famous singer, from being a renowned pianist?” It seemed like the unanimous answer was that in our modern world, most art has funding through public donations or private investments, and that we believed being an artist would not be able to rake in a steady income.That is exactly why Cristina created the Galician Connection. She is passionate about education, and feels that people need to be educated on how important art is, and they need to have a support system while creating art. Participants in the Galician Connection are able to attend classes and workshops that help them grow as artists, and they have a forum where they can connect and grow together.

So what exactly is cultural entrepreneurship? Everyone had a different definition. But if you ask me, cultural entrepreneurship is being able to acknowledge that the arts are an important part of society, and finding a way to creatively present an art form to other people so that you can make a living off of it, and so that others can appreciate and connect with it as well.

—
Thanks to Sophia Jin ’15, for attending and writing this blog post. Great speaker, great dinner and great conversation! As always, don’t forget to “like” us on FACEBOOK and follow us @HCPrebusiness

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director
Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies
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SAVE THE DATE: Women in Business Conference 11/1/2014

Women in Business LOGOOn March 12, students came together to kick off the 2014 Women in Business Conference in the Dinand Browsing Room  with sweet treats and great conversation. The guest speaker for the evening was Sheila Cavanaugh ’81, School of Theology and Ministry, Boston College. Sheila took students through her career path as a member of the Holy Cross community and offered her profound wisdom to attendees.

Sheila has had a very exciting career. She has worked as a banker at The Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, The Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan, and the Union Bank of Switzerland in Zurich. Along with additional international experience and volunteer work, she was a Senior Vice President at Fidelity Investments. Currently, Sheila is pursuing a graduate degree in Theology and Ministry at Boston College.

As a Student Organizer for the conference and a graduating senior, Sheila gave inspired advice for my remaining time at Holy Cross. Her perspective on creating a fulfilling life was both motivating and promising, as all students were able to connect to her compassion and optimism.

Key Takeaways

Set goals –First and foremost, have a plan. Sheila had three main goals that she wanted to accomplish before her thirties- go to graduate school, live aboard and move to New York City. She encouraged students to set their minds on something and continue to work toward every day.

Network – With her set goals in mind, Sheila used the Holy Cross network to land an incredible job in New York City. She advised students to form relationships and to take advantage of the purple pride that is fostered at Holy Cross.

Take risks – Sheila inspired students to take a chance and do something that will yield great benefits as a result. By taking opportunities in both Asia and Europe, she was able to pursue her life ambitions and become adaptable to different cultures. In the long run, these risks have contributed to the fulfillment of her personal and professional life.

Everything will work out ­­– Although there are times when things do seem to be going the right way, stay positive and life will work out how it is supposed to.

Thanks for a great guest post from Christie Cannone ’14 – a WIB student organizer! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 9th Annual Women in Business Conference on November 1, 2014! Follow @HCWIB and “Like” WIB on Facebook!

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

 

 
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Women in Business 2011

On Saturday, October 22, we hosted the sixth annual Women in Business conference here on campus.  With over 150 alumnae and students in attendance, the conference was a huge hit!  The Prebusiness office wants to thank the student organizers  Juliana Biolsi ’12, Kristen Buonassisi ’12, Lauren McCarthy ’12, Christie Cannone ’14, Haley O’Brien ’13, Stephanie Pajak ’13, and Lauren Esposito ’14, for their hard-work and dedication to this event.

If you weren’t able to attend, Juliana and Kristen wrote a great recap for the Holy Cross website:

Women in Business Conference Continues to Inspire Students, Alumnae

Save the date for next year’s conference: October 20, 2012!

As always, don’t forget to “Like” us on FACEBOOK and look for our WIB, SBP and ELW groups on LinkedIN!

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor
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A Growing Gem of a Club- CAM!

Please welcome guest blogger, Abaigeal Healy ’11, Co-Chair of CAM.

The CAM Club stands for the student-led communications, advertising, and marketing group on campus. CAM Club is offered by the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies and Pre-Business Program in association with Professor Chu. The purpose of CAM is to educate students in communications, advertising, and marketing, and to expose them to the many careers in these fields. This is a unique club on campus because there are no specific advertising courses offered at Holy Cross. CAM Club can sufficiently supplement a strong liberal arts education.

CAM can act as an introductory course to the marketing/advertising industry. The club intends to help students prepare for summer internships offered through programs like The Summer Internship Program, which is affiliated with the on campus Career Center. If offered one of these competitive internships through SIP Holy Cross students will more than likely be working with students from other colleges and universities who specialize or major in communications, advertising, or marketing. CAM can prepare Holy Cross students to excel in these internships.

CAM consists of workshops, career panels, and on campus project campaigns. In a typical meeting the club will discuss current events and hot topics in the industry. AdAge Magazine is delivered weekly and is available for students to read and study. A specific topic is discussed and elaborated on each week. For example, CAM has discussed the importance of social media in today’s society and how to market to Generation Y. The club has also started to collaborate with other groups on campus to help them generate advertising campaigns for activities and events. Eventually, CAM hopes to become the in-house, on campus agency for fellow student-led organizations. CAM brought one speaker to campus this year and hopes to bring more next year. The featured speaker was Kerry Dyer, a father of one of the students in CAM Club. Kerry Dyer is the Publisher of US News and World Report. A dinner and talk was set up in collaboration with the Pre-Business Program.

CAM is a young club and has recently applied to become an RSO (recognized student organization) on campus. Becoming an RSO will help advertise this club to freshman, sophomores, and juniors who are looking to specify their studies and interests. CAM is open to students of all classes and majors and is looking to build up its membership. For all you interested and creative students, come learn what it is all about! The new Co-Chairs for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 will be Harry Chiu, Kelsey Russell, and McCall McIntyre. Please email Prebusiness for more information.

–Thanks Abby! Be sure to check out CAM next semester.

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor
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The Power of Possibility

While I’m not going to do this justice, Sheila Cavanaugh’s presentation on Tuesday night was too inspiring for me to not attempt to post some of her message.

When you wake up every morning, remember that you’ll never have another today.  Make it worth it.  The rest of you life is a question mark, so make sure you don’t settle.

If you don’t have a job the day you graduate, don’t fret. Keep at it. Things happen for a reason.  You’ll find a job and, more often than not, another after that.

Just because you work in the corporate world, doesn’t mean you can’t serve your community.  Companies have community outreach and development programs that do wonderful things locally and globally.

In a world full of criticism, take time to praise others.  Years ago, Sheila decided to start a movement to write letters of thanks and praise to help balance out the letters of disappointment and anger companies often receive.  Try to make your positive comments outnumber the negative.

Every person you meet in life is there to serve a purpose – to teach, to learn, to inspire, to challenge – don’t underestimate each interaction.  You might be passing up the chance to develop a life-long relationship.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, so don’t miss Sheila the next time she visits campus.

That about wraps up our workshops and dinner speakers for the semester.  Stay tuned for posts about Prof. Chu’s financial portfolio class, CAM, and the Finance bootcamp we have in the works!

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor
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An Update of Updates

Just a few things we really want to point your attention to this week.

First, one of our Executive Leadership Workshop participants is also a Blogger! Ted Cullinane ’14 wrote a fantastic post about his ELW experience over Spring Break.  Be sure to check out Ted’s Post to get a participant’s view of the program.

Tonight, Holy Cross alumni, Ryan Leonard ’09 and Alesandra LaPointe ’09 from Nielsen Company are hosting an event to discuss working in a financial rotational program.  From the Classroom to the Boardroom: Applying What you Learn at Holy Cross in the Real World will be held in Hogan from 6-8 Tonight, 3/31. You don’t want to miss it.

Here’s another even you can’t miss:  The Power of Possibility Sheila Cavanaugh ’81, a Senior Vice President at Fidelity Investments, wraps up our Dinner Speaker Series this semester.  Ms. Cavanaugh always draws a crowd when she comes to campus and is a favorite among the Women in Business conference panelists.  This event is open to a limited number of people so email Prebusiness if you would like to attend. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5.

Hope to see you at any and all of these events!

Just a quick reminder that we are accepting Summer Business Program applications.  The deadline is Friday, April 15.

Be sure to find us on FACEBOOK!

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor
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10 Etiquette Tips for the Young Professional

All information provided by Mannersmith

1.       The Hand Shake.

Hands should be placed web to web in a firm grasp.  2-3 shakes (any longer and it gets awkward).

2.       The Art of Conversation.

Be prepared with a few interesting things to add to any conversation (ie. Books you’ve read or an event you’ve recently attended).  Be sure to ask open ended questions to create lasting conversation.

3.       The Compliment.

Make sure to accept compliments with a thank you and a smile.  Avoid attempting to down-play the compliment with a negative response to avoid attention. Accept it, appreciate it, and move on.

4.       The Business Suit – For women

Skirt suits are considered more formal than pants. Make sure to tailor every suit – fit really makes a difference.  Skirts should always fall at the bottom or top of the knee, no higher.  Remember that the person wearing the most clothing holds the power, so plan accordingly with dark tights or long sleeves.

5.       The Business Suit – For men

Pants with cuffs are considered more formal than those without cuffs.  When determining the number of buttons on your jacket, remember that the shorter the V created by the top of the jacket, the shorter you appear. Sleeves should cover your wrist bone, but not much longer (you don’t want them falling mid-hand).  Shirts without buttons on the collars are considered more formal than those with.

6.       The Color Scheme.

Know what the color of your shirt, tie, suit, or accessory is saying about you.

Dark Purple = royalty, power & money

Green = money

Pink = calm

Red = power

Navy = trust

Brown/Orange = friendly

7.        The Early Departure/Late Arrival.

If you are invited to an event and you have to leave early or arrive late, inform the host prior to the event.  This can help the host plan around your schedule and alert other guests as necessary.

8.       The Dietary Restriction.

If you are invited to a dinner and you have any specific dietary restrictions, make sure to inform the host as early as possible so that he or she can plan accordingly. Failing to do so could end in you not eating and a very embarrassed host.

9.       The Active Listener.

When engaging in conversation, make sure to be attentive and responsive.  Eye contact is very important, but be careful not to stare. A well placed nod can go a long way.  Make sure to ask pointed questions to display you are engaged in the conversation.

10.   The Thank You Note.

Never underestimate the value of the handwritten thank you note. While an email may be sufficient, a handwritten letter says you took the time to care.

Enjoy!

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor
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Semester in a Glance

Here’s a peak at our upcoming events.  Mark your calendars!

Insurance 101

Career Workshop Series

February 21, Monday

Gordie Lockbaum ’88, Vice President, The Sullivan Group

Gordie Lockbaum ’88, a Vice President at The Sullivan Group, will give a comprehensive overview of the many aspects of the world of insurance and discuss the varied career opportunities available within the field.  He’ll provide insight into the ins and outs of what the insurance industry really entails.

What’s better than learning about insurance and meeting a Crusader football legend?

What Is An Entrepreneur?

Career Workshop Series

March 16, Wednesday

Frank Hoy, Director, Collaborative for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Frank Hoy, a Prof. at WPI, is an internationally known authority on entrepreneurship. Hoy spent five years as chair of the Central European Small Business Enterprise Development Commission. His research and educational activities have been funded by more than $15 million in awards and contracts from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Education, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Mott and Kauffman foundations, among other agencies and organizations. He is past chair of the Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management and former senior vice president of the International Council of Small Businesses. (Excerpt from http://www.wpi.edu/news/20090/beswick.html)

This is bound to be an eye-opening look at entrepreneurship from a world-renowned speaker.  If you’ve ever been curious about what it means to be (or is like to be) an entrepreneur, don’t miss this workshop!

Summer Business Program Information Session

March 21, Monday

Come learn about the best way to spend your summer.  SBP is a unique opportunity to work with alumni and learn what it is really like to work in the business world!

Business Opportunities in Science

Career Workshop Series

March 22, Tuesday

Gail Evangeline Radcliffe ’78, President, Radcliffe Consulting

Gail Radcliffe assists biotech, medical device and diagnostic companies with technical, marketing, regulatory and business development issues. Her expertise allows her to aid companies in developing successful business strategies and obtaining funding.

If you are interested in careers that combine business and science then this is the workshop you’ve been waiting for! Learn how your science degree can pave the way for business careers.

Dinner Speaker Series

April 5, Tuesday

Sheila Cavanaugh ‘81, Senior Vice President, Fidelity Investments

Registration necessary: Contact the pre-business office

Ask anyone who has heard Sheila speak at the Women in Business conference, you do not want to miss this dinner!  Sheila is an unbelievable speaker, whose professional life and dedication to Holy Cross captivates and motivates her audience.  Anyone and everyone should attend, but space is limited so RSVP!

Hope to see you there!!

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor
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New Semester, New Blog

So here’s the deal: You registered for the pre-business program because it seemed like a good idea.  It will look good on your resume and might help you get a job.  Now what?

Some of you have really taken advantage of the program.  I’ve seen several familiar faces at our workshops and Dinner Speaker Series, and that’s great.  Others have been participating for years, have completed ELW and SBP, and are now running the WIB conference; that’s even better!  However, the number of students participating in these events only makes up about 1/10 of our registered pre-business students.  Where are the rest of you?

I get it, really, I do.  The semester is busy.  You’ve got classes, sports, clubs, and jobs.  Adding one more hour-long event into the mix might actually break you (an obvious hyperbole, but I know the feeling).  Here’s the thing though, the pre-business events are here for your benefit. Holy Cross alums are commuting – by plane, train and automobile – to campus and taking time from their very busy schedules to help you.  And while all of their presentations are unique, they all highlight the same point — networking is key. So make it a resolution to try to come to a few more workshops this year.

It’s not fair of me to ask you guys to put in extra effort without expending some myself. I’ve made a resolution as well – to make use of social media.  Pre-business is going to join the 21st century through blogging and facebook! Now it will be easier to let all of you know what’s going on and quite frankly, what you are missing.

Here’s the plan:

-I’ll be posting a weekly blog to keep students up-to-date with what’s going on in the program and what you need to know about entering the business world.   We’ll cover interview skills, what recruiters suggest for HC students, programs that pre-business offers, tips for getting everything you can out of this program, and anything else that could possibly help you.  All you have to do is read and I promise to keep posts as concise as possible because, I repeat, I know you’re busy.

-Starting today, we are launching our facebook page! Make sure to “like ” us .  I’ll be creating a page for each event and updating the pre-business status with things you need to know.


Hopefully, this will allow me to cut back on the number of emails that fill your GroupWise inbox on a daily basis.  We’ll see how it goes.

So, welcome back to campus.  I hope you’ve enjoyed your nice, long break and are ready to hit the ground running.

Kaithlyn

Kaithlyn Kayer
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

David Chu
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies & Pre-business Advisor