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School of Management

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May 2019

Learning to Lead

The fourth annual School of Management Graduate Student and Alumni Leadership Development Weekend took place on May 3-4 on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Approximately 40 current grad students and alumni 鈥 along with SoM faculty members and staff 鈥 networked during the Friday evening cocktail hour and dinner, both of which took place at West Point鈥檚 historic Thayer Hotel. The evening鈥檚 keynote speaker, Stanley S. Litow, spoke about the ethical challenges facing business and society. Litow is IBM vice president emeritus of Corporate Citizenship and Affairs, and president emeritus of the IBM Foundation; during his tenure with the firm, he helped orchestrate the company鈥檚 Corporate Service Corps, which trained more than 4,000 employees as community service project leaders.

Photo of Marist students at West Point The unsettled weather notwithstanding, the group reassembled on Saturday morning for an outdoor 鈥渦rban orienteering鈥 program led by the Thayer Leader Development Group, a West Point-based organization that emphasizes character building as the foundation of strong leadership. The exercise offered participants hands-on experience in leadership, problem-solving, and conflict resolution, among other skills. Later in the day, the current and former students enjoyed lunch at MacArthur's Restaurant and a tour of the West Point Visitor Center and Museum.

鈥淭his program aims to hone networking and leadership skills,鈥 Dean Lawrence G. Singleton says. 鈥淪ince most of their coursework is done online, students get to connect with each other 鈥 and the faculty 鈥 on Friday evening. And the hands-on orienteering program on Saturday offers practical experience in how to work effectively as a team.鈥

IN THE PHOTO: Urban orienteering program participants and facilitators at West Point

SoM holds first international research conference

The first School of Management Undergraduate Student Faculty-Guided International Research Conference was held in the Student Center鈥檚 Riverview Rooms on April 13. Sixteen students presented the results of research projects developed on a topic related to international business. Affiliate Professor of International Business Detelin Elenkov was the conference organizer and acted as adviser to many of the presenters. Professors Jianing Fang, Pamela Harper, Vernon Murray, Caroline Rider and John Cary also guided the students in their research.

The following is a list of researchers and the titles of their presentations:

Holly Shea 鈥20, Julia Solin 鈥20 and Taylor Ziman 鈥19 鈥 A Comparison of Human Trafficking Structures in the United States and Russia: Social Marketing Implications

Photo of a globe

Trevor Redl 鈥21 and Rosemarie Smerina 鈥21 鈥 Italy and China鈥檚 Belt and Road Initiative 

Peter Bolt 鈥19 鈥 The Importance of Data Cleaning

Terry Ciccaglione 鈥 How Do Hurricanes Affect State Municipal Debt Prices?

Jana Brzovski 鈥19 鈥 Michael Porter鈥檚 Diamond Model in Respect to Smaller European Countries

Gabriella Zubradt 鈥21 鈥 Geisha Effect: Asian Skin Care Shakes Up the U.S. Beauty Market

Denalda Cupa 鈥20 鈥 Assimilating the Impact of Social Resources of the Future, in the Case of Berlin

Carleigh Teague 鈥19 鈥 A Comparison of Human Trafficking Structures in the United States and the Philippines: Social Marketing Implications

Jeffrey Eng 鈥21 鈥 Levi Strauss IPO

Nicholas Tsilikos 鈥22 鈥 Boeing 737 MAX 

Jessica Caunedo 鈥20 鈥 Increasing Risks Associated with International Marketing

Bob Nkubara 鈥19 鈥 Nutritional Education

Amanda James 鈥21 鈥 The Transformation of International Travel

Svyatoslav Kozak 鈥20 鈥 The Retail Side of Amazon and How to Become a Merchant with FBA

 

MPA program spotlights law enforcement leadership

Photo of Leadership Perspectives in Law Enforcement Conference

The School of Management鈥檚 Department of Public and Nonprofit Administration hosted 鈥淟eadership Perspectives in Law Enforcement,鈥 a panel discussion featuring a trio of the program鈥檚 distinguished alumni, on April 10 at the Yonkers Public Library. The panelists 鈥 Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner MPA 鈥09, Westchester County Department of Corrections First Deputy Commissioner Louis A. Molina MPA 鈥11, and MTA Police Chief Owen Monaghan MPA 鈥09 鈥 addressed a variety of relevant topics including the importance of community engagement and networking, the evolving role of technology in law enforcement, stress management and mentorship. Cosponsored with the library, the event was live-streamed to current MPA students.

Associate Professor of Public Administration Tony J. Carrizales was the event鈥檚 organizer and panel moderator. 鈥淚t was great to hear [from the panelists] how coursework from their Marist degree had made a critical impact in their professional development,鈥 Carrizales noted, 鈥渆specially in building professional connections with their classmates that have carried on throughout their careers.鈥

IN THE PHOTO: From left: Prof. Tony Carrizales, Charles Gardner, Louis Molina, Owen Monaghan, and Professor of Public Administration James Melitski

Business-savvy guest speakers visit campus

The School of Management was abuzz this spring with guest speakers 鈥 many of whom are alumni 鈥 making presentations to students in finance and accounting.

Photo of student Cheyanne Robinson and Greg Garville '74

Associate Professor of Finance and Investment Center Director Brian Haughey hosted a total of six speakers this semester. Dean鈥檚 Board of Advisers member Greg Garville 鈥74, a senior executive advisor to Connecticut-based Brookside Equity Partners, was first up, discussing 鈥淟ower Middle Market Private Equity鈥 on Feb. 22. The following week, John Giuffre 鈥17, a Houlihan Lokey financial analyst, spoke about 鈥淧rivate Equity and Leveraged Loans.鈥 Both talks were held in the Investment Center; along with Haughey鈥檚 students, members of the Student Investment Club were in attendance.

IN THE PHOTO: Senior Cheyanne Robinson and Greg Garville '74

On March 27, Stephen Popper, a managing director of SageView Advisory Group 鈥 a registered investment advising company 鈥 met with finance students. Two dozen students listened as Dow Corporation founder Rodney W. Dow spoke on technical analysis and risk management, and gave a demonstration of his Dow Vector Analysis tool that helps traders with decision-making, on April 5. Recent graduates Sean Sullivan 鈥15 and Nick Arnold 鈥17 both came to campus on April 26. Employed by Citigroup, Sullivan discussed 鈥淔ixed-income Trading and Inflation Products,鈥 while Arnold 鈥 an analyst at Guggenheim Partners 鈥 made a presentation on structured products.

Two members of the New York State Office of the Attorney General discussed Medicaid fraud with students in Prof. J. Donald Warren, Jr.鈥檚 auditing class on April 16. Chief Auditor Thomasina Smith, CPA, and Jillian White 鈥15, a certified fraud examiner and auditor investigator with the office鈥檚 Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), discussed how the unit works to protect New Yorkers from fraudulent practices, including overbilling, kickbacks, substandard drugs and medical equipment, and 鈥淢edicaid mills鈥 run by organized crime. The speakers also provided information on career opportunities in the state attorney general鈥檚 office.

Photo of Chanel Vitale Marino '12, '16M, Marist assistant director of Annual Giving; Jillian White 鈥15; Thomasina Smith

IN THE PHOTO: From left: Chanel Vitale Marino '12, '16M, Marist assistant director of Annual Giving; Jillian White 鈥15; Thomasina Smith

On April 30, a luncheon roundtable featuring executives from Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings took place in the Hancock Executive Boardroom. Cosponsored by the college鈥檚 Center for Career Services and the School of Management Career Center, the event鈥檚 presenters included Larry B. Gibbons 鈥69, senior VP of technical operations and chief procurement officer at Atlas Air; Kevin D. Martin (staff VP of procurement) and Procurement Manager Deanna Horton were also on hand. The trio gave students information on the company, its internship program and employment opportunities.

Photo of the Atlas Roundtable

IN THE PHOTO: The Atlas Air roundtable

Alumni News & Notes

A trio of MPA graduates recently earned recognition from various local and state organizations.

Angela Woods MPA 鈥14 received the seventh annual Rockland County Freedom Award from Deputy County Executive Guillermo Rosa on March 5. A resident of Congers, Woods is a decorated U.S. Army colonel who served in Iraq. Currently, she works as chief of the Health Services Support Team at Joint Base McGuire-Dix in Lakehurst, New Jersey. A specialist in disaster preparedness, she teaches medical units how to respond to catastrophic events like natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

Michael J. O鈥橩eefe MPA 鈥16 was named Orange County Aide to the Grand Marshall for the New York City St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade. A veteran of the U.S. Army 鈥 where he attained the rank of major鈥 and the New York City Police Department, he works at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY, as the executive director of operations and risk management. An active volunteer, O鈥橩eefe offers his services to the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Orange County and the Newburgh Armory Unity Center.

On April 11, Maurice Catel IV, MPA 鈥16 was promoted to the rank of captain in the New York Army National Guard during a ceremony at the 42nd Infantry Division HQ in Troy, NY. Catel, who lives in Wynantskill, NY, has been in the military for more than 19 years 鈥 13 of them as an enlisted soldier 鈥 and served two tours in Iraq.  At present, he works as the headquarters battalion logistics officer.

Student Success Story: Ali Kenney 鈥19

鈥淕od moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.鈥 So wrote English poet William Cowper in the 18th century. Those words would certainly ring true to Alison Kenney, who graduates from Marist this month 鈥 and will begin her professional career at Bloomberg L.P. on June 10.

Landing a position at the financial industry鈥檚 leading software and media company happened in a circuitous way. 鈥淚 knew that I had to attend the New York City Career Trek in my senior year,鈥 recalls Kenney, a Hamden, Connecticut resident. Held every fall, the trek takes small groups of SoM students on site visits to several Manhattan based-companies, where they meet with executives and alumni who work in their particular field of interest. At first, Bloomberg was not on Kenney鈥檚 list of companies to visit 鈥 鈥渂ut [Professor of Management and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs] Joanne Gavin actually changed the track I was on,鈥 Kenney says. 鈥淪he knew that I wanted to work in finance, but not necessarily at a bank. She suggested putting me on the Bloomberg track 鈥 and boy, am I glad she did!鈥

Photo of Ali Kenney 鈥19

During her trek visit, Kenney connected with employee/alums Madeline Kachou 鈥18 and Briana Ferrentino 鈥16. 鈥淢addie talked to me about Bloomberg, and I said to myself, 鈥楾his is a company I can see myself working for.鈥 鈥

Kenney applied for a position with the firm the following morning. After undergoing an online screening interview, a 鈥渟uper day鈥 site visit that included two behavioral interviews (鈥渢hey were just conversations,鈥 Kenney remembers, 鈥渂ut you had to sell yourself鈥), and a final round of formal interviews, Kenney was offered 鈥 and accepted 鈥 a position on the company鈥檚 financial products analytics and sales team.

Why Bloomberg? 鈥淛ust walking into the office, the atmosphere was so comfortable,鈥 Kenney says. 鈥淭he two Super Day interviewers were so easy to talk to, I didn鈥檛 even feel like I was interviewing.

鈥淭he real world scares me,鈥 Kenney admits. 鈥淏ut from day one the company takes you back to the root of finance and trains you in everything you鈥檒l be doing; that sounds like an easy transition from college.鈥

Understandably, Kenney has mixed feelings about seeing her collegiate career come to a close. 鈥淚鈥檓 so sad to graduate,鈥 she says, 鈥渂ut I know that my time here is done. Marist has really equipped me for the next step, and that has me really excited鈥 And a little nervous.鈥

And what will be her fondest memory of her Red Fox years? 鈥淭hat view of the Hudson River just never gets old,鈥 she says. 鈥淐ollege can be very stressful. I had a dorm room with a direct view of the Hudson from my bed 鈥 it was so calming. I just look at that river, and everything鈥檚 good.鈥

IN THE PHOTO: Alison Kenney snuggles a lamb during the SoM鈥檚 short-term attachment program trip to Ireland in 2017