Blog feature

Awesome blog post and by current MSBA student Rachel Coffman and a great response by many of her classmates (make sure to check out her blog here). Time management is always of utmost importance, but is not always easy. It's so nice to see our cohort acting as positive influences and supporting each other. Keep up the good work, everyone!

Coffman MSBA 2014: Accounting.....: Start of a new week in the lovely MSBA program! Can we always have Monday's off? Just kidding, how could we have Quant and Leadership that way?! Sunday night was rough I think for most of us regarding the Quant homework...but I'm proud of us for making it through! I love how quickly our group chat turned into constant messages with each other. It doesn't always have to be about homework (Sunday it mostly was...) but regarding how we all communicate with each other I think we are doing really well. At least for myself I did not expect us to dive head first into this program so quickly, but I'm really glad we did. I'm already starting to learn so many new things, and lately every time a friend or family member of mine asks me about this program I always tell them the same thing. I say it is so refreshing to have all of the classes you are taking be something that you are interested in and actually want to learn. Personally, my undergrad was filled with filler courses and endless boring PowerPoint slides made up of material I knew I did not want to carry out in my career. I know in college you do have to go through those classes, however, the MSBA program is not like that. It is great to know that these classes all consist of specific goals with learning materials aiming for us to thrive in whichever aspect of business we decide to pursue. In this program we are all so motivated and you can tell we all want to succeed. I think that just pushes us that much further. Now with this accounting quiz tomorrow...I should go study...

6 comments:

1. Stewart McHieSeptember 10, 2014 at 8:17 AM

   Good
   luck on that quiz Rachel! Just remember that you can all master this
   stuff, especially quant and accounting. Simple but not easy. And the
   satisfaction you'll derive from conquering these courses will be
   immense. I've see it happen in four successful MSBA classes now.
2. Victoria CapozuccaSeptember 12, 2014 at 12:57 PM

   Rachel,
   I feel the same way! It's so refreshing knowing that every person is
   trying their hardest and it makes everyone work even harder. Also,
   working on Quant last week made something intimidating turn into a fun
   time!
3. Carissa NguyenSeptember 14, 2014 at 1:55 PM

   Hi
   Rachel! I am also very glad about the group chat that we all have
   established. It really opens up the lines of communication... Both
   educationally and socially! It feels comforting to know that I am not
   the only person feeling a little overwhelmed with the change in
   curriculum since undergrad; I am sure, however, that with each others'
   help we will all make it through!
   
   Now to send some silly emoji into the Groupme...
   
   See you in class and stay strong! Currently working on quant...
   
   Carissa
4. Caitlin TreuthSeptember 16, 2014 at 5:46 PM

   Rachel
   I really enjoy how you post the same way you talk. It makes it much
   more personable to read! I totally agree about the relevance of the
   classes! Why did I take art history in undergrad? Who benefited from
   that? No one lol. But with the program this are all useful skills (even
   though there are some I will happily delegate to some other well paid
   employee)
5. Julie BrownellSeptember 16, 2014 at 11:10 PM

   Rachel!
   I completely agree with Caitlin's statement above, in that I could
   literally hear your voice as I was reading your blurb! I like how this
   post is so down to earth. Also ironic that it is entitled "Accounting,"
   since we just spent 5 million years doing those journal entries in the
   library!
   
   See you tomorrow! Good luck at work in the morning!
6. Pilarski - MSBA 2014September 17, 2014 at 8:07 AM

   Hi
   Rachel, I really liked that you touched on how the MSBA classes have
   this goal-oriented unity to them. Already, we have seen different
   concepts like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs come up in both Managing the
   Enterprise and Marketing. Since we are taking six classes this semester,
   it is so helpful to see the same concepts reinforced throughout our
   classes, even though we might be learning about it from a different
   perspective. I often think back to orientation, when we were trying to
   put together the puzzle that had the diagram of all of our courses on
   it. It is fun to see how the classes we are taking now, are slowly
   shaping into the "bigger picture" as we are learning about so many
   different aspects of business.

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Dress To Impress - Lessons learned from Jonathan Kernion

Last week we were honored to be joined by Mr. Jonathan Kernion, President of Cycle Construction for dinner and a wonderful evening of storytelling and inspiration. MSBA student Victoria Capozucca recounts the evening in her blog post Dress To Impress... Yourself. Take it away, Victoria!

Dress To Impress... Yourself.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have dinner and listen to one of the most inspirational people I have ever met, Mr. Jonathan Kernion, the President of Cycle Construction.  The dinner was filled with questions, laughter, encouraging advice, motivational words and even a few tears from touching stories. This is the first business dinner I have ever attended and I can honestly say it went above and beyond my expectations.  It was nerve-racking knowing I was going to be in the presence of such accomplished people, but their welcoming personalities and intriguing stories helped me become comfortable and made the night flow smoothly.  I knew it was an exceptional night when I realized there was never any complete silence in the conversation.

One particular story that stood out to me was when Mr. Kernion spoke about the importance of looking good for yourself.  This story took place during a time in his life when was doing construction at Tulane University in New Orleans.  Curious of the financial side of the construction business, Mr. Kernion, dressed in a suit and tie, strolled into the Business School to ask about enrolling in some business courses.  The man asked if Mr. Kernioin would be interested in pursuing his MBA. With a smile, Mr. Kernion replied that he did not have a college degree.  Surprised by his answer, the man responded,“Well you look pretty smart.”

Mr. Kernion still had a smile on his face as he proceeded to explain the meaning of the story.  He put his suit on that morning because he wanted to.  Mr. Kernion had previously struggled with his self-identification and had encountered difficult situations throughout his life.  He decided that the only way to persevere through the hard times was to work on his self-esteem.  One step he integrated into his life was wearing a suit, so when he looked in the mirror he saw a confident man that deserved success. Simply speaking, Mr. Kernion felt good because he physically looked good.

A few years prior to this "dress to impress... yourself," mentality, Mr. Kernion felt broken and unsure of his capability of success. This small change has been very beneficial for him.

This story, to me, showed the importance of inner confidence. It doesn't matter what people think of you. What does matter is what you think about yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, how can you expect other people to?

As I continue on my journey in the MSBA program, I realize that I have developed a new found confidence because of my business attire. I am enrolled in this program to grow as a businesswoman, and the change in attire makes me feel like a businesswoman.

I'm so grateful for the chance to hear the fascinating stories Mr. Kernion shared. He has inspired me and has helped me figure out that in order to grow I need to believe in myself because if I believe in myself and I know I can accomplish a goal, I will accomplish it.

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MSBA Student Guest Blog Post

We are excited to have one of our new MSBA students guest post on our blog today. Everyone, meet Kendall and make sure to check out her blog!

Hi everyone, my name is Kendall Swenson and I am a student here at The Catholic University of America. I recently graduated from CUA in May 2014 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and minor in Philosophy. Currently, I am a proud student in the Master of Science in Business Analysis program. I have recently started a blog titled Swenson MSBA 2015. It is about my journey through the MSBA program and I will update it often with different postings about my experiences inside and outside the classroom and my internship. I hope you enjoy it!

Swenson MSBA 2015: September 2, 2014: The Catholic University of America’s Master of Science in Business Analysis is a unique program for students who have not yet had the opportunity to study business in such an in-depth approach. For me, this program is giving me essential tools to use for my future career in business and better marketing myself in the competitive job market. One of my favorite things about the program is that, as a student, I can tell that the professors and staff have put in an extreme effort to make this experience as full as possible. They set up our classes, activities, and everything in between like it would be in a real world business setting. From teaching us how to interview well, to becoming experts in excel, to learning how to think critically and strategically… the staff has put a lot of thought into how to make us into the best versions of ourselves so that we become great business professionals. Fortunately, since the class is small, students get enough attention they need to help with class work and really be heard in the classroom. The class size also helps foster the crucial principles in teamwork and management like we are learning in the program. In just the first week, this is only a summary of the great advantages I know I am getting from being apart of the MSBA program.

 
We will be featuring more guest posts from the MSBA class of 2015 throughout the year, so be sure to check back regularly for more!

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MSBA Class of 2015 hits the ground running

It's hard to believe we have already ushered in a new school year! We welcomed our largest  class to date, MSBA class of 2015, totaling 27 bright and promising students. Orientation week was packed with fun-filled and team building events (as well as a little work, of course).
 

MSBA 2015 Orientation Meet and Greet

The Meet-and-Greet on held in our graduate lounge on Wednesday evening was a great success and students got the chance to get to know each other before the rest of the week's events and the start of classes. Thursday morning began bright and early with a case study workshop, where students worked in groups before giving a presentation on a case study created by faculty member Harvey Seegers that they were given prior to Orientation week.

More fun was had by all on Friday at Go-Adventures in Darnestown, MD, where everyone completed a variety of team-building and problem solving activities.

It is clear the MSBA class of 2015 is full of promise and talent. The year is off to a great start and we can't wait to see what you all have in store.

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Dean Abela Presents A Catechism for Business to Pope Francis

On Saturday May 10, 2014,  Andrew Abela, Dean of the School of Business and Economics, presented a copy of his new book, A Catechism for Business, co-edited with Dr. Joseph Capizzi of the School of Theology and Religious Studies, to Pope Francis. Dean Abela was in Rome attending the annual conference of the Fondazione Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice, a Vatican organization established by Pope St. John Paul II for the promotion of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

Dean Abela presenting his book A Catechism for Business to Pope Francis.
Photo @ L'Observatore Romano

The conference was focused on whether solidarity and fraternity can be factors in business decisions. Explicitly stated was the knowledge that“corporate responsibility,” as it is commonly understood, is not enough to address the economic problems of our age. Rather, the conference brought together prominent business leaders and members of the academic community to discuss the need for a “more dynamic”understanding of fraternity in economics and the practical implications it would have on the business world. Dean Abela led an interview of five business executives who discussed the application of Catholic solidarity in business decisions.

A Catechism for Business draws together the Church’s Social Doctrine on business, organized by topic and question. It serves as a reference guide for Catholic business leaders who wish to deepen their faith and grow in their understanding of Catholic Social Doctrine as applied to business.

To learn more about A Catechism for Business, please visit the book’s webpage at http://catechismforbusiness.com/

Stewart McHie, Director-Master of Science in Business Analysis

mchie@cua.edu

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National Catholic Register report on Dean's New Book

The National Catholic Register was in attendance for the launch of Dean Andrew Abela, and Dr. Joseph Capizzi's new book, A Catechism for Business: Tough Ethical Questions and Insights from Catholic Teaching. The launch was held at the Catholic Information Center and was a huge success.

The event brought together members of the University family including current student Matthew Patella, Master of Science in Business Analysis alum Samantha Donohue, and adviser to the School of Business William Bowman who are quoted in The National Catholic Register article.

The book, which provides extracts from various teachings of the Catholic faith and serves as a reference guide for ethical business questions, is currently available at CUA Press.

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National Review and Washington Post report on Dean's new book

Dean Andrew Abela

Collaborating with Dr. Joseph Capizzi of the School of Theology and Religious Studies, Dean Andrew Abela published his most recent book, A Catechism for Business: Tough Ethical Questions and Insights from Catholic Teaching, which is available for pre-order now.

The book is not an interpretation of Catholic social teaching on business. Rather, the catechism provides exact excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Papal encyclicals, and the like, that directly address specific ethical questions within business. This serves as a reference guide to business leaders, allowing them to consult the book and then prayerfully apply the principles to his or her specific situation.

A Catechism for Business provides business leaders with sources of Catholic social teaching so they are better prepared to apply those principles in business and articulate them to colleagues.
Both National Review and The Washington Post reviewed the book and interviewed Dr. Abela and Dr. Capizzi. To read the full stories, please click the links above.

To learn more about the book and to meet the editors, all are welcome to attend the book launch event at 6:00pm on Wednesday, March 26, 2014. The event will be held at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C.

Stewart McHie
Director, Master of Science in Business Analysis
mchie@cua.edu

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