Last week, 23 of our CUA MSBA students
attended our annual New York City Trip. We had a great time visiting
companies such as DDB, Interbrand, the New York Stock Exchange, JP
Morgan, Fox Business News and many others. Thanks to all the companies
who made our visit possible and to our stellar students. A special
thanks to Varanun for making the great video!
"An experience I will not forget. I met some incredible leaders in
business who inspired me to work hard and strive for excellence.
Overall, I feel much closer to the MSBA cohort and that the experience
has given me a greater appreciation for how businesses operate and how
much passion drives success.” - Sean Russell Wilson
At Times Square
"The trip to New York was absolutely incredible! We spent days at some
of the best companies and got to meet so many new exciting people, but
the best part was definitely growing closer to my classmates - it is an
experience that I won't forget!" - Patty Fabijanczyk
Made it to the hotel safe and sound!
"The NYC trip was a true learning and bonding experience. While visiting
numerous diverse companies, I learned a lot about the type of work
environment that I will thrive best in. It was also fun to spend time
and get to know our MSBA class even better!" - Kendall Swenson
On the way to JP Morgan
"The NY trip was a great experience for our group. Travel is a necessary
evil in the business world; fortunately, busy travel days become a lot
more bearable when you're surrounded by 25 good friends. We were lucky
to be able to share this experience as a class. Use your travel time
wisely; smile, say thank you, and compliment the people you meet." -
Julie Brownell
Studying hard on the train to NYC
"It was a great way to bond with our class." - Caitlin Wiggins
Joe Liebman, account planner at DDB, explains the role of research in developing client communications
"The trip to New York was a great experience for me. I have lived in
New York my entire life but never had the chance to visit businesses,
learn the inside aspects of the companies or walk around the floor of
the New York Stock Exchange! The trip was exciting and educational,
which is how the MSBA program has been this semester" - Victoria
Capozucca
Professor Shatzen discusses quantitative methods with Joe Liebman
"It was exciting to see the vast number of opportunities in a wide variety of industries and businesses." - Pat Fricchione
Outside the New York Stock Exchange
"I think seeing different industries appealing
to everyone is class was very beneficial. Also – I think sleep and
hunger are for the weak (you guys know what I’m talking about). The trip
was an excellent experience. I made great connections and would highly
recommend the trip to future MSBA students." - Matthew Miano
At the W hotel after a long day of company visits
“The trip was spectacular, it really changed my perspective on the
variety of jobs there are. It was really helpful getting to meet CUA
graduates working in these different companies and getting to know how
they got there." - Shea Lilly
On the way to the New York Stock Exchange
This class continues to show promise and we are excited to see what next semester holds.
The School of Business and Economics Advisory Board gathered
in the beautiful May Gallery in John T. Mullen library recently to kick off
the new academic year and meet their MSBA student mentees. The
board, comprised of local business leaders and executives, is instrumental in
advising us on the latest trends in hiring and ensuring we are adjusting our
curriculum to reflect the needs of employers. During this session, Dr.
Abela reviewed the long term strategy for the School of Business and a discussion
ensued about how to increase the visibility of the school and its mission.
Ms. Kelly addressing the Advisory Board
The board was extremely impressed and complimentary of the
work Corporate Relations Manager Marykate Kelly has done in putting together an organization focused on
ensuring all School of Business undergraduate and graduate students are
prepared to find that all-important first job.
After reviewing this year’s MSBA
class recruiting results and discussing ideas to extend the reach of the program, the current
class joined the meeting to be paired with their Advisory
Board mentor and enjoy a reception. The mentoring program is an important and popular feature of the MSBA
program and gives our students another important touch point in the community
and in the business world.
I
look forward to watching these relationships grow into lifelong networking
opportunities. Thanks to all of our advisory board for their great advice
and support. -Stewart McHie Director-Master of Science in Business Analysis mchie@cua.edu
Bernardo Nogales obtained the position of Chief Operation Officer at Agro Noles S.A. after graduating from the CUA MSBA program. Mr. Nogales gives us a deeper look into his position in the interview below.
Tell us a little about your company "The main focus of the company is grain production, mainly soybeans. We also have operations in sugar cane and beef cattle. These three branches are located in different areas outside the city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The organization decided to get into this type of business due to the high demand for these products not only locally but also in foreign markets" What you do there?
Bernardo Nogales - Agro Noles S.A. COO
"As a COO I have the responsibility of planning, executing and controlling operations within our budget for each branch of the business mentioned above. I work closely with the CFO and the purchasing department in terms of budgeting, cash flows and purchases. My everyday duties are keeping in contact with every area of operation, and quickly come up with solutions if issues arise. Issues having to do with the use of heavy equipment within production often come up. I have meetings with different vendors that provide services and products, in which deals can be closed depending on the subject matter and the situation. I also have weekly meetings with the whole staff to discuss and plan our priorities for the week, and a daily meeting with the general manager" How did the CUA MSBA program help prepare you for this career? "The program has helped me in terms of planning and executing. We covered these topics in different classes throughout the program and I now have a better sense of how to approach things and how I can apply planning and executing in my everyday tasks. Leadership is another strong asset I learned in the program and it is something that has helped me tremendously as professional and in my career." What really stands from the program that you think helped you get a job? "Something that really stuck out to me was the constant mentoring that one receives in this program. No matter what your field might be, there is always a faculty member or a guest speaker that can guide you. Through this mentoring I learned how I could reach my goals, and be more curious and focused. One of my favorite moments, which I am sure I share with my peers, was the trip to NYC and the opportunity to visit so many important companies. The highlight was having the chance to be inside the New York Stock Exchange."
The Future of Data Driven Innovation The future of the global economy and Corporate America as we know it lies within the numbers and spreadsheets of "big data." Really a misnomer, "big data" is in its essence not all that big. Hidden within the 1s and 0s of computer code, the information about users, industries, and collected responses drive the businesses of today. Many questions are being raised regarding the ethical practices behind the data collected. How should it be used? How should it be protected by businesses? What role will it play in the innovations of the future?
The Chamber of Commerce's "Future of Data Driven Innovation" event, featured panelists who are all experts within their fields. They gave professional insights on the future of the economy, technology, and legislative policy and how data impacted each of these areas. From smarter cars to more efficient farmers, the speakers shared that collected data can help industries become more technical, efficient and safe. We learned that economies will be able to more effectively forecast stocks and potential earnings using gathered data from consumers, businesses and governments. Furthermore, the goal for cyber securities is the protection of banks and markets that will bolster the trust of investors and foreign traders. It is likely that legislation will govern how data is handled, de-identified, and then used to gear advertising and marketing back to the consumer. Ultimately, the usage of data will help drive corporate growth, continuing the cycle of data driven innovation for generations to come.
Follow this link to read the official report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan Hyland, MSBA class of 2014 earlier last week. Ryan is the Head Men's Basketball Coach at John Jay College in New York City and is one of the youngest head coaches in the NCAA. From 2007-2011, Hyland served as a manager, player, and student assistant coach at Catholic University of America before becoming a full-time graduate assistant coach and guards position coach for the CUA Cardinals in 2012. Hyland earned his Bachelors of Arts and Sciences in Psychology in 2011 and his Masters of Science in Business Analysis in 2014, both from Catholic University.
Mr. Hyland's impressive resume includes coaching and directing at eleven elite summer basketball camps over the last five years, and he has worked alongside the likes of Florida Head Coach Billy Donovan, Michigan Head Coach John Beilein, former St. John's Head Coach and current Kansas Assistant Coach Norm Roberts, and Memphis Tigers Head Coach Josh Pastner.
Of his current position, Hyland states, "I am humbled and honored by this opportunity to join the John Jay family. I want to thank Athletic Director Carol Kashow for this chance to return to NYC to a great institution with an amazing vision to succeed. I am committed to supporting our student-athletes and building a program that strives for excellence on and off the court."
Q: Can you explain what sorts of duties you have in your position and what goes on day-to-day?
A: I run and operate the Men’s Basketball Program. My hands are on everything from recruitment of new student athletes to managing a budget, to dealing with day to day operations like running practices and coaching the games, and helping students manage their academics. My job encompasses lot of different areas but my main goal is to help our players reach their goals both on and off the court.
Q: How did the CUA MSBA program help prepare you for this career?
A: In every way possible. The MSBA program helped me get into the right mindset for entering life after school. Each of the classes contributed greatly in preparing me for my career. The Entrepreneurship classes provided me invaluable tools I use every day while running my own program– I use many of the things I learned in Professor McHie’s Marketing class to fundraise for our team. Our Management and Leadership classes with Professor Brach taught me how to manage and lead a team in both the business and athletic sense.
Q: What from the program stands out specifically that you think helped prepare you for a career in this field?
A: The field I was looking to enter was very specific. I think the mentoring and career prep with Ms. Kelly was invaluable – she helped me get organized and do mock interviews and helped prep me for the job search. Same for Professor McHie who from day one was very accommodating and made sure he could help even in a field that no one in the program knew too much about.
Q: Can you recall a favorite memory from the program?
A: I think one of the highlights were the speakers and the guest lecturers we had both in class and on Thirsty Thursdays, particularly Brad Peacock, Andreas Widmer and Congressman Fortenberry. Also, interacting on a day to day basis with all of the teachers and faculty in the program and absorbing all of the knowledge they’ve amassed during their time as leaders in their specific fields.
We are proud of you, Ryan, and are glad the CUA MSBA program helped set your career in motion. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!
Dean Andrew Abela was one of just five new business school deans highlighted by The Washington Post
on Sunday, September 14. Other deans included in the article hail from
the University of Maryland, George Washington University, George Mason
University, and American University. All five deans featured in the
article - which covers nearly every major university in the Washington
Metro Area - have been appointed within the last two years.
The article also includes several frequently asked questions regarding
CUA's new School of Business and Economics, such as: "Why transition
from a department to a standalone school?"
Please click here to read the full list of questions and Dean Abela's answers.
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