Fairfield Dolan - Dolan Report Fall 2022

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DOLAN REPORT

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY | FALL 2022

Message From the Dean

It is with a proud and celebratory spirit that we share Fairfield Dolan’s annual report for the 2021-22 academic year.

Guided by the Jesuit Catholic mission of Fairfield University, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business aims to develop the next generation of business leaders with a strong social responsibility mindset. The feature story in this report elabo rates on how the Dolan School has developed innovative ways to integrate social responsi bility into business education.

Fairfield Dolan saw another record year of enrollments for both undergraduate and gradu ate programs, which prompted us to hire 11 new full-time faculty members. As you read you will discover that our students’ success, in terms of employment and graduate school acceptance rate, continues to shine at an outstanding level, thanks to the active engagements of our alumni, friends and supporters, and corporate partners.

Our programs continue to rise in the national rankings and gain recognition. The 2021-22 academic year was the first time U.S. News & World Report ranked Fairfield Dolan among the top 25 in the nation in the areas of accounting, business analytics, finance, and marketing, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Our MBA program ranked among the top 100 programs nationally. Additionally, Dolan’s accounting program is ranked #2 in the nation in terms of the percentage of graduates employed by the Big Four firms, per Online U’s 2022 rankings.

Our faculty members are known not only for their teaching excellence but also for their outstanding research, ranging from advancing management theories and impacting business practices to innovating pedagogies. Some of their research was even featured at this year’s World Economic Forum.

The Dolan School is sustaining its external engagements through our Dean’s Advisory Board and five disciplinary advisory councils (accounting, business analytics, finance, mar keting, and management) as well as through signature events such as Dolan Career Night and Stags on Wall Street, and our Professionals-in-Residence program. We also continue to attract prominent speakers including COO of WhatsApp Matt Idema and JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley ’04. Through these efforts, we continue to amplify our Dolan brand both nationally and globally.

We hope you enjoy reading the report!

Zhan Li, DBA

ON THE COVER:

A view of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business.

Photo by Joe Adams

DOLAN REPORT

Zhan Li, DBA Dean

Anca Micu, PhD

Associate Dean

Leanne De Los Santos

Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs

Rev. Gregory Konz, S.J. Special Assistant to the Dean

Erica Spencer, MEd Assistant Dean and Director of Undergraduate Programs

Sarah Bollinger, MEd Director of the Dolan Career Development Center

John Hottinger, MA

Associate Director of the Dolan Career Development Center

Faye Troiano, MEd Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs

Eve Liptak, MA Manager of Dolan Communication and Events

Allison Wade

Integrated Marketing Manager

Nancy (Gelston) Dobos ’91

Designer

Send Inquiries to: Charles F. Dolan School of Business Fairfield University

1073 North Benson Road Fairfield, CT 06824-5195 203-254-4000 ext. 2843 fairfield.edu/dolan

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Dean and Professor, Dolan School of Business
“Guided by the Jesuit Catholic mission of Fairfield University, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business aims to develop the next generation of business leaders with a strong social responsibility mindset.”

The

Opportunities That Matter

DOLAN REPORT | FALL 2022 1 Contents 2
Fairfield Dolan Distinction 4 Professional Development
6 JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley ’04 on Leading and Managing in Uncertain Times 7 Fairfield Dolan Announces New Partnership With ICFAI Business School (IBS) in India 8 Developing Socially Responsible Business Leaders 11 Fairfield Dolan Introduces New Minor in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 12 Fairfield Dolan Year In Review 2021-2022 Highlights 14 Faculty Newsbreakers

THE FAIRFIELD DOLAN DISTINCTION

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

#18

Best Grad Schools Marketing

U.S. News & World Report

The Dolan School, a leader in Jesuit business education, aims to prepare students to be ethical business leaders for a global future and has been named among the best business schools in the U.S.

Best Grad Schools Business Analytics

News & World Report

#19

Best Grad Schools

News & World Report

the Best

the Country

Princeton Review

#19

Best Grad Schools Finance

U.S. News & World Report

Best Part-Time MBA

News & World Report

Dolan Graduate Students

or Accepted to a Doctoral Program

six months of graduation

Big Data

2023
Accounting U.S.
2023 MBA Among
In
The
2022 #92
U.S.
2023 100%
Employed
within
Class of 2021 TOP 10 Best
Degrees College Choice 2019
2023
#21
U.S.
2023

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

#2

Best Undergraduate Business Program

Analytics

& World Report

Colleges for Business Majors

Magazine

Best Colleges for Accounting and Finance

Connecticut

97%

Best Undergraduate Business Program

U.S. News & World Report

Graduating Seniors

At Least One Internship Class of 2022

Dolan Undergraduate Students Employed or Accepted to Graduate School within six months of graduation Class of 2021

Undergraduate Business Program

&

Best Undergraduate Business Program

News & World

Best Schools For Business Majors

#15
Business
U.S. News
2022 TOP 10 Best
Money
2019 #21
Finance
2022 85%
Completed
#37
Marketing U.S.
Report 2022 #39 Best
Accounting U.S. News
World Report 2022
in
Niche 2020 #28
PayScale 2020

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MATTER

On average, the Dolan Career Development Center hosts 50 events annually to provide students with meaningful experiences to complement their coursework. These events serve to support students’ professional growth and to provide networking opportunities with Dolan’s active alumni network. These events, part of the Dolan Professional Development Series (PDS) program, are available to both undergraduate and graduate students seeking ways to enrich their academic experiences while also exploring their career interests.

“Through the PDS program I gained valuable soft skills needed to succeed,” explained Peter Toutoulis ’22 who completed the PDS program and is in the Dolan MSA program. “The mock interviews in particular helped me understand the importance of preparation. I am now confident in my ability to conduct a solid interview which is a skill I’ll have my entire career.”

Learn more about two notable events that took place during the 2021-22 academic year:

OVERCOMING IMPOSTER SYNDROME AND THE VALUE OF ALLYSHIP

A new PDS event, Fairfield Dolan was proud to host associ ates from PwC and alumni to discuss the topic of imposter syndrome and the importance of allyship in the workplace.

“Fostering a culture of inclusion and understanding in the workplace should be treated like any other important business issue,” said PwC partner Kevin Catalano ’97. “At PwC, we be lieve that overcoming unconscious bias and leaning in as a proactive ally to support the development of diverse colleagues are critical skills students need to succeed in their careers.”

Catalano was joined by Steve Alibrandi, PwC talent identi fication manager. Deirdre Neubauer ’11, MSA’12, tax senior manager, and Katelyn Stinchfield ’12, deployment consultant, were also in attendance and shared their experiences in the workplace since graduating from Fairfield.

STAGS ON WALL STREET EVENT

HOSTS MORE THAN 40 ALUMNI

Dolan students interested in a career in financial services had the chance to network with more than 40 alumni at the Stags on Wall Street Event. Professionals from 16 companies were stationed at tables in the Dolan Event Hall where they wel comed more than 150 students to share opportunities at their companies.

“This event was a big step in building upon Fairfield’s already strong presence in financial services,” said Doug Freeman ’08, a UBS Investment Bank director. “Encouraging this connectivity between alumni in the industry and the current student body will hopefully help to increase the number of internship and post-graduate opportunities available to students in the years to come.”

“Fairfield has an amazing network of alumni who are successful across various sectors of the financial services industry,” said Alexandra Cordero ’19, institutional FX sales analyst at J.P. Morgan. “Stags on Wall Street is an exciting event that will help prepare students for a career on Wall Street by giving them the opportunity to engage with, ask questions to, and network with alumni. It is great to see the work that John Hottinger and others on campus are doing to engage and prepare the next set of industry leaders coming out of Fairfield!” l D

RIGHT: Enkh-Amgalan Batburen ’22 and Jackson Kashuba ’24 at the Stags on Wall Street event.

FAR RIGHT FROM TOP: John Hottinger, MA associate director of the Dolan Career Development Center welcomes students and employers to the Stags on Wall Street event. Colleen Thorburn ’97, head of international equity sales at Deutsche Bank speaks with students at Stags on Wall Street. Sophia Nelson ’21, MBA’22, Nicholas Reich ’21, MSA’22, Chelsea Reichard ’21, MBA’22, and Thomas Russell Mazzaro ’21, MSA’22 at Stags on Wall Street.

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Fairfield’s strong alumni network has been recognized by the Princeton Review
and is ranked #14 for Best Alumni Network (2020).
DOLAN REPORT | FALL 2022 5

JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley ’04 on Leading and Managing in Uncertain Times

Last November Fairfield Dolan welcomed Ursula Hurley ’04, CFO of JetBlue and a valued member of the Fairfield Dolan Advisory Board, to address students as part of the Dolan Dean’s Executive Forum. The topic of conversation, “Leading and Managing in Uncertain Times,” could hardly have been more appropriate or timely, considering what the airline industry had endured following the pandemic. Hurley spoke of the short- and long-term strategies she and her team put in place to keep the company afloat.

“Covid shocked the airline industry more than September 11, more than the oil crisis,” said Hurley, by way of putting the events of 2020 into perspective. “In the second quarter of 2020, we saw our revenue plummet 90 percent, [while] burning through $18 million a day. While we typically operate over 1,000 flights a day, we were flying maybe 100. We needed to move quickly to secure our financial position given the drastic drop in demand.”

As the company’s CFO, Hurley is responsible for JetBlue’s overall financial strategy, cash management, corporate finance, aircraft and engine transactions, strategic sourcing,

and real estate. Her team made more than a dozen different deals with business partners, postponing the purchase of new planes, for example, and extending payment schedules. An infusion of government money helped, but the company also needed to reduce its cash burn.

“We parked 170 planes in the desert, and stopped flying routes that were not producing positive numbers,” she said. By the end of 2020, the steps the company took meant they were able to reduce their cash burn to $6 million a day.

With so many planes on the ground, there was little work for many of the company’s employees. JetBlue got creative, allowing people to take unpaid leave and early retirements, and the company is extremely proud that they were the only U.S. airline to not furlough or send Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARN notices) to their employees.

The company also focused on communicating to their employees and to the public, stressing that the safety and health of their customers and crew members was their number one priority. They doubled down on cleaning, and educated the public on the efficacy of planes’ HEPA filters, while allowing for no-fee changes and cancellations, all with a focus on instilling confidence in airline travel again.

“I’ve learned to be comfortable navigating scenarios that are gray and ambiguous, and how to make quick decisions,” shared Hurley. “A meaningful takeaway, for me, is how important teamwork is. We wouldn’t have been navigating through our recovery if we hadn’t all come together as a company — from finance to operations to communications. Our five values acted as our guiding light — similar to Fairfield — and have helped us be successful for the past 21 years.” l D

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“A meaningful takeaway, for me, is how important teamwork is. We wouldn’t have been navigating through our recovery if we hadn’t all come together as a company.”
Ursula Hurley ’04 CFO of JetBlue

FAIRFIELD DOLAN ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ICFAI BUSINESS SCHOOL (IBS) IN INDIA

With a vision toward continuing its expansion both nationally and globally, the Dolan School has established a partnership with one of India’s premier business schools.

Following the launch of the successful Shanghai MBA program in 2020 with Golden Education, Dolan has developed another partnership with one of India’s premier business schools, ICFAI Business School (IBS). ICFAI, which stands for the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India, was established in 1984 as a non-profit society with the goal of empowering citizens through world-class education. An agreement between Fairfield Dolan and IBS, signed in August, will facilitate academic collaborations in a number of ways.

IBS has nine campuses across India, all with MBA or similar business degree programs. According to the terms of the agreement, IBS students will have the opportunity to come to Fairfield to earn an MBA or a specialized master’s degree, in addition to the degree earned from IBS. This dual degree, combined with international experience, will give IBS students a valuable perspective on leadership and management styles from both cultures, a plus that can be a major advantage in a competitive global marketplace.

For Dolan MBA students, the agreement opens possibilities for short-term study abroad, giving students a chance to explore how business is conducted in India, and to engage in coursework to observe Indian companies. The agreement will also establish the prospect for cross-collaborative research among Dolan and IBS faculty.

Anca Micu, PhD, Fairfield Dolan associate dean, is familiar with IBS, having collaborated with a colleague there on a research project examining branding in higher education.

“IBS aims to educate business students with a sense of social responsibility, similar to Fairfield’s philosophy,” said Dr. Micu. “IBS is well established, one of their campuses is AACSB accredited, and most faculty have a PhD. They strive to graduate well-rounded individuals. In many ways, the school is a natural partner for Dolan.”

International students make up 16.5 percent of Dolan’s graduate student body — a diverse group with myriad perspectives about how business is conducted, said Dr. Micu. “We anticipate that a number of IBS students will come to Fairfield each year, and we believe this will create a valuable educational experience for them as well as for our Dolan students.” l D

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LEFT: Provost Christine Siegel, PhD, and Dean and Member Secretary of ICFAI Business School P. Venkateswarlu, PhD. Photo by Kristie Kistner

DEVELOPING SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS LEADERS

Fairfield Dolan is committed to the Jesuit Catholic tradition of cura personalis, a Latin phrase meaning “care of the whole person.” In modern-day business education, the Dolan School is committed to students’ academic achievements as well as their mental health, physical health, and spiritual growth. Dolan’s diverse learning community is powered by outstanding faculty and staff who deliver educational excellence through nationally recognized programs and innovative curricula, research, and service.

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As business leaders educated in the Jesuit tradition, Dolan graduates enter the work force with a socially responsible perspective.

During their time at Fairfield, many students engage in service-learning coursework where they apply the skills learned in the classroom to solve real-world business problems for local organizations. Through these expe riences, Dolan graduates learn first-hand the impact of making a difference in their communities.

SERVICE-LEARNING COURSEWORK

As part of taking Dolan’s “Database Systems” course, Caroline Donovan ’22, MSBA’23, had the opportunity to work with The Leaders Readers Network (LRN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to equalizing access to quality education. Donovan and her classmates were divided into teams to each develop a Microsoft Access database and user manual for various data sets from LRN.

“My experience working with Leaders Readers Network was pivotal,” explained Donovan. “I enjoyed working with data, but thought a career in analytics would leave me working only behind the scenes, so I planned to pursue accounting where I would be communicating closely with a team and a client. Working directly with a company to deliver insights discovered through analytics made me realize I could have a career in business analytics that was client service-focused. This experience not only benefited me professionally, but it was also rewarding to help others with a real need.”

Dante Gizo ’22, who took the “Systems Analysis and Logical Design” class in 2021, worked with Green Village Initiative (GVI), an organization dedicated to urban gardening and farming. As part of the course, Gizo and fellow classmates applied fundamental database concepts and Structured Query Language (SQL) to design a more

sophisticated database management system for GVI. After completing the course, Gizo continued to work with GVI through a summer internship.

“Working with GVI was a dream come true,” said Gizzo. “In high school I participated in volunteer work, and it was rewarding to combine my coursework with hands-on community service.”

Donovan and Gizo’s instructor, Yasin Ozcelik, PhD, chair and associate professor of business analytics, shared the significance of service learning, for both students and organizations.

“The technical skills our students use to assist these organizations can be really expensive to outsource,” explained Dr. Ozcelik. “While our students provide a valuable service, they gain crucial communication and client-service skills by working directly with employees of local organizations.”

For students in Dolan’s “Economic Development” course, Anna-Maria Aksan, PhD, associate professor of economics, developed assignments to support The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), an international, faithbased NGO. During the course, students consider the nature and causes of problems facing low-income nations, with a focus on the impact that various economic policies have on promoting economic development.

CMMB provides long-term, medical, and development aid to communities affected by poverty and healthcare issues. To assist in the development of training materials for CMMB volunteers, Dr. Aksan’s students researched the six countries where CMMB volunteers work, to develop country profiles highlighting the systematic failures in each territory. The reports were then used by CMMB as supplemental orientation material to prepare its medical field volunteers.

Dr. Aksan, who also gives her time to support the United

Yasin Ozcelik, PhD Associate Professor of Business Analytics

Way of Western Connecticut’s Healthy Savings Program, underscored the value of service-learning coursework.

“Students really seem to appreciate the engagement of service learning, knowing that what they are learning matters, that it has a clear purpose,” said Dr. Aksan. “By applying the theory and analytical skills we learn throughout the semester, these concepts really sink in and resonate.”

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Associate professor of accounting Ahmed Ebrahim, PhD, CPA, CMA, has made a point to give back to Fairfield’s surrounding communities while integrating student learning in a big way. In 2009, Dr. Ebrahim established a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program site in Bridgeport, Conn. The site has since moved to the Dolan School where students volunteer through the VITA Program as part of the

DOLAN REPORT | FALL 2022 9
“While our students provide a valuable service, they gain crucial communication and client-service skills by working directly with employees of local organizations.”

“Individual Taxation: Socioeconomic Applications” course.

“I am a strong believer in action among reflection,” said Dr. Ebrahim. “We continue to see the same people year after year, and we become friends over time. It’s an opportunity to get to meet and assist families in our community while providing a valuable service.”

The program provides free tax assistance to low-tomoderate-income individuals and families who are unable to prepare their own tax returns. While students traditionally meet with clients in person, the pandemic required volunteers to move their services online, and last year, Dr. Ebrahim continued to personally file 285 returns for clients.

“Participating in the VITA program allowed me to see the direct correlation between my passion for service and my interest in tax accounting,” said Kallan Hook ‘21. “I have not only become more confident in my ability to directly apply my learning, but I have also felt a greater sense of fulfillment by being able to see how I can make a positive impact for families.”

SOCIAL IMPACT SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Founded in 2020, the Fairfield Dolan Social Impact Summer Internship (SISI) Program offers students stipends to pursue an internship in the non-profit sector, or to take on a project that would benefit their local communities. The goal of the program is to offer alternatives to typical, for-profit company internships, while encouraging the Jesuit belief that one’s talents and education should be used in service to others.

This past summer Abud Hennawi ’23 spent his summer, iPad in hand, greeting visitors at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, Conn. His time at the beach, however, was no ordinary day. Hennawi took part in the SISI program under the direction of William Vasquez Mazariegos, PhD, professor of economics, surveying Connecticut residents at the park with the goal of assessing what forms of mitigation of sea level rise they would be willing to pay for.

Hennawi applied for the internship knowing he could put the market research techniques and communication

skills he learned in his marketing classes to use. Each day he talked to park visitors about the effects that climate change and sea level rise have on coastal areas – emphasizing facts with aerial photography of flooding and sea water intrusion into fresh water bodies – and collected survey data that will guide authorities in determining the economic value the community places on various solutions.

“We designed questions that will elicit the value that people assign to goods not traded in the market,” explained Dr. Vasquez Mazariegos. “If you pay five dollars for a cup of coffee, I know that you value that cup at five dollars. But when it comes to things that are intangible, we need to determine that value. Our goal is to apply for a research grant with the National Science Foundation to see if we can scale this project up to developing countries.”

A POSITIVE IMPACT ON CONNECTICUT’S ECONOMY

As the largest school on Fairfield University’s campus, comprising 45 percent of the student population and the second-largest number of faculty and staff, Fairfield Dolan is a significant contributor to the University’s overall impact on local and regional communities. A 2021 economic impact study conducted by the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges (CCIC) reported Fairfield University contributed more than $1 billion to the local and regional economy. The University’s economic impact was measured in terms of both the direct and the induced economic impact of the University’s activity on the local economy. Direct spending, defined as the amount of money spent directly by the University, University employees, students, alumni, and visitors, was valued at more than $630 million, with upwards of $100 million contributed by employees alone, and nearly $60 million generated with direct spending by students and visitors. The induced economic impact — the additional employment and expenditures of local industries that result because of direct spending — was valued at more than $400 million. l D

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FAIRFIELD DOLAN INTRODUCES NEW MINOR IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Available to all Fairfield students, the minor is designed to provide the economics background and the social justice knowledge for students to work effectively in any organization in pursuit of DEI goals.

Fairfield Dolan is proud to introduce a new minor in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), available to all Fairfield students. The minor, developed as part of the work done by Dolan’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion task force, was designed for students who are passionate about social justice. “The DEI minor is a significant step forward to support the Jesuit, Catholic mission of the University and it reflects the innovation of Fairfield Dolan,” said Dean Zhan Li, DBA.

Students who pursue the minor take an introductory course that establishes a breadth of topics in economics and business that are impacted by individual personal characteristics such as race, class, and gender. Students then take electives drawn from the College of Arts and Sciences that provide context and skills that inform the experience of diverse people. Finally, students bring this knowledge to a final capstone course that focuses attention on diversity in the workplace.

“Having a [Dolan] curriculum that reflects the life experiences of all students — and not just the majority — is crucial,” said Kathryn A. Nantz, PhD, professor of economics, who spear headed the curricular development for the DEI minor and teaches one of the two required courses, “Economics of Race, Class, and Gender in the American Workplace.”

The curriculum is designed to provide a depth of understanding to encourage students to recognize the wide range of perspectives that help to shape relationships among people. The goal is for students to acquire the economics and social justice knowledge to work effectively in any organization in pursuit of DEI goals. The capstone course for the minor, “Diversity in the Workplace,” will provide students with the opportunity to integrate the content and con text they have learned into their understanding of modern business and economic decisionmaking. Together, these courses will enable students to enter the workplace conscious of the many ways that diverse people and cultures can create more productive and equitable social and economic systems.

“The DEI minor specifically utilizes courses from the Magis Core while fulfilling some of the elective requirements, to further emphasize our institution’s holistic commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Carl Scheraga, PhD, chair of the Department of Management. “This minor will allow students to make greater connections across core courses, as well as between core courses and their major fields of study.”

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FAIRFIELD DOLAN YEAR IN REVIEW

Dean’s Executive Forum

With WhatsApp COO Matt Idema

Fairfield Dolan hosted Matt Idema, chief operating officer at WhatsApp, for the first Dolan Dean’s Executive Forum of the academic year.

Students Advance to Annual Deloitte FanTAXtic Case Competition

Fairfield Dolan was well-represented by two undergraduate student teams comprised of accounting and finance majors at the annual Deloitte FanTAXtic Case Competition. One of the two teams advanced to the national competition held in Dallas, Texas.

Marketing Analytics Students Engage in Top Experiential Learning Opportunities

Students of MSMAS Program Director Julie Marella visited Webster Bank Arena to hear Bridgeport Islander reps give career advice. The class partnered with a variety of causes across

campus, sold tickets to a Fairfield University Game Day event, and donated 20 percent of ticket sales to their cause of choice.

Dean’s Executive Forum With JetBlue CFO Ursula Hurley ’04 Alumna and valued member of the Fairfield Dolan Advisory Board, Ursula Hurley visited campus to address students in her talk titled “Leading and Managing in Uncertain Times.”

Employer-in-Focus Event Connects UBS Alumni with Finance Students

Eight UBS alumni from NYC offices visited campus to meet with nearly 100 students at the Employer-in-Focus event. Members of the Fairfield Dolan Student Managed Investment Fund, Fairfield Investment Group, Finance Club, and the Investment Banking Society were in attendance.

Dean’s Executive Forum Presents Sandy Cockrell on Developing CFOs

Fairfield Dolan welcomed accomplished strategist, financial executive, and certified public accountant Sandy Cockrell as a guest speaker for the Dean’s Executive Forum. In a conversation titled “Developing CFOs and Beyond,” Cockrell discussed several frameworks that are effective for C-suite executives.

New ESG Club Supports Responsible Business Learning and Jesuit Initiatives

Students founded the new ESG (environmental, social, and governance) Club this year, bringing insightful speakers to campus.

New Alumni Board Provides Career Lessons at Business Analytics Showcase

The event introduced a record-breaking turnout of more than 150 students to meet the newly created board of recent alumni. Members

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2021-22 31 2 87 2 3 4 5

discussed their daily job experiences and offered suggestions for students and for the curriculum.

First Sports Analytics Hackathon

Business analytics graduate students put their skills to the test during a live sports analytics hackathon event sponsored by Athletes Unlimited. Five teams of students presented their research findings and insights based on unique data collected by Athletes Unlimited

$30,000 Awarded at the Tenth Annual Fairfield StartUp Showcase

The 10th annual Fairfield StartUp Showcase, Fairfield University’s entrepreneurship competition, returned to a live show format featuring five student teams that competed for seed funding totaling $30,000.

Stags on Wall Street Hosts Alumni

From 16 Financial Services Firms

More than 40 alumni from financial services companies welcomed 150 students for an evening of networking. The professionals were stationed at tables in the Dolan Event Hall where they shared opportunities at their companies.

Shanghai MBA Graduation

The first cohort of 35 Fairfield Dolan Shanghai MBA students graduated in January 2022, commemorated by a virtual graduation ceremony with an address from President Mark R. Nemec, PhD. The second cohort of 35 students graduated in August 2022.

Forty-Fourth Annual Student and Faculty Recognition Ceremony

Recognizing the academic and professional achievements of the Dolan community, guest speaker Shannon Siwinski ’92, senior trader

and director at Bank of America, shared with students her experience at Fairfield and the importance of strengthening connections and giving back.

Class of 2022 Students Share Their Internship Experiences

Fairfield Dolan seniors shared their internship experiences with the Dolan community at the 2022 Senior Stories event.

to our Class of 2022 Graduates!

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Congratulations
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FACULTY NEWSBREAKERS

Anna-Maria Aksan, PhD, associate professor of economics, had a paper titled “Son Preference and the Demographic Transition” accepted for publication in Review of Development Economics. Dr. Aksan also co-authored the research paper “Providing Clean Water to Rural Villages: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Boreholes Versus Purification Sachets” with Fairfield alumnae Margaret Williams and Kaitlyn Aussenheimer. The paper was accepted for publication in the International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

Nazli Sila Alan, PhD, associate professor of finance, co-authored a paper titled “FirmLevel Cybersecurity Risk and Idiosyncratic Volatility” with Ahmet K. Karagozoglu and Tianpeng Zhou, which was accepted for publication in the Journal of Portfolio Management. Dr. Alan also co-authored a paper, titled “Global Equity Market Volatility During the Initial Stages of Pandemic: Drivers and Policy Responses,” with Ahmet K. Karagozoglu and Robert F. Engle, which was accepted for publication in the Journal of Portfolio Management

Katsiaryna Salavei Bardos, PhD, chair and associate professor of finance, had a paper titled “On the Importance of Teaching Real Estate in Finance Curriculum: An Applied Project for Basic Finance Courses” accepted for publication in the Journal of Economics and Finance Education. Dr. Bardos also had a paper titled “Student Reactions to a Sudden Shift

to Online Course Delivery During the Early Stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic,” coauthored with Linda Hughen and Natalya Shelkova, accepted for publication in the Journal of International Business Education.

Michael P. Coyne, PhD, CPA, MBA, associate professor of accounting, presented a paper titled “How the Development of the Intercontinental Railroads in the United States in the 19th Century Significantly Changed the Practice of Accounting and Finance” at the Economics and Business History Society Conference.

Ahmed Ebrahim, PhD, CPA, CMA, associate professor of accounting, had his paper, “The Substance and Form of Islamic Finance Instruments: An Accounting Perspective,” accepted for publication in the Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research.

LoriBeth Greenan, professor of the practice of marketing, contributed the following PR Daily articles: “From the Pros: Job-Seeking Advice Everyone Should Know” and “4 Tips From Working PR Pros on Writing Your Press Release.”

Christopher Hamer, instructor of the practice in management, received the 14th and 15th patent for his mobile video platform company CrowdFlik.

John Hill, PhD, visiting instructor of economics, was interviewed by CNBC for the segment “BlackRock Manages $9.5

Trillion in Assets. Here’s How It’s Preparing for Climate Change.”

Kara Hunter, PhD, CPA, assistant professor of accounting, presented a paper co-authored with Joan Lee, PhD, CPA, professor of accounting and Dawn W. Massey, PhD, CPA, CGMA, professor of accounting, titled “Soft Skills in Accounting: Moving Beyond ‘I know it when I see it’,” at the American Accounting Association annual meeting. Dr. Hunter also had a research paper accepted for publication in Accounting and Business Research, titled “Standard Precision and Aggressive Financial Reporting: The Influence of Incentive Horizon.”

Regina Kim, PhD, assistant professor of management, had her research paper, “Do You Hear My Accent? How Nonnative English Speakers Experience Conflictual Conversations in the Workplace,” accepted for publication in the International Journal of Conflict Management.

Steven Kozlowski, PhD, assistant professor of finance, presented a paper co-authored with Alec Melottov MSA ’20, MSF’21, titled “Earnings and Capital Management and Their Impact on Loan Loss Provision Informativeness: Evidence

From the U.S. Credit Union Industry,” at the Financial Management Association (FMA) Annual Meeting. Dr. Kozlowski also had a research paper titled “Implications of Public Corruption for Local Firms: Evidence From

Corporate Debt Maturity” accepted for publication in the Journal of Financial Stability.

Mark LeClair, PhD, professor of economics, had an article accepted for publication, titled “For College Finances, There Is No ‘Return to Normal,” in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Dr. LeClair also had a paper, titled “Proposal for a DonorInvestor Organization,” coauthored with Robert Goldberg, accepted for publication in the Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment.

Joan Lee, PhD, CPA, CGMA, professor of accounting, and Dawn W. Massey, PhD, CPA, CGMA, professor of accounting, had their chapter, “Putting Ethical Dilemmas on Students’ ‘RADAR’” published in Accounting Ethics Education: Making Ethics Real.

Nomalia Manna, PhD, assistant professor of finance, presented a research paper, titled “Corporate Investments in Startups: CVC Unit vs. Direct Investment,” at the Southwestern Finance Association conference.

Valeria Martinez, PhD, associate professor of finance, had the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) paper “My Multinational Corporation: What Does it Mean for Companies to do Business Internationally? Risks and Opportunities” accepted for presentation at the World Finance Conference.

14 FALL 2022 | DOLAN REPORT
14 FALL 2022 | DOLAN REPORT

Philip Maymin, PhD, associate professor of analytics and director of the MSBA program, had an article, “Computational Mindfulness,” coauthored with Stella Maymin, accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Studies in Social Science Research. Dr. Maymin also had his commentary “Notice New Things” featured in Dialogue.

John McDermott, PhD, associate professor of finance, Nazli Alan, PhD, associate professor of finance, and Michael Puleo, PhD, assistant professor of finance, had their research paper “ETN Closures: An Empirical Analysis” accepted for publication in The Journal of Index Investing.

Michael McDonald, PhD, associate professor of finance, had the article titled “Litigation Finance Investing: Alternative Investment Returns in the Presence of Information Asymmetry” accepted for publication in the Journal of Alternative Investments.

Sharlene McEvoy, JD, PhD, professor of business law had “Is the Use of ‘Love Letters’ a Form of Housing Discrimination?” accepted for publication in Urban Studies and Public Administration.

David P. Schmidt, PhD, associate professor of management and director of the Waide Center for Applied Ethics, presented “Selected Topics on Business Ethics” to students and faculty from Kyiv National Economic University, Ukraine, during a virtual presentation.

Nazuk Sharma, PhD, assistant professor of marketing and Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter advisor, co-hosted an international virtual networking event in collaboration with Fairfield University’s BGS student leadership team, the University of Sydney (Australia), ICESI University (Colombia) and IMT Ghaziabad (India), successfully bringing together BGS members from across the globe.

Stanislav Vavilov, PhD, assistant professor of management, had the article “Creating Complementarities: How Entrepreneurs Mobilize Crowdfunding and Local Ecosystems” accepted for publication in Strategic Organization. Dr. Vavilov was also interviewed on his MBA and PhD experiences for Forbes Education Russia. He also had the article “Organizing Projects for Social Innovation” accepted for publication in the Handbook of Innovation and Project Management

Ying Zhang, PhD, associate professor of finance, had the research paper “Economic Policy Uncertainty and Real Estate Market: Evidence from U.S. REITs” accepted for publication in International Real Estate Review.

RIGHT: Mousumi Bose Godbole, PhD, as sociate professor of marketing and MBA program director discussing coursework with students.

Photo by Joe Adams

Fairfield University’s Charles F. Dolan School of Business boasts experienced faculty who teach students the fundamentals, ethics, and new developments in business on a local and global scale.

THANK YOU 2022 CORPORATE PARTNERS

At Bank of America, we are focused on driving responsible growth by deploying capital, creating jobs, developing communities, fostering economic mobility, and addressing society’s biggest challenges.

“Bank of America is proud of our expanding partnership with Fairfield University which is preparing students with real-world experiences, including Fairfield Dolan’s Professional Development Series and the Women Scholars Program.”

Bill Tommins

Southern CT Market President

NFP is a leading property and casualty broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager, and retirement advisor.

“At NFP, we know that when you invest in your people and do things the right way, success follows. This approach requires courageous leadership and inclusive collaboration. Fairfield Dolan cultivates leaders who are ethical, socially responsible, and committed to their employees. As a proud alumnus and University Trustee, I’m honored NFP is a corporate partner of such an exceptional institution.”

Doug Hammond ’86 Chairman and CEO

Phoenix Tower International is an industry leading owner of wireless towers and other wireless infrastructure throughout the world.

“As a successful entrepreneur, I think it is of vital importance to invest in the appropriate training and education for the next generation of business professionals, including technical skills as well as strong ethics, proper governance, and social responsibility. These values are so important in today’s business world and I was lucky enough to receive an education in these areas as a young student at the Dolan School. Phoenix Tower International is proud to support Fairfield Dolan as it prepares the next generation of business leaders.”

Dagan T. Kasavana ’99 Founder and CEO

Symmetry Partners, LLC is a Glastonbury-based financial services firm that offers best-of-breed, evidencebased investment solutions, including personalized direct investing and the firm’s own family of mutual funds. To help financial advisors deliver a better client experience, we also provide marketing, technology and operational consulting, and support.

“Symmetry is dedicated to helping our clients reach their financial goals through innovative investment solutions grounded in data and academic research. Our team consists of many proud Fairfield Dolan graduates and affiliates. This partnership is invaluable and integral to Symmetry’s growth.”

Patrick Sweeny ’83

Partner and Co-Founder

16 FALL 2022 | DOLAN REPORT
16 FALL 2022 | DOLAN REPORT
Invested In Your Goals

FAIRFIELD DOLAN RECEIVES FULL EXTENSION OF THE AACSB ACCREDITATION FOR FIVE YEARS

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredits the best business schools in the world. Earlier this year Fairfield Dolan underwent the required AACSB peer review and has received an extension of the school’s accreditation for the next five years. AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of excellence in business education worldwide and has been earned by fewer than five percent of the world’s business schools.

AACSB-accredited schools demonstrate a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curricula development, and student learning. The AACSB has accredited Fairfield Dolan since 1997.

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