DOLAN REPORT CHARLES F. DOLAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY | FALL 2020
DOLAN REPORT | FALL 2020 i
Message From the Dean
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“The pandemic could not stop 2019-20 from being a successful academic year, full of innovation and creativity.”
n the fall of 2019, we moved into the gleaming new Dolan School building, equipped with cutting-edge technology in the Finance Trading Lab, Business Analytics & AI Lab, Ideation Lab, and One-Button Studio, to name a few. This has spurred many innovative pedagogies in course designs and deliveries. In spring 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic flipped the world upside down. Yet, in spite of the unprecedented challenges, our faculty and staff devised innovative technological solutions to maintain our instructional progress, to offer remote academic and career advising, and to sustain our community virtually. The pandemic could not stop 2019-20 from being a successful academic year, full of innovation and creativity. Dolan faculty revised the MBA curriculum, and designed and launched several new graduate programs such as the MS in Marketing Analytics & Strategy, MS in Management, MS in Business Analytics (online), and the MBA/MS in Nursing. At the undergraduate level, Dolan faculty revised the business core curriculum, introducing three new courses — “Business Analytics,” “International Business,” and “Messaging and Persuasion: Effective Business Communication.” A new business analytics undergraduate major and a concentration in fashion marketing were also introduced. Our Fairfield StartUp competition invented original and effective ways to succeed virtually, reaching its broadest audience in history. This was also a year full of success and triumph. Joan Lee, PhD, received the Outstanding Educator Award from the American Accounting Association (AAA). Cathy Giapponi, PhD, was named Alpha Sigma Nu Undergraduate Teacher of the Year. Two students received prestigious postgraduate technical assistantships with two accounting standards boards (FASB and GASB). A Dolan student team placed among the top 15 in the Rotman International Trading Competition, while another Dolan student team was one of the five finalists in the CFA Institute Research Challenge. More than 99 percent of our graduating seniors received employment offers or admission to graduate schools, as did 98 percent of graduate students. Our alumni continued to show enthusiastic support to our school and students, joining newly established advisory councils in the disciplines of finance, marketing, business analytics, and management. It is no wonder that Dolan undergraduate and graduate academic offerings continued to rank high nationally. As we open our campus for fall 2020, we know that challenges lie ahead of us. But the innovation and triumphs of last year inspire us to look forward to another great year for 2020-21! Zhan Li, DBA Dean and Professor, Dolan School of Business
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ON THE COVER:
Dolan School of Business lights up campus with its gleaming new design. Photo by SLAM
DOLAN REPORT Zhan Li, DBA Dean Anca Micu, PhD Associate Dean Meredith McAloon, LCSW Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Leanne De Los Santos Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs Rev. Gregory Konz, S.J. Special Assistant to the Dean Erica Spencer, MEd Assistant 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 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
Contents
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Dolan Career Development Center Responds to Pandemic $28,500 Awarded to Student Entrepreneurs at 9th Annual Fairfield StartUp Showcase Spotlight on Fairfield Dolan Students
Dolan Advisory Board Steps in to Fill Summer Void Ahead of the Curve: Dolan Leads in Innovation Meet the New Faculty
Faculty Spotlight: MSBA Program Director Philip Maymin, PhD, JD Fairfield Dolan Year In Review 2019-2020 Highlights Faculty Newsbreakers
DOLAN REPORT | FALL 2020 1
FAIRFIELD DOLAN FAST FACTS
#9 Best Colleges for Business Majors
#25 Graduate Finance U.S. News & World Report
2019 Money Magazine
#23 Undergraduate Finance U.S. News & World Report
#26 Undergraduate Marketing U.S. News & World Report
#20 Graduate Accounting U.S. News & World Report
#27 Undergraduate Accounting U.S. News & World Report
#18 Graduate Marketing U.S. News & World Report
#25 Undergraduate Information Systems & Operations Management U.S. News & World Report
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Director Sarah Bollinger, MEd welcomes students to the Dolan Career Development Center. Photo by Joe Adams
Dolan Career Development Center Responds to Pandemic
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he Dolan Career Development Center focuses on career development within the eight undergraduate majors and six graduate programs offered through the Dolan School. Clearly, they’re doing something right: In 2019, 92 percent of graduating seniors completed at least one internship, and 98 percent had a job or were accepted to a graduate program within 90 days of graduation. But with the pandemic causing upheaval in job markets, those at the Center knew they had to adapt to the new reality. They responded by quickly adjusting their regular services to online formats, allowing students to engage in career coaching through phone calls and Zoom, for example. Mock interviews took place online with alumni and local professionals, while students continued to use InterviewStream to record practice interviews. The Center guided students by posting lists of employers still hiring for jobs or internships, promoting seminars and certifications to take online, and sharing volunteer opportunities and technical skills workshops. “Mainly, we stressed the importance of having an experience of some kind to continue their professional development this summer,” said Career Development Center Director Sarah Bollinger, MEd, who offered students sound advice: “If your internship was canceled, find out if you can volunteer. Help a faculty member with research. Get an online certification.” As an example, Bollinger pointed to the Career Development Center Master Class — virtual career coaching presentations and workshops led by Advisory Board members. The Career Development Center also created seminars such as April’s “Don’t Quarantine Your Marketing Career,” an online event put together in collaboration with the Dolan Marketing Club. Both Bollinger and professor of economics Kathryn Nantz, PhD, are certified by the American Association of University Women to facilitate a workshop on negotiating salary. These Start Smart workshops are geared D for women and are now offered virtually for the first time this semester. l
SOCIAL IMPACT INTERNSHIPS Students with spring and summer internships had a different experience this year, with jobs either moving online or shortened to just a few weeks. There was also the rare case of internships created because of the pandemic. At Bridgeport’s Caroline House, a center dedicated to teaching English language and life skills to immigrant women, Executive Director Lucy Freeman turned the time freed up by canceled classes and events into an opportunity to work on projects they had never had time to do. Economics Professor William Vasquez Mazariegos, PhD, supervised four students interning at Caroline House to address these needs. Elizabeth Benson ’22, Malen Iglesias ’22, Donald Ciampi ’21, and Helen Vasquez Ramos ’24 worked together to write and disseminate a survey for the organization’s 4,000 donors, to determine the type of information they want from Caroline House and to assess their interest in virtual and inperson fundraisers. They also surveyed the center’s students, to evaluate their needs and their comfort level about returning to class. From the data collected, they designed reports recommending ways for Caroline House to proceed with services.
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$28,500 AWARDED TO STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS AT 9TH ANNUAL FAIRFIELD STARTUP SHOWCASE This year’s new virtual format garnered the StartUp Showcase upwards of 2,600 views and reached more than 50,000 people through social media channels. Returning to the StartUp Showcase investor panel were Joseph Bronson ’70, principal and CEO of The Bronson Group, LLC; Michael Garvey ’89, P’23, an active angel investor and entrepreneur; and Mary Anne Rooke, P’20, president and managing director of Angel Investor Forum and managing partner in Mystic River Ventures. Dayanna Mazo ’20 pitched her collection of handcrafted jewelry, Dayverse, designed to help women express and celebrate their unique identities. For Dayverse, Dayanna was awarded $10,000 and was invited to participate in the FUEL Summer Fellows program. She was also voted the CTNext/CI Audience Favorite by viewers for best pitch, earning her an additional $1,000 award. Fairfield StartUp veteran Abigail Sakati ’20 pitched her idea for Sharing the Barre, a dancewear social venture aimed at empowering dancers to love their bodies by offering them a collection of dancewear customized to them. Five percent of sales will go to dance organizations. Abigail was awarded $10,000 and was invited to participate in the FUEL Summer Fellows program. John Cain ’22 pitched Estial, a payment app that uses cryptocurrency to make convenient, secure cash transactions with a credit card. John’s passion for trading bots and using
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algorithms for financial technology impressed the members of the investor panel. John was awarded $3,000 for his Estial pitch, and was invited to participate in the FUEL Summer Fellows Program. Winston Demartini ’20 pitched Hustlin’, a “smart weight” app for athletes and physical therapists that uses sensor-based smart weights, smart shirts, and interactive data-driven 3D models, to improve workouts and to reduce the chance for injury. Winston was awarded $3,000 for Hustlin’, and was invited to participate in the FUEL Summer Fellows Program. Christian Hakim ’21 pitched for team Priority Route, a group of computer science, engineering, and business students who developed an interactive route optimization software. Designed for small and medium-sized companies in the waste management business, Priority Route gives drivers access to a mobile application that reads data from hardware installed in trash receptacles. Team Priority Route was awarded $1,500 and was invited to particiD pate in the FUEL Summer Fellows Program. l
Interested in seeing all of the pitches and investor feedback? Visit fairfield.edu/startup to watch the Showcase video series.
ABOVE FROM TOP: Dayanna Mazo ’20
practices her pitch; Dr. Chris Huntley helps students prepare for the Showcase; Team Priority Route hones their presentation skills. Photos by Mike Budny
SPOTLIGHT ON FAIRFIELD DOLAN STUDENTS Three students share their impressive accomplishments and plans for the future. BRENDAN CALLOW ’22 “Fairfield University gives you the freedom to pursue your interests,” said Brendan Callow ’22, an honors student originally from Lake Grove, N.Y. Callow should know. When the accounting and economics major floated the idea of creating Stagonomics, a weekly newsletter that recaps the ebbs and flows of the stock market, economics professor Kathy Nantz, PhD, and John Hottinger, assistant director of career services, were fully on board, offering support, guidance, and introductions to others who could be helpful. While Stagonomics is largely authored by Callow, he also invites other students to write on topics of their choosing. “Writing gives solidity to your understanding of an issue. [Publishing an article] makes you stand out. And taking the time to craft an article shows you’re dedicated to what you want to do.”
BRETT OJDANIC ’22 There are different approaches to studying international business. One involves sitting in a classroom and taking notes. Another involves travel, studying abroad,
and immersing yourself in issues and policies that are important to people on the other side of the world. It’s the second approach that Brett Ojdanic ’22 is taking. With two years of Spanish under his belt, he plans to study and pursue an internship in Barcelona next semester. Ojdanic is also heavily involved in the University’s Model UN chapter. “I’m on the executive board and do marketing and social media,” he said. “We are given a fictional topic and challenged to create policy around the issue.” Groups might create a relief plan for Haiti, for example, or develop ideas to address an international disaster. “It’s really helpful because it gives you a larger perspective on how the world works together.”
CRISTINA PELLEGRINO ’20 Cristina Pellegrino ’20 arrived at Fairfield with a semester’s worth of AP credits, a head start that allowed her to graduate in just three years. The finance and accounting major is now enrolled in the Dolan School’s Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, focusing on quantitative finance. “I chose the MSBA because I loved doing analysis. The whole world is so
Brendan Callow ’22
Brett Ojdanic ’22
data-driven right now, and I knew it would give me a different perspective and edge.” As an undergraduate, Pellegrino was a dedicated member of the Fairfield Investment Group, a student-run, actively managed fund with approximately $120,000 in assets. Members start out as analysts, researching companies and then pitching those companies to other members, who all weigh in on investment decisions. She was quickly promoted to portfolio manager with a group of analysts under her supervision. Last year she developed a template that all analysts now use, transforming their five-minute pitches into sophisticated 20-minute presentations that includes multi-company comparisons.
Cristina Pellegrino ’20
“ I chose the MSBA because I loved doing analysis. The whole world is so data-driven right now, and I knew it would give me a different perspective and edge.”
Cristina Pelligrino ’20
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DOLAN ADVISORY BOARD STEPS IN TO FILL SUMMER VOID With student internships postponed and jobs negatively impacted this summer due to the pandemic, Dolan’s Career Development Office was eager to do something to help move students’ career development forward.
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t a meeting this past May, Charles F. Dolan School of Business Advisory Board members floated the idea of creating a series of online “master classes,” each focused on an aspect of career development and team-taught by an Advisory Board member and a professor. The idea took wing, and seven classes — ranging from strategic networking to project management and the postCovid financial sector — were quickly formed. Students who participated in five of the seven classes and submitted a final reflection received a Master Class certificate and Professional Development credit. Elaine Hughes, who helms her own executive search firm, taught a class on networking and human resources. Bill Curley, former vice chairman of Deutsche Bank, led students on an exploration of the post-Covid financial world; while Ursula Hurley, treasurer of JetBlue Airways, spearheaded a class on the major transitions in the airline industry and what they might mean for job seekers. Advisory Board member Chris Stephens developed a class called “Leadership in Uncertain Times.” As senior vice president and CFO of Barnes Group, a global provider of highly engineered products, he shared his own “uncertain times” story about joining Barnes Group in 2009, “in the middle of the financial crisis storm.” “I wanted students to understand a few key attributes of leadership — such as integrity, teamwork, collaboration, and employee development,” he said. “But just as importantly, I wanted the students to pull together their own personal leadership development plan.... That might entail leading a team, learning a new skill, or targeting ways to practice communication and presentation skills.
The idea is that leadership development is not one-anddone, it’s a lifelong endeavor.” Tom Kushner ’86, managing director of the Global Institutional Client Group at Wells Fargo Securities, brought together expertise in real estate for his class, “Developing a Thriving Finance Career in Real Estate.” “I’m in finance, and I see real estate as a huge asset class. Yet, like most business schools, Fairfield only has one course in the field,” Kushner explained. “My goal was for students to see that they can build on the skills they already have in finance, management, and other areas, to be successful in real estate.” Alumna Sue Davis Gillis, MBA’03, senior vice president of consumer solutions at Synchrony, taught a workshop on inclusive leadership, while Trish Preston, senior vice president at MasterCard Worldwide, gave students the benefit of her experience in product management. Board members Kelly Lafnitzegger ’89, vice president of human resources at GE Gas Power, and Steve Siwinski ’92, partner at High Road Capital Partners, taught classes specifically tailored to Dolan graduate students. Completion of these classes earned grad students credit within the Dolan Graduate Professional Development Series. A total of 25 Dolan School students received Master Class certification. “Taking the classes over the summer shows that they took the initiative to advance their skills, despite the setbacks they faced,” said Sarah Bollinger, director of the Dolan Career Development Center. “We’re fortunate to have such active and committed professionals on our Advisory Board, and we couldn’t D be happier about the success of this program.” l
“ Taking the classes over the summer shows that they took the initiative to advance their skills, despite the setbacks they faced. We’re fortunate to have such active and committed professionals on our Advisory Board, and we couldn’t be happier about the success of this program.”
Sarah Bollinger Director of the Dolan Career Development Center
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AHEAD OF THE CURVE
This fall marks one year since the AHEAD OF THE CURVE Charles F. Dolan School of Business
DOLAN LEADS INDOLAN LEADS IN INNOVATION INNOVATION moved into a new, fully modernized
building with ten innovation labs and
centers, and 36 classrooms equipped with leading edge technology.
Fairfield Dolan has also made strategic curricular enhancements, increased hybrid and online course offerings, and introduced three new graduate programs: the MS in Management, the MS in Marketing Analytics and Strategy, and the online MSBA. These advances have been made in alignment with the School’s mission to develop innovative, principled, and globally minded business leaders for a better world, through the transformative experiences of a modern, Jesuit Catholic education.
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This fall marks one year since the Charles F. Dolan School of Business moved into a new, fully modernized building with ten innovation labs and centers, and 36 classrooms equipped with leading-edge technology. Fairfield Dolan has also made strategic curricular enhancements, increased hybrid and online course offerings, and introduced three new graduate programs: the MS in Management, the MS in Marketing Analytics and Strategy, and the online MSBA. These advances have been made in alignment with the School’s mission to develop innovative, principled, and globally minded business leaders for a better world, through the transformative experiences of a modern, Jesuit Catholic education. In response to market demand and guidance from academic advisory boards, Fairfield Dolan has recently modified its core requirements to place new emphasis on communication, analytics, and technology. This fall the Marketing Department will introduce “Storytelling in Marketing,” a course designed to explore how brands can effectively persuade and influence key audiences through telling a strong brand story. “Oftentimes we’ll see a company that has a great product but lacks a powerful brand story,” said Mousumi Bose Godbole, PhD, assistant professor and director of the Dolan MBA, who worked with Nazuk Sharma, PhD, assistant professor of marketing, to design the course. The course will look at the theory and qualitative aspects of TOP RIGHT: Students work in the Ideation Lab.
Photo by SLAM RIGHT: Class in the Finance Lab; Students work
together on whiteboards in an interactive classroom. Photos by Joe Adams
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MEET THE NEW FACULTY storytelling, then dive into quantitative skills to interpret data to tell the brand story, plus offer strategies to identify the best platform and channels to communicate the story to customers. Another key business skill is data visualization, or the presentation of data in graphical format. “The goal is for students to vividly record information and analyze the data to communicate ideas, so that even if the audience doesn’t have the statistical background knowledge, they can interpret the data though dashboards or other visual presentations,” said Lin Lu, PhD, assistant professor of business analytics. As Philip Maymin, PhD, director of the MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) shared, “Fairfield Dolan has taken bold strides to turbocharge our students. Analytics is now a core requirement. Excel certification is mandatory. Communication, the essential element separating analytics from science, is now a new core course as well. A new undergraduate business analytics major, launching this fall, will position our students to have the critical skills employers are clamoring for in data science, one of the fastest growing fields on earth.” Dr. Maymin explained that graduate students can now specialize in 10 FAL L 2 02 0 | DOLAN REPORT
artificial intelligence, financial planning and analysis, and quantitative finance. Last summer an introductory course in Python, the industry standard programming language, was introduced. And new this fall, the MSBA is being offered in a parallel fully online format. Students no longer need to install software on their computers and can access the necessary software for business analytics coursework anytime, anywhere. “The Information Systems and Operations Management Department has led the way to move our technology infrastructure and software to the cloud by implementing Amazon Web Services (AWS),” shared Yasin Ozcelik, PhD, chair and associate professor of information systems and operations management. “Technology today is rapidly advancing, and data is an essential part of every business’ success,” said Julie Marella, program director of the new MS in Marketing Analytics and Strategy and instructor of the pracD tice in marketing. l ABOVE: Students enjoy all the Ideation
Lab has to offer. Photo by SLAM
Felix Fan
Arleen Kardos
Felix Fan, PhD Assistant Professor of Management Dr. Fan’s research areas include individuals’ various identities at work, how they impact behaviors and well-being, and how individual and group status affect people’s judgment and behaviors. Dr. Fan received his PhD in Organizational Behavior from Georgia Institute of Technology. Arleen Kardos, CPA Visiting Instructor of the Practice in Accounting Kardos has worked at PwC, in both audit and international consulting services, and at Citigroup as vice president, corporate reporting and analysis, and the consumer business sector. Kardos earned her MBA with a dual concentration in accounting and financial management from Pace University.
Lin Lu
Julie Marella
Lin Lu, PhD Assistant Professor of Business Analytics Dr. Lu’s research areas include applied machine learning, data visualization, fatigue management, and social media, and she has worked on industry projects with Aflac, Amazon, and Berntsen International. She received her PhD in industrial and systems engineering from Auburn University. Julie Marella, MS in Marketing Analytics and Strategy Program Director and Instructor of the Practice in Marketing An analyst, strategist, and targeting expert with more than 30 years of experience, Marella’s research areas of interest include the effect of customer and trade promotions on consumer purchases, how it changes in times of economic crisis, and the effectiveness of developing go-to-market strategies for businesses with a portfolio of brands within the same category. She received her MS in marketing analytics and strategy from Fairfield University.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
MSBA Program Director Philip Maymin, PhD, JD Annie Witte
Yaqin Sun
Annie Witte, PhD, CPA Assistant Professor of Accounting Dr. Witte’s research explores information technology and audit quality, auditor judgment and decision making, and accounting. Prior to teaching, she worked in public accounting and in the private sector for a renewable energy company. Dr. Witte received her PhD in accounting from Bentley University. Yaqin Sun Assistant Professor of the Practice in Business Analytics and Information Systems Sun is completing her doctoral work in decision sciences at Drexel University. Her main area of research is dynamic outsourcing strategies between retailers and encroaching suppliers. Sun will be teaching introductory courses in business analytics and information systems.
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fter teaching stints at both NYU and the University of Bridgeport, Philip Maymin, PhD, JD, arrived at the Dolan School two years ago to teach analytics and direct the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program. His experience so far? “Fairfield is amazing!” he said.
Under Dr. Maymin’s leadership, the MSBA program has become both stronger and more accessible. Students now have the opportunity to specialize in one of three program areas: artificial intelligence, financial planning and analysis, or quantitative finance. Two summer prep courses will ensure that incoming students are comfortable using Python and have a grasp of statistics so they can hit the ground running once classes begin. And while MSBA students are not required to do an internship, new collaborations with Synchrony Financial and the Women in Banking organization have opened up work experience and job opportunities to those who are accepted to their assistantships. Dr. Maymin has other interests as well. He’s a hackathon champ, the chief technology officer for the Esports Development League, and has authored books ranging from tutorials on financial hacking to musings on Harry Potter’s libertarian leanings and why the Neanderthals died out. In his spare time, he puts his law degree to use doing contracts and torts. The MSBA faculty is unique, said Dr. Maymin, “They’re the program’s real draw, because they use analytics in their life’s work. Under their guidance, our students have turned out amazing, award-winning D capstone projects, and when they graduate, we’re proud to note they have 100 percent career placement.” l
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FAIRFIELD
DOLAN YEAR IN REVIEW 2019-2020 HIGHLIGHTS
Dean’s Executive Forum 1 Chris Pilkerton ’95, acting administrator and general counsel of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was the speaker for the Dean’s Executive Forum on October 1, 2019. Dolan Career Night, October 2019 2 Fairfield Dolan Finance Advisory Board member Margarita Pineda-Ucero, senior consultant in enterprise risk management and chief risk officer, Women Dignity Alliance
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Dean’s Executive Forum 3 Representatives from S&P Global Ratings participated in a panel event in October. Pictured (l-r): Zhan Li, dean, Dolan School of Business; John Berisford, president; Eden Perry, head of U.S public finance; Mark Risi ’97, managing director; Richard Greenwald, dean, College of Arts & Sciences; and Grace Bang, data scientist.
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Deloitte Tax Competition 4 Five Dolan students participated in the annual Deloitte FanTAXtic Competition in New York City on November 8, under the supervision of Ahmed Ebrahim, PhD, CPA, CMA, associate professor of accounting, and joined by Kathi Mettler, CPA, director of graduate accounting programs. Business Analytics Showcase 2019 5 Co-sponsored by The Institute of Internal Auditors, the event offered an opportunity to network and learn about analytics trends.
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Undercover Alumni 2020 6 With a twist on traditional networking, the event connected more than 150 students with employees from 22 companies across industries. Fairfield Dolan Student Team Finalists at CFA Institute Research Challenge 7 A student team from Fairfield Dolan was one of five to make it to the finals. The team was advised by Katya Salavei Bardos, PhD, associate professor of finance and included the following students: Christopher Connolly ’20, Luke D’Agostino ’20, Gabriella D’Anna ’20, and Kevin Tzaka ’20, and William Simics (MBA – finance). Dean’s Executive Forum: “C-Suite: Paths to Success” 8 Alumni brothers Brian Kinney ’94, senior vice president and chief investment officer for State Street Corporation, and John Kinney ’93, EVP and chief claim officer for The Hartford, participated. Fairfield Dolan Team Places in Top 15 in Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC) 9 Led by Walter Hlawitschka, PhD, associate professor of finance, this year’s team included Class of 2020 finance majors Xavier Cole, Spencer Gilbert, Kathryn Rafferty, Kieran Rooney, Garrett White, and junior Connor Wimble.
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FACULTY NEWSBREAKERS Anna-Maria Aksan, PhD, associate professor of economics, had her paper “Son Preference and the Fertility Squeeze in India” accepted for publication in Journal of Demographic Economics. Katsiaryna Salavei Bardos, PhD, associate professor of finance, was selected for the Hartwick College “Wick 40 Under 40.” She also co-authored two papers accepted for publication: “Corporate Social Responsibility, Product Market Perception and Firm Value” in Journal of Corporate Finance and “Stock Price Reaction to Being Named an International Sustainability Leader” in The International Journal of Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context. Mousumi Bhattacharya, PhD, associate professor of management, moderated student research Zoom presentations as part of the annual Fairfield University Innovative Research Symposium. Rebecca Bloch, PhD, associate professor of accounting and department chair, had three co-authored articles accepted for publication: “Examining the Gap Between Accounting Academics and Practitioners and Possible Ways to Bridge It” appeared in the Tennessee CPA Journal; “Interlocking Boards in Nonprofit Organizations” was accepted in Accounting
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Horizons; and “Market Reaction to ADRs Quarterly Earnings: The GAAP Effect” ran in the Journal of Business and Economic Studies, co-authored with Bruce Bradford, PhD, associate professor of accounting, and Ahmed Ebrahim, PhD, associate professor of accounting. Arjun Chadhuri, PhD, professor of marketing and Thomas R. Fitzgerald Endowed Chair, presented the paper “The Role of Rationality in Creating Store Value” at the 26th International Conference on Retailing and Consumer Science (RARCS) in Tallinn, Estonia, July 2019. Ahmed Ebrahim, PhD, associate professor of accounting, had his paper “Cost Shifting and UBTI Reporting in Colleges and Universities” accepted for presentation at the annual National Association of Business, Economics, and Technology (NABET) conference. Catherine Giapponi, PhD, associate professor of management, was named the 2020 Fairfield University Alpha Sigma Nu Undergraduate Teacher of the Year for her dedication and support for students. Xin James He, PhD, professor of information systems and operations management, won the Best Paper Award at the 2019 International Association for
Information and Management Science in Lhasa, Tibet, China, August 2019, for “Time Series Forecasting Models for U.S. Stock Market.” He also won the Outstanding Scholarship Award for his paper “Seasonality Analysis of the U.S. Stock Market” at the 2019 International Information Management Association Conference in New York. Scott Hiller, PhD, associate professor of economics, had his paper “Tariff Pass-Through and Welfare in the Tablet Computer Market” accepted for publication in Journal of Industrial Economics. Gregory Koutmos, PhD, Gerald M. Levin Chair and professor of finance, and Katsiaryna Salavei Bardos, PhD, associate professor of finance, published the article “Risk Dynamics Around Restatement Announcements” in the Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting. Phil Lane, PhD, associate professor of economics, was quoted in the News 8 WTNH.com article, “As National Unemployment Rates Break Records, the Future of Small Businesses in CT is Uncertain Amid Coronavirus Crisis.” Dawn Massey, PhD, professor of accounting, had a peer-review book chapter “Exposing the Political Chameleon:
Insights from Canadian Taxpayers’ Perceptions of Tax Fairness” accepted in Who Payeth for Canada? Taxes and Fairness. She also had one peer-review book chapter accepted in Personal Tax Compliance: Ethical Decision Making in the Tax Context. Philip Maymin, PhD, associate professor of the practice of information systems and operations management, and director of the MSBA program, had a paper titled “Using Scouting Reports Text to Predict NCAA->NBA Performance” accepted as a poster presentation at the New England Symposium for Statistics in Sports at Harvard in September 2019. He also presented “Computational Mindfulness,” co-authored with his daughter Stella, which was accepted for a presentation at the Wolfram Technology Conference in Champaign, Ill. Dr. Maymin also interviewed with the Greenwich Time and WICC 600 radio. Michael McDonald, PhD, associate professor of finance, and Thomas Conine, PhD, professor of finance, had a paper accepted in the Journal of Business Research, titled “Working Capital Management Practices Across Industries.” David Schmidt, PhD, associate professor of business ethics and director of the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics, debated academic policy
with Oleksandr Linchevskyy (former deputy minister of health of Ukraine), at Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine. Sharlene McEvoy, PhD, professor of business law, published the article “The First Thing We Do...Let’s Kill the Kill Switches (With Apologies to William Shakespeare)” in Urban Studies and Public Administration. Jeffrey Moretz, PhD, assistant professor of management, Cathy Giapponi, PhD, associate professor of management, and Chris Huntley, PhD, associate professor of information systems and operations management, received the Best Paper Award for their case study of Fairfield University student startup SoccerGrlProbs, which was presented at the Eastern Academy of Management annual conference. Iman Naderi, PhD, associate professor of marketing, had a co-authored paper “Product Design Matters, But Is It Enough? Consumers’ Responses to Product Design and Environment Congruence” accepted for publication in Journal of Product & Brand Management. John Neal, visiting professor of marketing, received the 2019 Club Advisor of the Year Award for his work as an advisor to the 150-member Fairfield Dolan Marketing Club.
Michael Puleo, PhD, assistant professor of finance, was quoted in two Bloomberg News articles: “Wealthy Facing Margin Calls Show Pitfalls of Pledged Shares” and “SoftBank’s Son is Betting on Himself After Go-Private Talks.” Dr. Puleo also had his paper “Insider SharePledging and Equity Risk” accepted for publication in Journal of Financial Services Research. Rajasree K. Rajamma, PhD, associate professor of marketing, had her paper “User Generated Content (UGC) Misclassification and Its Effects,” accepted for publication in the Journal of Consumer Marketing.
accepted for publication in Real Estate Economics, and his paper, “Property Prices: How Effective is the Property-Purchasing Limitation Policy for Managing Affordability?” accepted for publication in International Real Estate Review.
BELOW: The new Dolan lobby is a great
place for faculty and students to share ideas.
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.
Photo by Joe Adams
Nazuk Sharma, PhD, assistant professor of marketing and coauthor Lisa Monahan, PhD, had their paper “Product Performance Implications of Framing White Space in Advertising” accepted for publication in the Journal of Consumer Marketing. Norm Solomon, PhD, professor of management, co-authored the article “A Systematic Review of AACSB International Accreditation Quality and Value Research” in the Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences. Ying Zhang, PhD, associate professor of finance, had his paper “Industry Concentration and U.S. REIT Returns”
2019 15 | FALL 2020 | WINTER REPORT UPDATE DOLAN DOLAN
THANK YOU 2020 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 the Dolan School of Business Professional Development Series and the new Women Scholars and Women in Quant mentoring programs.” Bill Tommins Southern CT Market President
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Future Tech Enterprise, Inc. is an award-winning, global IT solutions provider for leaders in the aerospace, defense, education, healthcare, and government sectors.
NFP is a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property and casualty, and retirement and individual private client solutions.
Symmetry Partners, LLC is a Glastonbury-based investment advisory firm that sidesteps traditional investment approaches and looks instead to academia for investment insight.
“As a lifelong entrepreneur, I am excited to see the training and real-life preparation that students are getting from the Dolan School Entrepreneurship Club and the Fairfield StartUp Showcase.”
“At NFP, we know that when you invest in your people and do things the right way, success follows. This approach requires courageous leadership. The Dolan School 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 a fine institution.”
“Symmetry is dedicated to helping our clients reach their financial goals through innovative, academically derived investment solutions. Our team consists of many proud Dolan graduates and affiliates including our chief investment strategist and director of research, as well as numerous interns. Our partnership is invaluable and integral to Symmetry’s growth.”
Doug Hammond ’86 Chairman and CEO
Patrick Sweeny ’83 Partner and Co-Founder
Bob Venero, P’21,’24 CEO
The Charles F. Dolan School of Business is committed to the Jesuit Catholic tradition of educating the whole person (cura personalis) by fostering an engaging and diverse learning community of educational excellence and relevancy, with nationally recognized programs and innovative curricula, informed by the balanced teaching, research, and service contributions of outstanding faculty and staff, and supported by local and global partnerships. We develop socially responsible, intellectually curious, ethical, compassionate global business leaders who excel in their careers and lead meaningful lives.
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1073 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824-5195
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