17 minute read
Momentum
VSB Students Learn How to “Be Googley”
tHis Fall, MeMBers oF tHe VillanoVa entrePreneurial Society visited the offices of Google and LinkedIn for a firsthand look at non-traditional offices that demonstrate an entrepreneurial approach to conducting business.
Students first visited Google’s unconventional working spaces, where they got a taste of the company’s corporate culture and innovative environment. On the office’s enormous fourth floor, which spans an entire city block, they saw large game rooms and sleep pods, where employees can take naps, and were enamored with the employees who used scooters to get around the office. The building also features a large Lego carousel, several secret rooms with couches hidden behind bookcases, and a lifelike rainforest cafe. Andrew Lee ’13 VSB described the trip to Google as “more of a culture shock than an office visit. Everything about the firm was atypical and so awesome.” While at Google, students learned about internships and career opportunities from Vic Alonzo, University Programs Coordinator, and were exposed to the far-reaching impact of Google’s business in today’s world. Alonzo also highlighted five items that make working at Google unique: challenging work; innovation; a fun environment; autonomy and empowerment; and inspiring and talented people.
“Having been accustomed to the traditional corporate environment of New York firms and Wall Street, visiting Google turned my perception of office culture upside down,” said Jack Chong ’14 VSB. “Rarely can you walk into a company and observe motivated and productive workers wearing sweatpants. At the end of the day, their revolutionary culture of empowering, challenging,
A group of students in the Villanova Entrepreneurial Society spent a day in New York at the Google and LinkedIn offices.
and hiring talented workers is the keystone to Google’s success and growth.”
Students next headed to the Empire State Building to visit LinkedIn’s offices and have lunch with Joel Petino ’93 VSB, East Regional Sales Manager, and Brian D’Ambrosio ’02 VSB, Enterprise Account Executive. The group toured the office, received an overview of LinkedIn’s business model, and learned about its rapid growth in the tech industry. Petino and D’Ambrosio also spoke to the students about their own personal journeys from the Main Line to Manhattan.
Leaving Manhattan, students had a greater perspective of the kinds of career options that are available in non-traditional offices and innovative corporate cultures of young entrepreneurial companies.
VsB retains aacsB accreditation
aacsB international (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) has renewed VSB’s business accreditation. AACSB International is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting.
Only 649 schools of business, or less than five percent worldwide, have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education. To maintain accreditation, business programs must undergo a rigorous internal review every five years, at which the program must demonstrate its continued commitment to AACSB’s 21 quality standards relating to faculty qualification, strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.
“VSB has been an exceedingly busy place and, together, we have endeavored to continue our momentum through many changes,” said Kevin D. Clark, PhD, Interim Dean. “The review team was very impressed with the dedication our faculty have to high quality teaching, the superb level of service our staff provides to students, the creativity and agility displayed in our approach to curricular innovation, and the passion and resilience demonstrated through time by our community.”
Professor Janice Sipior (center) served as keynote speaker at the International Information Systems Conference at the Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat.
Janice sipior Gives keynote at conference in oman
Janice c. siPior, PHD, Professor of Management Information Systems, served as the lead keynote speaker for the “Information Systems for Sustainable Business Environment” International Information Systems Conference (iiSC) at the Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat. The conference, organized by the Information Systems Department of the College of Commerce and Economics at the university, focused on the challenges faced by industry and government in Oman and other countries following IT/ IS adoption.
Sipior’s presentation, “Organizational Issues of Internet Privacy,” inspired a lively discussion about privacy risks resulting from ubiquitous use of the Internet.
“Attending international conferences immerses me in entirely different and captivating environments,” said Sipior. “I have fascinating interactions and experiences, which give me new insights and force me to question how processes are completed, what product features are valued, and how business is transacted. Such global experiences and exposure has enhanced my research opportunities and thereby enables me to bring a broad and unique perspective to my classroom.”
Coming Soon: A New Program for Women in Business
tHe VillanoVa WoMen’s executiVe leaDersHiP Program (WE LeaP), a new initiative for women in business, will soon be underway at VSB. WE LeaP will support students, mid-career, and executive women through their professional development and will design tailored programs for women in each level of career progression. The objectives of WE LeaP are to provide women with mentoring and sponsorship; to offer continued educational opportunities; to create community-based programs for ongoing learning and support; and to bring value to Villanova as a feeder school for talented women leaders. WE LeaP is being piloted by VSB with the ultimate goal being the creation of a University-wide program. If you are interested in participating in WE LeaP or want to learn more, please contact madonna@villanova.edu.
Kathie DeChirico ’08 EMBA, Christine Dorfler ’97 VSB, Gerard S. LaRocca ’14 VSB PA, Joseph Lamastra ’83 VSB, ’14 VSB PA, ’12 A&S PA, Christine James ’91 VSB, Thomas Gilman ’73 VSB, Angela Bagnell ’12 MBA, and Heather Dickinson
Catia Polidori, member of the Italian Parliament, spoke about Italy’s economy.
The Honorable Catia Polidori Talks about the Debt Crisis in Italy
catia PoliDori, MeMBer oF tHe italian Parliament, former Minister of Foreign Trade, and former Deputy Minister of Economic Development for Italy, traveled to VSB this past fall and delivered a special address on Italy’s economy. Polidori discussed Italy’s strategy for dealing with debt problems, the effect of the U.S. economy on Europe, the ongoing global financial crisis, and how to strengthen the relationship between Italy and the United States. Prior to her speech, Interim Dean Kevin D. Clark, PhD, presented Polidori with the inaugural Villanova Foreign Leaders Award.
The Villanova Center for Marketing and Public Policy Research (CMPPR) and The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) co-sponsored Polidori’s visit. “Minister Polidori’s visit is a prime example of VSB’s influence in the formation and discussion of international policy,” said John Kozup, PhD, Associate Professor Marketing and Director of the CMPPR.
Members of the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate Membership Association toured the World Financial Center and 9/11 Memorial Site.
tHis Fall, tHe Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate launched the DiLella Center for Real Estate Membership Association. The DiLella Real Estate Center seeks to bring VSB stakeholders—including students, parents, faculty, staff, donors, alumni, and corporate partners—together to build and continuously improve upon VSB’s progress in the area of real estate. Members enjoy a number of exclusive benefits, including priority access to center programs and networking opportunities, special publications (such as student résumé books and a center member directory), connecting more directly with current VSB real estate students, and attending private, members-only events.
The first members-only event was an exclusive tour of the World Financial Center and 9/11 Memorial Site in New York City. The visit to the World Trade Center was arranged by James Cowan ’89 VSB, advisory council member and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, who has a professional relationship with the owners, Brookfield Properties. Participants were treated to a private presentation of the waterfront development plans that will be executed over the next three years. After the presentation, members visited the recently unveiled 9/11 Memorial Site.
“It was a great and unique opportunity to be able to participate in a personal, one-on-one discussion with one of the largest office landlords globally,” Cowan said. “It was a privilege to learn about the new World Financial Center, the 9/11 Memorial Site, and the vision for the future of downtown New York from someone actively involved in making that vision a reality.”
Delivering Happiness for 2011-12 read to lead Program
tHe VsB reaD to leaD program, now in its fourth year, is an integral part of the new undergraduate curriculum. The Read to Lead program connects and inspires students around a common, highly relevant business theme through the collective reading of one book. This year’s selection, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, Inc., serves as a foundational thread throughout the year, weaving together concepts from the required first-year Business Dynamics course.
In Delivering Happiness, Hsieh outlines his journey to success and shares important business and life lessons. The book offers students a real-world context for learning and provides a launching point for integrative discussions, projects, and analyses of topics. It also provides undergraduates with new opportunities for discussions with highlevel corporate leaders. VSB extends its appreciation to Ernst & Young, sponsor of the Read to Lead program.
The Executive MBA is Ranked Among Best in the Nation
For tHe sixtH consecutiVe Year VSB’s Executive MBA program is ranked by Financial Times as one of the top 100 programs in the world. The Executive MBA program placed #16 among U.S.based programs and #51 worldwide. VSB also ranked among the Top 5 U.S.-based programs in the area of “Aims Achieved”—a category that measures whether alumni achieved their goals—and #18 worldwide.
“Our high performance in the rankings illustrates that our focus on the student experience continues to distinguish VSB,” said Kevin D. Clark, PhD, Interim Dean for the Villanova School of Business. “Our graduates tell us that our curriculum and approach to the Executive MBA give them a critical advantage in the increasingly competitive marketplace.”
Global Economics Conference Held at VSB
VillanoVa HosteD tHe Political econoMY oF International Organizations (PEIO) conference, an annual event that focuses on discussions related to how international organizations are comprised and governed, what the incentives of governments and bureaucrats dealing with international organizations are, and what impact the policy outcomes of international organizations have.
VSB’s Center for Global Leadership (CGL) partnered with Princeton University’s Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance and the University of Pennsylvania’s Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics to sponsor this year’s conference, which was run by Christopher Kilby, PhD, Associate Professor of Economics and member of the PEIO program committee. The 80 attendees included academic economists and political scientists from around the world, as well as staff from international organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank. The conference included three days of presentations, a poster session at Dundale Hall, and a banquet
Christopher Kilby and his former student Emily Bland ’11 VSB presented a poster during the Political Economy of International Organizations conference.
at the Union League Club of Philadelphia. The PEIO conference will be held at Heidelberg and Mannheim Universities next year, but will return to the U.S. in 2014 with meetings at Princeton University.
Jim Mayhall ’93 A&S and Ned Moore ’90 VSB became business partners after reconnecting at an annual golf tournament.
Villanova Alumni Sell Business to Fortune 15 Company
neD Moore ’90 VsB recentlY solD His coMPanY, Portico Systems, Inc., to McKesson Corp., a U.S. Fortune 15 company, for $90 million. Moore and Jim Mayhall ’93 A&S have worked together for the last several years, becoming acquainted when they gathered to honor their friend, Dennis Cook ’90 A&S, who was a victim of the September 2011 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Mayhall joined Portico as an Investor/Shareholder and VP of Business Development.
“Both Jim and I believe our meeting and ultimate business collaboration is a great story around the Villanova spirit,” said Moore. “Through the strength of the friends we have lost and the spirit of the new friends who reconnected as a result— and for all that to be part of a great technology company success story in the Philadelphia region—is incredible.”
Portico is based in Blue Bell, PA, and provides software and technology that health plans use to monitor and reduce administrative, medical, and IT costs. “Five years ago we were a fledgling company with a big dream,” said Moore, “today, we find ourselves at the forefront of revolutionizing the way payers manage relationships with providers—ultimately driving down costs and increasing the quality of health care.”
undergraduates trek to nYc
Vu Presents steve Jobs with Meyer ice award
a GrouP oF Junior and senior finance students traveled to New York City for the first NY Finance Trek. This soon-to-be annual event exposes students to the wide range of career opportunities in the global field of finance and encourages them to develop relationships with executives in the industry. Through the event, VSB strives to increase the number of its students working in prominent positions in the finance industry. Not only does this mean that Villanovans will have a greater impact on economics and politics in the business world, but as these Villanovans climb the corporate ladder, they also will serve as role models, encouraging more and more students to pursue careers in finance.
Participants heard from company executives, toured the facilities, and networked with employees from BMO Capital Markets, Bloomberg L.P., and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. In addition to a big picture view of the financial industry, these executives provided company overviews, information on the types of positions available to recent graduates, internship opportunities, and described what a typical day entails. The participants also heard directly from executives on how to take advantage of specific career paths in their organization.
tHe center For innoVation, creatiVitY, anD Entrepreneurship (ICE Center) awarded a memorial Meyer ICE Award to the late Steve Jobs, co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc., to celebrate a lifetime of creative and innovative excellence and for inspiring generations of inquisitive and curious individuals.
Inspired, designed, and endowed by Patrick Meyer ’74 VSB, the Meyer Innovation and Creative Excellence Award was created in honor of the Meyer family (Patrick ’74, Edward ’86, and C. Paul ’30) to recognize a spirit of innovationand creative excellence that enhances VSB and Villanova University.
To honor the creative legacy of Steve Jobs, Meyer donated additional funding to the ICE Center and hopes to encourage others to do the same in order to support their mission to embed creative problem solving and opportunity recognition skills more deeply in the Villanova community.
“Steve Jobs’ commitment to excellence has been an inspiration for so many. His work and spirit embody what the Villanova ICE Center stands for,” said Meyer. “His simple, yet encouraging words, ‘The difference between a leader and a follower...is innovation!’ resonates among Villanovans past and present.”
new VsB student society Hosts inaugural career conference
tHe Multicultural Business Association (McBA), a new studentrun group, hosted a career conference, which brought together more than 100 students, faculty, alumni, and corporate representatives. The inaugural event provided a forum to discuss leadership in an increasingly diverse world.
The “Diversify Your Network” conference offered students an opportunity to interact with and learn from one another and experienced professionals.
Noel Hornsberry, senior diversity and inclusion business partner for Kellogg Company, served as keynote speaker. He the business world,” said Will Horyn ’15 VSB.
Ronald Dukes ’12 VSB founded McBA to offer professional development opportunities for diverse student populations at Villanova and to empower them with the skills and confidence necessary to become leaders. “Embracing diversity in all my endeavors has brought me success far beyond my expectations,” said Dukes, “and this is my way of helping others realize their own success story.” McBA will organize workshops, host lectures, coordinate mentorships, and connect students with alumni.
encouraged attendees to be ambitious and accepting in their careers. “It is crucial to be open to new situations and opportunities and to interact with people from all backgrounds,” he said.
“Mr. Hornsberry demonstrated that diversity is not limited to the color of your skin or your ethnic background, but that diversity contributes unique perspectives that add value inside and outside
VSB Hosts the Top Executive MBA Programs in the Northeast
VsB orGanizeD anD HosteD a meeting for the leading 40 Executive MBA (EMBA) programs in the Northeast. Representatives from schools from Canada to Virginia attended the conference, which took place in the Villanova University Conference Center, home to VSB’s Executive MBA program.
During the three-day conference, faculty and staff from NYU Stern, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Cornell, and the University of Toronto learned about VSB’s top-ranked EMBA program, its facilAl Chiaradonna spoke to participants during a conference for the leading Executive ities, and its faculty. Thomas Monahan, MBA programs in the Northeast. PhD, the John M. Cooney Professor of Accounting and Information Systems, spoke about creating and Georgetown to deliver a presentation on innovation, and managing innovation in EMBA programs, while Al trends, and best practices in EMBA programs. Participants Chiaradonna, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation also had the opportunity to attend panel discussions, interacfor SEI Global Private Banking and Villanova Executive MBA tive workshops, and presentations. Networking opportunities, faculty member, delivered a talk entitled “Leading through a campus tour, and an off-campus dinner provided informal Change.” In addition, VSB partnered with Wharton, Fordham, settings to interact.
A group of undergraduate and MSF students traveled to Omaha, NE, to meet Warren Buffett.
students Meet the “real” Warren Buffett
Most PeoPle knoW WHo Warren Buffett is. He is the chairman, CEO, and primary shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. He is a billionaire and one of the wealthiest people in the world. His nickname is the “Oracle of Omaha.” However, a group of VSB students recently received a unique opportunity to discover a few more personal facts about this renowned public figure.
For the second consecutive year, VSB was chosen through a lottery selection process to travel to Omaha to meet Buffett and learn about his company. During the daylong visit, the group of 20 undergraduate and MSF students, accompanied by David Nawrocki, PhD, the Katherine M. and Richard J. Salisbury Jr. Professor of Finance; James Jablonski, instructor of finance; and Aimei Zhong, adjunct faculty of finance, made stops at two Berkshire-Hathawayowned stores, where they learned about the stores’ individual business models and Buffett’s involvement in their success. The group also attended a Q&A session with Buffett, during which he shared his perspective on current events such as the Occupy Wall Street movement and the European debt crisis. Buffett also invited everyone to a local restaurant, and over lunch he candidly shared stories, both professional and personal.
The Villanova MBA Ranked #12 in the Nation by Bloomberg Businessweek
VsB Was recoGnizeD aMonG toP Part-tiMe MBa ProGraMs in the nation in the 2011 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking, placing #12 in the U.S. and #2 in the Mid-Atlantic region. In addition to its high rank overall, The Villanova MBA was ranked #9 for student completion rate and #12 for academic quality. Our students rated our new MBA curriculum an “A+” and the quality of our faculty an “A.”
Villanova’s Part-Time MBA curriculum emphasizes strong core business knowledge, applied, multi-disciplinary learning, corporate social responsibility, and a global mindset.
The day’s agenda provided a number of opportunities for these students to gather nuggets of business advice and take away lessons from Buffett’s recounting of his own experiences. Perhaps more enlightening, however, was their glimpse into Buffet’s real life, which showed these young business students that hard work is the key to success. For instance, although he is a successful executive, Buffett does not carry a Smartphone. He plays bridge on the computer, but otherwise does not use a computer for anything else. In fact, as he told his visitors, he used to pick all of his stocks from a book. He likes root beer floats, and he sometimes asks his favorite Omaha restaurant to ship him food when he’s abroad. “Despite his stature in the business world, he proved to be very down-to-earth,” said Warren Wilson ’12 VSB. “He’s a fascinating character, and he was so willing to accommodate us.” On the ride to lunch, Buffett even drove students in his own car.
“Warren Buffett emits energy when he walks into the room,” said Nawrocki. “No matter what question was asked, he stressed a few main points: the importance of hard work, investment, and being honest; the importance of picking the right partner, in life and in business; and the importance of public speaking. I’ve been very lucky to be able to share this experience with my students the past two years.”
