Archive for the ‘Alumni’ Category
Monday, June 10th, 2013
A year before they graduated from the University of St. Thomas, Emily Pritchard ’11 and Martha McCarthy ’11 were guaranteed millionaires – in the eyes of a fellow entrepreneur, at least. As the only undergraduates, and the only women, to make it to the finals of the Fowler Business Concept Challenge in 2009, Pritchard and McCarthy’s concept for SnapSystem Bikes won rave reviews from one of the judges, who was so impressed by the uniqueness of the idea and the professionalism of their presentation, he felt sure he could make them millionaires. (more…)
Posted in Alumni, Entrepreneurship, social media | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
Summer is here at last, it seems, and for many Minnesotans that means it is festival season. Lately I’ve heard Minnesota called the Land of 10,000 festivals, and it appears there’s something for everyone: art, beer, running, renaissance, Grand Old Day, the Aquatennial, the Irish Fair and, of course, the State Fair. Up north, Duluth has more than two dozen festivals. UST alumni have contributed a few to the mega mix of Minnesota festivals, like the Midwest Tomato Fest, now set for its third year on July 13.
How many festivals are there, actually, and what impact do all these events have on our state economy? MinnPost and Twin Cities Business recently sought to answer these questions and their article is worth a read. Here are a few snippets: (more…)
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Thursday, May 30th, 2013
More than 250 students were hooded in the Graduate Business Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 25. Randall J. Hogan, chairman and CEO of Pentair, delivered the commencement address and told the graduates “You’re starting the next phase of your lives” and the two things you need to be successful are to “create your own future, and control your own destiny. Make sure you have a goal in mind, when opportunities present themselves, you will be bold enough to take them.” (more…)
Tags: commencement, graduation, Pentair, randall hogan
Posted in Alumni, Commentary, EveningMBA, Executive MBA, FTMBA, Health Care MBA, leadership, Local business, UST MBC | Comments Off
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
This Memorial Day weekend marks graduation for the UST MBA Class of 2013. This group has numerous successes to celebrate besides the end of long study sessions, classroom lectures and finals. Many of the 2013 grads will embark on a new journey with organizations such as Deloitte, Thrivent Financial, Disney Corporation, and Ecolab Inc. Others have chosen to continue on the entrepreneurial path with start-ups and family businesses. The Class of 2013 has been an excellent role model to the current first-year MBAs as they begin new adventures of their own, starting internships with Mayo Clinic, Target Corporation, General Mills, DataCard, Pepsi Co, 3M and others.
(more…)
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Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
May is Small Business Month, and entrepreneurs everywhere face uphill battles with funding, the economy, hiring and affordability in the effort to get their businesses off the ground. The website NerdWallet sifted through the factors that matter to small business owners to determine which cities are the best for those hoping to start a business and Minneapolis made the national top 10.
It is no surprise though, as evidenced by many of the entrepreneurial ventures launched here at St. Thomas or hiring our graduates. Several successful small businesses were honored last week at the 24th Annual Entrepreneur Awards Ceremony. Nearly 200 guests gathered to recognize those who foster and model the spirit of entrepreneurship each day.
During the awards portion of the evening, Dean Christopher Puto and Father Dennis Dease honored two individuals and a small business for their entrepreneurial thinking and commitment to giving back.
Dan Carr
The Entrepreneur Alumnus of the Year award went to Dan Carr, ’82, CEO of The Collaborative. With more than 25 years working with Minnesota entrepreneurs, he credits his UST education for much of his success. Carr also noted that 90 percent of job creation comes from small companies, further reinforcing the role and impact of all entrepreneurs.
(more…)
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Friday, May 17th, 2013
The Full-time UST MBA Class of 2013
As another academic year comes to a close, Dean Christopher Puto takes a moment to reflect.
Perhaps the most motivating members of our student body are the military veterans who have chosen to earn their degrees after they complete active duty. Whether they choose to begin or continue an undergraduate business degree or pursue an M.B.A. or other graduate business degree, these individuals bring a wealth of experience, deeply held convictions and a great sense of responsibility to their studies. They also bring perspective. Most of the veterans in our programs have seen active duty overseas, have witnessed events that few of us ever will, and that few of us wish to dwell on, frankly. These types of experiences allow veterans to understand that the world of business is just one part of the world and that it should serve a greater good. This understanding is what makes them leaders.
Read more in B. Magazine
Tags: B. Magazine, Christopher Puto, military, service, veteran
Posted in Alumni, Commentary, EveningMBA, FTMBA | Comments Off
Monday, May 13th, 2013
The Tommie Award recognizes a senior selected by students, faculty and staff who has displayed exceptional scholarship, leadership and campus involvement. This year’s recipient is Eyo O. Ekpo ’13, an entrepreneurship and finance major who has participated in a long list of extracurricular and service activities as well as two varsity sports.
Tags: Awards, tommie award, undergraduate
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Tuesday, May 7th, 2013
Take a walk through the halls of the Opus College of Business and you’re likely to run into Corey Eakins ’09 M.B.A., director of the Evening UST MBA Program. In the morning, you may find him in the skyway with his iPad, on his way to meet with faculty members about a new study-abroad offering. In the afternoon he’s in Terrence Murphy Hall, meeting with the student advising team to understand a concern raised by one of their advisees. You might see him in the evening, too, networking with attendees at an event designed to provide students and alumni with the opportunity to learn from the local business community. Eakins is a man on the move, always thinking about how to improve the student experience.
Read my complete profile of Eakins in B. Magazine
Tags: B. Magazine, corey eakins
Posted in Alumni, EveningMBA | Comments Off
Wednesday, May 1st, 2013
For Kyle Dahl, graduating this summer from the 11-month Master of Science degree in Accountancy program at the Opus College of Business, the experience has been at times intense, but always full of opportunity.
Dahl embraces all aspects of the integrated curriculum, especially the small class size of 22; he considers this optimal for growing a network base of other young professionals within his profession. Perhaps the hallmark of the UST MSA program is the three-month paid internship at a company students are matched with through site visits, interviews and with assistance from their director. The first UST MSA student to intern at Cargill, Dahl worked at Cargill Salt in the accounting and finance department, primarily handling issues with the business unit’s trade promotional accounting. (more…)
Tags: Cargill, kyle dahl, MSA, profile, Student
Posted in accountancy, Alumni | Comments Off
Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
What keeps Alan Bignall ’85 M.B.A. going and going and going? In a word: passion. A quick glance at his LinkedIn profile shows that he is a very busy man, but he involves himself in things that permit him to pursue his passions: entrepreneurial ventures, helping others and baseball. Bignall speaks about everything he does with enthusiasm, even when he has a cold, as he did during a recent interview with B. Magazine.
Tags: Alan Bignall, B. Magazine
Posted in Alumni, Centers, Entrepreneurship | Comments Off
“Be part of a noble service” says UST Commencement Speaker Randall Hogan
Thursday, May 30th, 2013Tags: commencement, graduation, Pentair, randall hogan
Posted in Alumni, Commentary, EveningMBA, Executive MBA, FTMBA, Health Care MBA, leadership, Local business, UST MBC | Comments Off