Business and Entrepreneurship Archives - �鶹ӰԺ University

Student-managed investment fund opens new doors for B&E, economics students

Communications — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 15:09:52 +0000

Eight �鶹ӰԺ University students gathered in the Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons recently to pitch investment recommendations to a panel of alumni who joined the session remotely. It was the next step in a newly launched student-managed investment fund that will be an ongoing part of the business and entrepreneurship and economics programs at �鶹ӰԺ.

“What makes the student-managed fund truly special—beyond the fact that we’re managing real capital—is that it reflects the liberal arts spirit of �鶹ӰԺ,” said Joseph “Jeb” Dee, a rising senior from Carlisle, Massachusetts, studying economics. “Business and investment do not happen in a vacuum. To understand markets and make smart investment decisions, you also need to understand psychology, politics, data, ethics, science, philosophy, history, and culture. That’s where the liberal arts model gives us an edge.”

Tim Thompson ’78 (far left) and Dean DuMonthier ’88 (second from right) led students through an investment pitch in the B&E Center. The students included (from left) Jayden Jensen, Jacob Stanley, Ethan Beaumont, Carter Cloutier, Patrick Noonan, Cody Brekke, Joseph “Jeb” Dee, and Evan Izenstark.

In 2022, �鶹ӰԺ introduced its new business and entrepreneurship major, created to prepare future innovators with the skills to bring social, global, and environmental context to business leadership. The program, building on �鶹ӰԺ’s well-established Innovation and Entrepreneurship interdisciplinary area, has quickly become one of the university’s most popular majors. �鶹ӰԺ then unveiled its B&E Center in October 2024 on the second floor of Fox Commons in downtown Appleton, providing an interactive space for students and mentors to gather on topics related to finance, economics, investment, and entrepreneurial exploration.

Now comes the introduction of the �鶹ӰԺ University Student-Managed Fund (LUSMF). The Fund launched this month, incorporating the student-led investment ideas presented in the final project of the Investments II course. It launched with $100,000 funded by the university and will be supported by alumni contributions in the future. Students finishing the Investments II course become portfolio managers for the LUSMF. With light supervision from an advisory group that includes faculty and alumni, the portfolio managers will monitor the performance of the fund and their investments. On a monthly basis, they will meet to follow up their investments with performance reports, and they will consider new suggestions for investments in the LUSMF. Approval of new investment positions will be voted on by the portfolio managers. On a quarterly basis, the students will produce a statement of performance and write a summary.

The students involved in LUSMF just finished Investments II, a three-unit course taught by Tim Thompson ’78. They also have been mentored by Dean DuMonthier ’88, who organized the stock pitch event and has been heading the effort to create the student-managed fund. The students, along with five others, previously took the Investments I course, also taught by Thompson.

Thompson is an independent consultant at Thompson Corporate Finance Consulting. He taught applied corporate finance—mergers and acquisitions, capital structure, and corporate restructuring—at top business schools for 27 years. DuMonthier is a trustee for �鶹ӰԺ and currently serves as chair of the Investment Committee with responsibility for �鶹ӰԺ University’s endowment.

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Investments I covers general principles in making investment decisions for any economic entity: corporations, non-profit organizations, private equity investors, or investors in public stocks and bonds. Investments II expands on the students’ learning, with the goal of developing candidate stocks for inclusion in the student-managed fund. Students study portfolio management, efficient diversification, efficient markets, and portfolio performance measurements, then focus on stock selection.

“The new curricular offering in investments and the LUSMF give the students exposure to practical application of financial principles and is of value to any �鶹ӰԺ students in three concrete ways,” Thompson said. “First, almost all graduates will go on to work at organizations that will make long-term investments, which will necessitate sacrificing current resources for future long-term potential benefits, and understanding the trade-offs involved in that is crucial to understanding how businesses survive and thrive. Secondly, �鶹ӰԺ students going on job or internship interviews will have exposure to applying financial tools in real-world situations, bringing perspective, familiarity with relevant terms, and some awareness of current news and events. Thirdly, all graduates hopefully will one day manage their own investments in their 401(k)’s, etc., and should understand alternative investment vehicles, the value of diversification, and how to be good stewards of their own retirement funds.”

Working in teams, the students selected stocks, developed investment theses, and backed them with quantitative analysis and macroeconomic context before making their pitches to the alumni panel.

“We integrated what we’d learned not just in these two classes but across our entire �鶹ӰԺ education, bringing in economic theory, strategic thinking, and communication skills to build comprehensive pitches,” Dee said.

He called the experience in synthesizing complex data, evaluating risk, and articulating a recommendation “extremely gratifying” as it builds skills that will be useful across industries.

“These courses did not merely teach us how to invest capital—they taught us how to think critically and make informed decisions, regardless of the field,” Dee said.

The student-managed fund, Dee said, is helping him ponder career options beyond working for an investment firm.

“One of the most important lessons I’ve taken from this experience—emphasized often by Dean DuMonthier—is that career paths are rarely linear, but you need to have intent in your decisions and a natural curiosity,” he said. “The fund has opened doors by connecting us directly with �鶹ӰԺ alumni, many of whom are now in roles we aspire to.”

Dee said having a shared experience—like managing real capital or working in the B&E Center’s Finance Lab—gives students something concrete to talk about when reaching out to those alumni.

“It removes a lot of the awkwardness and hesitation that students often feel when networking,” he said. “Rather than asking vague questions, we’re engaging in meaningful conversations about shared challenges, strategies, and lessons learned. Ultimately, this experience hasn’t just prepared me for a specific career—it’s made me a more thoughtful, versatile, and engaging professional.”

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�鶹ӰԺ junior Faith Onukaogu wins The Pitch with multi-purpose clothing brand

Communications — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:55:52 +0000

�鶹ӰԺ University junior Faith Onukaogu’s plan to launch Anima Unita (AU), a multi-purpose clothing brand, got an investment of $10,000 courtesy of The Pitch, a regional business startup competition among college students in northeast Wisconsin.

Onukaogu took first place in the April 28 business pitch competition that included pitches from 10 finalists—two each from �鶹ӰԺ, St. Norbert College, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Green Bay. Held in The Fox Club at Fox Cities Stadium, the Shark Tank-style pitch competition awarded more than $40,000 in prizes and in-kind services, including $10,000 for first place, $7,500 for second, and $5,000 for third.

This marks the third time in the nine-year history of The Pitch that a �鶹ӰԺ student has taken the top spot and the seventh time one or more have finished in the money.

Faith Onukaogu makes her winning pitch before the judges at The Pitch.

Onukaogu, a business and entrepreneurship and global studies double major from Jamaica, New York, pitched the idea of a stylish winter coat that can be quickly transformed into multiple uses—travel pillow, vest, blanket, and tote bag.

“I initially got the idea in middle school,” she said. “My dad really likes fashion, and I think I just grew up in fashion. But it’s also about being eco-conscious and budget conscious. I wanted to come up with something where you can get more for less while being stylish.”

It has been Onukaogu’s �鶹ӰԺ experience that took that nugget of an idea she first had as a young teen and turned it into a business possibility. She jumped with enthusiasm into �鶹ӰԺ’s business and entrepreneurship major after it was launched in the 2023-24 academic year.

She initially worked with two faculty members, Irene Strohbeen ’78, entrepreneur-in-residence, and Michael Clayville, in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) 100: In Pursuit of Innovation course to develop the Anima Unita brand idea. Then in the I&E 300: Entrepreneurial Ventures course with Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship, she crafted a business plan.

She presented her first pitch at the end of the I&E 100 course, then developed it further in I&E 300. In the process, she grew more confident, delivering a winning pitch in the LaunchLU contest earlier in April and then to five judges at Monday’s The Pitch.

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Onukaogu plans to use the prize money to offset costs as she works to bring her business plan to fruition. She hopes to launch the business online while a student, with revenue helping to pay for graduate school.

“I’m planning to go to nursing school,” Onukaogu said. “This would be a side hustle.”

A student-athlete on �鶹ӰԺ’s track team, she said her interests in both health care and business have grown during her time on campus. That makes the Anima Unita pursuit a great fit alongside her nursing ambitions.

“Those passions were mostly cultivated during my time at �鶹ӰԺ,” Onukaogu said. “It’s a liberal arts college, so I get to experience so many different things, and that’s how I was able to develop the passions for both health care and business.”

Faith Onukaogu (center) poses for a photo at The Pitch with Sheldon Watson and Emma Perry, who also pitched a startup idea.

Joining Onukaogu at The Pitch on Monday were Emma Perry, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Beverly, Massachusetts, and Sheldon Watson, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Snellville, Georgia. They emerged from LaunchLU as finalists, pitching Community and Beyond, an app designed to be used by high schools, high school students, and nonprofits in the tracking of volunteer hours.

“Both teams represented �鶹ӰԺ University so well, as LU students do,” Strohbeen said.

She applauded them for seeking mentoring support from �鶹ӰԺ faculty and representatives from gener8tor, a business startup accelerator that has partnered with �鶹ӰԺ’s B&E program.

“In the short two weeks between LaunchLU and The Pitch, they showed the focus and dedication to winning that typifies not just �鶹ӰԺ but also �鶹ӰԺ Athletics—all three of our entrepreneurs are also athletes,” Strohbeen said. “Congratulations to both of our entrepreneur teams.”

Bussone called I&E 100 and I&E 300 a “great foundation” for �鶹ӰԺ students to develop their concept and business model, and then thrive in pitch contests.

“I’m humbled to have the opportunity to teach, mentor, and provide students opportunities to pursue their passion,” she said.

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�鶹ӰԺ students to pitch business start-up ideas in annual The Pitch competition

Communications — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:05:27 +0000

Two business ideas that emerged from �鶹ӰԺ University’s LaunchLU will be pitched to a panel of judges April 28 in a regional startup business competition that features students from five Wisconsin colleges.

Emma Perry, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Beverly, Massachusetts, and Sheldon Watson, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Snellville, Georgia, will pitch Community and Beyond, an app designed to track volunteer hours. They are joined on the team by Ben Gutowski, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Evanston, Illinois.
Faith Onukaogu, a junior majoring in business and entrepreneurship and global studies from Jamaica, New York, will pitch Anima Unita (AU), a multi-purpose clothing brand.

The Pitch, held annually at The Fox Club at Fox Cities Stadium, begins at 4 p.m. April 28 (doors open at 3:30 p.m.) and is open to the public. Two finalists each from five participating institutions—�鶹ӰԺ, St. Norbert College, UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Stevens Point—will pitch their business ideas as they compete for more than $40,000 in cash and in-kind prizes.

Emma Perry and Sheldon Watson present their pitch during LaunchLU.

�鶹ӰԺ’s LaunchLU, held for the first time in the new Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons, featured five student teams competing for two spots in The Pitch. Irene Strohbeen ’78, entrepreneur-in-residence and organizer of LaunchLU, said the enthusiasm of the students making the pitches and those in the audience supporting them was infectious.

“Clearly each student who pitched had devoted much time and attention to preparing, and we know they gained self-confidence and skills for future pitches,” Strohbeen said.

The students presented their ideas to five judges: Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship at �鶹ӰԺ, Rich Marshall, assistant director for internships in �鶹ӰԺ’s Career Center, Andrew Schmitz of gener8tor, Colleen Bies of Downtown Oshkosh, and Kim Massey of Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC).

Judges listen to pitches during LaunchLU, held for the first time in the Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons.

Adam Galambos, Dwight and Marjorie Peterson Professor of Innovation and associate professor of economics, called the design of the B&E Center, including the stage, perfect for this kind of event.

“It’s great to have the state-of-the-art technology and a space that is large enough to hold an event like this, but feels intimate at the same time,” Galambos said.

Now it’s on to The Pitch for Community and Beyond and Anima Unita. The top three finishers will split the prize money, with the top finisher earning $10,000 plus in-kind services, second place earning $7,500 plus in-kind services, and third place $5,000 plus in-kind services.

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The regional Shark Tank-style competition first debuted in 2017. �鶹ӰԺ students took first place each of the first two years and have finished in the money five times. A year ago, �鶹ӰԺ’s Safiya Grant ’24 placed third for her idea for Muse, an all-natural skin-care line that features body care products targeted toward women of color.

More information on The Pitch . If planning to attend, .

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�鶹ӰԺ brought Kalle Larsson back to hockey; now he’s thriving with NHL’s Oilers

Communications — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:45:15 +0000

Kalle Larsson ’07 fits the bill when there’s talk of following your passion.

The former �鶹ӰԺ University hockey player is a self-described “hockey obsessive”—he was traveling the Midwest to watch games, taking in practices, and talking hockey with whomever would listen while working for a management consulting company in Chicago in the years following his 2007 graduation. He didn’t plan for a career in the game, until a coach at his alma mater suggested he interview for an open assistant coaching position. That four-year coaching gig at �鶹ӰԺ set Larsson on a career path that has led him to the highest levels of professional hockey.

In May, after 10 years with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League—first as director of player personnel, then as general manager and president of hockey operations—Larsson was named senior director of player development for the Edmonton Oilers, one of the most storied franchises in the National Hockey League.

“I never set out to do this job,” Larsson said by phone as he traveled to Flint, Michigan, to check in with some of the Oilers’ top draft picks. “I didn’t necessarily have a strategic plan to get to where I am right now. It was just by following the passion that I have and being obsessed with the game of hockey; I trusted that I would get to where I aspired to go, and that kind of led me here.”

Kalle Larsson ’07: “A lot of things I see in my current position are things that I learned at �鶹ӰԺ.”

He oversees and manages all areas of player development, focused on the Oilers’ draft selections and other signed prospects.

A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Larsson majored in government and minored in history with an interdisciplinary in international studies at �鶹ӰԺ. That liberal arts education, he said, gave him perspectives in business management that have served him well.

“I’m passionate about player development, but my skill set is not necessarily getting on the ice and teaching them how to play the game,” Larsson said. “I’m good at finding the people who can and giving them the resources to do it and making sure they have the support from the organization to do their jobs well.”

Larsson talked about those management skills in October when he met virtually with �鶹ӰԺ students in Professor Karen Bussone’s Sport Management course. He was one of eight guests from the world of professional and college sports invited during Fall Term to meet with students to discuss sports-related careers.

“If you’re passionate about something, you need to start there; hold on to the sport you love, do your best, and try to outwork the others,” he said of his message to the class.

It was the connections Larsson built while at �鶹ӰԺ and then Dubuque that led to the initial interest from the Oilers. They liked his work ethic, management skills, and big-picture thinking.

“I think my skill set is managing a department,” Larsson said. “I’ve become pretty good at bringing in the right people, making sure the department is aligned, the reporting upwards and downwards works.”

As a player for �鶹ӰԺ, Larsson earned Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors. He also was a member of the Academic All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association team.

Former Vikings head coach Mike Szkodzinski brought Larsson back to �鶹ӰԺ in 2010 to serve as an assistant coach. Larsson was happy with his job in Chicago; he was interacting with major clients and gaining valuable business experience. But the pull of hockey was always there.

“On my own dime, I traveled around and watched hockey,” he said. “I went to watch games and practices. When �鶹ӰԺ was at tournaments, I was always there. Just on my own time. It’s what I liked to do. Then one day I got a call from the head coach at �鶹ӰԺ, and he asked if I’d be interested in coming up here and interviewing for a job to be an assistant coach. It got my foot in the door to work in hockey.”

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Larsson was promoted to �鶹ӰԺ’s associate head coach in 2013. He left a year later to join the staff of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers before eventually jumping to the front office in Dubuque.

“That’s how I got my start in hockey,” he said. “It was being out at the rinks, it was being obsessed with the game, and it was doing what I love.”

Relationship-building and a commitment to the grind, which started during his undergraduate days at �鶹ӰԺ, has led to the big opportunity Larsson now has in the NHL. He and his player development team are working to formulate and implement comprehensive individual development plans for every player in the Oilers’ organization.

Edmonton is a tradition-rich franchise that has seen a resurgence of late led by superstar Connor McDavid. The Oilers came up just short of a sixth championship when they lost to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. The franchise’s history is dominated by some of the greatest players in league history—Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr, among them.

Larsson’s job is to develop the next generation of Oilers. Much of that work goes unseen by the public, built on a foundation of teamwork, perseverance, and strategic planning.

“A lot of things I see in my current position are things that I learned at �鶹ӰԺ,” Larsson said.

“When you go to college, you are at an age where you get informed by your environment,” he said. “You go in and you think you know everything, and you realize pretty quickly that you don’t know anything. I really learned how to use my resources. I understood that if you ask the right questions, there is help you can get. When I was there, when I didn’t care about school, �鶹ӰԺ cared about school for me and got me back on the right path. I’m very grateful for that.”

Those critical-thinking skills honed as part of a liberal arts education are now front and center in his daily work with the Oilers.

“I don’t pretend to have all the answers,” Larsson said. “I am not here to be right; I’m here to try to get it right. I need help from a lot of people.”

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2023 �鶹ӰԺ graduates named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for AI-powered startup Afforai

Communications — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 16:50:42 +0000

A rapidly growing AI startup has landed two recent �鶹ӰԺ University graduates on .

CEO Alec Nguyen ’23 and Chief Technology Officer Austin “Hung” Nguyen ’23 began exploring the idea for Afforai, an AI-powered citation manager, during their senior year at �鶹ӰԺ. They then secured an investment of $100,000 from Sputnik ATX, an Austin, Texas-based venture capital fund, three months after graduating. Since then, Afforai, now based in Austin, has raised more than $1 million in funding and estimates 2024 revenue of $1.5 million. More than 100,000 researchers, writers, and students are using Afforai, an AI tool that helps users manage references, conduct literature reviews, annotate files, take notes, and write papers.

Alec Nguyen ’23 (right) and Austin “Hung” Nguyen ’23 are featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

Landing on the prestigious Forbes list a year and a half after graduation is affirmation that the leap of faith in launching Afforai is paying off, Alec Nguyen said.

“I knew we were on to something big right from the beginning and it’s an amazing validation by getting featured on the list,” he said. “It was even more surprising when I found out the judges for the Forbes list consisted of the CEO of Common App and a co-founder of Grammarly. These are two people running incredible companies and they acknowledged Afforai. This gave me even more motivation to take Afforai to the next level in 2025.”

Alec was born in Vietnam and spent much of his life in Japan before coming to the United States to study economics and data science at �鶹ӰԺ. He and Austin, a student from Vietnam who was studying economics and computer science, met during their first year on campus and developed a tight friendship. Both were involved in �鶹ӰԺ’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship program, which now features a business and entrepreneurship major and led to the creation of the newly opened Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons.

As AI technology has advanced, its relationship with higher education has often been fraught with tension. Alec mentioned that he and Austin experienced this tension firsthand during their time as students at �鶹ӰԺ while developing their initial concept.

Alec and Austin initially conceived the idea for Afforai during their senior year, planning to enter the annual Launch LU business startup pitch competition hosted by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship department. However, due to the university’s stance on AI technology at the time, the Afforai pitch was not allowed, and they instead entered a different business pitch. Undeterred, the duo believed in their vision and worked to secure a wild card spot for Afforai in The Pitch, a regional competition featuring startup ideas from students at universities across northeast Wisconsin. Although Afforai didn’t place in the top three, the experience solidified their commitment to the dream.

“We lost, but we used all of that experience as motivation to continue building Afforai,” Alec said.

Since that time, those who were initially hesitant about Afforai have reached out to acknowledge the startup’s success and discuss ways to support student business ideas within �鶹ӰԺ’s business and entrepreneurship studies.

“That means a great deal,” Alec said, highlighting the progress made with the business and entrepreneurship major and the new Business and Entrepreneurship Center as important steps forward, learning from their experience with Afforai. “You never know what an idea could become. To me, Afforai is a life-changing idea, giving me financial freedom to accomplish what I want in life.”

It’s been a wild ride from graduating in June 2023 to making the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in late 2024. There’s more to come.

“We’re aiming to grow even more in 2025,” Alec said.

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From basketball to B&E studies, Nico Manzanera thrives as a ‘connector of people’

Communications — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:27:30 +0000

Nico Manzanera believes strongly in building one’s future through determination, grit, and connecting with others.

The �鶹ӰԺ University junior business and entrepreneurship major from Bogotá, Colombia, is doing so via his work in the classroom and on the basketball court. That approach earned the 6-0, 205-pound Vikings guard Academic All-Midwest Conference honors in both 2023 and 2024.

When Manzanera didn’t see the athletic offers that he hoped for after graduating from high school, he opted for a post-grad year at a prep school in Florida. He spent this time training, growing his academic interests, and pursuing college opportunities—emailing coaches and doing research about different fields of study.

A year later, Manzanera knew �鶹ӰԺ was the right fit soon after being recruited to play basketball.

“I connected with the people here a lot, especially the guys on the team,” he said. “Also, when I talked to a faculty member (Gary Vaughan), I felt like this would be the best place for me to find my future after college and basketball are done.”

Nico Manzanera thrives on competition as a member of the �鶹ӰԺ basketball team. (Photo by Paul Wilke)

Manzanera said he has loved the basketball experience at �鶹ӰԺ—on and off the court—including the team bus rides, dinners, and impromptu karaoke nights.

He also has been an active participant in his academics. He was chosen to represent students as a speaker at the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the opening of the new Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons. He told those gathered that he appreciates the value of a liberal arts education in turning students into “lifelong learners.”

“The B&E Center will provide a space for us, the students, to connect our classroom and college experiences to the real-life experiences of working with a business, of living in an apartment, and of collaborating closely with companies like the ones that will share this space with us,” he said.

His basketball coach, Casey Korn, has admired Manzanera’s ability to connect with others and create a positive difference in every environment he is in.

“Nico is one of a kind,” Korn said. “He came to �鶹ӰԺ as a first-year and moved in with the international students. By the time the other first-years moved to campus I think he knew every athlete and international student on campus. And he hasn’t stopped meeting people since. He is a connector of people, cares for others, and wants to see everyone succeed.”

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Manzanera hopes to pursue a career in consulting or sales and is pursuing internships. The B&E Center will allow him opportunities to explore his many interests and collaborate with business professionals.

Balancing academics and athletics is not always easy, but Manzanera has learned a lot from trial and error and has leaned on the advice of coaches and academic advisors. His calendar is often organized down to the minute. That said, he also focuses time and energy on staying present in the moment as much as possible.

“It is very easy to worry about all my assignments due in the next two weeks,” he said. “But staying present on the current week, the current day, or even the current task has helped me stay calm and not overwhelm myself.”

Manzanera said he continues to find enjoyment and motivation in the journey.

“At the end of the day, we indeed have time for everything we want to do; we just have to learn how to organize and prioritize,” he said.

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Students eyeing careers in sport management are getting high-level advice in new business course

Communications — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:59:51 +0000

The business side of sports is getting new attention in the classroom at �鶹ӰԺ University, and Lauren Moravchik, a fifth-year women’s hockey player, is thrilled as she explores career options.

“I can’t think of a better way to do that than by combining my passion for sports with my interest in business,” said Moravchik, a German, economics, and business and entrepreneurship triple major from Lonsdale, Minnesota.

The addition of a sport management course during Fall Term was among the draws that brought her back to �鶹ӰԺ for a fifth year. She’s not alone in her enthusiasm. As the business and entrepreneurship major that was launched in Fall Term 2023 continues to evolve, new courses are being introduced. Among them is Sport Management, a course exploring the business aspects of college and professional sports—focused on leadership, facility management, sales, analytics, marketing, communications, and more. Taught by Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship, the inaugural course drew 35 students, 32 of them being student-athletes.

Bussone lined up eight guest speakers during Fall Term to connect with the class either in person or virtually. Among them was Gabrielle Valdez Dow, vice president of marketing and fan engagement for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, and Kalle Larsson ’07, senior director of player development for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.

The advice, wisdom, and real-world experience the guests bring is important, as are the personal connections that can potentially lead to internships and other opportunities.

“The sport industry is very, very competitive and tough to get into,” Bussone said. “I am very passionate about providing opportunities for my students to network with sport industry professionals.”

Senior Lauren Moravchik plays for the Vikings women’s hockey team. (Photo by Paul Wilke)

Dow, speaking to the class at �鶹ӰԺ’s newly opened Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons, encouraged the students to start building connections now. That includes doing their homework—learning all they can about potential employers and internship opportunities.

“Regardless of what you are doing in life, whether you are going to talk to somebody who is going to employ you or someone you are meeting with for an informational meeting, go do your homework,” Dow said. “Get online and find out who they are and what makes them tick and what you have in common with them.”

Bringing that background into the conversation is the beginning of relationship building, said Dow, whose career before joining the Packers in 2014 included leadership in marketing and fan engagement with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, the NHL’s Florida Panthers, and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

Larsson, who played hockey at �鶹ӰԺ and then returned as an assistant coach from 2010 to 2013, told the students to embrace their passion for sports and be prepared to outwork those around them.

“A lot of people say they want to do something, but when they realize how hard it is, they don’t really want to do it,” said Larsson, who was after a decade in the front office with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. “I got here with absolute dedication. … I’m just extremely obsessed with what I do.”

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Bussone expects to teach the Sport Management course once each year. She also has introduced courses in Financial Management, Management and Leadership, and Customer Engagement.

“Designing a course in sport management came about because many LU athletes aspire to work in the sport industry,” Bussone said. “I heard that from students in my classes last year.”

A path forward

For Moravchik, athletics are part of her identity. It’s been that way since she was a young child, when her father and uncles introduced her and her sister to hockey, volleyball, golf, and more.

“Athletics have been a constant in my life,” she said.

She committed to playing women’s hockey at �鶹ӰԺ in the spring of 2020—just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning—and chose economics and German as her majors. When the business and entrepreneurship major was introduced in 2023, she jumped in immediately. The major, and the new courses that were introduced, dovetailed beautifully with her interests.

“I will be forever grateful to the professors who were so deeply committed to developing this major and its curriculum,” she said. “The launch of the B&E program was pivotal for me to stay in school for a fifth year, and this major will be an important part of my post-graduation plans.”

Those plans, she said, could go in a number of directions. She has interned for two summers at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, Colorado, and may return there in a staff position. She’s also interested in internships with a Formula 1 racing team in Germany.

“My parents instilled in me early on the spirit of an ‘adventure girl,’ a motto that has shaped my upbringing, and I intend to continue living a life of adventure—whether that’s exploring the beauty of western Colorado or discovering a new city in Europe each weekend while traveling with an F1 team,” Moravchik said. “This course is helping me determine if a career in sport management is the right path for me.”

Moravchik’s hockey teammate, Taylor Halverson, a senior business and entrepreneurship and psychology double major from Hudson, Wisconsin, is looking for a graduate assistant position in a college athletic department following graduation in June. She called the Sport Management course an important window into the skills and resources needed to make that happen.

“As a student athlete interested in sports marketing and social media, I wanted to learn more about how teams are promoted, how they engage fans, and how they manage their brand,” she said.

Larsson said he’s not surprised this course has drawn so much interest from students.

“If this course would have been around when I was at �鶹ӰԺ, I would have been the first person to sign up,” he said.

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Academics, career exploration highlighted as Business & Entrepreneurship Center opens

Communications — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 13:32:02 +0000

�鶹ӰԺ University’s Business & Entrepreneurship Center at Fox Commons officially opened Wednesday as �鶹ӰԺ leadership, faculty, and students joined with Fox Cities community members to celebrate new partnerships that will elevate academic experiences across the disciplines.

“What you see today is a wonderful example of how �鶹ӰԺ is being intentional in strengthening that student experience, in extending the reach of the classroom,” President Laurie A. Carter said at a ribbon-cutting in the center, located on the second level of Fox Commons in downtown Appleton.

�鶹ӰԺ is a tenant in the ongoing redevelopment of City Center Plaza, known as Fox Commons. It is joining gener8tor, a business startup accelerator, Mosaic Family Health, Prevea Health, and other business ventures in the reimagined space being developed by Dark Horse Development. �鶹ӰԺ’s B&E Center includes a large multipurpose room with configurable furniture and a stage for lectures, performances, and pitch competitions; a finance lab equipped with data analysis and finance terminals; and a group meeting space for students, faculty, and community collaborators. It is part of �鶹ӰԺ’s investment in Fox Commons, which also includes student apartments and a Pre-Health Commons. The second-floor apartments are already in use; the Pre-Health Commons and apartments on the third level will open next summer.

Professor Adam Galambos, director of the Business & Entrepreneurship Center, speaks to the audience gathered for the opening.

In addition, �鶹ӰԺ is preparing to open a state-of-the-art Humanities Center next summer in the West Campus building that is rising at the corner of E. College Avenue and Drew Street. The B&E Center, Pre-Health Commons, and Humanities Center are all investments in growing the student experience. Each will “bring �鶹ӰԺ into the community and the community into �鶹ӰԺ,” said Provost and Dean of Faculty Peter Blitstein.

“Together, these three centers represent our commitment to a contemporary education in the arts and sciences that draws on the best traditions of liberal education to prepare students to thrive in an uncertain and changing world,” he said.

Find more information on the Business & Entrepreneurship Center

The B&E Center will facilitate deeper collaborations between faculty, students, and community partners, deliver real world investment experience for students, and provide interactive space for workshops, lectures, and seminars that span the disciplines.

“Our vision for the B&E Center is to create learning experiences through connecting the campus and the business community,” said Adam Galambos, the Dwight and Marjorie Peterson Professor of Innovation and associate professor of economics and the inaugural director of the B&E Center. “This space would be wonderful anywhere, but I especially love that it is right in the middle of downtown Appleton.”

Galambos noted that the business & entrepreneurship major, launched two years ago and designed through the lens of the liberal arts, is already one of the most popular majors on campus. Planning for the major—and the B&E Center—involved faculty from across the university. He highlighted faculty contributions from Mike Clayville in the Conservatory, Claudena Skran and Bill Hixon in government, David Gerard and Jonathan Lhost in economics, Martyn Smith in religious studies, Karen Bussone in Business & Entrepreneurship, and Timothy Troy in theatre arts.

“A broad coalition of faculty from a variety of fields in the social and natural sciences, humanities, and arts are developing new courses for our business and entrepreneurship program,” Galambos said. “Many of these courses will aim to connect more meaningfully with the business community through events right here.”

To highlight that inter-disciplinary programming, four student musicians provided beautiful music before Wednesday’s ceremony and during an open house that followed—Charlie White, Owen Finch, Cooper Luedtke, and Tyler Donnelly.

Nico Manzanera, a business & entrepreneurship major, talks about what the B&E Center will bring to students.

Nico Manzanera, a junior business & entrepreneurship major from Bogotá, Colombia, spoke at Wednesday’s gathering, calling the B&E Center a pathway to the next chapters of students’ lives.

“As an entrepreneur, you are constantly changing your career path, you are constantly changing your perspective on the world, and you are constantly trying to change the world,” Manzanera said. “And the most effective way to do that is if you are constantly learning. And, of course, the best way to learn is through experience.”

�鶹ӰԺ is focused on strengthening career readiness for all its students. Carter called the B&E Center, along with the Pre-Health Commons and the Humanities Center, avenues to deepen the career discernment conversation.

“At �鶹ӰԺ,” Carter said, “we believe deeply in the value of a liberal arts education, one that focuses on critical thinking and engaged learning across the disciplines. We have been building a deeper exploration of business and entrepreneurship within the context of a liberal arts education for a number of years now. … That is happening whether they are studying in business and economics, the arts, the humanities, social sciences, or physical sciences. In all cases, important partnerships are being strengthened.”

Study Business & Entrepreneurship

Combine the benefits of a liberal arts education with those of a business major as we prepare future leaders.

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�鶹ӰԺ alumnus plays lead role in showcasing Team USA leotards for Summer Olympics

Communications — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 20:11:45 +0000

As the 2024 Summer Olympics arrive, one �鶹ӰԺ University alumnus will be keeping his eye on women’s gymnastics. Johnathan Vanko-Tomaszewski ’13 has been hard at work behind the scenes helping provision Team USA gymnasts with their stunning new leotards.

Vanko-Tomaszewski, known to friends as J.R., is the senior marketing and e-commerce manager for Elite Sportswear, which operates three divisions—Dolfin Swimwear, Omni Cheer, and GK Elite. Between them, Elite Sportswear creates swimwear, cheerleading apparel, and gymnastics uniforms.

Vanko-Tomaszewski played a key role as the GK Elite leotards to be worn by Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and the rest of Team USA in Paris were recently unveiled on NBC’s TODAY Show. It drew major media coverage, including a story in the New York Times that said: “GK Elite on Wednesday unveiled the eight Olympic leotards for the women’s team — loaded with Swarovski crystals in a patriotic color palette. The wardrobe, which drew inspiration from American iconography, French art and even old Hollywood, is ultimately about more than aesthetics. Gymnasts have long used leotards to add an extra layer of personality and to gain a confidence boost while on the competition floor. And each of the leotards they’ll pack for Paris has its own story.”

Despite a lot of moving parts, the campaign launch was a resounding success.

“We seamlessly launched all these updates as the leotards were revealed live on the TODAY Show,” Vanko-Tomaszewski said. “I am happy to report that the collection launch was flawless, with no significant challenges, thanks to our meticulous planning and preparation.”

The Summer Olympics are set to officially open July 26 in Paris, running through Aug. 11. Look for women’s gymnastics to take center stage from July 28 to Aug. 5. Vanko-Tomaszewski, a diver on �鶹ӰԺ’s swimming and diving team who studied studio art and theatre arts during his undergrad days, will be watching closely.

He said �鶹ӰԺ gave him the opportunity to challenge himself creatively and push his limits. Between working with the Rabbit Gallery in downtown Appleton and creating his own pop-up art gallery on campus, he said he learned valuable skills about preparation, planning, and strategy for large projects. He thanked his former advisor, Rob Neilson, Frederick R. Layton Professor of Studio Art and professor of art, for encouraging him to push his boundaries.

“What I loved most about �鶹ӰԺ was that anything was possible,” Vanko-Tomaszewski said. “At �鶹ӰԺ, you weren’t identified by your interests or area of study; you were seen as a person with the potential to make a lasting impact on the world. I attribute my determination and dedication to delivering at the highest level of execution to my experiences at �鶹ӰԺ.”

Johnathan Vanko-Tomaszewski ’13: “What I loved most about �鶹ӰԺ was that anything was possible.”

GK Elite has had a longstanding partnership with USA Gymnastics. While in previous Olympics other brand names have adorned the leotards, GK has always been the manufacturer who has created those leotards. GK was the official national team apparel provider for the Tokyo Olympics and is honored again to be the logo on the apparel that the team will wear in Paris.

Vanko-Tomaszewski said a marketing position with Elite Sportswear was a natural choice for him. He has been involved in gymnastics and cheerleading for 17 years, including being a coach and owning his own cheer gym.

“Given my extensive background in gymnastics, cheerleading, and diving, joining Elite Sportswear felt like the perfect fit,” he said. “My deep understanding of these sports and my passion for sportswear and marketing make this role a seamless match for my skills and interests.”

Vanko-Tomaszewski manages marketing initiatives for all three of the company’s divisions, and it’s his responsibility to maintain their websites and digital presence. He also manages their advertising strategies.

“By working cross-functionally with our Brand Marketing Department, Product Line Team, and Product Development Teams, we ensure cohesive branding and optimal product positioning to drive sales and enhance our online presence,” he said.

Rolling out this collection was a huge project for everyone involved, spanning two years. Vanko-Tomaszewski’s team was more heavily involved in the past year, working to redesign certain website pages, create new video and image assets for advertising, and prepare for a surge in site traffic.

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Research, outreach part of Field Experience course as 16 �鶹ӰԺ students travel to The Gambia

Communications — Wed, 29 May 2024 16:25:46 +0000

Since 2011, �鶹ӰԺ University students have had the opportunity to participate in field experience abroad as part of the course Field Experience in Development, traveling to Sierra Leone, Ghana, Jamaica, and Morocco.

2024 marked a first for the course. Led by Claudena Skran, Edwin & Ruth West Professor of Economics and Social Science and professor of government, and Jason Brozek, Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs and associate professor of government, the class traveled to The Gambia, a small West African country with a narrow Atlantic Ocean coastline.

The course allows students to travel to a developing country to both conduct research and give back to the community. During spring break, 16 students embarked on a trip that would give their education a global perspective.

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Field experience

The course also gives students the opportunity to collaborate with majors across campus, including government, business and entrepreneurship, global studies, international relations, economics, and environmental studies.

“The course brings students together from different parts of our �鶹ӰԺ campus community,” Skran said. “Having students with different majors allows them to learn from each other, and from their hosts.”

The 12 students pursuing research projects chose their own political, economic, social, or environmental topic to pursue and research, mainly through observations and interviews with national and local leaders.

�鶹ӰԺ students worked on research projects while in The Gambia.

For Nico Manzanera, traveling to The Gambia wasn’t the only first. He had recently declared a business and entrepreneurship major, a program that began at the start of the 2023-24 academic year. He became the first business major to go on one of these research trips.

“I was very happy to take the opportunity,” Manzanera said.

A sophomore from Bradenton, Florida, Manzanera chose to explore the main challenges and opportunities for businesses in The Gambia. He was able to speak with people from all walks of life—entrepreneurs, lawyers, athletes, and politicians.

Much of his observation came from traveling to local gathering spots in the city, as well as riding public transportation and talking to taxi drivers.

“I traveled a lot,” Manzanera said. “I got to see a lot of the day-to-day life of these people.”

Senior Gigi Wood received one of her best leads from a taxi driver.

A double major in international relations and philosophy from Lake Villa, Illinois, Wood chose to base her research on sports and youth sports in The Gambia. Her taxi driver introduced her to a soccer player who played internationally for 16 years.

“He was the most helpful interview I had for my project, and I hadn’t even planned it,” Wood said. “It just kind of came about just from going to different areas and seeing different fields in the country. I was able to stumble on these amazing people who filled me in on things I wouldn’t have found online researching and gave me insights to look into on how sports can develop in these countries.”

As an athlete herself—Wood played on the women’s ice hockey team for four years—the topic was a perfect fit. Through her interactions, Wood hoped to learn more about the difficulties The Gambia had with their developing infrastructure, how athletes develop, and what that means for their country.

One of their main challenges, Wood said, is that many of the best athletes travel to Europe to play, especially soccer players. This makes it difficult to develop the professional teams in The Gambia.

However, she found that some international players have started to return to The Gambia to open youth sports programs.

“I got to talk to a few of them and get the real sense of what it means to be a youth athlete in a developing country like The Gambia,” Wood said.

Junior Miami Kirkwood found that The Gambia is at the forefront of global environmental conversations.

Although The Gambia is a small nation with a vast array of environmental concerns, the country also has some of the most ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Paris Climate Agreement. (An NDC is a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts.)

Kirkwood, an environmental studies major from Delton, Michigan, focused her research on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and how they collaborate with policymaking in developing countries.

“NGOs in The Gambia play a much different role than they do here in the United States,” Kirkwood said. “They’re much more hands-on.”

Kirkwood had an interview with the team at Green Up Gambia, one of the most renowned NGOs in the country.

One thing founder Kemo Fatty said that struck her, Kirkwood said, was The Gambia was “ground zero” for climate change, and that it was their job to talk to people to facilitate their needs.

“Starting with the people who are experiencing environmental crises or environmental concerns and really engaging with local populations and listening to their needs,” Kirkwood said. “These organizations have the resources to do more about that, so really they view themselves as facilitators rather than as saviors.”

Sophomore Quynh Anh Cao Le reacts as she feeds a monkey at Bijilo Forest Park, a national park known as Monkey Park. The students learned about sustainability efforts and the conservation of the monkeys that reside there.

To Quynh Anh (Cailey) Cao Le, a sophomore international relations major from Vietnam, that understanding of the daily lives, struggles, and goals of the local people made the trip a unique experience.

“I think that is the amazing part,” Cao Le said. “We had a chance to understand their daily life. You have a chance for very intense interaction, also intense observation—really, really powerful to help understand more about the country.”

Cao Le’s research focused on the relationship between democracy and Islam in The Gambia. According to Cao Le, about 96% of the population of The Gambia identifies as Muslim, and the country just adopted democracy in 2017.

In addition to interviewing the Imam of the Masjid Taqwa Mosque, one of the leading religious leaders in the country, Cao Le also observed how the people acted, prayed, and worshiped, including in public spaces, to fuel her research.

Fun and games

Even with a schedule jam-packed with interviews and meetings, the students were able to squeeze in time to have some fun. With the beach just steps away from their hotel, swimming and playing beach volleyball together were common pastimes.

They also embraced the city life by wandering the town and enjoying local foods, African music, and each other’s stories about their experiences. The numerous markets were also a highlight of the trip.

“There were a ton of markets you could go to and really engage with the locals,” Kirkwood said. “I think we made a lot of local friends. It is branded ‘The Smiling Coast’ for a reason.”

In addition, some were able to visit the Bijilo Forest Park, a national park often known as Monkey Park, to learn about the efforts around sustainability and the conservation of the monkeys that reside there.

Giving back

The second component of Field Experience in Development is volunteerism: giving back to a local community in tandem with KidsGive, a scholarship program associated with �鶹ӰԺ. The mission of KidsGive is to educate those in the U.S. about the life and culture of African communities.

“The students both do field research and volunteer in community schools, so they help contribute to the places that they visit as well,” Skran said.

Organized by junior Fanta Jatta, a neuroscience major from Madison, Wisconsin, the students visited Presentation of Mary Basic Cycle School in Brikama. Four of the 16 students came to The Gambia specifically to volunteer, attending the school daily to perform eye screenings for 400 students. They also helped an eye doctor with further examinations, and KidsGive furnished 32 students with much-needed glasses.

�鶹ӰԺ students, from left, Ken Penaherrera, Fanta Jatta, and Zakirul Khan, joined staff to help with eye screenings at the Presentation of Mary Basic Cycle School in Brikama as part of KidsGive. More than 400 students were screened.

Additional �鶹ӰԺ students came to help with the screenings for one day of the week, which Wood said was a very eye-opening experience for her.

“When I was very young, I started wearing glasses and contacts,” Wood said. “A lot of these older kids who were coming in had really bad vision, and they had been going through school not knowing that they needed these.”

�鶹ӰԺ and KidsGive also gave back in the form of sports fun, which Wood connected to her research. Before arriving at the school, Wood purchased sports equipment to be donated to the school, and �鶹ӰԺ put on a field day for the students. They all spent the afternoon playing soccer and volleyball and conducting relay races.

Wood said one of her favorite things about the day was seeing how dedicated some of the students were to their sport.

“These boys ran all the way home, changed into their soccer uniforms and cleats, and came back because they wanted to show us how good they were at soccer,” Wood said.

The day they were able to spend at the school was one of the most impactful parts of the entire trip for both Manzanera and Cao Le.

“Just seeing how happy the kids were to see us, to interact with us, how excited they were,” Manzanera said, “that really made me very happy to see.”

For Cao Le, the warm-heartedness of the kids made a big impact.

“I feel like a few hours of playing with the kids made my heart feel so much love and kindness,” Cao Le said. “I definitely want to come back to that school again, all because of the experience with the people in The Gambia, the local people. They are so amazing, kind, and warm-hearted.”

Community-engaged learning

One of the benefits of traveling as part of the class, the students agreed, was that they were able to explore the country deeper and at a different pace than a tourist.

Kirkwood reflected on how the structure of the trip forced her outside of her comfort zone. Usually a planner and itinerary follower, she adapted to their pace and was able to “go with the flow.”

“It really made me feel like I connected more with the people there,” Kirkwood said, “and just kind of enjoyed their presence as they enjoyed mine, and that was really nice.”

Students present their research posters in the Steitz Atrium during Spring Term.

Without the class, Wood thought she wouldn’t have gotten the same experience in The Gambia.

“Going out into the cities, going into people’s homes, into the schools, I got to experience the country from a lot of its different aspects,” Wood said. “I’m happy that I got the experience to travel there and do this kind of research.”

On May 15, the students presented their research posters in Steitz Atrium. The posters remain on display in Briggs Hall.

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