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The Department of Management hosted 20 high school students for a summer program called “Be Your Own Boss.”

Over the summer, DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business invited high school students from across the Chicago area to participate in academic programs that introduced them to the higher education experience and potential future careers.

DePaul’s Department of Management & Entrepreneurship hosted 20 high school students for a summer program called “Be Your Own Boss.” Created in conjunction with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), BMO Harris and Macy’s, the six-week curriculum focused on career awareness, college readiness, team-building and leadership skills.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for students to focus on what they want to do in life,” says Susanne Mickey, who developed the curriculum for the program and is assistant to the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship chair. “The course helps students develop skill sets they didn’t even know existed, preparing them for not only college, but also for leadership in their communities.”

Students in the “Be Your Own Boss” program traveled to Iron Oaks Environmental Learning Center in Olympia, Ill., where they learned team-building skills outdoors. Pictured: Abdullah Hutcherson (holding the rope).

The “Be Your Own Boss” program is part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s One Summer Chicago initiative that provides youth with employment and enrichment programs. Over the course of four weeks, students learned about leadership, management, marketing, sales, accountancy, financial planning, hospitality, communications and entrepreneurship.  They also visited with sports and business executives from the Bulls, Bears, Cubs, PepsiCo and Macy’s.

Assistant Professor Andy Clark, who is the faculty coordinator of the Sports Management curriculum at DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business, arranged for the teens to visit Chicago pro sports team and lectured about business management. Visiting Assistant Professor Ivanna Zilic, the other main faculty member for the six-week program, taught the students interviewing and presentation skills and how to perfect their elevator speech.

Opening New Paths for Chicago Teens

Abdullah Hutcherson from Chicago Virtual Charter School decided to participate in the “Be Your Own Boss” program because he was interested in entrepreneurship and business management. “A lot of kids in this program may not have access to these opportunities,” Hutcherson says. “The ‘Be Your Own Boss’ program opens new paths and creates a different reality from what you see on a day-to-day basis.” Hutcherson one day hopes to own a gym and feels that the management, marketing and accounting skills he learned from the program will help him in the future.

At the end of this six-week program, students received a professional wardrobe courtesy of Macy’s. They learned how to make a polished business presentation, which they delivered in front of an audience of family, friends and supporters from CHA, BMO Harris and DePaul.

“When you are young, you are unsure who you are and who you’ll become,” Mickey says. “To be able to have this experience and participate in everything that is offered, in the end it can be a life changer. It will give you the assurance that you will go further in life, you can do anything you want to do and you can truly become your own boss.”

Actuarial Camp Introduces Teen Math Scholars to Lucrative Career Path

The Actuarial Academy  at DePaul culminated with the student groups presenting their projects to the sponsors and their parents.

DePaul’s Arditti Center for Risk Management, which is part of DePaul’s Department of Finance, also hosted a summer enrichment program for teens this summer. The second annual Actuarial Summer Academy in August offered a one-week, on-campus program  designed to get high school students engaged in the actuarial field through experiential learning, case challenges and visits by industry professionals.

“People who are good at math and stumble across actuarial sciences on their own are often frustrated that they didn’t find this career path earlier,” says Finance Professor Carl Luft  (BUS ’75, MBA ’77)​,  academic director of the Arditti Center for Risk Management. “We are introducing high school students to this profession much earlier so they have the tools to succeed in this lucrative career.”

DePaul is the only business school in Chicago with an actuarial science major. The Actuarial Summer Academy used this advantage to bring together industry representatives, talented high school students and DePaul faculty members. This year, 36 Chicago-area high school math students descended on DePaul’s Loop Campus to learn more about actuarial science as a career. The Actuarial Academy students were divided into seven teams each sponsored by a local corporate partner and assigned a real-world risk management project to solve by the end of the week.

Rayana Bush from Kenwood Academy in Hyde Park was looking for an enrichment course to take over the summer. Her pre-calculus teacher approached her about the actuarial academy. “I love math so much and I knew I wanted to find an interesting math profession, but there was never one I thought I fit in,” Bush says. “The actuary profession has opened my eyes to what I could be in the future.” Bush’s student team was sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, and she enjoyed meeting actuaries from the organization, learning new challenging concepts and tackling the group project.

The Actuarial Academy culminated with each student team presenting their project results to the other teams, faculty members and parents. “We are building the brand of DePaul and enhancing the actuarial profession with this academy,” says Clinical Professor of Finance Tom Edwalds, who led the camp with DePaul Assistant Professor of Mathematics Stefanos Orfanos. “We are looking to attract higher caliber of students to DePaul and introduce a lucrative career where each of these students can succeed.”

By Andrew Zamorski

It’s been more than a century since the Chicago Cubs won a World Series. Now the Cubs are winning again, and fans have high hopes they’ll go all the way this year. But what is it like to see firsthand the team’s historic transformation?

The 12 DePaul alumni – most of them from the college of business – who work the Chicago Cubs organization know.

Much like the team they work for, these alumni have experienced increasing opportunities for success at one of the most storied sports franchises in history. Three of these alumni share how their experiences at DePaul have helped them win at the game of sports management.

Name: Diego Chahda (BUS ’12)

Cubs Job: Premier Account Executive

Years with the Cubs:  Three

On Working with the Cubs

“I’m from Cleveland, so if anyone can understand the plight of a Cubs fan it’s me! I started back in 2013, when the Cubs were rebuilding and it was really hard on our season ticket waiting list. I was brought in to focus on the team’s waitlist and help with converting people to season tickets at a higher rate.

“We changed our sales process. Before, we would send a post card reminder and then have people just wait to get a call from us to come to the ball park and buy their seats.

“Literally, people had to come down in December when it was freezing, wait in line to buy their season tickets, and they had no idea on the price or anything. Now everything is digital.

“We contact prospective season ticket holders well in advance of the season, they get a more personalized message from the team, thanking them for their support of the team and are encouraged to celebrate their opportunity to finally buy season tickets.

“We want them to feel a part of the team and its success.  They don’t want to lose their opportunity to buy a seat for next season. Now we have an extremely high retention rate for our season ticket holders and convert off the waitlist at a good clip, which had a potential to become extinct, has been extended to 90,000 strong. That number is only going to get higher.”

On DePaul University

“Before I started working [with the Cubs] I had no idea what sales were all about. I couldn’t sell $15 tickets to a high school hockey game. Now, I sell $500 seats, using tactics I learned at DePaul. My classes at DePaul taught me that you are selling more than space, you’re selling experience, and service is how you do that. So that’s my emphasis: serving our customers and making sure they’re more than satisfied with us.”

Name: Annie Scalise (BUS ’13)

Cubs Job: Human Resources Coordinator

Years with the Cubs:  Two

On Working with the Cubs

“I started as an intern for a minor league team. I literally did everything, from selling tickets, cleaning the stadium, and even being the team mascot. I also had an opportunity to work for the Cubs as a client service associate in the 2013 season. After the 2013 season, I left the sports industry and went to work full-time in a corporate setting. However, I began to miss the sports industry atmosphere and energy. In 2015, the Cubs had an HR opening and I was able to find my way back. It’s a totally different culture here. Everyone is much more focused on the same goal—having a winning team and organization. We all want to win the World Series. We want to support our baseball team, support Theo [Epstein, president of Baseball Operations for the Cubs], support Tom Ricketts [owner of the Cubs]. That’s our bigger goal.”

 On DePaul University

“In every class that I took at DePaul, we had some sort of huge final project that required much collaboration. The team-building and collaboration that I learned at DePaul helps me each day as I support the Cubs’ front office. We just have this mentality that we’re all in this together.”

Name: Ashley Beirne (‘BUS ‘11)

Cubs Job: Development, Hickory Street Capital LLC (owned by the Ricketts Family); formerly worked in Corporate Partnerships with the Chicago Cubs

Years with the Ricketts: Three

“When I started with the Cubs, I worked in corporate partnerships new business and sold everything from naming rights to the Cubs Executive Clubs, to selling outfield signage, and brought in additional revenue for two and half years. While working in corporate partnerships I would educate clients on the 1060 Project development, which included the restoration of Wrigley Field, as well as the Ricketts’ development exterior of Wrigley Field (Hotel, Plaza and Office building).

“In the same time span, my sister and I bought our first condo which prompted me to become more interested in real estate. I wanted to be a part of this new story for the Ricketts, not only the story on the field with the team hopefully competing for the World Series, but also transforming Wrigleyville to be an event destination more than the 81 home games, but rather a place where people travel to at all times of the year.

“I was really inspired and began studying on nights and weekends to get my real estate license. I began working in residential real estate and then transferred to working on the $250-million development project the Ricketts started.

“It’s an exciting and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of this development. There is a small team of us who are developing this entire infrastructure outside of Wrigley Field. It’s keeping us very busy. It’s been amazing to have the ability to be a part of the design meetings, the construction meetings, launching a new hotel brand, and developing community events such as Farmer’s Markets and Movies in the Plaza. This whole experience has been amazing and it’s been incredible to see the Cubs succeed and win.

On DePaul University

“I love DePaul. The best part is that DePaul gives you the mindset where you realize that what you’re doing now is going to impact what you’re doing in the future. As a business student at DePaul commuting to and from the loop, your focus is on the real world right away. At DePaul, you have the opportunity to learn from business professionals who have been successful in their own careers and are teaching real world business practices and strategies, not just from a dated textbook. You’re learning from the best, which has made it easier for me to succeed in my own career and within the Ricketts ’organization.”

By Ovetta Sampson

Alumni business partners Julio Rodriguez and Enrique Lopez.

A DePaul degree can be a powerful tool in the real world, even more so when two alumni come together to form a company.

Julio Rodriguez (MBA ’88) and Enrique Lopez (MST ’00) use their alumni connection as the backbone for managing LRC CPA Management, a successful CPA consulting firm startup, which they founded together in 2015. LRC CPA Management provides business leadership and financial service consultation to clients of all sizes to encourage financial stability and long-term profitable growth.

The idea for the company evolved from the friendship between Rodriguez and Lopez that has spanned over fifteen years. Rodriguez and Lopez crossed paths at alumni networking events and through professional social circles. Before forming their firm, they had casually talked about starting their own business venture. They remained in contact and waited for the perfect timing.

Rodriguez spent over 30 years in various accounting roles for major retailers, such as Walmart, Sears and McDonald’s Corp. He earned his MBA from DePaul in order to advance in his career. While earning his degree, he realized that he was interested in international business and took classes in the subject as part of his degree. Upon receiving his MBA, he was able work internationally for Walmart and spent more than twelve years traveling internationally. When he decided to return to the United States, he reconnected with Lopez.

“After 30 years on the corporate side of business, I realized I wanted to put my skill set into consulting,” says Rodriguez. “I called Enrique and we put together a plan on how we can compete in Chicago.”

Lopez worked for a large CPA firm before forming Lopez & Co Certified Public Accountants in 2004. He has always been interested in the public accounting and taxation environment and providing services to various enterprises, including non-profits. But he wanted to expand his services. That came in the form of consulting through the creation of LRC CPA Management with Rodriguez.

“One thing that motivated me was going back to the client service environment and helping people, businesses and organizations make decisions and do well in running their business,” says Lopez.

Rodriguez and Lopez both say having a degree from DePaul provides a lot of recognition and credibility.

“DePaul was in the center everything when it came to forming our company,” says Rodriguez. “With my MBA and Enrique’s master’s degree in taxation, our skill sets cover accounting from different areas of specialization.”

“Being alumni from well-known programs at DePaul makes a strong statement about our background and abilities,” says Lopez. “Our degrees serve as a representation of professionalism and having a desire to provide the best services possible.”

Both Rodriguez and Lopez remain close to their alma mater through alumni associations at DePaul, including Ledger & Quill, the alumni and friends organization at the School of Accountancy and MIS.

Rodriguez, a first generation student from Puerto Rico, also provides financial support through scholarships to help first-generation and international students pay for school. “I have a lot of empathy for students starting from the bottom as first generation students,” says Rodriguez. “It is important to support future graduates from DePaul, so they can carry on the tradition of excellence.”

Harry Kraemer, an executive partner with Madison Dearborn Partners and former CEO of Baxter International Inc., is one of many executives who come to the classroom to help DePaul students learn business.

It’s been four years since Nate Muszczynski (BUS’11) was a student at the Driehaus College of Business, yet he’s just as recognizable now at the Loop Campus as he was back then. That’s because the category manager at Walgreen Co. frequently visits undergraduate classes as a guest speaker, enhancing the learning of current DePaul students with his real-world professional experience.

“I keep going back into the classroom because I want to help develop the program,” says Muszczynski, who presents real case studies from his company to help students learn.

Participating in class throughout the years has also gained Muszczynski networking opportunities. He began to meet other professionals in his industry who were also working with DePaul faculty to help students learn.

“Returning to the classroom,” says Muszczynski, “has kept me connected with others in my industry.”

Giving Back and Networking

It may seem unusual to label guest lecturing as a networking opportunity, but Muszczynski’s experience isn’t uncommon. Many DePaul alumni and executive guest speakers who live and work in Chicago are engaged with the business school. In fact, a recent survey of DePaul business faculty found that 99 percent have at least one outside speaker visit their classrooms and 62 percent of faculty members integrate a project involving external resources into their class curriculum.

Thanks to the business faculty’s strong emphasis on professional, career-focused lessons, DePaul University’s vast network of business alumni and the business school’s prime location in downtown Chicago, DePaul business students experience learning in a practical way. This includes a key component—business executives in the classroom.

Beyond Guest Lectures 

Business leaders’ interactions with DePaul students go beyond guest lectures and networking dinners. Executives, many of whom are DePaul alumni, participate by providing students real-world examples of what they read about in textbooks. In fact, many students focus their class activities on actual business issues faced by some of the nation’s top companies.

In fact, 64 organizations, nearly all Fortune 500 companies based in Chicago, work with the Department of Marketing and Center for Sales Leadership to help guide the curriculum, direction and outcomes for the college’s sales management and marketing programs.

The collaboration goes beyond guest lectures and presentations. DePaul business students get firsthand knowledge of how some of the largest companies make sales and marketing decisions. Working on live case studies offers DePaul business students a 360-view of how the sales process actually works. Students learn from major players who manage billions of dollars in retail transactions nationwide.

“We work in a unique way,” says Daniel Strunk, executive in residence and managing director of the Center for Sales Leadership. “In our classes we use live data – data that is current and real. What’s even more unique is that we are always working on a business problem that affects both our manufacturing and retail partners.”

Executives Enhance Textbook Learning

Having executives involved in classes has a profound impact on students that can’t be replicated by textbook learning and traditional lectures alone, says Lamont Black, assistant professor of finance at DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business.  “Executives can answer questions in ways that I can’t, and they can give students insights that I don’t have. They’re the experts—they work in these careers and make these decisions everyday.”

By Ovetta Sampson