to leverage each other for the betterment of Pace students.” Edward Murphy ’74, a Pace Trustee, served as a chair of the program during its early incarnation. Today, he continues his involvement, serving as the Board Liaison. His advice to the latest generation of reps: Don’t be shy about The Office Of DevelOpmenT and Alumni Relations is relaunching Pace’s Corporate asking your employers for support. Representative Program, an initiative designed to strengthen the University’s historic ties to “I was at JPMorgan at the time, and I the business community through senior-level alumni at frms across the New York City area. didn’t actually know how the instituOriginally formed in the 1980s, the program went on hiatus for a time, but will resume tion would adjust to or endorse my this fall. In November, the frst six representatives from frms including JPMorgan Chase & involvement, and so Co. and International Business Machines (IBM), as well as the I approached it with Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will gather to discuss ways a little bit of trepidato build alumni communities at their organizations, where tion,” Murphy says. signifcant numbers of Pace graduates work. “And to my pleasant “From my perspective,” says Mark Godwin, director of surprise, they were Corporate and Foundation Relations at Pace, “one of the real very supportive and strengths that Pace has as an institution is a very strong preswere able and willing ence in the corporate community through our alumni. It’s very to not only endorse difcult to look at a company in the New York City region that the program and doesn’t have a signifcant group of Pace alumni there.” able to reach out Nearly 700 Pace graduates work at JPMorgan Chase, makPace Vice President for Development and Alumni and identify all the ing it the second largest corporate employer of Pace alumni, Relations Jennifer Bernstein, Mike DiSimone BBA graduates of Pace at just after IBM. This past June, two JPMorgan Chase employees, ’92, MBA ’98, and Trustee Phil Bleser BBA ’84, MBA the company, but also Trustee Phil Bleser ’84, ’94, and Mike DiSimone ’92, ’98, hosted ’94, at the 19th Annual Lubin Luncheon. to help fnancially, to one of the program’s first events for alumni at their firm. host meetings and receptions, etcetera, “We had asked for a couple of volunteers from the Pace alumni who work here at JPMorbecause Pace was a big member of the gan, and people were jumping up and down to help us out,” says DiSimone. “They were very New York City business community.” passionate about being involved. There was very good attendance and a lot of strong feedMurphy and members of the Corpoback after the event. So I think people are passionate about their Pace heritage.” rate Representative Program are looking As part of the Corporate Representative Program, members like DiSimone will serve twoforward to developing the program and year terms. Their role is four-fold: to act as the main point of contact between Pace and expanding its reach. “There may be six their organization; to serve as a conduit of information between alumni and the Univercompanies now, but we’ll see where that sity; to host gatherings for alumni at their firms; and to assist with fundraising efforts. goes. Last time, we limited it to just “I think we all have a responsibility to give back to our school and the community in which New York City corporations, but with we live, to foster success in the future,” says Corporate Representative and Partner at Deloitte & technology we’ll see if we can’t broaden Touche LLP Marty McElroy ’88. “I was able to succeed, and I want to help others succeed as well.” it further than that,” Murphy says.
Pace Relaunches Corporate Rep Program
A two-wAy street Current Pace students and alumni should benefit from the program through internship and employment opportunities at the participating organizations, a strong network of business leaders to call on, and mentorship opportunities. “At the end of the day, if enough alumni get involved and we’re constantly exchanging feedback both ways, I think we can help Pace build a stronger program, and it will keep evolving and generating better candidates for us to use in the workforce, developing the next generation of leaders,” says DiSimone. Helen Mucciolo ’93, a senior vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and member of the Corporate Representative Program, also sees it as a win-win opportunity. “I know that Pace has a very strong internship program—one of the best in the country— so that can only benefit us as we’re trying to get some work done and get some folks excited about our organizations,” she says. “I think the program will be a useful way for us 40
Pac e MaGa ZINe - fall 20 1 3
Pace alumni interested in becoming a Corporate Representative at their organization should contact Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Mark Godwin at mgodwin@pace.edu or (212) 346-1721.