Reaching Higher - Fall 2021

Binghamton

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Reaching Higher U N I V E R S I T Y

M AG A Z I N E

FALL 2021

R D IVEN TO

E S RVE

Service members, veterans make impact on SOM

A great match Alumna takes on the business of fashion

Building a network Mentors help women in the world of finance

Chasing dreams Sprinter runs toward career in accounting

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JONATHAN COHEN

| FROM THE DEAN

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT DEAN

Upinder Dhillon ASSOCIATE DEANS

Dean Upinder Dhillon teaches a class in the newly constructed Innovation lab, located at the Glenn G. Bartle Library. The state-of-the-art space allows students to collaborate on cross-disciplinary and cutting-edge projects.

George Bobinski Shelley Dionne, MBA ’94, PhD ’98

REACHING HIGHER MAGAZINE EDITOR

Our people, our greatest strength

T

ART DIRECTOR

David Skyrca ’85 PHOTOGRAPHER

he start of the new school year brings with it a sense of excitement. As Binghamton University continues to follow public health and state guidelines for the safety of our community, it is wonderful to see students back on campus and taking part in in-person experiential learning opportunities again.

The new school year also brings with it a sense that things will never be the same.

We have learned so much over the past year and a half, and we’re taking action.

Whether it’s introducing more cuttingedge data analysis and programming skills into the curriculum or investing in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, we’re dedicated to keeping pace with the changing world around us.

As we move forward, our greatest strength continues to be our people. This edition of Reaching Higher showcases a few of these people, including the service members and veterans who bring a unique perspective to the classroom, the mentors REACHING HIGHER

Allen Wengert

who help women excel in the world of finance, and our nationally-recognized faculty who inspire future generations of leaders.

Finally, as many of you know, I will be stepping down as dean next summer.

After a year-long research leave, I will be returning to the faculty to continue my passion for teaching. It has been a privilege and pleasure to serve for over 20 years in this role, and I look forward to staying involved with SOM. I believe that the school is well positioned to continue its upward trajectory, and I am indebted to the entire Binghamton community for its many contributions, support and wise counsel to help make my tenure as dean successful.

Warm regards,

Upinder Dhillon Dean and Koffman Scholar

Jonathan Cohen CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Jonathan Heisler ’13 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tykeem Banini Natalie Blando-George Chris Kocher My-Ly Nguyen Sperry ’00, MBA ’02 Steve Seepersaud VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Greg Delviscio SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES

Gerald Hovancik Jr. COPY EDITORS

Natalie Blando-George Eric Coker Katie Ellis On the cover: Jocelyn Cottington ’21 balanced school and service in the National Guard, and helped with the COVID-19 vaccine distribution at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

Photo by Jonathan Heisler ’13

Contents

Volume 12 FALL 2021

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From the heart

Surinder Kahai goes all in on teaching, photography

2 SOM News 7 “A critical issue”

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8 Helping others

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Chasing dreams

Dress for success Alumna Rene Vorilas mixes business and fashion

18 Network of support

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Service members, veterans impact SOM and the world

Sprinter Jessica Faustin balances athletics and accounting career goals

SOM organization helps women excel in the world of finance

20 Intelligent agents

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SOM establishes Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee

Jinglu Jiang researches cutting-edge areas of AI, online healthcare

22 A culture of giving back

Saba Siddiqui ’14 continues to stay involved with SOM

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School of Management re-accredited by AACSB he School of Management’s accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has been extended for another five years. The re-accreditation came after a rigorous review by a team of higher-education peers.

— Upinder Dhillon

“This is a reflection of the hard work of our faculty and staff,” says SOM Dean Upinder Dhillon. “Their efforts enable us to keep our curriculum cutting edge and relevant to what is happening in the rapidly changing business world.”

Speaker series seeks alumni volunteers

When the COVID-19 pandemic pushed classes and activities online, the School of Management turned to alumni for help, inviting several of them to be virtual guest speakers in classes during the 2020-21 academic year.

While Binghamton University has since returned to more of a sense of normalcy, SOM hopes to continue alumni involvement in classes.

“Alumni speakers enhance the classroom experience

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Accreditation had long been a goal of the school in its early history. SOM first obtained accreditation by AACSB in 1991, the same year it received approval to begin a doctoral program. The re-accreditation process happens once every five years, requiring the school to review and revise its strategic plan on a regular basis.

“It’s a major accomplishment. It shows that we are dedicated to continuous improvement,” Dhillon says.

SOM has the distinction of holding separate accreditations for its business and accounting programs.

by allowing students to interact with experts,” says Carolyn Schapiro, director of employer outreach/ engagement. “Our alumni base covers a wide variety of industries and career paths, meaning students are able to link what they learn in the classroom with real-world perspectives and insights.”

If you’re interested in volunteering to be a guest speaker in a class, reach out to Schapiro at schapiro@binghamton.edu.

JONATHAN COHEN

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“This is a reflection of the hard work of our faculty and staff.”

| SOM NEWS |

School of Management moves up in the rankings Continuing a tradition of excellence, the School of Management (SOM) jumped 19 spots in the Poets & Quants 2021 Best Undergraduate Business Schools ranking, moving up to the top 30.

Of the 93 schools ranked, SOM came in at number 28, a significant increase from its number 47 ranking in the 2020 listing. Among public business schools on the ranking, SOM was ranked in the top 15.

“This significant accomplishment is shared by the entire School of Management family,” Dean Upinder Dhillon says. “Our students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends are all invested in this success.”

Poets & Quants, a top online publication for business-education news, develops the rankings using data on admission standards, employment outcomes and alumni surveys to get feedback on their academic experience. SOM was ranked in the top 20 for admission standards.

“Our students are among the best in the nation,” Dhillon says. “We are proud of the work ethic they display as students and accomplished alumni.”

“This remarkable achievement is testimony to the quality of the school’s faculty and the relevance and rigor of the curriculum,” says Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. “School of Management graduates are increasingly cited as innovative entrepreneurs and recognized for their leadership across all fields of management and business.”

Due to the significant jump in the ranking, Poets & Quants also included SOM in its “10 Undergraduate Business Schools to Watch in 2021” list, and ranked it number four on its list of top value business schools. SOM was also recently included on Money’s list of the top 50 best colleges for business majors, and continues to have its undergraduate and MBA programs ranked by U.S. News and World Report.

2020-21 SOM Faculty Excellence Awards The following SOM faculty members were recognized for their teaching and research accomplishments: AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH Joey Tsai AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Sumantra Sarkar AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING, ADJUNCT Benjamin Bergman

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New home Olivia Pasquale ’12, MPA ’17, director of internal operations, meets with graduate student Julia Losciale in the new location of the School of Management Career Services office. The office moved to the first floor of Academic A over the summer, and is now located in the glass atrium near the “point” of the building.

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FAMILIAR FACE: Surinder Kahai

Surinder Kahai shares passion for teaching, photography

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ssociate Professor

Surinder Kahai admits that

he wasn’t always as close to his School of Management students as he is today.

But when he sent his daughter off to college, he hoped that the faculty there would care for her along her educational journey — and it led to self-reflection about his own teaching style.

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“I said to myself: If I’m expecting that her professors are going to take care of her, it means that I’ve got to do the same with my students,” he says. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the moral authority to expect that for her. From that day on, things haven’t been the same.”

His current philosophy is to take the time to do things right, both in

Surinder Kahai takes photos in Binghamton University’s Nature Preserve.

and out of the classroom as well as with his family and his photographic endeavors around the world.

Kahai’s attention to his students — who he considers “like my children” — is just one reason he was named one of the 50 best undergraduate business professors in the nation by Poets & Quants. Another is his prolific

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Capturing the moment

body of research, which includes more than 6,600 Google Scholar citations. He also was honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2002-03.

Although he started his academic career in chemical engineering (earning his BTech at the Indian Institute of Technology and MS at Rutgers University), Kahai wanted to delve into something with a wider scope. He earned his PhD in business administration at the University of Michigan and joined the Binghamton University faculty in 1991.

Over his 30-year career at the School of Management, Kahai has analyzed the intersection of leadership and technology through the lens of management information systems (MIS).

Technology has evolved rapidly over that time. As a PhD student in the late 1980s, he says, “the first thing that MIS researchers studied was to explore how we could use local area networks [LANs] in one room to support group discussions. If you’re in a group and you have the leader leading the others via technology, how does that shape the interaction and how does that shape the outcomes?”

Later in the 1990s and early 2000s, as the internet became increasingly important in our daily lives, Kahai shifted his focus to companies’ use of teams that work remotely — a topic that resonates even more strongly in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic as more people have worked from home.

Photos taken by Kahai (clockwise) Eiffel Tower in Paris, Vatican Museum in Vatican City, and Porteau Cove Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada

Today’s internet connections may be faster than ever, but Kahai believes that when managing remotely, nothing beats a good old-fashioned phone call. Supervisor and employee can discuss not only work-related tasks, but also catch up on their lives in general.

“Many bosses still believe that they can drive their workers to do more work,” he says. “All they believe we need are email and Zoom, and we are good to go.

They still hold the team members responsible for work that may not be done as expected, without taking into account the challenges

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Kahai’s photo of the Guaita Fortress in the Republic of San Marino

that they are facing at home with children or other aspects of their lives.”

As a professor, Kahai treats his students the same way. For instance, while teaching a fully remote class on blockchain in fall 2020, he hopped onto Zoom whenever anyone had questions, and he even tutored some who struggled so that they would better understand the course material.

Near the end of the semester, a few students stopped by his office — with proper COVID protocols, of course — to give him a framed illustration of a lonely boy gazing out from a distant asteroid with an inscription: “It doesn’t matter that you’re not here in person, as long as you are here in my heart.”

The artwork now has a prized place on a shelf behind his desk.

Kahai puts the same mix of patience, enthusiasm and love into his breathtaking photos, which reveal moments from time spent at national parks and beauty

“If you have done something from the genuineness of your heart, it’s not difficult for the other person to see.”

— Surinder Kahai

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spots as well as at cityscapes and iconic buildings. He has an eye for “anything that I can make look beautiful,” but most often he turns his camera to landscapes and flowers.

Because he sometimes takes up to four hours to get the perfect shot, taking photos of humans can be tricky. “I can’t expect them to be as patient as a flower or landscape would be!” he says with a chuckle.

“I’m a totally different person when I’m taking pictures. For me, it’s an escape from anything else that is going on in my life. My family has a good time taking my picture in awkward positions. I don’t even realize what I’m doing — then they show those photos of me, and we have a good laugh!”

— Chris Kocher

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“If you have done something from the genuineness of your heart, it’s not difficult for the other person to see,” he says, “even when you don’t meet with that person face to face.”

SOM establishes Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee

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s many organizations across the nation consider the role they play in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, leaders in the School of Management have been reflecting on what they can do as well.

“It has become a critical issue for society, meaning it has become a critical issue for us,” says Dean Upinder Dhillon.

With a goal of formulating long-term strategic initiatives, SOM established a Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee made up of faculty

“It’s an important issue, and we’re seeing many of the employers who recruit our students doing a lot in this area as well.”

— Sara Reiter

and staff. Chaired by Sara Reiter, professor of accounting, the committee plans to address areas such as recruiting diverse students and faculty, improving the classroom experience, and training faculty and staff.

“It’s an important issue, and we’re seeing many of the employers who recruit our students doing a lot in this area as well,” Reiter says.

To kick things off, the committee held a number of virtual “coffee conversation” events during the 2020-21 academic year to facilitate discussions with faculty and staff.

“The coffee conversations served as an introduction to inclusive pedagogy issues and student identity concerns, and resulted in some very informative workshops,” Reiter says.

One event focused on how to increase inclusion in the classroom. Committee members presented practical ways to implement inclusive classroom practices. Topics included: • Creating an accessible syllabus • Enhancing inclusion through class content • Using case studies to enhance diversity and inclusiveness • Incorporating diversity and inclusion when teaching statistics

The committee also held two coffee conversations in collaboration with the University’s Q Center, which provides resources to help foster an inclusive campus environment that supports all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expression.

In April, the committee hosted a webinar that explored ways to implement diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, featuring research from Loreal Jiles and Shari Littan ’86 of the IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants).

Their report, Diversifying U.S. Accounting Talent: A Critical Imperative to Achieve Transformational Outcomes, examines the diversity gap between the demographic background of executive leadership ranks and the rest of the accounting profession.

The presentation was followed by a panel of top diversity leaders and active members of DEI initiatives from major accounting firms who discussed practical ways companies can address the diversity gap. Nearly 300 people attended — many of them students.

“The student participation was really remarkable,” Reiter says. “There were over 100 questions from students in the chat box for the webinar. Students are very interested and engaged in the topic of how workplaces can become more diverse and inclusive.”

While these events have helped raise awareness within the SOM community, Reiter says the next step for the committee is to formulate a strategic plan with measurable outcomes.

“This is a big project in terms of broadly identifying issues and proposing targeted actions,” she says. “We’ve started by gathering data on how students view the SOM experience that we hope can guide our efforts.”

According to Reiter, the proposed initiatives will be connected to SOM’s main strategic priorities, a connection that Dhillon says solidifies the school’s commitment.

“We don’t just want to invest in this area, we want to see progress. That means identifying the right metrics to measure the progress we are making,” he says. “We, as a school, are rising to the challenge and doing our part.”

— Allen Wengert binghamton.edu/som

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MAKING A

DIFFERENCE

By Allen Wengert

Service members, veterans bring unique perspective to SOM

By Allen Wengert

Jocelyn Cottington ’21 at the Javits Center in Manhattan, where she helped with vaccine distribution in early 2021.

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“It made me realize how much you can accomplish when you’re determined to do something.”

JONATHAN HEISLER

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ocelyn Cottington ’21 was wrapping up basic combat training in the Army National Guard just as COVID-19 shutdowns in the United States began.

“We didn’t have any electronics with us through basic training, so I really had no idea how serious things were,” she says. “One of the first phone calls I had was with a friend who told me that students were being sent home from college and that graduation was canceled. It was crazy.”

Cottington, a business administration major concentrating in entrepreneurship, had taken a semester off from college during her junior year to join the National Guard after conversations with recruiter Sgt. 1st Class Marlana Watson.

“She was able to let me be a guest at a National Guard drill, and I loved it. So, I enlisted and just went for it,” Cottington says.

Moving on to her advanced individual training under intense COVID protocols, Cottington became a financial management specialist, a role that allowed her to incorporate her School of Management (SOM) education into her service.

“A lot of what I learned in my classes carried over,” she says. “There are a lot of different elements that go into finance in the Army, and it’s important to make sure everything is perfect to ensure that soldiers are getting paid correctly for their work.”

Able to return to school to begin her senior year in fall 2020, Cottington opted to learn virtually from her home on Long Island, N.Y. However, just as she was beginning the spring semester — her final semester — Cottington was called into service to help with COVID-19 vaccine distribution at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (commonly known as the Javits Center) in Manhattan.

“At first I had no idea what to do. So, I started reaching out to all of my professors to explain the situation, and they were all so understanding,” she says.

Cottington was charged with helping ensure the vaccine distribution went smoothly, whether that meant directing people where to go or assisting nurses with administrative tasks.

While learning remotely kept her away from her friends at Binghamton, it allowed her to continue her courses and fulfill her National Guard duties.

Cottington worked at the Javits Center during the day and did homework at night.

“It was very busy,” she says. “But it made me realize how much you can accomplish when you’re determined to do something.”

While much of her time in the National Guard has been defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, playing an active role in helping the country move out of it is something Cottington takes pride in.

“I’m in the National Guard, and that means my duty is to serve my country and to help in any way that I can,” she says. “It was a really awesome experience.”

Cottington had mixed feelings as she prepared to graduate in May 2021.

“I’m about to start my life in the real world and I won’t have the excuse of being in school anymore to fall back on. It’s a little nerve-wracking, but I’m definitely ready,” she says.

Despite the uncertainty that graduation brings, one thing is clear: Cottington plans to continue helping others. With a passion for fitness, she hopes to open her own gym one day.

“I like that feeling of teaching people how to do something and then watching them develop a passion for it,” she says. “I love sharing that with people.”

It’s that same drive that caused her to enlist in the National Guard in the first place. When asked what she’s most proud of, she replies, “The uniform.”

“It gives me the sense that I am part of something that’s making a real difference in the world,” she says. “People think highly of it, and I want to live up to that standard that people have. That uniform — it holds a lot of value to me.” binghamton.edu/som

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Neil MacLaren, MBA ’18, PhD ’21, studied the group dynamics he experienced in the Marines at SOM.

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ong before he began formally studying it as a student in SOM’s PhD program, Neil MacLaren, MBA ’18, PhD ’21, had an interest in leadership and how groups come together to solve problems.

“Humans are humans, and we do things in certain ways. Across different cultures throughout history, we’ve arranged ourselves in formalized relationships. The way we work together is very similar,” he says.

After studying anthropology as an undergraduate student, MacLaren commissioned in the Marines, serving for just over a decade. His roles include having been a police transition team leader in Iraq, an infantry training advisor in Afghanistan, an assistant operations officer in Japan and a company commander aboard the USS Rushmore, a dock landing ship that transports and launches amphibious craft and vehicles.

The more he worked with different groups, the more MacLaren noticed similarities.

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“I often tell people that military folks around the world are more similar to each other than different,” he says. “We deal with the same problems, we have the same goals, we have the same values and virtues. You don’t need language to understand that.”

This was especially apparent to MacLaren while interacting with military officers in Malaysia, where interpreters were scarce.

“There was a bit of a language barrier, but it didn’t matter. We shared more in common than we differed, and that allowed us to communicate effectively,” he says. “That’s what kind of clued me into the fact that there might be dynamics that are similar in all of us.”

When his wife, Katherine Wander, was hired as a faculty member in Binghamton’s Anthropology Department, MacLaren found himself looking for his next steps. He eventually enrolled in SOM’s MBA program, where he learned about research dedicated to studying the dynamics he observed during his time in the Marines.

“I’d be sitting in class wondering how all of these academics knew this stuff,” he laughs. “These were experiences that are important to me, but I didn’t have words for them in the same way that I do now.

I didn’t even realize you could study things like this until I was in the MBA program.”

MacLaren remained in SOM to pursue his PhD, concentrating in leadership and organizational science.

“I did my PhD at Binghamton because of who’s here. There are people here doing interesting research. There’s a lot going on here and I wanted to be a part of that,” he says.

Graduating in 2021, MacLaren feels the program was a good fit for him.

“In terms of teaching and focusing on the practical applications of knowledge, that idea of ‘let’s do something, let’s teach something that people can benefit from’ — I think that’s something that a lot of veterans place value in.”

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“There are people here doing interesting research. There’s a lot going on here, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

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or Remington Curtis, assistant professor of accounting, a deployment in Iraq inspired him to pursue teaching.

“It changed my perspective on what I wanted to get out of life,” he says. “I became interested in opportunities that would allow me to help build individuals up and make a positive impact on the world.”

Growing up in a military family, Curtis moved around quite a bit, but completed high school in Utah. After studying accounting at Utah State University, he simultaneously worked full time in the industry while enlisting in the Army National Guard.

As a medical logistics officer in the 19th Special Forces Group, Curtis was responsible for overseeing medical supply chains in the military.

The position gave him an opportunity to develop a host of interpersonal skills, especially during his deployment in 2010.

“When you’re in charge of logistics, it means that you can acquire things to help smooth the skids in other areas,” he says. “Our special forces teams would be brokering agreements with locals, and oftentimes it would boil down to ‘if we can provide their village with flu shots they will support our teams.’ And that’s where we had opportunities to really help.”

As he worked his way up to the rank of captain, the leadership opportunities Curtis received had a profound impact.

“You’re given leadership opportunities and training that you usually don’t get until much further into your civilian career. That includes actual, direct leadership where you’re speaking and overseeing certain opportunities or obstacles, or you’re put in front of important people and expected to prepare and present information to them. You’re held accountable for the people underneath you and their actions,” he says.

Curtis incorporates anecdotes and lessons from his time in the National Guard into his accounting courses.

“An aspect of accounting that I try to emphasize to my students is the importance of documentation.

Not only do you need to have documentation, it has to be appropriate documentation,” he says. “I also try to help them understand the importance of resiliency and adaptation and supporting others — and trusting that others will support you as well.

There are a lot of aspects of the military that can apply to students professionally.”

Curtis believes veterans possess a skill set that can be valuable in an academic setting, especially when it comes to collaboration and problem solving.

“Veterans excel in collaborative settings as both leaders and in supportive roles. Relatedly, there is a rich diversity in the military, and working in this environment enhances a veteran’s understanding of the benefits of diversity,” he says. “Veterans are also exceptional problem solvers and are very comfortable adapting to unexpected challenges, like those presented by COVID-19.”

Curtis feels his current role still allows him to help others.

“I enjoy teaching and really love the opportunities to mentor students,” he says. “Overall, I do feel like I am making a small, but positive, impact on the world around me.”

“It changed my perspective on what I wanted to get out of life.”

Remington Curtis, assistant professor of accounting, decided to pursue teaching after a deployment in Iraq.

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The hustle never ends New graduate Rene Vorilas is driven to succeed

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by Natalie Blando-George

ooking around Rene Vorilas’ college room, you’d never know you’re standing in the headquarters and manufacturing center of a thriving fashion business. But look under the bed and you’ll find an impressive array of shipping materials and a bin of high-end denim jackets. Under her roommate and

business partner’s bed are more bins, these filled with paint and textile media.

Vorilas, who graduated in May from the School of Management’s

business administration program, co-founded a clothing business called Dio Alpha in June 2018. The company offers custom, handpainted denim jackets in a few boutiques on Long Island, N.Y., at vendor fairs and on Etsy. >

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Ever since I can remember, my dad has said, ‘Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do.’”

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Binghamton Fashion Business Society events during the spring 2021 semester: fashion show with Confluence Running (left) and socially distanced yoga (top).

Demand for the unique, premium jackets has been steady, and interest spikes whenever Vorilas posts products on social media. Orders also increased after TV personality Gina Kirschenheiter wore a Dio Alpha jacket on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Orange County. But, with only herself and her partner doing all the work, Vorilas has intentionally limited Dio Alpha’s growth.

“We’ve always wanted to keep Dio Alpha small so we can focus on quality,” she says. “Each jacket takes a long time because they’re hand-painted and one-ofa-kind, and we’re full-time students!”

Dio Alpha is the fourth company the 21-year-old has started.

She founded the first at just 8 years old, creating flower pens from duct tape and raising $2,500 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Four years later, Vorilas began her first fashion enterprise: Swag Shorts, which offered dip-dyed, embellished cutoff denim shorts. At age 15, she founded Lahoni Co., a clothing and accessories line that promoted living life to the fullest and contributed a percentage of its profits to organizations that protect endangered turtles.

Vorilas chose to attend Binghamton University for college, basing her decision on the University’s reputation and the positive experience her brother

I want to create things and watch them grow...”

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had at Binghamton’s Harpur College of Arts and Sciences. While she initially intended to pursue law and entered Harpur College, by her sophomore year she had transferred into SOM. “I love figuring out how to make things better, how to move them forward,” she says. “I want to create things and watch them grow, so I decided I should be in business school.”

When it came time to look for a summer internship, Vorilas found that SOM didn’t have any fashion-related offerings. So she forged ahead on her own, securing an internship at Brooks Brothers in New York City. Upon returning to the University in the fall, Vorilas and another SOM student who also located his own internship in the fashion industry joined forces to create the Binghamton Fashion Business Society, an organization for students with an interest in the business of fashion.

Within a few days of telling people about the club, which is open to any Binghamton student, the society’s Instagram account had 250 followers.

The group assembled an administrative board and successfully held well-attended events. Then, the pandemic hit.

The Binghamton Fashion Business Society quickly pivoted online, launching a virtual speaker series featuring professionals from across the fashion industry, capitalizing on contacts and information Vorilas gained during her summer at Brooks Brothers.

The society’s Instagram account now has over 700 followers, with members who are engaged and

FAST FACTS > Rene Vorilas is from West Islip, N.Y. > She is one of two 2021 SOM Seniors of the Year. > Her favorite course was LEAD 353: Strategic Leadership, where her team consulted for the Endicott Performing Arts Center. > Vorilas liked LEAD 353 so much that she became a course teaching assistant for Associate Professor Kim Jaussi. > During quarantine, Vorilas sewed more than 200 masks and donated them to essential workers and the military. > Vorilas has been involved in musical theater and taught herself the ukulele. > At the age of 6, she sold a $100 raffle ticket at a church fair in a couple of minutes — she got five more and sold them in 5 minutes. > Vorilas advises other students to stay true to who they are: “Follow your heart and do what you want

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to do. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.”

active. But, most important to Vorilas: Members tell her the club has positively impacted their college experience.

“It’s so amazing to see how many people are genuinely interested in this club and care about its future,” says Vorilas, who is also president of the University’s Hellenic Cultural Society. She adds that she has met with prospective students who want to learn more about the fashion society before deciding to attend Binghamton.

Having been CEO of four companies and president of two student organizations, Vorilas says

leadership is an inherent talent of hers.

That take-charge attitude propelled her to the next step after graduation: She accepted a position as a consultant with Protiviti, a Manhattan consulting firm where she completed her senior internship.

While she says she’ll have to step back from Dio Alpha, she knows she’ll be running her own business again in the future.

“I want to follow my passions the way they are and never have to hold back because of someone else’s rules or barriers,” she says. binghamton.edu/som

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Full speed ahead Sprinter chases dreams with business scholarship

By My-Ly Nguyen Sperry ’00, MBA ’02

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fter a first year at Binghamton University drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, sophomore Jessica Faustin is still A sprinter and hurdler with the Binghamton Women’s Track

and Field Team, as well as the recipient of a Saw Mill Capital Opportunity Business Scholarship, Faustin is learning that being on a sports team helps amplify her skills as a student in the School of Management (SOM).

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running toward her dream career in accounting.

“Track has taught me time management and commitment,” says Faustin, who plans to earn a master’s degree as well through Binghamton’s 4+1 degree program. “Between athletics, academics and socializing, it’s often hard for me to find time to unwind and relax. However, I’ve learned how to manage my time better and stay on schedule each day.

“Being on a sports team has also taught me commitment. For track, this included going to practice on time, remembering to get tested (for COVID) three times a week and taking care of myself on and off the track. By having a set schedule each day, I have been able to complete schoolwork by the intended deadline and stay committed to getting the grades I want, without losing motivation.”

Her love for track and journey to Binghamton

Faustin, from Lake Grove, N.Y., first joined a school track team when she was in seventh grade.

“I knew from the start that I was more of a sprinter because I did not like the idea of running for long periods of time,” she says. “What I’ve always loved about running sprints is the quick pace of each workout or race. It feels good to run fast and have it over within seconds. What I love about track is the community.”

She quickly found that camaraderie at Binghamton, too.

“I chose Binghamton University because of its friendly atmosphere,” she says. “During my first visit, everyone I came in contact with was so nice and genuinely seemed like they loved the campus.

For athletics, the coaching staff was very welcoming and was invested in helping the athletes reach their highest potential.”

Faustin was also excited about the opportunities in SOM. “I saw that the School of Management was excellent in providing undergraduate students with a great education and many opportunities for internships, jobs, mock interviews and careerrelated activities,” she says.

A team of support

Faustin is involved in student organizations including the Accounting Association and the National Association of Black Accountants. She also has track and field teammates and coaches cheering

her on and alumni backing her up as the 2020-21 recipient of the Saw Mill Capital Opportunity Business Scholarship.

Like many firms in the financial services industry, Saw Mill Capital has struggled to improve diversity among its investment team, says Howard D. Unger ’82, LHD ’19, managing partner and founder of the company, in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. “We believe that having diverse backgrounds and points of view results in better decision-making,” Unger says. “However, for many years, we have struggled to find qualified, diverse applicants to meet our needs due to the lack of an available pipeline.”

The scholarship will help by supporting the success of underrepresented SOM students. And, by investing in the potential of these students, Saw Mill is making a difference in enhancing the talent pool of job candidates and strengthening the financial services sector.

“When I first found out I received the scholarship, I was ecstatic, surprised and overwhelmingly thankful. I kept refreshing the page to make sure it was legit,” Faustin says.

Faustin notes that the costs of college for her and her family are adding up: Her sister is also an undergraduate student and her brother earned his bachelor’s degree just last year.

“This scholarship is making a significant difference in my life,” she says.

“I chose Binghamton University because of its friendly atmosphere.”

Chasing her dreams

The accounting field appeals to Faustin because it offers diverse and plentiful opportunities.

“Every industry needs professionals to manage its finances,” she says. “There are also many careers within accounting that have a variety of different jobs depending on which one you choose.

“I want to pursue this career to help individuals and corporations with their finances, while adapting the skills necessary to possibly open my own firm.”

Despite the challenges, COVID-19 hasn’t stopped Faustin from enjoying Binghamton.

“The pandemic came with a lot of challenges for me academically, athletically and mentally,” she says. “However, I was still able to have a fun first year of college by meeting new people, hanging out with friends and trying my best to enjoy the different on-campus activities available. Even though it wasn’t a normal year, I still had a great experience.” binghamton.edu/som

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WOMEN in Finance

Student group works to close finance gender gap

By Steve Seepersaud

N

ot long after Krista DiResta ’21 finished exams, celebrated graduation, packed her belongings and left Binghamton, she started work as an analyst in the investment banking division at Royal Bank of Canada. Wanting to help other students build skills and confidence, and graduate with a job, she volunteered with the School of Management’s Women in Finance Development Program.

The educational mentorship program was formed to teach first- and second-year female students about financial skills and concepts.

By pairing talented first-year students and sophomores with mentors who are juniors, seniors or alumni — and teaching Bloomberg Terminal and analytical skills — the goal is to make the mentees more competitive when seeking internships and jobs.

“I joined the program as a mentor the first semester it was created,” says DiResta, who was president during her senior year. “I was so happy that the founders [Rachel Parsons ’20 and Jessica Meano ’20] initiated this effort. I recognized this would be a huge asset to me as a new student, and I was so excited to guide women in their career journey.

“The most beneficial aspect of being president

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“I recognized this would be a huge asset to me as a new student, and I was so excited to guide women in their career journey.”

JONATHAN COHEN

Hannah Kozlenko (left) and Krista DiResta ’21 (right) worked their way up to become mentors in Women in Finance.

has been the ability to give back to the community that has guided me so far,” DiResta continues. “I’ve had several mentors at Binghamton who made me who I am today. I hope, through this program, I can do the same.”

Mentees find that Women in Finance offers more than the ability to form meaningful, one-on-one advisory relationships. Opportunities abound for networking within the group.

“The most beneficial aspect of being involved in the program is the network you create,” says Hannah Kozlenko, a sophomore from Brooklyn, N.Y., studying accounting and finance, who joined during the spring semester of her first year in SOM. “I feel as if I’m able to contact any upperclass students or alumni because the program gave me the opportunity to reach out to those in fields that I’m interested in.

“Furthermore, I’ve built a network with students in my own class and met women with similar interests as mine. The network and professional development have allowed me, and other mentees, to have connections at firms and within the school, and to pursue different opportunities.”

As was the case with almost every other activity at Binghamton University, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the group to shift from in-person to

virtual. Although the method of interacting had to change temporarily, the quality of the content and connections didn’t.

“All the material has been the same, but nothing beats the experience of being together in person, and we can’t wait until everyone can be back in the room together,” DiResta says.

The pandemic didn’t keep Kozlenko from making the most of the experience. In a little more than a year, she has gone from mentee to mentor, won the Fall 2020 Finance Society’s M&A Case Competition and joined the Women in Finance executive board.

She credits the group for helping her obtain a summer internship at Morgan Stanley.

“I was looking for a program where I felt I could really grow and be given the guidance I needed,” says Kozlenko, who wants to be an investment banking analyst after graduation. “Women in Finance was that for me.

“I was paired with my mentor, who is now one of my friends and someone I trust. She and the rest of the board helped me figure out what I wanted to pursue and gave me the resources I needed to learn how to succeed in front-office finance,” Kozlenko adds. “Joining the program was the best decision and that’s why I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help current and future mentees.”

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Get to know: Jinglu Jiang SOM researcher explores cutting edge topics in MIS

By Tykeem Banini

A

mazon’s Alexa knows you well — but how well do you know her? Jinglu Jiang, assistant professor in the School of Management, explores this question and more through her work in the field of management information systems (MIS).

With a deep passion for research, Jiang investigates the relationship between humans and intelligent agents to understand how technology impacts people on an individual level as well as within a team. Intelligent agents are artificial intelligence (AI) entities, such as Alexa and Siri, that perform a service autonomously and augment human decisions based on inputs and data from their environment.

“When I do this research, my aim is to discover the mechanism behind it,” she says. “What are the motivational factors that contribute to whatever someone’s behavior is online?”

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It’s no secret that technology influences human behaviors, and that intelligent agents may learn from people’s behaviors and adapt to the situation — but what exactly happens during this exchange?

By drawing on theories from fields such as sociology and psychology, Jiang conducts research to understand human-agent interactions in various contexts such as digital healthcare and team-based decision-making. That’s how she gains a further understanding of how, for example, people interact with their Fitbit or why patients may rely on Siri to create reminders on their iPhone.

“My primary goal is to create or expand my own theory for human-agent interaction,” Jiang says.

Jiang’s recent contribution to the field of MIS has been a theoretical one published in MIS Quarterly.

She and her colleagues proposed a theoretical framework that explains how IT can facilitate various stages and elements of self-management of

“When I do this research, my aim is to discover the mechanism behind it.”

JONATHAN COHEN

chronic diseases. This framework can be used to design IT-based self-monitoring interventions that could potentially result in higher adherence to chronic care interventions.

Jiang and several colleagues also recently published a paper in Information Systems Frontiers that tried to clarify why patients developed a lack of trust in online healthcare, addressing both those who do not use online medical consultation and those who use it and eventually stop. Jiang and her colleagues learned that many patients did not think they would get the best care possible from both interpersonal and technological standpoints.

In addition to these papers, Jiang’s research on digital healthcare and human-agent interaction has also been published in a number of research publications such as MIT Sloan Management Review, Information Processing and Management and the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

A passion for investigation

While completing her bachelor’s degree in China, Jiang was introduced to research through an undergraduate exchange program at Queen’s

University in Ontario, Canada. She enjoyed it and eventually returned to Queen’s for a master’s degree.

As a doctoral candidate at HEC Montréal, she grew interested in research dealing with the managerial aspects of IT and IT-augmented decision-making. Her research focused on how people digitize themselves and their lives, and how that influences individual productivity and team effectiveness.

Jiang expects to study other topics within the realm of human-agent interaction in the future.

She still loves the act of research, which she describes as the fun part of her job.

“It’s internally driven, my passion and my interest,” Jiang says. “I am willing to spend 12 hours every day on one research project because I still find it interesting to investigate certain research questions.”

She believes that a certain attitude and work ethic are required in research. It’s a lesson she learned from one of her mentors as a graduate student.

“You have to question the attitude you have,” Jiang says. “When you’re doing your research project, are you task-driven? Or do you really want to know the facts and the knowledge behind a topic and make an effort to prove it? If you only view it as a task you have to do, you cannot be successful as a lifetime researcher.”

About Jinglu Jiang Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems Education BS, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics MSc, Queen’s University PhD, HEC Montréal Research interests Human-agent interactions Digitization of individuals and social interactions Online healthcare Community and digital healthcare services Teaching interests E-Business Machine learning Information systems in teams and organizations binghamton.edu/som

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Exceeding

expectations

Saba Siddiqui ’14 on giving back to SOM Saba Siddiqui ’14 is a director with EY-Parthenon’s (EYP) Corporate & Growth Strategy practice, serving clients across the consumer, media and telecom industries.

A Binghamton native, Siddiqui has remained involved with the School of Management (SOM) since graduation as a member of the school’s Young Alumni Board.

Q

Why did you choose Binghamton University?

As a senior in high school, I was certain that I wanted to go to Syracuse University to study law.

I also grew up in the area, and like any 17-year-old, wanted to experience a new place. I had been accepted to both Binghamton and Syracuse, and my family really wanted me to consider Binghamton. Incidentally, after accepted students’ day at Syracuse, my dad was judging a SOM case competition. He didn’t have time to drop me off at home, so I had the opportunity to join.

As I sat in the case competition audience with a class of SOM juniors and seniors, I had no idea what to expect. What I witnessed was an incredibly welcoming and smart community at work. The students on stage were presenting insightful analysis, and eloquently answering questions from seasoned, professional judges. The students in the audience were incredibly patient and kind in answering my questions about the competition and the school. I was inspired and wanted to be that kind of student. After that, it felt very simple to decide to shift my focus and attend Binghamton.

Q

Did SOM live up to your expectations?

SOM exceeded my expectations. I realized that I wanted a people-oriented career that would

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allow me to experience a variety of interesting challenges and solutions. SOM not only helped me understand the breadth of available opportunities, but also jumpstarted my path to EYP. And then there’s the social element. As a college student, you want an environment that’s going to be really engaging, and I got to experience that at Binghamton, even as a commuter student. There was just this overarching sense of community and collegiality that I really enjoyed.

Q

What student organizations were you involved with?

I was heavily involved in the Dean’s Mentoring Program. I was also a PwC Scholar, a Zurack Scholar and served on the executive board of Beta Alpha Psi. These opportunities gave me a lot of skills that directly translate into my job today. I didn’t realize that at the time, but in hindsight I was getting invaluable experience in leading peers, organizing events, communicating effectively and managing stakeholders. The skills that I built up through those experiential opportunities are the same skills that I continue to build upon in my job today. They provide an opportunity to learn what your style is and build a foundation before jumping into your career.

Q

Why do you stay involved with SOM? When I was a student, and even now as an alum, my mentors and role models were the alumni who spent time working with me. They dedicated their time to helping me grow and learn through their experiences, and their support was critical to my success.

I think that’s one of the best things about the School of Management — it has a culture of giving back. I try to give back my time and my attention in the same way that alumni did for me. If others can benefit from my experiences and involvement, I’m more than happy to help.

“I think that’s one of the best things about the School of Management — it has a culture of giving back.”

Q

What have you noticed about the current SOM students you speak to?

I’m surprised at how sharp they are. They are much more prepared to have serious career conversations than I was at their age. Dean Dhillon and the SOM Career Services Office deserve a lot of credit for preparing students for the next big steps. We all want these students to succeed, and to see the level of depth and specificity in their questions is impressive. It gives me a lot of confidence in the school’s trajectory.

Q

If you taught a class, what would you want students to take away from it?

I would teach strategy because I’m deeply passionate about my job and the types of problems I get to solve. I’d love to have more SOM students decide to pursue careers in strategy. I’d hope the biggest skill that students could take away is how to frame and structure problems to ask the right questions and crisply communicate their solutions.

It’s a fundamental skill for any profession that is often overlooked in favor of other hard skills.

Q

What’s your favorite spot in Binghamton?

Laveggio Roasteria in downtown Binghamton is my favorite coffee spot. They do an amazing job sourcing a variety of beans from around the world.

They hand roast the beans in-house, and serve only the freshest in their espresso drinks. The Nutella Latte is an especially amazing treat! binghamton.edu/som

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Thank you

to all the alumni and friends who have invested in

Mr. Ryan Reiff ^

Mrs. Lori B. Leif ^

the future of the School of Management. Your support ensures that our students

Mr. Dean P. Schuckman ’73

Mrs. Elaine Z. Leinung

have access to a top-ranked business education. This support also allows us to

Mrs. Ilyse N. Schuckman ’73

Mr. John M. Leinung

Mr. Gary M. Stehr ’81, MBA ’83 ^

Mr. Thomas D. Leyden ’98 ^

introduce new, cutting-edge opportunities such as our Innovation Lab, a state-

Ms. Diane J. Zwycewicz Teed ’88 ^

Dr. Lishin Lin

of-the-art collaborative space for students to design solutions to some of the

Mr. Patrick Wong ’07, MBA ’10 ^

Ms. Carolyn Makuen, MS ’91 ^

Mrs. Alison Gould Yablonowitz ’96

Mr. Chett M. Mandel ’09 ^

Mr. Allen S. Zwickler ’79 ^

Ms. Nellie E. Mandel ’10 ^

biggest problems facing our community and world.

Mr. Stephen M. Manning ’97 ^ $1,000 ‑ $2,499 Mr. Jonathan C. Berger ’90 ^

$250,000 - $499,999

Ms. Rebecca Guilbert ’90 ^

Mr. Steven B. Kreinik ’97 ^

YS Kim Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Todd D. Jacobson ’88

Ms. Mini P. Krishnan ’90

Mr. Charles M. Kim ’98

Ms. Maggie Chan Jones ’96

Mrs. Wendy Yeh Lee, MS ’70 ^

Ms. Jean Su Maeng‑Kim

Stuart and Nicole Kovensky Family

Mr. Scott H. Lipkin ’81 ^

Foundation

Dr. Allan R. Lyons ’62, LHD ’07 ^

$100,000 - $249,999

Mr. Stuart R. Kovensky ’89

Ms. Alison N. McNerney ’96 #

The Blackbaud Giving Fund ^#

KPMG Foundation ^

Mr. Eugene E. Peckham

Fidelity Charitable ^

Mrs. Fran London ^

Mrs. Judith C. Peckham

Mrs. Lenore M. Goldstein ’90

Mr. Jay H. London, MBA ’82 ^

Pfizer, Inc.

Mr. Mitchell S. Goldstein ’89

Mr. Martin Luskin ’77 #

Mrs. Linsy Kochupaul

Morgan Stanley Global Impact

Ms. Jenny Mark

Funding Trust The Mark Zurack & Kathy Ferguson Foundation Dr. Mark A. Zurack ’78, LHD ’03

Mr. Gregory J. McGahan ’89 #

Mr. Thomas J. Puthiyamadam ’97 #

Ms. Patricia McGahan ’90 #

Mrs. Marnie Raymond #

Mosaic Wealth Management LLC

Mr. Stephen Spencer Raymond,

Mr. Kevin M. Myers ’97

$50,000 ‑ $99,999 EY ^

MBA ’78 #

Mr. Anthony J. Nappo ’94

Mr. Evan Roth ’10, MS ’11 ^#

The Newman Family Foundation,

Mrs. Laura J. Roth ’10 ^#

Inc. ^

The Barry and Alison Goodman

Puthiyamadam #

Schwab Charitable ^

Mr. Mark S. Newman ’71 ^

Mr. Marc D. Silverman ’85

Mrs. Sharon M. Newman ^

Mr. Howard T. Spilko ’89 ^

Mrs. Alison Goodman #

Ms. Constance A. Olson ’90 ^

United Way Worldwide #

Mr. Barry A. Goodman ’79 #

Mr. James W. Orband ’81

Ms. Ellen A. Vellensky ’99

Mrs. Anna M. Montovano

Mrs. Theresa A. Orband

Mr. David S. Yass ’83 ^

Mr. John L. Montovano III ’97

Ms. Ali Porcelli

Mrs. Kara Yass ^

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ^#

Mr. Thomas J. Porcelli Jr. ’96

Mr. Stephen D. Raich, MS ’78

Mr. Sam Schwartz ’85 ^

$2,500 ‑ $4,999

Mrs. Toby S. Raich

Mr. Michael L. Sheptin ’91

Ms. Lisa M. Abbott, MBA ’93 ^

Saw Mill Capital

Mr. Marc F. Thewes ’88

Mrs. Louise W. Akel ^

Mrs. Caryn Unger

Vanguard Charitable

American Online Giving Foundation ^

Dr. Howard D. Unger ’82, LHD ’19

Mr. Brian J. Zakrocki ’99

Mr. Jason M. Baker ’99, MS ’00 #

Foundation #

Mr. Peter E. Breckling ’92 ^ $25,000 to $49,999

$5,000 ‑ $9,999

Ms. Stacey Breckling ’94 ^

Mr. Scott A. Bigman #

AllianceBernstein LP

Ms. Bridget Gavahan Buchholtz #

Mr. Marc S. Dieli ’89

Mr. Daniel R. Black ’94

Mr. David P. Buchholtz ’73 #

Mr. Gary C. Meltzer ’85 #

Mrs. Lisa J. Black ’95

Mr. Mario D. Cibelli ’90 ^

Mrs. Rina R. Meltzer ’85 #

Mr. Seth H. Blackman ’95 ^

Dr. Peter J. Dionne ’88

Mrs. Debra Rappoport‑Bigman ’88 #

Ms. Stacey A. Blackman ’98 ^

Dr. Shelley Denise Dionne, MBA ’94,

Mrs. Cristin M. Singer ’96 #

Ms. Tracy A. Caliendo ’97

Mr. Matthew R. Singer ’96 #

Mr. Brian S. Chase ’99

Mr. Mark C. Donoghue ’93 ^

The Sloan Family Foundation #

Ms. Randa Barsoum Cholera ’94,

Mr. Kenneth J. Fasone ’83

Mrs. Francine Sloan #

MS ’95 #

Mr. Fred P. Sloan ’78 #

The Community Foundation for South Central New York

PhD ’98 +

Mrs. Lisa Fasone Mrs. Lori Goldman ^ Mr. Richard A. Goldman ’79 ^

$10,000 ‑ $24,999

Mr. George W. Curth Jr. ’90

Mr. Michael Isikow ’87 ^

Mrs. Beth Akel ^

Mr. Christopher P. D’Emic ’85 ^

Mrs. Shari P. Isikow ’88 ^

Mr. Ronald Akel ^

Mrs. Sue A. D’Emic ’85 ^

Mr. Christopher R. Jacobson ’07

Mr. Chris Chang

Mr. Eishpal Singh Dhillon

Mr. Jeffrey W. Jaenicke ’89

Ms. Jacqueline Cyran

Mrs. Simi Dhillon

Mrs. Kathryn A. Jaenicke

Mr. Michael E. Cyran ’87

Mr. Seth G. Drucker ’06 ^#

Mr. Adeel H. Jivraj ’93

Mr. Daniel J. Damon ’88 ^

Ms. Elsa Eng ’92 ^

Mrs. Rozina Jivraj

Mr. Vincent Daniel ’94 ^

Mr. David A. Farber ’96 #

Mr. David F. Lorden ’84 ^

Davidson Fox & Company, LLP

Dr. Jodi Guttenberg‑Lipkin ’81 ^

Mrs. Jessica E. Lorden ’83 ^

Mrs. Sadev K. Dhillon ’92, ’95

Mr. David J. Kaplan ’89 ^

Mr. Manoj T. Mahtani ’03

Dr. Upinder S. Dhillon +

Ms. Gayle Kraden ’90 #

Mr. Matthew Parrilli ’82

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Dr. Meghan A. McGuinness ’98, MA ’00

Mr. Barry Bergman ’83 ^

Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd ^

Ms. Lisa Handler Bergman ^

Ms. Pamela Mock ^

Mr. George D. Bianco, MBA ’79 ^

Mr. Andrew Nawoichyk ’03, MBA

Ms. Anindita Biswas, MS ’04, MBA ’06 ^

’04 Mr. Robert Okin ’77 ^

Mr. Milton Biswas, MS ’03, MBA ’06 ^

Mrs. Susan Goodman Okin ’78 ^

BKD CPAs & Advisors ^

Mr. Deep R. Parekh ’01 ^

Ms. Lucy Bonilla‑Berger ^

Mr. Andrew J. Pennecke ’95 ^

Mr. Cyrus Borzooyeh ’93 ^

Mr. Robert R. Pim ’17 ^

Mr. Jonathan Brolin ^

Mr. Scott M. Porter ’96

Ms. Tamara Brolin ’96 ^

Mrs. Beatrice Press ^

The Busfield Foundation ^

Mr. Eric M. Press ’78 ^

Mr. Alan L. Chan ’97

Ms. Lauren Renna ’06

Mrs. Colleen Chan

Ms. Anna Rizzo ^

Charities Aid Foundation of

Mr. Todd Rothman ’99 ^

America ^

Ms. Susan A. Ruderman ’93 ^

Mr. Paul L. Charles ’81 ^

Mrs. Bonnie Russolillo ’80 ^

Mr. Alex Chen ^

Mr. Raymond G. Russolillo ’80 ^

Ms. Sharon Chen ^

The Sakhai Family Foundation,

Mrs. Beth A. Coleman ’88 ^

Inc. ^

Mr. Kenneth L. Coleman ’66, MS ’68 ^

Mr. David Sakhai ’95 ^

Combined Jewish Philanthropies of

Mr. Daniel E. Schain ’10, MS ’11

Greater Boston, Inc. ^

Mr. Craig R. Schultz ’97

Mr. Lawrence Cyrlin

Mr. Jeffrey B. Schwarcz ’99 ^

Ms. Nicole J. Cyrlin ’00

Mr. David S. Silberman ’05 ^

Mr. Benjamin L. Daitch ’89 ^

Mrs. Alison Silverstein ’89 ^

Mrs. Lauren D. Daitch ’94 ^

Mr. David Scott Sloan ’82 ^

Deloitte ^

Mr. Jonathan Sloan ’94, MS ’96 ^

Deutsche Bank

Mr. Cornell V. Staeger ’01 #

Mr. Sean G. Doherty ’89

Mr. Brian M. Steinhardt ^

Ms. Kei Downey ’94 ^

Mr. Ryan Swedalla ’05 ^

Mr. Jay Duseau ’98, MBA ’11 +

US Bank

Mr. Stephen P. Feehan, MBA ’90 ^

Mr. Brian Warshay ^

Mr. Edward S. Feig ’85 ^

Ms. Karen Miller Warshay ’06 ^

Mr. Eric Freedgood ’03

Mr. Peter L. Weiner

Mrs. Rachael Hahn Freedgood ’00

Mrs. Sheila C. Weiner

Dr. Marilyn I. Geller ’71, MA ’76,

Mr. Adam B. Weinstein ’01 ^

PhD ’80 ^

Mr. Sean C. White ’93 ^

Ms. Melanie Whitaker Geller ’83 ^

Mr. David Wong ’95, MS ’96 ^

Mr. Scott Geller ’82 ^

Mrs. Linda Zhi Wong ’96 ^

Goldman, Sachs & Co. ^

Mr. Joseph A. Yacura, MBA ’77,

Ms. Michelle E. Grossman ’06 ^

MS ’82

Mrs. Janet Gruner

Mrs. Sharon Yacura

Mr. Jerry Gruner ’99

Mrs. Cathy A. Yammarino

Houlihan Lokey ^

Dr. Francis J. Yammarino +

Mr. Shane B. Hurley ’04 ^

Mrs. Wen Yu‑Chen ^

Mr. David L. Kahan ’04

Mr. Eddie Mingxue Zhang ’05 ^

Mr. Gary A. Kibel ’90, MBA ’92

Ms. Lisa F. Betz Zomback ’90 ^

Haksoo Kim

Mr. Russell C. Zomback ’91 ^

Mrs. Peggy King, MS ’72 ^ Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Company

+ Faculty/Staff/Retiree, * Deceased,

Mr. John Kong, MBA ’88

^ Binghamton Fund Donor,

Mr. Frederic I. Leif ’91 ^

# Innovation Lab Donor

PwC Scholars complete two community service projects

T JONATHAN COHEN

he PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) Scholars spent much of the spring 2021 semester completing not just one largescale community service project — but two!

The scholars were already underway with a project with the American Civic Association in Binghamton in spring 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns hit. While students were sent home for the rest of the school year, they were determined to finish the project. In spring 2021, the scholars completed the installation of a mirror-flower mosaic outside

the building and renovated a storage room, transforming it into a computer lab.

Additionally, the scholars took on a separate project with Gigi’s Playhouse, a development center for children and young adults with Down syndrome. Scholars converted a back room into a fully functioning kitchen area, as well as created a job-skills development program to help Gigi’s participants land jobs in the community. They also held a number of virtual events with participants, including Zumba and baking classes.

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Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Binghamton, NY Permit No. 61 School of Management PO Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000

BACK IN ACTION

JONATHAN COHEN

School of Management students Hailey Hsu and Jorge Torres-Solari play Kan Jam in the Peace Quad during an Alpha Kappa Psi social event.

Binghamton’s chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, the world’s oldest and largest professional business fraternity, was founded in 2007, with members planning and taking part in professional, social and community service events.

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