Category: Newsmakers

In their first year of participating in the annual Government Finance Case Challenge from the Association of Government Accountants (AGA), a team of students from the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business at the College of Staten Island (CSI) recently took first prize in the graduate level of this national competition.

“This is an astounding achievement on the part of our students and their mentor, Professor Patricia Galletta. Reaching this level of success, particularly as a first attempt, helps to highlight the strength of our students, our faculty, our academic programs, and the Chazanoff School of Business in general,” noted Susan Holak, PhD, Founding Dean of the School.

According to the AGA Website, the Government Finance Case Challenge began in 2015, although this was the first year that the Challenge was open to both graduate and undergraduate students.

Team members Mohamed Hussein, Kristina Manganaro, and Richard Pallarino are all students in ACC 760 (Government and Not-For-Profit Accounting) this semester. In all, the College fielded three teams – one undergraduate and two at the graduate level. All teams received a substantial packet of material and supporting data related to a city chosen by the AGA, from which the students had to prepare a summary document that followed Citizen-Centric Reporting (CCR) guidelines. The CCR aims to lay out in a clear, simple document exactly how governmental agencies are utilizing public resources. Pallarino spoke about the process of producing the CCR, saying that the challenge “was a great way to analyze not only a balance sheet, but performance data from a different perspective.”

Professor Galletta noted that the case challenge allowed students “to apply the basic knowledge they have received in their governmental accounting course to a real city.” The city chosen by the AGA to be the subject of this year’s Challenge was Oklahoma City, OK.

After being selected as finalists at the end of October, the team of Pallarino, Hussein, and Manganaro was faced with the last stage of the Challenge, requiring them to submit a 25-minute video presentation of their findings by mid-November. The video was staged as a public meeting in which the students played the role of city council members discussing the accomplishments and challenges that the city had faced over the previous year, and the anticipated plans for the future. The “council members” also took questions from a public audience.

Kristina Manganaro reflected on the overall experience, remarking that the team worked collectively “to create our idea of a City Council meeting, and used our accounting skills to be able to share our knowledge and help our constituents understand some complicated issues.”

As the Chazanoff School of Business continues to develop its emphasis on experiential learning, more instructors are utilizing national and international case competitions as ways of creating intensive, immersive learning experiences that place classroom knowledge in real-world scenarios.

With CCR guidelines being used in the field to make decisions in the public sphere, this Challenge competition placed CSI students in precisely the type of situation that they could face after graduation. Mohamed Hussein summed up the underlying purpose of the CCR concept, saying that the assignment “tested our moral reasoning and highlighted the importance of accountability.”

All three team members remarked that they would consider careers in public service as a result of participating in the competition. As Hussein noted, “although it is a huge responsibility … I would have the opportunity to suggest and implement ideas that will benefit our society.”

By Warrick Bell

CSI’s Office of Community Educational Engagement partnered with the School of Business and the Center for Global Engagement to send one of our students, James Devine, in the Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MRHEP), to study abroad in Italy during the summer of 2019. This unique and historic collaboration draws from our legacy of place, as an access institution, housed on the former grounds of the Willowbrook State School.

The MRHEP is a fully inclusive five-year college and alumni experience, and non-degree program for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, offering intensive and comprehensive support for academic, civic, and professional growth. Under the umbrella of AHRC New York City, and housed in four CUNY campuses, MRHEP’s mission is to support these individuals to build full lives. Students in the program participate in college courses, and engage in community service and co-curricular activities, and gain practical work experience through internships.

This past June, James Devine; Esteban Gonzalez, a MRHEP support mentor and CSI student; and 13 business students spent nine days in Florence, Italy learning about international corporate business practices, experiencing European culture, and visiting historic attractions. This trip was the first its kind for The City University of New York.  Former program Director Ife Okoh said that the long-term dream was for “our student and his companion (to) have returned from a trip that will last with them forever. This trip marks a space in the history of the program and is a true testimonial for our partnership with CSI.” The School of Business often organizes similar trips abroad, this one based with Florence’s Lorenzo de Medici Institute, so students can experience a broad range of courses and get the most out of this enriching occasion. 

While in Florence, James and the other students visited various businesses in the city to see how they are managed and function in the international market. Tours of manufacturers such as Ruffino and Ferragamo allowed the students to understand the complex works of global businesses in regard to production, management, and cultural practices. Among visits to restaurants and art galleries, there was a culinary class and an exploration of the area featuring the infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

James found the trip to be very influential, saying “I enjoyed the lifestyle of Italy and its great scenery. My experience in Florence was an interesting one. It was the most amazing place in the country of Italy and the culture of Christianity was very interesting.”

We are hoping this successful trip leads to more partnerships with this program in the future. To learn more about AHRC, and the Melissa Riggio Higher Education program, please visit https://www.ahrcnyc.org/services/school/college/, and follow @CSIEngagement on Twitter for more on this and other student highlights.

By Noel Businelli

Edited by Crystal Montalvo

A near-capacity crowd gathered last Thursday in the Center for the Arts Williamson Theatre for Convocation 2019, an opportunity to learn about the state of the College over the past year, and to celebrate faculty and staff members who are celebrating service anniversaries in five-year increments. [View gallery]

College President William J. Fritz took to the stage after an introduction by Vice President for Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement Jennifer Borrero.

Near the beginning of his remarks, Dr. Fritz stated, “One of the reasons why I enjoy being President at the College of Staten Island is because we give people from all walks of life an opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Whether you are searching for a certificate, associate’s, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree, you can do it here. For the people we honor here today, ones who have demonstrated their commitment to the College through their years of service, I believe you also have a love for helping others achieve their dreams.”

The President also waxed nostalgic, briefly touching on the themes of past Convocations, such as polar explorers who demonstrated how to embark on a new voyage, the teamsmanship of his favorite band, the Grateful Dead; the College’s legacy trilogy (institution, place, and mission), and the institution’s current Strategic Plan, Opportunity to Ascend. He then added, “Today, I want us to celebrate ourselves. Through modest resources we have done the impossible, we have functioned as a team, we have reached the poles, we have put on the equivalent of an amazing concert, we have honored our mission. We have earned the right to dream.”

As a part of this celebration, Dr. Fritz reviewed some of the highlights of the past year, including the $7.5M gift from Staten Island Community College alumni Lucille ’65 and Jay Chazanoff ’65 to name the School of Business; CSI’s selection for participation in CUNY 2x Tech, an initiative to provide valuable resources and support to meet the ambitious goal of doubling the number of graduates with tech degrees; the recently announced plans to develop the CSI Genomic Research Facility, which will allow faculty and students to conduct critical research on genetic variations in DNA that may cause the development or progression of diseases or conditions such as cancer, drug addiction, and autism; the NCAA’s decision to accept CSI Athletics into its Division II; and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s approval of a new Doctorate of Education in Community-based Leadership.

Dr. Fritz concluded his presentation with two videos that underscored the excellence of CSI students: a promotional piece for the College entitled “CSI: We Bring the World to You” from Media Culture students Cadem Francis, Rheana Galloway, Larentiy Sorokin, and Annie Tenantitla, under the guidance of Professor David Gerstner, Mitchell Lovell, and Lava Sorokin; and portions of the moving speech that Student Government President Fatu Amara delivered at the 2019 Celestial Ball.

In keeping with tradition, the President’s speech was followed by another energetic and entertaining presentation by Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Information Technology Services Patricia Kahn in celebration of CSI faculty and staff members who were celebrating anniversaries of service in five-year increments.

The event concluded with a Holiday Reception in the Center for the Arts Atrium.

Supporters of the College of Staten Island gathered at the Richmond County Country Club, last Saturday, for the College of Staten Island Foundation’s Tenth Annual Celestial Ball “Sowing the Seeds for Student Success.” View photo gallery.

The event provided attendees with an opportunity to socialize and enjoy a wonderful meal and dancing, participate in an exciting silent auction; purchase a chance to win a trip to Disney World, courtesy of Casale Jewelers; and take part in the annual $1,000 Pot of Gold drawing.

The Celestial Ball also raises much-needed funds for the College’s greatest needs, and honors individuals and organizations that continue to make a positive impact on CSI and our borough.

After introductory remarks by Executive Director of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs Cheryl Adolph and CSI Foundation Board President Patrick McDermott, CSI President William J. Fritz discussed some of the high points for the College over the past year, including the $7.5M gift from Lucille ’65 and Jay ’65 Chazanoff to name the School of Business; CSI’s participation in CUNY 2X Tech with the goal of doubling the number of graduates with tech degrees; the recent announcement of the intention for CSI to develop the CSI Genomic Research Facility; and CSI Athletics’ acceptance into NCAA Division II.

Dr. Fritz also introduced a promotional video for the College, which was produced by Cinema Studies students in the Department of Media Culture. Entitled “CSI: We Bring the World to You” the team of Cadem Francis, Rheana Galloway, Larentiy Sorokin, and Annie Tenantitla worked over the Spring and Summer 2019 semesters with Professor David Gerstner, Mitchell Lovell, and Lava Sorokin.

Student Speaker Fatu Amara followed Dr. Fritz. Amara is a senior in the Verrazano School honors program; a Jeannette K. Watson Fellow; a Collegiate, Science, and Technology Entry Program student; and President of the Student Government. In 2015, she immigrated to Staten Island from Sierra Leone, and she is a graduate of Curtis High School. During her time as a Watson Fellow, she had the opportunity to intern at the NYC Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs by facilitating language learning programs, and in Rwanda, where she worked on development projects by conducting outreach to rural communities.

In her remarks, Amara comments on her time as a Watson Fellow. “As I embarked on my final year as an undergraduate student, these diverse experiences have shaped my global perspective, challenged me professionally to put forth my best work, and supported my personal growth from that shy girl that entered the campus to a strong and thoughtful leader.”

The next part of the program spotlighted this year’s recipients of the President’s Medal. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs J. Michael Parrish joined Dr. Fritz on stage to honor 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds (represented by Denise Cherenfant, Director, TEF Nursing Programs); June M. Como, EdD, RN and Anthony Como; and National Grid (represented by Frank Lombardo, NY Business Planning and Performance, and Carol Decina, NY Community and Customer Management).

Following Dr. Fritz’s concluding comments and dinner, guests at the Ball danced to the music of Crossing Midnight.

This year’s Ball Committee Chair was Marilyn Caselli, Senior Vice President for Customer Operations, Consolidated Edison, Inc., and a member of the CSI Foundation Board of Directors.

On September 20, 2019, the College of Staten Island/CUNY (CSI) participated in the National Day of Civic Hacking, through the “CSI Transit Hack,” a half-day workshop and brainstorming session where students, staff, and faculty “hacked” data informed solutions to address Staten Island’s most complicated transit and parking challenges.

Inspired by Beta NYC’s #Mobility4All event, approximately 60 students started the day with Dr. Johnathan Peters, renowned researcher, economist, and CSI professor, on the transit woes of the forgotten borough. Dr. Peters high-impact lecture was followed by breakout sessions and small-group dialogue facilitated by CSI community partners, staff, and student volunteers, using the World Cafe Model.

Students came up with thought-provoking and fresh ideas for short- and long-term solutions. Most of the ideas were centered on smart phone app development, providing critical information to the campus community, in real time, on campus parking availability, ride-sharing opportunities, and bus scheduling changes and delays.  Other students were advocates for additional services like increased bus shuttles from neighborhoods, with the most amount CSI students and staff.  Our most ambitious students rallied for an underground subway system; since Staten Island is the only borough without this critical public transit artery.

The CSI Transit Hack is one example, and springboard into CSI’s participation into the nascent field of public interest technology; educating a new generation of civic-minded technologists and digitally fluent policy leaders.

This event was sponsored by CSI’s Office of Community Educational Engagement, within the Division of Economic Development, Continuing Studies, and Government Relations. We’d like to give a special thanks to Rev. Dr. Katie Cumiskey, one of two CUNY’s PIT grant recipients, for integrating this community engagement experience within her PSY 100 course.

By Crystal Vera-Montalvo

A near-capacity audience of over 300 students, faculty, and alumni occupied the Williamson Theatre on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, for the third annual “Careers in Finance, Economics, and Accounting Summit” hosted by the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business. The summit featured experts from various sectors of the financial world, and included a keynote address via remote link and a panel of executives. Each speaker shared details of their own career paths, imparted advice about strategies for landing one’s first job and career advancement, and emphasized the importance of networking.

In her introduction to the evening, Founding Dean of the Chazanoff School of Business Susan Holak introduced the program by noting that CSI Macaulay Honors College and Chazanoff School of Business alumnus Thomas Brigandi, CFA, who has already had great career success, has been a significant supporter of the School and had been working on the program for several months. Dean Holak also added that this was the third consecutive year that this event had been held, with a different group of panelists presenting each time.

With its panel organized by Mr. Brigandi, the event featured professionals from a range of backgrounds and at various career levels. Since its inception, the Career Summit has become a mainstay of the annual calendar of the Chazanoff School, drawing students, faculty, and alumni to the College each November.

Following the keynote address via Skype by United Nations Economist Dr. Utku Teksoz, the panelists spoke about their career paths and the opportunities that they took advantage of along the way. Moderator Kyrill Firshein posed questions and scenarios to panelists Matthew Anthony; Katherine Brigandi; Joshua Burrell, CFA; Edward Cotler; Jonathan Dong; Antonio Rodriguez, CFA; and Deepika Sharma, CFA; all of whom have extensive experience in the fields of Accounting, Economics, or Finance. At the conclusion of the formal program, Dean Holak invited audience members to a reception and networking session in the adjacent atrium, where students could meet and interact with the panelists.

Dr. Jonathan Peters, Professor of Finance at the Chazanoff School, stated that “this is a fantastic chance for the students to hear from real field professionals about issues and opportunities in these areas. It is very important to have outside validation of the learning that takes place in the classroom, and it’s great to be able to demonstrate some of the advantages that come from being located in New York City.”

In addition to Mr. Brigandi and his sister Katherine – herself an alumna of the Macaulay Honors College and the Chazanoff School of Business – other alumni of the School of Business were present in the audience. Those who were recent graduates of the School found the advice from the speakers to be relevant and extremely useful, and at the networking reception following the panel presentations they also connected with current students to offer guidance and insights.

One such alumnus was Joseph Maggio, who earned his CPA license after graduating from the School of Business in 2017, and who returned to his alma mater just to attend the event. Joe, who now works as a staff accountant and who attended the first career summit as a student, noted that he “learned so many useful life lessons from the panel, intangibles that aren’t taught in the classroom,” and that he “felt inspired walking out of there.”

Current graduate student Richard Pallarino, who works in the accounting industry, said that “being around some of the top finance professionals from different backgrounds is an advantage that not many other schools can offer, and CSI is making this happen at least once a year.” Pallarino also noted the value of the contributors’ viewpoints to students who are about to embark upon their own professional careers, stating that it was “great to see the other side of the equation and have access to such astute panelists.”

One aspect common to all of the speakers’ presentations related to being outgoing and confident, and that students should demonstrate their determination and leadership through personal connections. The panelists spoke of their own experiences – both positive and negative – that brought them to their current careers and positions. After the panel concluded, Andrew Colbeck, the staffperson and technician for the Con Edison Trading Room in the Chazanoff School of Business, who has extensive experience in the Wall Street environment, remarked that “you would not see a higher-level group of people in these fields at any college anywhere in the country.” Pallarino neatly summed up the value of the event by saying that the Career Summit is “something that each student should attend and take advantage of.”

The Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business hosts many events and student professional development opportunities through its Dean’s Special Speaker Series, Tuesday Business Briefs discussions, Student Club events, and classroom guest lecture opportunities. Students, faculty, and alumni from across the College are welcome to attend and contribute to the conversations relating to business and its place in modern global society.