Gabelli EMBA Students Give Chinese Investors Real Estate Advice
The cohort of executive MBA students at the Gabelli School of Business recently advised the China-based lender CreditEase on the best places for Chinese investment in real estate. The consulting project was part of the EMBA program’s capstone course. The cohort of students gave a presentation to the company on August 19, at the firm’s headquarters in Beijing. For the project, students were asked to identify which U.S. cities offer Chinese investors the best potential return on investment in residential real estate.
The 22 student cohort conducted extensive market research to find the best answer for their client. The result of the research was the recommendation of five US locations; New York City (Queens and the Bronx), Philadelphia, Seattle, Houston and San Francisco. One student in the cohort, Colin Cassidy, explained in a press release for Gabelli that the areas chosen were based on specific criteria for their research, such as how quickly the area recovered from the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the local economy’s strength, unemployment rates, real estate taxes and rent-to-buy ratios.
Fordham Holds CIO Roundtable Discussion on Technology Needs
Fordham University recently held the Fordham CIO Roundtable, organized by Gabelli School of Business Associate Professor Aditya Saharaia. The Roundtable, which gathered Chief Information Officers and other IT Professionals from Fordham, discussed the issues that a large university faces in order to provide the technology needed for all students faculty and staff.
Frank Sirianni, the Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Fordham University explained that the task was not an easy one but the University meets the challenge through constant efforts to rethink procedures and to provide innovative solutions. He specifically mentioned one of Fordham University’s IT innovations to move to cloud-based management systems.
Gabelli Students Improve Business Skills Through Improv Workshop
A group of Full-Time Cohort MBA students at the Gabelli School of Business visited the Upright Citizens Brigade to take part in a corporate improv workshop. The half-day workshop gave students an open environment to practice improvisation fundamentals that can also double as professional skills. The comedy theater instructors directed a customized curriculum of improv-based exercises focused on agility, interviewing and advanced presentation skills.
The students spent time learning how to adapt quickly in situations, working with partners and on smaller teams in improvised situations. The skills learned through acting in improv will help students in interviews and with on-the-job response to situations. The workshops also provided students with the opportunity to collaborate and build off one another’s ideas by supporting their fellow classmates in a safe environment meant that more creative ideas would flow.
Gabelli Creates New Student Book Club
The Gabelli School of Business will start a new book club for students in the fall. This new club will give students the opportunity to come together to read the published research and writings of Fordham University professors. Students in the club will be given books free of charge, along with a study guide from the author.
The program was created by Greer Jason-DiBartolo, assistant dean for freshmen at the Gabelli School and Lisa Green, the manager of the undergraduate integrated core curriculum. The club will consist of about 10 to 12 students. Jason-DiBartolo said that if there is a big interest in the club, they will see if the professors could expand to holding two discussions so that the group remains small enough to keep students engaged.
Gabelli Dean Interviewed by NBCNews About Value of MBA
Donna Rappacioli, Dean of the Gabelli School of Business was recently interviewed by NBC news on whether or not a MBA degree is still a good investment. Dean Rappacioli explained to NBC how although MBA applications have decreased in general, and the need for two-year on-campus programs have changed, getting a MBA degree is still better for your future career goals.
Dean Rappacioli addresses the issue of the declining value of an MBA in her interview. She explains that although the number of people getting a MBA degree has declined, the value of the degree has not. ” What we are doing at Fordham is marrying the important technical skills but also the soft leadership skills,” Rappacioli said. “Employers tell me every day, that they need people who can solve problems, people that work in team, people that are really comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity; and these are the things that we have built in to the curriculum.”
