VOLUME 1 MAY 2025
SPRING NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
INDUSTRY NEW & TRENDS
A NOTE FROM THE DEAN
NEW IN GSB
MBA: A YEAR IN REVIEW
SEMESTER HAPPENINGS THANK YOU, BEN CARR
PROMPT ENGINEERING: A NEW ESSENTIAL SKILL FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS
Integrating Prompt Engineering into the Curriculum Business school curricula must evolve alongside the rise of AI. As one analysis noted, generative AI “cannot be banned nor ignored” and instead “needs to be embraced” given its impact on every aspect of the business world. Experts predict AI will soon be so integral to business that it should become part of nearly every course in the curriculum. Leading programs have begun responding; Wharton, for example, is embedding AI across its curriculum (partnering with OpenAI to give MBA students hands-on experience with ChatGPT). Likewise, Columbia, Duke, and American University are integrating AI and prompt-engineering content into core courses from accounting to marketing. Cornell University has launched an MBA specialization specifically focused on Artificial Intelligence, further underscoring the importance and growing demand for AI competencies. By proactively teaching prompt engineering, business schools can ensure tomorrow’s graduates are prepared to effectively and ethically collaborate with AI tools in any business role. -SUNIL KUMAR, PH.D, CPA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ACCOUNTING
In an era where generative AI tools like ChatGPT have become everyday business assistants, prompt engineering has emerged as a key competency. Prompt engineering is the practice of crafting effective inputs or questions that guide AI systems to produce optimal outputs. In business contexts, tasks from marketing to data analysis benefit from well-designed prompts. Better prompts yield better results, underscoring the value of this skill across business fields. A Cross-Disciplinary Skill in Business Mastering prompt engineering is essentially learning the “language” to communicate with AI, enabling professionals to tap into these systems’ capabilities for creativity and problem-solving. Key benefits of strong prompt-engineering skills include better decision making, personalized customer engagement, efficiency gains, and more. As businesses increasingly integrate AI solutions, the ability to create precise prompts becomes crucial, directly impacting operational effectiveness and strategic decision-making.
A NOTE FROM THE DEAN
Career development remains central to our student experience. Our expanding Career Fairs, in collaboration with CCPD, continue to connect students with premier employers. New externships in Real Estate (New York) and Women’s Leadership (Boston), along with immersive programs in Nepal and London, further expanded global perspectives. We also welcomed several outstanding new faculty whose research and teaching are shaping the future of business education. Our inaugural “Teaching Firm” partnership with Shawmut Design and Construction exemplifies our commitment to experiential learning, offering students real-world insight directly in the classroom. Globally, our MBA students took part in a consulting immersion in Greece, while CAFÉ students navigated a volatile financial year and presented their insights to executives both in the U.S. and in London. As we prepare to celebrate another graduating class, I extend my deepest gratitude to all who make this community so extraordinary. Together, we are cultivating a future where students thrive, leadership is redefined, and bold ideas become reality. Our community was further enriched by an exceptional lineup of guest speakers, including our visionary namesake Mr. Mario Gabelli, founder of GAMCO Investments, and esteemed alumnus Mr. Dick Sullivan, CEO of PGA TOUR Superstores. We are also deeply grateful for the continued leadership of our Gabelli Advisory Council, chaired by Mr. Brian MacLean, former COO of Travelers Insurance, whose guidance is instrumental to our mission.
Dear Gabelli School of Business Community, As we approach the final weeks of the semester, a vibrant sense of anticipation fills our campus. With commencement on the horizon, we take this opportunity to reflect on an academic year filled with achievement, innovation, and growth—and to look forward with great optimism and pride. This year has been defined by bold momentum and meaningful progress. We launched two dynamic programs—an MBA with a focus on analytics and an interdisciplinary Sports Management degree—both crafted to equip our students for success in a rapidly evolving global economy. Across a range of national competitions—from entrepreneurship challenges to NSAC, CFA, and other inter-university showcases— our students continued to demonstrate the creativity, resilience, and leadership that define the Gabelli School.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
AT A GLANCE
172 GRADUATES CLASS OF 2025
Raffaella Brunetti, a former athlete and graduate of the business school, gained industry-like experience during her time at RWU. With support from the Center for Advanced Financial Education, Raffaella visited the New York Stock Exchange for the closing bell ceremony, where she was able to apply to the NYSE after presenting her summer portfolio. Competing against 100+ applicants during a week and a half long interview process, she was offered and accepted a position as a Surveillance Analyst at the New York Stock Exchange.
93 INTERNSHIPS FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT
2 PROGRAMS LAUNCHING FALL 2025
WHAT’S NEW?
Big news from the Gabelli School of Business, RWU has officially launched a Sports Management major! After seeing tons of interest from students (especially athletes!) and the success of the Sports Studies minor, this new major was a natural next step. It’s packed with real-world experience, including a required internship and courses like Event and Facilities Management and a senior Capstone. Whether you dream of working for a pro team, managing events, diving into sponsorship deals, or building a brand in sports marketing, this major opens the door. Plus, it pairs easily with other business majors like marketing or management, perfect for students interested in social media, design, or event planning. SPORTS MANAGEMENT MAJOR
DATA ANALYTICS IN MBA Beginning in the fall, students in the MBA Program can specialize their coursework to include a focus in data analytics. Combined with the core MBA coursework, students will become equipped with the knowledge to make informed, data-driven decisions, optimizing performance and identifying growth opportunities.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAJOR
After its inaugural year, the Entrepreneurship major has shown great promise. Led by Associate Professor David Jorgensen, the program helps students become confident leaders, creative thinkers, and skilled professionals through hands-on coursework, guest speakers, and real-world consulting experiences. But the learning doesn’t stop in the classroom. Students are already putting their entrepreneurial skills into action through pitch contests like EForAll and the Rhode Island Business Competition. RWU also offers the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO), where students can network, develop business ideas, and join a supportive community that encourages innovation and growth.
WELCOMING NEW FACULTY
DUYGU AKDEVELIOGLU, PH.D Associate Professor of Marketing
ZHONGYING GAN, PH.D Assistant Professor of Economics
ANDRE DU PLESSIS, MBA, MCIPS, CAPM Lecturer for Business Management
KARA LI LIU, PH.D Assistant Professor of Management
MBA: A YEAR IN REVIEW
CONSULTING WITH SHAWMUT DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION During the Fall 2024 semester, RWU MBA students were able to gain real world experience while working as consultants for Shawmut Design and Construction. Through an experiential learning initiative, students within Associate Professor Alexander Knights Management Consulting Course analyzed key challenges within the company, offering strategic recommendations on talent management, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and the incorporation of artificial intelligence within the construction industry. Collaborating with Shawmut mentors, students participated in site tours, mentor meetings, and direct conversations with company leaders. At the conclusion of the semester, students presented their findings at Shawmut’s Providence office. This hands-on approach provided MBA students with valuable insights into real business challenges and reinforced the importance of business-university relationships. By collaborating with a business, students are now prepared to address critical industry issues and further develop their leadership skills. Through such experiences, RWU continues to equip graduates with the knowledge and confidence to succeed in their careers.
GOING GREEK
The Spring semester offered MBA students the opportunity to embark on an unforgettable week-long global field consulting experience in Athens, Greece. The trip was hosted by our partners at ALBA Graduate Business School and featured a dynamic mix of academic lectures, cultural immersion, and high-impact company consulting focused on crisis management and international business strategy. Students engaged directly with executives and professionals from leading Greek and multinational firms—including OTE Group, FAMAR, MotoDynamics Group, and GE HealthCare—gaining valuable insights into how businesses navigate uncertainty and build resilience in a global context. Guided by MBA Program Director Dr. Mark Wu, and Dr. Kate Hall, the week was filled with learning, collaboration, cultural discovery, and team-building. Faculty are proud of the students for their professionalism and curiosity they brought to every conversation. We look forward to building on this momentum with future cohorts and continuing to offer meaningful global learning opportunities as part of the Roger Williams University MBA experience.
IGNITE CONFERENCE The Women in Business and CEO Club co-hosted last semester's Ignite Conference with Erin Medeiros and Jennifer Mello. Erin Medeiros is the founder of Workflow Mamas, a company that pairs nannies with clients that are women working professionals. Jennifer Mello was a client of Workflow Mamas which is how they met. Mello is the owner of The Mello Group Inc., a boutique real estate firm. They both shared their stories and invaluable insights into the world of entrepreneurship. They guided students through making a business plan on their own entrepreneurial ideas. This was a great opportunity for the students to learn and ignite their inner entrepreneur.
GLOBAL RESEARCH CHALLENGE
The CFA Global Research Challenge is a global competition that went from early December to early March. This event helps university students gain experience in hands-on mentoring and practical work in reporting making, presenting, and financial analysis. Teams are mentored by a faculty advisor (Professor Mark Wu), and an industry professional (Justin Maistrow, CIO of RI). Reports from this challenge are judged based on professionalism, accuracy, and depth of analysis, which Cedric Savoie, Sam Sirois, Logan Jones, and Christopher Persechino found great success with. This group of 4 worked to analyze the publicly traded company; Crane Company, and were tasked to write an in depth research report that supported a buy recommendation. After placing in the top 8 out of 23 teams, the group then went on to present their recommendation to a panel of financial experts. This challenge allowed the students to apply many of the skills they have developed in their undergraduate careers, including performing different types of financial analysis.
VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY: INSIGHTS FROM BUSINESS LEADERS
MARIO J. GABELLI, CFA CHAIRMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF GAMCO INVESTORS, INC
DICK SULLIVAN CEO, PGA SUPERSTORE
JENNIFER MELLO PARTNER, MANAGING BROKER, REALTOR THE MELLO GROUP
JOSEPH BRITO PRESIDENT & CEO, C.B. UTILITY, CO. INC. & C. BRITO CONSTRUCTION CO.
JENNIFER AGELL, CPA FSO TAX MANAGER, ERNST & YOUNG RWU ALUMNA
STRATEGY AT ITS FINEST
A rite of passage for RWU business students, the last class students must complete in the business core is MGMT.499 - Strategic Management. Professor David Jorgensen guides students as they complete the Capstone 2.0 simulation, where each group must handle all aspects of their senior business; from research and development to avoiding loan sharks, students must make wise strategic decisions in order to reach top market share against competitors. During the Fall 2024 semester, these competitors not only consisted of RWU classmates, but students in other sections of MGMT.499, and business students from around the country. Dr. Jorgensen had six teams place in the top 10%, signifying RWU’s commitment to excellence within the classroom. Jorgensen writes, “For the first time in RWU history, students in all three sections of MGMT 499 - Strategic Management competed against each other in turning around failing companies they had inherited in the Capstone 2.0 simulation. The simulation requires students to integrate knowledge from all GSB business core courses like Enterprise, Principles of Marketing, Operations Management, and Accounting to make decisions pertaining to research and development, marketing, production, finance, total quality management, and human resources. The very definition of experiential learning, the Capstone 2.0 simulation is used for leadership development in massive, highly-successful companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Walmart, Google, and JPMorgan. Moreover, six student teams placed in the top 10% against well-known programs such as those at Vanderbilt University, UMass-Amherst, and Temple University. We are immensely proud of their accomplishments!”
A TOP SCORER One of the top scoring team members in MGMT.499, Chloe Tozier, is incredibly proud of this accomplishment and is sure that these skills will carry over into the workforce. “The Strategic Management Capsim Business Simulation helped prepare me for the real world by improving my understanding of business dynamics and strategic thinking. It covered key areas like R&D, marketing, production, finance, and HR, showing how they all connect and influence market share. After participating in this simulation and competing against classmates, I feel more confident in decision-making, teamwork, competitor analysis, and risk management, which will help me tackle real-world business challenges in my future career.”
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
GSB students had the incredible opportunity to meet and listen to RWU alumna Paris Inacio, as she shared her career journey and experiences working at GYK. Paris spoke about how NSAC and the Gabelli School of Business helped her prepare for her current role and success after graduation. “I am so grateful for the Gabelli School of Business and Professor Matos for giving students the opportunity to learn the inner workings of the advertising industry through MRKT302 and the NSAC program. Prior to landing my job as an Associate Strategist at GYK, participating in the NSAC program with the crucial guidance of Professor Matos allowed me to gain hands on, applicable experience that I could seamlessly transfer into my career. There is so much value that comes from the program and I feel so lucky that I was able to be a part of it. I’m humbled to be given the opportunity to share insights I’ve learned along the way with current students, the same way an alum shared with me. Thank you so much to Professor Matos and the Gabelli School of Business for having me!”
NATIONAL STUDENT ADVERTISING COMPETITION
This year, the Roger Williams University National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) team showcased their incredible talent and dedication through months of hard work. NSAC is a nationwide collegiate competition that challenges students to create a full-scale advertising campaign for a real-world client—this year, AT&T. After conducting in-depth research during the fall semester as part of MRKT 401, the team spent the spring in MRKT 402 developing a fully integrated marketing campaign. Their hard work paid off with an impressive second-place finish at the district-level competition. The experience not only highlighted the students' creativity and strategic thinking, but also gave them invaluable, hands-on industry experience that will serve them well beyond the classroom.
THANK YOU, BEN CARR FOR 56 YEARS AT RWU
After 56 years of service and dedication to the Business Division at Roger Williams University, more recently known as the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business, Ben Carr, a pillar of the community, will be embarking on his next endeavor: retirement. A self- proclaimed, and incredibly proud, “Mama’s Boy,” Carr joined the University in 1969. Eager to be his best self, and do right by his students, Professor Carr leaned heavily on the mentorship of his colleagues, a philosophy that he continues to carry into the classroom every day. “I appreciate having the opportunity to teach because…I’m someone who [can] motivate people to bring out their own intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is what gets [students] to do their best work,” says Carr. Recently, Professor Carr sat down to share a few words about his time at Roger Williams, with some highlights included below. They do not, however, fully capture the essence of Ben Carr. A gentleman, and scholar, who can recount his exact feelings walking onto campus his first day of work. A faculty member, who after more than five decades, can still recall students by name. Someone who, from humble beginnings, acknowledges that education goes far beyond the classroom. Professor Carr, signing off as “bnc.” will be missed by those who had the pleasure to work and learn alongside of him. From the members of the Roger Williams University community, we wish you the best in your retirement.
FUN FACTS ABOUT BEN CARR
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE FOR YOUR SHARP SENSE OF STYLE? My mother, because “she always told me, do everything the best you can…and part of doing everything the best you can is dressing the best you can.”
WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE SONG? Anything by Luther Vandross or Toni Braxton WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF RWU? Initial response: “Mowing the lawn.” Later admitted: “Writing poetry.”
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST IN RETIREMENT? “Continuing to pursue a sense of peace.”
WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE SONG? Anything by Luther Vandross or Toni Braxton
WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE SONG? Anything by Luther Vandross or Toni Braxton
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST IN RETIREMENT? “Continuing to pursue a sense of peace.”
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU’VE LEARNED IN YOUR CAREER? “To be as honest and authentic as I can be.”
ANY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY? “Start out loving yourself so you can be yourself.”
THANK YOU TO THE NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS: LEXIE MEAKER, SENIOR MARKETING MAJOR MAGGIE ZHANG, JUNIOR MARKETING & MANAGEMENT MAJOR
AVA PELKEY, JUNIOR MARKETING MAJOR ANNA MOORE, SOPHOMORE FINANCE MAJOR SIOBHAN COUTO, ACADEMIC SUPPORT MANAGER
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