Coles Annual Report 2019-2020

Producing Exceptional Graduates A degree from the Michael J. Cole College of Business prepares students to excel. Whether the student is an undergraduate discovering her passion for professional sales or a seasoned professional gaining the skills to help lead one of the country’s largest cities, graduates of the Coles College of Business routinely make a difference within their organizations and beyond. Executive MBA Graduate Sharpens Impact as Civic Leader Earning her Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree from Kennesaw State University has Carmen Chubb believing in herself more than ever, especially considering the circumstances under which she completed it. Chubb, the chief of staff for Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, wrapped up a rigorous final semester at KSU in the spring that involved three complex team projects, including one assignment with counterparts from Romania to enhance global business skills. She did that while maintaining her regular job duties and helping navigate one of the nation’s largest cities through the coronavirus response. “My mantra for this semester was, if I can finish my MBA under these circumstances, I can do anything,” Chubb said. “The final semester is the most challenging and, at the same time, my work requires my full attention from sunup to sundown. Thankfully, I wake up before the sun comes up and could get my schoolwork done before the day starts or before the night ends.” Chubb was in her second semester of the Coles College of Business’ Executive MBA program when Bottoms appointed her as chief of staff in February 2019. Chubb serves as one of the highest-ranking advisors to the mayor, overseeing key city functions, top personnel, policy and legislative matters. Megan Colapinto ‘Raises the Bar’ for Sales Program Knowing that she wanted to pursue a business degree, Megan Colapinto dropped by the Burruss Building one day during her freshman year to learn more about the Coles College. That visit set the course for her college and professional careers. Colapinto picked up literature about the Coles College’s Center for Professional Selling, sparking an interest that developed into a passion for that field. She captained Kennesaw State’s sales team, won the KSU Sales Cup competition four consecutive times, participated in the prestigious Coles Scholars program, and in Summer 2020 earned her professional sales degree with a 4.0 grade point average. She began a 12-month training program with networking systems, software, and services firm Ciena, the previous semester. Colapinto then became a sales engineer, designing and creating networks to meet clients’ unique needs. “I love opportunities that challenge me and help me grow my skill set, capabilities and critical thinking,” Colapinto said. “I have learned that hard work is fun when you are passionate.”

Finance Graduates Hone Skills Through Student Investment Fund For thousands of Kennesaw State students each semester, graduation represents a defining moment. It is an opportunity to reflect on their entire educational journey – the mentors they found, the friendships they made and the opportunities they seized. Finance grads Vinny Rosamilia and Nicholas Busson spoke to Kennesaw State about how the Coles College Student Managed Investment Fund helped them find their wings.

Vinny Rosamilia

Being in SMIF made my classes easier because it blended the material and formulas learned in class with real-world applications. This allowed me to better understand the material covered because I was able to see how it was used in business.

Vinny Rosamilia

Nicholas Busson

The Student Managed Investment Fund helped me apply what I was learning in the classroom to real-world situations, and it helped me get an internship at SunTrust (now called Truist), and a full-time job offer at Wells Fargo.

Megan Colapinto

Nicholas Busson

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