When did you graduate and what did you do at ����������Ƶ?��

I graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. I went on to earn my MBA in 2017, with a concentration in Marketing and Information Management and Business Analytics.

At ����������Ƶ, I co-founded the technology startup WooConnect with Abhijit Singh ’16. WooConnect connected college students with local events, activities, and experiences in Worcester, and provided small businesses a platform to market to students. It won 1st prize at the 2014 U-reka! Big Idea Contest (now ����������Ƶ Tank).��

What type of clubs and organizations were you a part of?��

I held several leadership positions across ����������Ƶ programs, including First-Year Orientation, Senior Class Gift Committee, Senior Week Planning Committee, and the ����������Ƶ Men’s Lacrosse Team. I received the Russ Granger Award and the Outstanding Contribution to Student Life Award in 2016.����

What is your favorite memory of ����������Ƶ?

My senior year, we launched WooConnect and the head of SLP allowed Abhijit and me to address the first-year students at Orientation. I was also a peer adviser and it served as a chance to reflect on our time as first years, living in Worcester, and building and launching a startup application.����

What was your favorite thing to do in Worcester?��

Most weekends I’d be in the Canal District, whether it’s grabbing coffee at Birchtree Bread, exploring the thrift store and weekend farmers markets, or enjoying one of the many dive bars with friends (RIP to the Dive Bar).��

As a local with family in the area, my favorite thing to do in Worcester now usually entails a coffee at the acoustic roastery, a visit to campus, playing round of disc golf at Elm Park or Newton Hill, and grabbing a bite from one of the many hidden Gems of Worcester that inspired the original concept of WooConnect (Hacienda Don Juan, BTs BBQ, Ed Hyders Mediterranean Marketplace, or any of the Vietnamese restaurants in Main South).��

Where are you now? What have you been up to?��

After graduation, I began my career as a strategic management consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton. I worked with federal government agencies such as the United States Postal Service (USPS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) in support of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).��

At the start of my career, I also founded the digital experience, marketing, and creative services agency Valere Digital (formerly First Pulse), which began taking on new clients in 2021. Recently, CEO and Co-Founder of , Guy Pistone ’12, MBA ’15, to become founder of Valere Digital and Chief Growth Officer. Valere is an award-winning AI Transformation and digital solutions software development company.�� ��

What about hobbies? Do you have any new or developing ones?��

I love anything that has a crafting element to it. Whether it’s creating a business, app, story, or development of a skill – maybe it’s the lingering ����������Ƶie in me, but I just find others’ passions fascinating and energizing.��

To that point I’m a big nerd at heart – Video Games like Pokemon, Tabletop Games like D&D, and most notably lore – stories crafted from different worlds (normally Sci-Fi) as far back as the original Dune novels or Warhammer 40k. If I’m not in the weight room or geeking out over a game, I’m usually playing with our two cats, BBQing, or playing disc golf.��

Do you have any ‘adulting’ tips or advice you can share with your fellow ����������Ƶies?����

����������Ƶ provided me with countless experiences and valuable lessons that I believe are important to learn.��

For young alumni, trust that ����������Ƶ showed you how to think critically, prioritize the why over the what, and see the big picture through a wider perspective. A liberal arts education doesn’t always present a linear path, but remember the quote from The Odyssey: “It is the journey that matters, not the destination,” – it is the essence of human experience. Find your passion, do what you can, where you are, with what you have, and know everyone’s just faking it a little bit better every day.��

What are some topics/skills relevant to the current environment that you think ����������Ƶies should stay on top of?��

AI – This skillset is imperative right now and moving forward, specifically Gen-AI, and will remain relevant beyond these topics well beyond.��

How do you stay involved with ����������Ƶ?��

I stay involved with ����������Ƶ in many ways! I serve as an adviser to ����������Ƶie-founded companies, I am a co-chair of the GOLD Council, I’ve hosted events in the D.C. area, served on my reunion committees, and so much more.����

I believe in giving beyond just the financial aspect, so I have also provided mentorship and career opportunities, been a guest speaker for SOM classes, and I am the GOLD Council liaison to the Alumni Council. Everything I do for the community is so fulfilling and meaningful – I know I will have a life-long connection to ����������Ƶ!

��

What have you been up to since you graduated?
I’ve been so fortunate that poetry found me after I graduated from ����������Ƶ in 2015. I started attending the Boston open mic scene after I left Worcester, and ever since then I fell in love with the idea of a space where one could spit their entire truth, not hold back, and uphold the multitudes they live in.��

I didn’t start off as someone who learned to use my voice. Growing up on the island of St. Thomas felt at times like a bubble of familiarity. It wasn’t until I came to ����������Ƶ when I first started speaking out using my voice. Because of spaces like Sisters in Stride, and being around a bigger melting pot of cultures, I began putting together the pieces of who I am and how I see myself. I came to Los Angeles to further my career in mental health after earning my masters degree from Boston University, and I’ve found that investing in personal outlets of expression helped me in navigating a newly found post-graduate world. ��

Why poetry?
With poetry, I truly felt a calling. The whole experience of being a poet – from writing, to creating, to publishing, to performing – is all highly spiritual. All of my art comes from my truth, and it allows me to understand that we would be nothing without the lessons we learn from our pain, our joys, the rage, love, heartbreak, adventures, and the things we put our energy into, as well as the things that feed us in our core. For me, my career in poetry has taught me that vulnerability and being open with our truths, has a ripple effect, and in turn can allow us all to heal in a collective way. When I dove into poetry – and especially being on stages – I realized how powerful it was to be in front of a mic and spit your truth no matter how delicate, vulnerable, taboo, or risqué the topic was.

My art is a mirror of my journey of learning the world as a “first”. A first generation woman of color, the first in my immediate family to pursue higher education twice and the first to openly practice my creativity on a regular basis.

I heard you also had a book of your poetry published?
Yes, my book Yellow won the Long Beach CA best poetry collection of 2021. It’s a collection of pieces translated from the heart. It is a celebration of growth, shedding, healing, and ultimately, all things love. I’ve also had my book placed in the oldest library in India, and my books have made their way all over the world.����

How has your psychology/mental health background impacted your poetry?
I believe my career in mental health has hugely defined my way of seeing the world in my poetry. You’ll find themes of healing, being, accepting, loving, resiliency, and so many other micro journeys within the world of human experience. Because of my background in psychology and my experience as a spoken word artist; I was so honored to be chosen to write and perform a poem live, for the United Nations in 2021 where I was able to use my education on the inequities we face and channel that into poetry. I was privileged to use my voice to speak out using poetry in a way that mirrored the United Nations’ (UN Population Fund Latin America) mission of promoting gender equality and empowering women, girls and young people to take control of their bodies and their futures.����

In 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, I founded a poetry workshop called Writing As Healing which is an immersive writing experience with a mindfulness and mental health focus. I find that this space has grown exponentially and continues to be a healing centered writing experience with nearly 200+ attendees to date which has strengthened my mission to combine the forces of writing, poetry, and mental health.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned since you graduated?
The most important thing I have learned since I graduated has been to invest in yourself, your time, your energy, and the quality of your art. Don’t settle for anything less than putting something out there that truly mirrors you.����

Ravina also wanted to give a shoutout to a few organizations including Never Speak Long Beach; The Community Literature Initiative community, as well as World Stage Press and the Sims Library of Poetry, who have all allowed her to be herself and let her practice her craft.����

Join us for a networking event to celebrate ����������Ƶ’s talented and influential Women in Leadership on Tuesday, March 12

Troutman Pepper | 875 Third Avenue, 17th Floor | New York, NY 10022

Event Schedule:

6 p.m. | Arrival

6:30-7:30 p.m. | Speaking with Q&A portion

7:30-8:30 | Networking Reception

Rebecca Kirszner Katz ’97

For two decades, Rebecca Kirszner Katz has helped candidates, campaigns, causes and personalities shape the narrative and tell their story. Katz has worked in every level of government – from the local to the federal. She has expertise in communications planning and strategy, rapid response, media relations, and message development.

Katz was the architect behind John Fetterman’s win in Pennsylvania, creating the strategy, the team, and the groundbreaking creative communications operation that flipped the only Senate seat in 2022.��Fetterman’s top advisor since 2015 and the campaign’s chief strategist, Katz was pivotal in every key decision the campaign made, successfully navigating several crises en route to a stunning 5-point victory.

Katz is a rare communications specialist who has experience successfully navigating both the daily grind of big city news-cycles and long-form journalism. She has a knack for helping clients mix both the serious and the soft in order to shape public image, develop narratives that drive a positive message, and preempt unflattering stories.

Katz has worked in nearly every political setting imaginable, beginning in the House of Representatives, then on presidential campaigns, and later running Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid’s war room, which helped position Democrats to win back the Senate.

In 2019, Katz founded , taking a gamble that a consulting firm could survive without taking any corporate clients. It’s paid off – and with clients like Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Congressman and senate candidate Ruben Gallego, and U.S. Senator John Fetterman, Katz has established herself as a go-to communications strategist.

Katz has a BA from ����������Ƶ and a Master’s in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government, where she has also taught graduate courses on congressional politics.

Ingrid Busson-Hall ’96

Ingrid is the Founder of Pierrepont Solutions LLC, a risk management firm that combines curiosity with integrity to deliver creative solutions that unlock opportunity from crisis. An experienced crisis manager, investigator, and lawyer, Ingrid has over 25 years of experience advising clients across the financial services industry, including senior leadership roles at PayPal, Morgan Stanley, Credit Agricole, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.��She has extensive cross-border experience��leading investigations, due diligence, and providing strategic change management advice.

With a long track record of successfully navigating government regulations and enforcement priorities, Ingrid provides clients with practical and actionable advice.��She��is a subject matter expert in financial crimes prevention and detection, including anti-money laundering, sanctions, anti-bribery, cybersecurity and fraud.�� She has also led sensitive employee conduct investigations and established policy frameworks to address sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and workplace violence. Clients value��Ingrid’s��discretion, diligence, and operational dexterity.

Reminder: Any gift made to ����������Ƶ by Graduates of the Last Decade (Classes of 2014-2023) between now and May 31 will be tripled by Board Chair, Gary Labovich ’81 and his wife, Susan.

For all other classes: if you enjoyed this event and would like to support the ����������Ƶ student experience, scan the below QR code to make a gift today.

Special thanks to Steven Khadavi ’93 for providing our event venue.

Pride Events on Campus:��

March 15 – Drag Show hosted by the Office of Identity, Student Engagement and Access (ISEA), open to the community, on campus, time TBD.��

March 19 – ,��a renowned transgender author comes to campus, 5-6:30 p.m., Jefferson 320.��

����������Ƶ’s Alumni & Friends Book Club often celebrates heritage and identity months. Here are the featured books �ɱ�’r�� discussing next:

• March 27, Women’s History Month: “” by Mayukh Sen.
• May 8, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: “Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner. Registration coming soon.

If you have any questions, please contact ����������Ƶ’s Alumni and Friends Engagement team at alumni@clarku.edu or 800-793-6246

Event date: Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Paul Cotnoir, Ph.D., (facilitator) is the Dean of ����������Ƶ’s Becker School of Design & Technology. Prior to ����������Ƶ, Dr. Cotnoir served in various capacities at Becker College from 2002 to 2021: associate dean of the Centers for Learning and Career Advancement, dean of New Initiatives, and leader of the interactive media program as director of design programs and associate dean of the School of Design & Technology. Read more

Guy Pistone ’12, MBA ’15, is a serial entrepreneur and technology leader with over a decade of experience building successful applications recognized by Apple, the New York Times, Upwork, and many others. Currently, he is Co-Founder & CEO of Valere, a global tech and AI technology agency with over 175 employees with offices in five countries. Guy has had several consumer products acquired in software and AI, including Fitivity, which had over 15 million users worldwide.

Ryan Canuel, Becker College Class of ’15, is the CEO and co-founder of Petricore, Inc., where he drives the development of innovative games and interactive media in the emerging technologies sector. His team collaborates with global brands like Mitsubishi, Star Trek, Burger King, and Meta to create immersive experiences in addition to developing their own products that have reached millions worldwide and been named “one of the best iPhone games on the planet” by TechRadar. His passion for Augmented Reality (AR) and Extended Reality (XR) extended into academia, where he served as an Adjunct Professor at Becker College from 2016-2018. There, he led a unique AR design course in collaboration with the Rhode Island School of Design.

Currently, he is sharing his expertise as a board advisor for the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute. He’s also been lucky enough to receive a few awards for his work, including the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ from the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, the ‘40 Under 40’ from the Worcester Business Journal, and the ‘Rising Pixel’ award from Playcrafting.

• Distinguished Service Award��
• Young Alumni Award��
• University Award for Service to Society��
• Challenging Convention Award
  

Nominations are submitted by ����������Ƶ alumni, staff, and faculty. Winners are chosen by the Awards Committee and honored at the annual Alumni Council Awards Dinner held on the Friday night of Reunion Weekend.��

Click the awards below to view all past recipients.

Last month, members of the Alumni and GOLD Councils came back to Worcester for an annual meeting to reconnect with fellow alumni volunteers, meet members of the ����������Ƶ community, learn about new additions to campus, conduct committee work, and plan upcoming projects and initiatives.

Some GOLDies are current 5th year students who have seen campus changes unfold, others just passed their 5th year reunion and saw a very different campus than the one they’d graduated from. Here’s how they felt about being back on campus, plus some advice for current students and recent grads alike…

What is the most significant change you’ve noticed on campus since you’ve graduated?

• The new Computer Science Building – Faaiz Masood ’20, Sr. Software Analyst at Bamboo Rose
• The new media arts building – Taylor Laflamme ’23, M.S. Candidate of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• New computer science building�� – Parker Freedman ’21, Financial Advisor at Profectus Financial Partners��

Which building or spot on campus made you feel the most nostalgic and why?

• Atwood – I spent so much time there – Anabel Riggio ’22, MPA ’23, J.D. Candidate at Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• The library – I spent way too much time there as a student. Also the IDCE House – I worked there for 4 years and it’s my favorite house at ����������Ƶ! – Emilee Cocuzzo ’18, MBA ’19, Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton
• The Kneller, memories for games, practices, & hanging out with teammates – Parker Freedman ’21, Financial Advisor at Profectus Financial Partners
• The second floor of the library – I spent so much time there studying (and goofing off) with my friends! – Drashhti Bilimoria, ’21, MBA ’22, Strategy Analyst at Deloitte��
• The Grind – some of my most clear memories from ����������Ƶ were excitedly (and anxiously) preparing the space for live music events alongside my closest friends. – Ben DiFilippi ’21, MBA ’22, Analyst at Hearst Magazines

How has keeping in touch with your fellow ����������Ƶies impacted your life post graduation?

• It has given me a Sense of network and connectivity – Alex Turgeon ’16, MBA ’17, Founder & CEO of Valere Digital
• Some of my closest friendships in life! – Julianne Murphy ’17, M.S. ’18, Ph.D. Candidate in Health and Biomedical Informatics
• It’s given me a strong sense of security and community upon entering “the real world” – Ben DiFilippi ’21, MBA ’22, Analyst at Hearst Magazines

What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self if you could do it over again?

• Make sure to stay present in every moment. Years will go by in the blink of an eye and life will never be the same. – GOLD Council Member
• Start to engage early on, it doesn’t matter if we talk about clubs, sports, internships etc. – Andrés Gvirtz ’18, Assistant Professor at King’s College London
• You’re going to get through it, but don’t forget to relax a bit. You need time to have fun! – Manning DelCogliano ’23, M.S. Candidate of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Get off campus and explore Worcester! It has a ton to��offer! – Ben DiFilippi, ’21, MBA ’22, Analyst at Hearst Magazines.

Share one thing that you discovered at ����������Ƶ that you never thought would be relevant to your career, but turned out to be invaluable.

• Be open minded and think of every possible outcome that could arise from one situation. – GOLD Council Member
• All of the alumni I got to meet and still know! – Manning DelCogliano ’23, M.S. Candidate of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• The unique experience to research with a professor 1:1 and early in my ����������Ƶ career – Julianne Murphy ’17, M.S. ’18, Ph.D. Candidate in Health and Biomedical Informatics

As part of our commitment to maximize the impact of the University’s most recent graduates, the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Council is hosting a virtual financial success session for GOLDies and current ����������Ƶ students alike.��

Whether you’re still a student at ����������Ƶ, a recent graduate, or a seasoned young professional, there is always something new to learn about managing finances effectively. An official invite for the session was distributed last week. This workshop is free and designed to be interactive and informal.

The session, “Personal Finance 101: Empowering Your Financial Future,” will be led by Parker Freedman ’21 and Utkristaa Shrestha ’20 – two GOLD Council Members with experience in the financial sector and passion for helping their fellow ����������Ƶies learn the tools needed to set themselves up for financial success.

Meet the Speakers:

Parker Freedman is a Lead Financial Planner at Profectus Financial Partners and a self-taught, self-proclaimed finance geek. He sees a need for financial education, especially in understanding the basics. During his time at ����������Ƶ, Freedman served as the President of ����������Ƶ Investments & Trading (CUIT).��

Utkristaa Shrestha is a Lead Associate in Change Management at Save The Children. Though she received guidance on her personal finance journey, she knows that access to personal finance education is not accessible to all, and wants to work to change this. During her time at ����������Ƶ Utkristaa served as the Director of ����������Ƶ Investments and Trading (CUIT).

Why This Session?

Financial literacy is often an anxiety-inducing topic, especially for recent graduates just starting in their careers. Freedman, Shrestha, and the GOLD Council recognize the importance of financial education.

“Part of the reason I took my role as a financial planner was due to the fact that I saw a need for financial education. It is so important for people to understand the basics. It helps take the stress and fear of managing one’s finances.”��

– Parker Freedman��

Shrestha echoed this sentiment, adding that not everyone has easy access to personal financial resources. Together, they aim to make financial literacy more approachable and accessible to ����������Ƶies.��

What Will the Session Cover?��

Attendees can look forward to insights on cash flow management, debt management (including student loans), budgeting strategies, investing, insurance, how to avoid common pitfalls, and resources to further the financial education journey.

This session will not delve into specific stock recommendations or “get rich quick” schemes, and will emphasize responsible financial planning.��

Starting Early for Financial Success

Both speakers stressed the importance of starting early with financial goals and planning, and building good financial habits. Freedman emphasized that even the smallest of contributions now could lead to significant savings down the road over those who choose to do nothing at all.��

Participants can expect to gain confidence in their financial decision making, understand the significance of starting early and realize that effective personal financial strategies are achievable regardless of income.

Best of all, there’s no pre-work required; just bring your questions and an open mind.

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

With pre-orientation programs completed, and the all-campus move-in day in full swing, we’ve dedicated this newsletter to reminiscing about our unforgettable move-in days at ����������Ƶ. From the excitement of setting foot on campus for the first time to the bittersweet moments of saying goodbye to family and friends, we all remember our move-in day.

Moving in to Dana Hall was one of the most exciting days of my ����������Ƶ experience. Although so much was uncertain at the time, my roommate Mallory Trainor ’22, M.A. ’23 remains my best friend to this day!

– Anabel Rigio ’22, MPA ’23

Moving into ����������Ƶ was anything but conventional: feeling sick with a bad summer cold, the shock of leaving my parents, and navigating independently after my roommate unfortunately decided to leave the university soon after the semester kicked off. Despite these circumstances, I was able to connect with the people on my floor (shout out to the second floor of Wright Hall).

In my once quiet and admittedly lonely room, it soon became an open door for people to hang out, listen to music, do homework, creating a community of first years navigating their new life at college. Some of the people that first came to my door have been my friends til this day, and I’ve thanked the unconventional move-in experience for it ever since!

– Ben DiFilippi, ’21, MBA ’22

I moved in early to attend Connections, a preorientation program at ����������Ƶ, but this photo is from Orientation Day a few days later. I was excited to meet my roommate and other ����������Ƶies – also, the obligatory photo with Freud

– Drashhti Bilimoria ’21, MBA ’22

The biggest emotion I remember feeling when first moving into my dorm at college, was a sense of excitement. I knew that I was starting the next big chapter in my life, and my family was here to help me begin. Of course, I would be lying if I was not a little nervous.

Okay not a little, very nervous.

I was moving into a new area and to a school where I did not know many people. However, I soon found out that everyone else felt this same way and we were all in the same boat. All starting someplace new and with a fresh start, and with boundless opportunities ahead of us.

– Adam Jamal ’22

On move-in day I was shaking with anticipation the whole ride! I knew that my whole life was going to change that day. I was going to make lifelong friends here, a family away from home. I had no idea what to expect, but whatever challenges that were thrown my way, I could handle it.

 

I remember being so busy that I forgot to eat and was so hungry by the end of the day that I was actually relieved by the dining hall food. And on that day ����������Ƶ became my second home.

 

– Taylor Laflamme ’23, M.S. ’24

 

My first time sitting with Sigmund, August 2013

– Julianne Murphy ’17, M.S. ’18

 

 

As Orientation wraps up, we’d like to wish the new class of ����������Ƶies luck as they begin their college journeys, building memories and establishing friendships like the ones we had when we were in their shoes. For alumni who are interested, ����������Ƶ is reviving the tradition of helping with the move in process — keep an eye out for opportunities in the years to come!