On the 15th Anniversary of 9/11/01

It has now been 15 years since one of the worst days in American history. It is a tragedy that many of us will remember forever, and one that claimed the lives of several members of the Hofstra family (including the Zarb School). On this anniversary, it is a good time to reflect.

Each year on this date, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum has a “Tribute in Light”. This is

“an [iconic] art installation that is produced annually in New York on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Tribute in Light illuminates the New York City sky just south of the Memorial site. On 9/11, the 9/11 Memorial plaza is open to the public from 3 p.m. to midnight for the viewing of Tribute in Light.”

 
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum also has available online multimedia information about an incredible exhibit called “Rendering the Unthinkable: Artists Respond to 9/11.” Click on the preceding link to see the summary.

If you click on this link, you can see a video clip about one of the works of art. It is very moving. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum says the following about the clip:

“Papers, letters, business forms, and personal notes flutter through the air in this film by the creative collective, Blue Man Group. Inspired by the scraps of paper that blew from the World Trade Center into the yard of their rehearsal space in Brooklyn on Sept. 11, the members of Blue Man Group wrote the song, “Exhibit 13,” featuring spoken recitations of the papers’ contents, and created the accompanying video, both named after one of the scorched pieces of paper they found. Blue Man Group members Chris Wink, Matt Goldman,and Phil Stanton are New York residents and were in various locations in Manhattan on 9/11. The performance group is based in New York.”

 
 

HAMA Recognized with Award

The Hofstra American Marketing Association (HAMA) was recently awarded the 2016 Reginald Andre ’04 Endowed Award for Zarb School of Business Student Activities. This award is granted by Reginald Andre (BBA ’04) and sponsors a new program, event, or initiative.

In the fall of 2016, HAMA members (some of whom are pictured below) will be organizing a marketing pitch competition. Groups will be led by one alumni each, and together they will create a marketing plan for the different companies that are selected. A panel of marketing professionals will judge the competition and network with students and alumni. The goal of this event is to cultivate alumni connections and assist the local business community while also improving students’ presentation, communication and teamwork skills.
 

 

The Zarb School’s 2016 Undergraduate Dean’s Award for Service

The Hofstra University undergraduate student organization 180 Degrees Consulting is “a branch of the world’s largest student consultancy that helps nonprofits achieve a greater social impact.” The group’s mission is “to strengthen the ability of socially conscious organizations in order to achieve high impact social outcomes through the development of innovative, practical and sustainable solutions.”

During the current 2015-2016 academic year, 180 Degrees Consulting has received two major awards: Pre-Professional Organization of the Year at Hofstra University and 2015-2016 Zarb School of Business Dean’s Award for Best Student Organization.

As the Zarb School’s Patricia Ciavarello reports:

“The undergraduate student organization 180 Degrees Consulting has been awarded the Frank G. Zarb School of Business’s 2016 Undergraduate Dean’s Award for Outstanding Service.. The group prides itself on giving students the opportunity to combine their passion for business with their passion for giving back to the community. This year, the organization consulted with seven local nonprofit organizations including Bethany House, New Ground Inc., STW Advocacy for at Risk Youth, Morrison Mentors, IPOV Agency, The Book Fairies, and Heeling Soles.”

“Students assisted these organizations with a variety of services including creating a comprehensive strategic plan, addressing recruitment and marketing issues, creating awareness, and improving financial viability. In addition to the plan proposals, students also donated their time to support their causes. At the conclusion of each semester, the organization held a final presentation night where students completed their reports to each of the organizations and present recommendations to the leadership of each nonprofit.”

As Brendan Rourke (BBA 2016) noted: “When I created 180 Degrees Consulting at Hofstra, I was looking for a unique experience to introduce students to the concept of corporate social responsibility and get them better acquainted with the constant challenges that are present in the non-profit sector. In addition, we are assisting our consultants to effectively run a business and think analytically and creatively – skills that anyone, regardless of career path, can apply to a professional setting.”

We Should ALL Be Welcome Here!

The American Express OPEN Forum has produced a valuable video, All Are Welcome Here,  based on the acceptance of diversity:

“More than 10,000 small business owners around the country are sending a message. They want their communities to know that all customers are welcome to walk through their doors regardless of religion, country of origin, or immigration status. Amanda Ballantyne of the Main Street Alliance and Elana and Danny Schwartzman, the owners of the Common Roots Café in Minneapolis, tell us about the ‘All Are Welcome Here’ campaign.”
 

 
Here is the headline of a poster prepared by the Main Street Alliance.

 

Hofstra Institutes and Centers

Hofstra University and the Zarb School of Business support a number of institutes and centers. In this blog, we previously posted about the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Center for International Financial Services and Markets, the Center for Civic Engagement, Money & Me, and the Martin B. Greenberg Trading Room.

In addition to the organizations noted above, Hofstra also has these centers that interact with the Zarb School and other academic units. Click the images to read about these resources:

 

Asia Center

 

National Center for Suburban Studies

 

Institute of Real Estate

 

Scott Skodnek Business Development Center

 

Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies