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The Benefits of a Certificate in Business Fundamentals

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The Benefits of a Certificate in Business Fundamentals

When I arrived at the College of the Holy Cross, like most freshmen, I was uncertain about my career path and major. How do you choose something you will do for the foreseeable future when you are interested in everything? Business was the one career trajectory I had zero interest in pursuing. My roommate, however, saw things differently. She was convinced that earning a Certificate in Business Fundamentals was an important component to any career. Eventually her sound reasoning of “try it, you might like it” convinced me to join her at the Fullbridge Program, a weeklong exposure to basic business fundamentals within a simulated work environment. By week’s end, I had gained a new appreciation for the value offered by the Certificates. Currently, I am a sophomore double majoring in political science and economics with a Certificate in Business Fundamentals. The Ciocca Center offers several pathways including-business fundamentals, finance and banking as well as entrepreneurship. Eventually, I chose the fundamentals program since it augmented my theoretical understanding of economics by offering classes and workshops to understand the components which comprise business such as marketing, sales, supply chain, ethics, etc. Additionally, the program offered multiple opportunities to engage and network with alumni.

The Business Certificate Program offers something for everyone.

The Business Certificate Program consists of a series of workshops, specific classes, an Excel tutorial, job shadowing and an internship. The workshops are designed to challenge your preconceptions, encourage creative thinking, develop critical problem solving skills, promote communication, team membership, leadership and public speaking. My favorite was the Global Supply Chain Workshop. It presented an in-depth examination of the distribution of goods and services around the world. Emphasis was placed on identifying factors that disrupt the chain and the subsequent impact on world, nation, and local economies. The workshop included an off campus site visit to Worcester based business Polar Beverages, and working with Holy Cross vendors. The workshop allowed me to engage and broaden my understanding of not only how supply chains work, but how significant impacts from the pandemic are still disrupting the flow and the need to identify solutions to secure the movement of supplies. As a potential future business owner, the opportunity to understand the complexities of gathering raw materials to the end product delivery will be critical to maintain adequate supplies for my customers. The skills I have acquired through this program have not only encouraged me to pursue a business career, but, and perhaps more importantly, they have given me the how and confidence to turn my business idea into reality.

The Business Certificate Program offers something for everyone. The Fullbridge Program allows you to evaluate a business, design a product to improve/expand business profits and develop a marketing campaign strategy. Other workshops feature alumni founders, Tyler Dooley ‘17 and Cal St. Denis ‘08, who started companies and can share the process, practicalities, and support necessary to achieve success. There is so much to learn and explore. One may enter the program with little interest, but upon completion, will come away with a strong knowledge base, improved team skills, leadership, and confidence. My growth through this program has been remarkable. It has allowed me to explore and participate in the many offerings at the College that enrich not only my career trajectory, but who I am as a person and a member of the community at large. I have the confidence, ability and capability to pursue my dreams!

By: Tessa Meehan ’25