Top of the World

For a second consecutive year, a group of 20 undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni from Fairfield’s Charles F. Dolan School of Business and School of Engineering and Computing embarked on a transformative educational journey to the heart of technical and financial industry innovation – Silicon Valley.

Over Spring Break, the group toured the Palo Alto, Cupertino, and San Francisco area and visited Google and Salesforce headquarters, the Chase Center, and other offices to meet with industry leaders — gaining insight into the evolving American and international economy, and reflecting on where they might excel as they prepare for their careers.

“The goal is to let students experience the whole Silicon Valley innovation engine up close and in person — seeing, hearing, and even touching things that are just not reproducible on campus,” said trip leader Christopher Huntley, PhD, associate professor of analytics and director of Fairfield StartUp. “For the right student, this is a life-changing opportunity. It’s as close to boot camp as I can make it. These students are ready to do battle, just in time for graduation.”

Spearheaded by Dr. Huntley and alumni Joe Bronson ’70, chief executive officer and principal of The Bronson Group, LLC, Stephen Pilch ’83, managing director at Stockbridge Capital Group, and Padraic “Packy” Kelly ’90, a partner with KPMG, the trip was crafted to offer a packed week of networking opportunities for students with top companies, and the chance to present business models to potential investors.

Along with visits to Google, Salesforce, and the Chase Center, the itinerary brimmed with encounters with alumni and others working at industry giants such as KPMG, Stockbridge, Inchfab, Uber, World Innovation Lab (WiL), Nvidia, Intel, and the Golden State Warriors. During these engagements, members of the Fairfield StartUp program pitched their own entrepreneurial visions, and received invaluable feedback and guidance.

Fairfield alumnus Packy Kelly, who accompanied the students and arranged some of the meetings, remarked, “I am a firm believer in the power of combining technical academic training with practical business experience. I was amazed by the preparation, poise, determination, and shared commitment of the students to make this the very best week. In doing so, they represented the University very well and advanced both personal and school brands with all the accomplished executives and investors they met.”

Beyond the boardroom, participants gleaned insights aimed at propelling their professional journeys. For instance, at KPMG, Kelly talked to the group during the opening meeting about résumé building, and touched on key points about always being themselves during their career and the pivotal role transparency plays in building trust within the workplace.

This theme of authenticity surfaced over and over again in the students’ meetings with top firms. Employees at each key company reiterated the importance of staying true to oneself during interviews and throughout one’s career trajectory.

There was also time to take in the vibrant atmosphere of the Bay Area – with its architecture, wineries, and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. On their last day in California, the group took a catamaran charter around Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge. To close out the trip, they met with BottleRock Napa Valley and were hosted by Kelly at his house in the beautiful hills of Napa Valley.

Reflecting on events of the week, Cian O’Donnell, a graduate student in the Master of Science in Business Analytics program, said, “Visiting the global headquarters of tech giants, sailing around San Francisco Bay on a chartered catamaran, and watching Steph Curry play in a Warriors game from a corporate box were just a few of the unforgettable moments.”

“During the closing reception in Napa Valley, we reflected on our shared experiences, and I expressed gratitude for the opportunities afforded to us,” continued O’Donnell. “This trip reinforced the importance of seizing opportunities graciously and, if they are not readily available, creating them ourselves.”

Caroline Taylor ’25, led a conversation with Mike Kitts, chief commercial officer of the Golden State Warriors, during which she asked about how the company as a whole sustains sponsorships and fosters brand expansion, while upholding a formidable basketball team.

“I am incredibly grateful to have been an active participant in leading the discussion with CCO Mike Kitts at the Golden State Warriors,” said Taylor. “Our conversation about sports marketing, analytics, and sports business strategies was a discussion that I will continuously reflect on.”

These testimonials underscore the profound impact of the trip on the participants, highlighting the significance of experiential learning and real-world engagement in shaping their professional trajectories.

“During our time in Silicon Valley, we interacted with numerous companies, collectively valued at more than $7 trillion in market cap!” noted Alvin Thomson ’23, MS’24. “Hearing from various founders and industry thought leaders, I got to see firsthand the remarkable engine that makes up Silicon Valley. The hub for the largest tech companies in the world, Silicon Valley is the intersection of engineering and the business world. It was the perfect environment for us — as engineering and business majors — to learn from each other.”

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