University at Buffalo School of Management

Spring 2017 Buffalo Business 17 stakeholders from Visit Buffalo Niagara, the City of Buffalo, New York State Assembly and other organizations. "The most challenging part was researching Buffalo to con- struct a competitive bid," says Fernandes, now a fi nancial analyst for Stampede Presentation Products in New Jersey. "Before this project, I had been in the United States for six months, having moved from Mumbai, India, to pursue my master's. To bridge this gap, I spent time talking with native Buffalonians and reading about the region's heritage, architecture and attractions." In April 2014, the team delivered an hourlong presentation at the Buffalo Club to international GAA representatives and local lead- ers. The bid was well-received and successful, and the interns gained important real-life experience. "I learned how to construct impactful presentations, manage a team, network with local leaders and effectively manage time in a deadline situation," says Staudt, now an associate at global media agency Universal McCann in New York. "When I graduated, I put the CYC at the top of my résumé, and during interviews, potential employers were immediately interested in the experience. I would not be where I am today without that experience." Marketing the Queen City With Buffalo selected as the 2017 CYC host city, Walsh focused his attention on organizing, marketing and fi nancing the event, and again turned to the School of Management. He proposed another internship, highlighting the skills and network that students would gain. "The GAA is the largest amateur sporting organization in the world, with clubs in cities and countries around the globe," Walsh says. "By getting involved in this event and the GAA, these students will have a built-in network anywhere in the world. If they move somewhere in their careers and reach out to the local GAA club, those people will drop everything to help them." Photo at left: Management interns lead marketing and sponsorship for the CYC. Back row, from left: Elyssa Mountain, BS '18; Lauren Gates-Sandburg, BS '18; James Omps, volunteer; Alec LaCorazza, BS '17; Daryl Rosh, BS '18. Front row: Jenah Hernek, BS '17; Padraic Walsh, organizing committee chair; Megan Corcoran, BS '09, PMBA '18, intern coordinator. Photo: Tom Wolf Résumés fl ooded in, and he and volunteer intern coordinator Megan Corcoran, BS '09, selected six undergraduates. "This is not a traditional internship, where students come to an offi ce with employees who have done this before," says Corcoran, a project manager at Sodexo and student in the school's Professional MBA program. "We're brainstorming and working together, and the students have the opportunity to be creative, develop and lead their own projects, and gain lots of hands-on experience." With the event less than fi ve months away, the group has created a marketing plan to excite attendees and encourage them to see the city. "We're developing a 100-page publication that explains the his- tory of the GAA in Buffalo and provides a guide to the event and to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, so they can explore the region," says Elyssa Mountain, a junior studying business administration and Spanish. "It's rewarding that we all have an equal role in putting together this huge event." In addition, the interns are working to secure advertisements from area restaurants and attractions and developing presentations to pitch local and national companies for corporate sponsorships. "Having an opportunity to present for these major companies is incredible," says Jenah Hernek, a business administration senior. "It's going to help with our public speaking skills and our ability to develop ideas from scratch and solve problems." In the end, these students — like the group before them — will play a vital role in bringing an international event to Buffalo, right before they embark on the next stage of their careers. "After graduation, I plan to move to Washington, D.C., and work in sports marketing for professional teams, so this will defi - nitely be valuable experience," says Alec LaCorazza, a business ad- ministration senior. "I'm also a big advocate for youth sports, so it'll be great to see all of this come together and to share Irish culture and sports with our community." x — Matthew Biddle Above: In 2014, Walsh and the student team pitched for the CYC to an audience of respresentatives from such organizations as the Gaelic Athletic Association, New York State Assembly and School of Management's Career Resource Center. Photo: Joe eberle

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