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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 11 She joined SCSU earlier this year, and previously served as an associate dean at the Foster College of Business at Bradley University, where she oversaw its accreditation process. Bertolino said Southern's competition for biz school students typically has been UConn's satellite campuses, Quin- nipiac University, the University of New Haven, Sacred Heart University, and Central Connecticut State University, all of which have accredited programs. "We are seeking accreditation for our business school, and the last step is the official visit, and that has been sched- uled," Bertolino said. "If you make it this far, it usually looks good. e visit is in the spring, and we feel good about it." According to Robin, it is the "gold standard" for business school accredi- tation, and achieving this designation would further bolster the business school's image. e upcoming visit is the culmination of about 10 years of effort. "e thing I like to impress upon people is that it is an engine for con- tinuous improvement," Robin said. "While it is significant, it is certainly not the beginning nor the end of the process. It really drives us to engage with students and the community and our profession, and to innovate — whether that be innovative programs or curricula." SCSU has been expanding its business school faculty in recent years for its accreditation bid. According to Robin, 10 new full-time faculty positions have been added recently, and about 25% of its faculty have been hired within the past five years. "It is very competitive to recruit business school faculty, but we have re- cruited a wonderful and diverse group," Bertolino said. e curriculum is also being re- viewed and upgraded, Robin said. SCSU's growing MBA program has been "revised significantly," she said. It is now a 42 credit program and course- work can be completed online. ere are new curriculum areas too, such as human resources management and business analytics. Positive experience Mariam Noorzad, a Milford resident, graduated from Southern this past May aer majoring in accounting. She secured a job as an assurance accountant at Ernst & Young and speaks highly of the education she got at SCSU. "I felt the School of Business helped me grow professionally," Noorzad said. "When I first came to SCSU in 2016, I didn't feel as confident." rough her coursework, seminars In Person HBJ and NHB Event FARMINGTON GARDENS NOVEMBER 3RD | 7:45AM - 11:45AM • A roundtable Discussion: Meet the states current producers • The to do list. Getting your business up and running • Hiring and Training employees • Compliance as regulation evolves • Addressing social and racial inequities • Funding your cannabis business: Access to capital SPEAKERS WILL DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: PRESENTING SPONSORS: GO TO>> NEWHAVENBIZ.COM/EVENTS CLICK ON BUILDING A CANNABIS BUSINESS IN THE NUTMEG STATE FOR MORE INFORMATION If you are interested in sponsoring this event please contact Tom Curtin at tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com in women's leadership and meeting with other professionals at SCSU, her confidence grew, she said. Still, she is excited about the new School of Business building and what it will mean for future students. During her time at SCSU, her business-related classes were all over campus. With more space, there will be more opportunities for events and speakers. Noorzad had been accepted to another university, but she said she ultimately went with SCSU to avoid having student debt. She described SCSU as more attainable financially than other business schools. For state residents, undergraduate tuition is currently at $11,882, while graduate/MBA students pay $14,682. As for SCSU's new building and expanding staff and course offerings, Noorzad said, "I think it will attract more students who are interested in business careers, and give them more opportunities. It will open up the door for more students to go into the business field." n Workers broke ground on the new School of Business building at Southern Connecticut State University in a September ceremony. Construction is expected to be finished in early 2023. PHOTO | MICHELLE TUCCITTO SULLO A rendering of the future School of Business building now under construction on the campus at Southern Connecticut State University. RENDERING | COURTESY SCSU

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