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98 Doing Business in Connecticut | 2014 SPONSORED REPORT UConn School of Business: Energizing economic vitality "O ur programs allow students to capture opportunity wherever it exists," said John Elliott, dean of the Univer- sity of Connecticut School of Business. For UConn School of Business students and alumni, opportunities abound to forge strong connections with Connecticut businesses and contribute to their success at any stage, from local startups to global corporations. Founded in 1881, UConn today is one of the highest-ranked public business schools in the nation, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and an extensive portfolio of other programs and services on the main campus in Storrs as well as in major business hubs around the state, including Hartford and Stamford. UConn places among the top 3 percent of business schools world- wide and offers exceptional value; Forbes consistently ranks UConn's MBA program among the top 25 public programs in the U.S. for return on investment. UConn offers its MBA program on a full-time, part-time and executive track. The State of Connecticut recently approved a major, multiyear investment in UConn. "Next Generation Connecticut" is a $1.5-billion plan designed to energize the state's innovation-based economy. The initiative is expected to yield $146 million per year in research grants, $285 million per year in new business activity and 2,190 new jobs annually. "In an era of lagging state support for public higher education throughout the nation, Con- necticut is going in the opposite direction by making extraordinary investments in its research university," UConn President Susan Herbst said. The School of Business offers stu- dents rigorous academic instruction from a world-class faculty renowned for its cutting-edge research. Students put theory into practice through experiential learning, addressing real-world challenges faced by Connecticut businesses. Future entre- preneurs — including returning veterans — gain the business acumen they need to succeed, fueling job creation and spurring innovation. Partnering with Connecticut's business community, the School of Busi- ness develops new academic programs that close the talent gap and equip the workforce with the skills and abilities nec- essary to thrive in today's rapidly changing business environment. UConn's experiential learning ac- celerators — appropriately named for their capacity to significantly hasten the learning curve — bring together talented students, top business faculty, and front- line industry executives to investigate and develop solutions to real-world, real-time, complex business challenges. Through UConn's open channel with Connecticut's businesses, both sides have uncovered opportunities. Two of the School's new- est degrees, MS in Business Analytics and Project Management and MS in Financial Risk Management, were a direct outgrowth of workforce development needs identified by business leaders. Whether the business is a major utility, a Fortune 100 corporation or a startup, UConn students and faculty contribute to the success of Connecticut's business community while gaining valu- able experience. Here are their stories. Keeping the lights on in Connecticut When the unforgettable Halloween weekend snowstorm, Alfred, in 2011 ush- ered in a season of destruction that caused record-breaking power outages, Northeast Utilities called on UConn MBA and engi- neering students to research and recom- mend ways to harden Connecticut's power infrastructure. Working through the SS&C Technologies Financial Accelerator located in downtown Hartford's 40,000-square- foot, state-of-the-art Graduate Business Learning Center, students conducted a cost/benefit analysis using Oracle's Crystal Ball software in Excel to simulate a range of scenarios for each of the options being considered. The students presented their recommendations to Northeast Utilities for further discussion with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. "The rankings that came out of their analysis helped us start a discussion with stakeholders on the appropriate ap- proaches that should be taken," said David McHale, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Northeast Utilities. More than a laboratory experiment, the project The main campus in Storrs (photo 1) houses the business school's central offices, however its locations in Hartford (photo 2) and Stamford (photo 3) are home to a growing portfo- lio of graduate and certificate programs, as well as executive education and professional development programs.