'Major in Anything...Succeed in Business'

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At first, the first year student from New York City was thinking of majoring in psychology, then he turned his attention to economics. Later on, he considered political science. Finally, Gabe Fernandez admitted to himself that he had no clue what he wanted to do with his life. That is, until he was a junior and sat down with David Chu, associate professor of accounting and director of entrepreneurial studies and prebusiness adviser.

“We talked about the success I was having outside campus working part time for Vector Marketing,” Fernandez recalls. “Professor Chu pointed out that a sales career is not just about finance or economics; it’s about using written and verbal skills to connect with people. We decided business might be a good fit. Being able to see myself in such a role was something new and exciting to me.”

Today, Fernandez — who graduated in 2012 with a double major in philosophy and religious studies — works as an account executive with Enterprise Fleet Management in San Francisco. It was the prebusiness program at Holy Cross that changed his mindset, he says, along with that conversation with Chu. Fernandez also praises the Holy Cross executive leader workshop he attended as an undergrad. Students were paired up in teams, then asked to create a company out of nothing, he recalls. “It was the first time in my life I realized that in order to be successful you had to [go beyond] your own thoughts,” he says. “You really need to depend upon the ideas of other people.

“I had to sacrifice spring break,” he says. “But I did not regret it one bit.”

There are scores of former and current Crusaders just like Fernandez. Not only do they have the tools of a rigorous liberal arts education, commitment to lifelong learning and ability to network with alumni, but they have another weapon in their arsenal: COES. Formed in 2005, the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies (COES) is the prebusiness program at the College. It is named for Arthur A. Ciocca ’59, former CEO and owner of The Wine Group, who provided major funding for the program.

“Eighty-seven percent of Holy Cross graduates work in business roles,” points out Catherine Cote ’18, based on a recent search of the alumni database. Cote, a psychology major from Hopkinton, Mass., has taken part in multiple COES offerings, including the Women in Business Conference last November. “That’s an interesting statistic since Holy Cross doesn’t have a business major or a business college.”

The statistic makes perfect sense to Chu, who says students often come to Holy Cross wanting to be a doctor, lawyer or teacher; they don’t really understand what business is. “They think business is about suits, briefcases and working in skyscrapers. I broaden their perspective from a narrow vocational focus on one profession to an understanding that business is very broad and in the fabric of every opportunity they can imagine.”

Read the full Holy Cross Magazine story written by Debra Steilen here.