Are you a seasoned marketing and advertising professional looking for a hyper-specific master’s program to launch your career to the next level? Or a rising star seeking a path into an exciting, growing industry?
Temple University’s new Master of Science in Strategic Advertising and Marketing could be exactly what you’re looking for.
The part-time grad program is a collaborative effort between the Fox School of Business and the Klein College of Media and Communication. In order to get a holistic, sophisticated view of the interrelationship between these two vibrant disciplines, students alternate between marketing classes taught by Fox faculty and advertising courses led by Klein professors.
Below, a few current students talk about finding exactly what they were looking for in the Strategic Advertising and Marketing program—and how their new degrees will help boost their careers.
Becoming a Better Marketer—and Moving Up to Manager, Too
Matt Barber, after earning a bachelor’s in marketing from Messiah College in 2005, worked in various marketing roles before taking a job with Subaru in 2015. He now works as a brand partnership and experiential marketing specialist at the Japanese car company’s Camden, New Jersey headquarters.
Barber’s c goal is to move up to a managerial role. But that’s not necessarily why he’s pursuing the MS in Strategic Advertising and Marketing—it’s because he, first and foremost, wants to be a better marketer.
“It wasn’t just a play to move up the ladder, but to be better as a marketer and then let everything else settle where it settles,” says Barber, who started the program last year and plans to finish in 2021.
But, of course, Barber sees the degree as a necessary step to a leadership position, too. And he chose the MS in Strategic Advertising and Marketing over an MBA program because he loved the “hyper-targeted” curriculum focusing on his chosen field.
“Temple is the only school I knew that actually had a marketing graduate program with this narrow of a focus,” he says. “It’s very unique to have a program with a combined marketing and advertising track—that was huge for me.”
Barber, who in addition to working full time has two children, also chose the program because it can be customized to meet the demands of busy, working professionals.
“It’s great to be able to go to school and work while having a family,” Barber says. “It’s been a great experience so far. I find myself in meetings, big strategy discussions, or discussions around positioning, and these higher-level concepts are clicking quicker for me now. This is totally a result of what I’m learning in class.”
To Grad School or Not to Grad School?
When Brittany Turner, BBA ’17, graduated from the Fox School in 2017 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a major in marketing, she was unsure about her next move. Grad school was an option, but it was tough finding the right program. Then she heard about the MS in Strategic Advertising and Marketing.
“It was exactly what I was looking for,” says Turner, who plans to complete the degree in 2018. “So far it’s been everything I feel was missing from my undergrad studies and it has connected the dots to make everything more applicable to the real world. I think it goes hand-and-hand with somebody who is working in the industry, because it gives you the chance to understand it from, not only the educational standpoint, but also from the actual working standpoint.”
Turner was working as a staffing manager when she started the program in 2017; she is currently looking for a full-time job in marketing. “I would love to get more into strategic marketing,” she says. “And this program is great mix between marketing and advertising, so it gives an overhead view of the field, which a lot of other programs lack.”
In addition to gaining valuable skills that will help her succeed in her career, Turner is learning a lot from the diverse professional backgrounds of her classmates.
“Since it is a new program,” she says, “I pretty much know everyone in my classes. We are all going through it together. It’s been a fun experience getting to know everybody, and getting to know their different business experiences and how they fit in with what we are learning.”
Finding the Perfect Fit
Victoria Cianciulli, BBA ’11, within several months of earning a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Fox School in 2011, took an entry level role as a marketing coordinator with Comcast Spotlight, the Philadelphia-based global telecommunications conglomerate’s advertising sales division. Her current title is senior sales marketing specialist.
She started her MS in Marketing Communications at the Fox School two-and-a-half years ago. But when the Strategic Advertising and Marketing program launched, she switched degrees because it was the optimal fit for the career she’s pursuing.
“It couldn’t have been more perfect,” says Cianciulli. “Temple is the only school with a specialized program like this. Being in the workforce while participating in this program has helped everything click. I find myself constantly applying subjects from class to my job and the real world.”
Cianciulli’s objective is to progress within Comcast Spotlight—and she’s confident this degree will enable her to do that.
“I love what I do currently and I am definitely in pursuit of growth within Comcast,” she says. “I also hope I am able to position myself as a thought leader—having now been trained in an elevated educational setting—and share new information with my peers or even managers and leaders above me. This degree will help me do so.”
Learn more about the Fox School’s Master of Science in Strategic Advertising and Marketing.
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Photography By: Ryan S. Brandenberg
Ronald C. Anderson has been appointed interim dean of the Fox School of Business, effective immediately, Temple University President Richard M. Englert and Executive Vice President and Provost JoAnne A. Epps announced.
A respected member of the Fox School faculty, Anderson has served as professor and chair of the Department of Finance since joining Temple in July 2012. He also will be interim dean of Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management and is expected to serve for approximately two years. A national search for a permanent dean is expected to be conducted during the 2019-2020 academic year.
“After careful consideration, and following conversations with a number of strong candidates, the provost and I agreed Ron Anderson is uniquely positioned to guide the Fox School of Business moving forward,” Englert said. “Ron has led significant growth in the Department of Finance, which is one of the most popular majors at Temple. He is an accomplished researcher and a well-regarded teacher who takes great pride in his students’ success. His professional experiences, both in industry and academia, are well suited for this critical leadership role.”
Anderson’s background includes a career in domestic and international business, followed by academic experience, including at American University. As chair of the Department of Finance, which has more than 1,400 students across all programs, he has overseen the largest department in the Fox School and one of the largest at Temple.
Anderson, 59, is a leading expert in internal control systems, corporate governance and executive compensation. He has received numerous research and teaching excellence awards during his academic career, while directing undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in international finance, financial strategy and corporate valuation. Anderson’s research has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Finance, the Journal of Financial Economics and the Journal of Accounting and Economics.
“Ron recognizes that a leader’s willingness to listen and engage is important in a successful enterprise, and he has just the right mindset, style and skillset to lead effectively, yet collaboratively,” Epps said.
As dean, Anderson will lead the Fox School’s over 9,000 students and its more than 225 full-time faculty members across nine departments. Established in 1918 and celebrating its centennial, the Fox School is the largest, most comprehensive business school in the Philadelphia region and one of the largest in the world. It offers 16 undergraduate majors, four distinct MBA programs and 14 specialized masters programs, as well as a PhD program with 10 concentrations. The School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) is the largest provider of tourism, hospitality, sport and recreation management education in Greater Philadelphia.
“The Fox School and STHM are special places,” Anderson said. “These schools are home to some of the most driven and dynamic students, not to mention our world-renowned faculty and talented staff. I look forward to guiding our school into the future.”
Prior to Anderson’s academic career, he held a wide variety of domestic and international positions in his nearly 11 years with Schlumberger Limited, a Paris- and Houston-based oilfield services company. He left the company in 1992 to pursue his doctorate in finance. Upon earning his PhD from Texas A&M University, Anderson held several faculty appointments, including at American University from 1999-2012.
A native of Franklin, Pennsylvania, Anderson lives in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties section. He received an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also completed his undergraduate degree in engineering.
Anderson’s appointment follows the departure of Moshe Porat, who had served as the school’s dean since 1996.
How Three MBA Students Transformed Coursework Into a Business
June 28, 2018 //
Just a few short months ago, Joël Da Piedade, Nassera Seghrouchni, and Habibou Djima met as classmates in their Fox Executive MBA program in Paris, France. Today, they are business partners. These three EMBA graduates decided to take the work from their capstone project and create an actual consulting company.
“Our capstone customer was the COO of a French [tourism] organization,” explains Nassera. “We rapidly developed a consulting relationship while doing the strategic audit. We enjoyed the collaboration together, how we managed the challenges constructively to successfully help the COO transform his organization and manage the risks.”
Throughout their experience working on the capstone project, Joël, Nassera, and Habibou soon realized the market need for a dynamic tourism consulting firm. The group researched several existing companies experiencing similar challenges faced by their capstone customer. This demonstrated there was a significant opportunity coming to fruition.
The most impactful part of the group’s capstone experience was the individual relationships they created. Joël quotes the group-spirit, learning from his classmates, and challenging each other as the most memorable part of his capstone experience. “Each of us was engaged to deliver the best [product] and help each other.” The support provided by their teammates gave the group the confidence to take their capstone project to the next level and launch their company.
“Axiom Et Associes is a consulting firm in strategy and transformation,” says Nassera. “The goal is to help organizations such as SMEs [and] non-profits define and implement their strategies and transform by being innovative, ambitious and pragmatic. Axiom Et Associes provides consulting and solutions in transformation (360, digital), customer experience, operation excellence, and business development strategies.”
Learn more about the Fox Executive MBA program.
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This is the most common question asked by people considering an MBA. To find an answer, we spoke with three students from Fox School of Business MBA programs. We discovered there are many ways to consider the ROI of the MBA, and that salary increase, while important, is not the only one. Here’s what we learned.
Not All About the Benjamins
The salary boost is the main reason cited for pursuing an MBA. But it was about something greater than bank roll for Chris Wallace.
Wallace worked at Comcast and was eager to rise in the company when he began the Fox School Executive MBA program in 2010 (which was partially funded by his employer). His objectives were to improve his financial acumen, leadership skills, and strategic thinking, all of which he claims he did tenfold.
After completing his MBA, he founded Incite, a consulting firm specializing in optimizing sales teams. In 2015, he sold Incite to GrowthPlay, where he now works as a managing director.
“If I didn’t have the MBA skillset, I couldn’t have done this,” he says. “Financially, my MBA paid for itself two years after graduating.”
“But,” he continues, “I don’t evaluate the ROI of the MBA solely from a financial perspective. For me, the knowledge, the experience, and the personal enrichment made it worth it. Some do it just to put it on their resume; you can tell who they are. If you don’t have the hunger and curiosity, you won’t learn as much. Thinking of it as a sterile business transaction is completely missing the point.”
Serving the Public Good
Heather Qader was working with the NAACP, in Washington, D.C., when she realized her colleagues climbing the career ladder had something she didn’t: MBAs. She wanted to climb, too, but was worried it would jeopardize her commitment to community activism and the public good.
She ultimately made the MBA leap. She took student loans to finance 100% of the full-time Fox School Global MBA program, which she completed in 2016. And she found a way to balance the MBA with her altruistic commitments.
“I thought business school was shallow, but I was wrong,” she admits. “It was more collaborative than selfish and individualistic. Now my business acumen is sharper and I have more confidence in business conversations.”
Qader pursued startup job opportunities after graduation, worked freelance for a real estate investor, and did marketing for a friend’s company. Within a year of graduating, she landed the perfect job.
“I’m at the intersection of business and government, which is exciting,” says Qader, now the manager of business development for the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce. “And I’m able to balance my interests and skills.”
“The ROI depends on what the timeline is,” she says when asked if the MBA was worth it. “The year after? Maybe not. As far as recouping expenses, I haven’t done that yet, but I will eventually. But now I’m in a great place and I love my job.”
The Network Is Priceless
A robust professional network can make or break your career. Jeff Fonda knows this—he also knows earning an MBA is a great way to build one.
“A big part of it was building a network—paying for access to alumni, local and national companies, and recruiters,” says Fonda, who completed the full-time Global MBA program in 2018. “I knew it was the path I had to pave to get to my next job. The education was secondary, but that changed, because I learned much more than I expected. Still, the network was the key.”
Prior to starting the MBA, Fonda had significant work experience. He was the founder and CEO of Earth Literary Project, which has opened 13 public libraries in Uganda, and also the vice president of a textbook company, Bell Tower Books. But he felt more contacts were required to make major moves. The MBA program fixed this.
“Fox helped me jumpstart my network,” says Fonda. “There were tons of events where I was able to meet many employers, alumni, and important industry representatives. Since the number of MBA students was small, we had meaningful individual time and access with recruiters and people I would’ve never met otherwise.”
Fonda’s connections in the program led to an internship with IBM’s prestigious Summit Program. He now works for IBM as a senior client relationship manager.
“My salary will definitely be higher with an MBA,” says Fonda. “And there’s no way I’d be considered for the job I’m taking, or even get my foot in the door, without the MBA network. Without a connection to the recruiter, I never would’ve gotten the job. Fox was the key to landing me here.”
“There’s no doubt,” he continues, “an MBA is worth it.”
Learn more about Fox School MBA programs.
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How Do Professional Athletes Insure Their Bodies?
June 25, 2018 //
A roundup of media mentions featuring faculty and staff from the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Advice for entrepreneurs
Start-ups need boards of directors. But how do you go about constructing one? Fox’s Ellen Weber shares her thoughts in a guest column for Money Inc. Read more >>
A new policy at Lowe’s
Lowe’s has suspended its policy of checking receipts upon a customer’s exit of select stores in what the home improvement retail chain identifies as “high theft” areas. Fox’s Dr. Jeffrey Boles adds to the conversation in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. Read more >>
Voice of opposition
The nation’s Evangelicals—supporters of President Trump—are voicing their displeasure with his policy on separating families at the border. Fox’s Dr. Kevin Fandl, who previously worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks on the hot-button issue with Christian Science Monitor. Read more >>
Santa Clara Weekly
STHM’s Dr. Daniel Funk explains the difference between economic activity and economic impact, and what the Bay Area can expect from the 2018 College Football Playoff that is headed to San Francisco’s Levi’s Stadium. Read more >>
Bloomberg Law
A recent court ruling may alter how healthcare providers care for patients whose wishes are to withhold life-saving treatments. Fox’s Dr. Samuel D. Hodge explains in an interview with Bloomberg Law. Read more >>
The Temple News | June 13, 2018
The student newspaper profiles Fox’s Michael McCloskey, who co-owns a Fishtown establishment that brought together 40 Temple alumni and Victory Brewing cofounder Bill Covaleski—also a Temple alum. Read more >>
Philly Voice | June 21, 2018
How do professional athletes go about insuring their bodies? Fox’s Michael McCloskey weighs in during an interview with Philly Voice. Read more >>
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Maura Shenker has been named the director of Temple University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Shenker brings a wealth of professional experience and entrepreneurial excellence to her role in directing Temple’s SBDC, which has supported small and startup businesses since 1983.
“We are proud to welcome Ms. Maura Shenker to our leadership team with the statewide Pennsylvania SBDC network,” said incoming Pennsylvania SBDC state director Ernie Post. “By supporting thousands of jobs in all 67 counties, our network demonstrates a commitment to helping Pennsylvania become a leader in job creation and small business growth and startups. With 18 centers statewide, the PA SBDC network is making an impact on the Commonwealth every day.
“There is no doubt that an experienced leader, such as Ms. Shenker, will only add to the success of our network.”
Temple’s SBDC, housed at the university’s Fox School of Business, serves Philadelphia and the surrounding communities. The center’s highly trained and experienced staff provides knowledge, support, training programs, and other valuable resources that facilitate the growth and success of the region’s startup and small businesses.
“The Small Business Development Center is a vital resource for economic development in Philadelphia, and we are pleased to welcome Maura as the center’s new director,” said Dr. M. Moshe Porat, dean of Temple University’s Fox School of Business. “Maura is a creative thinker, a successful entrepreneur, and a community development specialist whose experience as a business coach and consultant will continue the proud legacy of our university’s SBDC.”
Before joining Temple University, Shenker served as director of Saint Joseph’s University’s Center for Professional Development. In that role, Shenker coordinated and oversaw all custom and open-enrollment programs in executive education at the university’s Haub School of Business, while also developing growth strategies for the center. She previously served as vice president of development for Finanta, a community-based, mission-driven nonprofit financial institution.
Shenker earned a Master of Organization Development and Leadership degree from Saint Joseph’s University, where she also completed an executive coaching leadership program. She attained a Master of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design.
About Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
The Pennsylvania SBDC network is the only statewide, nationally accredited program that provides high quality one-on-one consulting, training and research resources to empower new and existing businesses. SBDC consultants work with entrepreneurs in confidential, individualized sessions to help them with a range of business issues including testing a new business proposition, shaping a business plan, investigating funding opportunities, and much more. The SBDC program is a public/private partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and 18 universities and colleges across the Commonwealth. http://www.pasbdc.org
About Temple University’s Fox School of Business
Established in 1918 and celebrating its Centennial, the Fox School of Business at Temple University is the largest, most-comprehensive business school in the Philadelphia region, and among the largest in the world, with more than 9,000 students, more than 220 full-time faculty, and more than 65,000 alumni around the globe. Accredited by AACSB International—a distinction held by fewer than 5 percent of the world’s business schools—the Fox School has a proud tradition of supporting the development of businesses and delivering innovative, entrepreneurial programs for the last 100 years. With facilities that provide access to market-leading technologies, the school fosters a collaborative and creative learning environment. fox.temple.edu
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A roundup of media mentions featuring faculty and staff from the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Huddle up
Are huddle rooms valuable to the learning process? Most academics agree, with collaboration space factoring greatly into construction plans for newer or renovating buildings on campuses. Fox’s Dr. Tony Petrucci incorporates breakout-room learning into his courses on leadership. His interview on the subject—and the related story—appears in the June edition of University Business. Read more >>
A captive audience
Temple University and the Fox School of Business are leading the way in captive insurance education, says Fox’s M. Michael Zuckerman. He explains how in a Q&A with Captive Insurance Times, which serves as cover story for the magazine’s May edition. Read more >>
Evaluating Philly’s travel appeal
For more on the city’s lure as a tourist destination, Philly Voice speaks with STHM’s Dr. Benjamin Altschuler, who leads the school’s MS in Travel & Tourism program. Read more >>
Al Dia | June 7, 2018
The immigrant population is a vital contributor to the Pennsylvania economy, according to a new report. Al Dia references related research work conducted by MBA students from the Fox School for the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Read more >>
Scholastica | June 9, 2018
Fox’s Dr. Deanna Geddes and Leora Eisenstadt discuss in a Q&A their recent research paper, on how the legal system handles harassment and assault cases. Read more >>
Media requests: Please send requests to Christopher A. Vito, associate director of communications & media relations, Temple University’s Fox School of Business, at cvito@temple.edu
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
How to Earn an MBA While Being a Parent
June 21, 2018 //
For years, an MBA is how professionals have gotten from A to B in their careers. The MBA bump, as it is commonly called, usually manifests as a salary increase or a promotion. These days, it’s not uncommon for the MBA bump to coincide with the baby bump.
That’s right, professionals are simultaneously starting families and pursuing MBAs. Nationally, MBA students average 6.4 years of work experience, meaning most MBA candidates are in their late 20s or early 30s. That’s also around same age when most Americans are having their first child, according to a recent study.
So how can you achieve work-life balance and learn to balance budget sheets? Here are some tips from current and former Fox School MBA students who have successfully juggled parenting and pursuing MBAs.
Schedule Everything
Communications executive Kristi DeSimone already was accustomed to working virtually. That’s why she found the Fox School’s Online MBA program a proper fit.
“I never knew when my work day would end, or that I could commit to being in a physical classroom,” said DeSimone, who resides in Vineland, N.J. “The program gives me freedom to take courses in my house or while I’m traveling, and I can do coursework or talk to classmates at my convenience.”
DeSimone “scheduled everything,” she said. She delivered her daughter only a few days after delivering a presentation in a finance course. DeSimone graduated in December 2017, just before her maternity leave expired.
Find What Works for You
When Lamees Alhaj signs into her online classroom Friday at 4 a.m., most of her U.S.-based classmates are logging in Thursday at 7 p.m. “The Online MBA is ideal because our workweek here in Dubai runs Sunday through Thursday,” said Alhaj.
The program’s flexibility, Alhaj said, is paramount. She got engaged, planned a wedding, and welcomed a baby—all while managing her studies. “I can take one class per semester or three,” said Alhaj, a service excellence officer at American Hospital Dubai.
Alhaj has learned to work around her daughter’s schedule, too. Routinely, she watches academic lecture videos or completes reading assignments while holding or soothing her baby at all hours of the day.
Rely on Your Support System
In a four-week span last summer, Rory McCale relocated to the Philadelphia region, started a new job in surety insurance, bought and sold a home, enrolled in the Fox School’s Part-Time MBA program, and welcomed a baby daughter.
“Needless to say, it was hectic,” McCale said.
With his schedule constantly changing, he relied on late hours and early mornings to stay ahead.
“The professors were responsive,” McCale said. “If you had a question at midnight, you’ll get the answer you need by the time you wake up. Without support from my wife and from within the program, I couldn’t have held it together. The flexibility and professionalism of (the professors and staff) from the program have been a huge help.”
Incorporate Your Children into Your Schoolwork
Early in his career, Dan Berger embraced that there is no perfect time to pursue an MBA. So, he took a page from his father’s playbook. In his youth, Berger remembers his father reading case studies to him while attaining his MBA.
“That was 20 years ago, but the lesson there can be applied today in my MBA program,” said Berger, a Part-Time MBA student who works in the health industries advisory practice of a Big 4 accounting firm. “If you’ve asked yourself, ‘How can I study and engage with my family at the same time?’ it’s simple. Throughout this process, I’ve realized that I can read to my son, shift my priorities, and incorporate him into my coursework.
He added: “I am proof that you can start a family and get an MBA.”
Learn more about Fox School MBA programs.
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A roundup of media mentions featuring faculty and staff from the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Where do gig workers thrive?
Part-time work can be found anywhere, but some U.S. cities are home to booming gig economies. Fox’s Dr. Paul Pavlou shares a few and provides context in a recent interview with U.S. News & World Report. Read more >>
Boles speaks with WHYY
A Philadelphia man’s experience at Lowe’s has the home improvement store reconsidering its policy of checking receipts upon a customer’s exit of select stores in what Lowe’s arbitrarily identifies as “high theft” areas. Fox’s Dr. Jeffrey Boles, a retail theft expert, offers his take. Read more >>
The future of STHM
STHM’s Dr. Jeremy Jordan joins the PHL Diversity podcast to discuss his professional and academic background, and offers insights on future of the school and its programs. Listen >>
Diverse Issues in Higher Education | June 4, 2018
Fox senior vice dean Debbie Campbell shares the successes of Temple’s Military and Veteran Services Center. Read more >>
Philly Voice | May 31, 2018
Why do people cover their laptop cameras with Post-It notes? Seeking an answer, The Philly Voice speaks with Fox’s Dr. David Schuff for more on this cybersecurity topic. Read more >>
CBS 3 | May 30, 2018
The general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers is in hot water after being linked to scandalous tweets from anonymous, burner accounts. Fox’s Dr. Sunil Wattal explains how a Twitter account can leave digital signatures. Watch >>
Media requests: Please send requests to Christopher A. Vito, associate director of communications & media relations, Temple University’s Fox School of Business, at cvito@temple.edu
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
“There’s nothing more stressful than waiting to hear ‘Go’ at the start of an Olympic final,” says Michael Moore, BBA ’93. “I’m not afraid of any experience I’ve had in business as a result of that moment.”
Moore is recalling the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where he competed with the United States crew team. He didn’t return home with a medal, but it was a singularly powerful experience. The Philadelphia native was a Temple University student (and a member of the school’s rowing team) at the time. He took one year off from earning his degree at the Fox School to train for the competition.
“It was an amazing summer,” says Moore. “We went to Europe and did the European race circuit, traveling to Belgium, Holland, and France. Then we went on to Barcelona.”
Then it was back to business school, where Moore studied marketing. After earning his degree from the Fox School, he went on to an MBA program at George Washington University, where he had two internships. One was with the Walt Disney Group and the other was with AOL. The latter shaped his future.
“The ideal internship is getting under the hood of a company and learning about it; AOL was the ideal internship,” says Moore. “Back then, AOL was still ramping up. The internet was around, but it wasn’t pervasive. I walked around the halls of AOL and engaged with the senior executives—and these were the executives—and documented what it took to build, launch, and package an AOL service. After that, there was only one thing I wanted to do, and that was be involved in the new, digital track that was then emerging.”
Soon after completing his MBA, he found the perfect intersection of tech and marketing when he returned to AOL as director of interactive marketing. He soon after moved to Europe to work with AOL for a one year project, but he stayed in London for 12 years.
Before leaving AOL, Moore held executive director and vice president positions. His next career move was working with Telegraph Media Group, where he helped the British company that owns popular newspapers The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph transition and expand its digital landscape. His last job in Europe was as the global commercial director for Phorm, a behavioral advertising firm. Moore then returned to the U.S.
In 2013, after a brief stint as CEO of flash commerce business kgb in New York City, Moore moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, to work with WillowTree Inc. He is a co-owner and chief commercial officer (CCO) of the digital agency, which does mobile development and strategy, web and app development, and more. Their client list includes Pepsi, GE, Time Warner, Johnson and Johnson, and Nestle.
“I’m constantly engaging with our clients, our user experience strategy group, our architects, our analytics and insights teams, and so on,” says Moore about his day-to-day work. “It used to be a world where my job was to work with the business development team to land new projects; people who, for instance, wanted us to build them an app. That experience was in a box; things were relatively defined. Those days are over. Digital products are central to the operations of these enterprises now. There isn’t any end or box—it’s a constant evolution, and it requires constant tinkering and optimization of these products. We learn new things from data every day. It used to be very Mad Men-style—pitching to companies—but now it’s more operational and we’re living with clients week in and week out so they can keep up with all the data they’re seeing and make it reflective of their needs.”
After years of working for big companies like AOL and traditional ones like Telegraph Media Group, Moore took a significant jump to work with an independent company like WillowTree. But working in the always-changing, unpredictable digital space, and especially with a creative team, is precisely where he thrives.
“As someone who’s worked in traditional business and digital environments, I prefer the slightly more chaotic side of things,” he says. “Not just for the intellectual rigor, but it has a big impact on how teams work. I believe that with all the uncertainty we face in technology, our team gets up every morning and faces the unknown, the uncertain, together. That forces innovation. In traditional business where you wake up and do the same thing every day, that’s where workplace politics, inefficiency, and laziness step in. I prefer being on my toes. Harkening back to my crew days at Temple, I thrive when I’m in a team. It’s part of my DNA.”
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A roundup of media mentions featuring faculty and staff from the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Nelson in NBC News
Less than half of the U.S. workforce uses all of its allotted vacation days, citing a need to stay in the office to maintain productivity. “You’re not doing anybody any favors if you give up your mental health for a job,” Fox’s Kate Nelson explains in an interview with NBC News. Read more >>
“Roseanne” and social-media management
ABC acted swiftly to cancel the financially lucrative reboot of “Roseanne,” hours after racist tweets by the show’s star, Roseanne Barr, had been published. Fox’s Amy Lavin discusses social sentiment and reputation management through social media use during a live interview with Allan Loudell, of WDEL 101.7 FM in Delaware.
At Campbell’s, a change of the guard
In May, Campbell Soup Company CEO Denise Morrison retired suddenly. The move, says Fox’s Thomas Fung, signals an opportunity for Campbell’s to find a new top executive with the skills required for a digitized marketplace. He speaks with Philadelphia Business Journal. Read more >>
Al Dia | May 24, 2018
Entrepreneurship is thriving in the Latino and Jewish communities, necessitating a recent entrepreneurial summit hosted at the Fox School and moderated by Fox’s Ellen Weber. Read more >>
The Temple News | May 22, 2018
Players from Temple’s football team traveled recently to Japan to advance the sport overseas. The trip coincided with the recent research work by STHM’s Dr. Jeremy Jordan and Dr. Daniel Funk. Read more >>
Media requests: Please send requests to Christopher A. Vito, associate director of communications & media relations, Temple University’s Fox School of Business, at cvito@temple.edu
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A roundup of media mentions featuring faculty and staff from the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
The future of sport betting
Last week, a Supreme Court decision lifts a long-standing sport betting ban. STHM’s Dr. Joseph Mahan, whose research has explored the correlation between sport betting and fandom, speaks with Philly Voice and the Philadelphia Business Journal about this decision.
Tips for making mortgage payments
Need ways to pay off your mortgage more quickly? Fox’s Dr. Jonathan Scott serves as one of the experts with whom U.S. News & World Report speaks. Read more >>
Debating Article II of the Constitution
The National Constitution Center’s We The People podcast features Fox’s Dr. Kevin Fandl, in a discussion on President Trump’s executive power over immigration law. Listen >>
Philadelphia Business Journal | May 18, 2018
As printing company Ricoh turns its focus toward digital services, Fox’s Dr. Ram Mudambi explains what the future holds for a company pivoting from its traditional mission and vision. Read more >>
Philadelphia Business Journal | May 17, 2018
As the City of Philadelphia works toward reconciling a $27 million gap in its financial records, Fox’s Dr. Steven Balsam weighs in. Read more >>
Philadelphia Business Journal | May 17, 2018
A local beverage company plans to expand into East Coast grocery stores. For more on the deal and its specialty distribution strategy, PBJ speaks with Fox’s Dr. Susan Mudambi. Read more >>
Philadelphia Business Journal | May 10, 2018
Marriott soon will add a property in Marple Township, Delaware County—a Philadelphia suburb that STHM’s Dr. Wesley Roehl views as underserved. Read more >>
BusinessBecause | May 14, 2018
Kia Brinkley explains how the Fox MBA program helped land her a job at L’Oreal. Read more >>
Media requests: Please send requests to Christopher A. Vito, associate director of communications & media relations, Temple University’s Fox School of Business, at cvito@temple.edu
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A roundup of media mentions featuring faculty and staff from the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Pavlou in NBC News
Today, five-star reviews are practically the norm. What’s driving this trend? How can consumers navigate reviews to parse out good services from the bad? Fox’s Dr. Paul Pavlou, who has researched online reviews, speaks with NBC News. Read more >>
Profiling graduating seniors
For its commencement coverage, student newspaper The Temple News speaks with Fox’s Jannatul Naima and STHM’s Nikki Green, among other graduating seniors. Learn more about Jannatul’s and Nikki’s journeys to Temple—and their plans following graduation.
So…how does HBO make money?
Is HBO’s operating revenue entirely generated by subscriptions? Philly Voice wondered, and spoke with Fox’s Dr. Ram Mudambi for the answer. Read more >>
U.S. News & World Report | May 10, 2018
Annually, the average consumer loses more than $300 to bank fees. How can we curtail this unnecessary (and expensive) trend? Fox’s Dr. Jonathan Scott weighs in. Read more >>
Philadelphia Inquirer | May 7, 2018
Last week, Temple football players traveled to Japan to earn academic credits and champion their sport in an international setting. The trip also supports the research work of STHM’s Dr. Jeremy Jordan and Dr. Dan Funk on the establishment of an NCAA equivalent in Japan. Read more, from the Inquirer and Yahoo! Sports >>
BusinessBecause | May 3, 2018
The online business publication profiles a Fox MBA alumna who leverages her experience and education to start a marketing company. Read more >>
Media requests: Please send requests to Christopher A. Vito, associate director of communications & media relations, Temple University’s Fox School of Business, at cvito@temple.edu
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
The Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management (STHM) honored faculty and staff members at the second-annual IMPACT Awards ceremony, held in Alter Hall May 8, 2018.
The IMPACT Awards celebrate Fox and STHM faculty and staff for their ability to collaborate effectively as groups to deliver impactful service, teaching, and research contributions.
“As our two schools continue to grow, it is increasingly more important to identify opportunities where our faculty, staff, and leaders can collaborate cross-functionally to achieve truly special outcomes,” says Dean M. Moshe Porat. “In essence, that is the function of the IMPACT Awards, and this year’s honorees met these criteria.”
Applying a peer-review approach, the IMPACT Awards call upon the Fox and STHM communities for review and evaluations of all nominees. Prizes included glass trophies, customized merchandise to commemorate the achievement, a special group experience, and financial rewards. This year, 16 groups representing the accomplishments of 70 faculty and 86 staff members earned nominations.
The winners were: The Fox Global Immersion program, the Temple University Entrepreneurship Academy (TUEA), and the Fox Center for Undergraduate Advising. Here is more on each of these exceptional groups and their achievements:
GLOBAL IMMERSION PROGRAM
Global immersions are short study trips embedded into an international business-oriented course that allow students a chance to experience global business in person rather than simply learning about it in the classroom. These Immersions expose students to the environment of business by taking them to targeted destinations that offer a robust and profound practical experience. Students engage in a number of learning opportunities, including meeting with business executives, touring factories, interacting with government officials and learning about the business environment from locals. After an immersion, students return to their coursework with a unique international perspective. The experience also allows students to develop valuable job skills—such as cultural understanding, tolerance for ambiguity, respect for diversity, adaptability, and self-confidence. Perhaps even more important, students learn about themselves—their values and ideals, limits and aspirations. This heightened self-awareness can unlock passion and creativity, inspiring a more independent, self-reliant, and self-confident student.
Representatives of the Global Immersion program include: Jeffrey Conradi, Kevin Fandl, Christine Kiely, Amy Kumpf, Lauren Letko, and Phyllis Tutora.
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACADEMY
The Temple University Entrepreneurship Academy (TUEA), embedded within Temple’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute, formed in 2015 as an initiative created in partnership with the President’s office as one of Temple University’s Six Pillars of Success. TUEA has now reached more than 2,000 students campus-wide, implemented more than a dozen programs covering entrepreneurship topics, and has awarded 12 Conwell Fellowships to faculty who are champions of entrepreneurship. TUEA has leveraged partnerships with the Intellectual Heritage GenEd program and the College of Engineering, creating customized programming for each that has led to outreach to more than 700 students. Additionally, TUEA has supported the Tyler School of Art in launching a BFA with Entrepreneurial Studies, giving Tyler students the opportunity to complement their degrees with an entrepreneurial skillset to widen their career options. TUEA has been integral to spreading the entrepreneurial spirit across campus and creating a culture in which Temple University students are empowered to be creative thinkers, problem solvers, and seekers of success.
Representatives of the Temple University Entrepreneurship Academy include: Lindsay Clark, Alan Kerzner, Robert McNamee, Erin McShea, and Ellen Weber.
CENTER FOR UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING
The Fox Center for Undergraduate Advising represents the gold standard for advising at Temple. Servicing almost 8,000 undergraduate students, Fox advisors represent both the front end of students’ introductions and orientations to campus, and the culmination of their academic experiences and clearance for graduation. Students work collaboratively with advisors to develop individual plans for academic success, fully utilize campus resources, and engage in the process of reflection/decision making promoting long-term achievement. Departments work collaboratively with advising to promote new initiatives and programs, establish trends within their major, manage registration into required classes, and increase enrollment.
Following the transition to a developmental advising structure in 2013, with targeted services based on academic standing, the office has maintained consistent high marks on Senior Satisfaction Ratings of ‘Ease of Access’ and ‘Quality of Service’. Retention results for the Fox School, now at 95 percent, consistently exceed all other programs on campus, garnering recent high praise from the Provost’s Office.
Representatives of the Fox School’s Center for Undergraduate Advising include: Harriet Butterfield, Jan Cleaver, Camille Fallon, Gavin Farber, Chuck Foster, Jake Hershman, Lisa Hodge, Jeff Hofer, Shelley Hunter, Amanda Jaxheimer, Ross Markman, Dina Maslennikova, Carli Metzler, Lauren O’Brien, Elvita Quinones, Joy Stroman, Natalie Vohra, and Julian White.
For more stories and news, follow the Fox School on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Risk is present everywhere, and it can threaten the operations of any organization, large or small. But how is it being managed … if at all?
“That’s a critically important question that leaders everywhere need to be asking themselves,” said M. Michael Zuckerman, an associate professor of risk, insurance, and healthcare management at Temple University.
Temple’s Fox School of Business welcomes industry leaders, educators, practitioners, and students to the 2018 Enterprise Risk Management Conference: Principles for ERM Innovation, on May 15. The conference will focus on the future of enterprise risk management, a method through which organizations can mitigate threats while also capitalizing on opportunities that support their primary objectives.
“Today, we’re seeing that risk can surface in multiple forms: cybersecurity, supply chain, climate change, human capital, data analytics, and beyond,” said Zuckerman, one of the conference’s organizers. “One goal of this conference is to help any organization—large or small, profit or non-profit, public or private—in addressing these risks, either through the launch of its enterprise risk management program or to proliferate its existing program.”
The Fox School of Business arranged an all-day agenda of leading practitioners and educators, including:
- Carol Fox: Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
- John Littig: Chief Finance and Underwriting Officer of The Risk Authority, Stanford University Health System
- Kelly Botti, Esq.: Chief Risk Officer and Corporate Counsel, Trumark Financial Credit Union
- Michelle Histand: Director of Innovation, Independence Blue Cross
- Andrew Tait: P.E., Senior Consultant and Practice Leader, Core Risks Ltd., A JLT Specialty USA Company
Visit the Fox School’s website for more on the conference, organized with support from management consulting firm Navigate as well as the Spencer Educational Foundation.
Media requests: Please send requests to Christopher A. Vito, associate director of communications & media relations, Temple University’s Fox School of Business, at cvito@temple.edu