Honors students take in the sights and sounds of the Big Apple
New York City Experience includes tour of the Financial District, a Broadway play, and an alumni reception.
If you thought you recently saw students holding a Bryant University banner during the Early Show on CBS you weren't seeing things. As part of the NYC Experience, 25 students in Bryant's Honors Program were part of a crowd to watch the live morning news program on Oct. 2. And if their face time - and Bryant's exposure - on national TV wasn't enough, meteorologist Dave Price dubbed the group "the best-dressed university students we have seen on the plaza."
This experience was just part of a whirlwind three days in New York City that included a walking tour of the financial district, a Broadway play, and a visit to the Museum of Modern Art. It is the second year in a row that the NYC Experience gave students the opportunity to explore the business and cultural capital of the world.
"This was a special opportunity, a transformational experience, for these 25 members," says Kenneth Sousa, associate professor of CIS and coordinator of the Honors Program.
Experiencing NYC
On their first night in the city, the group attended a reception with Bryant alumni at the upscale Roosevelt Hotel. (The contingent was hosted for their three-day stay in NYC by Roosevelt Hotel CEO Thomas Hewitt, a 1968 Bryant graduate.) Sousa says the alumni were quite impressed with the students. "I heard comments like 'way beyond their years,' 'poised,' and 'exceptional students,'" he says.
After their cameo appearance on the Early Show, students rubbed elbows with TV personalities like Price, Harry Smith, Chris Wragge, Erica Hill and guests Elizabeth Hurley and Greg Kinear, and also toured the CBS studios.
Later that day, the group took part in a walking tour of the financial district arranged by Professor of Finance Peter Nigro. Coincidentally, the tour took place as Congress was putting the finishing touches on the $700 billion rescue bill. That night, after a feast at Carmine's, the group took in Mel Brooks' musical comedy "Young Frankenstein."
On Saturday, the students visited "The Top of the Rock" and took in breathtaking views of the city from the 70th floor of Rockefeller Center. They also enjoyed a Van Gogh exhibit as part of a visit to the Museum of Modern Art that was arranged by Barry Ringelheim '68, a senior vice president at UBS.
Building a learning community
A highlight of the trip, the students agreed, was the opportunity to develop relationships with others who share their passion for learning.
"For me, the NYC Experience reaffirmed that the best part of the Honors Program is its members," says Nick Denice '11 (West Warwick, RI).
Bryan Regele '11 (Rutland, MA) adds, "The NYC Experience plays a fundamental role in bringing the members closer as a group. It also instills a level of responsibility among all of us as we work toward our ultimate goal of graduating with honors."
Associate Professor of Management Mike Roberto joined Professor of Economics Laurie Bates and Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Powers as faculty advisors for the trip. Roberto says that interaction works both ways.
"We talked about everything from the global financial crisis, to career opportunities, to new business ideas," he says. "The students demonstrated an amazing intellectual curiosity and a hunger to succeed in their upcoming careers."
Students and faculty agree that the NYC Experience is something that will not soon be forgotten.
Perhaps Cailin Rocco '10 (Sandisfield, MA) summed up the experience best. "The NYC trip was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had at Bryant," she says. "Not only did we visit some amazing sights and meet with many Bryant alumni, the trip also gave us the opportunity to form bonds with our fellow honors members that will last a lifetime."
This experience was just part of a whirlwind three days in New York City that included a walking tour of the financial district, a Broadway play, and a visit to the Museum of Modern Art. It is the second year in a row that the NYC Experience gave students the opportunity to explore the business and cultural capital of the world.
"This was a special opportunity, a transformational experience, for these 25 members," says Kenneth Sousa, associate professor of CIS and coordinator of the Honors Program.
Experiencing NYC
On their first night in the city, the group attended a reception with Bryant alumni at the upscale Roosevelt Hotel. (The contingent was hosted for their three-day stay in NYC by Roosevelt Hotel CEO Thomas Hewitt, a 1968 Bryant graduate.) Sousa says the alumni were quite impressed with the students. "I heard comments like 'way beyond their years,' 'poised,' and 'exceptional students,'" he says.
After their cameo appearance on the Early Show, students rubbed elbows with TV personalities like Price, Harry Smith, Chris Wragge, Erica Hill and guests Elizabeth Hurley and Greg Kinear, and also toured the CBS studios.
Later that day, the group took part in a walking tour of the financial district arranged by Professor of Finance Peter Nigro. Coincidentally, the tour took place as Congress was putting the finishing touches on the $700 billion rescue bill. That night, after a feast at Carmine's, the group took in Mel Brooks' musical comedy "Young Frankenstein."
On Saturday, the students visited "The Top of the Rock" and took in breathtaking views of the city from the 70th floor of Rockefeller Center. They also enjoyed a Van Gogh exhibit as part of a visit to the Museum of Modern Art that was arranged by Barry Ringelheim '68, a senior vice president at UBS.
Building a learning community
A highlight of the trip, the students agreed, was the opportunity to develop relationships with others who share their passion for learning.
"For me, the NYC Experience reaffirmed that the best part of the Honors Program is its members," says Nick Denice '11 (West Warwick, RI).
Bryan Regele '11 (Rutland, MA) adds, "The NYC Experience plays a fundamental role in bringing the members closer as a group. It also instills a level of responsibility among all of us as we work toward our ultimate goal of graduating with honors."
Associate Professor of Management Mike Roberto joined Professor of Economics Laurie Bates and Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Powers as faculty advisors for the trip. Roberto says that interaction works both ways.
"We talked about everything from the global financial crisis, to career opportunities, to new business ideas," he says. "The students demonstrated an amazing intellectual curiosity and a hunger to succeed in their upcoming careers."
Students and faculty agree that the NYC Experience is something that will not soon be forgotten.
Perhaps Cailin Rocco '10 (Sandisfield, MA) summed up the experience best. "The NYC trip was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had at Bryant," she says. "Not only did we visit some amazing sights and meet with many Bryant alumni, the trip also gave us the opportunity to form bonds with our fellow honors members that will last a lifetime."
