Completion of Week 7

It is incredibly hard to believe that my classmates and I have finished our 7th week in the Masters of Science and Business Analysis program (I only know it is the 7th week because one of my teachers announced it in class, it's hard to keep track!).  

Time is flying by! 

This week was by far the toughest/ most stressful/ most exciting week for me.   

We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend the Chamber of Commerce for the event "The Future of Data-

Driven Innovation" where three different panels of experts discussed "big data" and how it will help advance their companies.  We heard from:

Leslie Bradshaw, managing partner of the NY office of Made by Many.

Roger Gordon, President of Food Cowboy.

Frank Stein, Director of IBM's Analytics Solutions Center.

Macduff Hughes, Engineering Director of Google Translate.

We also heard from many more interesting, data-driven people. It was such a great experience and we all looked so professional in our business attire. 

The NY committee has been hard at work this week figuring out the best options for our trip next month.  It's definitely a challenge preparing a trip for 28 people, but we get to go to New York and meet with various companies that we could possible work at in the future!! 

I began my internship this week.  I am working with Acton Institute on a promotional marketing project for the Religious and Economic Freedom Conference Series.  Another great opportunity that was made available to me through the MSBA program at Catholic University. 

And as all of these awesome things are going on, we can't forget that we're full time students!

So, this week was pretty tough, but wow, do I feel accomplished for successfully making it to Friday!

The MSBA program is helping me bridge the gap between " college student" and "working adult," which has made me more confident and prepared for my future.  

Now it's time to get prepared for week 8!

If you are interested in the MSBA program check out: MSBA One Year Degree

Always Connected

I remember making jokes about video-chatting using our phones. Little did I know Apple was only a few years away from installing a camera to the front of the iPhone, and developing a new way of communication: FaceTime.  With the click of a button I was able to virtually see anyone anywhere.  If there was as cute shirt I wanted to show my friend, boom, FaceTime.  If my parents wanted to see me (or if I wanted to see my dog) because they couldn't make it down to DC, one click, FaceTime.

FaceTime is just one example of the impact technology has on me.  FaceTime is a little more personal. Let's be honest, I probably wouldn't want to FaceTime with 95% of my Facebook friends. 

Between texting, tweeting, insta-ing, facbooking, snapchatting and blogging, I am connected with thousands of people. Who knew a picture of my pup, Romeo and his golden friend, Lola, would get over 100 likes on Instagram?

Well, they are adorable...




With hardly any effort I can see thousands of profiles, millions of pictures and learn so much about a person without actually interacting with them.

One of my teachers, Professor Brach, was talking about the false sense of friendship that can occur through Facebook.  Just by scrolling down your feed you have access to many peoples posts. I am able to see the up's and down's, accomplishments and failures, makeups and breakups of people that don't even expect me to see it. I'm so happy for some of my High School friends that have graduated college and have gotten jobs, or traveled to their favorite country, but they don't know that because we haven't spoken since Thanksgiving Break of freshman year.  

On the other hand, Social Media has helped me stay connected to my friends and family while I am away at school.  Recently, I was able to video chat with one of my best friends that is currently in Haiti!  I have spent almost every day with her for the past four years, so  being able to see her was amazing! I can keep up with all of my friends who are also away at school and they can stay connected with me.  Being connected so easily is great in many ways and it has definitely been beneficial to my life. 

New and Improved!

For those of you who know me, what is the first thing/word you associate me with?

Did you pick Softball?  Many people would.  I have been playing competitive softball for fourteen years.  It started off as an extra curricular activity that my parents signed me up for.  Softball, basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, soccer, dancing, swimming were most of the activities I was involved in, but finally, I chose to pursue softball.  

Throughout Middle School and High School I played on a tournament team, NY Panthers and school league, Poly Prep.  If I missed any social gatherings it was because of softball, if I stayed late at school, it was because I had a game to play. Practice didn't stop because of seasonal changes.  During the winter my dad and I would travel hours just to see a pitching coach.  Once the season started, my parents and I spent countless hours in the car driving to fields in the middle of nowhere.  The funny thing is, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. The girls, the parents, the inside jokes,  the rival teams, the hotel adventures, the heartbreaking losses and the unforgettable wins are memories that are irreplaceable.

Fast forward a few years to my senior year of college.  Fall semester flew by, but the weather was not cooperating.  I hardly spent any time on my home field before our season started.  Each weekend the games flew by and I couldn't slow it down. Spring Training was filled with 10 games in 5 days.  During the regular season we had 4 games every weekend, the season came and left before I knew it.  I had just finished my last game of softball and just like that my career was over.   

What in the world was I going to do? 

When I began college, I started teaching younger girls how to pitch.  I enjoyed the coaching aspect of the game and seeing the girls progress from week to week really inspired me to continue helping. This is a perfect way to keep softball in my life while benefiting others.

Finally, the point of my blog!  I created a website to market my coaching business.  Technology is a great way to connect with people.  I originally made this website my sophomore year of college, but recently updated it to make the site more official and show that I am serious about coaching.  Regardless of what lies ahead for me as far as a career, I hope to continue coaching and keeping Softball a part of my life.

Check the website out and let me know what you think:

Victoria Capozucca's Website

P.S A shout out to Matt Petronis for originally assisting me with the pictures and to Sean Wilson for upgrading my computer, giving me the opportunity to revamp the site! 

Dress To Impress... Yourself.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have dinner and listen to one of the most inspirational people I have ever met, Mr. Jonathan Kernion, the President of Cycle Construction.  The dinner was filled with questions, laughter, encouraging advice, motivational words and even a few tears from touching stories. This is the first business dinner I have ever attended and I can honestly say it went above and beyond my expectations.  It was nerve-racking knowing I was going to be in the presence of such accomplished people, but their welcoming personalities and intriguing stories helped me become comfortable and made the night flow smoothly.  I knew it was an exceptional night when I realized there was never any complete silence in the conversation.

One particular story that stood out to me was when Mr. Kernion spoke about the importance of looking good for yourself.  This story took place during a time in his life when was doing construction at Tulane University in New Orleans.  Curious of the financial side of the construction business, Mr. Kernion, dressed in a suit and tie, strolled into the Business School to ask about enrolling in some business courses.  The man asked if Mr. Kernioin would be interested in pursuing his MBA. With a smile, Mr. Kernion replied that he did not have a college degree.  Surprised by his answer, the man responded, “Well you look pretty smart.”

Mr. Kernion still had a smile on his face as he proceeded to explain the meaning of the story.  He put his suit on that morning because he wanted to.  Mr. Kernion had previously struggled with his self-identification and had encountered difficult situations throughout his life.  He decided that the only way to persevere through the hard times was to work on his self-esteem.  One step he integrated into his life was wearing a suit, so when he looked in the mirror he saw a confident man that deserved success.  Simply speaking, Mr. Kernion felt good because he physically looked good. 

A few years prior to this "dress to impress... yourself," mentality, Mr. Kernion felt broken and unsure of his capability of success.  This small change has been very beneficial for him. 

This story, to me, showed the importance of inner confidence.  It doesn't matter what people think of you.  What does matter is what you think about yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, how can you expect other people to?

As I continue on my journey in the MSBA program, I realize that I have developed a new found confidence because of my business attire. I am enrolled in this program to grow as a businesswoman, and the change in attire makes me feel like a businesswoman.  

I'm so grateful for the chance to hear the fascinating stories Mr. Kernion shared.  He has inspired me and has helped me figure out that in order to grow I need to believe in myself because if I believe in myself and I know I can accomplish a goal, I will accomplish it. 

Beginning Of A New Journey

This past August, I packed my bags as I have for the past four years, loaded my car to the brim as I have for the past four years, and I even traveled the same path to the same school that I have been enrolled in for the past four years. However, something wasn't the same. 

I am no longer an undergrad business student-athlete at CUA.  My new title is a graduate student studying in the School of Business and Economics pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Analysis.  This nervous excited feeling was something I haven’t felt since my freshmen year of college, and walking into the ‘meet and greet’ orientation filled with business casual young adults did not calm my nerves.  Everyone seemed professional and put together.  

It wasn’t until the bonding day at Go Adventure, that I realized these students and I were all feeling the same way: excited, overwhelmed, and nervous. The day of team building exercises really brought my class and I closer together, it was a great experience and helped us realize we were all starting a new journey together.  I knew from that day we were going to excel through the Masters program as a team.  My outlook on this year is optimistic and with the help of my classmates I am excited for the road ahead and our journey together.