Salve students mean business: Inaugural conference draws hundreds of attendees and industry experts
Salve Regina University’s business students didn’t just attend a conference — they built one from the ground up.
On April 8, the Jean and David W. Wallace Department of Business and Economics hosted its inaugural “We Mean Business Day,” a student-led initiative that brought together more than 500 attendees, 50 dynamic speakers and countless opportunities for professional connection. Organized by 14 students in the course MGT399: Practicum in Event Production, the full-day conference was a bold, hands-on experience that bridged classroom learning with real-world impact.
Every major and minor offered by the department was represented, with speaker lineups thoughtfully tailored to each discipline. From CEOs and small business owners to government officials and Newport mayor Charlie Holder, the event showcased leaders from industries like finance, health care, hospitality, sales, tourism, marketing, athletics and more. Notably, over 14 alumni returned as speakers — a powerful reminder of the tight-knit and supportive community that defines the Salve experience.
What unfolded wasn’t just a day of panels and presentations — it was a celebration of student ambition, connection and the kind of momentum that can’t be taught in a textbook.
Behind the scenes
Most conferences of this scale take six to 12 months to produce. But these 14 students, with majors ranging from communications to accounting, made it happen in two — proving that when Salve students mean business, they really mean it.
“In most event planning courses, the events are hypothetical,” said sophomore Claudia Jankovich, a marketing major and member of the logistics team for the conference. “So to have executed a real conference in just a couple months, and to see the enjoyment from the participants and the benefits we were able to provide, was really rewarding.”
The foundation for “We Mean Business Day” was laid on the first day of class, when Dr. Melissa Varao, director and chair of the business department and instructor of the course, asked students to write down their individual strengths on paper. From there, the class was broken into smaller teams based on complementary strengths — a move that allowed students from different majors, grades and backgrounds to work together with focus and efficiency.
The result: A group dynamic that mirrored the real-world teamwork often required to pull off large-scale professional events.
Student organizers of “We Mean Business Day” from MGT399: Practicum in Event Production, and Dr. Melissa Varao, instructor of the course.
“Dr. Varao was our biggest advocate, and we couldn’t have done this without her,” shared Jankovich. “She was able to recognize where we would excel and was always so optimistic when we might have been feeling worried. Her continuous excitement and passion were passed down to us and it really shined through on the big day.”
Students conducted research and drew on previous University surveys to shape the ideal schedule. In the end, the decision to design the event as a full-day experience, complete with breakfast, lunch and multiple tracks of breakout sessions, was shaped by hours of whiteboard brainstorming and discussions about logistics, classroom availability and student interests.
While most of the students had never planned an event before, within a few weeks of the semester starting they began pitching their vision to potential sponsors — not with a polished plan, but with passion, a clear purpose and a working outline of what the day could become.
Their efforts paid off. By April, they had secured support from 25 sponsors, ranging from local businesses like BankNewport to food and beverage partners who helped bring energy and hospitality to the day.
“Nothing was really super concrete when we were reaching out to sponsors. At the time, ‘We Mean Business Day’ was just an idea, but they believed in what we were doing and were into it, even in its first form,” said senior Maya Parady, marketing major and strategic director and lead planner of the conference.
With a growing list of confirmed speakers, a packed schedule of sessions and strong community support behind them, the students could finally see it all starting to come together.
Connections, confidence and career momentum
O’Hare Academic Building buzzed with energy on April 8 as “We Mean Business Day” officially kicked off — transforming the campus into a hub of career inspiration, industry insight and student-driven momentum.
With 24 breakout sessions and panels scheduled throughout the day, attendees had access to a wide variety of topics tailored to their interests and goals. From practical skills like acing job interviews, navigating salary negotiations and leveraging referrals to broader conversations around women in business, sports management and the future of AI, the event offered something for every aspiring professional.
Students attending one of the breakout sessions.
“My favorite event of the day was the sports management panel,” shared senior Samantha Mansolf, a studio art major with minors in marketing and sports management. “I learned about careers that I didn’t even know existed within the sports industry, and it made me really excited to learn more about them as I journey into finding a career.”
In addition, workshops and panels on accounting, marketing, finance and sales gave students the chance to hear firsthand from experts in their fields, while one especially creative session explored how something as refined as fine wine can build lasting business relationships.
Students attending the session “From Athletic to Executive,” with Mike Melillo.
“Getting to hear from industry professionals about what their careers and lives look like and the purpose behind their work was inspiring,” said senior Hoon Kim, a finance major. “Tony Cerino ’14, ’15 (M), an alumnus on the finance panel, was great to hear from. Seeing someone from your own school succeed and want to come back and share about their experience was really motivating.”
In addition to the breakout sessions, two keynote speakers anchored the day’s events. Gail Lowney-Alofsin, adjunct professor in the business department, director of corporate partnerships for the Newport International Boat Show and president and founder of Leadership At ALL Levels, energized the morning crowd with a message rooted in leadership and purpose, while the afternoon’s Brooke Finocchiaro, owner and cofounder of Mend Yoga, kept attendees engaged through the final stretch of programming with her fireside chat on starting her small business — a deliberate strategy by the student organizers to maintain high energy and participation from start to finish.
Gail Lowney-Alofsin giving the morning keynote address.
Meanwhile, an all-day professional headshot session gave students the chance to update their personal branding, and the popular Career and Internship Expo in Ochre Court brought together more than 20 local, national and international businesses, offering students the opportunity to make connections that could shape their professional futures.
“These events are great for students. I always tell them ‘don’t be afraid to ask questions.’ We are in a position where we know what we are looking for, and they might not yet. So it’s a great place to ask questions and make connections,” said Ryan Camara, vice president, human resources manager for BankNewport. “We always get great students from Salve and have hired quite a few of them.”
Students talking to industry professionals at the Career and Internship Expo.
The day concluded with a networking reception, where students, alumni and industry professionals came together to share ideas, stories and business cards — a celebratory finish to an event that had, in every way, exceeded expectations. What began as a class project had evolved into a career-launching experience, proving that with the right mix of ambition, teamwork and Salve spirit, anything is possible.
“Our Salve community is so tight knit and really cares about each other and our successes – from the professors, to the students and to our alumni – and I think that was exemplified on ‘We Mean Business Day,’” said freshman Kamryn Lynch, a marketing major and part of the communications team for the conference.
