The (603) Challenge plays a vital role in supporting the University of New Hampshire, and its students, staff, faculty and departments. Each spring, this signature fundraiser invites all members of the Wildcat community to make a gift to any area(s) of the university. It is specifically important because making a gift during The (603) Challenge allows donors to magnify the overall impact of their philanthropy to the areas that mean the most to them; gifts of any amount are increased through matching funds, bonus and area challenges.
This year, generous alumni underwriters, Adam ’06 and Christine ’13G ’14G Ricker and Bill Evans ’77, stepped up with $4,500 in additional funding for the Center for Business Analytics if we reached our lofty goal of 125 donors. Not only did we reach this goal, we exceeded it with 151 donations thanks to our amazing community!
At the Paul College – UNH Center for Business Analytics, these contributions directly support our student analysts as they work on real projects and help businesses grow. Donations provide critical resources for educational trips, professional development opportunities, and access to cutting-edge tools and technologies.
In addition, these contributions provide funding for scholarships, workshops, certifications, and other forms of professional development that enable students to enhance their skills and knowledge in data analytics, economics, business development and more. For example, all our student interns have access to one free Professional Development workshop (valued at $279) - thanks to our partnership with UNH Professional Development & Training.
Supporting educational trips and conferences in which students learn from industry experts, network with professionals, and gain real-world experience, (603) funds prepare them to be future leaders in the data analytics field. A great example of such an opportunity is our recent corporate visit to Nike and Lab 2:22 team office, in Converse HQ, Boston. Our amazing hosts put together executives from Operations and Analytics fields and talked to the students about their work and experience.
And just few days ago, on April 13, we co-sponsored a DEI Networking Event, in partnership with DEI Directive & Get Tech Smart. We brought together leaders from different industries, and together with Flo Nicolas, COO of DEI Directive, we were able to speak out on the importance of DEI Initiatives and measurable results. As Flo says: “Attendees left feeling inspired and encouraged, and many were able to make valuable connections with other professionals.”
Data analytics is a rapidly evolving field, and staying at the forefront of technological advancements is crucial. We work with learning platforms like AWS, Tableau, Power BI and more. These contributions also enable students to collaborate with faculty and industry experts.
By giving to the Center during the (603) Challenge, individuals and companies have invested in the future, with results showing in the present time. We have helped several clients and are working on thought-provoking projects now with companies in creative and tech industries. One of our recent partners is When Pigs Fly, all-natural bread bakery, with whom our students work on providing predictive modeling for manufacturing and distribution of bread across 350 locations. Another great example is Geskus, school photography and yearbook printing company. Our interns and staff work on digital transformation for this rapidly growing business, helping them in uniting disparate systems and databases.
Data analytics has become an integral part of modern businesses, as companies leverage data-driven insights to make informed decisions and gain a competitive edge. Donations to the Center for Business Analytics already are contributing to the success of businesses by supporting projects that directly impact industries. Students working on real-world projects can help businesses uncover hidden patterns, identify opportunities, and solve complex problems using data-driven approaches.
We are proud to be a part of a journey, where they become future leaders in the BI, ML and data analytics fields.
So, thank you, donors, for your incredible generosity and support during this crucial fundraising challenge. Assembling 150+ donors in only our second full year of operation is a testament to the community we are building together.
