The second year of the Tuck Business Bridge Program at Colgate kicked off in early January with 40 students returning to campus for more than two weeks of intensive programming designed to prepare students for internships and careers, while building connections among students, alumni, and top-ranked Tuck faculty.
“I loved working with a group of similarly motivated Colgate students and found that each person brought something unique to the table,” said Sophia Dabney ’28.
According to Dabney, the program exceeded her expectations, from the willingness of professors to answer questions and help with project development, to the opportunity to learn about financial accounting, corporate finance, managerial economics, communications, marketing, spreadsheet modeling, and strategy.
For Dabney, the work on her team’s capstone project — a valuation analysis of Hilton Worldwide Holdings — was the highlight of the program. The team began with minimal knowledge of the hospitality industry, but were excited to learn about a new field and began the intensive work of preparing financial and strategic assessments, a discounted cash flow analysis, and a final presentation to Colgate alumni in the finance industry to defend the team’s valuation of Hilton on Jan. 16.
“After lots of practice, our presentation went very well, and we even got agreements and validation from the panel of judges,” Dabney said.
Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Carolyn Strobel-Larsen noted that, “the capstone presentations continue to be cited by students as one of the most valuable aspects of the program — analyzing a real company, collaborating with a group of peers, and honing public presentation skills.”
Alumni participation is integral to the program’s success, with student groups presenting to a panel of alumni who served as a panel of guest investors: Pat Apelian ’76, Ron Bertasi ’86, Chris Caputo ’87, Danielle E. Fox ’91, Michela Hendell ’18, Jack Metelski ’18, and Heather Liddell ’99. They also evaluated presentations from the other student teams focused on Ford, Lockheed Martin, Shake Shack, American Airlines, Lowe’s, Celsius Holdings Inc., and Deckers Outdoor Corporation.
“We continue to be impressed with the level of instruction delivered by Tuck, and the clear growth in students' preparedness to compete for business internships that is evident in students who take part in the program,” said Teresa Olsen, Milone Family AVP for career initiatives. “Following the success of our inaugural cohort last year, we were excited to expand the group to 40 students for January 2026. Through the generosity of our alumni, 17 in our cohort were supported with full scholarships to cover the cost of participating.”
According to Strobel-Larsen, the larger cohort of students, which expanded from 25 to 40 this year, added to the vibrancy of the program.
Colgate and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College formed an institutional partnership in 2024, with funding for aided students to participate in the program provided through the generosity of Giovanni ’94 and Maree Cutaia. The Cutaias have also endowed the First@Colgate directorship and funded Colgate’s Graduate School Access Fund.
As a career adviser who works closely with students interested in pursuing business careers, Senior Assistant Director of Career Development Laura Chrissley said she has been impressed with the work that goes into the students’ capstone projects since the partnership began last year. In conversations with students who participated in the program, Chrissley said many participants have shared how invaluable the program is to their growth and development.
At a Sophomore Connections event following her capstone presentation, Dabney had the opportunity to meet Courtney Diamond ’12, who is currently the director of digital analytics at Hilton.
“I heard my capstone project come to life when talking with Courtney about Hilton’s business model, their marketing and strategy, as well as the data that her team collects,” Dabney said. “I was able to make a real connection with her and look forward to staying in contact in the future.”
For more information on the Tuck Bridge Business Program at Colgate, email tuckbridge@colgate.edu, or visit colgate.edu/tuckbridge.