By Riley Eike
Staff Writer
Next week marks the second annual Building Extraordinary Leaders sessions.
This series of presentations allow students to talk to a St. Bonaventure alumus who has found great success outside the “Bona Bubble.”
This year, the faculty of the School of Arts and Sciences picked Thomas M. Marra, president and chief executive officer of Symetra Financial Corporation and a former university trustee, to speak.
This two-day event, funded and planned by the class of 1963 and the Student Affairs Division at St. Bonaventure, will be held Feb. 19 and 20.
“Taking the Risk: A Journey from Bona’s to CEO” a faculty and staff forum in the University Club, Magnano Centre will take place Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“The Art and Science of Leadership” presentation and Q&A for students will be on Feb. 19 at 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the William F. Walsh Science Center Auditorium.
On Feb. 20, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. the School of Business will host a Class Presentation: Introduction to Entrepreneurship. These events are open to all students.
According to Connie Whitcomb, director of the Career and Professional Readiness Center, the class of 1963 wanted to give back to the school in a way that would benefit the students more than a building would.
“They funded a leadership program for five years. Their vision is that in each of those five years, a successful alum, one that had found success in his or her own career path, would be invited back to campus as a leader in residence to engage with students,” Whitcomb said.
For each of the five years, a committee of alumni from the class of 1963 and faculty and staff chose one of the four schools (School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education and the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication) to be highlighted with the return of a successful graduate.
Once the school is determined, the committee looks for successful alums that talk about their experiences and careers.
“[The alumnus] talks about various aspects of their rise to leadership and also reflect on their Bonaventure experience and how they felt this experience laid the foundation of the success they achieved,” Whitcomb said.
Marra joins Dr. Kevin O’Connor, last year’s guest speaker, as alumni who have been asked to speak for the series.
Marra, a Jamestown native, graduated from Bonaventure in 1980 with a degree in mathematics. Marra played third base for the baseball team under longtime Bonnies coach Fred Handler.
Right out of college, Marra began his career at The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. as an actuarial student.
He later rose to the title of president and chief operating officer of Hartford Life, Inc.
“Thomas Marra has made his mark in the business world, but by no means is his message limited to business students,” Whitcomb said. “Leadership is a transferable quality.”
Whitcomb said, “It’s an opportunity for current students to learn about the art and science of leadership, the qualities of leadership, and to be able to perhaps use the time left that they have here to develop those qualities and attributes.”
