Frank D. Cammarata ‘25 (management information systems and global business management) led a team of students that won the ROC The Project competition, organized by PMI Rochester. He was joined by Julia Geigel ‘25 (MBA), Yusra Khalid ‘23 (MS computer science), and Fanny Qian ‘28 (business).
The RIT team helped Coffee Connection/Project Empower to plan a fundraising event. Coffee Connection, located at 681 South Avenue in Rochester, offers employment and support to women recovering from addiction, trauma, and incarceration.
The students found the experience educational and inspiring.
Says Fanny Qian, “I really enjoyed this project and I felt I learned a lot. This experience taught me not only the skills of a project manager but also how these skills can be put to use to create a project that fundraised money for the community. As I was the only freshman with no experience, I wasn't sure how well I would perform; however, my group mates were very helpful and encouraging which gave me the confidence to bring out the best results I could.”
“I thought ROC the Project was a great experience,” says Julia Geigel. “I enjoyed the opportunity to lead a team while gaining real-world project experience. It's rewarding to know that our project planning efforts are making a meaningful impact on the Rochester community.”
The team was mentored by Leonie Fernandes, senior lecturer in the School of Individualized study.
The competition provided the team a unique opportunity to enhance their project management and leadership skills through hands-on experience. They are excited to see how this event helps Coffee Connection grow and achieve their mission.
