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Delaware North corporate leaders enhance the learning experience for MBA students

Marisa Lobsinger (fourth from right), director of accounting, and Deborah Pratt (fifth from right), director of talent excellence, pose with first-year MBA students from the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Business who are engaged in a Corporate Champions program through which they learn more about Delaware North and meet with company leaders. Pictured with Lobsinger and Pratt (left to right) are UB students Steven Kaplan, Subrot Sundewar, Diya Palanganda Lavakumar, Kaylee Hoaby, Michael Minich and Meiting Xu.

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Delaware North is a Corporate Champion for the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Management, which recruits top organizations from Western New York to work with teams of first-semester MBA students to help strengthen their professional connections and business acumen.

Marisa Lobsinger, director of accounting, manages Delaware North’s involvement in the Corporate Champions program, which includes four touchpoints with an assigned MBA team during the fall semester, including meeting with Delaware North leaders for one-on-one interviews to learn more about their careers and applying management concepts in the real world.

“I love being able to coach others, and working on the UB Corporate Champions program has been energizing and rewarding,” said Lobsinger, who earned a master’s degree in accounting from UB. “Plus, students learn more about Delaware North, our industries and our work culture. After this experience, they are always interested in learning about open positions.”

Seven MBA students visited Delaware North’s corporate headquarters on Sept. 13 for a site visit, during which they met with Delaware North team members through panel sessions, virtual networking and a hands-on culinary demo.

“Engaging in recruitment opportunities such as the UB Corporate Champions program allows us to nurture the next generation of leaders,” said Chris Lozipone, senior vice president of finance. “Interacting with the students throughout the day was a unique opportunity for us as leaders to share our insights and experiences, and was a great way for this talented group to learn about Delaware North and our value proposition as a top local employer.”

Evan Wargo, executive chef of Patina 250 located at corporate headquarters, led the cooking event for the students, where they helped prepare a three-course lunch featuring scratch-made pasta that they enjoyed in the restaurant’s private dining room.

“My involvement in Delaware North’s CHEFS® program as a mentor has helped me strengthen my communication and leadership skills when meeting with emerging talent,” Wargo said. “I know that learning alongside seasoned professionals helps instill more confidence in students or emerging talent while also allowing me to give back.”