Nina DiNicola

Bethel resident Nina DiNicola didn’t have to look far for advice on where to attend college because her sisters had already attended Western Connecticut State University. “Both of my sisters went there, so I didn’t even look at any other universities,” DiNicola said. “I already knew it was close, affordable and would provide a great education.”

DiNicola said that growing up, she had always thought she wanted to be a pre-school teacher. “Then I took child development my junior year of high school and was paired with a four-year-old girl. On day two, I told her not to do something and she started punching me. So, I decided maybe I didn’t want to become a pre-school teacher,” DiNicola recalled.

She considered majoring in secondary education instead, hoping to teach older students; but decided to enter college undecided (exploratory studies), get her general education credits out of the way, and figure it out from there.

“That decision paid dividends,” DiNicola said. “Through the connection from my sister who was a Health Promotion Studies intern for Sodexo during her time at WCSU, I became a Sodexo Marketing intern my freshman year and it shaped my career path. I realized I enjoyed Marketing/Communications and declared my major as Interactive Marketing with a minor in Management my sophomore year. I was a Marketing intern all four years and will always be grateful for that career development opportunity and the supportive team that helped set me up for success.”

In addition to the internship that set her on her educational and career path, DiNicola found time to participate in the National Society of Leadership and Success and the PIBE a capella group as an undergraduate. She received a B.B.A. in Interactive Marketing and a minor in Management in 2016, and as soon as she graduated, she enrolled in WestConn’s Master of Business Administration graduate program.

While in the M.B.A. program, DiNicola worked as a Graduate Intern for the Campus and Student Centers. “They not only paid for my classes, but they also gave me a stipend,” DiNicola said. “Having the work and supervisory experience while I was going through the program allowed me to apply my studies to real life.”

Nina Caraluzzi and Steven DiNicola at their 2016 commencement

Another advantage DiNicola found in pursuing both of her degrees at WestConn was the connections she made with her professors. “Professor of Management Dr. Cindy Chuang is an incredible professor who I had the pleasure of having in both my undergraduate and graduate programs,” she said. “It’s apparent that she genuinely cares about her students and wants the best for them. I’m happy to say she has become a great friend over the years, and she continues to push me to be the best I can be!”

By being aware of and open to opportunities, DiNicola found her first job. “While I was in the M.B.A. program, I attended the Career Fair with a friend, and we approached the Praxair booth. I was trying to talk my friend up for an HR position since she was on the one-year track and was approaching graduation. However, there was a Corporate Communications Summer Intern position open, and they encouraged me to put my resume in. I thought nothing of it until I received an email for an interview. Fast forward, I’ve had a rewarding career with Praxair (now Linde) from corporate communications intern to coordinator to manager to managing the company’s charitable giving program and now managing Global Internal Communications. I’m grateful to WCSU’s Career Success Center for introducing me to such a wonderful company right in our backyard!”

Nina Caraluzzi at her wedding to fellow WestConn alumnus Steven DiNicola.

DiNicola still possesses the instincts that originally led her to consider becoming a teacher, and she has found a way to meld it into her corporate career. “When I enrolled in WestConn’s M.B.A. program, I figured I could ‘teach’ or train my employees if I became a manager,” she said. “After receiving my M.B.A. in 2018, I didn’t become a teacher, but I’ve ‘taught’ many employees over the years, and it’s been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, parts of my career.”

Asked what advice she would give someone considering where to go to college, as her sisters shared with her, DiNicola said, “WCSU is a great, affordable university that will give you the tools you need to succeed and then some. It is all about what you make of it. You get out what you put in. Take advantage of all that WCSU has to offer — especially if you’re a commuter like I was — work on-campus, go on the trips, get involved with the clubs/organizations, ask your professors and counselors for guidance, etc. I’m proud to say I found both my husband and company through WCSU, but neither would have happened if I hadn’t been involved and aware of what was happening on campus.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.