Your Path to a Career in Business
Catalyst
Catalyst
Designed specifically for non-management students, the Summer Management Catalyst Program provides a solid and broad foundation in the functional areas of management.
Eight weeks that will change what's possible.
Management Skills
Learn how organizations operate and develop management skills to contribute to complex, not-for-profit, business, and government entities.
Real Courses, Real Credit
Complete the core management courses in one summer and receive 11 credits through the completion of three full courses and one Excel module—ideal for students who find it difficult to fit management courses into their schedules and those interested in completing a Carroll School minor.
Career Support
Develop career strategies for building your personal brand through employer panels and sessions on skills assessment, writing résumés and business letters, interviewing, and effective networking.
Résumé Booster
Stand out in the competitive job market for internships and full-time positions with enhanced credentials from the summer program, including Excel, and exposure to programming languages.
At a Glance
Faculty & Staff
Thomas Wesner
Business Law & Society
Thomas Wesner
Business Law & Society
Director of Carroll School’s Summer Management Catalyst Program, an intensive, full-time, 8-week program designed for non-business students to develop a solid and broad foundation in the functional and critical areas of management, September 2016-present.
Initiated and helped manage highly complex litigation involving a successful lawsuit for the recovery of trust assets belonging to the estate of President John Adams. The case resulted in a multi million-dollar judgment, upheld by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in 2014. The case, Woodward v. City of Quincy, SJC-11390, addressed legal issues involving trusts, charitable trusts, investments, trustee's accounts, forensic accounting, damages, breach of fiduciary duty, interest awards, the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, governmental immunity, municipal corporations, and waiver.
Jon Kerbs
Marketing
Jon Kerbs
Marketing
Jon Kerbs's areas of expertise include branding, product management, sales promotion, advertising, marketing strategy, business development, digital marketing, public relations, retail marketing, and product development. In addition to teaching, he consults with organizations seeking to solve go-to-market problems as well as facilitating leadership training for Fortune 500 companies.
Rob James
Finance
Rob James
Finance
Professor Robert F. James teaches Fundamentals of Finance, Corporate Finance, and Investments at the undergraduate level, and Corporate Finance, Financial Management, Financial Markets & Instruments, and Investments at the graduate level.
John Neale
Excel Module
John Neale
Excel Module
Professor John J. Neale has been a member of the Carroll School faculty since 2013. He teaches courses on operations and supply chain management, management science, and sports analytics. In 2016 John received Carroll School’s Coughlin Faculty Excellence Award in undergraduate teaching.
Edward Taylor
Financial Accounting
Edward Taylor
Financial Accounting
Edward Taylor has taught a variety of accounting and taxation courses at Boston College since 1986 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He is a Certified Public Accountant and spent five years with the international accounting firm of KPMG.
Drew Barksdale
Career Advisor
Drew Barksdale
Career Advisor
Drew Barksdale is a Carroll School graduate with a dual concentration in Economics and Finance. He is a former scholarship athlete on the varsity football team. His work experience scopes across various industries (O&G, industrials, and financial services) and disciplines (sales, corporate finance, & M&A). Barksdale is a passionate self-starter, eager to coach and mentor students at Boston College.
In his role, Drew focuses on coaching students, nurturing and developing new corporate relationships, and teaching a pre-professional development course, Career Accelerator.
Student Perspectives
Student Voices
FAQ
The online application is available from January 6 to March 14, 2025. There is a $50 non-refundable application fee payable online. The $50 application fee will be applied towards the total cost of the program for admitted students.
Applicants must have taken at least one math course at Boston College or received Advanced Placement credit in math. Preference will be given to students who have had a course in statistics and/or microeconomics. Candidates will be evaluated based on academic standing, quality of essay, and extracurricular activities.
The program is ideally suited for rising sophomores and juniors, who will have more time to take additional upper-level business courses and secure an internship in the summer(s) to follow; however, rising seniors and graduating seniors are welcome to apply.
The 2025 program runs from May 21-July 11.
Students will take three full, graded courses that include Financial Accounting, Marketing Principles, and their choice of Fundamentals of Finance (formerly Basic Finance) or Business Law. Students will receive 11 credits upon completion of the program.
Students will also participate in a career practicum that includes Excel, big data, and career development. This is designed to allow students to develop technical skills such as Excel and programming languages, along with research, analysis, collaboration, and presentation skills. Finally, they will master the art of résumé and cover letter writing, interviewing, and networking. All courses are taught entirely by Carroll School faculty.
Students can live either on or off campus. Past students report that it is easiest to live either on campus or within walking distance as bus service is limited during the summer months. Program events and classes take place throughout the day as well as during some evenings. Please note: on campus housing is not guaranteed.
We strongly advise that students do not work as the program is full-time and classes and related programs require students to be available almost every day. In addition, class assignments and team projects will necessitate frequent out-of-class work.
The cost of the program is $16,353 and includes tuition for three, three-credit courses, the career practicum, all course materials, and social activities. The $50 application fee and $1,000 program deposit are included in the total cost. On-campus housing is an additional cost.
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. To apply for aid, students must apply for the Catalyst Program by February 10 and indicate that they are interested in financial aid on the application. Please note: aid eligibility is determined by Boston College’s Office of Financial Aid.
Yes. Students will receive a total of 11 credits for successful completion of the program—these credits will count toward GPA and graduation requirements. Please note: No 3-credit course offered in Catalyst that has already been taken may be taken a second time for credit.
Check out www.bc.edu/catalyst or email catalyst@bc.edu.
