The Berkeley Business Excellence Program
The Michael J. Berkeley ’85 Business Excellence Program is designed to offer support and career advancement opportunities to students from groups under-represented at PC Business. Building on PC’s founding purpose to enroll immigrants, the Berkeley Program aims to further the professional development and educational excellence of PC Business students and is open to all business students.
The Berkeley Program
The Berkeley Program supports students in classroom studies, the pursuit of competitive internships, and the launching of desired careers with the following opportunities:
- guest speakers
- workshops
- career & job search advising
- alumni networking
- connecting with local business & community leaders
Topics covered in these sessions will include advice from recruiters, resume-writing best practices, interviewing & communications skill-building, and development of soft skills, such as public speaking, project management, and leadership development.
The Berkeley Scholars
Under the umbrella of the Berkeley Business Excellence Program, the Berkeley Scholars program, started in 2021, offers mentorship, academic enrichment, and a welcoming scholarly community to students from groups underrepresented at PC Business. Open to first-year PC Business students, the program provides practical guidance to students for whom Providence College presents a new and different academic and social culture from their home communities, from navigating the college’s many and ever-expanding resources to empowering members to achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals. Above all else, becoming a Berkeley Scholar means joining a supportive community of scholars who work together to thoughtfully engage in college life, find success, and prepare for the exciting road ahead.
Berkely scholars will participate in workshops, round tables, and advising events that support academic achievement, facilitate mentorship across cohorts, and provide ongoing academic and professional development opportunities. Complete benefits include:
- Mentorship and support from a community of peers, alumni, faculty, and staff
- Personalized advising & mentoring.
- Pre-registration for PC Business courses.
- Access to financial support for academic and professional opportunities.
- Programs about career pathways.
- Skill developing workshops.
- Invitation to networking events featuring upper-class students, faculty, administrators, and PC alumni
Topics covered in these sessions will include advice from recruiters, resume-writing best practices, interviewing & communications skill-building, and development of soft skills, such as public speaking, project management.
Meet the Berkeley Scholars
2024-25 Berkeley Scholars Cohort
- Irie Albizu, management
- Pamela Alzate, marketing
- Edwin Fernandez, finance
- Sofia Galvis, finance
- Juliana Gomes, management
- Yngrid Mendizabal, marketing
- Alecia Monteiro, finance
- Jovanni Perez, finance
- Anderson Rosal, finance
- Ava Vidal, finance
2023-24 Berkeley Scholars Cohort
- Elias Ferreira, management and finance
- Gabriella Gener, marketing
- Heidy Guzman, marketing
- Javier Jijon, management
- Jelissa Jonas, marketing and finance
- Gloria Sosa, marketing
- John Torres, finance
- Sean Tu, management
2022-23 Berkeley Scholars Cohort
- Natasha Biah, marketing
- Aaron Diaz, accountancy
- Dariana Gonzalez, marketing
- Lenyandra Lopes, marketing
- Elijah Osagie, finance
- Jaden Perryman, management
- Roseline Tavarez Cepeda, finance
- Penelope Tejada, accountancy and management
- Jimmy Zhao, marketing
2021-22 Berkeley Scholars Cohort
- Max Aicardi, finance
- Valerie Cruz, marketing
- Diego Garcia, finance and psychology
- Santiago Molina, finance
About Michael J. Berkeley ’85
Michael Berkeley embodied many qualities that endeared him to countless individuals throughout his life. He was born in New Rochelle, NY, attended Iona Preparatory School and graduated from Providence College in 1985 with a BS in Finance. At PC, Mike was an MLK Scholar, walked onto the men’s basketball team, and set his sights on a career on Wall Street. He earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and interned at Salomon Brothers. Mike then joined Merrill Lynch’s sales and trading program. That same year, he met his wife, Lourdes Perez, who would become the love of his life. They later went on to have two sons. After several years spent honing his expertise, Mike founded his own firm, The Berkeley Group, focusing on securities brokerage, private equity investments and various golf course development projects. Golfing was near and dear to Mike. He started caddying at 12 and was the first recipient of Winged Foot’s Gene Hayden Outstanding Caddy Award. As his success grew, Mike became one of the very early black members of Winged Foot; something that was not lost on him in terms of significance. Mike tragically lost his life on September 11, 2001. His office was located on the 79th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center.
2025 Application
PC Business Berkeley Business Excellence Scholars Application – 2025-26
The Berkeley Scholars Application will open on October 9, 2025. The deadline to apply will be November 2, 2025. Please contact Gabriela Moretti with any questions.
School of Business
Office Hours:
Academic Year: Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Summer: Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
Friday 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Ryan Center for Business Studies 135
401.865.2332
pcsb@providence.edu
