A native of Jackson, New Jersey, Brendan Dellegrippo graduated from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics as a business analytics and management information systems double major, with a concentration in finance.
Dellegrippo was nominated for this series by Instructor of MIS, Faculty Program Director – Technology Projects Ryan Rodalunas and Visiting Assistant Professor of Accounting and MIS Jared Sharpe, who said, “Brendan is a very attentive student; he took my Machine Learning course as a junior last year and is currently my student in the Business Analytics Capstone. Brendan programs very well and is unafraid to try something out on his own. Brendan shows a great deal of initiative as a participant in lecture and in his capstone team. It is a great joy of mine to see his growth this year.”
“Brendan is an exceptional student and young professional. He immediately stood out as a student in the MIS Capstone course, and I had the pleasure of working directly with his team throughout their project. Brendan is a natural leader, quickly earning his team’s respect and trust, and he always asked what he could do to improve his work. He also impressed his client, who went out of their way to praise his work ethic and professionalism. Brendan is a model Lerner student, and I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next,” Rodalunas said.
In this profile, Dellegrippo shares his favorite UD memories, how he has changed during his time at UD and his plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Dellegrippo: I think I have grown both professionally and socially since my first semester at UD. I have made so many lifelong friends and connections at UD since I first stepped on campus. Before coming to UD I was not always the most social and talkative but now I will be out doing something nearly every day.
Lerner: What have been some of the challenges you have faced during your college experience and how did you overcome them?
Dellegrippo: The biggest challenge I had during my time at UD was managing my schedule. Between classes, hanging out with friends, groups, clubs, and much more it was always a difficult task fitting it all in. There were definitely times where I felt overwhelmed, but I was always able to get through those rough patches. Over time I did learn to make it work though through proper planning and experience each semester.
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience and why?
Dellegrippo: My favorite event at UD has to be when UD made March Madness my sophomore year. I actually got the chance to drive to the game and watch the Delaware vs, Villanova game. Watching my school in the massive Penguins stadium was a once in a lifetime opportunity I could not miss. It was one of the coolest things I got to experience even though we did not win in the end!
Lerner: Did you have a Lerner professor or staff member that had a big impact on your UD experience? If so, who and how?
Dellegrippo: Honestly, I had many professors who made an impact on my time here. Some professors who I felt were excellent at their jobs were Ryan Rodalunas, Terry Campbell, and Jared Sharpe. Each of them made understanding the course content easy and I learned the most from them. Being able to teach is one thing but these professors were able to make me fully understand the content I was learning. I felt that I received a ton of useful information from these professors which helped me succeed in many classes I have taken here.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Dellegrippo: Being a Lifelong Lerner means that we always have a place to call home. Over my four years here I have grown so much as a person, and that all started with the opportunities given at UD. I know that UD will always be a home to me and I will always be proud of being a Blue Hen.
Lerner: What advice would you give to incoming freshmen to make the most out of their college experience?
Dellegrippo: The best advice I can give is to be social. College is what you make of it. Make friends, have fun, and study hard. College is also not easy, and you deserve to have fun when you work hard. Just make sure to keep a proper work-life balance so you leave UD having both learned a lot and made plenty of unforgettable memories.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Dellegrippo: I will be working full-time with Amazon starting this summer! I am very excited to start a new journey in my life but sad to leave UD.