February 06, 2013
From Italy to New York, young alumna Tara Nolan ’11MBA has
pursued her dreams, and she’s quick to point out the role St.
John’s played in getting her where she is.
“Having
decided the global route was for me, it only made sense to study
for an international degree at an institution with an international
state of mind, and St. John’s offered me that,” explained Nolan,
who currently works as Associate Director of Marketing and
Communications at PHD
Worldwide, a global media and communications agency. For Nolan,
St. John’s is a family affair, as her mother – Patricia Nolan ’07G
– is also a graduate and serves as Director of Development, College
of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, in the University’s
Office of Development.
“I knew that St. John’s would provide me a base of fellow
alumni,” Nolan added, “and a tight-knit community at my disposal,
which made the whole experience feel very connected.”
While pursuing her M.B.A. at St. John’s, Nolan spent a semester
at the University’s Rome campus and traveled across Europe with her
roommates and friends. She came across a unique business there
called Cabin Charter, which would eventually lead to one of Nolan’s
proudest creations.
“Cabin charter was an innovative type of travel,” said Nolan.
“It allowed you the flexibility to book your own space on board a
vessel and enjoy the exclusive feeling of having your own boat,
cruising around with others in really amazing
places.”
Using this idea as a base, Nolan wrote her very own business
plan after graduation and created IntersailClub, a
vacation-planning service that arranges sailing experiences all
across the world.
“Without having gone to Rome to gain the business acumen I
received at St. John’s,” she said, “and partake in the European
lifestyle I had at my disposal, there is no way IntersailClub would
have ever materialized. St. John’s gave me the power to
create.”
Meanwhile, Nolan has been making her mark at phd, working to
ensure that the company’s brand is consistent and helping to
develop long-term strategic initiatives. And, of course, she
remains connected and committed to St. John’s, supporting the
University whenever possible and always encouraging fellow alumni
to reach out to her on
LinkedIn or on Twitter @tknolan.
“St. John’s attracts a variety of interesting people that end up
going on to do great things,” she said. “We have a wide-spanning
global network, so it would be hard not to want to stay connected
to all of that!”
Join Nolan in staying connected to St. John’s and
support the University today.