CNBC senior markets correspondent kicks off Nolan School lecture series

In 2010, Dominic Chu ’99 was just months into his new job as a CNBC correspondent and giving a live market update when the Dow Jones Industrial Average suddenly dropped nearly 1,000 points in minutes. It was a dramatic and confusing event now known as the “flash crash.” Thanks to his prior research and preparation, he rose to the occasion.

While volatility can be unsettling, it also creates unique openings for growth, reinvention, and impact, said Chu, senior markets correspondent for CNBC and contributor to CNBC’s Business Day and CNBC.com.

On Sept. 5 at the Alice Statler Auditorium, Chu shared this experience and many others in a wide-ranging conversation with students about career, work life balance, and AI. It was the first event of this year’s Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted by Kate Walsh, Dimond Family Dean of the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration in the SC Johnson College of Business. Affectionately known as “Hotelie Fridays,” the series is beloved by both students and speakers, many of whom are alumni.

“For 98 years, this signature course – and key component of the curriculum – has exemplified the Nolan school’s experiential learning focus and signature value proposition,” Walsh said. “In the first weeks of their Cornell education, students engage with and learn from top industry leaders.”

Beyond the lecture hall, students interact with each speaker in multiple ways during the visit. First, Walsh hosts the guest, along with students and faculty, at a curated dinner prepared and served by Nolan students. The following day, two seniors attend to the speaker, as they speak with different classes, meet with faculty, and enjoy lunch together before the lecture.

“In addition to obtaining valuable career advice and strategic industry insights, students also learn ways to professionally present themselves and connect with industry,” Walsh said, noting that everyone can spot Hotelies on campus each Friday thanks to their professional dress. “We immerse these leaders in a 24-hour experience of true hospitality and engagement with our amazing students.”

2025 Nolan School Dean’s Distinguished Lecturer Series

All events take place from 1:25 – 2:15pm in the Alice Statler Auditorium, and open balcony seating is accessible from the 3rd floor.

Sept. 5: Dominic Chu ’99, senior markets correspondent at CNBC

Sept. 12: Anthony Capuano ’87, President & CEO at Marriott International

Sept. 19: Brian Kaufman ’08, Managing Director, Blackstone

Sept. 26: Amber Sherman ’05, Managing Partner, Galleon Advisors

Oct. 3: Christina Tosi, Founder & CEO, Milk Bar and Will Guidara ’01, NYT Bestselling Author, Host, Co-Producer of Unreasonable Hospitality

Oct. 17: Lindsey Brous Gitlin ’12, Owner & President, Collegetown Bagels

Oct. 24: Ashley Dimond ’14, Principal, Copford Capital Management and Sonja Dimond ’19, Principal, Copford Capital Management

Oct. 31: Alan Rosen ’91, Owner, Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery

Nov. 7: Liv Gussing Burgess ’91, Founder & Managing Director, Luxury Hospitality Consulting

Nov. 14: Abigail Charpentier ’95, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer, Aramark

Nov. 21: Justin Wai ’06, Senior Managing Director & Head of Real Estate China, Blackstone

Dec. 4: Rohan Thakkar ’08, Chief Development Officer, Yotel