John Gallaugher

"Welcome back to the fun and excitement of Computers in Management!" John Gallaugher, a professor in Carroll School of Management (CSOM), possesses an energy, fervor, and passion for his students and their success that are unrivaled. He not only teaches eight sections of Computers in Management but also heads both the graduate and undergraduate TechTrek programs within CSOM.

Since arriving at Boston College in 1997, Gallaugher has had a passion for propagating direct student exposure within various business fields. As a part of the information systems (IS) department within CSOM, Gallaugher's business-oriented courses, as well as his teaching style, have fostered hands-on experiences for students. "He brings so much to the table with his energy," said Kyle Rickli, 2008 TechTrek participant and CSOM '10. "You can't help but get excited about what he's talking about."

As a result of his passion, Gallaugher was one of the driving forces behind the graduate and undergraduate TechTrek programs, which began four to five years ago. The incredibly competitive program is a three-credit course that combines classroom work with a field study to Silicon Valley and San Francisco. The class of 24 students meets for seven weeks prior to Spring Break, during which the students travel to California. "TechTrek fires on all cylinders, and its first priority is to give work and class experience," Gallaugher said. "[The TechTrek course] is most impactful, and that is hard to give in a class." While traveling to California, the students have approximately 20 visits with various companies and corporations, such as Apple, eBay, Cisco, Starbucks, and Microsoft. Gallaugher accompanied the students to Silicon Valley and closely observed their progress throughout the semester. "We have to be thinking how we can push the alma mater forward," Gallaugher said. The trip allows students to closely interact with CEOs and gain valuable insight to the insides of businesses. "The respect the [company CEOs and workers] have for Gallaugher is amazing because they see what he is doing, which is bringing 24 students and organizing this trip," Rickli said. "He's thinking about [the students] on top of everything else he is doing."

Having led field studies for numerous years in Asia and other areas of the world, Gallaugher sought to bring those experiences closer to the BC community and its students. "I always wanted to build a class around businesses in the field," Gallaugher said. "My goal was to offer a program that no other university was doing."

His innovative IS programs and courses have inspired students in all areas of study to actively pursue their goals and think independently. Gallaugher said that he strives to have his students attain and learn professional maturity, and that his work both in the classroom and with TechTrek has allowed him to watch his students grow and progress academically and personally. "I'm able to see a brilliant but maybe quiet accounting major grow from being unsure of herself to interacting toe to toe with CEOs," Gallaugher said. "It's great to see [students] trying to quench their thirst for knowledge."

Gallaugher said that he places immense value on furthering the development of skills that will help his students advance in many areas. He has actively sought and invited alumni in various business fields to meet with students and discuss important topics and strategies and has also hosted student-alumni social mixers. "Networking is so important and involves developing contracts that [students] can leverage," Gallaugher said.

In addition to founding the TechTrek course and program, Gallaugher has been actively involved in the BC Venture Capitalist Competition (BCVC). The program is a $15,000 competition in which students are presented with the opportunity to devise a business and share it with other groups. Eventually, a winner is selected and given prize money to aid in the implementation of their business plan in Silicon Valley. Gallaugher is a co-adviser of the BCVC competition with Larry Meilie, another CSOM professor. "It's a caliber of experience and is a testament to our alumni and students," Gallaugher said. "My students want entrepreneurial experience." Gallaugher said he is committed to working to allow his students to gain the direct and first-hand experience they need to be successful in their eventual fields of work.

As an integral part of the CSOM faculty, Gallaugher has worked to enrich his students with real business exposure and top knowledge of how to be successful. He balances a heavy teaching schedule with the intensity of TechTrek as well as being a member of the BC Tech Council. "I want to see my students have confidence in their brilliance," Gallaugher said.