Using Business Education to Embrace Innovation
Villanova, PA – April 28, 2023 – The Villanova School of Business prepares students to curate innovation and use business skills as a way to make the world a better place. Finance major Anthony Dragisics ’23 VSB exemplifies this as he has applied these classroom skills to become the chief financial officer of Ascent Sporting Innovations.
Anthony, from Ellicott City, Md., is a senior pursuing a degree in Finance with a minor in Accounting and serves as a captain of the Villanova Men’s Soccer team. During his time at Villanova, he ambitiously joined a startup company, Ascent Sporting Innovations, co-founded by Thunlwyn Garcia and Anthony Milazzo, who attend Mount St. Mary's University. Garcia, a longtime friend and former high school soccer teammate, recognized Anthony’s analytical and creative skills that were necessary to propel Ascent Sporting Innovations forward.
The idea for the novel product originated on the soccer field when adverse weather conditions affected athletic performance. Garcia and Milazzo's filed a patent for footwear technology, which describes a structurally sound shoe insert that can provide thermoregulation to alleviate pain and discomfort. With Anthony’s help, the team discovered that their patent was more applicable than previously imagined – on and off the soccer field.
Anthony’s work helped the team recognize that their patent-pending technology could serve all individuals that experience foot pain in addition to athletes. He used his technical expertise from the classroom and his passion for entrepreneurship to lead finance interns in identifying target markets and customer opportunities to better address these widespread issues.
“The passion that I felt for this venture and the belief that this could be something greater and bigger than myself has driven me to work hard and balance academics, soccer and everything else in my life to be an influential part of this venture’s success,” Anthony said.
Villanova’s Augustinian values of Veritas, Caritas, and Unitas inspired him to lead through service. “Ascent Sporting Innovations strives to disrupt markets and service consumers in a novel manner. VSB’s core framework that I learned in my first year relates to the University’s values and encompasses my role in this venture: collaboration, creativity, and entrepreneurship. These three qualities have empowered me to pursue my passion and work to become a part of the next generation of VSB servant leaders.”
Anthony plans to continue working with Ascent Sporting Innovations as its CFO after graduation this spring.
Anthony Dragisics '23 VSB
“The passion that I felt for this venture and the belief that this could be something greater and bigger than myself has driven me to work hard and balance academics, soccer and everything else in my life to be an influential part of this venture’s success.”