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STUDENT PROFILES
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Ryan Agte Getting accepted as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) is not easy, however, SDSU senior, Ryan Agte will begin his training with the Navy shortly after he earns his B.S. in information systems this spring. Of the 52 candidates from across the U.S. that applied for NFO with Ryan this year, he was one of only three that were selected and he will take flight training for 18 months to 2 years in Pensacola, Florida. Ryan said he was motivated to go into the Navy as an NFO because “the skills you gain in the Navy are directly applicable to the civilian market and it was an opportunity to serve my country.” Dr. Theo Addo (IDS): Ryan has a great attitude to life. While his academic performance demonstrates the seriousness with which he approaches his studies, he doesn’t really seem to “stress” or complain too much about things. He comes prepared to class, asks intelligent and relevant questions, and just gets the job done. I was happy to write a letter of recommendation for him for Naval Flight Officer training, and even happier when he got accepted.
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Aline Aprahamian Completing her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in May 2008, Aline Aprahamian has excelled both academically and personally. She was a Graduate Assistant (GA) involved in Organizational Behavior research and she offered guidance to students in their first semester of the MBA program. Aline was also a project manager for her final culminating experience project where she led a team in the completion of a study for SDSU’s Global Entrepreneurship MBA program. In terms of extracurricular activities, she is a volunteer for the Special Olympics, a member of the San Diego Opera chorus, and is currently training for the Santa Barbara half marathon. Shira Scott (Assist. Dir. of the MBA Program): Aline is very energetic, positive and hard working. It is important for her to succeed and to do well in her studies and work. She is definitely an impressive person who I am sure is going to be very successful in the future.
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Ali Artan Ali Artan is the epitome of an American success story. Since Ali arrived in the U.S. in 2002 as an asylum seeker from Somalia, he has dedicated himself to not only making the most of his opportunities, but also to helping other students, as well as Somali immigrant children. He works in the IT department of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), an organization that helps underrepresented students gain admission to four-year colleges. Ali is also the editor-in-chief of TAXAN – The Somali News Link, which is a quarterly newsletter that addresses the difficulties facing immigrant children.”I believe in giving back to the community in any shape or form possible, since I, myself, am a product of the community,” said the multi-lingual Ali. He will earn his B.S. in information systems and a minor in international security and conflict resolutions (ISCOR) this spring and will continue his education by pursuing an MBA in the spring of 2009. Dr. Theo Addo (IDS): Ali is a very dedicated, hard-working, and highly motivated student. He approaches all tasks, academic and otherwise, with great diligence. His innate intellectual curiosity has led him to apply for admission to graduate school after he earns his Bachelor’s degree this May. But what is truly remarkable about Ali is the dedication with which he combines his academic work with the work that he does in the community.
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Erin Bala Upon entering SDSU, Erin Bala set a goal to become a responsible global citizen. She has gotten a jump start on this goal by interning for a Congressman in Washington D.C. and doing volunteer service through the Alternative Spring Break program in South Africa. Erin also spent a summer studying conflict resolution in Cyprus and a semester studying Spanish in Spain—all while earning a 3.97 GPA and Summa Cum Laude distinction. Erin will pick up her degree in marketing and political science with a minor in Spanish this spring. Dr. Carol Venable (Director, Business Honors Program): The local community has benefited a great deal from Erin’s leadership skills in that she has served for several years on the La Mesa Youth Advisory Commission. She has also provided leadership within the university as President of the University Honors Program Student Council.
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Amy Barry Recently honored with the Charles R. (Chuck) Allen Scholarship during the recent Financial Executives International (FEI) awards, Amy Barry has proven to be an exceptional student during her time at SDSU. She managed this year’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, where she coordinated over 50 student volunteers who helped to prepare income tax returns for SDSU students and members of the community. Amy is also a Graduate Assistant (GA) and a Teaching Associate (TA) where she is involved in teaching introductory accounting courses for the SDSU School of Accountancy. Amy will earn her Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) in the December of 2008. Dr. Sharon Lightner (William E. Cole Director, School of Accountancy): “Amy Barry is the epitome of what a GA should be. Any task she is given is completed on time, correctly, and with minimum supervision.”
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Kristin Cruikshank Kristin Cruikshank is a model student who is graduating in May with a B.S. in Business Administration (finance). She has been on the Dean’s List every semester since she has started and, is a member of all five campus-wide honor societies, for which she received the Henry L. Jassen Honors Council Award. She was recently invited to join Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. She is also the treasurer of the Mortar Board and served as President of her business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. After graduation she plans on getting a job in the field for a few years before going for a J.D.M.B.A. Christina Pablo (CBA Administration Analyst, Resource Management): When I first started as the chapter advisor Kristin was the chapter president. Kristin is a team player, a kind and sincere individual, and an ideal student.
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Brian Elliott Brian Elliott has one thing that many college students covet – a job after graduation. Brian, who will graduate in May with a B.S. in Business Administration in Accountancy will start with the national accounting firm of McGladrey & Pullen in September. During his time at SDSU, Brian volunteered to do tax preparation free of charge with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. He also provides investment advice and information to friends and family, since he has been an active investor since he was 18-years-old. Christine Probett (Management): “Brian Elliot is a highly motivated student. He is always prepared for class, contributes well during discussions, asks meaningful questions and has a great sense of humor. For our MGT 405 course, students are required to write summaries of six case studies which must be turned in during the last three weeks of class – Brian completed and turned in all six summaries prior to Spring Break – at least three weeks early!”
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David Hall With a short time to go (December 2008) to earn his master's degree in accounting information systems (AIS) as a part of the Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) program, David Hall has proven to be an outstanding student. David received his B.A. in humanities from Brigham Young University with specializations in literature and composition as well as a minor in Spanish. Currently, David, is a Teaching Associate in the School of Accountancy teaching introductory financial accounting. When David is not teaching he is involved in volunteer work for multiple organization like ADHOC and Red Cross. He is also fluent in Spanish and helps interpret sign language at his church. David is pursuing a career in public accounting as a member of Ernst & Young, LLP's Risk Advisory Services groups in San Diego. Dr. Janie Chang, (Accounting): Dave has shown his interests and passion in the Information Technology (IT) Audit profession through his outstanding performance in various AIS and IT courses. Dave is definitely one of the most capable, motivated, and hardworking graduate students in the School of Accountancy. Dave's passion for learning as well as his ability to synthesize and communicate complex accounting concepts is clearly evident in his teaching and graduate coursework.
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Lina Holliday Lina Holliday has done something that few students have ever done – graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Originally from a small town in Lithuania, Lina came to the United States in 1998 and she is fluent in English, Lithuanian and Russian. Lina will be graduating this May with a B.A. in marketing and has not only been selected as this year’s most outstanding marketing undergraduate student, but she has also been selected as the most outstanding undergrad student throughout the College of Business Administration. After graduation, she expects to embark on a marketing career and eventually hopes to test the waters of entrepreneurship. Dr. Lois Olson (Marketing): Lina Holliday is truly an exceptional student – one you get every 10 – 15 years. She is not only involved in class, but is perhaps the most generous student I have ever had. Lina genuinely makes teaching so worthwhile.
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Dannesh Kassamali With one year to go to earn his bachelor’s degree in international business, Dannesh Kassamali has proven to be an outstanding (and very busy) student. He has founded Salaam to Humanity, a non-profit organization (NPO) dedicated to providing a deeper understanding of Islam and to helping Iraqi orphans. When Dannesh is not running his NPO, he stays active by working at SDSU’s Language Acquisition Resource Center. He is also pursuing his internship as a financial advisor assistant with Merrill Lynch, is a member of SDSU’s Muslim Student Association and the university’s International Business Society. With all this, he still finds time in his schedule to coach and organize youth basketball programs. Christine Probett (Management): “Dannesh Kassamali is an outstanding student – of the 125 students in my two sections of MGT 405, Dannesh is the only one who scored 100% on the second midterm exam. He was recently ‘tapped’ to be a recipient of the Mortar Board Honor Society (only 40 students out of over 2500 were chosen). For this honor, members of the Mortar Board recognize the students in one of their classes and Dannesh was honored (and surprised!) during our MGT 405 class."
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Joonyoung (Jason) Kim In spite of having immigrated to North America from South Korea just five years ago, Jason Kim has been able to adapt to a new language, culture and whole new way of life to become one of the SDSU School of Accountancy’s most outstanding graduate students. In fact, he was recently named the recipient of the Robert Barrett Family Scholarship at the Financial Executives International (FEI) awards ceremony. With plans to finish up his MSA in the fall of 2008, Jason is currently a GA for Dr. David DeBoskey and serves as the vice president of communications for SDSU’s Beta Alpha Psi organization. Jason has also done volunteer work with the Special Olympics and St. Vincent de Paul Village. Dr. David DeBoskey (Accounting): “Jason Kim has served as my graduate assistant since the fall of 2007 and his work ethic and attitude have been extraordinary. Jason’s professionalism, intellect and work ethic makes him among the best graduate students that I have worked with in my over 6+ years of involvement in advanced graduate education.”
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Sarah McAndrews Upon entering SDSU, Sarah became active in the Finance and Investment Society (FIS). It was through FIS that she met five other like-minded students and the group formed Campanile Capital Management (CCM) in early 2008. Sarah acts as the organization’s CEO, as well as an investor. Sarah is also an entrepreneur in that she is currently running her own exterior painting business, and, although she doesn’t plan to make this her life’s work, the challenges presented by running her own company have given her valuable expertise. A financial services major, Sarah’s plans following graduation in the spring of 2010 is to work as a certified financial planner. Dr. Anil Pawar (Finance): I recommend Sarah as a student who is extremely curious about the world of finance and deeply interested in the practical side of investments and finance. Sarah has high intellectual capacity, which she demonstrates on a regular basis in my FIN 323 class through her participation in class discussions and success on the mid-term examinations. She has started an investment club of which she is the president (leadership quality) and the club members have put their own money where their mouth is. They are going to use this as a learning vehicle at the same time hoping to navigate the investment markets successfully. I admire this leadership and take charge attitude.
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Juan Miguel Palma Juan Miguel Palma is graduating this May with a degree in information systems and has already showed his entrepreneurial abilities when he founded the Mu Sigma Consulting Group in 2007, a consulting company servicing non-profit organizations in San Diego. Miguel is currently working in project management at First American CREDCO, a leading provider of consumer information in the mortgage, automotive and specialty finance markets. After graduation he plans to obtain a MBA and start an investment partnership. Dr. Amy Randel (Management): Miguel is one of those interested, hungry-to-learn students that professors love to have in class. His contributions to class discussions were outstanding and he has a wealth of experience. The non-profit consulting work he has organized is really impressive and he has set up an infrastructure that the non-profit consulting work will be continued by SDSU students after he graduates.
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Emmerine Reynon Emmerine Reynon will be graduating in May as an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) major and with a minor in Television, Film, and New Media. She recently studied abroad at Chung-Ang University in Korea and in Illocos Norte, Philippines through the College of Business Administrations' Study Abroad program. During her time in Asia, Emmerine worked as an English instructor, wrote articles for the Chung-Ang International Student Magazine, and worked as a volunteer organizing various activities for children, which she also does with refugee teens in San Diego. Emmerine's ultimate career goal is to own a production company that focuses on multi-cultural entertainment, bridging the gap between the American and international entertainment industry. Teresa Donahue (Director of Study Abroad Programs): Emmerine is a special person because of her warm heart, human compassion, and thoughtfulness. Emmerine is a self-reflective individual who values human connectivity and friendship which made her the ideal student to study abroad. She has a great ability to approach a new culture not only with an open mind but also with an open heart.
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Keenan Rice Graduating this May with a B.S. in marketing, Keenan Rice has already shown his talents when he chose to work with SDSU Professor Heather Honea in a special study due to his expertise in Internet marketing. He is currently pursuing a job in the field of digital marketing in the San Francisco area. In a few years, he will be applying to graduate school at Columbia, Northwestern, UCLA, and Harvard to pursue his MBA as a step to achieve his long-term growth and success goals. Dr. Kathleen Krentler (Marketing): Keenan was one of my top students in the class despite taking a full class load in the summer and working virtually full time as a marketing project manager at an online marketing agency. It became clear that his skills would place him way beyond what is taught in MKT 476 (Internet Marketing). He is definitely not the kind of student I encounter every day at SDSU.
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David Seaton David Seaton has been incredibly busy during his time at SDSU. He has served as president of SDSU’s Finance and Investment Society; as vice president for the Associated Business Student Council; twice as a member of the award-winning Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team; and he has published money management advice article in the Daily Aztec. But it was his involvement as a founding member of the student-run investment group, Montezuma Money Management, which led to the opportunity of a lifetime – meeting and being photographed with Warren Buffett in May 2008. Dave will complete his B.S. in finance in the spring of 2008. Dr. Carol Venable (Director, Business Honors Program): Several of Dave’s peers expressed to me that they are impressed with his dedication and how he is a role model who shows how to take charge and move ahead.
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Jeremy Volper Jeremy Volper, a management major who will graduate in December, 2009, not only has a 3.7 GPA but he participates in service projects, donations and drives, and organizes activities to help out with an Eagle Scout program through his church where he was at one time the eagle scout coordinator. He also helped with clean-up effort for last year's San Diego fire. Ever since Jeremy can remember he has been making his own board games and wants to someday mass market his games. In making his board games, Jeremy combines story-telling, graphic art design, mold and model making, and wood working. Dr. Anil Pawar (Finance): Jeremy first came to my attention when I noticed a bunch of students gathering around him and asking him questions at the end of my lecture in FIN 323. He was trying to help some students understand some of the concepts I had just taught. He has a very strong work ethic.
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Philipp Walter Graduating this May with a sports management MBA, Philipp Walter has already hit the ground running with a position in the Global Brands Marketing, Football (soccer) department at Adidas in Germany. He has been involved in many activities already as a member of the sporting goods giant’s organization, including project management for Real Madrid organization’s new jersey presentation; photo shoot preparation for a public relations event with David Beckham; and support for a major Adidas marketing soccer campaign called “Dream Big”. Dr. John Francis (Management): "Philipp is intellectually curious and has a strong work ethic. In applying these traits, he has developed a distinctive business sense for thinking strategically and for determining how he can add value to companies he works for. These factors have paid off for him as he has leveraged an internship with Adidas, into a full-time position within their Global Brands Marketing area for soccer." |
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