Monday, May 05, 2008

14 MBA Students Awarded Eccles Scholarships


Back L to R: Sirish "Bob" Maddula, Aaron Burt, Clark Woolstenhulme, Erdenetsetseg "Segie" Tumurbaatar, Harsh Dhawan Grover, Yael Rodriguez Guinzberg and Taylor Fisher; Front L to R: Kihyuck "Kyle" Jeong, Alvaro Brisolla, Christian Hsieh, Michelle Quinn and Cesar Belmonte
Not pictured: Marc de Schweinitz and Aaron McKay

PROVO, Utah – Apr 28, 2008 – The Kay and Yvonne Whitmore Global Management Center at Brigham Young University presented 14 MBA candidates with Eccles Scholarships for outstanding achievement in international business. Each Eccles Scholar will receive $10,000 to defray the cost of tuition and international experiences during their enrollment.

“This year’s Eccles Scholars carry on the fine tradition of outstanding MBA students who are interested in careers in international business,” says Lee Radebaugh, director of the Whitmore Global Management Center. “The funding is instrumental in supporting their education at BYU and engaging in meaningful international activities to help them prepare to be successful in a global environment. It is an honor for the students to be selected as Eccles Scholars and a signal to employers that they are serious about international careers.”

The 2008 Eccles Scholars are Cesar Belmonte, from Sao Paulo, Brazil; Alvaro Brisolla, from Sao Paulo, Brazil; Aaron Burt, from Sandy, Utah; Marc de Schweinitz, from Palo Alto, Calif.; Taylor Fisher, from Everett, Wash.; Harsh Dhawan Grover, from Himachal Pradesh, India; Yael Rodriguez Guinzberg, from Mexico City; Christian Hsieh, from Taipei, Taiwan; Kihyuck “Kyle” Jeong, from Busan, Korea; Sirish “Bob” Maddula, from Andhra Pradesh, India; Aaron McKay, from Pleasant Grove, Utah; Michelle Quinn, from New Canaan, Conn.; Erdenetsetseg “Segie” Tumurbaatar, from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; and Clark Woolstenhulme, from Plano, Texas.

Marriott School students seeking the Global Management Certificate are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Selection is based on prior international work experience, second-language fluency and a strong desire to pursue a career in international business. The final selection is made by a committee of international business faculty and directors of the Whitmore Global Management Center.

The Eccles Scholarship is funded by the George S. and Dolores DorĂ© Eccles Foundation. To ensure that the Eccles’ philanthropic work continued beyond their lifetimes, the foundation was formed in 1960 and supports a variety of projects and programs throughout the state. The foundation is particularly committed to promoting quality education — it funds programs on nearly every college and university campus in Utah.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, entrepreneurship, public management and information systems. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.

Eccles Scholar Bios

Cesar Belmote, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in supply chain management. He earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Sao Paulo. Belmonte worked as an engineer in Brazil and Ohio and has accepted an offer from Cummins to be a supply chain specialist in Tennessee. “I have always been very interested in expanding my international experience and enhancing my language skills,” Belmonte says. “BYU has helped me improve my managerial skills and my competitiveness in the international market.”

Alvaro Brisolla, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in supply chain management. He earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Sao Paulo State University. Brisolla began his career working as a front line manufacturing manager for Johnson & Johnson and later worked for Alcan as the process engineer responsible for the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East. He has accepted a supply chain manager position with Johnson & Johnson in Brazil.



Aaron Burt, from Sandy, Utah, is a first-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. He earned undergraduate degrees in computer engineering and Russian from BYU. Burt worked as a design engineer at Intel Corporation, where he led several engineering teams with members located in the United States, Malaysia and China. “The Eccles Scholar Award allows me to continue integrating international experience with my academic endeavors,” says Burt. “It validates my commitment to international business.”

Marc de Schweinitz, from Palo Alto, Calif., is a second-year MBA candidate. He earned an undergraduate degree in international business from BYU—Hawaii. De Schweinitz worked as a territory sales manager for Hardwoods Specialty Products in Salt Lake City. He currently serves as the vice president of communications for the MBA Marketing Association. After graduation he will work as a commercial assignments specialist for The Dow Chemical Company in Michigan.

Taylor Fisher, from Everett, Wash., is a first-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing. He earned an undergraduate degree in information systems from BYU. While teaching mini-courses in basic computer skills and finance, Fisher began doing consulting work for small business ventures with operations in the United States and South America. He has helped companies embrace technology and automate their processes. He plans to pursue a career in international business and product strategy.


Harsh Dhawan Grover , from Himachal Pradesh, India, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing. She earned an undergraduate degree in computer science from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India and worked more than five years in project management at IBM Global Services in India and Ireland. Grover also completed an Executive Program in International Business at Symbiosis Institute of International Business, in Pune, India. She plans to start her career in finance with a hi-tech company in the San Francisco Bay area.

Yael Rodriguez Guinzberg, from Mexico City, is a first-year MBA candidate. She earned an undergraduate degree in business management from BYU—Idaho. Guinzberg worked with the vice president of marketing at the corporate offices of Eatza Pizza, Inc. in Arizona before returning to Mexico to become a teacher. “I have a passion for different cultures and languages,” Guinzberg says. “I’m determined to have a great impact in society and believe my personal goals along with my education will help me in my future.”



Christian Hsieh, from Taipei, Taiwan, is a first-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. He earned an undergraduate degree in business from BYU─Hawaii. Hsieh worked in the consumer product development and manufacturing industry and traveled extensively between the United States and Asia. “The quality of education [at BYU] and the opportunities available for career advancement have greatly exceeded my expectations,” Hsieh says. “Most importantly, I developed a stronger desire to reach out and serve others.” He will be joining JPMorgan this summer for an internship in New York and Singapore.

Kihyuck “Kyle” Jeong, from Busan, Korea, is a first-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. He earned an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering and business from Pusan National University in Korea. Jeong worked in international sales in the high-tech industry and initiated new markets in India, Russia and Venezuela. For Pantech, he worked as a project manager and quality engineer for cellular phone products in Seoul, Dubai and Mexico City. “I believe I will be an honorable business leader with all the principles and skills I have learned here at BYU,” Jeong says.


Sirish “Bob” Maddula, from Andhra Pradesh, India, is a second-year MBA candidate. He earned an undergraduate degree in computer science and engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in India. Maddula pursued a master’s degree in computer science at Kansas State University and worked for the National Academic Advising Association as a computer information systems manager. After graduation, he will work for Symantec Corporation in California as part of their Finance Leadership Program.

Aaron McKay, from Pleasant View, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. He earned an undergraduate degree in business management from Weber State University. McKay worked for SkyWest Airlines, where he managed the training of employees and contractors, including all international training. “I never dreamed of having the experiences I had while in the program,” McKay says. “I truly feel indebted to BYU for the education I have received, and I pledge to honor my commitment to the university’s mission after graduation.” He plans to work for Cambridge Associates LLC, a global investment consulting firm.

Michelle Quinn, from New Canaan, Conn., is a first-year MBA candidate. She earned an undergraduate degree in political science from BYU. Quinn interned for the office of the chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on International Relations in Washington, D.C., where she developed a passion for studying cross-cultural communication and cooperation in both the public and private sectors. This summer Quinn will work for NBC in Beijing at the 2008 Olympics.



Erdenetsetseg “Segie” Tumurbaatar, from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. She earned undergraduate degrees in accounting from BYU—Hawaii and applied mathematics from Ulaanbaatar University in Mongolia. Tumurbaatar’s interest in international business grew as she worked at the Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship at BYU—Hawaii. “I came to the Marriott School to gain skills and experience that would enable me to achieve my goal of improving the livelihood of others through business development and entrepreneurship,” Tumurbaatar says. In June, she will start work as a senior financial analyst for the biotechnology firm Applera Corporation.


Clark Woolstenhulme, from Plano, Texas, is a second-year MBA candidate with emphases in marketing and strategy. He earned an undergraduate degree in computer science from BYU. He worked as a software engineer for Novell, Inc. and Rigaku Americas Corp., a Japanese company that develops X-ray and other instrumentation technology. Woolstenhulme has accepted a position as a technical product marketing specialist at Bose and will work on their global product strategy and marketing.


Thursday, March 27, 2008

BYU Students Win Second Place at FedEx Supply Chain Competition

PROVO, Utah – Mar 24, 2008 – Six students from Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management won second place and $2,000 at the 11th annual FedEx Freight International Graduate Logistics Case Competition in Fayetteville, Ark.

It was BYU’s first time at the invitational event, sponsored by FedEx Freight in alliance with the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the University of Arkansas’s Sam M. Walton College of Business.

From l to r: Artie Gulden, Bradlee Watson, Harsh Dhawan Grover, Dave Minaker, Brian Fischer and Alvaro Brisolla.

“On a global stage, the supply-chain world is a close-knit community,” says Stan Fawcett, professor of global supply chain management at BYU and the team’s faculty adviser. “Being able to get the invitation to compete and then to perform well opens the door to this tight community. The team’s performance in Arkansas will significantly improve the visibility and recruiting opportunities for our students.”

The Feb. 28-March 1 event pitted 12 of the best supply chain programs in the world against each other, with each team playing the role of a consulting firm for a fictional start up company in the growing wind turbine industry. Contestants had 24 hours to review the case and prepare recommendations for a supply chain plan, which they presented before a panel of judges. The judges then challenged each team’s findings in a question-and-answer session.

Fawcett interviewed potential team members and selected students with a variety of backgrounds who exhibited the right combination of talent, decisiveness and humility. The BYU team consisted of first-year supply chain students: Bradlee Watson, from Provo, Utah; Brian Fischer, from Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.; and Dave Minaker, from Pincher Creek, Alberta. Second-year supply chain students on the team were Alvaro Brisolla, from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Artie Gulden, from Lewisburg, Penn.; as well as second-year finance student Harsh Dhawan Grover, from Himachal Pradesh, India.

To prepare, the team spent four weeks analyzing case studies and delivering presentations to a panel of BYU professors, which helped the students improve their analytical skills, teamwork and confidence.

“My first practice presentation was terrible,” says Alvaro Brisolla. “But by the time I presented at the competition, I was not the same person. Not that my English improved that much, but our preparation gave me more confidence to speak English in front of people. Presentation skills are so important in business, so I think the competition was fantastic for me.”

The University of Maryland placed first and won $3,000, and Pennsylvania State University was awarded $1,000 for finishing third. The other participating universities included the University of Arkansas, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin—Madison, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Iowa State University, Texas Christian University, Darmstadt University of Technology from Darmstadt, Germany, and Chalmers University of Technology from Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, entrepreneurship, public management and information systems. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Marriott School Rankings - Have a look

Here is a consolidated view on the rankings of Marriott School published by various independent agencies:

Undergraduate


R A N K
P R O G R A M
S O U R C E


2nd
Accounting
Public Accounting Report, 2007
3rd
Accounting
U.S. News & World Report, 2007

7th
Undergraduate Programs
BusinessWeek, 2008

38th
Business Management
U.S.News & World Report, 2007

19th
International Business
U.S. News & World Report, 2007

12th
Entrepreneurship Emphasis
Entrepreneur, 2006

Graduate


R A N K
P R O G R A M
S O U R C E


1st
MBA (regional schools)
The Wall Street Journal, 2007

1st
MBA (time to payback)
BusinessWeek, 2006

2nd
MBA (emphasis on ethics)
The Wall Street Journal, 2007

4th
MBA (accounting emphasis)
The Wall Street Journal, 2007

9th
MBA (corporate social responsibility)
The Wall Street Journal, 2007

18th
MBA
Forbes, 2007

41st
MBA
U.S.News & World Report, 2007
World 82nd
MBA
Financial Times, 2008
2nd
MBA (Most Family-Friendly)
The Princeton Review, 2008
2nd
MAcc
Public Accounting Report, 2007
65th
MPA
U.S.News & World Report, 2004

Source: Marriott School Website http://marriottschool.byu.edu/news/rankings.cfm

WSJ Ranks BYU MBA # 1

School Also Listed as Second Best Place to Find Ethical Graduates

The Wall Street Journal ranked Brigham Young University’s Master of Business Administration Program first in the nation among regional schools in the paper’s 2007 report of top business programs, up from third in 2006 and sixth in 2005. The Marriott School was also ranked No. 2 among the best schools for hiring graduates with strong ethical standards behind Dartmouth College.

“This is a tremendous honor to be at the top of such a distinguished list of schools,” says Ned C. Hill dean of BYU’s Marriott School of Management. “We are grateful to the companies that return again and again to recruit our students. We’re very proud of our graduates and the high professional and ethical standards they have become known for throughout the world.”

The journal categorized national and regional schools based on the type of recruiters they attract —regional school’s tended to attract more recruiters from a particular region whereas national schools attracted recruiters from a broader geographic area.

This year’s top regional schools are 1) BYU, 2) Wake Forest University, 3) Ohio State University, 4) University of Rochester and 5) Indiana University. The top national schools are 1) Dartmouth College, 2) University of California — Berkeley, 3) Columbia University, 4) Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 5) Carnegie Mellon University.

In addition to the top regional honor and strong showing in ethics, BYU placed fourth in the paper’s “accounting” honor roll and ranked ninth in “corporate social responsibility.”

“Year in and year out, recruiters rave about graduates’ maturity, competitive drive, integrity and international experience, especially from their missionary work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” the paper reported about BYU. “Academically, the Marriott School receives high marks in the Journal survey for its accounting program. Some recruiters are also finding that more Brigham Young MBAs make a good fit for investment banking.”

BYU MBA Program Director James Engebretsen says, “Our focus on investment banking is fairly new and still relatively small. But, we’re finding it to be a good fit for an increasing number of our students. It’s rewarding to see Wall Street valuing our students in this area as well as recognizing their strong work ethic, integrity and the great professional training provided by our faculty.”

This is the seventh year The Wall Street Journal has evaluated MBA programs around the world. More than 4,400 recruiters who hire full-time business school graduates participated in the 2007 survey. Recruiters evaluated schools on three components. Equal weight was given to perceptions of the school and its students, the likelihood of recruiting and hiring at the school in the future, and mass appeal — the total number of participating recruiters who recruit at the school. Perceptions of the school and its students were based on 21 attributes such as analytical and problem solving skills, communication and interpersonal skills, faculty expertise, curriculum content, leadership potential, and career services at the school.

The list of schools eligible for the rankings came from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and discussions with experts in the field of MBA recruiting. Only 265 schools met the Journal’s rating requirements. Of those, 86 schools were ranked.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.