News Releases 

From the time Alaina Bryce Pauga got her first job as a teenager, work has been something she looks forward to. Now a senior in HRM, Bryce hopes to help others experience that same enjoyment in their work, no matter what their job may be.

When Thomas Smith was a junior studying information systems (IS) at the BYU Marriott School of Business, he was determined to find a summer internship where he could build upon the lessons he was learning in his classes. But after sending dozens of applications and hearing nothing back, he wondered what more he could do. He decided to focus on creating connections and networking, eventually finding opportunities in unexpected places.

Alexis Belliston wasn’t planning on graduate school—her focus was on creating a graphic design career at home while raising her family. But two years ago, when she was inspired to pursue an MBA at the BYU Marriott School of Business, she felt God pave the way for her to go back to school, building her faith and confidence along the way.

Ellie Romans Draper knew from a young age that she was interested in global development and philanthropy, and her desire to make a difference led her to the Ballard Center for Social Impact at the BYU Marriott School of Business.

Students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the BYU MPA program participated in a bike race from Salt Lake City to Saint George—facing heat, cold, mountains, and fatigue together—and eventually crossed the finish line as a team.

Gabrielle Sorensen’s entrepreneurial journey has centered on blending creativity with meaningful client relationships. Sorensen, a 2019 BYU Marriott School of Business alumna, is the founder of her own floral design company, Fleur Gabrielle, where she strives to craft unforgettable experiences for her clients using the skills she gained as a student in the experience design and management program.

The BYU Marriott School of Business MBA program comes in at No. 2 in the world for “Overall Satisfaction” according to newly released global MBA rankings from The Financial Times.

Attendance at the 2024 Women in Business Conference quadrupled from its intimate inaugural gathering in 2023, drawing students, alumnae, and faculty for professional development training and a celebration of women in business.

While studying information systems at the BYU Marriott School of Business, Doug Maxfield planned to pursue a career in technology development. Then he found an untaped passion that changed everything.

On November 7, 2024, Steven J. Lund, the young men general president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received the 2024 Patriot Award in recognition of his dedication to the values of faith, leadership, and patriotism.

When Masahiro Hokazono told his mother he planned to go to college in the United States, he couldn’t speak English at all. So, while taking his first year of classes at a university in Japan, he spent hours studying English. Now he has a full-time position at a Big Four firm in Chicago.

Kate Blaine started her military journey by joining BYU’s Army ROTC; however, she later felt inspired to join the Air Force ROTC. Blaine knew the switch would be a big change, but she followed through with her prompting, hoping to understand her path more as she served.

In fall 2024, the MPA program presented the Alumnus of the Year Award to Robert Carver, director of the NASA Agency Workforce Strategy and Transformation Office, to recognize his extraordinary service and leadership in the public sector and in his community.

Jeff Bednar, an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources at the BYU Marriott School of Business, has seen how focusing on relationships and telling his personal story have brought the most meaning to his professional life.

College was far from Maile Berg’s mind for much of her life. She dedicated years of her youth to preprofessional ballet—attending school part-time and spending her summers training at different ballet schools. Then a career-ending injury changed her plans.

Swimming with sharks isn’t typically a precursor to entering a program at the BYU Marriott School of Business, but for Aleia Allen, a field study adventure in the Caribbean spurred her into her first semester in the experience design and management program.

Reid Tileston, an adjunct professor at the BYU Marriott School of Business, first became a business owner at age 16 when he took over his brother’s small airport-shuttle business. The experience helped Tileston begin developing an appreciation for entrepreneurship through acquisition that has directed his career ever since.

How does a student balance playing collegiate soccer with studying in the MBA program at the BYU Marriott School of Business? For Annabella Folino, it meant doing the program backward.

Fifty-eight high school teams from across Utah were given three weeks to develop a new marketing plan for the nonprofit organization Busankam Wola Foundation. The challenge? None of their work could be in English.

Paul Lambert hopes to empower students at the BYU Marriott School of Business to see their faith as one of their biggest assets in the workplace.