News Releases 

Andres Aleson had one goal in mind when he pursued a college education: "I wanted to become a leader in whatever career I pick, where I can make a positive social impact in people's lives." Now, as an alumnus of the finance program at the BYU Marriott School of Business, he strives to impact individuals through service and personal connection.

In a room full of healthcare veterans, experience design and management student Emily Weber challenged herself to speak up. Weber, a senior at the BYU Marriott School of Business, says it's important to push herself to grow—even when she feels inexperienced, intimidated, or uncertain.

For Mark Johnson, an assistant professor of finance in the BYU Marriott School of Business, the decision to come to BYU Marriott to teach finance wasn’t driven only by a love of numbers or research—though he says he enjoys both. What ultimately drew him to academia was the chance to pair those interests with the opportunity to build lasting relationships with students and colleagues.

“With support, students know they’re not navigating problems alone, and they feel more empowered,” says Lena Lizunova, an assistant professor of management at the BYU Marriott School of Business who also serves as the faculty advisor for the Women in Strategy Association (WSA). “I think WSA gives strategy students that circle of support—people they can bring their hard questions to, celebrate wins with, and lean on during tough days.”

After working for almost ten years in technology development and engineering, Fabian Serradell knew it was time to take his business skills to the next level. So he quit his job and moved his young family more than 5,000 miles to a foreign country to join the MBA program at the BYU Marriott School of Business.

With a dad and three older brothers who all participated in the ROTC programs at Brigham Young University, Spencer Wright says it felt natural to follow in their footsteps. Now, as Wright serves in the Army ROTC and studies information systems (IS) at the BYU Marriott School of Business, he says these communities have shaped his character, perspective, and trajectory.

In the Netherlands, BYU Marriott School of Business students visited a multinational company in the morning, then rented bikes to ride through Amsterdam in the afternoon. In Italy, they attended classes in the morning and headed to go see an evening football match or an opera in Milan. Regardless of the location or the activity, BYU Marriott students who participate in the annual Business Semester in Italy and Europe make connections while immersing themselves in new cultures.

Heidi Wakefield had planned to spend the months after her freshman year at Brigham Young University as a Nauvoo performing missionary, but her application was denied. She took a chance on finance and learned that for her, God's timing is perfect.

He isn’t trying to become a professional baseball player, but BYU Marriott School of Business senior Cole Bourne hopes that both “professional” and “baseball” still end up in his future job description. As his lifelong passion for baseball has transitioned into enthusiasm for sports analytics, Bourne says he wants to bring the joy he feels for sports to others through business.

Faculty, administrators, and BYU ROTC cadets gathered in Brigham Square in November for the 2025 Presidential Review, hosted by the BYU Air Force and Army ROTC programs. General Bruce A. Carlson, U.S. Air Force Retired, was honored with the 2025 Leadership Award for his dedicated service to both The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the United States. In his address, Carlson encouraged cadets to use their knowledge of gospel principles for peace and perspective during their military service.

BYU Marriott School of Business MBA alumna Cydni Tetro describes standing in a Parisian mansion as Post Malone debuted his new fashion line. Her children, who were with her at the event, had one question for her: “How did you get into this room?” Tetro answered that question at the 2025 Honored Alumni Lecture.

Since the on-campus internship (OCI) program formed in 2007, more than 15,000 students have been able to gain class credit—and real-world business experience—through the BYU Marriott School of Business. As the program coordinator, David Hollan has a front row seat to students’ growth as they complete OCIs and build their résumés.

The BYU Marriott School of Business presented Kathryn McLay, president and CEO of Walmart International, with the 2025 International Executive of the Year Award. At the award ceremony, McLay shared how she and her team focus on servant leadership as they oversee more than 5,000 stores and hundreds of thousands of employees across 18 countries.

Brigham Young University student Grady Call thought the motto “The world is our campus” was a little cheesy when he first arrived to campus. But when he competed in the Computers for Change Case Competition hosted by the BYU Marriott School of Business’s Whitmore Global Business Center, he realized the phrase held some truth for him. “Here we are learning about Africa from Provo,” says Call, who’s studying international relations and economics. “It’s been a really cool feeling to be able to work on things that can have a real difference there.”

As seven new faculty members joined the BYU Marriott School of Business, dean Brigitte Madrian shares, “We are grateful that these extremely capable individuals have joined our faculty. They are deeply committed to our guiding principle of being centered on students and to our mission of developing leaders of faith, intellect, and character who will transform the world.”

Before many of them start their first internship, BYU Marriott School of Business MBA students who take MBA 657: Brand Management Strategy already have hands-on experience solving problems for brands. Whether students are brainstorming sweet solutions for Hershey’s, venturing into challenges facing Indian Motorcycle, or analyzing dilemmas other companies face depends on the semester; what’s constant is the chance to act as a brand manager in real-world situations.

After earning an MPA from the BYU Marriott School of Business in 1970, Michael Dyal focused his career on creating a culture of continual improvement and customer service in each of the four cities where he worked as a city manager. Dyal says he relied on spiritual promptings to guide his leadership to help others find value and fulfillment in their work.

While the internet continues debating if fruit snacks are candy, General Mills is working to put their product Gushers in the candy aisles. To do this, the company went through BYU Marriott to enlist the help of five students.

Nicole Utley keeps her office stocked with herbal teas and Pop-Tarts. Whenever she’s in the office, students in the experience design and management program can stop by for a treat and to chat. As the ExDM student experience administrator, Utley views “tea and tarts” as a way to help students develop clarity, competence, and confidence: clarity to see what’s possible, competence in their field of study, and confidence to take it out into the world.

Ever since he laid his eyes on an airplane cockpit as a young boy, Luke Parker knew he was destined for a career in the United States Air Force. But for Parker, being a captain in the Air Force and assistant professor in the Brigham Young University Air Force ROTC program is more than just a love for airplanes—it's also how service led to personal growth in all aspects of his life.