Spotlights

When BYU Marriott students feel nervous about going into the workforce, Zach Wright, an assistant professor in the global supply chain management (GSCM) program, says he knows exactly how they feel. Drawing on his own experiences, he advises BYU Marriott School of Business students to stay open to opportunities as they work toward their career goals.

Michael Liu has learned that when he prays for opportunities, God often responds with challenges—but for Liu, those challenges are the answer.

BYU Marriott student Shane Sykes describes himself as a dentist by training and an adventurer at heart. Above all, he prioritizes spending time with his family.

Starting a family and seeking creative ways to pay for school were transformative for BYU Marriott strategy student Dustin Hubnik. As he prepares to graduate, he reflects on the motivation he has found from deciding to embrace challenges.

As Caleb Jones tackles tricky topics in his GSCM classes, being personally accountable is his priority. Jones says this proactive approach has helped him grow and apply the things he learns to his studies as well as his personal life.

From modeling, to working in the Indiana House of Representatives, to eventually moving to Utah to help a friend chase a girl, to studying at BYU Marriott, Napoleon Nosker’s journey has been less than linear. Largely through the relationships he has formed with others, Nosker says he has been able to change his setbacks into strengths.

A series of conversations helped shape a career path for experience design and management (ExDM) student Maddie Johnson. What began as simple discussions about potential majors grew through interactions with peers, professors, and industry professionals, eventually leading her to a full-time role she hadn't expected.

As he prepares to graduate, MPA student Ben Maxfield reflects on how the lessons he learned have prepared him to start his career with confidence.

As Morgan Bale tells it, the path to her current position as an assistant professor at BYU Marriott was made up of a series of small steps and promptings from the Lord. Bale says the most important thing she can teach her marketing students is that their Savior lives and loves them, and she hopes to give them the skills they need to make their own small steps forward.

Before even stepping foot on BYU campus, GSCM senior Kennedy McMullin knew she was interested in business. What she didn’t know was the complex—and sometimes comical—situations she would find herself working in.

BYU Marriott alumnus Taylor DeHart says that investing in emerging restaurants might not be viewed as the most exciting job, but helping founders build their own version of the American dream makes it deeply fulfilling.

In accepting the MPA Alumnus of the Year award, Derek Miller shared how gospel principles have guided his views of leadership.

Graciela Massey thought her dream of coming to BYU Marriott had gone up in flames. But she made her way to the MBA program, and is now working to help others find the same path.

Of all the awards he earned and titles he held at the BYU Marriott School of Business—from PhD prep track coordinator to director of the School of Accountancy (SOA)—Doug Prawitt says mentoring students and helping them improve their lives is his proudest accomplishment.

As a senior in high school, Christian Dahneke decided to be a better example to the younger members of his congregation, and he says he’s carried a passion for building people up ever since: “I learned in that really small example that I can be a leader, and that I can help people feel the love of the Savior and grow closer to Him.”

With the end goal of becoming a lawyer, earning an MPA for John Lidang is less about his career aspirations and more about his desire to become a Christlike leader.

Finance alumnus Andres Aleson had one goal in mind when he pursued a college education at BYU Marriott: “I wanted to become a leader in whatever career I pick, where I can make a positive social impact in people’s lives.”

Nate Mortensen, cofounder of drone-show company Open Sky, transforms dark skies into shared experiences—from Stadium of Fire to small-town rodeos.