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 Doré 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.
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Writers: Arie Dekker and Sherstin Creamer