2010 Hawes Scholars Announced

Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management has announced eight MBA students as its 2010 Hawes Scholars. The honor, which carries a cash award of $10,000, is the highest distinction given to MBA students at the school.

"We were impressed with this year's Hawes Scholars because of their commitment to the MBA program and their willingness to assist their classmates," says Craig Merrill, MBA program director. "The feedback we received about this year's recipients focused on each person's ability to serve others and to improve the community around them."

The 2010 Hawes Scholars are David Liddicoat, from Perth, Australia; Oliver Christensen, from Oak Hill, Va.; Ronell Hugh, from Knightdale, N.C.; Chloe Andersen, from Walnut Creek, Calif.; Craig Anderson, from Rutland, Vt.; Stephen Jones, from Hermiston, Ore.; Emily Tanner, from Carlsbad, Calif.; and Brian Henderson, from Salt Lake City.

Students and faculty nominate and vote on each year's Hawes Scholar recipients. Final selection is made by the Hawes Scholar Committee and is based on academic performance, leadership maturity and a commitment to high ethical standards.

Named for successful corporate executive Rodney A. Hawes Jr. and his wife, Beverly, the award was created in 1998 to recognize the accomplishments of graduating MBA students.

The Hawes Scholar award is one of many initiatives made possible by the Hawes Endowment, a gift of more than $2 million used to facilitate the growth and enhancement of the Marriott School's nationally ranked MBA program. Mr. Hawes, a Baker Scholar from the Harvard Business School, and his wife wanted to create a tradition at the Marriott School that recognizes and rewards excellence among students entering the business world. He served as chairman and CEO of Life Re Corporation, a leading provider of life reinsurance in the United States. He is currently director of the W.R. Berkley Corporation. In addition to being widely recognized for his expertise in financial matters, Hawes has a reputation for integrity, hard work and community service.

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, entrepreneurship, and recreation management and youth leadership. The school's mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,300 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.

Hawes Scholars Bios

Chloe Andersen excelled at BYU even before attending the Marriott School. She first worked as team lead for a Marriott School field study, where she helped quantify Marriott International's external reputation. She also worked two years as office manager for BYU's Counseling and Career Center where she made significant changes in human resource management. Now Andersen, a second-year MBA student with an emphasis in OBHR, helps to recruit top talent to the MBA program through coordinating prospective student visits and connecting prospective students with current students and alumni. Overall Andersen says BYU's academic environment has contributed to her success. "BYU offers an atmosphere that is both collaborative and synergistically competitive," Andersen says. "It's collaborative because my classmates are all willing to work together, but it's competitive because my classmates' drive pushes me to do my best. When I'm in group work I'm driven to do better because my classmates are counting on me."

When Craig Anderson first came to the business school, he admits he didn't know much about finance. Although he worked seven years before deciding to get an MBA, Anderson primarily used his bachelor's in electrical engineering as a product marketer. He wanted to find an MBA program that could further develop his business understanding. Anderson gained this knowledge not only in the classroom but also as president of the Graduate Finance Association, vice president of finance for Net Impact, a board fellow for the United Way of Utah County and a member of the Capital Markets Club. Now after two years of intensive learning in the program, Anderson has received a job on Wall Street with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "It's just a holistic education that has everything," he says. "I can say with confidence that this program gave me the opportunity to do everything I wanted to do in my business school experience. The combination of meaningful peer relationships, academic rigor, leadership opportunities, spiritual growth and career opportunities has never left me wanting."

An ethnic food enthusiast, Oliver Christensen currently serves as president of the MBA Student Association and is a teaching and research assistant for marketing professor Dr. Glenn Christensen. As MBAA president he brought together the various MBA clubs and associations, unifying their efforts to help MBA students network more effectively. Christensen, a second-year MBA student emphasizing in marketing and strategy from Oak Hill, Virginia, graduated summa cum laude with a degree in computer science from The George Washington University. He has enjoyed the unique collaborative environment at BYU. "The BYU MBA isn't about succeeding at the expense of others," he says. "Rather we believe in succeeding with each other. And we believe in giving back to the program, our communities and our churches starting day one after graduation."

Brian Henderson likes to say that one of his hobbies is orchestrating large events. If this is the case, then all of Henderson's experiences before and during his time at the Marriott School shaped and magnified his hobbies. In 2006 Henderson worked for the Romney for President campaign as finance director in the mountain states region. While at the Marriott School Henderson orchestrated large events when he served as director of BYU's Business Plan Competition and served as organizer and leader of the MBA Europe Business Excursion. After graduation Henderson, who has an emphasis in marketing and entrepreneurship, plans to begin the biggest event of all — starting his own business. He says the skills and lessons he learned at the Marriott School have helped him prepare for that big step. "I have grown tremendously both personally and professionally through the unrivaled mentoring and real-world experiences offered through my classes and in my extracurricular commitments," he says. "I hope to follow the mantra of the Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology in my career — to learn, earn and return."

Ronell Hugh, of Knightdale, N.C., started scoring big as media relations manager for major league soccer's Real Salt Lake after graduating with a bachelor's in communications from BYU. After two years with Real Salt Lake, Hugh shifted gears and became an account manager for HP, providing sales and marketing expertise to the company's partners. A second-year MBA student with an emphasis in marketing and strategy, Hugh hopes to leave his mark on Wal-Mart after graduation, where he has been offered a position as associate marketing manager. "Obtaining my MBA at BYU has been a life-changing experience for me," he says. "I have made lifelong friends and connections that have and will continue to impact my life. I have also been able to develop academically, providing me with the knowledge to be successful in my future professional and personal endeavors."

After graduating summa cum laude from Oregon State University in 2002,

worked six years at Nike Inc. While there he gained experience from being a business analyst, software architect and software engineer. But Jones found that through group work and leading teams in the MBA program, his real passion was for teaching. In the fall Jones who has an emphasis in supply chain management, will pursue a doctoral degree in strategic management and organization from the University of Minnesota. "I have worked closely with a few professors and have been able to see just how much effort they dedicate to help us learn," he says. "I look forward to the opportunity to teach a future generation of MBA students and to further research in the field of business management."

David Liddicoat made quite a splash in Australia. An avid beach and outdoor sports enthusiast, Liddicoat graduated with a bachelor's in commerce from the University of Western Australia. Before attending the Marriott School, he owned his own financial planning firm in Australia. Liddicoat, who has an emphasis in finance, has made several contributions to the Marriott School including serving as vice president of the Graduate Finance Association, where he organized the first-ever GFA Golf Day. Liddicoat says he is eager to use the skills he learned at BYU to further develop his career in another beach-laden place — California, where he has accepted a job with Symantec. "Though challenging, the class work has been very beneficial to me and will certainly help me throughout my career," Liddicoat says. "I have been able to work with some brilliant individuals and have been amazed at the common desire among classmates to help each other."

Emily Tanner, a second-year MBA with an emphasis in OBHR, was voted by her peers as president of the Organizational Behavior Student Association. As president Tanner managed all financial, administrative and social aspects of the club. She also served as team leader in an external case competition and worked as Professor Curtis LeBaron's teaching assistant for international human resources, which allowed her to organize the class trip to Mexico in January. Through it all Tanner has loved the student, faculty and alumni connections she's developed at the school. "The alumni I met are so loyal to this school; one alum flew from Cincinnati to Boston to visit me," she says. "They are very committed to making sure I was successful."

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Writer: Sara Elizabeth Payne