Ten 2022 MBA grads at the BYU Marriott School of Business have received the highest distinction given to MBA students at the school: being named Hawes Scholars. The honor includes a cash award of $10,000.
“Each of this year’s Hawes Scholars has made a significant contribution to the MBA program,” says BYU Marriott MBA director Daniel Snow. “They stand out for their academic excellence, selfless contribution to classmates, and commitment to building in all they do.”
Named for successful corporate executive Rodney A. Hawes Jr. and his wife, Beverly, the Hawes Scholar award was created in 1998 to recognize the accomplishments of graduating MBA students at BYU Marriott. 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 BYU Marriott’s nationally ranked MBA program. Hawes, a Baker Scholar from the Harvard Business School, and his wife wanted to create a tradition at BYU Marriott that recognizes and rewards excellence among students entering the business world. In addition to being widely recognized for his expertise in financial matters, Hawes has a reputation for integrity, hard work, and community service.
Students and faculty nominate and vote for each year’s Hawes Scholars. The final selection is made by the Hawes Scholar Committee and is based on academic performance, leadership maturity, and commitment to high ethical standards.
2022 HAWES SCHOLARS AWARDS
Sean Beardsley already had a successful career in management consulting, but he chose to earn an MBA at BYU Marriott to become a more versatile leader and better person. “The BYU Marriott MBA program has surrounded me with the most incredible people, including peers, professors, mentors, and friends,” he says. “My experience was transformational, and I have been stretched to be the best version of myself. The program transformed my thinking, gave me lifelong friendships, and deepened my desire to share my talents.” Beardsley is preparing to help entrepreneurs, using his background in finance and strategy to work in either venture capital, private equity, or mergers and acquisitions. During his time at BYU Marriott, Beardsley was involved in a variety of programs that strengthened his expertise in his future career path. He was a director of Cougar Capital, a student-run venture capital fund, vice president of the Graduate Entrepreneur Association, and co-lead of the mentor program for MBA students in the entrepreneurship track. The Pueblo, Colorado, native has one son with his wife, Melissa. In their free time, the Beardsleys enjoy traveling, trying new food—both homemade and at restaurants—and snowboarding. Beardsley graduated from Utah Valley University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in finance.
St. George, Utah, has a special place in the heart of Joshua Fuller. He played basketball for Dixie State University from 2014 to 2017 while earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the school. Fuller and his wife, Whitney, are moving back to St. George with their two children after he graduates from BYU Marriott, where he plans to continue his career in wealth management. “I want to help individuals and families live fulfilling lives in pursuit of their most important goals. I look forward to returning to St. George and giving back to the community that supported me during my undergrad,” he says. Fuller chose to earn an MBA at BYU Marriott to further his ability to pursue two of his passions as a certified financial planner professional: increase financial literacy in low-income households and help family businesses create a legacy of doing good. He is originally from Rexburg, Idaho, and credits his parents for shaping his goals, both in basketball and in life. Fuller’s favorite part of the MBA program was building relationships with his professors and fellow classmates. Many of those relationships were strengthened on the basketball court, where Fuller won a BYU intramural basketball championship along with other members of his cohort.
If you need sourdough bread and someone to connect with, Ricky Gettys is who you need to talk to. Gettys believes sharing and baking bread together helps develop connections. He has a passion for growing communities, especially between businesses and their employees, and loves the community he has met in Provo. That community became extra meaningful when Gettys had his large intestine removed after his first year at BYU Marriott. “Community was key to adapting to becoming an ostomate,” he says. “The surgery and recovery were crucial moments in my life, and my MBA peers came through for me in many kind ways.” Gettys will start a PhD program at Penn State University this fall, with hopes of becoming a professor of organizational behavior in order to study how connections can improve business outcomes. Originally from Sacramento, California, Gettys and his wife, Jamie, have three children. His MBA is his second degree from BYU; he completed his undergrad in international relations in 2016. When he is not baking bread, attending class, or spending time with his family, Gettys enjoys riding his bike. To further support his hobby, he assists volunteers at BikeWalk Provo, an organization dedicated to biking and walk-friendly streets.
Finance guru Jason Nestor grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, and served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brasilia, Brazil. Nestor’s experiences serving others on his mission helped him gain an appreciation for balancing hard work with fiscal responsibility. Since then, he has dedicated his career to making data work better by increasing efficiency in finances. Nestor earned a bachelor’s degree in financial economics from BYU–Idaho in 2015. He chose to further his financial education through an MBA at BYU Marriott to pursue his goal of working in corporate finance. “The BYU Marriott MBA program has truly been a highlight of and a much-needed addition to my career,” Nestor says. “I look forward to the opportunities I will have to use what I learned at BYU Marriott to help those I come in contact with.” Nestor credits his fellow students for making his experience memorable. Some of his favorite memories include being a senior consult for Cougar Strategy Group and a team lead for the Silver Fund, a BYU Marriott investment team. In his free time, Nestor enjoys photography, road trips, and spending time with his family and friends.
Jessica Harris Perez will soon be moving with her husband, Fernando, to Los Angeles to start as a consultant with Boston Consulting Group. As Perez is undergoing a career transition, she looks forward to when she can help others in similar positions. “I love the BYU motto of ‘Enter to learn; go forth to serve,’ and have tried to implement that principle in my life ever since earning my undergrad degree at BYU,” she says. “I hope to stay connected with students interested in consulting so that I can continue to be a mentor.” Perez graduated from BYU Marriott in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. She spent four years as a credit associate for Goldman Sachs before returning to the school as part of her pivot to consulting. She loves her new career field because of her passion for supporting others, which she pursued throughout her time in the MBA program. Perez served as a mentor for other students interested in consulting and was the managing director of Kaizen, a project-based course for improvement initiatives within the BYU Marriott MBA program. Originally from Farmington, Utah, Perez’s upcoming employment in California is just one of many adventures she has had and plans to continue to have throughout her life.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from BYU in 2014, Sam Porter initially worked in consulting and software implementation at startup companies. In these roles, he frequently became involved in human resource projects. He decided to earn an MBA at BYU Marriott to increase his career potential in HR. “BYU Marriott provided a transformational experience that set me up for success in my career and life. Most importantly, the MBA program brought me into contact with so many incredible people who impacted my life for good,” Porter says. His family is preparing to move to Oregon where Porter will begin a talent management position for Nike Inc.’s HR department. Porter, originally from Mesa, Arizona, and his wife, Carol, have two children. The couple met at BYU while earning their undergrad degrees. During his time in the MBA program, Porter participated in a variety of experiential learning and leadership opportunities. Porter and his case competition teams took first place in multiple competitions, including the national Purdue HR Case Competition in 2020. He also mentored students, was a part of the Minority Leadership Association, and served as vice president of career placement for the MBA Human Resources Student Association at BYU Marriott.
Prior to her MBA, Millie Rapp, from Houston, used her 2012 bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from BYU to work in environmental compliance in multiple industries, including cement and electric power. Rapp then wanted to learn more business skills in order to increase her future career opportunities, so she made the decision to return to BYU for an MBA. While at BYU Marriott, she took classes through the Ballard Center for Social Impact, which gave her opportunities to apply what she was learning in the MBA program to business sustainability and social impact strategy. After graduating, Rapp will be a senior consultant at Trinity Consultants in Salt Lake City. While Rapp received plenty of technical training at BYU Marriott for her future career, she is most grateful for the spirit of the MBA program. “The energy at BYU Marriott is full of joy, faith, and support for each individual,” she says. “My interactions with classmates, professors, and world-class business leaders made lifelong positive impacts on my life. I'm excited to pay those impacts forward in both my professional and personal life.”
Growing up in a town of fewer than 500 people, Tanner Simmons became accustomed to providing for himself and others. He lived on a small family farm in Mud Lake, Idaho, where his various duties included raising his own herd of sheep. Simmons is preparing to continue supporting as many people as possible as he graduates from the BYU Marriott MBA program. He plans to enter the world of entrepreneurship by acquiring and operating small businesses. As he pursues his goal of being a business owner and leader, Simmons wants to put his employees over profit and provide them with advancement opportunities. “The MBA program has empowered me with increased knowledge and understanding within the different functions of business. More importantly, BYU Marriott has been an incredible place that has developed me to become a better leader and follower of Jesus Christ. I hope to take my experiences and knowledge forward to become a builder of businesses and people,” he says. Simmons is also grateful for the network he gained as he faces the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. Simmons and his wife, Alli, have three children. He also completed his undergrad at BYU Marriott, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2017.
Molly Turner chose to earn an MBA to gain skills to help companies become socially responsible. Originally from Salt Lake City, Turner has worked for organizations across the country on projects that strengthen communities. Her work has included developing grant programs for emerging artists, increasing diversity and inclusion in customer acquisition and retention, and analyzing social venture investments. Turner is grateful for how her time at BYU Marriott supplemented her prior professional experiences. “The BYU Marriott MBA program is full of amazing people who helped me grow personally and professionally,” she says. “Throughout my time in the program, I gained technical business skills along with a better understanding of how to implement social impact strategies that benefit stakeholders and help companies grow financially. After graduation, I plan to continue helping businesses use their core strategies and resources to make an impact in the world.” During her time at BYU Marriott, Turner continued to focus on others, serving as the vice president of mentorship for the Women in Management association and creating social impact opportunities for fellow students. Prior to earning her MBA, she received a bachelor’s degree in communications from BYU in 2010 and a master’s degree in community leadership from Westminster College in 2015.
After graduating from BYU in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Morgan Walker taught high school math and kindergarten classes in Arizona near her hometown of Gilbert. She left teaching after three years to pursue a new career as a real estate agent while also raising her three daughters alongside her husband, Jarom. As Walker’s children grew, she pondered earning an MBA, a goal she first thought about while finishing her undergrad. Her husband enrolled in the BYU Marriott MBA program in 2019, and Walker decided to join him a year later. The pair are graduating together and are grateful to have earned their degrees as a couple. Moving forward, Walker will start her career in human resources, a track she focused on during her time in the Tanner Building. She completed an internship with manufacturing corporation Honeywell in 2021 and will start in the company’s Arizona office full-time this summer as an HR generalist. Walker credits the BYU Marriott network for helping her transition to her new career. “Doors have opened for me that I thought were closed to me,” she says. “As an alumna, I hope to open those doors for future BYU Marriott MBA students. I love how supportive everyone in the MBA program is.”
The BYU Marriott School of Business prepares men and women of faith, character, and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Named for benefactors J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, the school is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. BYU Marriott has four graduate and nine undergraduate programs with an enrollment of approximately 3,300 students.
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Writer: Mike Miller