The Kay and Yvonne Whitmore Global Management Center at Brigham Young University announced 10 first-year MBA candidates as Eccles Scholars and awarded each recipient $9,000 to aid with schooling costs, international projects, and global career exploration.
"The award comes with the important expectation to continue their positive representation of BYU," says Ervin Black, Whitmore Center faculty director. "We encourage them to act as mentors and resources to the university, students and stakeholders in the future and throughout their lives and careers."
The 2012 Eccles Scholars are Bryan Belnap, from Oakley, Calif.; Adam Charles, from St. Gallen, Switzerland; John Dodson, from Honolulu; Fagner Donadon, from São Paulo; Matt Frandsen, from Lehi, Utah; Vandita Razdan, from Kurukshetra, India; Brandon Seiter, from Tempe, Ariz.; Maryna Storrs, from Sumy, Ukraine; Ying "Peter" Xie, from Wuhan, China; and Kellen Zollinger, from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
A committee of Marriott School faculty members interviewed 31 applicants and selected the top 10 candidates. The award winners were chosen based on their international business expertise and experience, second-language fluency, GPA, GMAT score and desire to further their careers in international business ventures.
The Whitmore Center increased the number of scholarship award winners this year, giving more students and opportunity to pursue international careers with financial help.
"We are thankful to the Eccles Foundation for its support of this important award for our MBA students," Black says.
The Eccles Scholarship is funded by the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation. The foundation was founded in 1960, to ensure that the Eccles' philanthropic work is continued beyond their lifetimes. It supports many projects and programs, particularly in education, throughout the state of Utah on nearly every college and university campus in the state.
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 and entrepreneurship. 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.
2012 Eccles Scholars
Bryan Belnap is a native of Oakley, Calif., and a 2005 BYU communications graduate. In the MBA program, his emphasis is on marketing, and he holds leadership positions in three student clubs while still fulfilling his role as husband and father of three. "In the MBA program, professors have a great mix of academic and professional experience and illustrate both theoretical and practical application of an MBA's skills in the real world," Belnap says. "I've made friends with many of my classmates and professors and have strengthened my network far beyond what I would have been able to do on my own."
Adam Charles, from St. Gallen, Switzerland, is an outdoor adventurer with an emphasis in global supply chain management. He has reached the summit of Mt. Sinai and Mt. Kilimanjaro as well as ascended to the Khumbu Ice Falls on Mt. Everest. A BYU magna cum laude management graduate, Charles speaks seven languages and holds degrees from three European business schools. "I have gained far more than I anticipated during my first year as an MBA student at the Marriott School — and, in equal measure, feel the obligation to give back to the institution and its students in any capacity I can," Charles says.
John Dodson experienced the 2011 Japan earthquake from the 20th floor of his office building where he worked as a business analyst for Deutsche Bank. The Honolulu native earned an information systems degree from BYU–Hawaii with a minor in computer science. This summer, Dodson will intern with Apple Inc. in the information systems and technology department. "The Marriott School has helped me connect with many fantastic and smart people, some of which will be close friends for life," Dodson says. "I will continue to serve as an ambassador for the university wherever I am around the world."
Fagner Donadon was called as an LDS bishop at age 23 and served for four years while earning a computer science degree and working for Ford Motor Company in Brazil. With an emphasis in finance, Donadon will intern with Ford in Detroit as a financial analyst this summer. He looks to return to Brazil after completing his degree to begin his career and build the church. "I now have a totally different perspective of business, the economy and how those things affect our lives. We have power to influence and change things so that they will be enhanced," Donadon says.
Matthew Frandsen's love for different cultures began while serving an LDS mission in Montreal, Canada, where he met people from more than 80 countries. The father of three is fluent in French and is currently learning Spanish. The Lehi, Utah, native worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as an underwriter and portfolio manager after earning a management degree from BYU. This summer he will intern with Celanese as a part of its executive leadership program. "I really enjoy the perspective you can find at BYU as opposed to other places," Frandsen says. "When I walk across the east wing of the 4th floor and look down on all the flags, I know I chose the right place."
Vandita Razdan speaks four languages and has spent time volunteering at the Institute for the Blind in her native country of India. Razdan earned a computer science degree from Panjab University and worked as a senior systems engineer before to coming to BYU. She enjoys training and working with people, which has led to her focus her MBA emphasis on OBHR. This summer she will intern with General Mills as an associate HR manager. "The BYU program creates a deep culture of perseverance, dutifulness, moral uprightness and academic excellence," Razdan says. "Everyone at the Marriott School works hard to learn, improve and help one another reap maximum benefits from the MBA experience."
Brandon Seiter worked for Omniture and Adobe as a financial analyst before coming to BYU's MBA program. The Tempe, Ariz., native earned an undergraduate accountancy degree from BYU and will intern with Macquarie Capital this summer as an investment banking associate. "I feel lucky to be here at the Marriott School's MBA program. I've developed friendships with some of my fellow classmates that will last a lifetime," Seiter says. "Through alumni contacts I've been able to land an investment banking internship that I hope will be a springboard in my career."
Maryna Storrs, from Sumy, Ukraine, speaks Russian and Ukrainian, has volunteered for more than 12 nonprofit organizations and is a mother of two. She earned a business management degree from Utah Valley University in 2002 and has worked for UVU as the program manager for the office of international affairs and diplomacy, where she helped expand global opportunities for students. She will spend the summer interning at Cisco. "The BYU MBA equips me with unique academic and spiritual tools to create a lasting positive change for people as well as organizations," Storrs says. "I will be able to positively influence the way organizations realize their potential through one of the most crucial comparative advantages — talented, empowered and dedicated employees."
Ying "Peter" Xie, from Wuhan, China, worked as a logistic manager in Cambodia where he joined the LDS Church and decided to serve a mission at age 29. Upon his return, Xie earned a bachelor's degree from BYU–Hawaii in supply chain management. While at BYU–Hawaii, he founded the Chinese Club and helped its membership grow nearly 500 percent. He will spend the summer in Dallas as an intern with Celanese International and looks to return to China after completing his degree. "In the BYU MBA program I am being taught the right principles to become rich both in body and spirit," Xie says.
Kellen Zollinger is a husband and father of four who has participated in international projects in Brazil and Chile. The Idaho Falls, Idaho, native earned a business finance degree from BYU–Idaho before working for Woodgrain Millwork and Nunhems, USA. With an emphasis in finance, Zollinger would like to live and work with his family overseas. He will intern with General Motors this summer as a financial analyst. "The BYU MBA program is outstanding," Zollinger says. "Everywhere you look the students, faculty and staff are doing their best to reach their potential."
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Writer: Andrew Devey