Student Spotlight

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.

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.

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.

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.

The following are students who were highlighted in BYU Marriott's 2025 Annual Report on page 9.

In a room full of healthcare veterans, experience design and management senior Emily Weber challenged herself to speak up. Weber says it's important to push herself to grow—even when she feels inexperienced, intimidated, or uncertain.

After 10 years in technology development and engineering, Fabian Serradell quit his job and moved his young family more than 5,000 miles to a foreign country to join the MBA program at BYU Marriott.

As he's served in the Army ROTC and studied information systems at BYU Marriott, Spencer Wright says these communities have shaped his character, perspective, and trajectory.

He isn’t trying to become a professional baseball player, but BYU Marriott strategy senior Cole Bourne hopes that both “professional” and “baseball” still end up in his future job description.

Heidi Wakefield had planned to spend the months after her freshman year at Brigham Young University as a Nauvoo performing missionary, but her application was denied. She took a chance on finance and learned that for her, God's timing is perfect.

Human resource management (HRM) senior Anna Parry has a bit of an unconventional hobby: coding spreadsheets. After learning how to code Excel in class at the BYU Marriott School of Business, Parry used her skills to serve others in her mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in her goal to earn The Congressional Award Gold Medal.