Leslie D.J. Patterson 99MBA: Goizueta Dean’s Advisory Board Member

“As a proud Goizueta alum, I have made it a priority to give back every year since I graduated in 1999, because I believe strongly in the importance of pouring back into the institutions that have contributed to my personal and professional growth. I am privileged to serve on the Dean’s Advisory Council, where I have been able to contribute insights and support to further shape the future of the school and its mission of preparing conscientious leaders to have a positive influence on business and society. I will continue to be an ambassador for Goizueta and its world-class education, championing its expansion and innovation, so that future generations can benefit from the same transformative experiences and lifelong relationships that I have.”

Kanyatta Walker 15EMBA: Former Executive Women of Goizueta Board Member

While researching MBA programs, I attended the Executive Women of Goizueta annual conference, where I connected with Emory’s vibrant alumnae community. This experience was pivotal in discovering my voice as an executive and significantly influenced my engagement within the community. Supporting the Executive Women of Goizueta is important to me because it fosters the advancement of women, helping them find their voice and thrive as business leaders.

Charles Xu 10MBA

Even after 18 years, I vividly remember my interview with Goizueta admissions and the transformative journey that followed. As an international student, my experience at Emory was so profound that it fundamentally shaped my personal and professional growth. This transformative path began with the generosity of Goizueta’s scholarship program. Now, as an alumnus, I am committed and honored to be part of a community dedicated to expanding Goizueta and Emory’s global impact.

Through transformational gifts and ongoing support, Goizueta can continue to strengthen our focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, leadership development, data analytics, and the impact of business on society. Perhaps most importantly, we hope you will invest in our students through scholarship giving. This critical funding enables us to attract the best and brightest candidates. Help us build a community full of diverse ideas, perspectives, and lived experiences. Give today!

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Saloni Firasta Vastani 95MBA

Associate Professor in the Practice of Marketing

“While pursuing my MBA, I discovered that Goizueta offers much more than a degree. It gave me lifelong friends and mentors. Returning as a faculty member further solidified my belief that Goizueta is truly extraordinary. It is a place where students are nurtured, faculty members are exceptional, and donations are utilized effectively to nurture the leaders of tomorrow that care about both business and society.”

Alonzo Ford 09EMBA

Goizueta Alumni Board member

“Goizueta is not just a place where I obtained my MBA, but a community and symbol of empowerment and growth for individuals like me who strive to overcome adversity and make a difference. By giving back, we ensure that others can have access to the same opportunities and empower them to create their own paths of success, breaking barriers and inspiring future generations.”

Mild Trakarnsakdikul 23MSBA

GOLD (Graduate of the Last Decade) Steering Committee member

“This year I completed my MSBA degree. Also, we started the MSBA Hardship Fund, aiming to support the future students of our program. We have received tremendous support from our current students, alumni, and staff. Notably, the program is doubling its incoming class, emphasizing the vital role of data in our future. By contributing to the fund, we are giving back to the community that we cherish. Also, we are helping students who may face unexpected emergencies during their Goizueta journey.”

David Mendez 15MBA

Goizueta Alumni Board member

“I was raised to believe I’ve made it this far because of the blessings and help I’ve received along the way. The day I interviewed with the admissions team at Goizueta, I made a commitment. If I was admitted, I would not just take a seat or a spot in the program. I decided I would give back while in the program and even more as an alum. Fast-forward nine years later, and here I am. I’m still active in my involvement with the business school as a member of the Alumni Board. Also, I volunteer in the leadership coaching program, and I am in general, an ambassador of the brand. Each and every day I am thankful for the opportunities that Goizueta Business School has opened for me.”

Through transformational gifts and ongoing support, Goizueta can continue to strengthen our focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, leadership development, data analytics, and the impact of business on society. Perhaps most importantly, we hope you will invest in our students through scholarship giving. This critical funding enables us to attract the best and brightest candidates. Help us build a community full of diverse ideas, perspectives, and lived experiences. Give today!

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Taking stock, the financial reality for many Americans can be frightening. The average U.S. household holds over $96,000 in debt, and 30 percent of adults don’t have enough savings to cover a $400 emergency. A quarter of non-retired Americans have no retirement savings or pension. And one in five adults share in a student loan debt that totals a staggering $1.6 trillion.

When Galanis and Goizueta classmate Rene Meza 18MBA realized they shared a passion for financial education, they dug into the numbers. What they learned presented an opportunity. “Neither of us had financial education growing up, and we both felt strongly that significant improvements should be made in how we teach the next generation about finance,” Galanis says. The two conducted a deep dive into industry research. “We discovered we are at an inflection point in education systems across the country, with states rapidly adopting financial education standards in the classroom at a rate the country has never seen before.”

Finance is a lifelong journey. Thus, we’re on a mission to ensure everyone has access to premium personal financial education and improve financial futures for generations.

Rene Meza 18MBA, co-founder and CEO of Lemoney Learning

With optimal timing, Lemoney Learning launched in Texas and offers free courses aligned with state financial education standards. “Each course comes with content, supplemental materials, and documented standards alignment so teachers know exactly what lesson maps to each standard,” Galanis explains. 

The company “provides our learning platform free to educators and learners because we believe it must be free so that those who need it most will always have access to it,” Galanis says. “We partner with local financial institutions interested in getting involved with their communities as well as provide additional, hands-on support to education districts interested in doubling down on their investment in financial education.”

Financial education is one of the most empowering things we can provide to young learners. Confidence with money can unlock limitless opportunities.

Lemoney Learning Co-founder and President Michael Galanis 18MBA

Making the Leap into Entrepreneurship

On the path to his dream of becoming an entrepreneur, Galanis gained critical work experience. At Bain & Co., he took part in problem solving across industries and sharpened his skills presenting to executives. As a general manager for DoorDash, he edged closer to the startup world. “Working at a larger tech company to build and launch a product allowed me to test out a lot of the core skills required to build a business in a relatively safe space,” he says. At Reify Health, he gained insight into the corporate lifecycle following Series C managed growth. Galanis worked closely with the company founders. “I realized that if I wanted to be an entrepreneur, it was time to make the jump.”

Now, in Lemoney Learning’s first year, change is steady, and progress plentiful. “There’s such a pressing need for quality resources in this space that our biggest challenge is getting our name out there vs. having to convince anyone to use our product once they know about it,” Galanis shares. “We’re focused on Texas for this upcoming school year and already have districts across the state using our platform to teach financial education to students. Our plan is to ‘get it right’ in Texas and then grow from there. Georgia is next on the list!”

Galanis looks back at his MBA experience and praises Goizueta professors for building a foundation of core principles and business values. Professor in the Practice of Finance JB Kurish was a role model to Galanis. “We’re a financial education platform, so our whole goal is to make financial education enjoyable and impactful,” he says. “I’ve never seen anyone do it quite as well as JB.”

Galanis also recalls that Professor Kevin Coyne encouraged students to think from multiple perspectives to fully understand the critical elements. “This still holds true and has proved immensely valuable,” Galanis says.

Launching a new business is all about understanding multiple perspectives and delivering a solution that is both valuable and readily adopted. Those two don’t always happen together. Having a clear process for how to work through that has been helpful.

Michael Galanis

To future entrepreneurs Galanis advises, “Be honest with yourself. Taking the jump is a big professional and personal commitment, so make sure you really want to do it.” Many would-be entrepreneurs wait to gain more professional experience, including Galanis. “That’s how it was for me. Now that I’m on the other side, I can confidently say nothing can ever really prepare you other than just going for it. If you’ve got an idea you’re passionate about, a business model you’re confident in, and a personal life that can support the lifestyle, go for it.”

Reflecting on his startup experience, he recommends, “Listen to your customers. Every entrepreneur likely starts thinking they have a great solution to a problem. In most cases, their first idea is probably wrong (or at least, slightly off target). Ours certainly was,” he shares. “Your customers or users are often great at pointing at things they like and the things they don’t like. The quicker you listen to their feedback, the easier your life becomes.”

About the Robert W. Woodruff Scholarship

Robert W. Woodruff was a renowned businessman and philanthropist who headed The Coca-Cola Company for many years and gave generously to Emory University. The founding and signature scholarship of the Emory Scholars Program is named in his honor. Woodruff’s personal creed read, “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.” Woodruff Scholars leave a lasting imprint on Goizueta Business School and Emory University through their leadership, academic performance, and lifelong relationships. Learn more about this and other scholarship opportunities at Goizueta.

At Goizueta, students come first. Your support of scholarships helps us attract and retain top students Give today!

Whether you’re looking to accelerate your career or make a career pivot, our full-time MBA programs prepare you to challenge business as usual and become the innovators who disrupt it. Learn more here.

The post Paying it Forward Through Free Finance Lessons for All appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Ledkins brings over 17 years of progressive fundraising and management experience in higher education and is known for his strong relationship-building and excellent customer service. 

“We are delighted to welcome Randall to Goizueta,” said Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School. “We have one of the strongest alumni networks in the country, committed to lending their time, talent, and investment to ensure our students and school thrives. Through Randall’s vision, we will continue to deliver on our mission of preparing principled leaders to have a positive influence on business and society.” 

Ledkins was named the new leader of the Advancement & Alumni Engagement team following an in-depth national search and interviews with stakeholders across the organization, including the leadership team, board members, and alumni. 

Ledkins is a native of Alabama and has most recently served as the Senior Director of Development at the University of Florida’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. In that role, he managed the advancement efforts of a third of the college’s departments, including Industrial & Systems, Chemical, Material Sciences, and Nuclear Engineering, and worked closely with colleagues across the university, including those in the Warrington College of Business. 

Goizueta Business School is one of the top business schools in the country, with a reputation for excellence in research, teaching, and student and alumni success. Ledkins’ appointment is a significant step forward for the school as it maintains its position as a leading institution in the field of business education. The announcement has been greeted with excitement by the entire Goizueta community, including faculty, staff, students, and alumni, who are eager to see how Ledkins will continue to build on the school’s robust advancement and alumni engagement initiatives. 

Emory University has launched 2O36, a university-wide giving campaign aligned with strategic priorities. With an eye on Emory’s bicentennial, 2O36 will spearhead a movement to shape the future, providing access to transformative and experiential learning for students across its schools and colleges. Learn more about Goizueta’s strategic giving priorities. 

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“That scholarship has been invaluable to my educational journey,” explains Elgohry.

The scholarship has been incredibly useful from the peace of mind it’s offered and the opportunities it’s given. It’s been essential and really allowed me to focus on ensuring I am a positive force on campus, rather than constantly worrying about if I could even be here.

Elgohry

Free from the financial burden of funding his education, Elgohry set his sights on a very specific, ambitious path: double majoring in quantitative science and business, obtaining a master’s degree in business analytics, and participating in any student clubs and projects at Emory that interested him.

And juggle it all, he has. A quick skim of his resume is a humbling experience for the reader: Elgohry is a college-and-graduate-school student managing a campus job and leadership positions in multiple clubs, who has also maintained an impressive GPA the entire time.

“The passion I have helped me get through my path,” says Elgohry, who will become a business analyst for CarMax after graduation this spring. “The biggest thing is always being proud of what you’re doing.”

The Power of Passion

The college experience is a short one, so Elgohry has taken advantage of every opportunity he can chase, while making sure each item he adds to his resume is one that interests him. That passion has become the fuel for crazy, busy weeks and days when he sometimes feels he may have overcommitted.

I am fortunate enough to be in a job that I enjoy and in organizations that I care about and feel like I’m making positive change.

Elgohry

Over the past four years, Elgohry wrote a bill while in the Student Government Association that redistributed over $2 million in fees to Emory College and Goizueta. Previous attempts at passing this bill, for more than a decade, were unsuccessful, but Elgohry’s version passed unanimously. “I gained a lot of satisfaction from seeing a bill that I worked really hard on, and felt really passionate about because it will improve the lives of students, pass.”

He also helped organize the Goizueta-famous weekly KEGs event for students as a member of Goizueta’s BBA council: “There was just the immediate satisfaction of seeing people enjoy that event every week.”

As a member of Emory’s Impact Investing Group, he helped a local business, Carrot Dog, through financial projections, a patent application, and securing a commercial kitchen.

He welcomed hundreds of freshmen to Emory as an Ignite leadership mentor and BBA orientation leader.

He’s currently the treasurer of the MSBA student body, hoping to “do right by my fellow MSBA peers and ensure we get the most value out of the fees we pay,” and the lead technician of Emory’s Student Technology Support team, troubleshooting and repairing dozens of student computers every week.

But Elgohry’s favorite experience has been contributing to Emory’s Entrepreneurship and Venture Management organization (EEVM) as president, treasurer, and director of HackATL. After participating in HackATL as a freshman, Elgohry joined the leadership team of EEVM for the next three years and helped put on the well-known event.

“Seeing 300 students compete and enjoy themselves every year is always such an incredible experience,” he says.

The people in the organization gave me motivation at every turn to be the best version of myself so I could take EEVM to new heights.

Elgohry

In addition to all the rewarding and robust extracurricular activities, Elgohry says it was Goizueta’s “unique blend of offerings,” such as coming into the business school with a foundation in liberal arts and classes that combined business and data, that allowed him to complete a double major and graduate degree within four years.

His education has prepared him to venture into the workforce, armed and ready to continue making a difference for others.  

At Goizueta, students come first. Your support of scholarships helps us attract and retain top students and improve the diversity and talent of our student body. Give today!

The post How a Scholarship is Helping This Goizueta Student Do It All appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

The New Orleans-native found Emory University during the basketball-recruitment process. Williams began playing basketball when he was 5 years old and always dreamed of suiting up in college.

He became enchanted with Emory upon visiting campus, and, growing up business-minded, he was impressed by Goizueta. “My passion for business is why I chose Emory—because of its prestige and everything it brings to the table,” says Williams.

At Goizueta, his studies concentrated in strategy and management consulting and marketing.

He said he was always interested in learning about what drives people to buy certain products, and he wanted a major that allowed him to be creative. He liked both consulting and marketing and figured, “Why not combine the two and see where they take me?”

Williams said simple lessons on how to properly network yourself, give presentations, and engage an audience are tools that have helped him in his emerging career.

Goizueta does a great job of preparing you for the future. It wasn’t really based on degrees as much as it was on you learning and growing, not just as a student, but as a person. I’m using skills that I learned from Goizueta and applying that to my everyday life.

The Goizueta Network in Your Corner

Looking to satisfy a taste for something new and play one more year of basketball after losing his senior season to the pandemic, Williams stuck around Goizueta to pursue his master’s degree.

Williams was a fellow and fund beneficiary of the John E. Robson Program for Business, Public Policy, and Government at the Goizueta Business School. The Robson Program strives to better prepare graduates to lead complex organizations by fostering proficiency in issues of business, government, and public policy from diverse perspectives.

In taking part of the Robson Program, Williams became close with Jeffrey Rosensweig, the program’s director, who developed into a mentor figure for Williams.

“Professor Rosensweig is just an awesome guy who you want in your corner,” Williams says. “Professor Rosensweig knows somebody in some industry that interests you. He’s very well connected, and he looks out for students.”

As part of the program, Williams said he, along with other fellows and MBA students, participated in events where they could network with industry professionals, which provided him with opportunities to grow, learn, and connect with others.

Williams pursued Goizueta’s STEM-credentialed Master of Science in Business Analytics, a full-time, immersive 10-month program designed to turn students into business data scientists. The program features real-world, project-based learning that combines business, data, and technology.

Williams said his graduate year was his most challenging at Emory. Compared to his undergraduate experience, where he was pursuing deep passions in marketing and consulting, data analytics was a completely different wheelhouse for him.

“This degree is more analytically based—it’s numbers and something I felt I didn’t necessarily have in my repertoire,” says Williams. “Most people, when they choose a degree, they know ‘that’s what I want to do.’ For me, I just wanted to try something different. I was optimistic that I might find something new that I’m passionate about.”

Williams is also the first student-athlete in the program.

While competing on the men’s basketball team, he racked up the accolades, contributing to three conference championships, being a three-time all conference player, holding the number five slot in program history for scoring, and securing the Emory record for most three-pointers made in school history—which he achieved while in the rigorous MSBA program.

His advice for other student-athletes: Don’t give up.

“It’s extremely hard, and you’re going to be tested academically and athletically, probably, like you’ve never been tested before,” he says. “Don’t give up and just keep going, and if you need anything, reach out to the people that surround you because they want to help.”

Two months post-graduation, Williams started at McKinsey & Company as a business insight fellow. He is signed to a two-year contract for a rotational program on an integrative path. He said he chose this program to satisfy the curious part of himself that is always looking to try new things.

“I’m not fully set on a specific thing I want to do for the rest of my life,” he says. “I figured, why not join this program with McKinsey, learn different things about different industries, meet different people, and then continue to go from there?”

His first rotation allows him to flex his business analytics muscles by performing commercial banking insights.

One of the most rewarding moments in his professional career, he said, was putting the skillsets he learned at Goizueta in practice at McKinsey.

“I was presenting to a bank with my manager and co-worker,” recalls Williams. “When I was done, I realized, ‘Wow, I learned how to present at Emory, where I only presented to my classmates and my friends, and that prepared me to be able to have a meeting with these managers from this big-time bank.’ That was a big moment. It was a reward that showed me that when you put your time into something, it’s going to pay off.”

For the time being, because Williams has been pouring his energy into his work with McKinsey, he’s had to put basketball on the back burner. However, his dream is to combine his love for business and basketball and become a general manager for an NBA team. He is optimistic that his work ethic will get him there.

“I’m always trying to be better than I was the day before,” says Williams. “You have to keep going. Nobody can stop you but yourself.”

Your support of scholarships helps us attract and retain top students and improve the diversity and talent of our student body. Our goal is to create equal access and opportunity for all students with the talent and abilities to drive business forward, regardless of their ability to pay. Support scholarships today!

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I am consistently gratified that our alumni never say no to sharing their knowledge and paving the way for the students that come after them. The commitment and impact of the Goizueta alumni network is mind-boggling, and I believe it is our greatest asset.

Andrea Hershatter, senior associate dean of undergraduate education

A Look at Alumni: Why We Give

“Goizueta Business School gave me the most mission-critical skills I needed to make a major pivot in my career and my life in general. I know by giving back, I am continuing that same chain reaction for others who want to be the change.” –Angela Fusaro MD 01C 17EMBA, CEO of Physician 360

“I am a proud graduate of Goizueta, and my wife and I are excited to give back to the school. Emory and Goizueta have provided us with a platform to learn, grow, and thrive.” –Jim Dinkins 92EMBA, CEO of Honey Baked Ham

“When creating the Laurie Manning Scholarship Endowment, in honor of our late friend Laurie Manning 16MBA, we received nothing but support from alumni across many classes and from the Goizueta staff. By donating to this endowment, we are not only able to honor our late friend’s memory, but also to give back to Goizueta students.” –Brittany Moore 16MBA, senior manager of social and political policy at eBay

“I feel it is my responsibility to give back to the community that poured so much into me. I credit much of my personal and career success to the skills I learned and the people I met during my time at Goizueta. I support financially because I want to be a catalyst in making dreams come true for our future generation just as alums did for me.” –Jason Harlow 10BBA 14MBA, senior finance director at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Through transformational gifts and ongoing support, Goizueta can continue to strengthen our focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, leadership development, data analytics, and the impact of business on society. Perhaps most importantly, we hope you will invest in our students through scholarship giving. This critical funding enables us to attract the best and brightest candidates and build a community full of diverse ideas, perspectives, and lived experiences. Give today!

The post Support the Power of Business to Transform    appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Goizueta Military Scholarship recipient and U.S. Military Academy graduate Lynn Sladek 23EMBA answered the call to serve the U.S. Army in a post-September-11 world and served nearly 10 years, including deployment to a combat zone. “I enjoyed working in a dynamic, challenging team environment that the Army provided,” she recalls of her service. “I was wholeheartedly committed to the mission of preserving the fighting force.”

With a military spouse in an elite Army unit, managing daily challenges became the new norm for Sladek. Although she planned for an Army career, life intervened, and Sladek chose to become a military veteran, at once assuming the roles of family caregiver, community volunteer, and lifelong learner.

Undeterred by her shift in career circumstance, Sladek became a certified childbirth doula and launched a maternal health consultancy. She studied Arabic at the Defense Language Institute and served as a family readiness group leader for more than 150 soldiers. A consistent clinic volunteer, she also became a registered nurse “just in time for the pandemic,” she says.

As it so often does, a milestone life moment changed her future. Finding herself to be a single mom of three children, “I knew I could not support my family as a small business owner and a registered nurse.” Sladek took action, earning a management role within Women’s Services for Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, and gaining admittance into Goizueta’s Executive MBA program. These strategic moves allowed for her to simultaneously amplify her career and her skillset.

I am committed to sharing my life story, both successes and setbacks, to inspire others. I hope especially that other women veterans know that they too can rewrite their narrative . . . and thrive.

Lynn Sladek 23EMBA

Now as both a student and career-focused professional, Sladek continues to build trust and mentor other women with inner grace and tenacity.

Scholarships can pave the way to future success for many of Goizueta’s veteran and military students. Learn how together we can do more.

The post Post-9/11 Veteran and Single Mom Chooses Goizueta’s Rigor to Support Strategic Career Shift appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Ken Keen, Lieutenant General, Retired, U.S. Army and Goizueta associate dean for leadership development and senior lecturer of Organization & Management, also serves as Goizueta’s military advisor.

One of the most important aspects and strengths of the Goizueta military and veteran community is how they support one another through their transition, MBA journey, and pursuit of their goals. We seek to make it personal and help every veteran as they apply their skills and leadership experiences gained through military service toward seeking careers in the business world.

Ken Keen

The Goizueta Military Scholarship Fund Presents Scholarships and Fellowships to Veterans

Created in 2020 by Jill Ruja Zames 88BBA and Matt Zames, the Goizueta Military Scholarship Fund and the Goizueta Military Fellowship further solidify the Zames’ continued commitment to providing support to our nation’s veterans and active-duty service members.

Military veterans and active-duty service men and women have protected and served to uphold our nation’s core values. Growing the Goizueta Military Scholarship Fund to offer these scholarships and fellowships for future generations will ensure that our veteran and military students are given every opportunity to take advantage of the full range of benefits Goizueta has to offer.

Jill Ruja Zames 88BBA

In these past two years, scholarship awards were presented to six recipients: Lynn Sladek 23EMBA, Joshua Jacobs 23EMBA, Matthew Ball 23MBA, Mike Carriere 23MBA, Mark Coles 24EvMBA, and Nate Casement 22MBA. This scholarship provides funding support to active-duty military or veterans enrolled in any Goizueta degree program. The funding amount and number of scholarships awarded varies each year based on donations.

A United States Military Academy graduate, Sladek served for nearly 11 years as a U.S. Army officer. Her service included combat deployment as a nurse.

As a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Jacobs retired in 2022. During his military career, he engaged in 16 combat deployments with more than five years of combat service with the U.S. Army 75th Ranger Regiment.

Ball served as squad leader for the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment with six combat deployments across Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. At Goizueta, he leads the Goizueta Veterans Club for 2022-2023, which has 18 full-time MBA students and 21 Executive MBA and Evening MBA students for a total of nearly 40 active members.

Serving more than 7 years as a U.S. Army Ranger, Carriere served with the 75th Ranger Regiment. He is a fellow at The Honor Foundation.

Coles is an active-duty U.S. Army Reservist who serves with the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne).

U.S. Army ROTC graduate Casement served as a U.S. Army officer with combat deployment. 

To further expand veteran and active-duty military student support within Goizueta and to increase the breadth of our community initiatives, the Goizueta Business School Military Fellowship recognizes current Goizueta MBA students. Fellows will formally support Goizueta in its military recruiting efforts to all graduate-level programs. Named for this year are Matthew Ball 23MBA and Brandon Cook 23EMBA.

“Earning this fellowship has been absolutely amazing for me,” says Ball.

Goizueta does a great job of making the veterans feel valued. To me it is even more impactful that donors want to take part in assisting the educational growth and career advancement of our student vets. 

Matthew Ball 23MBA

Ball and Cook will represent the Goizueta active duty and veteran students within the Emory University community and with the larger military community nationally. They will work closely with Keen and the Associate Dean of Graduate Admissions Melissa Rapp to recruit prospective military students from all services of the active military, Reserves, National Guard, Veterans, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The John Robson Business and Public Service Award Given to U.S. Marine Veteran

The John Robson Business and Public Service Award is named for the late John E. Robson. The recipient of this generous award may play a leadership role in the Goizueta Veterans Association, including recruiting veterans to our student ranks.

This year’s recipient of the John Robson Business and Public Service Award is Patrick Forrestal 24MBA, a five-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

John E. Robson was one of those rare leaders who excelled at very high levels in business, in public service, and in academia. He was the dean who helped put Goizueta Business School on the global map, recruiting many staff and faculty leaders who are still contributing. Mr. Robson served in two Administrations, including the crucial role of George H. W. Bush’s Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.  John Robson was known for his intelligence, absolute integrity, and commitment to service. He believed most strongly in capitalism, democracy, and defending those with the world’s finest military. 

“The John Robson Fellowship is significant because along with the financial award it highlights a veteran who is a potential global leader,” says Jeff Rosensweig, associate professor of finance and director of The Robson Program for Business, Public Policy, and Government.

Here at Goizueta the faculty and entire student body looks to veterans and active-duty students as leaders and are eager to work with them on a meaningful transition to civilian life.

Jeff Rosensweig

For more information about Goizueta’s veteran and active-duty service member support, please visit the Goizueta Veterans Association.

The GI Bill provides financial assistance to veterans to cover a portion of their educational expense. Learn more about how you can make a difference in the successful transition of military veterans to civilian life by supporting Goizueta scholarships, fellowships, and awards like these.

Learn more about the John E. Robson Business, Public Policy, and Government Program.

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When it came time for United States Marine Corps veteran Ryan Martin 23EMBA to take the next step in his professional career, advancing his education was a critical move. For the Marine Corps, Martin served as a non-commissioned officer who made decisions daily. In choosing the next stop on his educational journey, his direction was clear.

Ryan explains, “Choosing Goizueta Business School was my clear choice due to the prestigious brand recognition, small-by-design classes, unique leadership program led by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ken Keen, associate dean of leadership development and senior lecturer of Organization & Management, and robust Atlanta corporation and community networks.” 

Professionally, this South Carolina native and family man holds an electrical engineering degree from University of South Carolina. He gained experience in manufacturing and operations management for the Pepsi, Gatorade, and Frito Lay brands at PepsiCo, then shifted to multiple roles at his current company, Sidel.

“After relocating to Atlanta from California with Sidel, I took a more global role within my company,” Martin explains. His work now focuses on operational strategy, continuous improvement, and quality for the company’s business in the Americas.

I am extremely passionate about building holistic and sustainable business models and utilizing business as a tool for social change. Business is becoming extremely complex, and we need principled leaders now more than ever to drive long-term stakeholder value.

Ryan Martin 23EMBA

So, what does the future hold for this veteran and sports fan? “I will concentrate on strategy and general management to accelerate my career and prepare me to be a principled leader for the evolving business world.”

Scholarships can pave the way to future success for many of Goizueta’s veteran and military students. Learn how together we can do more.

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With a desire to be professionally challenged, Chase Bullen 24MBA seeks opportunities to strategize and solve complex problems. In selecting a master’s program for his degree, Bullen chose Goizueta Business School for its premier instruction and rigorous core curriculum as well as its location in a major metropolitan city.

Goizueta prepares MBA candidates for placement in top consulting firms.

Chase Bullen 24MBA

Equally important to Bullen is the fact that “Goizueta overwhelmingly supports its military veterans.”

As a full-time MBA student, Bullen draws from his experience with the U.S. Army to add a unique global perspective in class. After graduating from Norwich University in Vermont as an accounting and management double major, “I commissioned into the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer and was assigned to Fort Carson, CO,” Bullen writes in his Voice of Goizueta blog post. “In 2020, I transferred to a Space Operations unit and deployed to Iraq later that same year.”

Originally from Bradenton, Florida, Bullen experienced a college semester abroad at the American University of Rome. In addition, he also completed an international fellowship in Israel through the Olmsted Foundation.

Both an ROTC scholar and a family man, Bullen and his wife Asheley enjoy Tampa Bay Buccaneers games and exploring Atlanta with their one-year-old son, Thomas.

So, what does the future hold for Bullen? “After our core semester concludes, I will be pursuing management consulting and strategy consulting concentrations,” he says, adding that he will be recruiting for consulting internship opportunities at Atlanta-based offices.

Goizueta is proud to support its military veterans through a variety of ongoing initiatives including scholarship opportunities. Learn more about the range of programs designed to meet our veterans’ needs, and find out what is happening on campus in this Veterans Awareness Month.

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Portis-Escoto spent numerous summers visiting family in Atlanta and dreamed of attending Emory University due to its medium-size and easy access to the city.

“I was interested in studying finance, and Goizueta Business School is the place to be for that,” he says, though he plans to graduate with an area depth in marketing. “Beyond that, I love going to concerts, and Atlanta is one of the best places to do that.”

Portis-Escoto has been a singer since he was in the fourth grade. Music has been a thread in his life since then, though he admits that it became even more important to him during the pandemic.

The pandemic really made me realize how short life can be. While we’re going through life, we might as well do something we love, something we care a lot about.

“Music is a part of my life and how I’ve made some of my greatest friends. It’s been there with me every step of the way.”

It was also during this time that Portis-Escoto took a deep dive into the world of music business, uncovering his career, he says.

After graduation in May, Portis-Escoto is unsure about whether he wants to attend graduate school right away, but he’s absolutely certain he will follow a road that leads the music industry.

He’s already gotten started by interning with Pulse Music Group, a Los-Angeles-based music publisher. Despite the internship being remote, Portis-Escoto had the opportunity to travel to L.A. and meet with the team—and a few artists—in person.

“I actually found out about Pulse through an Emory alumni,” he says. “It’s been really fun to do my schoolwork, while also networking and learning more through my internship experiences.”

Fostering a Passion for Music

Another outlet for his music passion has been his involvement in the all-male A Cappella group at Emory University, No Strings Attached. Portis-Escoto started as a freshman and says it was the first group he joined as a college student…now he’s the group’s music director.

“It’s a really great community,” he says. “Music is my first love, and singing is something I enjoy doing a lot. So to come a couple of times a week and hang out with guys who also share that same enthusiasm for singing, it’s served as a great escape for when life is a bit more stressful.”

As for his leadership role within the group, Portis-Escoto says it was something he fell into, but it’s a position he enjoys. He provides general singing advice, keeps everyone on track and on schedule, and finds the sheet music for the group to choose from.

“As far as leadership goes, I feel like some of it has come naturally, but No Strings Attached is definitely a great group of guys, and I’ve loved everything about it.”

The Power of Network and Scholarship

Portis-Escoto credits many factors to his success at Emory: his academic advisor for steering him towards classes that best fit his passions; his professors for fostering an educational excitement in him to pursue music business as a career; his brothers at Sigma Alpha Mu; his friends in No Strings Attached; his student work opportunities that have taught him the art of work-life balance; and his scholarships.

Without the financial awards he’s been given, Portis-Escoto says he wouldn’t have been able to attend Emory.

“Emory is a great school, and I’m thankful for the experience to attend. I’m trying to make the most of it,” he says. “These scholarships have been a very fortunate thing that I’ve been blessed to receive. They’re not anything I take for granted.”

Through the guidance of his financial aid advisor, Whitney Tucker-Jenkins, any semester that began with a personal or family roadblock to paying his tuition was met with a reevaluation of his merit- and activity-based scholarships and financial aid package.

My scholarships have allowed me to really enjoy my life at Emory without stressing about financials. It’s not a lot of work on my end because the school handles it for me.

It was also through scholarship funding that Portis-Escoto was able to spend the spring semester of his junior year in Madrid, Spain. Thanks to the generous support of others, Portis-Escoto says the time spent abroad changed his life and forced him to grow as a person.

“I saw places that I never thought I would see and did things I never thought I would do. Not only did I get to experience so many things for the first time, but I also had a chance to step outside of my life in the U.S.,” says Portis-Escoto.

“It was a really amazing experience that I wouldn’t have been able to do if it wasn’t for my scholarships.”

At Goizueta, students come first. The cost of pursuing an undergraduate, graduate, or PhD degree is a significant investment—one that can be a prohibitive obstacle for many. Your support of scholarships helps us attract and retain top students and improve the diversity and talent of our student body. Give today!

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