Spring 2024 Graduation

Leeds Graduates Heard it Loud and Clear: The World Awaits Your Impact

Anonymous — Wed, 15 May 2024 17:34:36 +0000

Leeds Graduates Heard it Loud and Clear: The World Awaits Your Impact Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/15/2024 - 11:34

Anneli Gray

Emerging from a sea of bedazzled caps and indigo stoles, nearly 1,500 business graduates crossed the stage at Leeds’ graduation recognition ceremonies last Saturday, May 10, 2024—a day where they celebrated their achievements and began the next chapters of their lives. But it wasn’t goodbye.

“Commencement does not mean, as many wrongly think, the breaking of ties and the beginning of life apart. Rather, it marks your initiation in the fullest sense into the fellowship of the university,” read Birdie Reznicek, Leeds’ associate dean for culture and community. The Norlin Charge is read at every CU commencement ceremony to remind students of their everlasting connection to CU.

Along a similar vein, Vijay Khatri, Leeds’ Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean, stressed the value of community in his remarks: “In its essence, Leeds and CU ��«��Ƶ embody a collective community encompassing all of us, who together, support each other in our endeavor to enrich the world we call home.”

The graduates were reminded that they were joining a community of more than 44,000 Leeds alumni around the world—many of whom are considered globally conscious leaders.

Keynote speaker Karen Gerwitz (Bus’90, MPubAd’06), president and CEO of the World Trade Center Denver, deputized graduates as “global citizens” and asked how they would make their mark on the international stage.

She shared that she was first inspired to pursue international business when she befriended international business students through a student exchange program at Leeds.

“Leeds gave me the tools and inspiration to become truly a global citizen—someone who deeply appreciates the interconnectedness of our global community, advocates for global issues and embraces cultural diversity.” Today, her mission is to put Denver on the map by transforming it into a global commerce hub.

After receiving their diplomas, students filtered out of the CU Events Center onto the business school lawn, where large white tents awaited them packed with festivities and refreshments. Throughout the crowd, brightly colored lei adorned graduates’ necks, given to them by family and friends.

Originating on the Hawaiian islands, the long-standing tradition of giving flower garlands to graduates has symbolized pride, accomplishment and congratulations. The custom has spread past the islands and become ubiquitous throughout the world.

Now, graduates face the question of how they will make their impact on the world. Gerwitz assured them they were ready. “Leeds gave you all the tools you need to succeed.”

See which faculty won distinguished awards.

See which students and faculty were recognized for excellence.

Meet some of the graduates from the Class of 2024.

Nearly 1,500 business graduates crossed the stage at Leeds’ graduation ceremonies. But it wasn’t goodbye.

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Class of 2024 Graduates Jumpstart Their Journeys

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2024 19:22:28 +0000

Class of 2024 Graduates Jumpstart Their Journeys Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/08/2024 - 13:22

From chasing childhood dreams to traveling their own academic paths, Leeds 2024 graduates are ready to take on the world.

Reaping the rewards of hard work

Joe Constancia (Entrep, Strat’24) remembers his first time at the Koelbel Building, emptying recycling bins. Working with Facilities Management was “the greatest job I’ve ever had” because it was a break from previous jobs as a plumber and as a farmer. Working at Leeds set him up for professional opportunities and inspired him to enroll as a full-time student.

“I didn’t have a degree, and there were certain jobs I wanted that required one,” Constancia said. “My wife and I talked about it and decided it was time to rip the bandage off and knock it out.”

And knock it out he did. His student team won the New Venture Challenge’s Cross-Campus Collaboration. And he took full advantage of Leeds’ global programs, taking an internship in France and another with the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at CU ��«��Ƶ.

“My time at Leeds is the culmination of years of hard work and self-discovery. I’m looking forward to new opportunities ahead,” he said. “As I leave, I am taking with me a sense of purpose that I’ve never had.”

"This experience has taught me that small actions can lead to big results."

Joe Constancia (Entrep, Strat’24)

Constancia is in the process of applying for jobs in business development and strategy. Over the summer, he will continue working at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research as a student assistant—a role he’s held for over two years.

“I consider myself to have met so many amazing people. My classmates, the professors and the staff have all had a profound influence on me,” Constancia shared. “They are relationships I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I will always look back on this time with joy and gratitude. This experience has taught me that small actions can lead to big results.”

Exploring a dream

Lily Combs (Mktg’24) dreamed of a career in the fashion industry.

Then, while studying business at Leeds, she got an opportunity she couldn’t refuse: a new connection of hers asked her to work at New York’s Fashion Week. “I got to see all the different components that go into a show, and it was so rewarding to [learn more about] what I’d like as a career,” she said.

After that, she knew she was on the right track. She secured an internship as an assistant to a casting director. The experience validated the path she’d been chasing since she was a little girl, sketching different looks and learning to sew.

Now that she’s graduating, Combs said that it’s “happened way too quickly. My favorite part of attending Leeds is the community. Every single person in the building, from peers to professors to advisors wants to see students succeed and flourish.”

“I’m excited for the next chapter of my life but will always be so grateful for my time in ��«��Ƶ.” She continued, “I have grown so much as a person in my four years.”

And the dream continues. She’s heading back to New York to work at Live Nation Entertainment on the brand management team.

Developing a new product idea

Luke Hatton (MBA’24) works for The North Face in Denver as a strategic accounts merchandiser. Hatton decided to get an MBA to take his career to the next level but also found himself traveling down a new path during the program.

In his entrepreneurship and capstone classes, he learned a structured approach for evaluating the potential of business ideas. And through the iterative pitching process, he developed his own: “a nutrition beverage targeted to the unique needs of high school athletes.”

"My biggest takeaway will certainly be the relationships I have built."

Luke Hatton (MBA’24)

“Through the capstone project I was able to develop a complete business plan around that seed of an idea,” he explained. “My goal coming out of my capstone was to get the idea to a place where I could decide on whether or not to try and launch the product. After graduation, my goal is to replace the time I was devoting to school to continue trying to bring my business idea to life.”

Looking back, “my biggest takeaway will certainly be the relationships I have built, not only with my cohort, but also with the professors and mentors I have been fortunate enough to meet through the program. Many of my favorite memories are from eating dinner together as a cohort before class.”

“I am looking forward to continuing to play an active part in the Leeds community after graduation,” he promised.

From chasing childhood dreams to traveling their own academic paths, Leeds 2024 graduates are ready to take on the world.

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Class of 2024 PhD Candidates Share Their Research and What’s Next

Anonymous — Tue, 07 May 2024 20:43:53 +0000

Class of 2024 PhD Candidates Share Their Research and What’s Next Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/07/2024 - 14:43

Across Leeds, PhD candidates are working on ground-breaking research to create a better understanding of the world of business—here’s where they’re headed next.

Taking Account of What’s Next

Jackie Wegner (PhD Acct’24) researched the production and use of information in capital markets for her doctorate. “I am inspired by this research because information is an important and versatile asset in our society,” she says.

Wegner’s time at Leeds has been a blend of studying with Sarah Zechman, Tisone Memorial Fellow and Accounting Professor, and Nathan Marshall, Accounting PhD Program Director, and taking time to enjoy everything ��«��Ƶ has to offer. “I can’t think of a better place to consume accounting research than in the Rocky Mountains. The accounting faculty at CU ��«��Ƶ are some of the smartest and kindest individuals I have met.”

After being cheered on by her husband, family and friends throughout the program, Wegner is now headed to the University of Southern California where she will work as an assistant professor in the accounting department.

Moving the markets

Sasha Lien (PhD Fnce’24) studied the role of institutions in determining asset prices. “This has important implications not only for the interaction between institutional demand and arbitrage capital,” he said, “but also for our understanding of markets more generally.”

Lien enjoyed working in the finance department, “specifically, I liked learning how to think about research and causality. This is important for better understanding the world around us.” He shared that the list of people who supported him within the finance department is “too long - I’m working cards for a dozen faculty members who have all had a tremendous impact on my life and my success.”

Now that his PhD program is completed, Lien will be joining Viribus Fund, an algorithmic hedge fund, as an FTR Derivatives Analyst.

Taking an environmental stand

Scott Robinson (PhD Acct’24) focuses on corporations’ non-financial information, specifically environmental disclosures. “I believe corporations are key players in combating climate change,” said Robinson. “Understanding the determinants of corporate environmental disclosure and capital market consequences is increasingly important.”

Robinson shared that the highlight of his time at Leeds was working with other PhD students and accounting faculty. “The students and faculty at Leeds understand the grind of the program and recognize the importance of being present for one another. And the faculty are so welcoming. It feels like they truly want students to get the most out of the program.” He also enjoyed teaching as a part of the program and celebrated the opportunity to do revision work at a Financial Times 50 journal.

He also acknowledged that his spouse and three children cheered him on throughout the program and will be joining him as he starts a position as an assistant accounting professor at the University of Oregon.

Across Leeds, PhD candidates are working on ground-breaking research to create a better understanding of the world of business—here’s where they’re headed next.

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2024 Teaching and Staff Award Recipients

Anonymous — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:15:45 +0000

2024 Teaching and Staff Award Recipients Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:15

Leeds faculty do more than just teach—they encourage, mentor and advocate for their students. And staff show up every day to help students achieve their goals throughout their Leeds’ experience. Each year faculty and staff are recognized for their contributions to the Leeds community. Here are this year’s award recipients.

Frascona Teaching Excellence Award

Assistant Professor Henry Laurion, teaches financial accounting in the MBA program and received the Frascona Teaching Excellence Award this year for inspiring students and creating a lasting impact in their lives. The award has been conferred to faculty at Leeds since 1992 to acknowledge professors who go above and beyond in educating the next generation of leaders.

“I appreciate my excellent MBA students for nominating me and helping me win the award through their active engagement in my class,” says Laurion. “In class, we enjoy applying financial accounting rules to real-world financial statements of public companies. Financial Accounting is the only course I teach, so I am able to stay free from distractions and provide more focused attention to my students.”

Laurion graduated from Leeds with both a B.S. and M.S. in Business Administration with a focus in accounting. After graduating, he worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Denver from 2008 to 2013, after which he obtained a PhD in accounting from UC Berkeley. He studies public companies' financial statements and disclosures and has been teaching in the Leeds MBA program since 2018. His real-world experience is something he brings into the classroom and to mentoring students.

“I offer office hours and one-on-one meetings to help individual students who want more help or want to analyze a company’s financial statements beyond the standard course material,” explains Laurion. “It helps that my students are engaged and actively participating in lectures and class discussions.”

Innovative Teaching Award

Jeremiah Contreras, a teaching assistant professor in accounting, received the 2024 David B. Balkin, Rosalind, and Chester Barnow Endowed Innovative Teaching Award.

“Our Leeds community is filled with incredibly talented faculty who are continually pushing the boundaries of the classroom experience. To be selected for this award is humbling and inspires me to continue finding new ways of having a positive impact in the classroom,” he says.

Contreras is committed to preparing students for working with cutting-edge technology. By exploring AI in his own courses, Contreras believes Leeds students will have the necessary skills “to thrive in an AI-assisted world.”

“My focus is on addressing the rise of generative AI and its impact on education,” he explains. “Leeds has the opportunity to be at the forefront of innovative teaching, setting an example for higher education as a whole.”

“I’m actively involved with others at Leeds to develop best practices of integrating AI in a responsible way. One goal is offering seminars and workshops so faculty can determine how they might integrate these powerful tools while maintaining academic integrity and encouraging critical thinking.”

Contreras joined the Leeds accounting faculty in 2017 and is an active CPA. His background is in auditing with KPMG and consulting for business management and systems. He now teaches accounting courses across undergraduate and graduate programs and thinks about how to set students up for success as they go into their careers.

“The business landscape is changing, and this requires that we fundamentally rethink how we prepare students for the careers of tomorrow,” Contreras says. “I envision Leeds as a leader in this transformation, providing our students with the skills and critical thinking that will be required to thrive in an AI-assisted world. My goal is to ensure our students leave Leeds not just competitive, but well-positioned as thought leaders in their fields.”

Meghan Van Portfliet

This year’s Balkin award finalists included Joshua Nunziato of SRS for his March Debate Madness tournament that exposes students to dichotomous business ethics dilemmas. The event teaches ethical principles, clarity of communication, professionalism, argumentation, and the ability to support a view one may not hold. Emily Edwards (of Marketing) and Shaun Davies (of Finance), for their EMBA cross-disciplinary Innovation Project, which has become the de facto first-year capstone of the EMBA assignment. In the class, EMBA student teams work with real clients to enhance existing processes or provide new business opportunities.

Leeds Values Award

Among a group of new awards for outstanding faculty and staff, the Leeds Values Award recognizes a member of the faculty and a member of the staff for being champions of Leeds’ values.

Shireen Miller

Meghan Van Portfliet is a teaching assistant professor in Social Responsibility and Sustainability. Her research centers on the topics of whistleblowing and organization ignorance, and she has spoken about her work globally. This year she is the recipient of the 2024 Leeds Values Award for Faculty.

Shireen Miller is the program assistant for the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program. She is responsible for supporting the faculty director and helping the program grow to offer more opportunities and events for business students to gain ethical decision-making skills that will serve them in their careers and lives. This year she is the recipient of the 2024 Leeds Values Award for Staff.

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