Celebrating the Class of 2010

A Graduation Awards Reception for the Manderson MBA Class of 2010 was held at Bryant Museum on Thursday, April 22, 2010.  Blake Bedsole, Manderson Director of Admissions and Student Services, announced and presented the awards and Manderson Program Director Susan West highlighted Class of 2010 achievements and rankings.  Among awards given, students were recognized for 4.0 GPA’s, Leadership, Community Service, and Mentorship.  2010 Graduates also voted to recognize certain faculty members for their impact on and excellence in teaching over the 2009 and 2010 academic years.  Faculty members honored included Dr. Chuck Sox, Dr. Ron Dulek, and Dr. Chad Hilton.  Dulek commented that he accepted his award on behalf of all the second year faculty, and Sox said that he will remember the Class of 2010 fondly, especially all of their “panicked office visits.”  Hilton, too, will remember these students and expects to hear great things in the future about the Class of 2010. 

 

Highlights of Class achievements announced by Susan West included the following:

·         Four students received a Level II Letter of Recognition in the Cultural Arts (LORCA)

·         Worked to receive nomination for the worldwide TEAM MBA Award for community service for the second year in a row

·         Second Place in the Leeds School of Business 2010 Net Impact Case Competition. For Tuscaloosa News coverage of the Manderson Team’s performance, click here.

·         Initiating a Society of Global MBA’s at the University of Alabama

·         The first class participating in a partnership with Procter & Gamble in support of their Tide Loads of Hope Program

·         Helped continued climb of Manderson’s ranking nationwide, including the following selections:

  • Manderson is among the 15 graduate schools of business named to The Princeton Review’s “Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools” in the accounting and marketing categories, which will be reported in the April 2010 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine.
  • Manderson MBA program was ranked 66th overall, 33rd among public universities, and 5th in the SEC in the 2010 edition of U.S. News & World Report business school rankings. Manderson Listing

 

A detailed list of awards and recipients follows:

·         4.0 GPA's:

  • Jennifer  Johnson-Hutcherson

  • Kate Pereboeva

  • Stephainie Reichman

  • David Sansing

  • Clay Whittemore

·         Outstanding Student Leadership Award: Agustin Tristan.

The Outstanding Leadership Award is given to the graduate who best exhibited excellent leadership skills both in and outside of the classroom setting. The individual that is selected has been recognized for their superior leadership abilities by the MBA faculty staff and fellow classmates. The recipient is admired by fellow classmates, displays a positive reflection of the MBA Program, and has been a mentor to first-year students.

·         Community Service Award: Kelli Allred.

The Community Service Award is given to the graduate who best embodied the spirit of true volunteerism. This award honors the noble graduate who demonstrated a connection to the community with the selfless donations of time and service. The recipient is active in developing community service opportunities that allow the MBA Program to gain more visibility and recognition in the community.

·         Faculty’s Choice Award: Abby Barringer.

The Faculty’s Choice Award is chosen exclusively by the MBA Programs faculty and staff. This award honors the graduate that has displayed superior classroom leadership, initiative, and academic achievement. The recipient has made exceptional contributions to the MBA Program and represents the exemplary qualities of a Manderson Graduate School of Business MBA graduate.

·         The Lewis Manderson Mentorship Award: Michael Musgrove.

The Lewis Manderson Mentorship Award, established to honor the longtime support and affiliation that Lewis Manderson has had with the MBA Program, is given to a graduating 2nd year MBA student who has demonstrated outstanding mentorship qualities which has enriched student life experiences for first year Manderson MBA students.

·         MBA Faculty Excellence Award: Dr. Chuck Sox and Dr.Ron Dulek.

The MBA Faculty Excellence Award, selected by second year MBA students, honors a 1st and 2nd year faculty member. These professors have shown outstanding commitment to the MBA Program through their exceptional instruction that generates a positive learning environment and creates significant impact on student understanding. These recipients engage students in and out of the classroom by establishing excellent intellectual rapport, and exhibit individual respect and a positive response to student diversity. 

·         Faculty Bravo Award: Dr. Chad Hilton.

The Faculty Bravo Award recognizes a faculty member that stimulates strategic thinking, inventive approaches to problem solving, and encourages creative leadership styles.  The recipient facilitates spirited intellectual debates and challenges students to expand traditional thought processes.