(BA Public Service and
Public Policy ’21)
reetings! My name is Amy Ostrom, and I am the new interim dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business. I am honored to succeed Dean Amy Hillman, who served with distinction for nearly eight years, until the end of December.
Dean Hillman led the school through a tremendous period of growth and achievement, which you can read more about on page 10. We are grateful for her years of service to our school and are happy she will remain nearby, as she returns to her role as a professor in our Department of Management and Entrepreneurship.
I am a longtime Sun Devil — I grew up in the W. P. Carey School, where my dad, Lonnie Ostrom, is a professor. After completing my PhD at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, I was thrilled to return to ASU in 1996 as a faculty member in the Department of Marketing, where I most recently served as the chair of the department and am currently the PetSmart Chair in Services Leadership and a President’s Professor.
Throughout my tenure, I have been consistently impressed by our students, alumni, colleagues, and the Sun Devil community. It is a privilege to lead the school into its next chapter.
If you have any questions or would like to contact me, please feel free to email amy.ostrom@asu.edu.
Warm regards,
Interim Dean
PetSmart Chair in Services Leadership
W. P. Carey School of Business
reetings! My name is Amy Ostrom, and I am the new interim dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business. I am honored to succeed Dean Amy Hillman, who served with distinction for nearly eight years, until the end of December.
Dean Hillman led the school through a tremendous period of growth and achievement, which you can read more about on page 10. We are grateful for her years of service to our school and are happy she will remain nearby, as she returns to her role as a professor in our Department of Management and Entrepreneurship.
I am a longtime Sun Devil — I grew up in the W. P. Carey School, where my dad, Lonnie Ostrom, is a professor. After completing my PhD at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, I was thrilled to return to ASU in 1996 as a faculty member in the Department of Marketing, where I most recently served as the chair of the department and am currently the PetSmart Chair in Services Leadership and a President’s Professor.
Throughout my tenure, I have been consistently impressed by our students, alumni, colleagues, and the Sun Devil community. It is a privilege to lead the school into its next chapter.
If you have any questions or would like to contact me, please feel free to email amy.ostrom@asu.edu.
Warm regards,
Interim Dean
PetSmart Chair in Services Leadership
W. P. Carey School of Business
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, students recount on social media what it means to them to get an internship or a job. Because of the caliber of W. P. Carey grads and undergrads, more than 400 regional, national, and international corporations recruit its business students annually.
Editor’s note: Posts have been edited for length and clarity.
Extremely excited and grateful to announce that I have accepted an offer with eBay! I will be joining eBay’s channel marketing team based in Seattle as a marketing intern this summer! I am looking forward to all the new experiences ahead. Thank you to my amazing mentors who have guided me throughout my career and my classmates for helping me through my first semester at ASU. Special thank you to W. P. Carey School of Business and Joey Kimes for helping me develop the tools I need to succeed this summer.
I am excited to announce that I have accepted an offer to become an integrated supply chain intern at Honeywell for summer 2021 in Clearwater, Florida! I would like to thank everyone who helped me along the way, including the W. P. Carey School of Business. I would not be here without all of the extensive resources, professors, and staff members available to me. I can’t wait to see what this experience brings!
I am thrilled to share that I will be joining Vizient as an advisory services intern for the summer of 2021! I’m grateful for this opportunity and am looking forward to gaining valuable experience in clinical consulting projects. Thank you to David Gillan and Janet Solomon for your guidance and support, as well to everyone at Arizona State University — W. P. Carey School of Business for investing in my well-being and professional development!
I am incredibly ecstatic to announce that I have accepted an internship position with the finance and accounting department at Intel for the summer of 2021. A big thank you to everyone who has encouraged and steered me on this continuous journey. The words of wisdom you all have shared with me have been monumental and I am grateful for all the guidance. Just incredibly humbled and I am beyond thrilled for what lies ahead. Cheers to an amazing 2021 summer!
I am excited to announce that I have officially accepted a position with Dell Technologies! I will be moving to Austin, Texas, after I graduate in May to begin my new career. I’d like to give a huge shoutout to my Dell team, manager, and mentors for making the internship such a great experience. I also owe many thanks to my peers, mentors, career coaches, and professors at the W. P. Carey School of Business. It has been my dream to work in the technology industry and now I get to make that happen. The MBA program has been a transformative experience (in more ways than one) and I am so grateful for everyone who helped shape this journey for me.
The W. P. Carey School of Business acknowledges the 22 Tribal Nations that have inhabited this land for centuries. Arizona State University’s four campuses are located in the Salt River Valley on ancestral homelands of many Indigenous peoples, including the Akimel O’odham (Pima), and Pee Posh (Maricopa), whose care and keeping of these lands allows us to be here today and provides a guide for our relationship with these lands in the future. W. P. Carey acknowledges the sovereignty of these tribal nations and seeks to foster an environment of success and possibility for American Indian students, and to work alongside Indigenous people in business practices and knowledges that support Native experiences and prosperity.
Volume 8, Issue 2, Spring 2021
Amy L. Ostrom, PhD
Interim Dean, PetSmart Chair
in Services Leadership
Colin Boyd
Executive Director, Marketing
and Communications
Michael Remedi
Associate Dean and Executive
Director of Development
Brennan Forss
Director of Alumni Relations
Theresa Shaw
Manager of Alumni Relations
W. P. Carey Alumni
wpcarey.asu.edu/alumni
Facebook
facebook.com/wpcareyschool
LinkedIn
wpcarey.asu.edu/linkedin
Twitter
@WPCareySchool
Shay Moser
Creative Director
Paula Murray
Staff Contributors
Emily Beach, Perri Collins, Sean Durell, Hunter McCormick, Tiana Morgan, Hannah O’Regan, Madeline Sargent, Connor Wodynski
Contributors
Andrew Clark, Claire Curry, Alexander Gelfand, Brian Hudgins, Jane Larson, Betsy Loeff, Teresa Meek, Erin Peterson, Jenn Woolson
Photographers
W. Scott Mitchell, Michael Paras, Shelley Valdez
Managing Editor
W. P. Carey School of Business
Arizona State University
PO Box 872506
Tempe, AZ 85287-2506
Changes of address and other subscription inquiries can be emailed to:
editor.wpcmagazine@asu.edu
W. P. Carey magazine is a publication of the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University © 2021
Send editorial submissions and letters to:
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ALL THINGS WPC
These top wpcarey.asu.edu/alumni destinations provide quick ways to take action and get involved upon arrival.
Visit wpcarey.asu.edu/give to learn more.
Get involved: afmaaz.org
ALL THINGS WPC
y the time the BA building was dedicated in 1968, the W. P. Carey School — then known as ASU’s College of Business Administration — already needed more space. Dedicated in 1971, an addition would make room for more students, faculty, and staff, and expand the building to over 115,800 square feet. Travel back in time with us to celebrate the past and present of a favorite W. P. Carey facility on ASU’s Tempe campus.
Memories from a previous era
Vic Wickersham (MBA ’72) first visited Tempe for summer sessions from 1968 to 1969. During his first summer at W. P. Carey, he met the woman who would later become his wife while standing in line to pay their dorm fees for Palo Verde. The couple cele
Sun Devil Stories
The fifth annual Sun Devil 100 event honored a full complement of top firms led by ASU alumni, including several W. P. Carey leaders we are proud to recognize. Co-founded by David Freedman (BS Real Estate ’05) and Chris Stark (MRED ’05), advertising technology firm Freestar was named the top Sun Devil 100 company in its Class of 2020. “None of this is possible without ASU and the incredible community that’s been built here,” Freedman says.
ALL THINGS WPC
Jaron Lodge (BS Business Entrepreneurship ’21) has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. At age 15, the enterprising W. P. Carey senior started a dogsitting business. After stints working at Subway and Ashley Furniture in his late teens, he knew he wanted to create another business.
Not one to take any shortcuts, Lodge understood the necessity of being an entrepreneur is to be a “jack of all trades.” He explains, “I don’t try to master anything besides being an entrepreneur, which means knowing a little about a bunch of different things.”
ALL THINGS WPC
ince becoming dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business in 2013, Amy Hillman led the school through incredible innovation and success. For example, you would not be reading W. P. Carey magazine today without her guidance and commitment to engaging with our alumni around the world. Work on the inaugural issue of this magazine began within two months of the start of Dean Hillman’s tenure.
That same year, she presided over the opening of McCord Hall, our graduate facility that boasts state-of-the-art classrooms and meeting rooms, specialized industry space, and dedicated areas for master’s degree programs. The new building gave us vital room to grow — the next year we launched our master’s degrees in finance and global logistics. Our programs have proliferated each year since.
ALL THINGS WPC
We’re looking forward to multiple sessions of W. P. Carey Back to Class, a free learning event series that brings fresh insights from leading faculty to W. P. Carey alumni.
MARCH 20
Join Margaret Luciano for a Back to Class session about managing burnout in yourself and others.
MARCH 20
W. P. Carey Back to Class
Join Margaret Luciano for a Back to Class session about managing burnout in yourself and others.
APRIL 22
Executive of the Year Award
A special event honoring 2021 Executive of the Year Sheryl Palmer, chairman and CEO of Taylor Morrison. Free, virtual event; RSVP to attend.
APRIL 22
Economic Club of Phoenix presents
Executive of the Year Award
A special event honoring 2021 Executive of the Year Sheryl Palmer, chairman and CEO of Taylor Morrison. Free, virtual event; RSVP to attend.
MAY 6
Featuring the Economic Outlook, experts look at the trends, events, and cross-industry projections currently shaping the greater Phoenix landscape and beyond. Free, virtual event; RSVP to attend.
MAY 12
Featuring Hendrik Bessembinder, our May edition of Back to Class is all about whether stocks outperform Treasury bills. Free, virtual learning event; RSVP to attend.
MAY 12
W. P. Carey Back to Class
Featuring Hendrik Bessembinder, our May edition of Back to Class is all about whether stocks outperform Treasury bills. Free, virtual learning event; RSVP to attend.
JUNE 3
Join Andy Call to discuss the impact of U.S. whistle-blowing regimes, with insights from academic research, and more at our June edition of Back to Class. Free, virtual learning event; RSVP to attend.
JUNE 3
W. P. Carey Back to Class
Join Andy Call to discuss the impact of U.S. whistle-blowing regimes, with insights from academic research, and more at our June edition of Back to Class. Free, virtual learning event; RSVP to attend.
JULY 1
Expand your knowledge of quantum computing during this July edition of Back to Class featuring Matt Sopha. Free, virtual learning event; RSVP to attend.
JULY 1
W. P. Carey Back to Class
Expand your knowledge of quantum computing during this July edition of Back to Class featuring Matt Sopha. Free, virtual learning event; RSVP to attend.
change in a
world
was not easy on anyone. Yet even as many of us struggled through what was one of the most difficult years in generations, many in the W. P. Carey community found ways to lead with generosity and gratitude. At a time of great fear, they found ways to be brave. At a moment when it could be easy to hunker down, they opened up.
Call it “the great reframing”: This past year required people to take a new perspective on their lives. Many found that they had more to offer — and more to appreciate — than they realized when times were better.
Here, in their own words, they highlight some of the ways that these past few months have allowed them to think differently about their responsibilities and roles. We hope their stories will help you see the ways that you, too, may have gained and shared more from this difficult period than you might realize.
ince 2006, up to 20 W. P. Carey School juniors and seniors have received at least $10,000 a year to help them shoulder the cost of higher education. They’re McCord Scholars, participants in a scholarship program that reflects the values of the program’s namesake and funding donors, Sharon Dupont McCord and her late husband Robert K. (Bob) McCord, distinguished real estate professionals and philanthropists.
The McCords’ gift supports their belief that collaboration creates faster and better solutions — and that philanthropy should be a way of life. Participants in the scholarship program embrace this ethos through mentorship, community service, and ongoing program support long after they’ve left campus life. ASU’s McCord Scholarship is as much about giving back as receiving.
ave you ever noticed how research study conclusions can shift over time?
Take red wine. In the late 1980s, epidemiologists observed that French people had a low risk of dying from coronary heart disease despite their predilection for cheese and other fatty foods. They theorized that drinking red wine, which contains antioxidants from grape skins, was the reason. As a result, many white wine drinkers switched to red.
But then other evidence began to emerge. White wine also contains antioxidants, and some studies found it provides as many health benefits as red. Furthermore, antioxidant content depends on the type of grape, the soil where it’s grown, how it’s processed, and even how it’s stored. Some white wines contain more antioxidants than red.
Confusing results like these are common, and it’s not always because subsequent studies come to different conclusions. Sometimes data from the original study could have revealed more nuanced or even totally different conclusions, but we don’t learn about them because researchers don’t examine all the variables and how they relate to one another, says Jeffrey Wilson, a professor in the Department of Economics.
“In research papers in biostatistics and epidemiology, too often, people ignore correlations for the ease of calculations,” Wilson says. “When you ignore correlations, you are likely to see something as significant when it is not. You may make statements that aren’t true.”
ave you ever noticed how research study conclusions can shift over time?
Take red wine. In the late 1980s, epidemiologists observed that French people had a low risk of dying from coronary heart disease despite their predilection for cheese and other fatty foods. They theorized that drinking red wine, which contains antioxidants from grape skins, was the reason. As a result, many white wine drinkers switched to red.
But then other evidence began to emerge. White wine also contains antioxidants, and some studies found it provides as many health benefits as red. Furthermore, antioxidant content depends on the type of grape, the soil where it’s grown, how it’s processed, and even how it’s stored. Some white wines contain more antioxidants than red.
Confusing results like these are common, and it’s not always because subsequent studies come to different conclusions. Sometimes data from the original study could have revealed more nuanced or even totally different conclusions, but we don’t learn about them because researchers don’t examine all the variables and how they relate to one another, says Jeffrey Wilson, a professor in the Department of Economics.
“In research papers in biostatistics and epidemiology, too often, people ignore correlations for the ease of calculations,” Wilson says. “When you ignore correlations, you are likely to see something as significant when it is not. You may make statements that aren’t true.”
Research by Peter Hom, Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
Research by Luis Gomez-Mejia, Regents Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
ny customer who walks into a family firm may be surprised at what they find,” reveals Luis Gomez-Mejia, ASU Regents Professor of management and entrepreneurship. With an overwhelming belief that non-family businesses offered more attractive career packages — either better human resources benefits or a well-defined career plan — Gomez-Mejia and colleagues Luiz Mesquita and Peter Hom, professors at ASU, Marcos Hashimoto, associate professor at the University of Indianapolis, and Amanda Christensen-Salem, assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati, decided to look closely at organizational caring climates in organizations, which highlight the belief that businesses do care about their employees.
Research by Thomas Bates, Dean’s Council of 100 Distinguished Scholar and Associate Professor of Finance
o many businesses, automation has a negative side — complicated customer service call systems that drive consumers away, cyberattacks on vulnerable networks, staff lacking in manual-process skills.
But research by two W. P. Carey professors reveals there is a positive side to automation, in that it affords greater financial flexibility to certain types of firms.
inspire students
prah Winfrey said a teacher is the reason she became a talk show host and created a business empire.
Anchorman Brian Williams said a teacher “turned him around,” pulling him out of a directionless life and into one with drive and curiosity.
The truly remarkable educators we encounter do more than dole out facts and grad school recommendation letters.
The W. P. Carey School of Business has plenty of great professors. Here is a look at what students have to say about a few of them.
hen he was 13, Josh Elizetxe (BS Computer Information Systems ’13) didn’t have a computer at home, so he spent afternoons at the library, where he checked out computer time by the hour and taught himself programming and how to build websites. Fascinated and eager to help his family, the young entrepreneur began designing websites for local businesses.
“We didn’t grow up with a lot,” Elizetxe says. “I’m the youngest in my family. I never struggled for anything, but we had very humble beginnings. When I started, I just wanted to make money and help my parents.”
And make money he did. The driven teen devoted hours to learning about online advertising and SEO, then added marketing to his menu of services. Before long, companies were paying him monthly to promote their businesses online.
One day, Elizetxe’s dad shared a newspaper article about the Fleischer Scholars program, an immersion program for high-achieving high school juniors who are facing multiple barriers. Held at ASU’s Tempe campus, the program is a week-long experience funded by Mort Fleischer, a former CEO who overcame challenges in his youth and went on to become one of Arizona’s most successful entrepreneurs.
hen he was 13, Josh Elizetxe (BS Computer Information Systems ’13) didn’t have a computer at home, so he spent afternoons at the library, where he checked out computer time by the hour and taught himself programming and how to build websites. Fascinated and eager to help his family, the young entrepreneur began designing websites for local businesses.
“We didn’t grow up with a lot,” Elizetxe says. “I’m the youngest in my family. I never struggled for anything, but we had very humble beginnings. When I started, I just wanted to make money and help my parents.”
And make money he did. The driven teen devoted hours to learning about online advertising and SEO, then added marketing to his menu of services. Before long, companies were paying him monthly to promote their businesses online.
One day, Elizetxe’s dad shared a newspaper article about the Fleischer Scholars program, an immersion program for high-achieving high school juniors who are facing multiple barriers. Held at ASU’s Tempe campus, the program is a week-long experience funded by Mort Fleischer, a former CEO who overcame challenges in his youth and went on to become one of Arizona’s most successful entrepreneurs.
Herbert Robertson (BS Finance ’62), who is a retired U.S. Navy commander, recently celebrated his 80th birthday. When he attended ASU, he lived in Best A dorm with only 97 men, after transferring from Lyons Township Junior College in Illinois. “It was almost a frat house because there was no Best C dorm adjoining it at the time, so Best A and B were very distinctive dorms with head residents and student governments,” he says. “We were almost always No. 1 academically, socially, and competitively.” Robertson made a generous planned gift in 2013 to support the Department of Finance, making him the largest contributor through the Herbert M. Robertson Support for W. P. Carey Finance donor fund.
Gregory Pearson (BS Management ’64) is celebrating his 55th year with State Farm Insurance as an agent. “Time goes by so fast,” he says. “I attended Phoenix Junior College for two years and then finished at ASU. The business college was great and I enjoyed the classes.”
Larry Carter (BS Accountancy ’74) and his wife established the Larry and Juana Carter Endowed Scholarship in 2019 to provide support for students graduating from high school in Globe, Ariz., where Carter was born and raised, and Miami, Ariz., where he graduated, as well as for the children of Arizona Highway Patrol officers. Carter, a member of the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation board of directors, was inducted into the W. P. Carey Alumni Hall of Fame in 2019 for his significant contributions during his 20-year career as chief financial officer (CFO) and a member of the board of directors at computer networking company Cisco and to the W. P. Carey School of Business. In 2000, he was given the ASU College of Business Distinguished Achievement Award at the school’s undergraduate graduation ceremonies, where he addressed the students. “I told the graduating class that the internet will change the way people work, play, live, and learn,” he says. “So, I told them to focus on their career to come. Little did I know how true it was and what effect the internet would have.”
efore COVID-19, life had already changed notably for Anshi Mathur (MBA ’20), but she didn’t skip a beat.
In 2017, when she started the Online MBA program at the W. P. Carey School of Business, Mathur was being treated for leukemia, which had temporarily robbed the lifelong musician of her ability to sing. She graduated from the MBA program in better health and had been selected to sing the alma mater at her convocation ceremony, but unfortunately was unable to do so because of COVID-19.
hen Richard Boals (BS Accountancy ’79) was growing up, going to college was never part of his plan. No one in his family had done it. It wasn’t until a restaurant co-worker put the idea into his head — we’ll get back to that in a minute — that Boals started down the path that would lead him to where he is today. That includes a 46-year career at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and many years of service to ASU.
Boals and his wife, Maryglenn, recently made their second $1 million gift to the W. P. Carey School of Business. The first one, in 2016, was for undergraduate students; this one is for graduate students wanting to continue their educational path.
“Amy Hillman was telling me that graduate students were having a tougher time getting scholarships than undergrads,” Boals explains. “What largely motivated us was the idea that if you started in a community college and you had a pathway to an undergrad degree at ASU, and then a grad degree, it just allows people to have a more complete vision of what they’re going to do educationally and how they’re going to succeed.”
(BS Accountancy ’79)
hen Richard Boals (BS Accountancy ’79) was growing up, going to college was never part of his plan. No one in his family had done it. It wasn’t until a restaurant co-worker put the idea into his head — we’ll get back to that in a minute — that Boals started down the path that would lead him to where he is today. That includes a 46-year career at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and many years of service to ASU.
Boals and his wife, Maryglenn, recently made their second $1 million gift to the W. P. Carey School of Business. The first one, in 2016, was for undergraduate students; this one is for graduate students wanting to continue their educational path.
“Amy Hillman was telling me that graduate students were having a tougher time getting scholarships than undergrads,” Boals explains. “What largely motivated us was the idea that if you started in a community college and you had a pathway to an undergrad degree at ASU, and then a grad degree, it just allows people to have a more complete vision of what they’re going to do educationally and how they’re going to succeed.”
(BS Accountancy ’79)
Michael Sedillo
BS Accountancy
1981
Ellwood C. Neiman
BS Computer Information Systems
Steven J. Benitez
BS Accountancy
1982
Laurence M. York
MBA
Lori S. Fitzpatrick
BS Management
Thomas G. Swartzlander Jr.
BS Transportation
Timothy D. Blau
BA Business Administration
1983
Frankie P. Chapman
BA Business Administration
1984
Doris J. Bell
BS Management
Janet M. Hayden
BA Business Administration
1985
Ellen M. Reisland
BA Purchase and Materials Management
George Bennewitz
BS Advertising
Jeffrey Banker
BS Marketing
Jeffrey D. Hamilton
BS Accountancy
1986
Doug Sweeney
BS Finance
1987
Kevin T. Jeras
BS Finance
1989
Mark A. Riek
BS Computer Information Systems
BS General Business
1990
Curtis Dettmann
BA Real Estate
Paula J. Novacek
BS Accountancy
1992
Christopher Crossan
BS Accountancy
Michael J. Adams
BS Computer Information Systems
1994
Monte R. Wheeler
Master’s degree in Decision and Information Systems
Steven E. Ehrecke
BS Finance
1996
Larry W. Pickett
BS Computer Information Systems
Norma Yee
BS Finance
2001, 2003
Sean D. Rayment
BS Finance
Master’s Degree in Accountancy and Information Systems
2004
William J. Pomerleau
BS Computer Information Systems
2005
Jacob A. Murphy
BS Economics
2011
Justin M. Lutch
BS Marketing
Tyler W. Tieman
BS Agribusiness
2019
Frank C. Ramirez
BA Business Administration
Michael Sedillo
BS Accountancy
1981
Ellwood C. Neiman
BS Computer Information Systems
Steven J. Benitez
BS Accountancy
1982
Laurence M. York
MBA
Lori S. Fitzpatrick
BS Management
Thomas G. Swartzlander Jr.
BS Transportation
Timothy D. Blau
BA Business Administration
1983
Frankie P. Chapman
BA Business Administration
1984
Doris J. Bell
BS Management
Janet M. Hayden
BA Business Administration
1985
Ellen M. Reisland
BA Purchase and Materials Management
George Bennewitz
BS Advertising
Jeffrey Banker
BS Marketing
Jeffrey D. Hamilton
BS Accountancy
1986
Doug Sweeney
BS Finance
1987
Kevin T. Jeras
BS Finance
1989
Mark A. Riek
BS Computer Information Systems
BS General Business
1990
Curtis Dettmann
BA Real Estate
Paula J. Novacek
BS Accountancy
1992
Christopher Crossan
BS Accountancy
Michael J. Adams
BS Computer Information Systems
1994
Monte R. Wheeler
Master’s degree in Decision and Information Systems
Steven E. Ehrecke
BS Finance
1996
Larry W. Pickett
BS Computer Information Systems
Norma Yee
BS Finance
2001, 2003
Sean D. Rayment
BS Finance
Master’s Degree in Accountancy and Information Systems
2004
William J. Pomerleau
BS Computer Information Systems
2005
Jacob A. Murphy
BS Economics
2011
Justin M. Lutch
BS Marketing
Tyler W. Tieman
BS Agribusiness
2019
Frank C. Ramirez
BA Business Administration
hen Alexis Gulbransen (BS Marketing ’18) received the Brian Etheridge Scholarship in her senior year at ASU, it was a life-changing day. Although she didn’t know it at the time, the gift would turn out to be about much more than money to pay for her final year at the W. P. Carey School of Business; the real gift would be the connection she made with the scholarship’s founder, who started the fund just six months after he graduated from ASU.
For Brian Etheridge (BS Economics ’96), that day in 2018 was just one of many days when he changed lives.
Over the past 20 years, Etheridge’s scholarship recipients have gone on to do great things: Sam Haghgoo (BS Management/Marketing ’14) helped develop the Apple Pay program, Keith Ryu (BS Computer Information Systems/Finance ’14) landed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list after starting a Silicon Valley company, Ashley Rosselli (BS Management ’15) recorded an album, and Victoria Crynes (BA Global Politics ’18) studied at Cambridge University.
An infant when the family moved to Gila Bend, Arizona, to work in the agricultural fields, Goode remembered picking cotton as a child. He graduated from eighth grade there but the local high school did not allow Black students, so the family moved to Prescott, where the children were allowed to attend schools.
Goode recalled his mother pushing education, even though she attended school only through sixth grade. And although his father attended only through eighth grade, he also was a strong proponent of his children being able to go to high school and achieve more.
During his junior year, Goode fell ill. “I was 16 at the time and, can you imagine, I was 5 foot, 1 inch, and weighed 75 pounds,” he said. The physician thought Goode might have a heart condition and predicted he might live for only one year, so the family decided to send the teenager to Phoenix for his health.
While attending Carver High School, a segregated high school for Black students, Goode worked on the school yearbook and was introduced to Black history. He graduated from Carver in 1945 and attended Phoenix College for two years, then enrolled at Arizona State University and earned his business degree. (He later earned a master’s degree in education at ASU.)
Founder and CEO at Clever Investor, Sperber’s tweets are both reflective and inspiring — a nice complement to his real estate investment advice.
A Sun Devil for life, O’Sullivan is passionate about advancing great ideas, great people, and great organizations.
Dickerson is a TV host, producer, and filmmaker who tweets about the lighthearted stuff in life. As a spokesperson for the Arizona Humane Society, it’s no surprise to see her feed is full of friendly furry faces.
Dwivedi is a food and beverage marketing consultant, and while she posts many delicious cocktail and culinary tweets, her unfiltered commentary on pop culture and politics will bring a little levity into your day.
As CEO of intelligent chat company Botco.ai, you’d expect a lot of tweets about technology, but Clyde is all about the people behind the products, often sharing information about other entrepreneurs and the local startup community.
Scibetti has been a leader in sports analytics and business intelligence for decades. Follow him for unique industry insights and job opportunities.
Bestselling author and director of business development for aviation aftermarket company AVAir, Hall tweets about everyday life, but he’s also known for conversing with and engaging his followers.
The Twitter feed of this founder of insurance technology startup Insurmi is a curated collection of retweets from other AI startup founders and snarky takes on politics and current events.
Although Lauderdale doesn’t graduate until May, he’s already made a name for himself on LinkedIn, with insightful posts on student life, as well as helpful advice for students and job seekers.
Miner shares information about big data, blockchain, and artificial intelligence in her position as director of consulting services and marketing at Tech Data. Follow her to read whitepapers, learn about upcoming webinars, and discover articles about the impact of the Internet of Things.
A former GoDaddy product management director turned business consultant and podcaster, Lawson is generous in sharing digital marketing tips and tricks for small businesses.
As a senior manager at ViacomCBS, Singh posts about the business of Hollywood. Follow him on LinkedIn if you’re interested in media and entertainment insights and commentary from someone on the inside.
After recovering from an eating disorder, Jelkovsky wanted to use her influence to inspire women to find unconditional self-love. She began speaking publicly and now posts motivational videos to YouTube.
Dachman gives followers the scoop on what it’s like being the manager of social media strategy at film studio Lionsgate. Plus, his movie memes will make you laugh out loud.
