Celebrating Our 2024 Student and Teacher Award Honorees

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management—with its nationally-ranked programs, globally recognized faculty, and close-knit community—prepares collaborative leaders who are dedicated to make a positive impact that our society needs and deserves. 

Each year, we recognize the outstanding teachers, students and new graduates who embrace the School’s core values of collaborative leadership and who demonstrate a commitment to team building and service.

We congratulate the achievements of our student and teacher award honorees for the 2023-24 academic year.

Teacher of the Year Awards

• Marc Lowe, Full-Time MBA
• Brian Kennedy, Sacramento Part-Time MBA
• Matthew Zaragoza-Watkins, Bay Area Part-Time MBA
• Jim Stevens, Online MBA
• Steven Gill, MPAc
• Mehul Rangwala, MSBA

Leadership Awards

James F. Sullivan Award for Distinguished Service to the School

Established in James F. Sullivan’s honor upon his retirement as Vice-Chancellor of Business and Finance at UC Davis. One award is presented at commencement to an MBA student in recognition of outstanding service (est. 1991).

• Léa Bouhelier-Gautreau, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 24

Image

Robert H. Smiley Leadership Award

The Robert H. Smiley Leadership Award recognizes students who have shown outstanding leadership in activities and enterprises at the Graduate School of= Management, in the name of a former dean and emeritus professor, Robert Smiley. These students have shown leadership and initiative in starting new programs or taking existing programs to new and improved levels of operation and success.

• Anna Hoehenrieder, Full-Time MBA
• Kathy Truong, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 24
• Leticia Garay, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 24
• Alif Laila Tisha, Online MBA 24

Will Snyder Award for MPAc Excellence in Leadership

Established by the executive director of the Masters of Professional Accountancy Program, Will Snyder and his wife Helena, the Leadership Award recognizes a graduating MPAc student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in activities and enterprise in the MPAc program (est. 2016). 

• Gabby Tirsell MPAc 24

MSBA Leadership Award

The MSBA Leadership Award recognizes a student who has shown outstanding leadership in activities and enterprises at the School. This student has shown leadership and initiative in taking programs to new and improved levels of operation and success.

• Mrimon Guha MSBA 24

Outstanding Female Leadership & Impact Award

Initiated by the UC Davis GSM Bay Area MBA Class of 2018, the Outstanding Female Leadership & Impact Award Fund supports exceptional GSM graduate students who demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities while promoting and reducing barriers for women in business.

• Leticia Garay, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 24

Academic Excellence Awards

Image

Richard C. Dorf Award for Academic Excellence for MBA Students

The Dorf Award for Academic Excellence recognizes outstanding academic achievement in the MBA curriculum in each of our programs. Endowed by Richard and Joy Dorf, the award honors MBA students with the highest grade-point average.

• Bradley Gable, Full-Time MBA 24
• Léa Bouhelier-Gautreau, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 24
• Marcos Contreras, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 24
• Jason Greene, Online MBA 24
• Victoria Kam, Online MBA 24

Will Snyder Award for MPAc Excellence in Academic Achievement

Established by the Executive Director of the Masters of Professional Accountancy Program, Will Snyder and his wife Helena, the Academic Achievement Award recognizes a graduating MPAc student with the highest cumulative GPA (est. 2016).

• Ben Forney MPAc 24

MSBA Award for Academic Excellence

The MSBA Award for Academic Excellence was established by faculty to recognize outstanding academic achievement in the MSBA program. It is awarded to the student with the highest grade-point average.

• Yi Yin (Ian) Chen MSBA 24

Image

GSM Alumni Association Student Fellowship Awards

The GSM Alumni Association awards annual fellowships to deserving students from each program. Nominees exemplify the core values of the association. They are passionate, energetic student leaders who help to improve our community.

• Lea Bouhelier-Gautreau, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 24
• Ryan Wilson, Full-Time MBA 24
• Izzie Guevarra, MPAc 24
• Ji Hyun Kim, MSBA 24
• Jasdeep (Jesse) Pataria, Online MBA 24
• Leticia Garay, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 24 

Stephen and Shelley Newberry Distinguished Fellowship Award

The Newberry Distinguished Fellowship Award is the School’s largest privately funded fellowship award and was established by Lam Research Chairman Stephen Newberry and his wife Shelley Newberry. Awardees have a broad base of experience and indicators that they will be successful team leaders in business; they can make difficult decisions that are not popular, take responsibility and are accountable; and they also demonstrate great potential for leadership and long-term CEO or COO roles. 

• Anna Hoehenrieder, Full-Time MBA 24
• Yash Asthana, Full-Time MBA 24

Image

Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society Candidates

The mission of Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor academic achievement and personal excellence in the study and practice of business. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest national recognition a business student can receive at an AACSB school.