Celebrating Our 2022 Student and Teacher Award Honorees

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management—with its nationally-ranked programs, internationally-ranked faculty, and caring and collaborative community—is uniquely positioned to create the leaders and workforce our society needs and deserves. Every year, our community recognizes outstanding teachers, students, and graduates who embrace the School’s core values of passionate and energetic leadership and who demonstrate a commitment to team building and service.

Please join us in congratulating the achievements of our student and teacher award honorees for the 2021-22 academic year.

Teacher of the Year Awards

• Full-Time MBA – Professor Ayako Yasuda
• Sacramento Part-Time MBA – Lecturer Doy Charnsupharindr
• Bay Area Part-Time MBA – Lecturer Brian Kennedy
• Online MBA – Lecturer Vanessa Errecarte
• Master of Professional Accountancy – Assistant Professor Paul Wong
• Master of Science in Business Analytics – Lecturer Mehul Rangwala

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).

• Rebecca "Becca" Litman, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 22

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.

• Jayce Smalley, Full-Time MBA 22
• Kevin Chuc, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 22
• Margaret Lee, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 22
• Abby Flores, Online MBA 22

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). 

• Dainah Kilburn MPAc 22

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.

• Waleed Irfan MSBA 22

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Academic Excellence Awards

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.

• Deepi Agarwal, Full-Time MBA 22
• James Moody, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 22
• Kellie Faith McFarland, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 22
• Stephen Martin, Online MBA 22

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).

• Stephen Smith MPAc 22

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.

• Keshore Suryanarayanan MSBA 22

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GSM Alumni Association 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.

• Daniel Bradley, Full-Time MBA 22
• Gianne Yeung, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 22
• Margaret Lee, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 22
• Gennaro Tecchia, Online MBA 23
• Rose Canfield-Hershkowitz, MPAc 22
• Melissa Talgo, MSBA 22

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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. 

• Aishwarya Singh, Full Time MBA 22
• Sodontuya Nerguidavaa, Full Time MBA 22

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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.