Celebrating Our 2025 Student, Alumni 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 2024-25 academic year.

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Teacher of the Year Awards

• Victor Stango, Full-Time MBA
• Vanessa Errecarte, Sacramento Part-Time MBA
• Marc Lowe, Bay Area Part-Time MBA
• Gareth Keeves, Online MBA
• Paul Wong, MPAc
• Prasad Naik, MSBA
• Matthew Zaragoza-Watkins, Master of Management

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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. 

• Roshan Paul, Full-Time MBA 24
• Jack Schaufler, Full-Time MBA 24

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Leadership Awards

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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).

• Myrna Robles Couch, Online MBA

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.

• Varsha Yelamanchi, Full-Time MBA
• Monique Dionne Fruitier, Sacramento Part-Time MBA
• Yin Tseng, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 
• Bretteill Davidoff, Online MBA 

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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). 

• Grace Cha MPAc 25

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.

• Vignesh Thiagarajan MSBA 25

Master of Management Leadership Award

The MM 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.

• Alexis Rangel MM 25

Outstanding Leadership & Impact Award

Initiated by leaders from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM) Bay Area MBA Class of 2018, the purpose of the Outstanding Leadership & Impact Award Fund is to support a GSM graduate student(s) who demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities and has made significant contributions to the GSM community while supporting, promoting and reducing barriers for women in business. 

• Yin Y. Tseng, Bay Area MBA

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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.

• Roshan Paul, Full-Time MBA 
• Thomas Modisett Garberson, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 
• Mansi Saxena, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 
• David Luo Pan, Online MBA

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).

• Andrea Casner MPAc 25

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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.

• Adithya Sivakumar MSBA 25

Master of Management Award for Academic Excellence

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

• Ahmadzakaria Arjmand MM 25

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Alumni Awards

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.

• Simrun Bhandal, Full-Time MBA 
• Marissa Hernandez, Sacramento Part-Time MBA 
• Yin Tseng, Bay Area Part-Time MBA 
• Myrna Robles Couch, Online MBA 
• Sage Taylor, MPAc 
• Henri Jenoudet, MSBA 
• Alexis Rangel, MM

Distinguished Achievement Award

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Honors alumni who have distinguished themselves in their professional and personal lives.

• Curtis Mann MBA 06, Full-Time MBA

Outstanding Service Award

Honors alumni who have displayed exemplary support of the GSM by giving their time, expertise and/or financial support.

• Kristy MaKieve MBA 15, Sacramento Part-Time MBA

Rising Star Award

Honors alumni who have contributed to their profession or to the GSM and larger UC Davis community during the early or mid-portion of their career.

• Stephanie Zarate MBA 20, Sacramento Part-Time MBA

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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.