Marriott School Introduces 2015 Hawes Scholars

While earning his MBA, Boubacar Barry has emphasized international business and service. Originally from Conakry, Guinea, Barry was responsible for developing a standalone study abroad program to Ghana for MBA students. Barry serves as the vice president of communications for the MBA Association and is a previous recipient of the Eccles award. A former member of the BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble Performing Arts Company, Barry enjoys dancing as well as traveling with his wife, Vania, and their two daughters. “Being from the west coast of Africa, my dreams and aspirations center around helping my people crawl out of the depths of poverty and make amazing contributions to the world,” Barry says. “I have learned the skills at BYU that will enable me to go forth and serve those around me.” After graduation Barry plans to work for GE Healthcare as part of its HR leadership program.

​Tori Dumke graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations and advertising. After working for several public relations agencies with clients in industries including entertainment, government, nonprofit and tech, Dumke decided to pursue her MBA at BYU to further her marketing skills and expand her business expertise. Upon graduation she will join Adobe as the Americas regional partner marketing manager. As student recruiting manager and a BYU MBA ambassador, she promotes the BYU MBA program, reaches out to prospective students and serves as a resource to admitted candidates. Dumke has also led the MBA Women’s Dinner series this year in an effort to increase female candidates’ participation in the program. Additionally, she serves as a sherpa where she regularly mentors first-year students and assists them with their internship search. “The relationships built and skills developed in this program will serve me well. But more importantly, they will help me serve others,” Dumke says. “I feel better suited to lead and empower those around me after working with and learning from my incredible peers.”

Before returning to BYU for his MBA, Daniel Jimenez worked for Stackpole Engineering Services as a vehicle dynamics engineer for Ford Racing’s NASCAR program. After earning his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from BYU in 2011, Jimenez wanted to expand his knowledge to include finance and strategy. He applies his skills as he serves as the director of portfolio investments for Cougar Capital and as the president of the MBA Strategy and Consulting Club. “Above all else, the MBA program is a community of individuals that not only want to see me succeed but also actively provide me with unparalleled opportunities to pivot my career in the direction I desire,” Jimenez says. “It is my hope that throughout my life I’m able to return the favor to future generations of BYU MBAs.” The Alpine, Utah, native enjoys spending time outside with his wife, Adrienne, and their two daughters, Vanessa and Leah. The family plans to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area after graduation where Jimenez will work at Accenture Strategy as a business strategy consultant.

As a second-generation BYU MBA, Brady Leavitt has carried on his family’s legacy by striving for success as an MBA candidate. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Utah, Leavitt worked as a marketing adviser at Basecamp Franchising and as a project manager for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints technology department before coming to BYU for his MBA in marketing. “I chose the BYU MBA program because I wanted to be able to rub shoulders with high-caliber students who shared my commitment to excellence, both in business and in character,” Leavitt says. He has worked closely with his peers as executive vice president of the MBA Marketing Association and marketing track lead for the sherpa program. Hailing from Salt Lake City, Leavitt plans to move to Houston after graduation to work for Microsoft as a solution sales professional.

Nate Mortensen, a Tempe, Ariz., native, graduated from Arizona State University with his bachelor’s degree in finance in 2008. After working for Boeing for three years as a contracts and pricing analyst, Mortensen transitioned to First Solar Inc. as a corporate financial analyst before coming to BYU for his MBA in finance and entrepreneurship. Mortensen, an Eccles Scholar, mentors first-year finance students through the sherpa program and participates in student clubs like Cougar Capital and the Graduate Finance and Graduate Entrepreneursip Associations. He enjoys skiing with his wife, Tiffany, and their three children and is pursuing career options for finance and strategy roles at startup companies. “The MBA program has fostered an environment of experiential learning, taught me the importance of team collaboration, and instilled the importance of giving back to the BYU community,” Mortensen says.

Cori Pippins was a double major in chemistry and biology from the University of Mary Washington in 2007 before attending Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and graduating with her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2011. Pippins is the vice president of professional seminars for the Graduate Supply Chain Management Association, where she coordinated a series of site visits, tutorials and guest speakers for first-year students. Pippins, a Virginia Beach, Va., native, worked for two years as a clinical pharmacist for Sentara Obici Hospital. “Coming from a clinical background in healthcare, I had very little understanding of how things work in the business world,” Pippins said. “The BYU MBA program has changed that. I will strive to apply the things I have learned during my time here to make improvements in an industry that is under extreme pressure to lower costs while maintaining superior quality.” Pippins will return to Sentara Healthcare after graduation as an administrative fellow as part of the company’s rotational leadership development program.

After majoring in mechanical engineering as an undergraduate at BYU, Matt Robinson decided to try his hand at business as an analyst at Goldman Sachs before beginning the MBA program. A recipient of the George E. Stoddard Finance Award, the Alpine, Utah, native enjoys skiing, hunting and golfing when he isn’t busy with school. Aside from serving as the director of Cougar Capital, Robinson organized a study abroad program for MBA students to survey European commercial real estate. His future includes exploring jobs in the real estate world, as well as welcoming a new baby daughter in the summer. “Like many industries, real estate is on the brink of monumental changes. I hope to be at the forefront as a thought leader to usher in this change, thanks to the skills I have gained from the BYU MBA program,” Robinson says.

Having earned his bachelor’s in business management from BYU and his master’s degree in education from Arizona State University, Travis Sabin’s MBA degree will become his third collegiate certificate. Sabin worked as a fifth grade teacher as part of the Teach for America Program before two years as a managing consultant for Surgefront Consulting. He is the founder and president of the Sports Business Association and has launched a new recruiting resource for MBA students to help compile years of research to streamline the job search. Hailing from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Sabin enjoys reading and cooking for his wife, Aly, and their two daughters, Kennedy and Quinn. After graduation, Sabin will work for Adobe as a product manager. “I will leave BYU a better person, equipped with additional training to carry forward the BYU mission and to represent the MBA program in the business world. I hope to be known as a hard worker and innovative thinker and want to make a positive impact on the world,” Sabin says.

​Dallin Salmon started his career as an investor relations specialist at NuSkin where he acted as liaison between Wall Street and company management. After four years with NuSkin, Salmon returned to BYU to further his finance expertise through an MBA. Salmon, who lives in Orem, Utah, with his wife, Shellee, and daughter Hadlee, serves as a vice president of the Graduate Finance Association and works as a portfolio manager for Silver Fund, a student-run fixed income and equities investment fund. “The lifelong relationships I’ve developed with fellow students and faculty have helped to elevate my vision of what I can accomplish in life,” Salmon says. “I’ll leave the program with confidence in my ability to drive positive change.” After graduation, Salmon will join Amazon.com as a senior financial analyst in the company’s finance leadership program.