News Releases 

One of Ioana Schifirnet's favorite things about living in London is visiting the art museums. Schifirnet, a 2016 information systems (IS) graduate, came to love art history after taking art history classes during her time as a student at the BYU Marriott School of Business. She recognizes many similarities between art history and one of her personal passions: data analysis.

As David Matkin watched his son's rock-climbing team in a competition nearly six years ago, he was enthralled by the children's perseverance. This experience motivated Matkin to try climbing himself, and he soon fell in love with the sport. Now, as a professor in the MPA program at the BYU Marriott School of Business, Matkin teaches his students the same values rock climbing instills in him.

The BYU Air Force ROTC, hosted by the BYU Marriott aerospace studies program, was recently recognized with two awards from the U.S. Air Force ROTC. The awards highlight the hard work, dedication, and achievements of the program's staff members in 2021.

Shawna Gygi is a matchmaker at the BYU Marriott School of Business, but her efforts aren’t focused on pairings that result in weddings. As an assistant director for the BYU and MBA Career Management program, she is dedicated to creating business-oriented relationships by connecting MBA students with their dream jobs, a role she feels is particularly meaningful because she works in her own dream job.

Ballard Center employee Hannah Koford was recently honored as the 2022 BYU Student Employee of the Year.

When Carmela Bristain was 15 years old, she graduated from high school, which was normal in her home country of the Philippines. At such a young age, she wasn't sure what to study in college, but her mother, who noticed Bristain's knack for logic-based subjects such as math, suggested she pursue accounting. Bristain followed her mother's advice, which eventually led her to the Cardon International Sponsorship from the Whitmore Global Business Center at the BYU Marriott School of Business.

Many college students often have to turn off social media in order to do their homework. However, social media is homework for four students at BYU. These students use social platforms to help their social impact project partner Video Volunteers find individuals sharing personal stories of living in underrepresented communities.

In a recent study, BYU Marriott professor Tim Seidel and colleagues at other universities found that those who worked at Arthur Andersen during the Enron scandal may be better off for the experience.

Growing up, Shannon Peterson always wanted to attend BYU. However, finances prevented her from pursuing that option. Despite that, Peterson never gave up on her dream, which she is now fulfilling 25 years later as a student in the executive MBA program at BYU Marriott.

Every year innovative students at BYU give their best shot at developing new technologies that can make the world a better place. With $50,000 in prize money on the line, the 2022 Student Innovator of the Year Competition once again delivered potentially life-changing results.

While growing up in a military family, Roland Griffith was also surrounded by members of the military who served as his leaders in youth programs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The influence of these leaders inspired him to join the United States Army. Now, as the operations officer for the Army ROTC program at BYU, which is operated by the BYU Marriott School of Business, Griffith is committed to being a similar role model for his cadets.

Student entrepreneurs at BYU looking for guidance and financial backing now have the opportunity to receive both through the Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology's new Seed Grants program.

In a drawer in Mike Bond’s office are all the notes he took in training meetings during his 11 years as a brand manager. Bond, an associate teaching professor of marketing at the BYU Marriott School of Business, uses this two-feet-deep pile of notes to plan lessons for his students, who he hopes to prepare for success in the marketing industry.

Business leaders and educators from across the nation recently gathered at the BYU Marriott School of Business for the annual Partners in Business Ethics Symposium. The 2021 conference marked BYU Marriott's first time hosting the event.

The combination of 15 hours of practice and two games a week, 18 team members, 13.5 credit hours, and numerous dance and basketball videos shared with her 29,000 followers on TikTok add up to the everyday life of Kaylee Smiler. As a member of the BYU women’s basketball team and a senior in the human resource management (HRM) program at the BYU Marriott School of Business, Smiler does it all without breaking a sweat. 

When Greg Anderson began his college career at Weber State University on a singing scholarship, he had no idea where his education might take him. After switching his major six times while receiving his undergrad and attending four different universities, Anderson is now an information systems professor and knows the BYU Marriott School of Business is exactly where he needs to be.

With no experience in assisted living, starting a company in that field was a daunting task for Candice Rail and her husband, Andrew. Despite their inexperience, the two relied on each other and their faith to grow a thriving business. Rail is now working on her next big milestone: earning an MBA from the executive MBA program at the BYU Marriott School of Business.

After retiring from a long career in sales for startup software companies, Greg Zippi knew exactly what he wanted to do next—teach. Zippi, who has had a lifelong passion for teaching, decided he wanted to share all he had learned from his career with the students at the BYU Marriott School of Business. Zippi is now in his fifth semester of teaching at BYU Marriott as an adjunct marketing professor teaching a sales course he created.

As an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Sid Krommenhoek is driven by a desire to advocate for entrepreneurs and build companies that matter. His passion for the field he works in and his career outlook were shaped during his time as an entrepreneurship student at the BYU Marriott School of Business.

Troy K. Lewis, an associate teaching professor in the School of Accountancy at the BYU Marriott School of Business, recently received the 2021 Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award in honor of his outstanding work as a certified public accountant (CPA) in the area of taxation.