Six MBAs Become 2010 Stoddard Scholars

2010 Stoddard Scholars. From left: Jason Sundberg, Jeremy Kearley, Steffan Freckleton, Brent Walker, Jenn Larson and Michael Esselman. (Courtesy/BYU Photo) PROVO, Utah – May 27, 2010 – Six BYU MBA finance students earned dividends on their education by being named Stoddard Scholars and being awarded $5,000 scholarships.

"The awards are a vote of confidence in students whose future careers will reflect favorably on Brigham Young University, the MBA program and the finance major," says Grant McQueen, a finance professor who helped select the scholars. "These scholarships come at the perfect time for students who are graduating and moving around the country."

Stoddard scholarships are awarded annually to second-year MBA students who perform well academically, build the finance program and complete the finance major requirements. Selection is made by a faculty committee.

The 2010 Stoddard Scholars are: Michael Esselman from Mooresville, N.C.; Steffan Freckleton from Sandy, Utah; Jeremy Kearley from Oak Park, Ill.; Jenn Larson from Firth, Idaho; Jason Sundberg from Orem; and Brent Walker from Antioch, Calif.

The Stoddard Scholar Award was established in 1985 by George E. Stoddard, a 1937 BYU alumnus. His numerous credentials include acting as senior managing director of the W.P. Carey & Co., a leading global real estate investment firm in New York. He was also head of the multi-billion dollar Direct Placement Department of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems and entrepreneurship. The school's mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.  

Stoddard Scholars Bios

Michael Esselman, from Mooresville, N.C., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. He earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Brigham Young University in 2006. Esselman is the recipient of the Madelyn and Ruth Silver Scholarship and was the CFA Investment Research Challenge American champion. He is a member of the Graduate Finance Association, Silver Fund and Real Estate Club. Before beginning his MBA, Esselman worked as an intern for NV Energy and as a mathematics teacher.

Steffan Freckleton is a second-year MBA candidate from Sandy, Utah. Freckleton graduated from UVSC in 2005 with a degree in banking and finance. Freckleton is a member of the Graduate Finance Association and the vice president of fixed income for the BYU Silver Fund. In addition to studying finance, Freckleton earned a global management certificate from the Marriott School. After graduation, Freckleton will be working as a financial analyst for Symantec.

Jeremy Kearley is a second-year MBA student from Oak Park, Ill. Kearley earned an undergraduate degree in business management from BYU in 2008. After graduation he interned for Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators and Alta Capital Management as an analyst. Since enrolling in the MBA program, Kearley has earned a global management certificate and was a finalist in the CFA Investment Research Challenge. Additionally, he served as vice president of the Graduate Finance Association.

Jenn Larson, a second-year MBA student from Firth, Idaho, earned an undergraduate degree in international finance from BYU in 2003. Larson worked as an office manager and investment specialist for Northwestern Mutual, a financial services company before enrolling in the BYU MBA program. She is the recipient of both an academic scholarship from the Marriott School and the Wayne M. Minor Scholarship and is currently ranked in the top 10 percent of her MBA class. Larson is a member of the Graduate Finance Association, the Women in Management Association and the BYU MBA Association.

Jason Sundberg is a second-year MBA candidate from Orem. Sundberg earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from BYU in 2005. Before entering the BYU MBA program he worked for LEI Consulting Engineers in Salt Lake City. Sundberg is a member of the Graduate Finance Association. In 2009 he interned for Denny's Inc. as a financial analyst. Following graduation, Sundberg will begin work at ExxonMobil as a project manager in Houston.

Brent Walker, from Antioch, Calif., is a second-year MBA student with an emphasis in finance. Walker earned a bachelor's degree in economics from BYU in 2002. He completed an internship with Beneficial Financial in 2009, where he worked as a corporate bond analyst for an investment portfolio. Following graduation, Walker will join Air Products and Chemicals Inc. in a career development rotational program.