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What started as a conversation between friends in 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 dining hall has grown into a startup venture with roots in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Bernardo Vargas-Lopez 鈥�26, a sport management major from Austin, Texas, and Juan Daniel Chiriboga 鈥�26, an entrepreneurship major from Quito, Ecuador, are developing , a plant-based energy drink inspired by guayusa, a leaf long used by Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The idea first took shape after the two friends traveled to Ecuador during Thanksgiving break in 2024 and visited the Amazon rainforest.

鈥淲e came back from visiting the Amazon forest and were just talking through the trip,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when the idea came out. What if we took one of those plants and built a drink around it?鈥�

From that early conversation, the idea quickly became something more serious. The two students began researching the beverage industry, speaking with community members in Ecuador, gathering feedback from mentors and testing whether the concept could become a real business.

For Chiriboga and Vargas-Lopez, YAPA has become more than a passion project. It has also become a way to explore how entrepreneurship can connect product development, cultural learning and long-term impact.

Building a business from the ground up

As they began shaping the company, the pair focused on a growing interest in cleaner, more transparent beverage options.

鈥淚 think the issue we were looking at was the energy drink industry and what a lot of those products contain,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淲e saw people looking more for clean-label, natural ingredients and more transparency in what they consume.鈥�

That focus helped define YAPA鈥檚 early direction. The students describe the drink as plant-based and made without preservatives, with an emphasis on ingredient transparency and product quality.

The company鈥檚 name also reflects that approach. In Ecuador, 鈥測apa鈥� refers to a small extra that someone gives you, something unexpected and added with generosity. The students say that the idea shaped both the brand name and the kind of experience they hope to create.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little extra you were not expecting,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淭hat is what we want the product to feel like.鈥�

Turning that idea into a business, however, has required far more than product vision. The students have spent months navigating sourcing, formulation, packaging, shipping and compliance, all while balancing the demands of college life.

鈥淭he biggest thing is persistence,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淲e could have stopped a long time ago, but we just kept going.鈥�

They also made an early decision to prioritize product quality, even when that meant making tougher financial choices.

鈥淲e decided there were a few strategic points where we would not go for lower quality,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淪tarting from ingredients and sourcing, we were not going to sacrifice what the product stands for.鈥�

Learning through mentorship and hands-on experience

Both students say their experience in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business helped them approach the company with more confidence and curiosity.

They pointed to classroom experiences and faculty connections as central to how they approached building the company, often working closely with professors including Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship, Elena Kennedy, associate professor of entrepreneurship, and Brittany Mercado, associate professor of management and chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship.

鈥淭he ability to communicate clearly with people who know a lot more than we do has been huge,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淭he Love School of Business does an amazing job of making professors approachable.鈥�

That accessibility changed how they engaged with their coursework and mentors.

鈥淭here are professors that I鈥檝e ended up talking to just because I saw them in the hallway,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l come up to you, ask what you鈥檙e working on and start giving advice. You don鈥檛 feel intimidated asking questions.鈥�

As the idea for YAPA developed, those conversations became more intentional.

鈥淲e started staying after class and asking more specific questions,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淭he professors would connect what we were learning directly to what we were building.鈥�

Faculty feedback also helped refine the venture as it evolved.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 need people to just cheerlead,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淲e need people who will tell us what worked, what didn鈥檛 and how to improve. That鈥檚 what has really helped us move forward.鈥�

Their time studying abroad also played a role in shaping the venture, even as they were in different parts of the world.

鈥淗e was in Australia, and I was in Japan,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 really work on operations, so the only thing we could do was talk to people.鈥�

Instead of slowing progress, that shift pushed them to focus on learning.

鈥淲e talked to people in the jungle, we talked to people at big companies and we talked to mentors in finance,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淲e were just trying to understand everything we could.鈥�

鈥淲e were sponges during that time,鈥� Chiriboga added. 鈥淲e just gathered as much information as we could.鈥�

Those conversations helped them return with a clearer sense of direction.

鈥淲hen we came back, we had a better idea of what worked, what didn鈥檛 and what problems we needed to solve,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said.

Friendship at the center

At the heart of YAPA is not only a product idea, but also a partnership built on trust.

The two met during their first year at Elon and became close friends before ever becoming business partners, something they say has made navigating the ups and downs of building a company more manageable.

鈥淚f I cannot do something right now, I know Juan Daniel can do it, and vice versa,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淭hat trust was built before the business.鈥�

That foundation has shaped how they approach both their work and their time as students.

鈥淲e鈥檝e gotten really good at knowing when to talk business and when not to,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 not working time, we try to focus on being friends and being present with other people.鈥�

Living together has only strengthened that balance, allowing them to stay in sync while also setting boundaries.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not always 50-50 all the time,鈥� Vargas-Lopez said. 鈥淏ut we know we鈥檙e in this together, and that makes it easier to handle everything that comes up.鈥�

For Chiriboga, the partnership is one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more grateful that my best friend is also my business partner,鈥� he said.

As they prepare to graduate, both say some of the biggest milestones are still ahead.

鈥淭he biggest one is getting the cans,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when it becomes real, when you can actually hold the product and take that first sip.鈥�

Even so, the process has already reshaped how they think about risk, learning and what it means to build something from scratch.

For other students considering a venture of their own, their advice is simple.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to start,鈥� Chiriboga said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 believe in yourself, no one else will.鈥�

Vargas-Lopez added that one of the most valuable lessons has been staying open to what others know.

鈥淯se your resources,鈥� he said. 鈥淎sk questions. Learn from every conversation. We haven鈥檛 had a single meeting where we didn鈥檛 learn something.鈥�

Hosted in partnership with William & Mary鈥檚 Raymond A. Mason School of Business, the summit invited participants to think not only about how AI is changing higher education, but also what should remain central to the student experience: judgment, curiosity, ethical decision-making, human connection and the ability to keep learning.

The summit opened Friday evening with a program that blended student innovation, music and conversation about AI鈥檚 role in business education. Haya Ajjan, dean of the Love School of Business, welcomed attendees before Margarita Kaprieylan, associate dean of the Love School of Business, guided the event as the program鈥檚 main host.

The evening featured student AI tool showcases, AI Fellows presentations, a performance by Vital Signs, Elon鈥檚 a cappella group, and a fireside chat with higher education leaders.

Student presentations highlighted a range of AI applications, from financial education and career preparation to human resources and access to technology. Projects included a gamified credit simulation that helps students practice financial decision-making and GRIFFIN, an AI-powered tool designed to support human resources classification and pay decisions.

The fireside chat was moderated by Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University, who also joined the discussion alongside Stephen Walls, assistant dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hussein Issa, associate professor of accounting information systems at Rutgers Business School.

Saturday began with a keynote conversation between Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft.

鈥淓ven a year ago, people were still doubting whether AI is here or not,鈥� Mehrotra said. 鈥淎t this point, AI is here.鈥�

For Mehrotra, the question is no longer whether students should use AI, but what business schools are preparing them to do in a world where AI can already summarize, create, analyze and simulate.

鈥淲hat has not changed is curiosity, the value of integrity, judgment and the importance of human relations,鈥� Mehrotra said.

He challenged business schools to think beyond content knowledge and focus on the value students bring when information is abundant.

鈥淲e have to figure out what that North Star is going to be,鈥� Mehrotra said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be simply knowing something or being able to analyze something, because AI can do it for them.鈥�

That theme continued during the 鈥淲hat Industry Wants Now鈥� panel, which brought together leaders from Microsoft, Gartner, Bank of America and OpenAI.

鈥淯niversities now have the task not just to prepare students for a first job anymore,鈥� said Nicole Perrelle, head of AI executive advisory service at Gartner. 鈥淚t is to prepare them to have that life of continuous learning.鈥�

For panelists, that preparation includes more than technical fluency. It also requires judgment, communication and the ability to use AI responsibly in complex workplaces.

鈥淗ow do we accelerate the adoption of AI but do it in the right way?鈥� said Danielle Nashold 鈥�04, head of AI monitoring and controls strategy at Bank of America. In a highly regulated industry, Nashold discussed the importance of building governance, monitoring and control structures that allow organizations to use AI responsibly.

Amy Robbins 鈥�14, brand insights lead at OpenAI, said AI fluency was expected when she interviewed for her role, but the conversation focused more on the human skills she would bring to the work.

鈥淭hey were much more interested in how I think, how I approach complex problems, how I communicate,鈥� Robbins said.

For Robbins, that human perspective remains essential, even inside an AI company.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not layering AI into existing systems for us,鈥� Robbins said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 layering the human into the AI systems.鈥�

Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft, added that higher education and industry will need to learn together as AI continues to change careers and roles.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have all the answers,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淲e know that careers are going to change. We know jobs are going to change.鈥�

During the AI Fluency Mapping session, Tawnya Means, founding partner and principal of Inspire Higher Ed, helped prepare participants for the afternoon design sprint by walking them through ways to use AI with more purpose.

Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University鈥檚 Kogod School of Business, offered examples from Kogod鈥檚 redesigned curriculum, where students learn to evaluate AI critically and understand where their own judgment adds value.

鈥淪tudents really need to learn how they are adding value, not just cutting and pasting,鈥� Evans said.

Means then introduced tools participants could use in the design sprint, including the CRAFT framework, which helps users build stronger prompts by defining context, role, action, format and tone.

The summit also featured faculty pitches from 福利亚洲国产精品 and William & Mary, giving participants examples of how instructors are already experimenting with AI in their classrooms.

In the afternoon, participants applied ideas from the summit during the 鈥淗ack the Business Curriculum鈥� design sprint.

The design sprint concluded with three winning teams.

First place went to Calibra, a classroom tool designed to help faculty evaluate and strengthen assignments for AI resilience, critical thinking, curiosity, metacognition and career development.

Second place went to Essentials of Business Reimagined for AI, which proposed redesigning an introductory business course around a semester-long AI-powered simulation.

Third place went to Roast My LinkedIn, a career-readiness tool that uses humor to review LinkedIn profiles before offering practical feedback.

The summit concluded with remarks from Katherine Guthrie, associate dean at William & Mary鈥檚 Raymond A. Mason School of Business.

鈥淭his doesn鈥檛 end here,鈥� said Guthrie. 鈥淭his collaboration started after William & Mary hosted an AI summit last year, and it has grown into a shared effort to create space for educators, students and industry leaders to think more intentionally about AI in higher education. We鈥檙e looking to next year, where the summit will continue at William & Mary and build on what has been started here.鈥�

The summit was supported by sponsors including Quinncia and Global Academic Ventures. Quinncia provides career-readiness tools that support students in the job search process. Global Academic Ventures supports study abroad programming and international learning opportunities.

Additional sponsors included Breakout Learning, Interpretive Simulations, McGraw-Hill, QuantHub and GMAC.

Katherine Guthrie, associate dean at William & Mary with fellow colleagues

Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University, moderating the discussion alongside Stephen Walls, assistant dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hussein Issa, associate professor of accounting information systems at Rutgers Business School

Margarita Kaprieylan, associate dean at the Love School of Business introducing the keynote

Tawnya Means, founding partner and principal of Inspire Higher Ed, and Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University鈥檚 Kogod School of Business, at the AI Fluency Mapping session

Quinncia presenting at the AI Summit

Global Academic Ventures presenting at the AI Summit

Margarita Kaprieylan, associate dean at the Love School of Business, and Katherine Guthrie, associate dean at William & Mary鈥檚 Raymond A. Mason School of Business

Vital Signs performing at the AI Summit

Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University, moderating the discussion alongside Stephen Walls, assistant dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hussein Issa, associate professor of accounting information systems at Rutgers Business School

Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft

Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft

Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft

A full list of award and scholarship recipients appears below.

Academic Achievement Award Recipients

Academic Excellence Award in Accounting
Kirsten Myburg
Allie Rosinger

This award is given to a senior Accounting major who has demonstrated superior academic achievement, provided significant contributions to the department, and possesses potential for intellectual growth.

Challenge and Expect Award in Accounting
Kate Rohan
Zachary Taylor

This award is presented to a senior Accounting major who has demonstrated excellent growth in academic achievement and in contributions to the department.

Earl D. Honeycutt, Jr. Sales Leadership Award
Alex Scheinler

This award recognizes a senior majoring in marketing or minoring in professional sales who has shown leadership in the sales program, has the potential to positively impact their future organization, and has demonstrated an overall positive attitude in supporting their fellow sales students.

Excellence in Financial Education Student Award
Justin Betts
Andrew Glas
Em Orendorff

This award is given to a senior finance major who has demonstrated excellent academic achievement and possesses potential for professional growth in financial services.

Goldstein Family Award
Maggie Blakeney

This award is for a graduating senior who, after transferring to Elon (and the LSB) earlier in their academic career, has established a record of sustained engagement and high academic success and who embodies the university鈥檚 engaged learning focus through participation in high-impact learning activities.

Walter Hattenbach Award
Kaila Burke

The senior marketing major with the highest GPA receives this award, which Dr. and Mrs. James W. Johnston established in honor of their friend, Walter Hattenbach.

John Kappas Economics Award
Quinn Faller

This award goes to the senior economics major who best demonstrates enthusiasm for economics, potential for leadership聽and classroom excellence. It is named in honor of the late John Kappas, a 1985 Elon graduate.

Love School of Business Academic Excellence Award
Greta Hessenthaler
Kirsten Myburg
Katrina Papierman
Anthony Vozella

This award is presented to the student with the highest GPA among those graduating with a major in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

Love School of Business Courageous Leadership Award
Noah Biggers

This award is given to a student who exemplifies courageous leadership within and outside of the Love School of Business.

Love School of Business Responsible Leadership Award
William Foster

This award is given to a student who exemplifies leadership, service and academic achievement within the Love School of Business.

Perseverance Award in Accounting
Ben Lyons

This award is presented to a graduating accounting senior whose resilience and commitment led to significant improvement while successfully navigating the rigors of the four-year curriculum.

Student Achievement in Business Analytics Award
Greta Hessenthaler

This award is given to a senior business analytics major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Economics Award
Jin Kobes
Daisy Martinez-Jimenez

This award is given to a senior economics major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Economic Consulting Award
Sivan Danziger

This award is given to a senior economic consulting major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Entrepreneurship & Innovation Award
Juan Daniel Chiriboga
Taylor Sluss

This award is given to a senior entrepreneurship & innovation major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Finance Award
Liam Becker
Emily McAninch
Asa Traylor

This award is given to a senior finance major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Human Resource Management Award
Maddy Shapiro

This award is given to a senior human resource management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in International Business Award
Melena Hasskerl-Friedrich

This award is given to a senior international business major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Marketing Award
Rachel Buckle
Lauren Kulda

This award is given to a senior marketing major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Project Management Award
Anna Johnson

This award is given to a senior project management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Supply Chain Management Award
Maylee Clerici

This award is given to a senior supply chain management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Awards for Faculty and Staff

Excellence in Teaching
Jose Cerecedo Lopez

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies the 福利亚洲国产精品 teacher-scholar model. This person is outstanding in the classroom, engages students in the learning process, maintains academic rigor, and provides evidence of commitment to the intellectual development of students through mentoring and related activities.

Excellence in Scholarship
Feng Dong

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Scholarship recognizes one or more faculty members each year whose scholarly work has a significant intellectual impact in keeping with the Elon scholar-mentor model. Selection factors for this award include publication or presentation of peer-reviewed research in quality outlets and evidence that the faculty member engages in scholarship-related activities. These activities might include supporting the scholarly endeavors of colleagues, advancing the school鈥檚 reputation, and mentoring students in undergraduate research.

Exemplary Service – Faculty
John Wimmer

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Exemplary Service-Faculty recognizes one or more faculty members each year who have contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the college, university and profession. This award follows from the Elon servant-leadership model. Selection is based on service in the preceding year, plus overall willingness to volunteer one鈥檚 time when needed and to carry new ideas to reality.

Exemplary Service – Staff
Sara DeVane

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Exemplary Service-Staff recognizes a staff member who has contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the LSB.聽 This contribution includes performing duties above and beyond the staff member鈥檚 regular functions to support and advance the LSB.

Exemplary Service – External
Rob Springer

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Exemplary Service-Staff recognizes a member of the larger 福利亚洲国产精品 community who has contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the LSB.聽 This contribution can take the form of assisting the LSB with a specific program or project or providing ongoing support for LSB activities.

LSB Sophomore Recognition

Benjamin Grover Johnston Award
Andrew Abraham
Logan Brzezanski
Lindsay Butkus
Izzy Butler
Gabrielle Evans
Addie Gilner
Henry Ginsburg
Dylan Golden
Isabella Johnson
Avery Launer
Jordyne Lewis
Ben Peake
Hope Rosen
Isaiah Scott
Greta Smith
Casey Steinert
Dani Stuart
Ben Waechter
Ellis Weber-Provost
Sophia Winston

This award honors the sophomore(s) with the highest GPA in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. Dr. and Mrs. James W. Johnston established this award in memory of Dr. Johnston鈥檚 brother, Benjamin Grover Johnston.

2026-27 Endowed Scholarships and Awards

The Andras Family Award
Abigail Mulvaney

The A. Vance Beck, Sr. and Gwendolyn D. Beck Scholarship
Virginia Manning

The Calvert C. and Margaret H. McGregor Scholarship
Maximiliano Camacho Garcia

The Charles David Smith Endowed Scholarship
River Cranford

The David A. Stevens 鈥�81 Internship Scholarship
Chaise Hannibal
Winter Oaster

The David O. Bowden Economics Scholarship
Ellis Weber-Provost

The Department of Economics Endowed Scholarship
Sophia Winston

The Don S. and Margaret M. Holt Scholarship
Ashley Valency
Skylar Zimmerly

The Dudley Ray Watson Memorial Scholarship
Mackenzie Ross

The Frechette Family Foundation Fund for Global Engagement
Madisen Groff
Brennan Higgins

The Frederick K. Gilliam, Sr. Scholarship
Sophia Arminio
Lauren Beckman
Colleen Bolger
Elizabeth Moores
Anna Rubino
Jesse Sherrill

The Humphries Achievement Award
Loren Palma

The J. Harold Smith Scholarship
Jordyne Lewis

The James T. Toney Endowment Fund
Madeline Dolan

The Janie E. Council Scholarship
Patrick Drury

The John and Helene Sparks Scholarship for Business
Dulio Sorel di Donato

The John L. Sills, Jr. Scholarship
Benjamin Peake

The John R. Hill 鈥�76 and Lesley W. Hill Endowed Fund for Engaged Learning in Business
Marlie Barhorst

The Linda Thompson Weavil Endowed Scholarship
Kristen Covington
Jasmine Newkirk

The Mark A. Horsburgh Study Abroad Scholarship
Michael Dumiec
Peyton Jones

The Mary C. Bullock 鈥�47 and George P. Bullock 鈥�47 Business Scholarship
John Cirelli
Jane McNeil
Avery Wilson

The Mills Family Endowed Scholarship
Tristan D鈥橝damo
Sahrahie Enamorado

The Myers Family Endowed Scholarship in Business
Aidan Roche

The Park Business Scholarship
Alyssa Adams

The Peter L. Tourtellot Endowed Scholarship in Business
Emma Cincotta

The R. Alston Team III Endowed Scholarship in Business
Eli Karpas
Emma Meunier

The R. Cruse Lewis Master Pools Guild/Love School of Business Endowment Scholarship
Gabriela Maldonado Alvarez
Ashlyn Wenner

The Rehnert Family Business Internship Award
Rita Ho
Korey Philpot
Fanyu Sha
Abigail Wong

The Rose Family Endowed Fund for Engaged Learning in Business
Samuel Bernard

The Samuel L. Burke Endowed Scholarship
David Graves
Elizabeth Shum

The Sirabella Family Scholarship for Engaged Learning in Business
Alison Whipple

The Taylor S. Davis Scholarship for Engaged Learning in Business
Anna Maddox

The Troy Family Endowed Scholarship for International Study
Shannon Cross
Jack Miller

The Waesche Engaged Learning Scholarship
Luke Shatkin

The Wells Fargo Scholarship
Jackson Steiner

The William A. Klopman, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Megan Abbot

The Yearwood Family Scholarship
Bong Realiza

An accomplished business leader whose career spans global technology, consumer brands and corporate turnarounds, Findley accepted the university鈥檚 top award for entrepreneurship on April 22 inside LaRose Digital Theatre.

Findley currently serves as president, CEO and director of Sleep Number and has held leadership roles at Alibaba, Etsy and Blue Apron.

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book presented the medal alongside Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

The ceremony opened with a video tribute featuring remarks from Book, Ajjan, Elizabeth Caran and Jeffrey Pugh, former Distinguished University Professor and Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies at Elon, both of whom were in attendance.

Caran, Findley鈥檚 sister, emphasized her sibling鈥檚 commitment to making people feel heard and included. Pugh described Findley as someone who 鈥渕akes everything better wherever she goes,鈥� guided by both intellect and a strong moral compass.

In her remarks, Findley reflected on what entrepreneurial leadership has come to mean in her own life and career.

鈥淲hen you told me I was receiving the medal for entrepreneurial leadership, I鈥檒l be honest, I had a moment of pause,鈥� said Findley. 鈥淏ecause when I think about entrepreneurs, I think about founders. People who start companies from scratch. And that鈥檚 not my path.鈥�

Instead, Findley said, her career has been defined by stepping into companies in moments of change and choosing to lead with ownership, resilience and a willingness to act before feeling fully ready.

鈥淓ntrepreneurial leadership isn鈥檛 really about whether you started something,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how you show up, the risks you take, the responsibility you assume and how you bring people along with you.鈥�

Findley, who grew up in nearby Greensboro, told students that Elon played a transformative role in helping her see herself and her future differently. She described struggling academically and socially in high school before arriving at Elon, where she found an environment that encouraged exploration, curiosity and growth.

鈥淓lon didn鈥檛 just teach me what to learn,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淚t taught me how to think.鈥�

She credited the university鈥檚 interdisciplinary approach, study abroad opportunities and especially a set of religion courses with Pugh for reshaping her perspective.

鈥淭hose classes exposed me to such a broad world of ideas, perspectives, modern views on longstanding concepts,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat changed everything about how I thought of myself and what I could do in the world.鈥�

That openness to possibility would later shape major decisions in her career, including a move to Hong Kong without a job lined up after finding it difficult to break out of communications roles in the United States. The leap eventually led to a role at Alibaba and marked a major turning point in how she thought about risk.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 wait until you鈥檙e ready,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淵ou go. You do. You open yourself up to learning. And that鈥檚 what makes you ready.鈥�

Throughout the evening, Findley returned to the idea that leadership is less about titles and more about how people are treated along the way. She said one of the reasons she wanted to become a CEO was her belief that companies can succeed without losing sight of the people who make that success possible.

鈥淐ustomers and teams matter most, and you could build a successful company while still treating people like humans,鈥� she said.

That people-first approach also shaped how she described her leadership style during a question-and-answer session with students. Rather than entering organizations assuming she has all the answers, Findley said she tries to create the conditions for others to do their best work.

鈥淢y assumption is that everyone else in the room knows more than I do,鈥� Findley said, 鈥渁nd my job is to get out of their way and get everything else out of the way so they can do it.鈥�

Students asked Findley about topics ranging from career pivots and leadership style to failure, resilience and decision-making. In response, she emphasized the importance of core values, communication and internal resilience, especially when navigating uncertainty.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to please everyone,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to make everyone happy, and you鈥檙e never going to have respect from everyone. But you will get respect for actually making a decision and making a change and taking action when people don鈥檛 like it.鈥�

She closed her remarks by offering students three challenges: take one real risk in the next 30 days, put yourself in rooms where you are not the most qualified person, and act like an owner before you ever receive the title.

鈥淓ntrepreneurial leadership isn鈥檛 about starting companies,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about taking responsibility for outcomes, for people and for your own path.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The Elon Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has been given to an entrepreneur who is a leader in industry and who exemplifies the values of 福利亚洲国产精品. These values include integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established by an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, N.J., and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin 鈥�07. The Dohertys have served on the university鈥檚 Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an Elon Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation鈥檚 leading franchise operators of quality family restaurants, including Applebee鈥檚 Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy鈥檚 Fresh Mex.

Twenty Fellows collaborated on developing a U.S. market-entry strategy for Uniwellsity, a European digital wellness company focused on emotional learning and mental well-being. As the project progressed, eight students traveled to Prague to represent the team and deliver the final presentation to the client.

鈥淭hroughout the year, I stretched my global business perspective by thinking critically about how a Czech-based company could successfully integrate into the U.S. market,鈥� said Maren Giambanco, a marketing major from Norwood, Mass. 鈥淏eing able to then fully immerse myself in Czech culture during our visit made the entire experience even more unique and eye-opening.鈥�

Her experience reflects the broader scope of the project, which required students to move beyond theory and into the complexities of entering a highly competitive market.

As the work progressed, teams analyzed positioning, refined strategy and collaborated across time zones to ensure the final deliverable reflected the full group鈥檚 efforts.

鈥淢eeting with Czech Founders, a venture capital firm in Prague, was incredibly insightful, especially in understanding how they assess pitch decks and the qualifications that determine which ideas are strong enough to be part of their portfolio,鈥� said Em Orendorff, a finance major from Annapolis, Md. 鈥淚 also found it interesting learning about how the startup environment in the EU differs from the U.S.鈥�

Those interactions offered additional context for the team鈥檚 recommendations and expanded their understanding of global business practices.

鈥淧resenting in Prague made everything feel real,鈥� said Jack Poulos, an economics major from New Albany, Ohio. 鈥淚t was the first time I could clearly see how the work we do in the classroom translates directly into real-world impact.鈥�

The experience reflected the expectations of a professional consulting environment, where preparation, adaptability and clear communication shaped every stage of the project.

鈥淭he presentation wasn鈥檛 just the end of two semesters of hard work,鈥� said Jadon Dorsey 鈥�26, an economic consulting major from Charleston, W.Va. 鈥淚t showed how confidence, teamwork and believing in something can come together to create something meaningful.鈥�

In March and early April, Walls travelled to NEOMA Business School, a partner school for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. During the program, she worked with the students to develop skills in data visualization and storytelling using Power BI, helping them translate complex data.

The course emphasized real-world application, allowing students to practice building dashboards, structuring data narratives and presenting findings in a business context.

Walls joined 福利亚洲国产精品 in the fall of 2024. She teaches courses focused on data-driven decision-making, and her research focuses on social media鈥檚 impact on corporate reputation, AI ethics and the evolving role of technology in business.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like my career trajectory post-graduation is the norm for an MBA graduate,鈥� Dudash said. 鈥淚 had to do some soul searching and pursued something different that aligns with my values.鈥�

Before enrolling in 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 MBA program, Dudash worked at Duke Regional Hospital as communications manager, serving as the only communicator on site for the entire hospital and supporting more than 2,000 employees.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped support emergency preparedness efforts, including a command center that operated for months, and later supported community vaccination clinics.

鈥淚 learned so much throughout that experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 saw the best of the best and the worst of the worst and saw health care workers give their all.鈥�

As the pandemic unfolded, mentors encouraged her to return to school. A nurse manager would ask her regularly, 鈥淲hen are you going back to school?鈥� Dudash also had two mentors who recommended Elon鈥檚 MBA program.

鈥淪he would say, 鈥業t鈥檚 never a good time to go back to school,鈥欌�� Dudash said. 鈥淭hey encouraged me to take the step.鈥�

For Dudash, the MBA offered the flexibility to build leadership skills while keeping her options open.

鈥淚 can apply it across industries,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to strengthen my leadership skills and get a broader view of how organizations operate.鈥�

She started the program in September 2020, a decade after graduating from the University of Florida with a journalism degree. Returning to school felt like a significant transition.

鈥淚 remember being nervous,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was 10 years out of school and didn鈥檛 know how it would feel to be a student again.鈥�

Rather than rushing through, Dudash took one class at a time and completed the program over four years, graduating in May 2024.

鈥淚 wanted to fully immerse myself in each course and build relationships with my classmates and professors,鈥� she said.

She also described the program as a place where she could participate fully and grow, especially in courses that challenged students to share ideas and respond to feedback.

鈥淚t opened up my confidence in pursuing new ideas,鈥� she said. 鈥淵our ideas are valid.鈥�

As graduation approached, Dudash began thinking more intentionally about what kind of work would be fulfilling.

That summer became an opportunity to reflect. Dudash leaned into theater, a longtime passion through improv, including teaching improv comedy and pursuing operations work in the arts nonprofit space.

This past year, she balanced roles between Durham arts nonprofit Mettlesome Theater and nationally recognized DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center) while also serving as chair of the Meals on Wheels Durham board.

But most recently, she was appointed Mettlesome Theater鈥檚 first full-time operations director.

鈥淢y Elon MBA gave me the confidence to say, 鈥業 want to help with this, and I want to pursue this,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淢y dream job was to be an operations director or executive director of an arts nonprofit, and the program gave me the high-level perspective to lead that work.鈥�

The school improved five spots from last year鈥檚 No. 38 ranking.

Among the individual components of the 2026 ranking, Elon:

• Improved its career outcomes ranking to 18, up from 24 last year
• Ranked 21 among private universities, up from 24 last year

Additional rankings include:

• Maintained its admissions standards ranking at 54
• Ranked 26 in academic experience

The continued rise reflects the school鈥檚 focus on preparing students for meaningful careers through hands-on learning, mentorship, and real-world experiences that lead to strong postgraduate outcomes.

鈥淥ur continued rise in the rankings reflects the intentional work behind our programs,鈥� said Haya Ajjan, dean of the Love School of Business. 鈥淭he strength of our career outcomes is one example of how mentorship, hands-on learning, and strong industry connections are preparing students for meaningful careers.鈥�

Poets&Quants for Undergrads compiles its rankings based on school-reported data and . The considers three primary components:

• Admissions Standards: student quality and diversity, including acceptance rates, academic performance and representation of first-generation and underrepresented students
• Academic Experience: how effectively a business school challenges and supports students, based on alumni feedback and major learning experiences
• Career Outcomes: how graduates perform in the job market, including internships, employment rates, and starting salaries

The rankings include 110 business schools and are designed to provide a comprehensive view of undergraduate business education in the United States.

福利亚洲国产精品 Poets&Quants

Poets&Quants is led by Editor-in-Chief John Byrne, founder of C-Change Media and former executive editor of Bloomberg Businessweek, Businessweek.com and Fast Company. Byrne originated the first regularly published rankings of business schools in 1988 and has authored several business school guidebooks.

The conversation was moderated by Jose Cerecedo Lopez, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

Niven, who majored in English while at 福利亚洲国产精品, now leads the Greensboro-based, family-owned restaurant company founded in 1966 that operates locations across North Carolina and Virginia.

Niven said her path to the restaurant industry was not a straight one. She originally planned to attend law school, but an unexpected opportunity to help rebuild a struggling restaurant changed her perspective.

鈥淎 family friend bought a defunct restaurant and asked me to help get it running again,鈥� Niven said. 鈥淚 quickly realized it was like a mini-MBA. There was nothing she didn鈥檛 trust me with. I was running operations, figuring out inventory and even helping with advertising.鈥�

The experience gave Niven an inside look at nearly every part of the business. Within several years, the restaurant had become one of the top-performing locations in the brand.

That early opportunity helped launch her career in the restaurant industry. She later held leadership positions with brands including Krispy Kreme, Burger King and Quiznos before joining Biscuitville in 2011.

Niven said she quickly saw something different in the company鈥檚 values and culture.

鈥淲hat stood out to me was the integrity of the leadership at Biscuitville,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey source their products locally, make everything from scratch and are committed to doing things the right way.鈥�

That commitment to authenticity and long-term thinking continues to shape how Niven approaches leadership today.

鈥淐ulture comes first,鈥� Niven said. 鈥淚f you want to grow without losing what makes your company special, you have to start there.鈥�

One of Niven鈥檚 proudest accomplishments has been helping define Biscuitville鈥檚 culture through a set of shared norms developed with employees across the company.

鈥淯ntil you put your money where your mouth is on culture, you don鈥檛 really have a culture,鈥� Niven said. 鈥淚t only works when leaders are willing to uphold those values consistently.鈥�

Niven also shared advice for students preparing to launch their careers.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 walk in the door and say, 鈥榯rust me,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淭rust builds slowly through consistent decisions and actions over time.鈥�

She also reflected on leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that brought significant challenges across the restaurant industry.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen,鈥� Niven said. 鈥淏ut we decided that if we went down, we were going to go down taking care of our team. That meant showing up for our employees and supporting them the best we could, even in the middle of so much uncertainty.鈥�

As the event concluded, Niven encouraged students to think carefully about the organizations they choose to join.

鈥淚nterview companies more than they interview you,鈥� she said. 鈥淢ake sure their values align with yours.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 Lessons from Leaders

Launched in 2017 by Dean Emeritus Raghu Tadepalli, Lessons from Leaders brings senior executives to campus for open talks, small group discussions, and purposeful one-on-one networking that connects students with mentors. The program helps bridge classroom learning to real-world decision-making and strategy, and aims for every student to leave with a new contact and meaningful career insights.

The co-authored聽study,聽鈥�,鈥澛爌ublished in Organization Management Journal, examines how diversity climates,聽both within the organization and in the geographical community, influence employees鈥� ability to think creatively and implement聽new ideas.

Singh鈥檚 research treats diversity as a strategic resource, not a surface-level initiative. Grounded in the Conservation of Resources theory, it argues that inclusion strengthens employees鈥� sense of meaning at work, which in turn boosts innovation.

Key Findings

• Employees who perceive their organization as supportive and inclusive聽may be聽more likely to feel聽their work聽is聽meaningful.
• Innovation聽isn鈥檛聽shaped by the workplace alone.聽The聽study聽explores聽a 鈥渃ommunity-to-work spillover鈥� effect,聽examining聽whether聽inclusive communities, in addition to organizations, can positively influence how employees perform.
• The聽relationship between聽an聽organization鈥檚聽diversity聽climate聽and聽meaningful work聽may be聽stronger for non-managerial employees.聽For聽employees聽without formal authority, inclusion聽may聽play聽a critical role聽in how聽they聽feel聽valued and purposeful.

鈥淭hese findings give students an evidence-based way to think about聽leading in聽diverse workplaces,鈥� said Singh.聽鈥淚n my organizational behavior and leadership courses, I use the research to show how inclusion, meaningful work and status dynamics can influence performance and innovation.鈥�

The research was co-authored with聽Stephanie聽Solansky聽at Texas State University San Marcos, Donna Stringer at the University of Houston Clear Lake and聽Sarthak Singh at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Singh, who joined Elon in 2017, teaches courses in organizational behavior, human resource聽management聽and business ethics. His research has appeared in leading journals including the Journal of Organizational Behavior,聽Journal聽of Business Ethics and Human Resource Management.