Photo of newspaper with text that says Extra Extra Read All About Saunders Recap

Saunders Business Beat!

Check out your monthly recaps covering all the exciting news from you, our Saunders community, and upcoming events. Learn about event promotions, our newly launched Saunders Ambassador Program, and more at Saunders announcements. 

Accomplishments from Saunders Students

  • RIT announced the Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award winners for 2023-2024. The awardees represent “the top 1% of undergraduate students who achieve academic excellence while also giving back to the community through civic or volunteer work.”
    • The Outstanding Undergraduate Scholars from Saunders College are:
      • Jood Alnajjar ’24 (marketing)
      • Eddie Ditomasso ’24 (finance and management information systems)
      • Kimberly Kaleta ’25 (marketing)
      • Lydia Keffer ’25 (accounting)
      • Max Mekker ’23 (accounting)
      • Ayushi Patel ’24 (marketing)
      • Samantha Phillips ’25 (hospitality and tourism management)
      • Sedrick Thomas ’24 (management information systems)
    • Dubai business students:
      • Najma Muhammad ’24 (management)
    • BJTU business students:
      • Xinze Li ’24 (management information systems)
      • Qiang Tang ’24 (management information systems)
    • Croatia business students:
      • Andrea Danic ’24 (international business)
      • Marta Primorac ’24 (international business)
      • Tara Rakocevic ’24 (international business)
      • Leona Sentic ’24 (hospitality)
      • Iva Vukovic ’24 (hospitality)
  • Daniel Lootens ’25 (management information systems) started working as a project manager with Saunders College of Business Hospitality Workforce Training program, which helps immigrants and refugees develop hospitality workforce skills. In his role, Lootens teaches English and technical skills to area refugees and arranges accommodations and menus.
  • Alric Amon ’24 (management information systems), Zev Motiani ’24 (marketing), Samantha Phillips ’25 (hospitality and tourism management), Ayushi Patel ’24 (marketing), Katherine Collier ’25 (management information systems), A.J. Claiborne ’24 (business administration and management), and Trevor Lane ’24 (management information systems) participated in a panel discussion in Careers in Business, a class taught by Julian Huenerfauth, assistant director for international student career services, RIT office of career services and cooperative education.
  • Ericka Chen ’26 (accounting), president of Next Generation of Accountants (NGA) and Samuel Robertson ’24 (accounting) have established an NGA Book Hub. The Book Hub—a set of bookcases located near the Team Rooms in Saunders College—offers students, faculty, and staff access to various used business textbooks, which they can borrow, donate, or keep. Chen and Shawn Norton ’27 (accounting), NGA vice president of service, are in charge of the Book Hub during the spring 2024 semester.

Learn more about these accomplishments and read previous months online.

Alumni News and Recognitions

  • Alexandra Nehme ’14 (international hospitality and service and management) has been named Collaborator of the Year for 2023 by Hilton Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, where she is a Skills Trainer. Of her success, Nehme comments, “I focus on the softer side of the skills required to deliver exceptional experiences:” communication, collaboration and emotional intelligence.

Learn more about these accomplishments and read previous months online.

Saunders Faculty and Staff Go Above and Beyond

  • Malarvizhi (Malar) Hirdayaraj, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of management and director, AdvanceRIT, was recognized as a “Difference Maker at RIT” by the Division of Diversity and Inclusion as part of Women’s History Month, March 2024. This recognition highlights women whose work positively contributes to the RIT community.
  • Keith Weber, MS, senior lecturer in the department of MIS, marketing, and analytics, was highlighted in the Fram Focus newsletter (9:7), published by the Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking, regarding his thoughts on the impacts of Artificial Intelligence. Read about Weber’s views here.
  • Julianne Fiori, MBA, assistant director of transfer and graduate admissions at Nazareth University, has been hired as the senior admissions officer for the Executive MBA program at Saunders.

Learn more about these accomplishments and read previous months online.

Students, alums, faculty, and staff can share their news with your Saunders community by emailing us at communications@saunders.rit.edu.

News

  • RIT Executive MBA Ranked in the Top 10 by U.S. News & World Report, for Third Consecutive Year. The Online Executive MBA program at Rochester Institute of Technology’s Saunders College of Business is ranked #9 in the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Programs rankings. It is the only executive-level MBA In the top 10.
  • Innovation unleashed: students forge transdisciplinary projects at RIT's a2ru summit. Students leveraged the variety of makerspaces in RIT's brand-new SHED facility to create arts-integrative work responding to the theme of "Play."
  • Constellation Brands enhances endowed scholarship for diversity in computing field. The Constellation Brands Endowed Scholarship is now available to support students in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences and the Saunders College of Business. The newly expanded endowment was made possible by a $500,000 gift from the company.

See these and past news online.

Media Coverage

  • New survey shows 1 in 4 Americans aren’t aware of upcoming eclipse. WHEC-TV talks to Muhammet Kesgin, associate professor in the Department of International Hospitality and Service Innovation, about how the lack of awareness can create problems with planning.
  • Rochester hotels filling up fast for 2024 total solar eclipse. The Democrat and Chronicle talks to Muhammet Kesgin, associate professor in the Department of International Hospitality and Service Innovation, about the financial impact.
  • New Finger Lakes Brewery Owners Wear Two Hats Every Day. Forbes features Lisa Greenwood, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety, and her husband, Ken (Executive MBA), discussing their business.

See these and past news online.

Upcoming Events

  • 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4
    MBA & Graduate Chat: Ask Me Anything
  • 11 a.m. on Friday, April 5
    Dean's Distinguished Speaker Series: Herman Aguinis
  • 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 6
    Accepted Student Open House
  • 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11
    Saunders Beta Gamma Sigma Induction Ceremony and Reception
  • 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 13
    Accepted Student Open House
  • 8 a.m. on Friday, April 19
    Traveling Tigers - Bonadio Group, EFPR Group, KPMG International, and PwC
  • 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19
    Accounting Spring Event (SAAB)
  • 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 27
    Business District at Imagine RIT
  • 10 a.m. on Friday, May 10
    Saunders College of Business Commencement Ceremony
  • 4 p.m. on Friday, May 10
    Saunders College of Business Commencement Reception

    See these and upcoming events online.

    Experience our newly opened state-of-the-art building expansion and renovation!
    Graphic of new Saunders building with text that says The Next Generation of Business
    AACSB Logo

    Saunders College of Business programs are fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB), the premier accrediting organization for business schools.