UO Business Honors Program

?? Exciting News! Introducing Our Subcommittees! ?? Marketing & Communications Subcommittee!? ?? Meet the Team: Led by Emma Beltowski, this subcommittee’s members, Ben Alwan and Jalila El-Haddar, bring value to the program by engaging with not only honors students, but all UO business students, showcasing what the Business Honors Program has to offer. Together, they’ll focus on elevating program awareness, enhancing member engagement, and growing the program's digital presence. Stay tuned for updates as our Marketing & Communications Subcommittee rolls out new campaigns and initiatives! ?? Professional Development Subcommittee! ?? We are excited to introduce the formation of our Professional Development Subcommittee. Skye Boyd and Christian Hubbard, led by Adaline Witz, are a group of students dedicated to fostering growth, learning, and skill-building opportunities within the Business Honors Program. ?? What This Means: Our Professional Development Subcommittee will design and lead initiatives focused on supporting our members' personal and professional growth. Their work will be instrumental in creating a culture of continuous learning and equipping members with the skills needed to excel in today’s ever-evolving business landscape. Key areas of focus will include skill-building workshops, site visits, and career development resources. This initiative reflects our commitment to empowering our members and nurturing leadership and professional growth at every level. ?? Community Engagement Subcommittee! ?? We are thrilled to announce the formation of our Community Engagement Subcommittee! This dynamic group, led by Lucas Van Dermark, with Bill Vo and Noah Schoenbaum, is dedicated to bringing the Business Honors community together through fun social events. Our Community Engagement Subcommittee will lead efforts to strengthen the Business Honors program’s community presence and engagement by building inclusive events, strengthening community, and creating a welcoming culture. ? This subcommittee reflects our commitment to The Business Honors community. Their work will create meaningful, positive opportunities for anyone involved. Please join us in welcoming these incredible Subcommittees!! ??

We are continuing our internship spotlight series this week by spotlighting first-year member Isaac Mejía Ortiz! Isaac spent his summer working for ABC Supply Co. Inc. as an intern developing an inventory tracking model to optimize minimum, and maximum levels, using real-time data to forecast demand. By conducting a thorough analysis of sales and inventory reports, Isaac identified trends that allowed him to determine optimal stock levels based on historical demand and seasonal fluctuations. Isaac’s continuous hard work awarded him acknowledgement from the Regional Manager and West Coast VPs affirming the impact of his work in generating customer satisfaction! During his time, he was able to hone his collaboration skills by working with cross-functional teams, as well as effectively face shifting demands and new project requirements. Great work in this challenging role Isaac!

Happy week two everyone! Today we are continuing our internship spotlight series with senior member Andrew Busche. This summer, Andrew worked with J.P. Morgan as a Private Bank Summer Analyst. During his time with J.P. Morgan, Andrew gained hands-on knowledge about tasks such as presenting projects to market managers and managing directors, assisting with prospecting clients for various bankers, and writing market updates highlighting a variety of topics. Andrew also learned to create a holistic approach for a client’s situation through recommending different strategies within investing, trust & estate, lending, and banking. All of these tasks helped develop Andrews soft skills, such as public speaking, critical thinking, and relationship management. He gained a deeper understanding of investment, trust & estate, and overall financial analysis. We are very excited to congratulate Andrew on a full-time return offer from J.P Morgan as a Private Banking Analyst upon graduation! Good luck in San Francisco!

Happy fall term everyone! With everyone returning to campus, we would like to take some time to highlight our program members’ hard work from this summer; ranging from internships to study abroad, we are thrilled to share our students’ experiences! Our first spotlight is Adaline Witz, our Director of Professional Development! Adaline spent the summer in Dublin, Ireland interning for MBM Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors as a rotational intern. Adaline focused primarily on developing a program to scan invoices and search for specific terms within those invoices to streamline accounting processes. She also learned how to perform audits and produce financial statements for small to medium companies in Ireland. Some key takeaways from Adaline’s experience are: “Communication is key, admitting that you don’t understand something is okay, your coworkers and advisor are there to help you!” She encourages others to ask questions, communicate, and be willing to learn, even when it’s difficult. We’re proud of all of our students and their diligent work this summer. Stay tuned for more experiences in the following weeks!

We are so excited to announce that our newest group of Business Honors members have officially completed their first workshop with the program! New members must complete a three-workshop series, the first being Root: a workshop focused on establishing a strong foundation and connections within the program. This group of new members is only the first of many as students continue to finish their prerequisites to the program. Congratulations to all the new members and welcome to the Business Honors Program! We are so excited to see you learn and grow as leaders, students, and individuals.

This week we highlight UpCo member Kylie Bluhm! Kylie is a junior studying Business Administration with a concentration in Sports Business. She is currently a marketing intern at the University of Oregon Athletic Department, focusing primarily on track and field. Kylie is currently preparing for the NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships that will be held at Hayward Field in June! Additionally, Kylie works within this program for football, basketball, baseball, and softball games. Within this position as well as her position as an Athletic Ambassador, Kylie has learned time management, effective communication, planning, and preparation skills. In the future, Kylie hopes to apply these skills by working in a collegiate athletic department and one day become an athletic director. Outside of school, Kylie enjoys going to sporting events, trying new restaurants, and playing pickleball. Her favorite part of the Business Honors Program is the community that it fosters between members.

Meet Kieran Galvin! Kieran is a sophomore LoCo member double majoring in Economics and Business Administration with a minor in Nonprofit Management. Kieran is a Project Manager with the Oregon Consulting Group and tutors Economics at Braddock Tutoring Center. He also works as an Engagement Leader with UO Duckcorps. Through these experiences, Kieran has learned how to effectively lead a team, communicate with clients, and create human-centered solutions to a company’s problems. Outside of school, Kieran loves skiing, traveling, and playing guitar. One day, he hopes to work in the nonprofit space and help improve access to the outdoors. His favorite part of the Business Honors Program is the opportunity to learn alongside a cohort of similarly driven and passionate peers.

This week, we highlight UpCo member Dakota Charles Baker (Cody). Cody is in his third year at the University of Oregon studying Accounting, Economics, Finance, Mathematics, and Humanities. During the summer of 2023, Cody was an intern at KPMG in Portland, Oregon in the Audit department. Currently, he tutors accounting, economics, and mathematics at the Braddock Tutoring Center. This summer, Cody will be returning to the UO Summer Bridge program as a leader. Through these experiences, Cody has learned that “you must take responsibility for the teams that you are a part of, whether that is leading the team or supporting the team.” In his free time, Cody likes to play golf, lift weights, practice guitar, and read books. Prior to coming to the UO, Cody ran his own landscaping business. In the future, he wants to earn a PhD in Economics, create a successful company, and serve in public office. Cody’s favorite part of the Business Honors Program is the opportunities it provides. “The Honors Program gives so many opportunities to meet smart people, advance your career, and challenge yourself with academics.”

This week, we highlight sophomore LoCo member Kaia Brantner! Kaia is an Economics and Business Administration major with concentrations in Accounting and Marketing. She is also pursuing a minor in Media Studies. Kaia is currently an intern with the University of Oregon Athletic Ambassadors program as well as the Student Alumni Association with their marketing team. In both of these positions, she is gaining valuable skills such as communication, time management, and creative thinking. She is also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. After graduation, Kaia wants to work in marketing pursuing a career in which she can be both analytical and creative. Her favorite part of the business honors program is getting to work alongside other high achieving students. “Everyone in the honors program inspires each other to be the best that they can be. I have been able to learn so much from other students in the honors program.”

We highlight sophomore LoCo member Daniel Woods this week! Daniel is majoring in Accounting and minoring in Computer Information Technology (CIT). This summer, he is studying abroad at the Copenhagen Business School and is set to be a summer 2025 tax intern at KPMG Portland. He currently develops his communication and leadership skills by serving as the Director of Academic Affairs at Delta Tau Delta. In the future, Daniel will be pursuing the UO MAcc program to further his professional goal of becoming a CPA. He will work in public accounting, ideally in a career that closely ties his interests in accounting and technology. In his free time, Daniel enjoys playing guitar, tennis, and cooking! Daniel shares that he values the relationships he has developed with UO faculty through his participation in the Business Honors Program.