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MBA Student Ambassadors

Connect with a current student to learn first-hand about life in the Illinois MBA. The MBA Student Ambassadors are here to help answer your questions about the MBA program, University of Illinois, and Champaign-Urbana. Don't hesitate to reach out to one or several of the Student Ambassadors to introduce yourself and ask questions about the Illinois MBA.

Jared R. Lunt

Military Student

lunt2@illinois.edu

Photo: Jared Lunt

Hometown: Quincy, Illinois
Previous Employer: U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division
Undergraduate University & Major: United States Military Academy, Economics
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: MBA Marketing Association, Military Veterans Association, Illini Veterans, University Lutheran Church
MBA Concentration(s): Marketing and Management
What's your favorite part of the MBA experience?
The small class sizes are definitely a plus. There are enough people in class to engage in a diverse debate, but not so large that you feel lost in the crowd. There is also a great variety of guest speakers and class options that allow you to get exposure to many different aspects of business.

Vanessa Fuller

Joint Degree Student (JD/MBA)

fuller10@illinois.edu

Photo: Vanessa Fuller

Hometown: New York City
Previous Employer: Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Undergraduate University & Major: University of Virginia, Sociology
Joint-Degree Program: Law (J.D.)
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Women in Business, Kola Foundation
MBA Concentration(s): General Management
What do you think is the best kept secret of Champaign-Urbana?
Brunch at Radio Maria

Sarah Zigman

Joint Degree Student (Master's of Human Resources/MBA)

zigman2@illinois.edu

Photo: Sarah Zigman

Hometown: Glenview, Illinois
Previous Employer: Grainger Industrial Supply
Undergraduate University & Major: Carthage College, Business Administration and Marketing with a minor in Spanish
Joint-Degree Program: Labor and Employment Relations (LER)
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Mock Interviewer for the Campus Career Center, MBA Service Association, Kola Foundation, Illinois Business Consulting (Fall 2011), MBA Class of 2014 Orientation Coordinator
MBA Concentration(s): General Management
What do you think is the best kept secret of Champaign-Urbana?
Strawberry Fields in Urbana. I love this place because it is the closest store in the area that resembles a Whole Foods Market. They have a wide variety of organic produce as well as a bakery and coffee shop.

Beth Grupp

Joint Degree Student (MS Civil and Environmental Engineering/MBA)

grupp2@illinois.edu

Photo: Beth Grupp

Hometown: Highland Mills, New York
Previous Employer: Coast Guard
Undergraduate University & Major: Coast Guard Academy, Civil Engineering
Joint-Degree Program: MS in Civil Engineering
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Crossfit CU
MBA Concentration(s): General Management
What's your favorite part of the MBA experience?
Seeing the world through the eyes of a business person, which is often vastly different from an engineer or military officer's perspective.

Frankie Yunfei Gao

Married Student

ygao16@illinois.edu

Photo: Frankie Gao

Hometown: Shanghai, China
Previous Employer: Toyota
Undergraduate University & Major: Yang'En University, China, International Economics
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Net Impact, Carle Hospital Volunteer, Minority Business Students Association
MBA Concentration(s): Marketing & Strategic Management
Where's your favorite place to eat in Champaign-Urbana?
Ribeye (fighting ILLINI) and B.Won Korean Cusine

Obi Egekeze

Not-for-Profit Experience

egekeze2@illinois.edu

Photo: Obi Egekeze

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
Previous Employer: Maryland's Uplifting Athletes
Undergraduate University & Major: University of Maryland, Finance and International Business
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Graduate Finance Association, Service Association, Marketing Association, Illinois's Uplifting Athletes
MBA Concentration(s): Strategic Management & Finance
What's your favorite part of the MBA experience?
The opportunity to build long-lasting professional relationships with my classmates and professors

Padideh Moghaddam

moghadd2@illinois.edu

Photo: Padideh Moghaddam

Hometown: Tehran, Iran
Previous Employer: Passenger Trains Co.
Undergraduate University & Major: Iran University of Science and Technology, Industrial Engineering (Transportation Engineering)
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: MBA Diversity Association, Women in Business, Service Association, OTMA, Net Impact, Kola Foundation, Persian Cultural Association
MBA Concentration(s): General Management/IT & Operations
If you could take any class in the world, what would you take?
Business Etiquette in all countries

Jackson Gondaski

gondask2@illinois.edu

Photo: Jackson Gondaski

Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Previous Employer: I worked in my family companies, and I'm also one of the owners, so I consider myself an entrepreneur.
Undergraduate University & Major: Ponta Grossa State University, Law; Ponta Grossa Educational College, Business Administration
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Graduate Finance Association and Fighting Illini Triathlon
MBA Concentration(s): Corporate Finance and Strategic Management
What do you think is the best-kept secret of Champaign-Urbana?
This one is for the steak lovers, like me. The Meat Sales Room at the Meat Science Lab is definitely the best-kept secret. The place has fresh, tasty and cheap meat, and you can find some cuts you will not see in markets in town.

Esvith Palomino

palomin2@illinois.edu

Photo: Esvith Palomino

Hometown: Abancay, Peru
Previous Employer: Orica
Undergraduate University & Major: Mining and Minerals Engineering
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Graduate Finance Association, Graduate Marketing Association
MBA Concentration(s): Finance and Strategic Management
What do you think is the best-kept secret of Champaign-Urbana?
The real MUG CLUB at Illini Inn

Pallavi Dwivedi

pdwived2@illinois.edu

Photo: Pallavi Dwivedi

Hometown: Lucknow, India
Previous Employer: L&T Limited
Undergraduate University & Major: B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, MMMEC Gorakhpur
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Diversity Association, Women in Business, Operations and Technology Management, Asha Foundation
MBA Concentration(s): General Management
If you could take any class in the world, what would you take?
Modern dance

Shao-Jong Yang

syang57@illinois.edu

Photo: Shao-Jong Yang

Hometown: Taiwan, R.O.C.
Previous Employer: KPMG Taiwan
Undergraduate University & Major: National Taiwan University, Accounting and Chinese Literature
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: Taiwanese Students Association, Women in Business
MBA Concentration(s): Finance
What do you think is the best-kept secret of Champaign-Urbana?
The beauty of the nature that surrounds the campus.

Matt Foreman

maforema@illinois.edu

Photo: Matt Foreman

Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Previous Employer: Aqua-Guard Management, Inc. & Holland America Cruise Line
Undergraduate University & Major: University of Illinois, Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
Illinois Clubs You Are Involved With: MBA Association, Rock Climbing, SCUBA, October Lover's Club (It's real, I promise)
MBA Concentration(s): Innovation Management
If you could take any class in the world, what would you take?
Golf. I am less than stellar, and the University offers the course.
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