Business Matters

Shaped by sports, family and community support 

Jerika Ferguson identified her goals and then found that the Oregon State MBA in supply chain and logistics management would best achieve them.

A bold pivot leads to an MBA in corporate finance

“It felt more like a now-or-never type of decision for me. I thought the MBA would fully complete my transition to focus on a business and finance career path and would unlock a lot more opportunities.”

Entrepreneurship Panel brings together OSU alumni and students to discuss their businesses

Social Media Team Spotlight: Ella Dianich ’24

"Being part of a startup team in the College of Business was exciting, and I loved seeing our social media presence grow. It was a great opportunity to network with inspiring people and gain hands-on marketing experience."

Cam Vu Tong: A Fascinating Experience

From representing his country in skateboarding at the Southeast Asia Games to creating viral TikToks with the college's student-led social media team, Cam Vu Tong '24 has had a fascinating experience.

Entrepreneur Dhrushil Patel is making an impact on the region’s hospitality industry

The work Dhrushil Patel ‘23 did to support his family’s business gave him an early education and a mind for entrepreneurship. "My parents instilled business-oriented values in me at a young age,” he said.

Leading Into The Next Decade As Tops In The Nation For Online Learning

Hall of Fame winner Jim Parkin connects industry and education

Jim Parkin has served as executive in residence in the College of Business since he retired from Deloitte in 2021. He is an invaluable bridge between industry and higher education.  

A strong foundation: Lily Beck’s career success started in the College of Business

Each of Lily Beck’s promotions at The Partner’s Group has furthered her skills. As implementation team lead, Beck used her management skills while dedicating herself to serving clients.

Finding a ‘culture of connectivity’ from Corvallis to Nike and back

Since graduating, Jeff Lulay has continued to stay involved with the College of Business, visiting classes to talk about his career journey and meeting with and mentoring students who are interested in working in sports marketing.  

Nursery’s deep roots recognized for generational development

At J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., the values of hard work, honesty, integrity, being good stewards of the land and treating employees like family have been passed down for three generations. 

Alina Matsumoto: The Art of Balancing

“We all navigate life in our own ways, and the path we take to success is supposed to be unique. It's important to remember that we are all at OSU for a reason. Sko beavs!!!”

Thinking Forward: Q&A with OSU Alumnus Joel Walker, Client Manager at SGK

The social media team sat down with Joel Walker ’20, MBA ’21 at the College of Business Student Leadership Conference to talk about his experience at OSU as well as his advice on finding professional success.

2024 McGregor Memorial Lecture: Real Talk about What Women Face at Work

Melanie Ho, Ph.D. — our keynote for the annual Susan J. McGregor Lecture on Women’s Leadership — is an award-winning academic, artist, author and sought-after motivational speaker, whose published work has been described as the evolution of the 'lean in' mantra.

Joth Ricci, former CEO of Dutch Bros, to join College of Business as executive in residence

Be indispensable

Named one of Portland’s “40 under 40” in finance by the Portland Business Journal, Scott Christianson reflected on his road to success and the importance of giving back.

Setting students up for success

Anita Winn ‘79 wasn’t sure what she wanted to study when she arrived at Oregon State as a first- year student. Her epiphany came in class, when a buyer from Macy’s spoke about his career. Winn listened, and was sold.

Kelsey Landforce swapped C-suite aspirations with owning a business

After Kelsey Landforce became a mom, she wanted to design her own career. So she became a business owner.

Mallory Strand: On the Importance of Trying Everything

"I am so thankful for the career-enriching opportunities to connect with industry professionals at Austin Hall – and beyond. I'm looking forward to bringing my merchandising expertise and management skills to this new opportunity. I am enthusiastic about participating and having a positive impact on the company and my community. I can't wait to see what the future holds!"

Becca Ziegler Curates a Portfolio of Experience, Opportunity

"I am most proud of all the opportunities that I have been able to take part in that have put me outside of my comfort zone. I've gotten to grow personally and professionally through taking on new experiences that challenged my normal."

Cyndi Latorre Makes Lasting Contribution to MBA Program

Cyndi Latorre '23, MBA Organizational Leadership, has made a lasting contribution to the college during her studies, but she also takes away a rich set of skills for herself.

Betty Pasewe: Recognition, Prestige, Validation – and Future Success

“My college journey required me to adjust to the goals I wanted to achieve, which meant practicing habits that would be conducive to a successful career. I am proud of the person I have become in this time ... I have learned a lot about myself.”

With One Social Post, Jacob Teeny Turns to Entrepreneurship

"My goal was to teach engineering to high-school students, and I had been working as an engineer for a few years already in high school."

J.D. Power Fellow Leslie Kruempel Prepares for Leadership

"I think it’s important for women on the pathway to leadership to be confident in their abilities and contributions to their organizations. There are several ways to build this confidence: through formal and informal education, mentorship, peer support, and the best teacher of them all… practice!"