Poole College of Management Celebrates Summer and Fall 2020 Graduates
Poole College of Management’s class of 2020 have been challenged every step of the way during their final year at NC State in and outside of the classroom. Our students have persevered through it all and come out on top as they look towards their future professional careers.
“I am inspired by the commitment and resilience our graduates have shown over the last year to achieve this major accomplishment. I look forward to learning how our graduates apply their entrepreneurial mindset and analytical problems solving skills to make a positive difference,” said Frank Buckless, Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Dean.
Fall and Summer Graduates By the Numbers
Meet Our Gradutes
Emily Johnson, Business Administration, Fall 2020
Emily Johnson refers to Poole College as a family and is thankful to her time walking the halls of Nelson Hall for giving her some of her best friends and great memories. Johnson transferred to Poole College during her sophomore year and will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing this fall.
“My biggest lessons have been in resilience and knowing that hard work pays off. If you set your mind to something and work for it, truly anything is possible,” said Johnson. “Make the most of all that Poole and NC State offer and you will learn so much about yourself and become a better version of yourself.”
Johnson was involved with Consult Your Community, a non-profit organization utilized to solve problems for small businesses, during her undergraduate career. Post-graduation, she will be working for SAS in their marketing associates rotational program.
Madelyne Paulk, Global Luxury and Management, Fall 2020
Though her time on NC State’s campus was cut short, the community in Poole College and in the GLAM program has left a lasting impression on Madelyne Paulk, a fall 2020 graduate. Her peers, faculty and administrators all challenged her as a professional, think differently and open her eyes to new possibilities.
Following her completion of the GLAM program this fall, Paulk will be working as a marketing associate for Jet IT, a private aviation company co-founded by GLAM Industry Advisory Board member Glenn Gonzales.
“Exploring different subjects, ideas, people, places, and even parts of yourself. It is important to have these discoveries as they shape us and where we hope to go in the future,” said Paulk. “Poole and NC State provide numerous resources to aid students in those discoveries. In summary, I encourage students to explore, discover who they are, utilize the resources, take advantage of opportunities, and have fun in the process.”
Jose Perez, Global Luxury and Management, Fall 2020
Jose Perez spent his year in the Global Luxury and Management (GLAM) program at Poole College, in Paris at the SKEMA School of Business and traveling to New York City as a part of a study trip visiting industry professionals from the Luxury Institute, Christofle, Chanel and Nordstrom.
“I knew this program would provide me with the skills, knowledge and experiences I desired in order to pursue a career in the luxury industry,” said Perez. “I managed to make friends from different countries, explore the world and secure a position with a company I’ve always admired.”
Following graduation, Perez will be relocating to Miami, Florida, to continue working with Louis Vuitton, the luxury brand he spent six months interning with. Despite the unprecedented pandemic, Perez says he is grateful to the GLAM program for continuing to care about his future in the luxury industry.
Chandler Carr, Business Administration, Summer 2020
Chandler Carr has long been connected to the Poole College of Management as his father, Jon Carr, is a professor of entrepreneurship and current department head. However, Carr made his mark majoring in both operations and supply chain management and entrepreneurship during his undergraduate career.
“I have had many great classes at Poole, however the most rewarding and enjoyable experience was the supply chain practicum course offered by the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative at NC State,” said Carr. “I also give an honorable mention to my time in the Entrepreneurship Clinic.”
Carr’s advice is to be open to all concentrations the college offers and join a practicum course to broaden your perspectives.
“I thoroughly enjoyed both the supply chain and entrepreneurship practicums I was a part of as it helps give you a real-world application to concepts you learn in the classroom. It also helps teach you how to effectively work together in teams to achieve project objectives,” said Carr.
Kenneth Rhone, Jenkins MBA Program, Fall 2020
Being admired for your mental toughness and business abilities as result of being a part of the Poole College is something Kenneth Rhone greatly appreciated during his time in the Jenkins MBA program.
“I remember when I joined my classmates in the fall semester of 2017, I had a lot of questions for the faculty and staff about how to be a stronger leader; how to conduct world class analytics; how to successfully create, market, and sell my own products; and, most importantly, how do I utilize accounting and financial skills to improve margins,” said Rhone. “Today as a graduate of Poole College I am confident to say that I have all my questions answered and I am ready to lead.”
During his time in the Jenkins MBA program, Rhone participated in the annual National Black MBA Association conferences with fellow classmates where he had the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other students across the country.
Leon Krapf, Business Administration, Fall 2020
Leon Krapf spent his time at Poole College balancing his studies business administration with a concentration in finance and minor in accounting and a spot on the NCAA men’s soccer team. Despite his busy schedule, Krapf developed his leadership skills, critical thinking capabilities and adopted an international perspective and made time to complete the Business Analytics Honors Certificate.
Krapf will be continuing his education at Poole College in the Jenkins MAC program beginning in January while completing his last season of eligibility in the NCAA. He has hopes for a career in either professional sports as a soccer player or in the financial industry as a consultant or banker.
“I would recommend future students to make a conscious effort to branch out in terms of meeting new people. Poole is so diverse and international, some of the most important lessons I did not learn in class but from friends that have a different background than me,” said Krapf.
Danelle Cutting, Jenkins MBA Program, Summer 2020
Ten years after earning her bachelor’s degree, Danelle Cutting decided to further her higher education by enrolling in the online Jenkins MBA program.
“I was definitely nervous starting college all over again especially because it had been almost 10 years since I received my bachelor’s degree but my experience at Poole was fantastic,” said Cutting. “I felt each course was challenging in its own way but the opportunity to work with students across North Carolina and the U.S. was such a great experience for me and really made my time during the program go by so fast.”
Cutting’s most memorable moment was winning second place in the MBA 541 class poster contest for John Deere Company. She said it was fulfilling tackling difficult tasks and being recognized for hardwork.
“Don’t be afraid to work in teams, ask questions in the forums and be willing to be paired up with different classmates,” said Cutting. “I met some amazing people that I can call my friends and they are wonderful to network with.”
Peter Tian, Jenkins MAC Program, Fall 2020
Peter Tian found himself facing real-world challenges during his time in the Jenkins MAC program through his courses and group projects. Completing presentations as a team strengthened his collaborative and communication skills as well as expanded his professional knowledge.
The past year in Poole College taught me a lot of professional knowledge and enriched my perspectives. As a teaching assistant, I loved spending my time with undergraduate students and helping them on their academic journey,” said Tian.
Tian’s advice to future MAC students is to be good team players and support one another. It’s clear that communication skills will be vital in your career and the MAC group work will leverage personal skills and create a well-rounded professional.
This post was originally published in Poole College of Management News.
