Outstanding MBAs recognized as awards dinner tradition returns

During a dinner at the JBJ Soul Kitchen, Rutgers Business School’s MBA Program celebrated a group of students who demonstrated leadership and academic excellence even as their program was impacted by a global pandemic.

In one of the first in-person gatherings since the pandemic lock-down, several dozen people, including faculty and Rutgers Business School deans, attended the buffet-styled dinner in the heart of Rutgers University’s Newark Campus.

In addition to the award recipients and their guests, the attendees included deans, professors and staff from the MBA student services office.

The following is a list the MBA students who received awards during the May 5 dinner:

Dean’s Distinguished Leadership Award: Evan Gerbino

This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to positive leadership, excellent academic achievement, good moral character and who has provided outstanding service to the school. This student’s name will be inscribed on the Rutgers Business School Bell for perpetuity.

Dr. Rosa Oppenheim Leadership Award: Marsha Fils, Jorge Cabrera

This award recognizes students who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to positive leadership. This award honors Executive Vice Dean Dr. Rosa Oppenheim's extraordinary commitment to Rutgers Business School and the leadership she has exhibited throughout her career, including two stints as interim dean.

Dr. S. George Walters Consulting Excellence Award: Anne Carman May, Emma Venditti, Enuma N’Akisisa, Michael Gendy and Alfred Shahid (Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Brand)

This award was established in honor of professor emeritus Dr. S. George Walters who founded the Inter-functional Management Team Consulting Program in 1971. It is awarded annually to the inter-functional management team with the highest academic achievement in the program.

Edmund L. Houston – Alfreda P. Robinson Award: Selom Adzamli

This award is presented to the minority MBA student with the highest academic achievement.

Marketing Research Insights and Analytics (MRIA) Advisory Board Fellowship: Leonora Macagba, Sally Merchant, Sewha Park and Sarah Jinjinian

The MRIA Advisory Board selects up to three awardees each year among the students in the MBA program with the MRIA concentration, The selection is based on academic merit.

Pharmaceutical Management Award: Padmaja Nair

This award is sponsored by a graduate of the Pharmaceutical Management MBA program who wishes to remain anonymous. It is given each year to a graduating MBA student concentrating in Pharmaceutical Management. The student must have a 3.5 GPA upon completion of 45 credits and must have made a significant contribution to the Pharmaceutical Management MBA program and the Pharmaceutical Management Club. The award is based on nominations made by the director of the Pharmaceutical Management MBA program and voted on by all Pharmaceutical Management students, the director of the MBA program, and the director of the MBA Office of Career Management.

Rutgers Business School Alumni Association: MBA Award: Evan Gerbino and Raymond Luo

This award is given each year to the students who have shown the greatest achievement in both scholastic and extracurricular activities.

Rutgers Business School Finance Advisory Board Award: Nirmala Sundaram, Miguel Perez

This award is made on behalf of the school’s finance advisory board annually to an outstanding student in finance.

Rutgers Business School Marketing MBA Achievement Award: Michael Gendy, Megan Brain, Selom Adzamli

This award is given annually by the Department of Marketing to at least one Full-Time MBA student and at least one Part-Time MBA student who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in marketing.

The Barbara Sackie Memorial Award: Nirmala Sundaram

This award is presented to the student in the MBA Program on the New Brunswick Campus who embodies the leadership and passion that Barbara Sackie brought to the program for more than a decade. Barbara was a pioneer on the New Brunswick campus and as the sole employee built the program and created a family. As such, she was the face of the MBA program, New Brunswick. The student receiving this award will honor Barbara’s memory by encompassing their own unique qualities with those of Barbara's, which include intelligence, insightfulness, selflessness, boldness, caring, inclusion, honesty, integrity, and ethics.

The Brick Whitcomb Award: Oluwatobi Sanyaolu

Established by John Longo and David Whitcomb, this award recognizes the MBA student who completes the best stock report for the course, “Advanced Portfolio Management.”

The Center for Supply Chain Management Leadership Award: Solomon Sultan, Gal Atia and Andriy Partykevych

This award is given to the student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and achievement in Supply Chain Management.

The Certosimo Family Award in Leadership: Padmaja Nair

The Certosimo Family Award in Leadership is given to a rising second-year student in the Full-Time MBA Program who demonstrates academic excellence and a high level of leadership and citizenship. Leadership during the first academic year may come through on-campus activities, such as in student clubs, or through volunteer activities off-campus.