The awards given celebrate students who stood out for their academic performance or their service to student organizations. The following students were selected because they have optimized their education by combining exemplary academic performance with internships, volunteerism, professional development, experiential education, and participation in clubs and other important experiences.

One student selected for an academic award is then chosen as COB’s Outstanding Student of the Year.

Outstanding Students of the Year

ACADEMIC AWARDS

College of Business Outstanding Student of the Year

Mason Smith
Also: Outstanding Finance Student of the Year

Future plans: “I have accepted a position as one of two banker foundation trainees at Simmons Bank. I will work at their headquarters in an 18-month training program rotating through departments such as corporate finance, retail banking, HR, and credit. I am excited to work with one of the best banks in Arkansas to learn how banks operate and contribute to helping communities.”

Outstanding Accounting Student

Lucas Hayes

Future plans: “I will assume an audit position at Ernst & Young in Rogers, Arkansas, starting in September.”

Outstanding Master of Accountancy Student

Jarrod Wheeler

Future plans: “Continue working at Landmark CPAs in the Tax Department.”

Outstanding Information Systems Student

Isaiah Kelly

Future plans: “After graduation, I intend to start my career as a data analyst and continue developing my technical and analytical skills. I plan on building experience with tools such as SQL, Python, and data visualization, with the long term goal being a senior data analyst.”

Outstanding Computer Information Systems Student

Wyatt Held

Future plans: “Work full time earning certifications, after experiencing work for a while I will consider grad school.”

Outstanding Data Analytics Student

Keegan Neeley

Future Plans: “Hopefully I’ll reach the job market with enough heat that they find me the best available candidate, but that’s not where I plan on stopping. I would love to go after my masters (or even my doctorate) in the future. Hopefully I can do both as me and my family move forward on our separate and joined journeys.”

Outstanding Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics Student

Katie Brown

Future plans: “After graduation, I plan to continue working in data analytics and use my skills to support data-driven decision-making and improve outcomes within my organization.”

Outstanding Economics Student

David Tooley

Future plans: “I intend to pursue my doctorate in economics at Florida State University.”

Outstanding Insurance & Risk Management Student

Macy Moring

Future plans: “After graduation, I plan to pursue a career in the insurance industry in the Central Arkansas area. I hope to work at an agency that offers a clear path toward becoming a producer. My goal is to continue building my knowledge of insurance and risk management while gaining hands-on experience in the field. I look forward to developing strong professional relationships, growing my skills, and establishing a long-term career helping clients protect what matters most to them.”

Outstanding Management Student

Ashlyn May

Future plans: “I am going to get my master’s in Information Management here at ������ and continue playing on the Women’s Soccer team.”

Outstanding Marketing Student

Rylie Melton

Future plans: “For the first 6 months after graduation, I plan to go through a 6-month online portfolio school program. So I will not immediately be applying for jobs after graduation. I will be going through an Art Direction program where I will learn everything about Art Direction in Advertising, including designing, creating campaigns, and working with Adobe. Once I complete that program, my goal is to pursue a full-time position in an Advertising Agency!”

Outstanding Innovation & Entrepreneurship Student

JoAnna Young

Future plans: “To find a job after graduation, connect with other entrepreneurs, and get started on opening my own business.”

Outstanding Logistics & Supply Chain Management Student

Angela Weng

Future plans: “I’ve interviewed for a job, and I’m in the onboarding process right now!”

Outstanding Master of Business Administration Student

Joseph Somervell

Future plans: “I aimed to begin teaching adjunct classes and take the next steps in my career. I started teaching the semester after I graduated. I use the skills I have gained in my current role and am exploring options for the right next full-time role.”

Outstanding Human Resources Student

Kierston Huff��(not pictured)

Outstanding General Business Student

Drew Duckhorn��(not pictured)

Outstanding Online Business Student

Savannah Smith��(not pictured)

SERVICE AWARDS

Outstanding BUILD Student

Logan Redd

Future plans: ” I intend to become an auditor for a firm with the future hope of becoming a forensic accountant.”

Outstanding Beta Alpha Psi Leader

Alexandra L. Wayne

Future plans: “By utilizing my financial and healthcare administration skills, which I have developed over my academic career and will further develop through my internship, I want to pursue a career with a hospital or healthcare organization to make an impact on their long-term sustainability and achieve more favorable patient outcomes.”

Outstanding Accounting Club Leader

Kady Harper-Morrison

Future plans: “After graduation, I intend to pursue CPA licensure as I work full time as an audit staff.”

Outstanding Gamma Iota Sigma Leader

Madelyn Neel

Future plans: “After graduating in December, I plan to start working full time in the insurance industry and continue my education through attaining insurance designations.”

Outstanding BASCOM Leader
(Bears for Advancing Supply Chain and Operations Management)

Grant Kemp

Future plans: “After graduation I hope to land an inventory management role here in Central Arkansas. I look forward to applying what I’ve learned here at ������ and my internships at the Allen Lund Company and Tractor Supply Company.”

Outstanding FBLA Collegiate Leader

Kaddie Bailey

Future plans: “Upon graduation, I will start my MAcc degree in the fall of 2026. I then plan to prepare and sit for my CPA licensure exam. One day in the future, I plan to open my own consulting firm, focusing my services on small and family-owned businesses. I also aspire to open my own foundation that focuses on youth financial literacy. I also plan to eventually go to seminary and do a two-year Journeyman program with the North American Mission Board.”

Outstanding Girls Who Code Leader

Jewell Callahan

Future plans: “Work as a software engineer for a couple of years before eventually transitioning into DevOps or cybersecurity.”

Outstanding Marketing & Sales Club Leader

Rylie Melton

see also: Outstanding Marketing Student of the Year

Outstanding Finance Club Leader

Payton Jarvis

Future Plans: “After graduation, I plan to pursue a career in finance while continuing to grow my business experience. As a licensed pilot, I also hope to explore opportunities in corporate aviation, combining my passion for flying with my professional goals. Long term, I hope to build a career that blends finance and aviation.”

��Financial Impact��

• 414 tax returns prepared
• Over $440,000 returned to community members��through federal and state tax refunds
• Over $75,000 saved in tax preparation fees
• Serving households with a��median adjusted gross income of approximately $23,500

��Beyond the Numbers

This free service is vital for supporting individuals who might otherwise struggle to afford tax preparation or miss out on critical refunds.�� For families struggling to make ends meet, these refunds represent:

• Relief from mounting bills
• Critical funds for home repairs, medical expenses, or education
• Opportunities to build emergency savings

This program delivers support precisely where it’s needed most, helping families move toward greater financial stability and self-sufficiency.

��Community Effort and Investment

��This program is a community effort. UWCA provides VITA site location, resources, financial and administrative support, along with organizing community members as intake volunteers. ������ Accounting department provides accounting��majors to prepare tax returns. This experience provides students with invaluable real-world experience. This hands-on training allowed students to:

• Apply classroom knowledge to actual tax situations
• Develop client communication skills
• Navigate tax software and documentation requirements
• Build professional confidence through meaningful community service

This dual-impact approach not only serves community members in need but also strengthens the professional development of future accountants, creating a powerful educational experience that textbooks alone cannot provide.

��Every dollar returned through the UWCA VITA program strengthens our local economy and enhances the financial resilience of Central Arkansas families. This vital service exemplifies how targeted support can create ripple effects of positive change throughout our communities.

How are you involved at ������?

I work at the Veterans & Military Resource Center, and I am in the Student Veterans of America. I am able to work here and join SVA due to the courage of my parents. They both served in the military, and this is my way to show appreciation and do my part without enlisting.

I was “Most Outstanding Freshman” in the ������ Bear Marching Band for color guard. I also was “Dean for a Day” last semester, one of the few students selected to meet with their College Dean as well as the Provost.

What drew you to the business industry?

Every time I see an advertisement, I analyze every aspect of it – why they chose the colors they are using, why that font, how there is blank space on one side, and how I could make it better. This constant analysis made me want to pursue marketing to better understand and improve all aspects related to marketing for wherever I end up working.

Tell us about your experience outside the classroom that will help your career.

Research
I learned about the opportunities and joy that arise from taking the path of doing research. I did not know much about how to take this path, but presenting at the��Atlantic Marketing Association conference��in September increased my interest. Dr. Jihoon Jhang and I presented “The Effect of AI Disclosure on Donation Intentions.”��The study examined how AI disclosure influences donation intentions. It utilized a 2×2 between-subjects design, investigating whether revealing the use of AI and whether the girl in the photo was smiling or frowning impacted people’s willingness to donate.

Internship
I learned about the internship through Handshake. I chose my internship because it was related to my field and allowed me to view other aspects of the company and paths that are not related to my major directly. I was able to spend a week with each different sector of the company and broaden my knowledge of what it takes to run a business.

Service
I have also volunteered at the Arkansas Food Bank often, and it has helped me with soft skills. I talk to strangers while I volunteer, and it helps with networking. It helps me also be grateful for the position I am in and reminds me how important it is to give back.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

After I graduate in December 2024, I plan to go into the field of marketing and use the knowledge from my degree to leverage my application above others.

What tips or advice would you give to new, current, or prospective business students?

Network with your professors. Going to my professors during their office hours or talking to them in the hallways has helped them remember me and get to know me better. In turn, they can be a reference for you or you can know them better and feel comfortable asking questions in class. That all together helps not only you and the professor, but also other students who might follow your lead.

The faculty and staff were recognized for their exemplary service to the students and their peers in the College of Business as well as in their areas of study and impact in the community.

Dr. Michael Hargis

First, Dr. Michael Hargis was honored with the COB Impact Award. Dr. Hargis served for more than a decade as the College Dean before being selected as ������’s Provost and executive VP of academic affairs.

Ms. Christy Peel

The second COB Impact Award for 2023-2024 was given to Christy Peel for her excellent service as one of COB’s Academic Advisors.

Dr. JiHoon Jhang
Excellence in Research Award

Dr. Jhang was presented this award by Dean Casey.

Dr. Jhang was honored with the Excellence in Research Award. His accomplishments include:

• Published 14 peer-reviewed journal articles from 2021-23 with 12 being A*
• eight of these publications came out in 2023
• many external collaborators and co-authors
• works-in-progress with several departmental colleagues
• recent research has focused on travel and tourism, both state-level priorities.

Dr. Joe McGarrity
Engaged Teaching Award

Dr. McGarrity was presented this award by Dean Casey.

Dr. McGarrity was chosen for this award for many reasons:

• For many years, he has helped students publish op-eds in local newspapers, and he has continued to do so. Getting students to write a polished and persuasive piece is labor intensive, andMcGarrity has created (and published) a method on how to efficiently edit and improve a first draft.
• He created a new class in Fall 2023, Law and Economics, and it was instantly a big hit.
• McGarrity has recently designed and implemented class experiments.
• McGarrity’s own column in the Log Cabin Democrat (every 2 weeks) is often applicable in economics class. Students regularly choose economics as a major because they enjoyMcGarrity’s Modern Political Economy class.
• He has also worked on writing textbooks and incorporates examples in class that he has learned from numerous sources gathered through textbook preparation.

Dr. K. Mike Casey
Innovative Teaching Award

Dr. Casey was presented with this award by Dean Casey.

Dr. Casey was chosen for this award because:

• He combines active research on AI usage in the classroom with his various courses, specifically CISA 3300 Introduction to Computer Architecture and Programming and CISA 3328 Systems Analysis and Design.
• He has carefully constructed lessons appropriate for novice programmers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI relating to creating computer programming code. These lessons take the form of instructor-led demonstrations, in-class exercises, as well as homework-style assignments.
• Casey demonstrates and encourages students in the systems analysis and design course to explore the use of generative AI to find more efficient and innovative approaches to solving complex problems.
• Of particular note is how he has incorporated a highly relevant marketplace innovation into his course materials in a very short period of time. In doing so, he has been able to maintain an appropriate level of rigor while simultaneously helping students discover proper ways to use this new technology and prepare them for its usage in industry.

Dr. Karen Oxner
Excellence in Service

Dr. Oxner was presented with this award by Dean Casey.

Dr. Oxner serves as MAcc Program Coordinator, where she advises all the MAcc students and also serves as Graduate Faculty Coordinator for the Department. She is nominated in this category because of two things:

1. Dr. Oxner always shows up. She is always there for what is needed from her. She is active in faculty meetings and offers guidance and opinions. She does this with measured consideration and a comparison to her high ideals and standards. Everything she offers is valuable even if it is not the route taken.
2. Dr. Oxner has been an amazing representative on the Graduate Council. Her efforts to focus on what is right for students has an impact on the way ������’s undergraduates and post-bacc students are being given opportunities to register for graduate-level courses when appropriate.

Susan Shaw
Societal Impact Award

Susan Shaw was presented with this award by Dean Casey.

Susan Shaw is an active member of COB’s faculty in many ways that impact our students and our community.

• Shaw has served as IT Career Camp director for 5 years directly working with junior high and high school students to inspire them into careers in IT and related fields
• She has led the Analytics case competition��at Manhattan College for 2 years, leading teams of graduating seniors to a nationwide competition in data analytics on topics such as food safety and security in sub-Saharan Africa
• She is a “Girls Who Code” faculty advisor. This is a new club that includes students from under-represented demographics and exists to inspire them to complete��their academic goals in IT-related disciplines
• Even with all this extra activity for students outside the classroom, Shaw is completing her DBA and working on her dissertation.

Dr. Garner was presented with this award by Dean Casey.

Dr. Ben Garner
Exemplary Boundary Spanner Award

Dr. Garner was chosen because:

• Dr. Garner has created two new upper-division courses – Managing Customer Relationships and Content Marketing – and shepherded both through curriculum committee processes. He highlights experiential education in both.
• In the Managing Customer Relationships course, he has partnered with the ������ Foundation and Arkansas PBS so that students can have hands-on experiences.
• In the Content Marketing course, he has worked with different Arkansas tourism organizations so that students can produce real-world media content in both written and video formats.
• Aside from his teaching and research at ������, he released his own conservation documentary this year.

Dr. Horpedahl was presented with this award by Dean Casey.

Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl
Exemplary Boundary Spanner Award

Dr. Horpedahl was chosen for this award because of his extraordinary ongoing impact:

• He co-authored The Future of Arkansas Tax Reform that offers detailed suggestions to AR lawmakers on the best way to reform AR taxes.
• Horpedahl regularly offers his expertise in media stories:��9 different outlets including New York Times, Financial Times, Newsweek, and Bloomberg;��Six op-eds in City Journal, Arkansas Business, Arkansas Dem Gaz and others; 3 television appearances; participant on 5 podcasts;��52 blog posts covering economic data and news, with over 40,000 unique views.
• For the past 12 months, he has engaged over 19,000 followers earning over 41 million impressions through posts covering economic news and statistics on current events.
• In addition to his usual media appearances, Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl is also participating in an important form of outreach and public service, as a member of the “Property Tax Advisory Council” in Montana. This council was called by the state’s Governor and has been meeting throughout 2024. Dr. Horpedahl has been providing a national perspective, as well as bringing his experience from Arkansas tax reforms to assist Montana as they try to lower property taxes for homeowners.

Recognition at the Annual ������ Convocation

Ms. Deanna Abrego, Admin to the Dean, was recognized as a finalist for ������ Employee of the Year.

Ms. Deanna Abrego was given this plaque by President Houston Davis.

Dr. Ashley Phillips was recognized as a finalist for the ������ Public Service Award.

Dr. Ashley Phillips was given this award by President Houston Davis.

Congratulations to all our award winners this year!

Professor Ashley Phillips oversees and coordinates ������’s annual involvement with VITA through the United Way of Central Arkansas. This tax season, students completed 329 tax returns, helped taxpayers claim $357,549 in refunds, and saved taxpayers approximately $60,000 in tax preparation fees.

The IRS’s offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.