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In addition to her stellar GPA, Saliah went above and beyond, creating a podcast episode as part of an Honor’s Contract. She also played on the women's club basketball team at KSU.

Shehan Sundrani has demonstrated an excellent entrepreneurial mindset and skillsets in the Entrepreneurship program.  He has been impressive with his desire to become an entrepreneur, created several ideas to pursue, pitched in the Scrappy Pitch Competition, and has a sincere interest in learning all he can to become an entrepreneur and business owner. His attitude for entrepreneurship is infectious. We expect him to develop exciting ventures in the future.

Kabrie Kyle exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding student through her exceptional leadership, academic excellence, and dedication to community engagement. As President of the Hospitality Leadership Club, she has demonstrated strong leadership and organizational skills, fostering professional growth among her peers. Her active participation in the College’s open house showcases her commitment to representing the institution and inspiring future students. Kabrie’s passion for hospitality, coupled with her academic and extracurricular achievements, make her a deserving recipient of the Outstanding Student Award.

Matai Blain is the youngest of five siblings and a first-generation college student. He has thrived in his own studies and developed new opportunities for others within Ñý¼§Ö±²¥and the larger community. In his junior year, he competed in the campus-wide Apps for Wellbeing Hackathon leading a group of teammates from IT, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering disciplines. That same year, he attended a number of industry events, leading to a summer internship and job offer from Synovus. Matai has participated in the inaugural Generative AI Hackathon, helped organize this year’s Apps for Wellbeing Hackathon, and serves as a mentor and ambassador for the African American Male Initiative.

On paper it's easy to see that Ava Ellis is driven: She has straight A's, is part of our Sales Team, interned at TKE last summer, competed in the Owl Cup sales competition, and placed 10th in the speed selling portion of the ICSC competition. She is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon International Sorority where she led a team that raised awareness of the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. She also works to raise awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and has raised $19,000 in donations. But what you don't see on paper is that Ava has been fully independent of her parents since starting college and supports herself financially. Ava has already been offered a sales job at ReliaQuest in Tampa, FL.

Sydni Farmer is an exceptional student who actively engaged in the MAcc program beyond the required coursework. She was a key member of the MAcc team that secured first place in the statewide Institute of Internal Auditors Case Competition and contributed to a team that drafted a comment letter for the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Sydni consistently ranked among the top five students in nearly every class she completed and earned the highest CPA Exam scores, all while serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Financial Reporting Roundtable. Faculty members commend her for her strong work ethic, leadership, sharp focus, eagerness to learn, and genuine dedication to supporting her classmates.

Rajee has demonstrated exceptional hard work and dedication throughout her time in the program. Her remarkable work ethic is evident in her academic achievements, having earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. Additionally, Rajee's commitment to the Fintech Program extends beyond academics. Despite living in New Jersey, she consistently supports and attends in-person Fintech events, showcasing her dedication and enthusiasm for the program.

Maranie Brown was selected for her excellence in leadership in her field. She was nominated in Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 under 40 class of 2024, Global Leadership Fellow at the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, was named a Leadership Fellow in the Leadership Dawgs Alumni Program at her alma mater, is a 2025 Fellow of the American College of Health Data Management, and is a graduate of the HIMSS CIO Connect Program. 

Otoe Sugahara has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, academic excellence, and a collaborative spirit that has positively impacted the WebMBA program. Their dedication, professionalism, and drive to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges make them a standout choice for the Outstanding Student Award