USF SOM Honors Program

Our next Senior Spotlight goes to our VP of Marketing, Emely Cortez! 🎓 Emely is graduating as a Marketing major with a minor in Design! ⭐ In SOMHP, she was the co-director of Content in the Fall of 2021, before being promoted to Vice President of Marketing in the Spring of 2022! Aside from her involvement in SOMHP, she was also the Academic Development Director in Kappa Alpha Theta from January 2022 to December 2022. 👩💻 On campus, she loved being the Social Media Assistant for the Career Services Center, where she was able to grow her social media portfolio. She's also loved working at the Athletics department, where she saw one of her designs up at the Sobrato Center earlier this school year! Throughout her college experience, her favorite SOMHP memories have been the End of Year gala and the bonfires her cohort has hosted. However, her favorite college memories have been the retreats she's been able to go to with Theta! 🏝 After graduation, she will continue her internship with the San Francisco Giants as their social media intern until the end of the 2024 season, and take a small break before looking for a full-time role in social media for a sports team! 💬  Emely's favorite quote is "'rejection is just redirection'; don't let a job/internship rejection define you, or doubt your worth. Remember that whatever is meant for you will be for you and say yes often, you never know where it might lead you!" Congratulations Emely! We wish you all the best! #usfca #usfsomhonors #alumni #seniorspotlights

Next up for senior spotlights is Kyle Robb! 🎓 Kyle is graduating as an Accounting major in a couple of weeks! ⭐ At USF, he was a part of Best Buddies, Chess Club, and did intramural basketball one semester. In SOMHP, he was the Director of Corporate Relations during the Fall of 2021. 👩💻 His most memorable job has been working with the Game Day Experience team with USF Dons Athletics and working the Chase Center games. His favorite SOMHP memories have been the cohort bonfires, studying and having lunch with his cohort, and the alumni nights. However, his favorite college memories have been studying abroad, playing spike ball at the beach, playing basketball at Koret, walking down the Lone Mountain steps, and meeting/eating food with/traveling with so many awesome people throughout his college experience. 🏝 After graduation, he is going to take CPA exams, remove his wisdom teeth, begin working in Public Accounting, pay off his student loans, move out, get his CPA license, and then get a dog in that exact order. 💬 Kyle's advice is to "trust yourself to worry less about classes and grades, and instead focus on building the big picture, and the goals you’ll take to get there. Keep an open mind and stay disciplined." Congrats Kyle! Wishing you the best!

Our next senior spotlight goes to Jocelyn Luciani! 🎓 Jocelyn is graduating as a Business Analytics major with a minor in Economics! ⭐ At USF, she was a member and on the leadership team of the Global Student Ambassador Program, where she served as the President from her sophomore to senior year. She was also a student assistant for the Center for Business Studies and Innovation in Asia-Pacific. During her senior year, she was a part of the McCarthy Fellows in SF cohort! 👩💻 Her most memorable internship was working on a political campaign in the Sunset District. She loved getting to know community members and planning community events. "It was a huge learning curve and period of growth, but I gained so much confidence putting myself out there." Her favorite SOMHP memory has to be our cohort bonfires and the friendships she's made. However, her favorite college memory has been all of the days she's gone out and explored the city - whether it be going on hikes, runs, or volunteering, she always had something to do! 🏝 After graduation, she's looking forward to traveling! She's excited to take a break to explore the world and dive into my creative passions. After taking some time off, she's looking forward to returning to SF to continue to build a career in the public sector where she hopes to work for the city or a non-profit organization. 💬 Jocelyn's advice: "Follow where your passions take you, and reach out to people for coffee chats/advice - there are more professionals out there wanting to mentor you than you might think. The biggest step you can take is to reach out!" Congrats Jocelyn! So excited to see where you go! #usfca #usfsomhonors #seniorspotlights

This Senior Spotlight of the Spring graduates goes to our SOMHP President, Madeline Liu! 🎓 Madeline is graduating as a Marketing and Entrepraneurship & Innovation double-major in May! ⭐ In SOMHP, Madeline is the ’23-’24 President! She had also been an Alumni Relations Director and Director of External Relations in SOMHP before stepping into the role of President. Beyond SOMHP, Madeline’s off-campus endeavors include being a Social media manager for Japanese food blogger called Just One Cookbook and a Marketing manager for a specialty coffee shop called Coffee and Water Lab. She is also the Founder and Illustrator of her own art business, Notebeans Stationery. Lastly, she is a Core team member of a creative networking group, Exhilo Creative Meetups! 👩💻 After graduation, Madeline is going to continue her freelance marketing work and grow her business to fully support herself. In general, she would like to work a job that practices creativity, curiosity, and kindness! She is interested fields include hospitality, film and entertainment, and nonprofit. 💬 Madeline’s words of wisdom for the next senior class: “Savour your last year! Focus on being the best student, mentor, friend, partner, etc. you can be! Life will happen at its own pace, so just be true to you and know why you do what you do. the rest will follow suit!" Congratulations Madeline! We're confident you'll be doing great things!

Senior Spotlight: Apurva Aluru 🌟 🎓Apurva is graduating with a marketing major and a computer science minor in May! Apurva has been active on campus during her time at USF. She is a Martin Baro Scholar, a member of the Marketing Club, Women in Business, and worked at the One Card office. Apurva was also the Director of Marketing, Director of Internal Relations, Director of Internal Engagement, and Director of External Relations at the School of Management Honors Program! 💡 One of Apurva’s most memorable jobs is working as a program manager at Intuit. Her favorite SOMHP memories are the cute little bonding events, and her favorite thing to do has been having the city as our campus. There are so many fun things to do just a short bus ride away, and you can meet the best people going on adventures like this!! ✨ Apurva’s plan for the future is to continue being creative. She is making her own clothes and painting! This semester, Apurva is a lead mural artist painting a mural at Hamilton Families, a homeless shelter in the Tenderloin! She wants to continue doing things like this. After graduation, Apurva will also be working full-time at Intuit as a Program Manager in the Bay Area! 💬 Her advice for rising seniors is, “Try to keep connected with the people around you; time really flies!” Congratulations Apurva! 🎉 Wishing you all the best in the future! #usfca #somhp #classof2024 #seniorspotlight

Senior Spotlight: Najashi Belcher 🌟 🎓 Shi is graduating as a Hospitality Management major in May! Shi has been an active member at USF as an RA, the Team Manager for the USF Men's Basketball team, a SOM Ambassador,a Student Representative on the Board of Trustees (Development Committee), a part of the Black Scholar Program Cohort #3, a Muscat Scholar '20, a Magis Emerging Leader '21. He is also involved with Dons Helping Dons, GO Team, Management Club Steering Committee, Senior Class Committee, Finance Committee, and Internal Affairs Committee with ASUSF, as well as part of the Student Code of Conduct Review Committee and USF 101 Expansion Advisory Committee. 📚 In SOMHP, Shi served as the sophomore representative and as one of our website managers. Outside of SOMHP, he was the events director for The Hospitality Society, where he currently serves as President! He is also the lead University Ambassador for Admissions. 💻 After graduation, Shi will be in Graduate School for Student Affairs & Higher Education program! 👯♀️ Shi has had so many opportunities throughout the last four years, but he has enjoyed working at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, being an RA, Bridgton Sports Camp, and TIAA. 💬 Shi's words of wisdom for the next senior class: “NEVER EVER LET AN OPPORTUNITY GO TO WASTE! It is always better to have options early on vs no options as the end of the academic year comes to a close. So if there is a job you want to apply for, do it. Don't wait." Congratulations, Shi! 🎉

It's been a busy week for our members! 🚀 This past weekend, a few of our members competed in the CFA Institute Research Challenge alongside their industry mentor, John Mulcahy. This past Wednesday, we were also given the chance to tour the Merrill Lynch San Francisco branch. They were able to connect with finance leaders and make meaningful connections to further their careers! #usfca #usfsomhonors #finance #companytour

Calling all Class of 2027 business students at USFCA! 📣 Join us next Tuesday at Tarantino Plaza in Malloy Hall for a casual mingling event with current SOMHP students, and learn about their experiences in the program and SOM as a whole! No RSVP is required. Can't wait to meet our next incoming cohort members! Stay tuned for more updates regarding applications and recruitment for the Class of 2027 cohort! #usfcasomhonors #usfca #businessstudents

We're back in action for another semester! 🚀 We hope that this semester brings our members endless inspiration, growth, and success. For some of our members, it will be their last semester with us, and we hope that this semester brings them one step closer to their goals. Can't wait to see what's in store for our program, as we welcome in a new cohort and host events to further strengthen our connections. 🤝 #usfsomhonors #springsemester

Senior Spotlight: Valerie Lâm 🌟 🎓 Val is graduating as a Management Major with minors in dance and public service community engagement, as well as the Fall 2023 Valedictorian! Outside of SOMHP, she was a part of College Players, Craft Club, SF Hillel, PACT, Magis, and McGrath Scholars. Her roles in SOMHP were the Director of Professional Events, as well as the Strategic Advisor. 📚 Her favorite SOMHP memory was this semester's alumni night, where she was able to have wonderful conversations with her cohort members whom I had not caught up with in a long time. “That evening felt like a commemoration of how far we've come and grown as colleagues and friends, there was so much joy and love in one common place.” 🏫 However, her overall favorite college memory was her Heathers era in Spring 2023 with College Players, where she got the chance to play the role of Heather McNamara. She had a blast performing in her first musical alongside such talented peers! 💻 After graduation, Val will be rehearsing for two more shows in San Francisco and then I'll be taking some intentional rest before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in the Summer, where she will be starting her role as a rotational HR Associate at TIAA. 👯♀️ Her most memorable internship was living in the woods of Becket, Massachusetts in the summer of 2022 when she was an intern for The School at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. She even still keeps in touch with her friends from her time there, despite being in several different time zones! 💬 Val’s words of wisdom for the next senior class: “Give yourself grace and enjoy the journey. Carve moments out of every day to rest and be present. Put hangouts with friends on the calendar because things will get busy, but your community will keep you afloat through it all. It's also never too late to try new things whether it be a hobby, job responsibility, club, etc. ” Congratulations, Val 🎉 Can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish!