UB School of Management students honored at commencement

By Matthew Biddle

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Seventeen University at Buffalo School of Management graduates received awards during the school’s graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies on May 13 and 14, respectively.

The graduates and the awards they received during graduate commencement were:

• Samantha L. Bugaj of Hamburg, the Drs. John and Arlyn Myers Award, presented to an MBA student who has excelled in the field of marketing in the MBA program.
• Bugaj also received the MBA Student Achievement Award, presented to an MBA student who has demonstrated scholastic excellence and rendered outstanding extracurricular service to the school and the university.
• Kaushik Chakraborty of Buffalo, the Dr. Marcel and Mrs. Kathryn Vinokur Award to Promote Global Understanding, presented to a graduating School of Management student born outside of North America who has contributed to promoting global understanding among MBA students.
• Spencer J. Gates of Kenmore, the Master of Science Student Achievement Award, presented to a Master of Science student who has demonstrated scholastic excellence and rendered outstanding extracurricular service to the school and the university.
• Junghan Kim of Seoul, Korea, the Paul E. Green Award in Marketing, presented to a School of Management doctoral student who has exemplified excellence in marketing research.
• Maria Kristic of Rhinebeck, the Charles H. Diefendorf Award in Finance, presented to the student who has made the greatest contribution to the finance discipline.
• Todd Maciejewski of Cheektowaga, the Sidney N. Kahn Memorial Award for Excellence in Sales and Marketing, presented to the MBA student who has made the greatest contribution to the field of sales and marketing.
• Marisa Maione of Endwell, the Eddy Lin Memorial Award, presented to a graduate student focusing on an accounting career with a mid-size public accounting firm. The recipient must actively mentor others, exhibit scholastic excellence and a passion for learning, and have a caring and fun attitude.
• Anthony J. Sumigray of Amsterdam, the Dr. Jerry and Mrs. Dina Wind Award to Promote International Understanding, presented to a U.S.-born student who has contributed to promoting international understanding among MBA students.
• Rohit H. Valecha of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the PhD Student Achievement Award, presented to a doctoral student who has demonstrated scholastic excellence and rendered outstanding extracurricular service to the school and the university.

During undergraduate commencement, the following graduates received awards:

• Naree Byun of East Amherst, Cassandra Chan of Singapore, Catherine R. Harber of Hamburg and Siddharth Khandelwal of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, are co-recipients of the Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key, presented to full-time undergraduates who compiled the highest management grade point average of all eligible graduating students.
• Mahwish F. Khan of Karachi, Pakistan, the William H. Wendel Memorial Award for Student Excellence in Human Resources Management, presented to the undergraduate who has made the greatest contribution to the field of human resources management.
• Michael R. Malta of Webster, the University at Buffalo Accounting Association Michael S. Dockery Memorial Senior Award, presented to a senior accounting student who has contributed in a superior way to the Institute of Management Accountants and to the accounting profession, fellow students and the School of Management.
• Brittany A. Popovski of Orchard Park, the Undergraduate Student Achievement Award, presented to an undergraduate who has demonstrated scholastic excellence and rendered outstanding extracurricular service to the school and the university.
• Nicholas C. Schrager of Holbrook, the Adriana Ilyse Thaler Memorial Senior Award in Marketing, presented to the senior marketing student who has best demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, marketing professionalism and personal motivation.