CBA honors students, faculty and alumni at annual awards

The College of Business Administration recently welcomed students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters for its annual CBA Awards, an evening dedicated to recognizing achievement, leadership and impact across the college community.

Held as a formal dinner, the event celebrated the people who define the CMU business experience: students preparing to launch their careers, faculty and staff helping them grow, and alumni whose leadership continues to create opportunities for future generations.

A signature moment of the evening was the induction of two distinguished alumni into the College of Business Hall of Fame, recognizing careers marked by innovation, leadership and lasting impact.

Honoring alumni leadership and legacy

The college welcomed two new Hall of Fame inductees:

• Melanie Kalmar ’87, ’25 — Watch tribute video
• Bob Oros ’90, ’24 — Watch tribute video

Their accomplishments reflect what is possible when talent, ambition and a strong educational foundation come together. Their induction celebrates careers that have influenced industries, strengthened organizations and created opportunities for others.

The evening also recognized Lee Curtis ’90 with the Alumni Commitment Award for his continued dedication to CMU and its students. Watch tribute video.

Together, these honorees demonstrate how a foundation built at CMU can lead to meaningful careers, principled leadership and lifelong engagement with the university.

Recognizing student achievement

The evening also celebrated the next generation of business leaders through student awards recognizing academic excellence, leadership and involvement.

The Student of the Year Award was presented to Carolina Hernandez Ruiz.

Outstanding Student Award recipients included:

• Trevor Carnovsky
• Cole Carpenter
• Carmella Cortes
• Holly Ireton
• Lindsey Nguyen
• Carnell Poindexter III
• Koby Rhymer
• Savana Stewart
• Jade Walleman
• Britta Williams

These recognitions celebrate students who have embraced internships, student organizations, leadership roles and hands-on learning experiences that prepare them to succeed after graduation.

Faculty and staff impact beyond the classroom

The event also honored faculty and staff whose dedication helps shape the student experience every day through teaching, mentorship, innovation, research and service.

Lauren Zettel and Jaeyoon Yu received the AT&T Innovation & Excellence in Teaching Award.

Deborah Gray received the Rogers MBA Teaching Award.

Keejae Hong received the Research Excellence Award.

Spenser Robinson received the Societal Impact Award.

Alisha Draper received the CBA Staff Excellence Award.

Together, these honorees reflect the collaborative community that helps students grow academically, professionally and personally.

A night that reflects the mission

Throughout the evening, speakers reflected on the importance of mentorship, opportunity and relationships in shaping student outcomes.

From Hall of Fame inductions to student achievement and faculty excellence, the CBA Awards highlighted what makes the College of Business Administration distinct: a community that supports, challenges and invests in one another.