DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
AARON LEETCH STADIUM CLUB Awards
SPRING LUNCHEON
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025 | 10:30AM
Department of Management
STUDENT AWARDS PROGRAM
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025
aaron leetch stadium club
WELCOME
10:30
Somnath Lahiri
Interim Chair, Department of Management
DEAN’S ADDRESS
10:35
Ajay Samant
Dean, College of Business
BRUNCH
10:45
Local Favorites Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs with Aged Cheddar
Smoked Applewood Bacon
Pork Sage Sausage Links
Cinnamon Swirl French Toast (whipped butter & maple syrup)
Seasoned Home Fried Potatoes
Seasonal Fruits & Berries
Beverages
Chilled Orange & Cranberry Juices
Freshly Brewed Coffee (regular & decaf)
Hot Tea Selections
PRESENTATION OF STUDENT AWARDS
Department of Management Faculty
Scholarship and Award Donors
Awards and Recipients
OUTSTANDING JUNIOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Bailah Bognar
OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Lidia Halder
OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Janelle Rodriquez
OUTSTANDING JUNIOR IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Nicole Decker
OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Melanie Bedolla
OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Megan Kahlfeldt
OUTSTANDING JUNIOR IN MANAGEMENT
Christina Oakes
OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN MANAGEMENT
Zachary Bluver
MANAGEMENT AWARD FOR CITIZENSHIP & SERVICE
Mia Chaudhry
WILLIAM B. POPPLETON ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Brandon Hill
KOELZ FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Jeremy Wright
MARIETTA BRIDDICK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Ella Kruse
BOB BRIDDICK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Taryn Shawback
FOLEY FAMILY BACK - A - BIRD SCHOLARSHIP
Elizabeth Johnson
COUNTRY FINANCIAL CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD
Daphne Kollbaum
COUNTRY FINANCIAL CITIZENSHIP AND SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Tony Vu
COUNTRY FINANCIAL FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER AWARD
Justin Moore
COUNTRY FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT AWARD (Bone Scholar Nominees and Finalists)
Bailah Bognar
Elizabeth Johnson
Leo Krueger
Christina Oakes
Isabella Favela
Melanie Bedolla
Elizabeth Grisolano
Brandon Hill
• STUDENT
Biographies •
MELANIE BEDOLLA
Melanie is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Human Resources. During the summer of 2024, she began working as a Property & Casualty Intern at State Farm. She worked as a Sales Associate at Marshalls in Shorewood, Illinois from August 2022 to January 2024. Melanie currently serves as Secretary to Beta Gamma Sigma and as the Activity Coordinator for Delta Sigma Pi. Melanie was the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair of Delta Sigma Pi from September 2023 to April 2024. Upon graduation, Melanie seeks to obtain a position in the insurance industry working as an Underwriter or in a Human Resource Department.
ZACHARY BLUVER
Zachary is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/Small Business. He works as a Social Media Intern/ Ambassador and as a Transfer Guide at Illinois State University. Additionally, Zachary is in Pi Sigma Epsilon, currently serving as Chapter Unity Director, after having previously been the Vice President of Marketing. Zachary also serves as President of Sigma Iotal Epsilon. Upon graduation, he would like to seek employment with a management consulting firm in Chicago. A long-term career goal is to open a restaurant or bakery focusing on delivering excellent service to customers.
BAILAH BOGNAR
Bailah is double majoring in Business Administration and Marketing. Since June 2023, she has worked as a seasonal tournament director for the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois. During the summer of 2025, Bailah will be interning at Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois in pricing and revenue management. Since August 2022, she also has been a member of the Illinois State University Softball team where she currently serves as Captain. Additionally, Bailah has been serving on the Illinois State Student-Athlete Advisory Council. Upon graduation, she plans to work before pursuing either a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree or attending law school to earn a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
MIA CHAUDHRY
Mia is majoring in Management, with specializations in Human Resources and Organizational Leadership. In the summer of 2024, she worked for Martin Brower at the company’s headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois as a Global Human Resources (HR) Intern. For the summer of 2025, Mia will be serving as a Corporate HR Benefits Intern with Packaging Corporation of America at its Lake Forest, Illinois headquarters. She currently serves as Vice President of Corporate Relations for Women in Business after having been the organization’s Director of Operations. Upon graduation, Mia plans to pursue a career in HR benefits with her long-term goal being to obtain a position where she coordinates and manages all aspects of her company’s employee benefits.
NICOLE DECKER
Nicole is double majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/ Small Business, and Studio Arts. She has been working as a Production Stagehand and a Glass House Manager at Illinois State University from July 2024 and January 2024, respectively. From January 2023 to December 2024, Nicole served as a Studio Assistant at Illinois State University. Additionally, Nicole is an Honors Program member. Her career goal is to open a small business, such as a coffeehouse, which offers food and drink and provides support to local artists in the community.
ISABELLA FAVELA
Isabella is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Human Resources. During the summer of 2025, she will be working as an Intern at Sherwin Williams in McAllen, Texas. Isabella currently serves as the Philanthropy Chair of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity and as the Secretary of Circle K International. She also is a member of Women in Business, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the Honors Program. During the 2025 spring break, Isabella built hiking trails in Tennessee. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a career in Human Resource Management.
ELIZABETH GRISOLANO
Elizabeth is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/Small Business. She served as a Calvary Scout in the US Army from 2019 to 2021 after becoming one of the first 100 women in US Army history to graduate from One Station Unit Training in becoming a Cavalry Scout. During the 2024 fall semester, Elizabeth served as a volunteer notetaker at Illinois State University. Additionally, she is also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Upon graduation, Elizabeth is interested in attending cosmetology school to train as a nail technician. A longer-term career goal is to open a nail business which will eventually expand to include hair styling and cutting.
LIDIA HALDER
Lidia is majoring in Business Administration. She has been working as a Student Hiring Manager at the Department of Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality at Illinois State University since October 2023. Additionally, she has served as the Cultural Secretary to the Bangladeshi Student Association from August to November 2023 and currently is the Vice President of the International Business Association. Upon graduation, Lidia plans to obtain a position in Human Resources (HR) where she can focus on managing HR operations, workforce planning, and talent development.
BRANDON HILL
Brandon is majoring in Business Administration. He served as a Marketing Intern at HTLF Bank in Dubuque, Iowa during the summer of 2024. Brandon currently works at the College of Business Academic Advising Center and was a Resident Assistant at Illinois State University from the fall 2023 semester through the fall 2024 semester. He is also a member of the Sports Marketing Student Association. Upon graduation, Brandon intends to pursue a career in Sports Marketing, ideally in the sector of advertisement and media creation.
MEGAN KAHLFELDT
Megan is majoring in Management, with specializations in Organizational Leadership and Entrepreneurship/Small Business. She works as a Backroom Supervisor at TJ Maxx in Bloomington, Illinois, and has served as a Backroom Supervisor at Sierra in Wheaton, Illinois. During the summer of 2023, Megan also was employed as an Account Manager/ Intern at Kratos Business Executives in Oak Brook, Illinois. Additionally, she is a member of Women in Business and the International Business Association. Megan also participates in Feed My Starving Children in Aurora, Illinois. Upon graduation, Megan desires to obtain employment with a management consulting firm in Chicago.
DAPHNE KOLLBAUM
Daphne is majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Legal Studies. She has served as Student Ambassador at Margaritaville University in both Nashville and Normal, Illinois. From 2021 to 2022, she worked as a Director Assistant for the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Daphne is a member of Women in Business, is a volunteer at the Normal Public Library in the Partners in Reading program as well as a volunteer at The Baby Fold in Normal. Upon graduation, Daphne plans to utilize her business administration degree to explore a wide range of opportunities within the business world.
LEO KRUEGER
Leo is majoring in International Business and minoring in Spanish. During the summer of 2024, he worked as a Commercial Sales Intern at Archer Daniel Midlands (ADM) in Decatur, Illinois. He will return to ADM in the summer of 2025 as a Central Sales Intern in Cincinnati. Leo also currently works as a Social Media Manager & Sales Representative for The Better Contractor in Brownstown, Illinois and Ladue, Missouri. Additionally, he serves as the Vice President of the International Business Association and the Marketing Chair of the Sales Excellence Academy at Illinois State University. Upon graduation, Leo plans to obtain a position in the international food industry, utilizing his knowledge and skills acquired during his two ADM internships.
ELLA KRUSE
Ella is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/Small Business, and minoring in Organizational Leadership. She works as a Virtual Assistant for Rebecca Gould Photography in Glenview, Illinois and previously worked as a Bookseller for Barnes and Noble in Deer Park, Illinois. Ella is currently the Director of Media Relations for Women in Business and is a member of both Beta Gamma Sigma and the Honors Program. In the summer of 2024, she participated in the Honors Study Abroad Program, where she visited and studied in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Upon graduation, Ella is looking to obtain a business-oriented position in the publishing industry (marketing, etc.) A longer-term career goal is to operate her own bookstore and bakery.
ELIZABETH JOHNSON
Elizabeth is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Human Resources (HR). During the summer of 2024, she served as an HR Intern at Flexco in Downers Grove, Illinois. For the summer of 2025, Elizabeth will be working as an HR Intern at G&W Electric. She also has worked as a Business Office Student Worker for the Office of the Comptroller at Illinois State University. She currently serves as a Mentor for Phi Gamma Nu, a coed professional business fraternity, and as a mentor for Business Week. Upon graduation, she would like to obtain an HR generalist role in the Chicago metropolitan area, eventually becoming an HR manager. After working for a while, she would like to obtain either a Master’s in Human Resource Management or a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree.
JUSTIN MOORE
Justin is majoring in Business Administration. He has served as a Market Development Intern for Growth Energy in Washington DC from May 2023 to September 2024. Justin also currently works as a Market Development Analyst for KMoore Consulting and at Uptown Gifts/Forget Me Not Flowers, both in Bloomington, Illinois. Upon graduation, he plans to enter the ethanol/renewable energy field, utilizing his knowledge and skills acquired from his internship with Growth Energy.
CHRISTINA OAKES
Christina is majoring in Management, with specializations in Human Resources and Organizational Leadership, while minoring in Sociology. She has been working in the Illinois State University Human Resources Department since April 2024. Additionally, Christina is the Director of Alumni Relations for Women in Business, is in the Honors Program, and has been active in a variety of community service activities. Upon graduation, she plans to obtain a position in human resource management.
JANELLE RODRIQUEZ
Janelle is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/Small Business, while minoring in Dance. Over the summer of 2024, she was a Digital Commerce Intern at Chico’s FAS in Fort Myers, Florida. Janelle also works as a Sales Lead at Soma Intimates in Normal, Illinois. Additionally, since May 2023, she has been the President and Choreographer of the ISU Poise Dance Team and has been the Co-President of Sigma Iota Epsilon since April 2024. Upon graduation, Janelle would like to obtain a merchant role with a US retail company. A longer-term career goal is to create her own dance company that allows dancers the opportunity to train and obtain professional jobs outside of her company.
TARYN SHAWBACK
Taryn is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/Small Business. She currently works on the Security Team for the City of Bloomington at the Grossinger Motor Arena. During the summer of 2023, she served as an Intern at Balestrieri Service Inc. in Elkhorn, Wisconsin where she was responsible for creating a cyber security program and helping to create a marketing plan, among other functions. Taryn has been an active member of Women in Business and the ISU Trap and Skeet Club since the 2022 fall semester. Her long-term career goal is to establish a premier, full-service complex that combines world-class facilities for golf, trap shooting, and archery with exceptional lodging, spa services, and dining experiences.
TONY VU
Tony is majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Organizational Leadership. He has extensive work experience, serving as an Office Associate for the Department of Children and Family Services in Springfield, from 2015 to 2022. Prior to holding that position, Tony was a Supply Manager, Weapons Room Manager, and Chemical Operations Team Member in the US Army from 2004 to 2013. Additionally, his community volunteer work includes serving as a Stage Manager for Hoogland Center for the Arts. Upon graduation, Tony plans to pursue a career as a regional manager.
JEREMY WRIGHT
Jeremy is majoring in Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship/Small Business, and minoring in Sociology. He currently works as a Sales Associate at Von Maur and a Student Crew Leader at Illinois State University. Jeremy is currently the President of Business ACUMEN and the Leadership Chair for Phi Sigma Pi, a national honors fraternity. Upon graduation, he would like to pursue a position as a managerial consultant, specifically providing organizational consulting for small business owners of color so they can improve their processes and operations and become more efficient and profitable.
PRESENTER
Biographies
DR. MONA BAHL
Dr. Mona Bahl is an Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business. She teaches Organizational Strategy and International Management to both Graduate and Undergraduate students. Her research in the field spans topics related to innovation and internationalization behavior of firms, sustainability, knowledge sharing, firm ownership, and global value chain dynamics. Dr. Bahl’s research has been published in top ranking Journals including the Journal of World Business, Strategic Management Journal and Global Strategy Journal.
DR. HEIDI M. BAUMANN
Dr. Heidi M. Baumann is an Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business at Illinois State University. She received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management from Purdue University. Dr. Baumann’s teaching focuses on topics such as human resource management, performance management, leadership, and managing the work-life interface, and she has experience teaching in undergraduate, MBA, and Executive MBA programs. Her research focuses on two primary areas: (1) employees’ work-life interface and (2) performance management and employee development. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Baumann worked for two Fortune 500 companies, Caterpillar Inc. and State Farm Insurance.
DR. XIAN CAO
Xian earned her Ph.D. in Strategic Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Connecticut. She teaches courses in entrepreneurship and strategic management, drawing on her research interests in female entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship motivations, social media, and research methods. Her scholarly contributions have been published in esteemed journals like Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Decision Support Systems, Small Business Economics, Journal of Small Business Management, Group & Organization Management, and Personality and Individual Differences. Xian also contributes as an ad-hoc reviewer for multiple academic journals. Currently, she is preparing a tech venture that provides medical solutions based on AI, alongside her husband. Xian is deeply passionate about working with students majoring in entrepreneurship and is eager to engage and grow alongside them in the venture process.
DR. ASHISH CHANDRA
Dr. Ashish Chandra is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods at the College of Business. He holds a Ph.D. in Quantitative Methods from Purdue University. His research focuses on stochastic optimization, risk-averse decision-making, and optimization under uncertainty, with applications in complex decision-making systems. He has presented at leading conferences such as INFORMS and IISE. Dr. Chandra is passionate about teaching and mentors students in Operations Management, Business Analytics, and Statistics. Beyond academia, he enjoys sports and training for marathons.
DR. AVIMANYU DATTA
Dr (Avi)manyu Datta is the Gary Gemberling Faculty Scholar and a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship. He is also the Director of The George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. His research intersects three areas, Innovation, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship, and his work has been published in premium outlets like Information Systems Research, Technovation, R&D Management, Journal of Business Research, Technology Forecasting and Social Change, Journal of International Management, and Journal of Small Business Management. Additionally, he holds a visiting faculty position at Hitotsubashi University Japan and is the author of the Amazon bestseller Scifi trilogy, The Time Corrector Series.
DR. VICTOR DEVINATZ
Dr. Victor G. Devinatz is Distinguished Professor of Management and was the Hobart and Marian Gardner Hinderliter Endowed Professor (2014-15) at Illinois State University. He teaches and has taught courses in labor relations and human resource management. Besides publishing scholarly articles on labor issues, Dr. Devinatz’s book, High-Tech Betrayal: Working and Organizing on the Shop Floor (Michigan State University Press, 1999), is an industrial ethnography chronicling his work in a low-wage medical electronics factory. In 2003, Dr. Devinatz received a Merl E. Reed Research Fellowship in Southern Labor History. He writes regularly on labor topics for Chicago’s StreetWise.
DR. HAKAN ENER
Hakan Ener is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy. He earned a Ph.D. in Management in France and Singapore. Prior to joining ISU, he created and taught courses in Europe and Brazil. His experience includes serving as the academic director of an international program in which hundreds of mid-career managers created new businesses within large corporations. That program received the “Excellence in Practice” recognition from the European Foundation for Management Development in the “Talent Development” category.
DR. NATHAN S. HARTMAN
Nathan S. Hartman, Ph.D., is a Professor and Director of the Organizational Leadership Institute at Illinois State University’s College of Business. Committed to student success, he emphasizes experiential learning and technology integration to help students secure internships and excel in their careers. His expertise in leadership development, project management, and employee selection shapes coursework that reflects realworld challenges. He earned his Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University and has published extensively on leadership and organizational behavior. Outside academia, he enjoys hiking, trail riding, boating, and traveling with his family.
DR. SANDEEP JAGANI
Dr. Sandeep Jagani is an associate professor and assistant chair of the management department. He has a Ph.D. in Manufacturing and Technology Management from the University of Toledo, a BS in Chemical Engineering, and an MBA in finance, marketing, and international business. He is a Certified Six-Sigma Green Belt by the American Society for Quality. His research focuses on sustainable operations and technology management. He received the Outstanding COB Researcher Award in 2025, the Outstanding MBA Professor Awards in 2020 and 2024, the Manahan Teaching Excellence Award in 2023, and the Wisdom’s Torch Teaching and Learning Award in 2024.
TERRY R. LOWE
Terry R. Lowe is an Instructional Assistant Professor who joined the Management Department in 2006 after retiring from State Farm Insurance as Manager-Learning and Development. He has taught courses in Human Resources, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Management and Organizational Behavior. He is a graduate of ISU with an MBA and holds seven professional designations including Senior Certified Professional – Society of Human Resources Management. He is a contributing author and editor for academic textbooks. He was named Outstanding University Teacher – Non-Tenure Track in 2019 and received the Excellence in Teaching Award – Non-Tenure Track from the College of Business in 2015 and 2022.
DR. TOBIAS PRET
Born and raised in Germany, Dr. Tobias Pret joined Illinois State University in 2020, after living and working in Scotland, Costa Rica, Australia, and New Zealand. He received his Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship from the University of Strathclyde. His teaching interests include strategy and entrepreneurship, and he teaches courses in new venture creation, small business management, and organizational strategy. Dr. Pret’s research explores entrepreneurship in the creative industries and the role of context in entrepreneurial practices. His research has been published in multiple journals, including the International Small Business Journal, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, and the International Journal of Management Reviews.
Faculty and Staff
Dr. Ajay Samant Dean, College of Business
Dr. Somanth Lahiri Interim Chair, Department of Management
Dr. Sandeep Jagani Assistant Chair, Department of Management
Seann Berrocales Office Manager
Dani Meier Office Administrator
Dr. Avi Datta
Director, Means Center for Entrepreneurship
Dr. Nathan Hartman Director, Organizational Leadership Institute
Dr. Barb Ribbens Director, Varner International Business Institute
Renee Allison
Armstrong Amoah
Mona Bahl
Yongmei Bally
Alex Barelka
Heidi Baumann
Edith Busija
Xian Cao
Ashish Chandra
Askar Choudhury
Jeff Correll
Victor Devinatz
Meredith Downes
Hakan Ener
Peter Foreman
Cass Hermacinski
Heather Jia
Katy Koe
Terry Lowe
Doug Micklich
Tobi Pret
Theresa Sanchez
Brice Seifert
Robert Shoop
Jamie Wieland
Tina Williams
Gary Wolbers
Anna Zabinski
About Us
The Department of Management develops motivated students into professionals who excel in today’s dynamic and challenging business environment. We are the largest department on campus with more than 1400 students. The Department of Management operates within the College of Business, an institution experiencing increasing national recognition.
PROGRAMS
Business Administration
Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management
Human Resource Management
Organizational Leadership
CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
Carson & Iris Varner International Business Institute
George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
Organizational Leadership Institute
AMONG OTHER THINGS, WE ARE:
One of 189 business schools in the world to have both business and accounting accreditation by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Sixth ranking in a row as as one of the top 100 undergraduate business schools by Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine
Recognized in Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools for our MBA program
Part of a university that has been named by Kiplinger Personal Finance as one of the “100 Best Values” in undergraduate education
Attracting an increasingly talented pool of students from across the state of Illinois and throughout the Midwest.
Thank You
The Faculty and Staff of the Department of Management would like to congratulate all of this year’s award recipients.
We would also like to thank family, friends, and donors for their support of our program and for joining us on this special occasion.