By Nathaniel Luce
Jim Bradford, Dean of the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, has announced the winners of the 2011 Clarcor Leadership Awards.
Five students are selected each year for their positive impact on the Owen community. Each winner receives $5,000.
“These students embody so much of what makes Owen a great school – intelligence, leadership, camaraderie, and a remarkable dedication to their community,” Bradford said.
This year’s winners are:
Mario Avila
As the current President of the Owen Student Government Association (OSGA), Mario proved that he was an integral part of Vanderbilt’s business school as far back as the summer before starting his MBA. In addition to his role in student government, Mario serves as an executive board member for the Latin Business Association (LBA) and was named a Cal Turner Fellow for the 2011-12 school year. This past summer, he participated in Vanderbilt’s Project Pyramid as an MBA Project Management Intern in Guatemala, helping design and implement housing solutions for more than 150 families. Mario is a 2004 graduate of Dartmouth College.
John L. Bryson
In addition to his unfailing courtesy and concern for his classmates in the Executive MBA program, John has established himself as a kind of communications hub for fellow students. He has volunteered his time – a precious commodity for any participant in the weekend Executive program – to help interview future program administrators, establish a social media presence for his EMBA peers, and organize various events. In short, he routinely goes above and beyond the call of duty – and does so with an infectiously warm, humorous, and engaging style. John does all this while serving in two corporate positions in health care consulting. He is a 1995 graduate of the University of Arkansas.
Gianna DelliCarpini
Those who have worked with Gianna – classmates, as well as administrators – marvel at her boundless energy, efficiency and enthusiasm. In her role as Vice President of OGSA she has worked hard, mostly behind the scenes, to listen to and implement student initiatives. Gianna also serves as a board member for the Distinguished Speakers Series, and is active in the Owen Consulting Club, the Human & Organizational Performance Association, and the Women’s Business Association. Prior to starting business school, Gianna worked as an analyst at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital in New York City. She is a 2005 graduate of Villanova University.
Samuel J. Frank
Drawing upon his strong engineering background, Sam connected need with know-how to reinvigorate Vanderbilt’s Project Pyramid during his tenure as president of the service organization. Sam has also served as coordinator of the Owen Bridges/Buddies Program, which fosters connections between first- and second-year MBA candidates. He is a Team Coach in the Leadership Development Program, an Owen Admissions Ambassador and a Cal Turner Fellow. Prior to starting business school, Sam worked in various capacities in the automotive industry. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University (2004) and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan (2006).
Blake C. Knight
Known as Owen’s “idea man,” Blake has played a critical role as President in raising the profile of OwenBloggers to new heights, and in doing so, has become nothing short of a brand evangelist for the school. Not only does Blake come up with great ideas, and lots of them, he executes on them as well, just as he did in launching a popular video podcast series. He has also served in leadership roles in the Vanderbilt Marketing Association (VMA), Net Impact, and the Global Business Association. Blake is a 2004 graduate of Texas A&M University.
Contact Person: Ryan Underwood
Business Editor
Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
Contact Phone: (615) 322-3469
Contact Email: ryan.underwood@owen.vanderbilt.edu
