The OWLIE Award stands for Outstanding Worthy Leaders Involved Exceptionally. This annual awards event provides a unique platform to recognize students, faculty, staff, mentors, alumni and supporters for their exceptional service on behalf of the Naveen Jindal School of Management. OWLIE winners have positively influenced those not only within the school but also in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth community. The Jindal School is grateful to be home to such outstanding individuals and organizations.
The 2021 event was the second virtual setting but seventh annual awards ceremony since the first awards show in 2015. Potential OWLIE recipients are nominated by students, faculty, program directors and JSOM student organization advisors. The finalists are determined by the Undergraduate and Graduate Dean’s Council in a blind process that removes student identity from consideration.
OWLIE winners are then decided in voting by JSOM faculty and staff, eight representatives of more than 70 JSOM student organizations, and the undergraduate and graduate members of the Dean’s Council.
Watch the video below to see this year’s virtual celebration
Now – let’s hear it for our 2021 OWLIE award winners!
Category: JSOM Most Likely to be a C-Suite Executive
Undergraduate winners TIE: Emily Lomas-Martinez
Lomas-Martinez is a JSOM senior majoring in InformationTechnology and Systems.
Undergraduate winner TIE: Sharan Venkateshwar
Venkateshwar is a JSOM sophomore majoring in Healthcare Management.
Graduate winner: Josh Dornback
Dornback is a JSOM graduate student pursuing his MBA.
Category: Jindal Student Mentor
Undergraduate winner: Haley Deininger
Deininger is a JSOM senior majoring in Human Resource Management.
Graduate winner: Duc Vu
Vu is a JSOM student pursuing his PhD in Management Science and MS in Business Analytics.
Category: Jindal Selfless Service
Undergraduate winner: Michelle Adams
Adams, BA’87, MA’88, PhD’95, is a UT Dallas Distinguished Alumni who earned her degrees from the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and is the founder and president at Marketing Brainology.
Category: Jindal Faculty of the Year
Undergraduate winner: Rebecca Files
Files is an associate professor of accounting and the associate director of research in the Institute for Excellence inCorporate Governance.
Graduate winner TIE: Joseph Mauriello
Mauriello is a senior lecturer of accounting and the director of the Center for Internal Auditing Excellence.
Graduate winner TIE: Dorothee Honhon
Honhon is an associate professor of Operations Management.
PhD winner: Ganesh Janakiraman
Janakiraman is an Ashbel Smith Professor and PhD area coordinator for Operations Management.
Category: JSOM Student of the Year
Undergraduate winner: Jaquelin Rojas
Rojas is a JSOM senior majoring in Information Technology and Systems.
Graduate winner: Taylor Ryan
Ryan is a JSOM graduate student pursuing her master’s in Supply Chain Management and an MBA.
PhD winner: Dorian Boncouer
Boncouer is a PhD candidate pursuing his doctorate International Management Studies.
Category: JSOM Outstanding Student Organization Leader
Undergraduate winner: Richard Jones
Jones is a JSOM senior majoring in Supply Chain Management.
Graduate winner: Grace Nguyen
Nguyen is a JSOM graduate student pursuing her MBA.
Category: JSOM Student Organization of the Year
Undergraduate winner: UTD Entrepreneurship Club
(From left) Coraima Saavedra, Ramya Reddy, Harshini Rallapalli and Ronak Hegde
Graduate winner: Consulting Leadership and Development Society
(From left) Eric Bowie, Grace Nguyen, Gottfreid Lutumba, Ron Bose (advisor), Eleanor Song Liu and Rafael Perez
Category: JSOM Amazing Alum
Winner: Kevin Ryan
Ryan earned his MBA from the Jindal School in 1995. He has served as chair of the Jindal School advisory council and on The University of Texas System Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee. Through continued donations, Ryan and his wife, Cristi, converted their opportunity fund to a scholarship to help JSOM students in perpetuity.
Category: JSOM Outstanding Staff Member
Winner: Brandon Davidson
Davidson is the manager of JSOM Technology and Facilities Services. His dedication keeps our school operating smoothly and safely.
Category: Dean’s Council Super OWL
Undergraduate winner: Hunter Gibble
Gibble is a JSOM junior majoring in Information Technology and Systems.
Graduate winner: Chiao-An Chang
Chang is a JSOM graduate student pursuing her master’s in Information Technology and Management.
Category: Jindal Employer of the Year
Winner: Amazon – Amazon Web Services
The Jindal School is grateful for the opportunities Amazon – Amazon Web Services to provides for its students.
“The OWLIEs are a special event that showcases the unique talents and exceptional leadership the JSOM students, faculty, staff and alumni possess,” said Dr. Monica Powell, JSOM senior associate dean, graduate dean and faculty advisor to the JSOM Dean’s Council. “For the second year in a row, we had to produce the event virtually, rather than host our big awards show in the Davidson Auditorium. I’m extremely proud of the JSOM Dean’s Council for producing an entertaining celebration and showcasing the hard work of our community.”
