On April 9, 2025, the Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM) at the University of Texas at Dallas hosted its annual OWLIE Awards ceremony in the Davidson Auditorium. The OWLIE Awards—short for Outstanding, Worthy Leaders, Involved Exceptionally—celebrate students, faculty, staff, mentors, and alumni who have made significant contributions to the JSOM community. Established in 2015, this event has become a cherished tradition, recognizing individuals who exemplify leadership, service, and excellence within the school.
Our enthusiastic hosts, Tomas Llano and Jashank Kshirsagar, were absolutely fantastic—engaging, energetic, and effortlessly kept the audience captivated from start to finish.
Alongside honoring outstanding students, faculty, and alumni, the event featured captivating performances that showcased cultural diversity and talent. Asmita mesmerized the audience with a graceful Bharatanatyam dance, blending storytelling and tradition. A Fusion Folk & Hollywood act brought infectious energy, while Novis A Cappella impressed with pure vocal harmonies, proving that raw talent needs no instruments. These performances added a dynamic, artistic touch to a night of celebration and connection.
The evening concluded with a lively get-together filled with music, food, delicious desserts, and vibrant conversation. Guests mingled, laughed, and celebrated the night’s honorees in a warm, festive atmosphere that perfectly capped off the OWLIE Awards experience.
Here are the 2025 Winners:
Jindal Selfless Service
This award recognizes an undergraduate student, graduate student, or community leader in JSOM who has won hearts through their selfless acts of service to others and/or their community.
Saanvi Dusa
Saanvi Dusa founded an organization-PGN- PhiGamma Nu, a professional development organization. They believe in cultivating a diverse community that invests in the professional and personal development of its members, who are driven individuals committed to one another’s success and creating leaders of tomorrow.
Jindal Student Mentor
This award goes to a student who has demonstrated excellence in mentoring, encouraging and promoting the educational, professional, and personal development of other students.
Undergraduate: Naseem Akbary
Naseem Akbary is known for her exceptional dedication to helping her peers succeed academically and personally. As a peer mentor for the DMHP and Road Warriors programs, she consistently facilitated connections and supported her mentees’ development.
Graduate: Rohit Kumar
Rohit Kumar is known for his exceptional mentorship and support to students at JSOM. He has provided valuable guidance in resume building, interview preparation, and networking strategies, helping students secure internships and jobs.
JSOM Most Likely to be a C-Suite Executive
This award recognizes a student who demonstrates the qualities of a C-Suite Executive including the capacity to lead others and the strong commitment to their own individual growth. This individual should possess intense drive, powerful determination and an excellent entrepreneurial mindset.
Undergraduate: Nishita Koneru
Nishita Koneru is an exceptional student in JSOM, excelling academically as a dual major in Computer Information Systems & Technology and Marketing. She demonstrates strong leadership as President of the Association for Information Systems (AIS), expanding the organization through strategic initiatives.
Graduate: Carly Ammann
Carly Ammann is the President of the National Association for Women MBAs at UT Dallas, a role in which she exemplifies outstanding leadership, dedication, and compassion. She is a visionary leader who not only ensures tasks are completed with precision but also fosters a supportive and inspiring environment for those around her.
Jindal Ambassador
This award recognizes an individual in JSOM who goes beyond the call of duty to support JSOM outside the school by being a spokesperson and representative for the school in the community and the corporate world.
Audrey Rathgeb
Audrey Rathgeb exemplifies the spirit of a Jindal Ambassador through her exceptional academic performance, leadership in organizations like 180 Degrees Consulting and ASCM, and unwavering dedication to the JSOM community. Her double major in Finance and Supply Chain Management and Analytics, coupled with her mentorship, research, and student government involvement, reflect her ambition, analytical strength, and commitment to student success.
JSOM Amazing Alum
This award is presented to a JSOM alum who has distinguished herself/himself through excellence in supporting JSOM students.
Timothy Reazor
Tim Reazor graduated from UT Dallas in 2018 with an Executive MBA and in 2019 with a Masters in Entrepreneurship, making him a double-alumnus. Since his graduation, he has continuously contributed to the university in various ways, including making custom cutting boards for the Alumni Awards Gala, donating a $40,000 in-kind gift, and serving as a Keynote Speaker for the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance Annual Conference.
Jindal Employer of the Year
This award goes to an employer that has posted positions in the Jindal School, hired students for both internships and final placement positions, and helped to support the professional development of students.
GM Financial (Accepted by Marjorie Miller)
Marjorie Miller, Talent Accquisition Manager, University Relation. Accepted the award on behalf of the company.
JSOM Student of the Year
This award is presented to a current student who contributes to the growth of the JSOM brand. This individual is a strong representative of the school in their academic, community, and/or corporate pursuits.
Undergraduate: Andrew Tran
Andrew Tran is a dedicated student at JSOM who exemplifies hard work, leadership, and community impact. His leadership extends beyond academics, as he has taken on major roles in Circle K International, including District Events Committee Chair and Historian, and founded Eye Care For Everyone at UT Dallas, where he and his team provided over 880 eyeglasses to people in developing nations.
Graduate: Chavi Singh
Chavi Singh is an exceptional student in the Information Technology and Management (ITM) program at JSOM, currently serving as President of the ITM Student Leadership Council. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership, working with over 55 individuals to strengthen the ITM community and mentoring more than 50 students as a Teaching Assistant for Professional Development.
PhD: Xiaowen Tan
Xiaowen Tan is a Ph.D. candidate in Strategy at JSOM and has demonstrated exceptional academic and leadership qualities. Her research, including a study on corporate social responsibility and cyberattacks, has been submitted to top-tier journals like the Strategic Management Journal.
Jindal Faculty of the Year
This award is presented to a JSOM faculty member for excellence in teaching, advising, mentoring, and/or supporting students.
Undergraduate: Timothy Stephens, PhD
Professor Tim Stephens is a dedicated mentor and leader who deeply invests in student success, making his teaching uniquely valuable by bridging industry experience with academia. His passion for IT and engaging teaching style ensures students retain information long after the semester ends, and he integrates real-world applications into his courses.
Graduate: Kannan Srikanth, PhD
Professor Kannan Srikanth is an exceptional educator, known for his interactive and engaging teaching methods in Database Management Systems. His hands-on approach and practical course projects enable students to apply concepts in real-world settings, fostering both technical and soft skills development.
PhD: Zhang “John” Lin
Professor Lin stands out as an exceptional teacher, transforming lectures into engaging, thought-provoking discussions that push students to consider new viewpoints. As a PhD advisor, his dedication goes above and beyond often dedicates his weekends to providing in-depth feedback, helping his students reach their highest academic potential.
JSOM Outstanding Staff Member
This award is presented to a JSOM staff member who has distinguished herself/himself through excellence in supporting JSOM students, faculty and important constituents.
Sivya Leventhal
Sivya Levanthal plays a key role in the MSBA Flex program, managing both the program and certification initiatives while supporting the ITM program during staffing transitions. Despite pursuing her master’s degree, she remains dedicated to improving processes and supporting student success, demonstrating exceptional work ethic and organizational skills.
JSOM Outstanding Student Organization Leader
This award recognizes a student leader of a registered JSOM organization who has demonstrated a high level of leadership ability through character, work ethic and involvement.
Undergraduate: Julia Moore
Julia Moore has driven the organization to become a more active chapter in the region by building stronger partnerships and hosting impactful events. She has significantly boosted collaboration with DallasHR, doubling students’ opportunities for networking and career development.
Graduate: Aadya Shukla
Adaya Shukla has been instrumental in expanding student opportunities through mentorship, skill development, and networking initiatives. Adaya launched programs like the Student Success and Learn2Launch Program, connecting students with industry mentors for resume reviews and career advice.
JSOM Student Organization of the Year
This award recognizes the JSOM student organization that has made a significant contribution to the school and student body through service, programs, and activities.
Undergraduate: Real Estate Club UT Dallas
Real Estate Club UT Dallas organized around 60 events, offering over 80 content hours, including case competitions, career panels, property tours, and workshops. They built a network of 1,300 students and alumni, actively recruiting through 30 events and increasing membership by 210 students. REC facilitated numerous internship and job opportunities, distributed resume books to thousands of professionals, and provided financial support through scholarships.
Graduate: Product Base Club
The Product Base Club at UTD aims to promote and encourage product management through speaker sessions, workshops, panel discussions, certifications, and networking opportunities. Over the past year, the club hosted 15 events featuring 22 speakers, with an average attendance of 75 students per event, including top PMs from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, AT&T, and Salesforce.
Dean’s Council Super OWL
This award is presented to an active member of the Dean’s Council in the Jindal School providing leadership and support for all the activities of the council.
Undergraduate: Esha Gupta
Esha Gupta is a kind, dedicated, hardworking individual. Esha is always one of the first to volunteer for events and goes above and beyond in all she does. This past year she has served as the Head of Communications for the Undergraduate Dean’s Council and has worked hard to enhance the UGDC’s visibility throughout JSOM. Esha’s excellent. leadership and communication skills make her a valuable team member and an outstanding officer for the UGDC.
Graduate: Jay Kukreja
Jay Haresh Kukreja is a passionate leader, two-time OWLIE’s Head, and Co-President of the Dean’s Council who believes impact is built when people feel valued. Whether spearheading campus initiatives or pursuing his Masters in Information Technology & Management, he leads with equal parts strategy and heart, turning teams into families and ideas into action.
Graduate: Sayantan Dutta
Sayantan Dutta is a passionate and driven leader at UT Dallas, recently honoured with the prestigious Super OWL award for their outstanding contributions to the JSOM community and their role as Co-President of the Dean’s Council. Fuelled by an unrelenting zeal for excellence, he is pursuing a Master’s in Business Analytics, leveraging a robust skill set in programming, analytics, and leadership to make a positive impact both academically and within their community.
The ninth annual Outstanding Worthy Leaders Involved Exceptionally (OWLIE) awards ceremony held April 12 in the Davidson Auditorium was a smash success complete with music, magic and an owl mascot.
Alena Nguyen, president of Gamma Iota Sigma at UT Dallas for the 2022-2023 academic year, says that GIS aims to make activities both fun and educational to fully engage students.
This past December 1st, Ambassador Ranganathan visited the UT Dallas campus to discuss the relationship between the Indian and US college systems and how we can continue to build young leaders who think from an international perspective.
Professor Jennifer Johnson invites a wide variety of professionals from the accounting industry to come talk to her students in ACCT 4340.
Request Information
Thank you for your interest in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, UT Dallas. Tell us a little bit about yourself, and we’ll send you customized information about our programs. We hope to meet you soon.
