Outstanding Lifelong Lerner
A passionate dedication to lifelong learning and career progression is a common trait of alumni from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. We reached out to some outstanding Lerner alumni to share their professional experiences and insights on improving the world of business for future generations of Blue Hens.
2022 Lerner Alumni Awards - Four outstanding UD alumni were honored at the Annual Lerner College Alumni Awards of Excellence.
Alumni Spotlight: Esther Sportello - This year, the Lerner College celebrated eight excellent alumni at its 27th annual Alumni Awards of Excellence. Alumna Esther Sportello is the winner of Lerner’s inaugural Rising Star Alumni Award.
Alumni Spotlight: Matt Cohen - This year, the Lerner College celebrated eight excellent alumni at its 27th annual Alumni Awards of Excellence. In the Alumni Spotlight blog series, we get to know these professional trailblazers with Q&A sessions. The blog series’ first article highlighted alumna Esther Sportello, winner of Lerner’s inaugural Rising Star Alumni Award, which recognizes recent alumni who […]
Alumni Spotlight: Michael McCafferty - This year, the Lerner College celebrated eight excellent alumni at its 27th annual Alumni Awards of Excellence. In the Alumni Spotlight blog series, we get to know these professional trailblazers with Q&A sessions. The blog series’ first article highlighted alumna Esther Sportello, winner of Lerner’s inaugural Rising Star Alumni Award, which recognizes recent alumni who […]
Blue Hens of a Feather: A Double Del B&B in NZ - Double Dels Jinya (Catherine) Ren and Haowei (Andy) Xu met during their first UD MBA class. Today they run a top-ranked bed-and-breakfast in New Zealand.
Blue Hens of a Feather: Building from the Ground Up - Two Lerner alums created a company with the support of UD Horn Entrepreneurship and now their startup, Wilminvest, is working to fix the existing model of providing housing and services to the needy.
Blue Hens of a Feather: From Friends to Founders - Nate Matherson teamed up with friends to launch LendEDU. Matherson and several LendEDU employees reflected on the journey of their company and how the Blue Hen community has been vital in their success.
Blue Hens of a Feather: Jobs for the Homeless - Lerner alums, with the support of UD Horn Entrepreneurship, created Lazarus Rising, a nonprofit that provides mentoring at homeless shelters, with many current UD students acting as mentors.
Blue Hens of a Feather: The Rosewood Farms Family - University of Delaware hospitality alum Nick Liberatore partners with mechanical engineering alum Rick Biddle to create unforgettable wedding experiences at Rosewood Farms, an event venue that employs many Blue Hens.
Business Experts Gather At UD for 2023 Lerner College Lyons CEEE Economic Forecast - The 2023 Economic Forecast, hosted by Lyons Companies and UD’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, brought together top business minds to unpack the uneasy market conditions influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Lerner Alum Smith Goodrich Recognized By Honors College - UD Honors and Lerner alumna Courtney Smith Goodrich has a set of ground rules for how she carries herself in her professional and personal life. They have guided her for almost 30 years in corporate America.
Lerner College Honors 2023 Alumni Award Winners - Presented annually, the awards recognize those who have exhibited exceptional accomplishments, including professional success, contribution to the community, giving back to Lerner College, and a commitment to excellence.
Lerner Students Volunteer To Give Free Tax Help - Lerner students serve as crucial volunteers in a partnership that brings free tax help to those who need it most. 
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner Startup’s Medical Device Gains FDA Approval - UD Lerner Alumni Nick Delmonico’s company Strados Labs is making strides in the care of asthma and other respiratory conditions with new technology.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Alison Houck - UD alumna and Managing Partner at the Rehoboth office of Faw Casson Alison Houck shared her lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Charis Brooks - Brooks, who graduated from Lerner in 2014 with a bachelor of science degree in hospitality business management, currently resides in Atlanta, Ga. and works as a partner/channel marketing manager for Microsoft FT.
Outstanding LifeLong Lerner: Dana Herbert - UD alumnus and Executive Pastry Chef of Desserts By Dana, Dana Herbert, shared their lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: David Edelman - UD alumnus and Founder of RapidMask2Go David Edelman shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: David Tinsley - UD alumnus and Vice President of Small Business Marketing at JPMorgan Chase David Tinsley shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Donald R. Gallagher, Jr. - Lerner alumnus Donald R. Gallagher, Jr. and his wife Kelly Gallagher, established the Gallagher Family Scholarship to support a student in Lerner College with financial need.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Gregory Toye - Toye, who graduated from Lerner College in 2017 with a bachelor of science degree in finance lives in Washington D.C. where he is the associate director and head of analytics at Rivel, Inc.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Jim Donofrio - UD alumnus and Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships at NBC Sports Jim Donofrio shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Maria Gunther - In 2017, Trellist’s Maria Gunther was part of the inaugural class of participants of the Women's Leadership Forum, a program run by the Women’s Leadership Initiative. Gunther, who joined Trellist as a design contractor in 2005, was promoted to Trellist’s CEO in 2021. 
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Megan O’Donnell - Megan O’Donnell, founder of The Loved Life Wellness, graduated from the Lerner College’s Hospitality and Sport Business Management program in 2006 with a B.S. degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management (HRIM).
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Minghui He - Minghui He, who earned a doctorate in financial services analytics in 2016 and works as a research scientist at Amazon, spoke with Lerner about her journey to the FSAN program and what she learned through the program.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Robert Deutsch - UD alumnus Robert Deutsch shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Tom Horne - UD alumnus and Managing Director and COO of Chase Card Services Tom Horne shared their lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.
Positive Leadership in the Classroom and the Workplace - Robert Treml’s MBA independent study project on positive leadership impacts Lerner coursework and his workplace management style.
UD Alum Rob Siegfried Leads by Example - Rob Siegfried, Class of ’81, CEO and founder of the Siegfried Group spoke with students, faculty, staff and alumni about his leadership vision during the spring 2021 Chaplin Tyler Executive Leadership Lecture Series.
2022 Lerner Alumni Awards - Four outstanding UD alumni were honored at the Annual Lerner College Alumni Awards of Excellence.Alumni Profile: Arpita Gandhi - Arpita Gandhi is an alumna of the University of Delaware’s MBA program who now works as a senior project analyst and project manager in the privileged identity management program at Citibank in the greater Philadelphia area.
Alumni Spotlight: Esther Sportello - This year, the Lerner College celebrated eight excellent alumni at its 27th annual Alumni Awards of Excellence. Alumna Esther Sportello is the winner of Lerner’s inaugural Rising Star Alumni Award. Alumni Spotlight: Matt Cohen - This year, the Lerner College celebrated eight excellent alumni at its 27th annual Alumni Awards of Excellence. In the Alumni Spotlight blog series, we get to know these professional trailblazers with Q&A sessions. The blog series’ first article highlighted alumna Esther Sportello, winner of Lerner’s inaugural Rising Star Alumni Award, which recognizes recent alumni who […] Alumni Spotlight: Michael McCafferty - This year, the Lerner College celebrated eight excellent alumni at its 27th annual Alumni Awards of Excellence. In the Alumni Spotlight blog series, we get to know these professional trailblazers with Q&A sessions. The blog series’ first article highlighted alumna Esther Sportello, winner of Lerner’s inaugural Rising Star Alumni Award, which recognizes recent alumni who […] Blue Hens of a Feather: A Double Del B&B in NZ - Double Dels Jinya (Catherine) Ren and Haowei (Andy) Xu met during their first UD MBA class. Today they run a top-ranked bed-and-breakfast in New Zealand. Blue Hens of a Feather: Building from the Ground Up - Two Lerner alums created a company with the support of UD Horn Entrepreneurship and now their startup, Wilminvest, is working to fix the existing model of providing housing and services to the needy. Blue Hens of a Feather: From Friends to Founders - Nate Matherson teamed up with friends to launch LendEDU. Matherson and several LendEDU employees reflected on the journey of their company and how the Blue Hen community has been vital in their success. Blue Hens of a Feather: Jobs for the Homeless - Lerner alums, with the support of UD Horn Entrepreneurship, created Lazarus Rising, a nonprofit that provides mentoring at homeless shelters, with many current UD students acting as mentors. Blue Hens of a Feather: The Rosewood Farms Family - University of Delaware hospitality alum Nick Liberatore partners with mechanical engineering alum Rick Biddle to create unforgettable wedding experiences at Rosewood Farms, an event venue that employs many Blue Hens. Business Experts Gather At UD for 2023 Lerner College Lyons CEEE Economic Forecast - The 2023 Economic Forecast, hosted by Lyons Companies and UD’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, brought together top business minds to unpack the uneasy market conditions influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.Hospitality Business Management Alumni Spotlight Aparna Sharma - Aparna Sharma is a 2014 graduate of the University of Delaware with a master of science in hospitality business management.
Lerner Alum Smith Goodrich Recognized By Honors College - UD Honors and Lerner alumna Courtney Smith Goodrich has a set of ground rules for how she carries herself in her professional and personal life. They have guided her for almost 30 years in corporate America.
Lerner College Honors 2023 Alumni Award Winners - Presented annually, the awards recognize those who have exhibited exceptional accomplishments, including professional success, contribution to the community, giving back to Lerner College, and a commitment to excellence. Lerner Students Volunteer To Give Free Tax Help - Lerner students serve as crucial volunteers in a partnership that brings free tax help to those who need it most. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner Startup’s Medical Device Gains FDA Approval - UD Lerner Alumni Nick Delmonico’s company Strados Labs is making strides in the care of asthma and other respiratory conditions with new technology. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Alison Houck - UD alumna and Managing Partner at the Rehoboth office of Faw Casson Alison Houck shared her lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Brendan William O’Connor - Brendan William O'Connor earned an MBA in 2021 and currently works as a senior treasury analyst for the Salt River Project in Gilbert, Arizona. Upon graduation, O'Connor shared details about his journey to the MBA and what he learned through the program at Lerner.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Charis Brooks - Brooks, who graduated from Lerner in 2014 with a bachelor of science degree in hospitality business management, currently resides in Atlanta, Ga. and works as a partner/channel marketing manager for Microsoft FT. Outstanding LifeLong Lerner: Dana Herbert - UD alumnus and Executive Pastry Chef of Desserts By Dana, Dana Herbert, shared their lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: David Edelman - UD alumnus and Founder of RapidMask2Go David Edelman shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: David Tinsley - UD alumnus and Vice President of Small Business Marketing at JPMorgan Chase David Tinsley shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A.Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Disen Wang - Disen Wang earned a doctorate in financial services analytics (FSAN) in 2021 and currently works as a quantitative research analyst at Morningstar in Jersey City, New Jersey. Wang spoke with Lerner about his journey to the FSAN program and what he learned through the program at Lerner.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Donald R. Gallagher, Jr. - Lerner alumnus Donald R. Gallagher, Jr. and his wife Kelly Gallagher, established the Gallagher Family Scholarship to support a student in Lerner College with financial need. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Gregory Toye - Toye, who graduated from Lerner College in 2017 with a bachelor of science degree in finance lives in Washington D.C. where he is the associate director and head of analytics at Rivel, Inc. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Jim Donofrio - UD alumnus and Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships at NBC Sports Jim Donofrio shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Maria Gunther - In 2017, Trellist’s Maria Gunther was part of the inaugural class of participants of the Women's Leadership Forum, a program run by the Women’s Leadership Initiative. Gunther, who joined Trellist as a design contractor in 2005, was promoted to Trellist’s CEO in 2021. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Megan O’Donnell - Megan O’Donnell, founder of The Loved Life Wellness, graduated from the Lerner College’s Hospitality and Sport Business Management program in 2006 with a B.S. degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management (HRIM). Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Minghui He - Minghui He, who earned a doctorate in financial services analytics in 2016 and works as a research scientist at Amazon, spoke with Lerner about her journey to the FSAN program and what she learned through the program.Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Negin Faraji - Negin Faraji earned a doctorate in financial services analytics (FSAN) in 2016 and currently works as a data scientist at Virginia Tech. Faraji spoke with Lerner about her journey to the FSAN program and what she learned through the program at Lerner.
Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Robert Deutsch - UD alumnus Robert Deutsch shared his lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A. Outstanding Lifelong Lerner: Tom Horne - UD alumnus and Managing Director and COO of Chase Card Services Tom Horne shared their lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis and advice for fellow Blue Hens in this Q&A. Positive Leadership in the Classroom and the Workplace - Robert Treml’s MBA independent study project on positive leadership impacts Lerner coursework and his workplace management style. UD Alum Rob Siegfried Leads by Example - Rob Siegfried, Class of ’81, CEO and founder of the Siegfried Group spoke with students, faculty, staff and alumni about his leadership vision during the spring 2021 Chaplin Tyler Executive Leadership Lecture Series.
Outstanding Alumni
Lerner alumni share their professional experiences and insights on improving the world of business for future generations of Blue Hens.
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