Business Alumnus Denise Naomi Wakiaga

In this video Naomi talks about how UD became her home when she least expected it, and how the opportunities presented to her by the Lerner college at UD have sculpted her future.

Video Transcript

Initially, I came with the idea that I would study for one year at UD and transfer to a school in Europe, and I came here and I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else and I always say UD became my home. No Lerner student is the same. You’ll find students here who are coming from all over the world, coming from all over the United States, but the one thing that unifies us is the fact that we want to be future leaders in business and Lerner gives us the opportunity to do that. I think UD gave me the tools, in terms of the professional experience, networking with people, going to events, and the MBA student conference was a place that allowed me to get a mentor. Some of the speakers there were women who are in leadership positions and for me as a woman them giving me advice on how it is to navigate that world in the future are experiences that you don’t get access to. I got my B.S. in economics here and now I’m getting my M.S. in international business from Lerner. And I’m really excited to see where my future will go based on what I’ve learned within the classroom outside the classroom with the different experiences I’ve had.

Recent News

Alum Brian Feuer Shares High-Stakes Negotiation at UD

It was Brian Feuer’s first day at McKinsey & Company, and the University of Delaware alumnus was still filling out paperwork when he was called into a conference room to meet one-on-one with a “funny-looking guy” who wanted to talk about selling books online, and...

From Classroom to World Cup: Natalie Kazanjian

Photo: Natalie Kazanjian with (l-r) Shane Bradley, Project Coordinator, Siah McCabe, Project Management Director and Jonathan Todd, Director of Social Impact at FIFA World Cup 2026 Philadelphia. Behind every major sporting event is a complex network of planning,...

UD Online MBA Rises to No. 32 in Poets&Quants 2026 Rankings

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has climbed nine spots to No. 32 in the Poets&Quants 2026 Online MBA ranking, continuing the program’s recent upward momentum among the nation’s top online graduate business programs. The...

Julia Bayuk Named Poets&Quants Best Business Professor

When students describe Julia Bayuk, they rarely begin with her titles or accomplishments. Instead, they talk about how she made the University of Delaware feel like home. They recall how quickly she learned their names, invited them to walk (or run) with her across...

Lerner College’s Top Stories of 2025

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s a good chance to reflect on the exciting work and accomplishments that our Lerner College students, faculty, staff and alumni were able to achieve during the year. From student success to faculty accolades to transformative gifts, here...

Lerner Student Wins VRMA Marketing Campaign Award

Each year, students in the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics gain real-world experience through internships that sharpen their skills and launch their careers. For Julia Birchfield, Class of 2026, that experience led to...