Graduate students at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics choose to pursue their studies from a variety of backgrounds and each for their own unique reasons. In each installment of this series, a Lerner graduate student shares why they chose their graduate program and how it has impacted them both personally and professionally.

Alex Huey works at his desk. Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Alex Huey - Alex Huey is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Huey shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Ami Nagase is a candidate for the master’s of science in hospitality business management Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Ami Nagase - Ami Nagase is a candidate for the master’s of science in hospitality business management at UD’s Lerner College. Nagase shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Ananya Ghosh - Ananya is expected to earn her MBA in business analytics from Lerner this December. She shared why she chose Lerner for her grad work and the defining experience of her studies.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Anne Magloire Anaba - Anne Magloire Anaba is a full time MBA candidate studying business analytics at UD’s Lerner College. Magloire Anaba shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Austin Amery - Austin Amery is an MBA candidate studying business analytics at UD’s Lerner College. Amery shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Bridget Joyce - Bridget is pursuing her master’s degree in finance (4+1 program) and is expected to graduate in 2024. She shared why she chose to continue her grad studies at Lerner and the most impactful project in which she’s participated.
Bruce Wayne poses for the camera Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Bruce Wayne - Bruce Wayne is an MBA and master’s of science in international business candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Wayne shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Darius Browne - Browne earned his degree from UD in accounting and economics in 2014, before working as a financial auditor at KPMG for seven years. He earned his master’s in MSc International Business from Lerner in May.
Dipti poses with other students in a collage Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Dipti Dighe - Dipti Dighe is an MBA in business analytics candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Dighe shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Greg Middlemas - Greg Middlemas is an MBA in business analytics candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Middlemas shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
James Holden headshot with a blurred Lerner building image with a blue overlay in the background Lerner Graduate Student Stories: James Holden - James Holden is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Holden shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
UD Lerner MBA Student Jay Sivasankaran Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Jayakanthan Sivasankaran - Jayakanthan Sivasankaran is an MBA candidate with a major in business analytics at UD's Lerner College. Sivasankaran shared how this program has impacted him personally and professionally.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Jimmy Caputo - Jimmy Caputo is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Caputo shared how this program has impacted him and what his plans to do next.
Jing Gong smiles at waterfront Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Jing Gong - Jing Gong is an MBA and master of science in information systems and technology management dual degree candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Gong shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Kamal poses for the camera Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Kamal Keshar Khanal - Kamal Keshar Khanal is a candidate for the master’s of science in information systems and technology management UD’s Lerner College. Keshar Khanal shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Larynette Ndah poses. Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Larynette Ndah - Larynette Ndah is an MBA in corporate finance and entrepreneurial studies candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Ndah shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Lavar Thomas - Thomas is an environmental justice coordinator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and co-founder of the non-profit organization Leaders of the Free World. He earned his master’s degree in international business (MSIB) in May 2022.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Luai Amoorah - Amoorah is a Strategy Analyst – Student Loan Pricing with Sallie Mae and earned his MBA in business analytics from Lerner in Spring 2023.
Photo of online MBA student Mark Trolice Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Mark P. Trolice, MD - Mark P. Trolice, MD, from Orlando, Florida, earned his MBA online with majors in healthcare management and leadership in fall 2022.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Michael Caserta - Michael Caserta is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Caserta shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Muhammad Usman - Muhammad Usman, MBA and master of science in business analytics and information management dual degree candidate, shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Neetek Kumar is an MBA in business analytics candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Kumar shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next. Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Neetek Kumar - Neetek Kumar is an MBA in business analytics candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Kumar shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Rafi Turitz-Sweifach is pursuing a dual MBA and master of science in business analytics and information management and is a graduate intern for Lerner Deputy Dean Sheryl Kline. Turitz-Sweifach, who plans to graduate in 2024, shared why he continued his studies after earning an undergraduate degree from Lerner and what he plans to do in the future.  Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Rafi Turitz-Sweifach - Rafi Turitz-Sweifach is pursuing a dual MBA and master of science in business analytics and information management and is a graduate intern for Lerner Deputy Dean Sheryl Kline. Turitz-Sweifach, who plans to graduate in 2024, shared why he continued his studies after earning an undergraduate degree from Lerner and what he plans to do in the future. 
Rahul poses in three photos Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Rahul Manocha - Rahul Manocha is an MBA in business analytics candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Manocha shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Rolf van de Kerkhof - van de Kerkhof, UD's highly successful field hockey head coach, is scheduled to earn his master’s degree in international business from Lerner in Spring 2024.
photo of Sarah Oswald Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Sarah Oswald - Sarah Oswald works as a chemical engineer and quality manager and is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Oswald shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Student Sarah Poursaied Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Sarah Poursaied - Sarah Poursaied is a Master of Science in Hospitality Business Management candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Poursaied shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Scott Thacker - Scott Thacker is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Thacker shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
a casual and lab photo of Shaili Patel Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Shaili Patel - Shaili Patel, a dual biological sciences doctoral and MBA candidate at UD, shared why she chose this program, how it has impacted her and her future career plans.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Tanya Tewari - Tewari is pursuing her master’s degree in business analytics and information technology, and is expected to graduate this December.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Thomas Korenak - Thomas Korenak is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Korenak shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Tolulope Komolafe - Tolulope Komolafe, a native of Newark, Del., is pursuing her MSc finance degree and is expected to graduate in May 2024.
Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Veer Nair - Veer Nair is an MBA in business analytics candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Nair shared how this program has impacted him and what he plans to do next.
Wendy Xu and her dog collaged with a headshot of Wednqing. Lerner Graduate Student Stories: Wenqing “Wennie” Xu - Wenqing “Wennie” Xu is an MBA candidate at UD’s Lerner College. Wu shared how this program has impacted her and what she plans to do next in this Q&A with Lerner.