Galih Setiawan MBA 24, co-founder of HappyFeed, reflects on his journey as a first-gen student transitioning from corporate life to winning the Food and Ag category in the Big Bang! Business Competition, and how UC Davis GSM nurtured his entrepreneurial spirit.

MBA alumna Fabiana Alves credits the Career Development team for encouraging her to apply for an internship at Rabobank. Fifteen years later, she is CEO of Rabobank in Brazil and is shaping the global banking industry.

Double Aggie Peter Barrick MBA 16, CEO of snack food startup Rivalz, is focused on reversing the global pandemic of malnutrition, insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity propagated by Big Snack companies over the past 50 years.

For Kevin Heaney, being a collaborative leader is key to evolving challenges into opportunities.

After 12 years as a U.S. Army military intelligence officer, Wendy White spent two decades leading marketing technology teams at CenturyLink, Intel, Microsoft and Motorola.

When I joined lecturer Marc Manashil’s course, Exercising Adaptive Leadership, in the UC Davis MBA program, I experienced a storm of new challenges, including my ability to translate English to Chinese during class discussions.

Like a hard, game-winning spike that leaves a big impression, Lauren Davis has never forgotten the inspiring words of her junior high school club volleyball coach. “He said, ‘play with heart.’ Everything you do in life should be done with passion.”

After a decade in Brazil’s food industry, agronomist Fabiana Alves and her husband, Andre Zeitlin, a veterinarian, were ready for new horizons. In 2004, Andre left his practice to enter the UC Davis MBA program, uprooting with Fabiana and their two young sons from São Paulo to Davis.

Now at Rabobank, Sacramento MBA alumnus shares about marketing analytics in the financial services industry, including his 12-years experience at Wells Fargo.

Now thriving in supply chain management at Intel, alumnus Michael Mayall MBA 17 shares his thoughts on global collaboration and offers advice for new business students.

“I found my stride and voice as a leader . . . and what makes UC Davis different is definitely the community. From the day you walk in the door every one knows your name and you know everybody,” says Full-Time MBA student Kelly Gillett. Kelly is the recipient of the 2018 Newberry Distinguished Fellowship for her leadership potential.

Pursuing a business career in the U.S. is the riskiest decision Grace Guo MBA 17 has ever made. She gave up her career and home, leaving behind her husband and daughter in China, to come to the UC Davis Full-Time MBA program.