College of Business Highlights

College of Business Spring 2025 Outstanding Student Award Winners!

MSU Denver student, Olivia Duchovnay

Olivia Duchovnay – Marketing

Outstanding Student in the College of Business

 

 

Outstanding Students - Undergraduates

 

Charissa Jensen Outstanding Student in Accounting

Sacario Sandoval Outstanding Student in Business Administration

Ruendy Mendoza-Chavez Outstanding Student in Business Intelligence

Anahi Solis Balderrama Outstanding Student in Computer Info. Systems

Charles Fitzer Outstanding Student in Economics

Maria del Refugio Gonzalez Outstanding Student in Entrepreneurship

Robert David Colton West Outstanding Student in Finance

Derek Dewar Outstanding Student in Global Business Studies

Daisy Mendoza Outstanding Student in Human Resource Management

Wesley Waters Outstanding Student in Management

Florisbeth Aguirre Acosta Outstanding Student in Marketing

Isaiah Flores Outstanding Student in Professional Selling

Spring 2025 Business Outstanding Students.

Outstanding Students - Graduate Programs

Rory Yonts Outstanding Student in Master of Professional Accountancy

Emily Hafner Outstanding Student in Master of Business Administration

Congratulations Career Catalysts!!!

MSU Denver mascot Rowdy posing in front of Tivoli.

Business Career Catalysts

Congratulations to all the Career Catalyst winners! We all appreciate your hard work and dedication to our students. The Career Catalyst is a great honor, and we take it very seriously.

The Classroom to Career Hub (C2 Hub) created this recognition to elevate the inspiring work of faculty who have been influential in supporting students with their experiential learning journeys, career goals, skill development, graduate school choices, and overall professional guidance.


Amy Cardillo, Edgar Maldonado, Owen Herman, Viktor Kiss, Alex Padilla, Adam Schor, Adam Melnick, Becky Prater, Christopher Stewart,  Sally Baalbaki-Yassine, Biff Baker, Clay Daughtery, Darrin Duber-Smith, Laurel Lane, Joshua Wilson

Faculty in the News - Spring 2025

Advanced Investment MGT class outperforms the Market


CBS Colorado reported on the Advanced Investment Management class and how the students in it have outperformed the stock market by 20% since the class inception in 2020. Adam Schor, Finance lecturer and seasoned finance professional with over 35 years in asset management experience, guided students in activities that mirror real-world investment practices. Students credited their success to sticking with the fundamentals they learned in class, avoiding emotional reactions and focusing on long-term strategy. A RED story contributed to this coverage.

90% Drop in Value of Two Downtown Office Buildings


Jeff Peshut, Finance assistant professor, spoke with 9News about the more than 90% drop in value of two downtown Denver office buildings, emphasizing how the rise of remote work has fundamentally reshaped demand for office space and left central business districts struggling with high vacancy rates and declining property values.

Proposed National Women’s Soccer League Stadium


Darrin Duber-Smith, Marketing senior lecturer, spoke with Fox31 about Denver’s $70 million investment in a proposed National Women’s Soccer League stadium, highlighting concerns over the city’s financial constraints and the uncertain return on investment for such publicly funded projects.

Recent Market Fluctuations


Kishore Kulkarni, Economics professor, interviewed with Fox31 and 9News about recent market fluctuations, the economic impact of reduced tariffs with China, and the volatility of prominent single stocks, including Tesla, Amazon and Nvidia.

Funds withheld from City of Denver for sheltering immigrants


Alex Padilla, Economics professor and chair, interviewed with Denver7 about the Trump administration rescinding $24 million in federal grants promised to the City of Denver, following through on a promise to withhold funds to city’s sheltering immigrants.

Faculty in the News - Past semesters

Alumni Spotlight

College of Business Alumnus Stephen Lease

Stylish shades shed light on goodr founder’s success

Stephen Lease headshot, with goodr sunglasses

MSU Denver alumnus Stephen Lease, CEO of the popular sunglasses company, shares lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The word “reckless” doesn’t exactly call savvy business skills to mind. But for Metropolitan State University of Denver alumnus Stephen Lease, co-founder and CEO of the successful active-sunglasses brand goodr, it’s a vital component of a thriving business.

The brand leader throws himself into his work, and it shows. Lease is a 2005 “-ish”  graduate* of the College of Business with a degree in Marketing. The Colorado native is now a CEO, co-host of the popular Culture goodr podcast and a serial entrepreneur. And he was named the 2024 MSU Denver Distinguished Alumni of the Year, all because of that recklessly creative approach to business and life.

Student and Alumni Highlights