Top of the class

6/11/2014 - With the school year winding down and convocation days away, Kellogg celebrated its standout faculty and students at the 2014 Kellogg Leadership Awards on June 6.

Matt Zafirovski, Dominique Harris, Westin Hatch and Camiel Irving, all ’14, were recognized with Kellogg’s highest student honors for their work over the past two years, each going beyond expectations, says Fran Langewisch '95, assistant dean of student life.

Zafirovski, a former executive with Groupon, won the leadership award for spearheading several different initiatives, including serving as vice president of global affairs for the Kellogg Student Association.

“He’s a positive leader who gets people excited and gets them to work well, but he’s done that along multiple areas,” Langewisch said.

Hatch, a MMM student, won the innovation award out for his work with the Kellogg Education Technology Incubator, which provides funding for student teams developing new ways to improve education at Kellogg. Harris, who won the social impact award, was honored for her dedication to education and the opportunities it can provide. She recently launched the school’s first-ever case competition for high school students, exposing local students from Chicago Public Schools to the possibilities of attending business school.

In receiving the brand ambassador award, Irving was described as a tireless advocate for the school, from building pipelines for students of color at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Procter & Gamble to lending her talents to Special K. “She’s one of those people who’s involved in everything,” Langewisch said. “Anything you come up with, she was a presence.”

A generous gift

The class of 2014 also had a parting gift for the school: a record-breaking class contribution of more than $276,000.

The gift total easily shattered the previous record of more than $128,000 from the class of 2012’s, thanks in part to $74,000 in matching gifts from Dean Sally Blount ’92, Carlos Leon ’94 and Harry Kraemer ’79, clinical professor of management & strategy.

“The class gift is a wonderful way for the outgoing class to signal their commitment to Kellogg’s future,” Associate Dean of Development Eric Lundstedt said. “This year, we received the largest gift made by any graduating class, a signal of the students’ belief that Kellogg is on the path to excellence.”

The class of 2014 also set a record for participation, with more than 94 percent of the students contributing. When students were asked why so many gave so much, a sentiment began to echo.

“[I’m] choosing to invest in a place that chose to invest in me,” said Nick Maglio ’14.


The students’ choice

In addition to the other accolades, Visiting Associate Professor of Finance José Maria Liberti received the L. G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award.

The win was a first for Liberti, who is also an associate professor of finance at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. He was a finalist for the Lavengood back in 2011.

Founded in 1975, the award is named in honor of the late Lavengood, who retired from Kellogg in 1994 and passed away in 2006. A faculty member for more than 40 years, Lavengood is still highly regarded for his teaching ability.

Graduating students from both the Full-Time and Part-Time programs voted on the award.