Our Alumni

A very high percentage of the students who attend the Academy during high school decide to pursue their undergraduate degree at The University of Alabama College of Commerce.  These students often are incredibly successful in their academic and career pursuits.  Here are a few stories to share:

Randy Beavers:  Academy Class of 2005

  • Current PhD candidate in Finance; degree projected Spring 2014
  • Received Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration Spring 2010
    Major: Quantitative Finance; Minors: Computer Based Honors, Economics
    GPA:  4.0/4.0
  • University Honors Program
  • Business Honors Program
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant in finance
  • Introductory Microeconomics Teaching Assistant
  • Joint Program in Survey Methodology Junior Fellow Program:  Internship with the Bureau of Justice Statistics at The University of Maryland
  • Financial Risk Management Derivatives Online course creator, using Microsoft Visual Studio
  • Monitoring Climate Variability’s Impact on Residential Energy Costs in the US:  built a program using FORTRAN, Perl, and UNIX to collect and compute data based off the Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index
  • Alabama Insurance Society, Board Member
  • National Society of Collegiate Scholars, 4 consecutive years
  • George K. Page Scholar Award:  top Junior in Finance
  • Jack O. Tomlinson Endowed Scholarship:  Designated to outstanding Quantitative Finance and Actuarial students
  • 2008 Gladys M. Poe Academic Achievement Award: top junior in College of Commerce
  • Beta Gamma Sigma:  highest honors society for a business major
  • Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key:  given to Seniors in business with a cumulative 4.0 GPA
  • 2009 Undergraduate Award in Economics and Finance
  • 2010 Business Strategy Game Industry Champion
  • 2010 Who’s Who Among College Students
  • 2010 Amanda Taylor Watson Outstanding Quantitative Finance Award
  • 2008-10 Undergraduate Award in Economics and Finance

Nicholas Zito, Academy Class of 2005

  • Current Graduate Student at The University of Alabama
    Master of Science in Finance; GPA 4.0/4.0
  • Undergraduate Degree from The University of Alabama:  Major: Quantitative Finance; Minors: Math and Economics; GPA 4.25/4.0
  • University Scholars Program
  • Business Honors Program
  • University Honors Program
  • Austin Scholar (Econ/Fin Dept):  highest award to graduating senior.
  • Graduate Council Fellowship Recipient
  • Intern Equity Research Associate, Catamount Strategic Advisors, San Francisco, CA
  • Intern (Actuarial Dept), Unum US, Chattanooga, TN                                      
  • Intern  (Actuarial Dept), Protective Life, Birmingham, AL                                         
  • Junior Faculty Excellence Award in Finance
  • Marcus Whitman Award in Finance
  • Graduate School Ambassador

Olesea Volosin, Academy Class of 2006

  • Current Undergraduate Student at The University of Alabama
  • Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration, projected May 2011
  • Major: International Marketing                       
    Minors: Economics, Spanish
    GPA: 3.98/4.00
  • Premier Awards Winner – Highest Honor at the University of Alabama
  • International Honors Program
  • Study Abroad at Universidad de Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina:  full cultural immersion
  • Fluent in English, Romanian, Russian, Spanish
  • Faculty Scholar:  Apprentice to Dr. R. Glenn Richey; conducted environmental and industry analysis of green marketing firms; Translated a research survey into Spanish and researched firms in Argentina
  • Spanish Tutor: English as a Second Language Program, Tuscaloosa County Schools: Tutored Hispanic students in Reading/Comprehension in English and in Math; translated office documents between English/Spanish; composed letters/handbooks for parents of Hispanic students
  • Intern, Alabama Department of Agriculture, International Trade Division
  • UA Russian Club – President
  • International Peer Advisory Council
  • Students in Free Enterprise
  • Freelance Creative Photographer
  • Jorge Luis Borges Award for Excellence in Upper Division Spanish courses

Adam Morrow:  Academy Class of 2006

  • Current Undergraduate Student at University of Alabama
    Major: Accounting
    Accounting GPA: 3.93
  • Ernst & Young Tax Internship in Miami:  Winter/Spring 2011
  • Accepted to Masters of Accounting for Fall 2012, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
  • Oxford University Honors Study Abroad
  • University Honors Programs
  • International Honors Program
  • Honors College Ambassador: The University of Alabama’s Honors College
  • Peer Mentor: Volunteer Teaching Assistant: GBA 145 business class
  • Pledge Class President: Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity
  • Student Orientation Director: Avanti Team, UA Orientation Team
  • Alabama Senate Page: UA Trustee Joe Fine
  • Beta Alpha Psi: Accounting Honor Society

Brad Lee, Academy Class of 2006

  • Current Undergraduate Student at University of Alabama
    Double major:  Bachelor of Science, Business Management and Bachelor of Arts, Theatre, projected May 2011
  • Member of Business, University, and International Honors Programs
  • Member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
  • Member of Alpha Psi Omega Theatre Honor Society
  • Outstanding Sophomore, The University of Alabama
  • Alabama Action Award 2010, College of Commerce & Business Administration
  • Faculty Scholar, Culverhouse College of Commerce:  Assist Dr. James Cashman with research projects, including influence of arts in commerce on each other, necessary business experience for non-profit and community leaders, success methods of the world’s oldest companies, and on-going analysis of the rare earth mineral crisis.
  •  Program Assistant, The CrimsonSource:  Executed campus programs, training, created marketing materials, graphic design work, research.
  •  National Board Member, Phi Eta Sigma:  Attended meetings and served as the voice of student members in over 300 chapters, initiated first national philanthropy project, served as a featured presenter and host of the 41st Annual Biennial Convention.
  • Chairman, Business Honors Program Sustainability Group:   Planned and led group meetings, organized group projects which identified sustainable efforts on campus and areas which could be improved.
  • President, UA Chapter of Phi Eta Sigma:  Led efforts on multiple community service projects, including organizing volunteers for Week of Welcome 2008, canned food drive as part of Beat Auburn Beat Hunger, Operation Christmas Child (largest donation by a secular group in the Tuscaloosa Area), Relay for Life (most funds raised at UA 2009), and fundraisers for St. Jude’s Research Center.
  • Vice-President of Marketing, Alpha Rho Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi

Katerina Dergunov:  Academy Class of 2008

  • Current Undergraduate Student at University of Alabama
    Majors: Economics, Finance, Math      Minor: French
    GPA: 4.0     Dean’s List
  • Languages:  Russian - fluent speaking, reading, and writing; French - intermediate level
  • Faculty Scholar:  conducting research online for economics professor on airline discrimination
  • GBA 145 Mentor:  serving as teaching assistant for an Introduction to Business Class and acting as a peer mentor to new freshmen students
  • Impact Alabama Save First Initiative:  prepared taxes for low-income, working families on weekly basis
  • Tuscaloosa’s One Place:  mentored weekly at an after-school program at Holt Elementary
  •  Alabama Action:  week-long service project mentoring at Echols Middle School
  • United Way Youth Council
  • French Teaching:  taught weekly French class to elementary students.
  • Alpha Kappa Psi, professional business fraternity:  Pledge Educator and Fundraising Committee
  • UA Women Leaders in Action:  established “Elect Her”, a training program for women to learn how to run for and win student government positions on campus

John Matthew “Matt” Newton, Academy Class of 2008

  • Current Undergraduate Student at University of Alabama
    Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The University of Alabama, projected December 2012
    Major:  Management Information Systems; Minor:  Computer Science
    GPA:  4.0/4.0
  • Emerging Freshman Scholar Researcher:  elected to participate in a research project for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve the fisheries of the Mobile Bay area; researched reference materials and collected data while presenting findings to professors at the University of Alabama’s Undergraduate Research Day.
  • Database Management Analyst, Splawn and Ward Associates, Birmingham, AL:  responsible for producing numerous reports provided to retail clients for data analysis; analyzed output from customer relationship manager database module
  • University Honors Program
  • Management Information Systems Ambassador
  • SaveFirst Tax Initiative Volunteer