Top business students receive awards at honors convocation

The 2017 Honors Convocation was held on Thursday, May 4, in the Wheelwright Auditorium at Coastal Carolina University. Honors Convocation is an annual event that recognizes CCU’s top-performing graduating seniors from all colleges. President David A. DeCenzo welcomed the students and their families and congratulated the students for their hard work and dedication to their studies.  

The students from the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration below were recipients of departmental awards at this year’s Honors Convocation:

John Patterson received the Accounting Student of the Year Award. Patterson, who is from Hemingway, S.C., currently works at Trebol USA, a manufacturer and international supplier of raw materials for the ceramic, chemical and foundry industries. He plans to pursue his master’s degree in accounting and sit for the CPA exam.

Heather Williams received the Economic Student of the Year Award. Williams majored in both economics and marketing and is originally from Nutley, N.C. She was chair of the Coastal Activities Board and marketing and social communication chair of Colleges against Cancer. While at Coastal, Williams has been a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Beta Gamma Sigma and the University Honors Program. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in promotions or data analytics and eventually continue her education in a master’s degree program.

Marissa Green received the Finance Student of the Year Award and is from Delran, N.J. While at Coastal, she was a member of the University Honors program, the Degree in Three Program, Beta Gamma Sigma and the Student Executive Leader program. Green also earned inclusion on the President’s List every semester. After graduation, she plans to earn the FINR series 6 and 7 licenses, as well as the NASAA Series 65 license, and wants to become a financial adviser.

Xueling Lin from Fujian, China, received the Hospitality, Resort and Tourism Management Student of the Year Award. While at CCU, Lin was a member of the Chinese Club and Beta Gamma Sigma. Lin plans to pursue a master’s degree and hopes to enter a management-training program in a well-known hotel chain and eventually open her own hotel.

Geoffrey Guyette not only received the Management Student of the Year Award but also the University Distinguished Undergraduate Student Award. Guyette is a Myrtle Beach native and member of the Wall Fellows program, Beta Gamma Sigma, Phi Eta Sigma and the National Society for Leadership and Success. Guyette plans to continue working in the building supply industry and work toward a managerial position.

Tracey Geary received the Marketing Student of the Year Award. Geary is from Vernon, N.J. Since transferring to Coastal, she earned inclusion on the President’s List every semester and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Upon completion of her internship at the Brandon Agency, she hopes to gain a full-time position in the public relations industry and plans to continue her education at Coastal by pursuing a Master of Science in Information Systems Technology.

Alexander Khokhlov received the Master of Accountancy Student of the Year Award. Khokhlov is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for business students. After graduation, he plans to focus on studying for the CPA and CFE examinations and becoming a certified public accountant. Khokhlov aspires to become a partner in an accounting firm or to start his own firm.

Kyla van Graan received the Master of Business Administration Student of the Year Award. Originally from South Africa, she is a member of both track and field and cross country teams at CCU. Van Graan graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in management from CCU in 2016, is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and was named to the NCAA, Big South and Sun Belt All-Academic teams while at Coastal. Upon graduating in December 2017, van Graan plans to return to South Africa to use her study abroad experience and education to help women develop their skills and abilities. She hopes to volunteer for a nonprofit organization and to serve her local community while pursuing a corporate career.

We congratulate these students on their exceptional academic success and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.