This month, Kogod MBA students took home the title for the ACG Cup National Capital for the first time.

Michael Hirschberg, Andrew Boutros, Sanjana Banerjee, and Selma Kikic came together to form the Kogod Capital Advisors team and compete in the ACG Cup, a case competition focused on mergers and acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory, and private equity problems.

ACG National Capital is the Mid-Atlantic chapter of a professional development and networking group for value-oriented business leaders.

"ACG cases have more of a finance focus, and the competition is against other MBA students," said Boutros. "The most challenging aspect was learning how to calculate a leveraged buy-out."

The competition brings together the best and brightest minds from business schools in the D.C. Metro area. BDO, an accounting, tax, financial advisory, and consulting organization, hosted this year's case competition in their corporate offices in Bethesda, Md.

The team was honored at ACG’s February monthly meeting at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, where the speaker was Bill Varner, president and chief operating officer of ManTech International Corporation's Mission, Cyber & Technology Solutions (MCTS) group.

A Unique Competition

The case dealt with ITS, an IT staffing company. "The CFO of the organization was looking to sell the company," explained Boutros. "There were two different options. The first offer was from another staffing agency. The second offer was from a private equity firm."

The challenge? Determine which was the better offer.

"While there was some firm and integration strategy involved, the answer was reliant on maximizing value for the current shareholders," said Hirschberg.

The presentations also proved a challenge. Instead of the standard ten-minute presentation with a ten-minute question and answer component, group members had to be prepared to improvise at any moment.

"The judges were allowed—and willing—to interrupt our presentation to gain clarity and explanation about our assumptions, results, and overall direction," said Hirschberg.

Previous winning teams have hailed from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business and Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

On Saturday, February 11, undergraduate team Panoptic Consulting won first place at the 20th annual Kogod Case Competition. Watch Ruth Bazie, Seth Borko, Amy Chu, Omar Eltorai, and Dhruv Sarin prepare, practice, and compete in the daylong competition that helps students sharpen their communication skills, presentation style, and problem-solving techniques.

2012 Kogod Case Competition from Kogod School on Vimeo.

One minute before midnight on Tuesday, February 7, marked the official start to the 20th annual Kogod Case Competition. The case went “live” via Blackboard, giving 29 undergraduate and 12 graduate student teams until 8:45 a.m. on Saturday to craft a recommendation-based business plan for OPOWER, an energy-efficiency and Smart Grid software company. 

The morning included three rounds of simultaneous presentations, lasting ten minutes each with an additional ten minutes for question and answer, where 175 students presented their hard work to 55 judges. During the event's luncheon, Dean Michael J. Ginzberg said the case competition is "preparing tomorrow's business leaders" to focus on an issue very pertinent today: sustainability. 

He also emphasized to students that the judges, a mix of both alumni and local professionals, "are all working in places you might want to work, so take advantage of this and network!"

The event was orchestrated by the K-LAB, Kogod's student programming and activities team.

Judges' Feedback

Pamela Campagna, MBA '84, and president of BLUE SAGE Consulting Inc., a business and management consulting firm based out of Massachusetts is an experienced judge. She explained what she looks for in a winning team: "a sense of collaboration amongst team members" as well as "the fact that they've worked together in analysis to really identify the business issues and to come up with some creative ways to solve the problems."

Campagna makes the trip from Boston each year because the competitors "are just getting better and better and the quality of student here is thrilling to watch," she said. "That's why I come back."

Peggy Brooks Smith, CAS/BA '52, who believed her original path was music until "falling in love with business" was impressed with Kogod students. "We couldn’t throw a question at them that they couldn't answer; they were so articulate and their presence was wonderful."

Student Perspective

Ivory Harris, MBA '13, a graduate student specializing in consulting, had previously competed in case competitions at the undergraduate level. His group's strategic focus was collaboration, "throwing everything on the table and forming an over-arching umbrella, to then narrow things down."

Despite the time constraint—which for Harris' group included a lot of late nights and a lot of coffee—it was a good experience at the end of the day. 

"I got to meet a lot of professionals and see what they go through on a day-to-day basis, so the experience was definitely welcome and we were willing to sacrifice some sleep for it," he said.

Bryan Schapperle, BSBA '13, and Kayden Horwitz, BSBA '13, are two Kogod undergraduates who have created their own start-up companies. "I would be such a big fan of having more of these case competitions," said Schapperle. "But I know it's a monumental effort to put on."

The Finals

The final round began at 12:45 p.m. Three undergraduate and three graduate teams competed for the day's top honors.

The winning graduate teams included: 

• First Place ($250 each) – Team Impact and Innovation – Dave Bidwell, Ashley Locke, Andrew Petryszak, Matt Shannon 
• Second Place ($150 each) – Team One – Rui Han, William Liu, Jonathan Woolridge 
• Third Place ($100 each) – LeeRoy Jenkins Consulting – Michael Aguenza, Jenna Hackett, Chris Hsu, Steve Kelley, Rica Rosario

The winning undergraduate teams included:  

• First Place ($250 each) – Panoptic Consulting – Ruth Bazie, Seth Borko, Amy Chu, Omar Eltorai, Dhruv Sarin 
• Second Place ($150 each) – Fresh Perspective – Maeghan Crociata, Emma Zaballos, Jessica Halvorson, Liang Wu 
• Third Place ($100 each) – Omega Consulting – Deepika Chandiramani, Meagan Green, Dale Nixon, Seta Paramdeo, Arthur Schweitzer

First Year Focus – Laura Iaffaldano, Nia McCarthy, Spencer Swan – received the Slivinski Award for the highest scoring freshmen or sophomore team outside of the finalists and earned $75 each.

Advice for the Future

Harris' advice for future competitors: plan ahead and manage your time accordingly. "There is going to be a lot of time devoted to the case competition and you want to be able to put your best foot forward."

Campagna's suggestion was to simply take action. "Be involved! Do it and do it year after year; challenge yourself to really do it better."

"At the end of the day, it's about the experience, not everybody can win. As long as you felt like you got something out of it, that's the important thing and I felt like my team felt that way," said Harris.

The future of the automobile may well be speeding down a road in Israel.

Speaking February 7 at a packed AU symposium — Greener, Cleaner, Better: Israeli Innovation in Greentech — Michael Granoff of the innovative technology company Better Place explained how his firm is overcoming historical objections to all-electric vehicles, such as their limited range and relatively high cost.

In Israel, which along with Denmark and Australia has Better Place operations, the security benefits of breaking the dependence on oil and the environmental value of drastically reducing auto emissions are huge selling points for the privately held California-based business.

If all goes as planned, half the cars sold annually in Israel could soon be part of Better Place’s electric car infrastructure, which uses company-pioneered technology that allows vehicles’ batteries to be switched, said Granoff.

“Our business model is about selling miles,” said Granoff, who has headed the company’s oil independence policies since Better Place’s founding in 2007. “The more miles we sell, the more money we make. And by the way, the more miles we sell, the more oil gets offset.”

All-electric cars built by Renault with easily switchable batteries are now being driven by company employees and will be broadly available this spring when Better Place’s network of battery switching stations will be complete.

How Better Place Works

Much of the expense of an electric car is its battery. Better Place eliminates that up-front expense for consumers. The company owns the rechargeable batteries, which are switched by robots about every 100 miles at a network of stations. That switch takes about the same time required to fill a tank with gasoline. The batteries, which are recyclable, are then recharged for future use by another customer. Recharging takes about an hour.

The cost for the service in Israel, where gas is considerably more expensive than in the United States, for a driver who travels about 12,000 miles per year, is about $300 a month, a 20 percent discount on current gas prices.

Consumers know if they sign a four-year contract now, the cost to power their car will be the same in 2016, a certainty impossible with gas prices.

“It makes the car affordable to the general consumer and accessible to everybody,” Granoff said.

An integrated car computer tells when the driver needs to switch batteries during a trip and gives several station options. Software coordinates with Israel’s electric grid as well, avoiding overtaxing the system.

Future Projections

About 60 percent of cars sold in Israel go to fleets, mainly to business fleets that provide vehicles to employees. In the past three years, Granoff said, the company has signed up more than 400 fleets, representing 80,000 cars that will change to all-electric cars made by Renault. Another 20,000 sales to individuals are also possible.

U.S. politicians are well aware of the company, which has raised $750 million in private equity. Eleven governors, among them former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, and 100 members of Congress, have been to the company’s visitor center in Israel.

“By sometime next year, we will become the best-selling car in Israel, which will make a lot of people scratch their heads at the same moment that in the United States we’ve concluded electric cars don’t work,” Granoff said.

Denmark will be close behind Israel in introducing a network for all-electric cars, and the company plans to deploy a network in densely populated parts of Australia.

Granoff’s keynote speech in the School of International Service’s Founders Room was part a daylong symposium on Israel’s green technology. Other panels covered case studies of green technology innovation, the policies and politics of Israel’s green economy, and ideal and real-world perspectives.

The schedule included an array of distinguished speakers, among them Eli Groner, Israel’s minister for Economic Affairs to the United States; Jack Gilron, a senior scientist at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Andrea Yonah, a representative of the U.S.-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation, which offers up to $1 million to U.S. and Israeli companies that jointly develop and commercialize innovative technologies.

The symposium, which was scheduled to coincide with the Jewish holiday of Tu B’shevat (the New Year for Trees, Israel’s Earth Day), had several sponsors. At AU, they were the College of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Israel Studies and the Environmental Science Program, the Kogod School of Business and its MS in Sustainability Management Program, the School of International Service’s Global Environmental Politics Program, the School of Public Affairs’ Center for Environmental Policy, and the AU Office of Sustainability.

The event was also sponsored by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Embassy of Israel, as well as Nixon Peabody LLP and Honest Tea.

Michael Chavira, MSF ’11, is no stranger to higher education.

Chavira has earned three master’s degrees, including his MS in Finance. As he builds Axiologic Solutions, a consulting company he founded with business partner Tom Stauber in 2010, he believes this solid academic background supports him.

Axiologic advises the intelligence community in IT programs and project management. This includes optimizing current and future infrastructure and improving information technology efficiency.

Chavira studied the concept of axiology—the philosophical study of value—while he was completing a previous master’s. He believes it should be the cornerstone of any system.

Chavira originally had his sights on Wall Street, applying to investment banks in the spring of 2008. The economy had other plans. He decided instead to return to graduate school and get a more formal education in finance. After speaking with Assistant Professor Phil English and discussing his goals, he knew the MSF was the right choice.

While at Kogod, Chavira drew heavily on Quantitative Methods in Finance I and II to get Axiolgoic Solutions going.

“When I was throwing around the idea to start my own company, I used one of the projects I had to do for [Associate Professor Gerald] Martin and turned it into a white paper to see what response I could get,” said Chavira.

He continued the project after the Kogod class ended and was able to use it to secure work for his startup company. “It’s a tool that someone could use to prioritize risks associated with competing projects or objectives,” he said. “I still use it today.”

Knowledge is Power

As a managing partner at Axiologic, long days are an inevitable part of Chavira’s daily life: Eight to 10 hours working at client sites—public and private sector—and another two to four hours dedicated other business-related matters.

Despite the heavy workload, he enjoys being his own boss.

“I have learned more in this last year about how to operate a company than I did in any combination of course work that I've ever done.”

The career path that led him to business school was unexpected. Completing three post-graduate degrees—an MBA and a degree in systems engineering, in addition to his MSF—was not something Chavira anticipated doing. However, an appreciation for learning, coupled with multiple areas of interest, kept him coming back to academia.

“I enjoy the university environment and I’ve strongly considered getting a PhD at some point in the future. For me, it wasn't that much of a struggle going to class after working a long day,” he said.

For now, he’ll continue to work in consulting and see where he can take his company, all while pursuing his next goal: an upcoming marathon.

“I'm training for a marathon in Tokyo next month…last year I did a 300-mile bike tour and did a run from Paris to Versailles,” he said. “It’s an interesting way to see new places.”

American University’s Kogod Tax Center and Bloomberg BNA released the results of a joint new survey in Bloomberg BNA’s Daily Tax Report. The survey of advisers to small businesses (>$10 million in gross receipts) and medium to large-size businesses revealed seven of 15 tax reform proposals appeal to all businesses regardless of size and have nearly identical support. The findings provide strong evidence that any tax reform bill would have to contain these measures to win the support of businesses.  David Kautter, managing director of the Kogod Tax Center, wrote the article analyzing the results where businesses aligned and where they parted ways on tax reform priorities.

According to Kautter, “What the survey reveals is that although the small business and the mid-to large size business communities differ with respect to  their number one tax reforms goals, there is broad based agreement across the entire business community on the importance of a wide range of tax reform proposals.  These proposals should serve as a starting point for Congress as it looks at completely overhauling the nation’s tax laws.”

Results: Seven of 15 Proposals Ranked Nearly Identical by All Types of Business

“A notable finding of the survey was the remarkable similarity between views of advisers to small businesses and those to mid- and large-size businesses when it came to rating the potential tax reform proposals as “’extremely important,’” wrote Kautter.  The survey revealed nearly identical support for seven of the 15 proposals by the two groups of advisers.  (Small business percentage is reported first followed by the mid to large size result):

•    Extending 100% expensing (39 percent/37 percent);
•    Lowering of the income tax rate for corporate and flowthrough income (39 percent/36 percent);
•    Reducing payroll taxes on employees (35 percent/32 percent);
•    Eliminating estate taxes (26 percent/28 percent);
•    Issuing definitive rules on independent contractor status (22 percent/23 percent);
•    Replacing the income tax with a national sales tax or other consumption tax (22 percent/23 percent); and,
•    Enacting a single, flat income tax rate (18 percent/18 percent).

But Size Matters When it Comes to Tax Priorities

For small business, two proposals actually tied for first place and outranked the importance of these proposals to mid- to large-size businesses by more than 2-to-1: repealing the alternative minimum tax and reducing payroll taxes on employers. Making the health care deduction for self-employment tax permanent came in second.

For mid- to large-size businesses extending 100 percent expensing for equipment purchases ranked as the number one priority followed by repealing the AMT. Restructuring how business income was taxed also tied for second among mid- to large-size businesses.

Methodology

The survey was conducted the last week of November 2011 and the first week of December 2011.  Advisers, who are Bloomberg BNA readers, were polled in the survey about a universe of 15 tax reform proposals ranging from repealing the alternative minimum tax (AMT) to making the healthcare insurance deduction for self-employment tax purposes permanent.

Preparation is underway for Kogod’s 20th Annual Case Competition held Saturday, Feb. 11. With just a few days between the release of the case and the final presentation, undergraduate and graduate students gathered last night to pick the brains of this year’s Panel of Experts.

This year’s case, OPOWER: Increasing Energy Efficiency Through Normative Influence, has a sustainability focus. OPOWER, an energy-efficiency and Smart Grid software company that strives to engage the millions of people who are in the dark about their energy use is seeking a strategy for future success. Founded by Dan Yates and Alex Laskey in 2008, OPOWER uses cutting-edge behavioral and science-based approaches to inform and influence consumers to reduce their energy usage.

A six-person panel—all with expertise in energy and business development—discussed trends related to energy consumption and answered students’ questions.

Chris Corcoran, working on OPOWER’s policy and research team, is focused on expanding energy efficiency programs by developing market-based clean energy solutions. “There are two challenges to what we do: education and motivation,” Corcoran said. “Most people don’t know what energy costs, and, even if they do, they don’t always want to change.

Denise Buhrau, assistant professor in Kogod’s Marketing Department, expanded on Corcoran’s comment, saying that the move from extrinsic to intrinsic values is a crucial step. “You have to get people to change because they want to change, not because they feel like they have to.”

“I can save the world in an Excel spreadsheet, but getting other people on board is another story,” said Chris O’Brien, AU’s Director of Sustainability. “Even when you tell people what they can save, that doesn’t mean they’ll do what it takes.”

“If certain changes were made by residential users across the country more than $280 billion in utility costs could be saved over the next decade,” Corcoran said. “That’s quite a bit per household.”

Nate Greenberg, the business development manager at Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc. talked about the delivery side—how energy is generated and distributed. He is responsible for renewable energy generation projects, including commercial solar projects, throughout the United States.

Christopher Demko, an attorney at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission who focuses on legal issues pertaining to electric energy markets, talked about energy consumption from a federal perspective.

Eric Fleming, OPOWER’s director of corporate marketing, rounded out the panel.

One of the best decisions Amy Marcelo, BSBA ‘12, has ever made was joining K-LAB's 1955 Club as a peer mentor—its members serve as Kogod ambassadors during AU admission days and recruitment events.

After transferring to AU in the spring of her sophomore year, Marcelo wasted no time doing for others what they had done for her.

“Starting over at a new university, I wanted to be involved in a leadership position,” she said. “I’ve helped many Kogod transfer students make the transition and balance their heavy course load. I know what it's like to face a brand new start and need guidance.”

Aside from her work with new students, Marcelo helps plan and organize year-round events as one of the Kogod Marketing Association’s liaisons.

She loves wow-ing people with innovative ideas for events and products. Coupled with her interests in foreign languages and understanding other cultures, a specialization in international marketing was a natural choice.

Extra Extracurriculars

Beyond campus, Marcelo has had three internships and studied abroad in Rome.

“I always wanted to learn the Italian language so I thought ‘Where best to learn the language and fully immerse myself than in Italy?’ I traveled a lot and have so many fond memories,” said Marcelo.

Back in the U.S., she is currently a promotions and publicity intern at Allied Integrated Marketing in D.C. “I work with an amazing team and have the opportunity to screen motion picture films before they are released in theaters,” said Marcelo.

Previously, she interned at National Geographic in their Home Entertainment Department, researching, performing product quality checks, and creating DVD covers. She then worked in online marketing at the Institute of International Research in New York. Marcelo returned to National Geographic as an Ad Sales and Partnership Marketing intern this past fall.

“I’ve interned a lot because there are so many different fields within marketing, I want to get the most experience that I can.”

Post-graduation, Marcelo hopes to focus on cause-marketing campaigns or possibly work at an international advertising agency. She would also like to continue traveling and eventually apply for an MBA.

Her greatest advice to current students: “Be happy and live life to the fullest by keeping an open mind and pursuing everything that interests you,” said Marcelo.

A new year ushers in new tax issues, but the start of 2012 also launched Kogod’s Master of Science in Taxation Breakfast Series. On Jan. 26, more than 50 local tax professionals gathered on campus; tax extenders—provisions in the tax code that require annual or biannual renewals by Congress—were the hot topic.

Kara Getz, tax counsel and legislative director for Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), presented a legislative outlook for 2012. Chester Abell, national director of tax accrual and IFRS services for Ernst & Young, shared recent developments in accounting for income taxes.

“Passing the ‘tax extenders’ package used to be part of routine housekeeping, but the topsy-turvy, weird environment is making it more difficult this year,” said Getz. “With everything else going on, it’s taken a back seat until now.”

One of the most contested extensions on the table is the payroll tax cut. A short-term extension passed in November will expire on Feb. 29. Unless Congress acts, the payroll tax break for employees and emergency unemployment benefits will lapse.

“Both parties agree that we need to get this bill passed, but we have to find a way to offset the $180 million price tag,” Getz said. The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on Jan. 31 to discuss a long-term solution to tax extenders.

“Companies are very concerned with the expiring tax provisions,” Abell said. “If tax law changes, rates could be affected.” Abell reviewed a number of current and ongoing concerns related to income tax, including valuation allowances, foreign earnings, and disclosures.

Both topics were well received by the diverse crowd, with a number of attendees asking questions after both presentations.

“I was very impressed by the turnout and the quality of the remarks of the two presenters,” said Don Williamson, professor in the MS in Taxation program and executive director of the Kogod Tax Center.

“At no other university could a group of tax practitioners have had the same opportunity to interact with Capitol Hill policy-makers and Big 4 national office personnel at the same time, and in such an intimate setting.”

The breakfast series will convene four times each semester. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 23.

Kogod’s MS in Taxation among Best in U.S.
The Kogod School of Business’ master of science in taxation is one of the best in the nation, according to TaxTalent, the largest networking site for tax professionals. Kogod ranked in the top 10th percentile according to the survey of more than 3,000 professionals who hold a master’s in taxation.

This is the first part of a two-part survey. The second portion of the survey will sample top tax recruiters and employers; those data will be released later this year.

Kogod’s MS in taxation is the only program of its kind in Washington, D.C. Guest speakers regularly include members of the House Committee on Ways and Means, the U.S. Tax Court, the Treasury Department, and the IRS national office.

SIS Named among Top in the Nation by Foreign Policy Magazine
Foreign Policy magazine recently released its rankings for the nation’s top programs, dubbing SIS’s international relations program among “the top 10 programs for those looking to run the world.”

The international relations master’s program at SIS was named 8th in the country, with the undergraduate international relations program taking the #10 spot on that list.

In an additional ranking of which schools train the best candidates for jobs within the U.S. government, Foreign Policy magazine named American University 13th in its “Pipeline to the Beltway” rankings. Noted as evidence for this ranking were AU alums Connie Morella, MA ’67, former U.S ambassador to the OECD; the late U.S. senator Robert Byrd, JD ’63; and former Homeland Security advisor Frances Townsend, BA ’82.

Washington College of Law Programs Rank #1 in Best of Legal Times
Washington College of Law’s international legal studies LLM and Clinical Programs were both given #1 rankings by the Best of Legal Times. The law school was also named a finalist — in the #2 spot — in the Best JD Program and Best Joint JD-MBA Program categories.

Nearly 3,000 Legal Times readers—lawyers and legal professionals from across Washington, D.C.—voted to designate top law schools.

Imagine spending Christmas in Hamburg, Germany; New Year’s in Galway, Ireland; and your birthday on a train from Vienna, Austria, to Rome, Italy, all in the same year. This dream trip is two AU alumnae’s reality as they travel around the world for what they’re calling their “American Gap Year.”

The two 2006 AU grads are former roommates Laura Hockensmith, KSB/BSBA, and Stephanie Vavonese, SPA/BA.

Hockensmith had been working for Houlihan Lokey since the summer after her AU graduation, first as a financial analyst and then as an associate. Vavonese had been working for Accountants International since the fall after her AU graduation, first as an associate staffing consultant and then as a staffing consultant. They had both heard about Europeans and other young adults from other countries who had taken “gap years,” but knew few Americans who had followed suit.

“We were both at the points in our lives and careers where we knew we needed a change,” Hockensmith remarks. “We decided that it was ‘now or never’ to take this trip because of limited commitments at the time.”

As Hockensmith notes on their travel blog, “It’s a lot to give up (job, apartment, settled lifestyle, seeing family and friends regularly), but there is definitely so much to gain. This trip will allow me to visit new countries, experience cultures so different from my own, meet people that I would never meet elsewhere and also take some time for myself and develop new perspectives on who I am and what I want to do.”

The two have traveled to a long list of places in North, Central, and South America, Europe, and the Middle East already, as they’re over halfway through their year. Following stops in Mauritius and South Africa, they will next travel to several destinations in Asia before returning home in July 2011.

If you’re thinking that their trip has been all play and no work, think again. “On the road, every moment is a time to do something new, meet new people, etc.,” Hockensmith notes. “So far during our travels, we’ve met so many amazing people, some of whom we’ve met with again around the world after the initial meeting – inspiring us to change our initial itinerary.”

Hockensmith and Vavonese had several experiences traveling prior to this year-round trip, including several family vacations (both domestic and international), study abroad in France and New Zealand (respectively) while students at AU, and other travels together in the years since they met as students at AU.

Hockensmith and Vavonese met through the AU club crew team during their freshman year at AU and have remained close friends ever since. They remained active with AU, often attending events in the D.C. area. Hockensmith also served on the Young Alumni Chapter Board before beginning her travels and even though she is halfway around the world, has agreed to help serve on her five-year reunion planning committee for the Class of 2006 to be held in Washington, D.C. this October.

If you’re interested in getting involved with your class reunion, please e-mail reunion@american.edu with your name, grad information, and how you’d like to get involved.

Growing up in the 1960s, professor and award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford, KSB/BA ’77, aspired to be many things but says she always was a writer, citing Harriet the Spy as an inspiration: “She was a writer. That’s how she spied; she wrote,” Weatherford recalls. “James Bond flicks were just coming out, spy toys were being developed. But those were ‘boy toys.’ I couldn’t have a 007 spy kit, but when I read Harriet the Spy, I realized I could have a notebook. I could write, so I could be a spy.”

Though her cloak and dagger aspirations of espionage faded with childhood, Weatherford’s dream of writing remained strong. She has penned numerous books, mostly aimed at children and young adults, and she has won countless accolades, including the NAACP Image Award. But Weatherford’s proudest accomplishment was writing Becoming Billie Holiday, a book of biographical poems chronicling the singer’s early life, which won a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. Weatherford declares, “It was the book I was born to write.”

While at AU, Weatherford was in the University Learning Center independent study program, where she could design her own degree and major. “Because it was independent study, I developed research skills that I would use in my literary career… At AU, I began to learn to make my own way. ”

She was also assistant manager at the record co-op. Combining her studies with her interests, Weatherford created a course called The Poetry of the Blues and read Billie Holiday’s autobiography, which piqued her interest in the jazz singer.

Unsure if young adult readers would know who Holiday was, Weatherford delayed writing Becoming Billie Holiday until she visited the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum. While standing near a wax figure of Billie Holiday, she overheard a young girl in middle school exclaim, “Ooh! Billie Holiday! …She could really sing!”

Weatherford had an epiphany: “I looked back at the wax figure, and it was almost as if Billie said, ‘I told you: you need to write my book.’”

Many of Weatherford’s works feature African American characters and historical figures. She is currently working on a book about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy. As an author and teacher, Weatherford believes, “My mission is to mine the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles… so kids won’t carry prejudices forward into their future.”

American University’s  Mock Trial Team competed over fall break  in the Coast Guard Academy Guardian Invitational, finishing in the top five among 22 competing college and university teams. The results are extraordinary, especially given that AU’s Mock Trial Team, founded in 2008, is just entering its third season and the event held in New London, Connecticut was the team’s first Invitational Tournament.

The AU Mock Trial Team actually consists of three individual teams whose lineups vary each tournament. The two groups who travelled to Connecticut were highly representative of the university, including students from all five schools and four graduating classes. Both teams competed in four trials over the three-day tournament.

Honors student Eric Fleddermann, SIS ’13, served as captain for the A team at this tournament, which ranked third of 22 teams participating Fellow Honors students Sarah McIntosh, SPA ’13, and Samantha Sandfort, CAS ‘13, were co-captains for AU’s B team at the Invitational, which placed fifth among the 22 collegiate competitors.

In mock trial competition, students assume the roles of lawyers and witnesses and construct a case based around a particular lawsuit. The case in question for last month’s tournament was a liability case involving a child who ingested a toy created with a chemical that decomposed into GHB, commonly known as the “date-rape drug.” The student lawyers wrote questions to ask the student witnesses, preparing both direct and cross examinations while tangling with the rules of evidence for court proceedings.  

Witnesses refined their character, making sure that they acted in a both convincing and engaging manner. Preparing and delivering opening and closing statements, the team worked together to solidify the arguments against other teams’ competing cases. By trying both the defense and plaintiff sides of the case, each team gained valuable experience for the next tournament.

Team A plaintiff attorney Jessica Lagomarsino, KOGOD ’12, rated AU’s performance at the Invitational to be “a pretty good job,” especially considering the AU Mock Trial Team’s relative inexperience.

Along with AU Mock Trial Team’s top ranking among individual teams, its student competitors won many individual awards, making the AU’s overall team the invitational’s only competing team to receive honors in every individual category.  

AU Mock Trial Team individual award winners include Aileen George, CAS/SPA ’11 (Witness, Second Place), Marianne Johnson, SPA ‘13 (Witness, Second Place), Malea Otranto, SPA ‘14 (Plaintiff Attorney, Second Place), as well as Honors students Will Maner, KOG ‘13, (Best Witness in entire competition), Sarah McIntosh (Best Plaintiff Attorney in entire competition), and Amy Whitelaw, SPA ‘12, (Defense Attorney, Second Place).

Organizers of intercollegiate mock trial competition expect that by participating in trial simulations in competition with teams from other institutions, students will develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as knowledge of legal practices and procedures.  Based on their experience at last month’s invitational, AU participating students can attest to the value of mock trial competition.

AU Mock Trial Vice President and Honors student Amy Whitelaw, SPA ’12, loves the AU Mock Trial environment and sense of camaraderie.

“Not only does [AU Mock Trial] provide me with a competitive outlet and a place for me to learn more about the law, which I love, but it provided me with a family.… We study together, we compete together, we travel together … My teammates have become some of my closest friends and have created one of the strongest networks of support I have on this campus.”

SPA Professor Jessica Waters (CAS/SPA ’98, Honors; and WCL’03), a lawyer and coach of the AU Mock Trial Team, also sees the great benefit of such competition for students.

“Competing with the Mock Trial team provides a tremendous learning experience for the team members,” Prof. Waters says. “Not only do they learn the fundamentals of trial practice, but they also hone their public speaking skills and really learn to think on their feet when responding to tough questions from judges.

“The student teams worked incredibly hard to earn this impressive distinction, and I could not be more proud.  If you know any of these Team members, please take time to congratulate these students!”

The AU Mock Trial Team’s “A” Team at the Invitational included:  
Participating  Honors students
Eric Fleddermann, SIS ’13
Liz Rademacher, SPA ’13
Amy Whitelaw, SPA ’12

Other AU students
Aileen George, CAS/SPA ’11
Kaizad Irani, SPA ’12
Marianne Johnson, SPA ’13
Jessica Lagomarsino, KOGOD ’12,
Malea Otranto, SPA ’14


The AU Mock Trial Team’s “B” team at the Invitational included:
Participating  Honors students
Emma Horvath, SIS ’14
Will Maner, KOGOD ’13
Sarah McIntosh, SPA ’13
Sarah Prostko, SPA ’14
Samantha Sandfort, CAS ’13

Other AU students
Brad Barbour, SPA ’13
Laura Friessnig, SPA ’14
Annie Reilly, SIS ’14
Jen To, SPA ’13

One October evening, Andrea "Andy" Gierman, KSB/BSBA '09, walked through the doors of Redondo Union High School in California, thinking of what she would say to students that night. Gierman wasn't there to reminisce; she returned to her alma mater as a member of the AU Alumni Admissions Volunteers program to share her experience with prospective students. 

A sales representative for The Same Guy, an easy-to-wear basics clothing line that embodies the "Americana vintage-vibe" and can be found in flagship stores on Melrose Ave. in LA, SoHo in New York City, and at other select boutiques across the country, although Gierman is making her mark as a business professional, she hasn't forgotten AU. Her coworkers tease her about her love for AU. "It seems I'm always talking about my AU experiences at the office," she says.

Her desire to volunteer for admissions initiatives as an alumna came from several on-campus experiences when she was an undergrad. While a member of Kogod's 1955 Club, she assisted with admissions activities for prospective business students. She also spoke at Freshman Day activities when admitted students visited campus to make their enrollment decisions. In fact, she remains in touch with two AU students from California whom she met during the recruitment process. 

Gierman's experience of traveling to D.C. to pursue her undergraduate degree is only one of the conversations she has with prospective students who are considering AU among their college choices. She recounts wanting to challenge herself by trying something new, far from her California home, and tells high school students that choosing a college at a distance can be both a scary and exciting leap. She stresses to students the importance of getting involved. "There are so many interests that students can explore at AU – internships, volunteering, study abroad – any student can find an outlet within campus organizations."

Gierman only joined the Alumni Admissions Volunteers program earlier this fall, but already, she has participated in several recruitment events in the Los Angeles area and looks forward to doing more.   

"You can't relive college, but you can recap your experience and offer advice to prospective students," she notes. Thanks to volunteers like Gierman, AU has an expanded alumni presence at recruitment activities, which engages additional prospective students to look at American in closer, more meaningful way.    

“Librarianship is truly a cutting edge profession,” says Jason Phillips, KSB/MBA ’99. Although never having worked as a librarian and new to the Friends of the American University Library steering committee, Phillips knows a lot about the future of libraries and is a longtime supporter of AU and its scholarly research.

Phillips came to AU from the publishing business looking for a meaningful educational experience. As a student, he dove into the opportunities at Kogod and found the curriculum tough and inspirational.

He also found his AU colleagues to challenge and motivate him to aim high and work hard. He recalls one memorable moment when he represented AU in a national Case competition that Kogod students participate in each year. His group met at night and gave up all of spring break to prepare. While his group did not win, the “experience and camaraderie were priceless.” At AU, the classes were “full of intelligent people and challenging coursework that provided me with a sense of accomplishment, prepared me for the real business world, and encouraged me to take professional risks to reach success.”

A rising star in the university and business community, Phillips leads strategic outreach efforts to more than 6,500 international participating institutions in more than 150 countries, mostly academic libraries, as director of the Outreach and Participation Services group for Ithaka, a company that provides technological services and sustainable business models for higher education (the parent company for online scholarly research giant JSTOR). He finds the same principle to be true worldwide: Scholars around the world all have a core need to access scholarship in their disciplines.

Connecting scholars to these resources is Phillips job and vision. His job has taken him to Sweden, China, Japan, and Korea, and keeps him on the cutting edge of scholarly and technological advancement. Phillips is proud of JSTOR’s prominence in the scholarly world and finds working in a mission-based environment very rewarding. The testimonials he witnessed recently at a conference with 200+ Chinese librarians reinforced, “over and over again, that this is a resource that is making a real difference for scholarship worldwide,” says Phillips. “I’m glad to be able to play a role in supporting this.”

His position at JSTOR allows Phillips brings a special expertise and play a unique role in support of the University Library. Although it has evolved since he was a student, when its primary purpose was to provide a quiet place to study and work, Phillips credits the library with serving as a central location for scholars to interact and engage in new research techniques and resources. In 2010, Phillips provided AU alumni access to JSTOR through a special national pilot program, the third in a growing list of database resources that the library provides for alumni.

“I believe being an alumnus carries some responsibilities, and it would be a waste to leave that experience behind,” he says.

Life is what you make of it, says Phillips, who challenges students especially, though certainly his alumni peers as well, to never stop learning or challenging themselves.

Kathryn Hemlock, BSBA '04/JD '07, will lead the D.C. Divas of the Independent Women's Football League (IWLF) to the East Conference Championships on July 10th in Boston.

The Divas, a female full tackle football team based in D.C., were the 2009 IWFL East Conference Champions.

Hemlock made her debut as quarterback on April 10 with a 54-6 victory over the Baltimore Nighthawks. She took over the position when her predecessor, Allyson Hamlin, decided not to return in the spring.

"The last few seasons I had been playing safety and was sort of the quarterback for the defense, but obviously being the real quarterback is a lot different," Hemlock said. 

"My teammates have been great in the transition and have always been encouraging, showing nothing but confidence in me."

She started playing for the Divas in 2004, after graduating from Kogod and beginning at the Washington College of Law. Three years later, she is a self-practicing attorney in Alexandria, VA, specializing in criminal defense.

"It was at the gym at American where I saw the flyer for the Divas," Hemlock said. "I've been attending Redskins games since I was five or six and always wanted to play football, so once I found out about women's tackle football and the Divas, I knew I had to go for it. It's as exciting and fun as I imagined it would be."

Even though she had never played football before, Hemlock says her experience on her high school basketball team and even in her business classes has helped her succeed.

"Team sports and business have a lot of similarities," she said. "In both you have to try to get the best out of people and manage different personalities. I'm also fairly analytical, so looking closely at situations and trying to figure out how to get the best results is something that I do on the field too."

And so far her skills have paid off, especially as her team moved into the playoffs. They passed the first round in a game on June 12th against the Atlanta Xplosion with a final score of 35-7.

If the Divas win their conference championship, then they will move on to the IWLF Championship game in Round Rock, Texas on July 24th.

"We aren't changing our strategy much, at this point we know who we are as a team and all we can do is get better," Hemlock said. 

"Execution is key, and having everyone take care of their individual responsibility is what will make us successful. We are as talented as any other team in the league, we just have to execute."

Ginne Miller, KSB/MBA '93, brings 17 years of finance industry expertise and an open approach to teamwork to her new volunteer role as leader of the Atlanta alumni chapter. Committed to developing exciting opportunities and programs for alumni and parents to get involved with AU in her region, she says she’s “excited about expanding and further developing the brand and reputation of the university.”

A financial advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Atlanta, Miller is quite proud of and dedicated to her work.  “Most people work hard for their money.  I get their money working harder for them, and I get to help them keep more of it,” she says.  “I meet and get to know so many wonderful people, and we share a part of life together.”   

Though certainly driven in her career, Miller isn’t all business all the time.  She jokes about alternative career paths she may have explored if she had not pursued a career in business.  “If not MBA, I'd rather be on the LPGA,” she says, but “I started golf in my mid-20s.”   

As an MBA candidate at the Kogod School of Business, Miller’s favorite professor was Dara Khambata. “He generated excitement and mystique about the subject matter,” she recalls of his international business.  One of her favorite AU memories, watching the results of a presidential election with a professor and friends, highlights the unique political nature of the student experience at AU.   

AU has invited Miller to speak at the upcoming May 22 Alumni Experts Breakfast on, “Investing for Changing Times.”  Alumni, parents, and friends of AU are encouraged to attend the event, which will include breakfast, followed by a discussion on estate and financial planning in today’s market.  It’s a great opportunity to learn something new while mingling with old friends and making some new ones, too!

Meet Miller, along with the rest of the Atlanta alumni chapter leadership team - Toby McChesney, SPA/BA ‘02, and E.J. Stern, SOC/BA ‘04 - on Saturday, May 22 at the Emory Hotel and Conference Center.  Register online today.

Even though Katie Mayer, BSBA and BS '10, is only one person, her activism has touched many people and issues off-campus and around the world.

She will graduate this year with an almost perfect GPA and a double major in International Studies and Business. Through her four years at AU Mayer has combined her passion for social justice and the business knowledge she's received at Kogod on campus, in Native communities, and internationally.

After a class with SIS Professor Patrick Jackson, Mayer realized that if she wanted to make a difference she needed to learn the business aspects of international development.

"Too often if you're caught on one side or the other of an issue you miss the big picture," Mayer said. "If you educate yourself on all sides of the matter, you can come up with a more sustainable solution."

During her freshman year, Mayer participated in one of AU's student-run alternative breaks to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the second poorest place in the Western hemisphere behind Haiti. There she realized the drastic living conditions on the reservation.

As soon as she returned to AU she got to work on growing the Student Advocates for Native Communities (SANC) group. Now, as co-president of SANC, Mayer has helped draw more students into their activism work on the hill and on campus. She also secured a $5000 budget from AU with a proposal she wrote for the club.

"If I hadn't gotten the chance to go to Pine Ridge and talk to the people there, I would not have gotten involved," Mayer said.

She didn’t stop with SANC. Mayer has led three alternative breaks since her freshman year – two more to Pine Ridge and one last month to the Navajo reservation in Arizona – a trip which took 10 months to plan.

In Pine Ridge, the groups focused on land rights issues and development movements. With the Navajos, they looked into allegations of environmental and economic exploitation in the mining industry.

When she wasn't focused on American Indians, she had her eyes set on the EU. Mayer spent the 2009 spring semester abroad in Brussels looking at how EU integration coincides with post-conflict reconstruction in Eastern Europe. "I saw how you can use economics and business principles as peacebulidng mechanisms," she said.

After graduation Mayer is contemplating working with Teach for America or attending law school to study international law.

Joel Croft, BSBA '10, has been putting his passion for technology to work for his fellow students since he arrived at AU. He saw an opportunity in the class registration process during his freshman year and decided to help his fellow students by creating a program called Class Alert.

"I was really frustrated because I never got my choice of classes, so I thought it would be cool if I could get a text if someone dropped a class I wanted," Croft explained. "I developed a script that would check the registrar’s Web site and send me a text when a class had an open space."

Croft ran the program from his personal Web site; after more tweaking to the system, he soon opened it up to the entire student body. The Eagle picked up on the story, the program's popularity spiked and professors and advisors began using Class Alert as well.

"I got a lot of emails from students thanking me, some of them saying that they almost weren't able to graduate until they got the class that they needed with Class Alert," Croft said. "Later the registrar contacted me and I met with her to discuss the problems I was having and the concept of a waitlist, which began the next semester."

Originally from Houston, TX, Croft began programming at an early age when he worked on his first consulting project in the 7th grade. He designed a custom online auction program which non-profits can use as fundraisers. He has done 15 auctions so far, soliciting to mainly local organizations in Houston, including his former high school. He also started his own Web site development business, Everyone’s Hosting, during high school.

"I'm really good at knowing how computers work and I have a passion for programming and helping other people," Croft said.

During his junior year, Croft spent a semester abroad in London and used his computer talents to develop a Web site, called Abroad Circle, where he tried to "bridge the gap between abroad students. I wanted to know where other students were studying abroad, so I created Abroad Circle as a community for other AU abroad students who could exchange travel advice," Croft said. About 40% of the students abroad at the time signed up for the exclusively AU students Web site.

Croft wanted to share his love for computers, so he helped found the Business, Technology, and Consulting club in Kogod. One of his professors and mentors, Alberto Espinosa, is the group's academic advisor and encouraged Croft to start the club. 

"It is clear to me that he not only wanted to create a club to run interesting activities, but he was totally committed to create a student community around technology," Espinosa said.

Professor Espinosa taught Croft in his ITEC 334, Programming in the Web Era, class, but saw that he was much more advanced than his peers. He suggested that Croft - who is completing two specializations in Information Systems and Technology and Management - should drop the class and instead enroll in an independent study with him to receive more challenging assignments.

"Joel is a model student. Technically, he is one of the most advanced students I've had, but I love having him in my classes because students gravitate to him and he will not hesitate to step in and guide them when they need help," Espinosa said. "What makes Joel stand out is his focused approach to his education. He has spent a lot of time with me brainstorming about career paths and professional career planning."

Croft is also currently serving as the Director of the Student Advocacy Center, where students advise other students on their rights in regards to the Student Conduct Code and the Academic Integrity Code. He helps students understand AU policies and ease the anxiety they might experience when they run into trouble by being their peer advocate.

When he graduates in May, Croft hopes to go into IT consulting and stay in DC. "I really want to apply my understanding of technology to my love for business and take my skills to a business setting to make them more efficient," Croft explained.

Aaron Vigil-Martinez remembers when he decided to pursue a graduate degree in business over continuing his career in law. 

It was while he was employed by the international law firm Sidley Austin LLP and in a meeting with representatives from Fannie Mae, discussing the specifics of due diligence work that Fannie was outsourcing to the law firm.

"There was one group in the back that dictated to the lawyers exactly how to finish the project," Martinez remembered. "They were the business leads on the project – not lawyers."

That's when he declared the winner between his longstanding twin interests in law and business, and returned to American University in 2008 as an MBA candidate.

Aaron probably knows AU better than most other graduate students – after all, he was an undergrad here. He graduated from the School of Public Affairs in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in law and society. Now 26, Aaron has many fond memories of his time as an undergraduate, including an eclectic group of friends, an internship on Capitol Hill, and a semester studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, and traveling through Europe.

Last fall, Aaron was elected director of programming for the Graduate Business Association - a perfect position for him, given his natural ease with people. His "swan song" for the job will be this year's graduation party, where graduate students celebrate alongside faculty members and guests.

Until then, Aaron's focused on his last semester as a student and his current internship as a junior analyst for the Department of Defense's Washington Headquarters Services, Financial Management Directorate. It's a mouthful, but it means that he'll be working for an office that plans, budgets, and oversees $6.8B for its DOD customers, which includes the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

He'd like to continue with the government after the internship concludes this summer, with his long-term goal to get into venture capitalism. First, he knows he needs to find his professional niche; the Santa Fe native has already found a city to call home.

"I love it here," Aaron says of Washington, D.C, his hometown since 2001.