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Graduate Ambassadors Connect with current Kogod Graduate Students

The Graduate Student Ambassador program connects applicants for our on campus programs with current students to learn why they chose Kogod. Click on a profile below to read graduate student testimonials in your program of interest.

Interested in connecting with one of our graduate ambassadors? Email kogodgrad@american.edu. Be sure to include which program you're interested in, which ambassador you'd like to connect with and any questions you have for an ambassador.

SEcond year MBA Program AMbassadors

  1. Kogod first year MBA Ambassador Carlos Aguirre

    Carlos Aguirre

    Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

    Hometown: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
    Undergraduate Institution: Louisiana State University (LSU) Baton Rouge, LA
    Degree Held: B.A International Studies & Political Science
    Experience: 3 years in Correspondent Banking and Trade Finance
    What I value about Kogod: I don't feel like a number. I've gotten to meet the faculty and staff while sharing my career goals and the ways to get me there. 

  1. Nigel Buoga

    Nigel Buoga

    Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

    Undergraduate Institution: Drake University (Des Moines, IA)
    Employment Experience: 3 yrs in the Army & 3 yrs in IT
    Kogod Decision Criteria: Prior relationship with Kogod faculty and appreciated the ease of access to professors
    What I Value About Kogod: The above and beyond effort put forth by staff and faculty to support the students

  1. Kogod Student Ambassador Mayra Medrano

    Mayra Medrano

    Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

    Undergraduate Institution: Herzing College
    Degree held: B.S. Business Administration, Concentration in Business Management
    What I value about Kogod: Approachable professors, access to professional resources, and supportive career advisors. 

  1. Kogod Student Ambassador Sarah Tebi

    Sarah Tebi

    MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

    Undergraduate Institution: Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
    Degree held: Communication Arts: Worship Arts
    What I value about Kogod: The small cohort, and the faculty and staff’s sincere willingness to connect with students and prepare them for success.

MS in Accounting

MS in Analytics

  1. KSB Student Ambassador Joline Faye Badua

    Joline Faye Badua

    MS in Analytics

    Undergraduate Institution: American University
    Undergraduate Degree: B.S. Business Administration with a focus in IT & Analytics
    What I value about Kogod: Attending Kogod as an undergraduate student, I saw how the business school truly cares for their students. I was amazed at how the faculty and staff within the business school were supportive and accommodating. The professors and staff have guided me towards my career and so choosing to attend Kogod to continue my higher education has been a rewarding experience for me.
     

  1. Kogod MS in Analytics Student Ambassador

    Lauren Gilligan

    MS in Analytics

    Undergraduate Institution: University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
    Undergraduate Degree: BS in Business Administration, double-major in Accounting and Business Information Systems
    Employment Experience: 1.5 years with EY in External Audit, 1.5 years with Alvarez and Marsal in Disputes & Investigations
    Professional Certifications: CPA, CFE
    What I Value About Kogod: The graduate program is designed for and accommodating to students who are working while also trying to further their education.

 MS in Finance

  1. Garrett Ramela

    Garrett Ramela

    MS in Finance

    Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland University College
    Degree Held: BS in Business Administration
    Work Experience: Finance in the US Marine Corps and Significance, Inc. Financial Consultant/Marketing Director
    Why I chose Kogod: Close proximity to work, beautiful campus, driven student-body, and most flexible finance program in the DMV area.
    What I value most about Kogod: The student-body and the networking events. I do more networking events in a week than I have classes, and I work full-time. The flexibility!
  1. Solomon

    Solomon Okehi

    MS in Finance

    Undergraduate Institution: Southern New Hampshire University
    Degree Held: BS in Economics & Finance
    Work Experience: 5+ years as an accountant/income auditor in the hospitality industry.
    Why I chose Kogod: The DC location is great. The school is a renowned and highly regarded academic institution that has produced several successful alums like Gary Cohn, former president of Goldman Sachs, and Robert Kogod, a famous real estate investor in the DMV region.
    What I value most about Kogod: Experienced professors who worked on wall street as investment bankers and hedge fund managers, who therefore have first hand experience of what they teach . The professors and very friendly, approachable and always ready to help students with their work.

MS in Marketing

MS in Real Estate

  1. Robert Ladov

    Robert Ladov

    MS in Real Estate

    Undergraduate Institution: American University
    Degree Held: BS in Business Administration (in progress at Kogod)
    Work History: Summer Associate at The KRE Group in Jersey City, NJ. Marketing and New Business Development at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in Washington, D.C.
    Why I chose Kogod:  Located in Washington DC while still having the feel of a traditional college campus. I also appreciate the program flexibility and wide breadth of majors, minors, and specialization options available to me.  
    What I value about Kogod: The dedication of our academic advising team. They are always willing and able to bend over backwards to ensure that you get exactly what you want in terms of your degree and overall education experience. 

MS in Sustainability Management

  1. Kogod Student Ambassador Jessica Chapman

    Jessica Chapman

    MS in Sustainability Management

    Undergraduate Institution: American University
    Degree Held: International Relations/Environmental Studies 
    Employment Experience: I am currently the General Manager of the Davenport Coffee Lounge in the School of International Service, where I am always working to incorporate new sustainable business practices. 
    What I value about Kogod: I value the professors and their commitment to our development, as well as the networking opportunities and curriculum. 
     

  1. KSB Grad Student ambassador Kira Austin-Dumaine

    Kira Austin-Dumaine

    MS in Sustainability Management

    Undergraduate Institution: University of Delaware
    Undergraduate Degree: MS in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management
    Employment Experience: 11 years with Hyatt Hotels, 2 years self-employed, 3 years with World Resources Institute
    Kogod Decision Criteria: I have a drive to combine sustainability and business management. Kogod is the perfect intersection of these fields, with the important addition of in-person classes and real connections. 
    What I value about Kogod: Access to knowledgeable and passionate professors, and introductions to industry leaders working with corporate / social responsibility. 

 MS in Taxaton

  1. john duggan

    Jonathan Duggan

    MS in Taxation

    Undergraduate Institution: The University of Georgia

    Degree Held: B.S.F.C.S. in Financial Planning
    Work Experience: Current Associate, Financial Planning Analyst at Sullivan Bruyette Speros & Blayney
    Kogod Decision Criteria: I desired to further my abilities in the integration of tax planning and wealth management at a school that would rapidly expand my network, challenge my technical capabilities, and assist me in developing an innate, conceptual understanding of taxation. 
    What I Value Most About Kogod: Accessibility. I consistently have opportunity for direct and meaningful dialogue with both my peers and professors. 
  1. Matt Radford

    Matthew Radford

    MS in Taxation

    Undergraduate Institution: Penn State University
    Degree Held: B.S. in Accounting
    Work Experience: 12+ years at CohnReznick LLP. Currently a Partner in the Notional Tax Dept. Also a liscensed CPA in Maryland.
    Why I chose Kogod and what I value most:  I decided to attend Kogod in order to augment the knowledge that I’ve acquired on-the-job over the past decade. Although my job provides me with ample opportunities to work on challenging and highly technical issues, I appreciate that the MST classes broaden my horizon and expose me to tax concepts and issues that don’t occur frequently in my client base. Further, I’ve found that even in the courses where I have substantial background knowledge due to my client experiences/career, I still learn new concepts and develop a better understanding of concepts that I thought I already fully understood. It’s this general experience (i.e., the classes always have something to offer no matter how familiar one may be with the subject matter) that I find most valuable.