On May 2, 2011, approximately 484 students in the R. Kirk Landon Undergraduate School and approximately 301 in the Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Graduate School made the transition from college student to college graduate in ceremonies for the College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU). Of the graduate students, six earned a joint degree, four of them in the Master of Science in Management Information Systems(MSMIS)/Master of Business Administration program and two in the Master of Science in Finance/Master of Business Administration program.
![Spring Commencement Approximately 785 students graduated from FIU’s College of Business Administration on May 2, 2011.](https://biznews.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tn_Commencement_Banner.jpg)
To underscore the advantage of having an FIU degree, Joyce J. Elam, executive dean, highlighted key rankings for FIU Business and validated everyone’s hard work by noting some of the impressive accomplishments business students have amassed. She praised all of them for having “demonstrated many of the qualities that will be invaluable to you in your future endeavors—ability, desire, determination, commitment, perseverance and purpose.”
Event recognizes Worlds Ahead Graduates from the business school.
Four students from the business school were recognized as Worlds Ahead Graduates—individuals with strong leadership qualities, a desire to change lives and a record of academic achievement:
Peter Agibigbi (BBA ’11), who has received many military honors and has made the Dean’s List, plans to go to the Army’s Officer Candidate School to become a logistics officer.
Jocelyn Baez (BBA ’11) graduated with honors and is the first Golden Panther and one of only 28 students across the nation to be accepted into a financial services graduate development program through which she will be working in the South Miami market.
Hector Mujica (BBA ’11) be interning with the Department of State in the economic section of the U.S. Embassy in Australia, and in August, will begin a full-time job as a policy analyst with Google at their headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Annapurna Belani (EMBA ’11), was a vice president at Citibank when she began the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) program and has been promoted to senior vice president.
![The ceremony was marked by hopes and elation. The ceremony was marked by hopes and elation.](https://biznews.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tn_Commencement_CPA.jpg)
Eleven business school employees graduate from programs across the university.
Though all employees of FIU Business stay busy, eleven staff members were busier still, as they worked to complete their degrees in parallel to working for the college.
Michael Alfaro, Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance, intern in the State Farm Financial Literacy Lab, who will be starting with JP Morgan in July as a private banking analyst
Mayra Beers (MA ’95), Doctor of Philosophy in history, director of operations and James L. Knight Research Fellow, Center for Leadership
Sokol Celo, Doctor of Philosophy in business administration, research associate, Department of Management and International Business, who will become an assistant professor in the Strategy and International Business Department, Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts starting July 1, 2011
Iris Curtis, Bachelor of Arts in economics, program assistant, Evening MBA
Anya T. Edun, Master of Science in psychology, graduate and research assistant, Center for Leadership
Rosendo Forns, Bachelor of Business Administration with a major international business, program coordinator, Office of Executive and Professional Education
Karen Garcia, Bachelor of Arts in psychology, office assistant, Center for leadership
Stefany Marcelino, Bachelor of Business Administration in management information systems (MIS), new media manager, Center for Leadership
![Stefany Marcelino Stefany Marcelino](https://biznews.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tn_Commencement_Marcelino.jpg)
Francisco Perez Parra, Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance, MSMIS program assistant
Shelly Rodes, Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in management, scheduling coordinator, Finance and Administration Office
Andre Villareal, Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance, intern in the State Farm Financial Literacy Lab who will be starting with Goldman Sachs in July as a risk manager