The Lam Family College of Business Congratulates the Graduate Hood Recipient and Honorees for 2024!
Please join us in celebrating this year's Graduate Hood recipient and Honorees, representing each graduate program at the Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB). These seven outstanding students have been recognized with a Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement. In addition, one student has been selected as the college’s Graduate Hood recipient and serves as the college’s graduate representative for the class of 2024 at the San Francisco State University Commencement ceremony.
We are excited to present this year's Graduate Hood recipient and Honorees below:
Son Hai Nguyen, Master of Business Administration – Graduate Hood Recipient
Son earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from National Economic University in Vietnam. She, her spouse, and their two young children moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from Vietnam in 2017. After she completed an AS degree in Finance from City College of San Francisco with a 4.0 GPA while being involved with the college as an Associated Students Council Member, she decided to pursue her graduate studies at San Francisco State.
Throughout her MBA studies, Son actively participated in numerous activities. In 2023, she joined the LFCoB Student Ambassador Program as a Student Ambassador. She immediately became a leader amongst the other ambassadors. Within this program, she organized and co-hosted engaging events specifically tailored to graduate students with the aim of fostering a vibrant and inclusive community while facilitating valuable networking opportunities. She also went out of her way to guide undergraduate ambassadors with their own events.
Son actively participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program at SF State, where she served as an IRS-certified volunteer return preparer and quality reviewer, assisting individuals with low-to-moderate incomes with their tax returns. Other service opportunities Son took advantage of included serving as a Research/Teaching Assistant for Professor Smita Trivedi (Management), volunteering at the Women’s Emerging Leadership Forum (an event annually hosted by the LFCoB), and actively supporting and engaging in activities of the San Francisco Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), fostering connections, collaboration, and investment between Vietnamese and American businesses.
One of Son’s instructors described her performance in class as “the top performing student.” Another mentioned she was “always extremely prepared, positive, and a cheerleader for her classmates.” Her classmates noted her ability to persist for long hours of studying without pause and to consistently motivate group/team members towards completion of challenging projects. She often exceeded her assigned responsibilities in group projects, willingly took on larger or more difficult tasks, provided feedback to teammates, and ensured the highest quality work amongst herself and her peers.
Songhong Beng, Master of Science in Accountancy
Songhong excelled in accounting ethics and demonstrated exceptional teamwork during his studies at SF State. After completing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program with a concentration in Accounting (Summa Cum Laude) from SF State, Songhong transitioned into the Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) Program through the SF State Accounting Scholars Program and will complete his MSA degree in Spring 2024. Songhong’s culminating experience paper explores the topic of earnings management and its relation to accounting ethics with a goal of examining earnings management as a contemporary issue – potentially compromising the quality of financial reporting. His paper aims to highlight the roles of ethical principles in mitigating and preventing earnings management, leading to more reliable and transparent financial reporting.
As an international student from Cambodia, Songhong feels that SF State provided him with a supportive community that not only fostered his intellectual growth, but also nurtured his sense of belonging. During his studies, Songhong worked as a business tutor with the Tutoring and Academic Support Center (TASC), providing one-on-one and group tutoring sessions as well as study tips and strategies for students in business-related majors. As an IRS-certified volunteer with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program at SF State, Songhong volunteered for over 150 hours, providing assistance to low-income individuals and families in need of help preparing their tax returns. Being a tutor at TASC and volunteering with VITA allowed Songhong to make a positive contribution within the community that played a significant role in his own intellectual growth.
Songhong received the Fall 2023 Academic Excellence Scholarship for his outstanding academic performance in the SF State Accounting Scholars Program. After completing his MSA, Songhong plans to meet the requirements for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and work as a tax accountant in a public accounting firm.
Madison Cecilio, Master of Business Administration
A Bay Area native, Madison (Mattie) Ceciio completed her undergraduate studies at UC San Diego, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Psychology. She competed on the UC San Diego track and field team in long and triple jump while taking on the role as the team’s captain. She completed her undergraduate degree in less than three years while working and competing as an NCAA D1 athlete. With the goal of creating a positive impact through social entrepreneurship while focusing her efforts on environmental sustainability and food insecurity, Mattie began her MBA studies in Fall 2022. She will earn her MBA degree along with a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business following completion of the Spring 2024 semester.
Mattie represented SF State as a member of the women’s track and field team where she competed in long and triple jump events. As a member of this team, she received a number of accolades: 2023 Golden Gator Award; 2023 SF State Newcomer of the Year; 2023 NCAA D2 All-Academic Team; 3x All-West Region Team; 2x CSC Academic All District; CCAA Spring Academic Honor Roll; 2x D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award; 3x Gator of the Week; 2023 NCAA D2 Outdoor National qualifier (this meet accepts the top 16 athletes in the country); SF State #2 all-time marks in indoor (12.14m) and outdoor (12.27m) triple jump; and SF State #5 all-time mark in indoor long jump (5.34m).
Mattie works for her family’s consulting firm, which performs marketing activities for medical devices. She is currently onboarding a new product line from a recently acquired firm and coordinating a global, cross-functional product launch team. Mattie volunteers with City Grazing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable land management through managed goat grazing. Additionally, through the Civic Joy Fund, she also frequents neighborhood trash pick-ups in the Mission and Bayview Districts.
Rutwij Daptardar, Master of Science in Business Analytics
As a dedicated data professional, Rutwij excels in deriving insights and making predictions from data all while savoring a cup of hot coffee. He enrolled at SF State in Fall 2022 after completing a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India. In joining the MS in Business Analytics Program, his goal was to gain in-depth knowledge about data analytics, business analytics, and big data, enabling him to utilize knowledge to derive actionable insights for real-world business problems with a new technology stack. His culminating project aims to optimize project development at CGI, a consulting firm, by leveraging data analysis techniques in sprint management. The project focuses on identifying time-intensive areas within each sprint, pinpointing reasons for delays, and optimizing features to increase overall project efficiency. Rutwij is using machine learning along with data analytics to predict delays and identify factors contributing to project development delays.
A member of the Beta Alpha Psi Executive Graduate Honors Program, Rutwij achieved outstanding success at the graduate level, maintaining a perfect GPA throughout his studies. During the course of his studies, he was employed as an Instructional Support Assistant under the guidance of Professor Minh Pham (Decision Sciences) and as a Research Intern with Professor Minu Kumar (Marketing). He also volunteered his own time to assist Professor Christopher Yost-Bremm (Finance) with empirical research in quantitative finance.
During his time in India, Rutwij dedicated himself to serving with the NGO, Uandl, which focused on providing basic education to underprivileged children, apart from working as a Data Analyst for Reliance Jio, a telecommunications giant in India. As a leader at one of the centers (alongside three other leaders), he oversaw logistical operations and provided support to volunteers (teachers) with teaching and technical challenges. He also taught mathematics, took on the role of Social Media Coordinator, and actively participated in fundraising campaigns.
Daniel Dubrovsky, Master of Science in Quantitative Economics
Daniel was an excellent Economics student at SF State, both as an undergraduate and graduate student, and demonstrated superb research ability. In an effort to learn new ways of analyzing data in a way that an economist would, he joined the MSQE program. Through completion of this program, Daniel was able to demonstrate his quantitative skills during the 37th Annual CSU Student Research Competition, where he was heavily inspired by the authors of Freakonomics to “Think Like a Freak.” Daniel won first place in the Business, Economics, and Hospitality Management category by strategically pursuing a topic that combined his love for a cars (a hobby) with a career ambition to utilize econometrics and data analysis.
Daniel completed his MSQE degree in Fall 2023 and is looking forward to his next exciting adventure after relocating to New York in January 2024. This relocation followed a nearly decade-long tenure with his previous company, IG Group, where he evolved from a DailyFX Intern into a DailyFX Senior Strategist. His key responsibilities included helping shape global content strategy by analyzing variables correlated with audience engagement for a website bringing in 50 million annual visitors, composing quantitative educational research at the intersection of macroeconomics and financial markets, and leading a local team of five authors by maximizing the efficiency of routine operations with content performance insights and editorial duties.
During his graduate studies, Daniel mentored four undergraduate peers and assisted in organizing the 15th Annual Young Women and Money Conference at the YWCA in Berkeley/Oakland. He also co-authored a data-driven story with Geopolitical Strategist Dimitri Zabelin for his wesite, Pantheon Insights, discussing the socioeconomic and political ramifications of weakening growth in US living standards. Daniel continues to conduct and post economic analysis and, as a result, has been able to gain a 14,000+ X/Twitter following.
Yao Fang, Master of Science in Accountancy
Yao earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management (with a minor in Statistics) from UC Davis and took Environmental Engineering courses from Duke University. She came to realize that her strengths laid elsewhere and becoming an Accountant, particularly an Auditor, has offered her a unique opportunity to understand the business side of the science industry and learn from those who are actively engaged in scientific innovation, aiming to build a better world. She completed the MS in Accountancy program in Fall 2023 and is currently employed as an Auditor at Deloitte, primarily focusing on the life science and technology sectors. In her role at Deloitte, she ensures the financial information presented in their clients' financial statements are free from misstatements and fraud, helping investors, stockholders, and creditors make reasonable decisions.
Yao’s culminating experience project focused on earnings management vs. earnings manipulation as US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) allows companies the flexibility to make accounting choices that best represent their unique financial circumstances to investors and stockholders.
During her MSA studies, she was an active member of the international honors organization, Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), at SF State, where she held two prominent roles. She was the Director of Professional Development, where she organized the annual “Meet the Firms” event along with several weekly technical presentations for undergraduate and graduate business students. She also took on the responsibility as the Treasurer, managing the organization’s cash inflow and outflow.
Since 2022, Yao has also volunteered with the Chinese American Bio/Pharmaceutical Society (CABS), a non-profit organization dedicated to professionals in the life science industry. This organization annually conducts the BioPacific Conference, which fosters collaboration among companies and promotes professional interaction and business opportunities within the industry. As a member of the fundraising team, Yao assists in connecting with potential sponsors and maintaining relationships with existing ones.
Lila Zermeno, Master of Business Administration
Lila earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (with a concentration in Marketing) and a Minor in Latinx Studies from SF State. During her undergraduate studies, she made the Dean’s list four times and was published in the Sutro Review for her report on the inequities faced by BIPOC women in medicine through the examination of the forced sterilization of Chicana women in 1970s Los Angeles. She was also published by Transfer Magazine for her prose on the pressures women face in the modern-day workforce. As a first-generation college student who will complete her MBA and a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business in Spring 2024, Lila hopes to offer a new perspective and approach to how business can create change in the world.
Lila is involved heavily on campus. Over the past four years, she has held multiple roles – all aimed at making SF State a more inclusive environment that highlights restorative justice for students. Most recently, she has worked in a leadership capacity as a Program Assistant Mentor for Health and Wellness, Residential Life. Her role involves planning programs for residents living on campus and supervising other program assistants. Overall, she developed over fifty large and small-scale programs and has supported over 5,000 residents while working at SF State. Lila has also served as a Research Assistant to Professor Verónica Rabelo (Management). This research is centered around using an intersectional and interdisciplinary lens to examine how aspects of social identity shape experiences of mistreatment, mindfulness, and compassion in the workplace.
Lila currently works at SF Beauty Network as a Marketing Coordinator. The company’s commitment to holistic health, the environment and community engagement allows her to incorporate inclusivity and sustainability when developing campaigns, organizing events, and managing various social media platforms.