Kamal Patel

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2005 Navigant Consulting Inc. Award in Business Economics Recipient

Biography: Kamal Patel is an undergraduate honors student with a double major in Business Economics and Political Science and a minor in accounting. At UCLA, Kamal is a manager of the Career Development Committee of the Undergraduate Business Society. As manager, Kamal is responsible with bringing firms from a variety of fields to recruit at UCLA job fairs. In addition, Kamal also has been involved with the Student Alumni Association to summon alumni to mentor current students and sit on panels about their careers. Finally, Kamal has worked in the legal, hospitality, real estate, and finance industries. Currently, Kamal is a law clerk at Richardson & Patel, LLP, located in Westwood.

Future Plans: In the future, Kamal hopes to either work in the finance industry for a few years and then attend law and business school or attend law school immediately after finishing his undergraduate degrees. In the long run, he hopes to work as a corporate lawyer working on mergers and acquisitions and contract law.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Kamal Patel was ordered the Navigant Consulting Scholarship, which has allowed him to further his economic studies. The scholarship has allowed Kamal to meet individuals in the consulting industry, which he hopes will foster connections in the legal consulting industry.

Nadezhda Nikonova

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2005 The Howard J. and Mitzi W. Green Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Nadezhda (Nady) Nikonova was born on a cold winter’s night in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, just two hours before the New Year. She was one of the only Jews attending a predominantly Russian school in a predominantly Muslim country. With the fall of the Soviet Union came instability, so Nady and her family fled to the United States as refugees in early 1992. Two three-day train trips, three flights, a cracked sternum, a concussion and one scary hospital stay later, Nady somehow finished the second grade in a Los Angeles elementary school, knowing no English and missing three months of instruction. Nady’s English quickly outgrew the ESL (English as a Second Language) program and even spilled over into the honors classes by the end of elementary school. She was accepted into the magnet program and attended Paul Revere Middle School. Afterwards, she attended Palisades Charter High School, where she excelled in academics and took almost every AP course offered. She passed UCLA on the bus going to and from school every year since middle school, and was ecstatic to finally attend the university of her dreams. Currently, Nady is a Business Economics and Psychology double major, and makes a living as an English composition tutor at UCLA Covel Tutorials. She will be graduating with College Honors this June.

Future Plans: Nady’s quasi-nerdy interest in economics is only surpassed by her obtrusive fascination with antitrust cases and business law. This is why she is eager to bolt over to Law School as soon as possible to pursue a J.D. degree with a specialization in economics. She is uncertain of her eventual career path, but sees herself utilizing her knowledge of law and economics in and out of the legal field. Since it is too early in the year to know which Law Schools have accepted her, the possibility of taking one or two years to work in finance or marketing is still very real.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: This scholarship provides both financial and moral support. I cannot overstate the importance of the financial help. The scholarship enables me to be more independent and devote more of my time from work to my studies, reinforcing higher education as an attainable priority (a value that is very important to me). Moreover, to receive such a prestigious award after competing with some of UCLA’s best and brightest students boosts my confidence in my abilities. Receiving the scholarship means being awarded for doing something I love to do (learn) and being recognized for doing it well. This means a lot to me as a student and as an individual, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hoard and Mitzi Green for their generous contribution and the Economics Department.

Megan Moen

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2005 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Megan Moen will graduate from UCLA in June 2006. With her remaining time at UCLA she plans to write a thesis and complete the departmental honors program for Economics. After working for Deloitte as an Audit Intern during the summer, Megan signed with the public accounting firm and will start full time next fall. She intends to fulfill all of the requirements necessary to take the CPA exam by graduation, and obtain her license soon after. Megan is also considering attending graduate school for an MBA after a few years of working.

Future Plans: Megan Moen will graduate from UCLA in June 2006. With her remaining time at UCLA she plans to write a thesis and complete the departmental honors program for Economics. After working for Deloitte as an Audit Intern during the summer, Megan signed with the public accounting firm and will start full time next fall. She intends to fulfill all of the requirements necessary to take the CPA exam by graduation, and obtain her license soon after. Megan is also considering attending graduate school for an MBA after a few years of working.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am sincerely grateful for the generosity of Mr. Paul C. Sung and the Harry Simons Scholarship Donors. This scholarship is an immense help to both myself and my family—a significant supporter of my college career. While I continue to work in addition to attending UCLA, the scholarship has unloaded a great deal of financial stress which will enable me to concentrate on and excel in academics, as well as enjoy my final year at UCLA. I have worked very hard in school and the reward is truly cherished. I will continue to show my appreciation for the benevolence of the donors through success in my education at UCLA, and future in Accounting.

Trang Le

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2005 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Trang Le was born and raised in Da Nang, a small province of Central Vietnam. She is the youngest of seven children. Trang studied and received her high school diploma at the most prestigious High School in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Le Hong Phong High School. During her studies in Vietnam, she received many National Academic awards, including an award in the National Gifted Student Competition. In 2000, she decided to move to the United States with the hope to find further opportunities for higher education and to reunite with her brothers and sisters. She came to UCLA in 2004 majoring in business economics and a minor in accounting. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, go to movies, and volunteer in community work.

Future Plans: Although she was raised in a family where both of her parents and a brother are doctors, she never found medicine appealing to her. Instead, she was captivated by the business aspect of her parents’ clinic. Her current goals are to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics with a minor in Accounting and to work for an accounting firm like KPMG, where she did her internship during the summer of 2005. Trang’s long term academic goal is to pursue an MBA degree at the UCLA Anderson School of Business. Ultimately, she hopes to open her own accounting firm in the future.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am very fortunate to be the recipient of this wonderful scholarship. Having the scholarship reduces my financial burden and affords me more time to focus on my studies, rather than having to find work. More importantly, the scholarship reinforces my decision to pursue a career in business economics and also serves an encouragement for me to strive harder in my academic endeavors.

Ryan Houck

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2005 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Ryan Houck is currently in his third year at UCLA. His undergraduate goal is to major in both Business Economics and Psychology, along with a minor in Accounting. He is employed as an intern with The Mercanti Group, a mergers and acquisitions firm in Santa Monica. In addition to being a student at UCLA, he is a Director of Community for the Undergraduate Business Society, and a member of Concerts Staff of the Campus Events Commission. In addition, Ryan plays on the UCLA club rugby team. He was born and raised in Fresno where he attended Clovis West High School. In 2003, he was named that school’s B’nai B’rith Scholar Athlete of the Year, placing third in the state of California in high school wrestling.

Future Plans: In the summer between his third and fourth year, Ryan plans on engaging in an internship with a management-consulting firm, focusing on strategy consulting. After graduating, Ryan hopes to work for two years again in strategy management consulting. After a few years of work experience, he plans to return to school to earn an MBA and open up a business of his own.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Receiving the Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship has been the highlight of my academic career. I am deeply honored and grateful. The scholarship award will relieve financial stress and allow me to focus more on academics and community service during my third year at UCLA.

Alexander Herbert-Brown

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2005 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Alexander William Hebert-Brown was born and raised in San Diego, California. As an only child, it was only recently that he realized how spoiled he was, and how good he had it in life. Though as things go, that is something better to learn late than never. In elementary and middle school he was (mostly) eager and (somewhat) attentive, though he never felt much of a clear “calling” in life, at least in regard to a career path. Adults would tell him that he had many years to decide, so it never bothered him much. For a short time he considered being a baseball player and a fireman, concurrently. It made logical sense to him that he could play baseball, but leave the game quickly if a fire broke out somewhere. Those were much simpler times back then; luckily he has since come to the realization of how untenable that plan was. As unlikely as it may seem, Alex’s interest in economics began in a time that is almost universally devoid of any academic interest or rigor-namely his senior year of high school. At a time when many students are simply counting the days until graduation, Alex was introduced to a subject that interested him like no other had before. Little did he know, economics was always something that had been of interest to him; his mother recalls that one of his first words was “money.” This innate attraction naturally led him to the business economics major at UCLA, which he will be graduating with in the spring. Though he is still unsure exactly what he wants to do career-wise, he is increasingly happy to take the advice he was given at the age of five and “wait a few more years.”

Future Plans: For the last two years Alex has been working as a math tutor at Inglewood High School through Gear Up (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs). He has found this experience to be very rewarding and educational, and it has encouraged him to join the Teach For America program upon graduation. While he has not yet gone through the application and screening process for the program, he would ideally like to teach high school economics in an inner-city, urban setting. Coming from an inner city school himself, he strongly feels compelled to “give back” in the larger, metaphysical sense, to reciprocate for the benefits he received in high school that have allowed him to succeed thus far in life. After completing the two-year teaching program he can eventually see himself going to business school to obtain an MBA, though he concedes it will likely be many years off.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Being selected as a Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship winner has helped ease much of the financial related stress of my senior year. The scholarship has made me feel more self-sufficient, independent, and confident in myself and my abilities. While I understand that independence literally means not relying on something else, I also know that there is no shame in taking advantage of a golden opportunity when it arises. On that note I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Dr. David Wark for making his scholarship available to me, along with every other generous person that has made the UCLA Economics Department Undergraduate Scholarships possible.

Erik Emilsson

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2005 John J. Peterson Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Erik grew up in the small town of Bjarred, Sweden located in the southwestern corner of the country. Sports have always been a big part of his life. Growing up Erik played golf, tennis, soccer, and track. Midway through high-school he realized his greatest potential would take place on the track and after successful junior and senior years he earned a scholarship to Tulane University in New Orleans. After spending his freshman year at Tulane University he transferred to UCLA after discontinuation of the Tulane Track-program. At UCLA Erik received the opportunity to combine academics and athletics at the highest level. Erik will graduate this spring with a major in Business Economics and a minor in accounting. Erik is the son of Nils and Harriet Emilsson and the oldest of three siblings (Carl, 21 and Maria, 17).

Future Plans: Erik is currently doing an internship at the accounting and business-services firm of Gumbiner, Savett, Finkel, Fingleson & Rose located in Santa Monica. Having a true passion of finance and the stock market, Erik will to pursue a career in the accounting or investment-banking industry. Following a couple of years of work he intends to go back to school to pursue his MBA. Being a member of the UCLA track-team under coach Eric Peterson, Erik’s ambitions as a post-collegiate runner are high as well.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: As an international student the John J. Peterson Award allows me the ability to focus all my energy on my educational progress and my athletic training while still being able to meet financial demands. The award will also allow for more flexibility in traveling, both home to my family as well as abroad to pursue professional opportunities. I would like to very much thank Mr. Peterson for his generosity and for the opportunities it has afforded me.

Kevin Diestel

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2005 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Kevin Diestel is currently a fourth-year student at UCLA majoring in Business Economics and minoring in Accounting and Political Science. This past summer Kevin worked as a Summer Analyst at Merrill Lynch’s Investment Banking division and presently works part-time at the John Wooden Center on campus.

Future Plans: Kevin has accepted an offer to continue as an Analyst with Merrill Lynch upon graduation. After working for a few years Kevin plans to attend business school and continue in a finance related occupation. With the help of his sister and three brothers Kevin hopes to one day create “Diestel Enterprises” that will specialize in a variety of fields and industries.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: The Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship means a tremendous amount to me. The scholarship has helped me as a student who struggles to pay rising tuition costs, but more importantly it recognizes students who put a great deal of effort into school at UCLA and strive for excellence in all facets of life. The honor that goes with such an award greatly outweighs the financial sum that accompanies it. That being said, this award has made it possible for me to pay my own way through a second year at UCLA. Coming from a family with five children, I have always wanted to lessen the burden on my mother and father with respect to college tuition. Working part-time during the school year can only do so much and a great deal of time must be devoted to school. Receiving this scholarship has allowed me to continue my education while not having to worry about all of the expenses that come with it. Thank you once again to Patricia and Harry L. Bruce and anyone else who contributed to this or any other scholarship.

Daniil Degtyar

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2005 The Donald Edward Bragg & Diane Sims Bragg Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Daniil was born and raised in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. At the age of 16 he moved to Cambridge, UK to finish his high school education, spending a year upon graduation traveling in Europe and the Middle East to broaden his horizons and gain exposure to different cultures. Five years ago Daniil moved with his family to California and enrolled in Orange Coast College, balancing school, family obligations and a full-time job. Completing all the lower-division requirements, he transferred to UCLA, where he is now a senior, majoring in Business Economics with a minor in Accounting. His hobbies include reading, guitar improvisation, and soccer.

Future Plans: During the summer of 2005 Daniil worked as an analyst at Cornerstone Research, one of the leading economic and litigation consulting firms. That experience has set a solid foundation for his future career in consulting. Upon his graduation in June, Daniil plans to continue his search for intellectual challenge by joining a consulting firm as an analyst. With accounting and finance being some of his major interests, he also plans to sit for his CPA exams. After three or for years of professional experience, Daniil plans to pursue an MBA, in order to further develop his analytical and leadership skills.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: This scholarship has helped me immensely by alleviating the need to borrow funds to pay for school. Graduating debt-free will allow me to use more of my future disposable income to support my family and save for graduate education, rather than repaying student loans. It is particularly important to me during my senior year, since I can work less and channel more time to academic endeavors and extracurricular activities. By helping me achieve my goals, this scholarship brings closer the moment when I in turn will be able to do my part in helping future UCLA student to follow their dreams.

Matthew Crosby

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2005 The Gumbiner Savett Inc. Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Matt is a fourth year student, majoring in Business Economics and Political Science with a minor in Accounting. Over the past three years, Matt has been active in the Office of Residential Life, serving as a Resident Assistant in Canyon Point for the past two years. Furthermore, Matt has helped run Beta Alpha Psi as the Vice President of Compliance for the past two years, and is the Offsite Coordinator for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. Matt is also a member of the Student Accounting Society and the Regents’ Scholars Society, and was formerly a Tutor Supervisor at Athletic Tutorials. In his spare time, Matt enjoys playing basketball, tennis, and billiards, as well as reading about current events and investing.

Future Plans: This past summer, Matt worked as a Tax Intern in Deloitte and Touche’s Orange County office. He will be working at Deloitte after graduation in Lead Tax Services, and also plans on earning a Masters in Business Taxation to further his future career in tax. In addition, Matt plans on sitting for the CPA exam this summer, and would like to earn a Certified Financial Planner license. In the distant future, Matt would like to pursue a law or business degree or both in order to diversify his experiences in the ever changing, exciting world of business.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am truly grateful and honored to receive the Gumbiner, Savett Scholarship, both as means to pay for my educational and living expenses and as recognition of my collegiate achievements. This scholarship is helping me to reach my goal of paying my way through college, while allowing me to spend more time focusing on my studies. Moreover, I deeply appreciate the recognition of Gumbiner Savett Inc. as a leading, local accounting firm with strong roots in the UCLA community. The Gumbiner, Savett Scholarship represents to me the generosity of the UCLA alumni, and inspires me to give back likewise.