2010 Four Pillars Awards

6/8/2010 - From creating a strategy to attract more endowments to the Kellogg School to raising more than $25,000 for local and global charities, four students have helped make the Kellogg experience that much greater for their peers, faculty and the administration.

Graduating students Jennifer Beall, Tushar Jaruhar, Lauren Passero and Varsay Sirleaf were honored June 5 with the second annual Four Pillars Awards for their exemplary work in the areas of experiential learning, global perspective, intellectual depth and leadership and social responsibility.
 
Created jointly by the Business Leadership Club, the Kellogg Student Association and the Kellogg administration, the Four Pillars Awards recognize students who embody the principles that define a Kellogg education. More than 90 were nominated for these awards; the winners were chosen by a selection committee composed of faculty, students, alumni and administrators.

Experiential Learning

The Experiential Learning Award recognizes students who excel in Kellogg’s experiential learning opportunities (classes or non-curricular leadership positions) by routinely putting into practice academic insights to deal with practical strategic, operational or organizational challenges.

Jennifer Beall ’10 has looked continually for ways to create a legacy of experiential learning opportunities in her years at Kellogg. She is a Levy Entrepreneur Associate, has helped to enhance the Kellogg Entrepreneurship Internship Program and created a business called GreekSpeak, offering life-skills workshops and talks at undergraduate sororities.

In addition, Beall has supported experiential learning at Kellogg by co-founding the Northwestern Entrepreneurial Organization and the Kellogg Startup Lab and participating in several case competitions. In the classroom, Beall has furthered her understanding of entrepreneurship in courses such as Venture Lab, Entrepreneurship & New Venture Formulation and GIM India.

“Jennifer has created a lasting legacy in the programming she has created and in the passion and inspiration she has instilled in students, faculty and alumni who can see the potential Kellogg has in providing these learning experiences,” a nominator wrote. “Her motivation and passion are contagious.”

Global Perspective

The Global Perspective Award recognizes students who employ a well-rounded, comprehensive perspective when considering international business issues and the global economic and social impact of their actions. These students possess a special ability to work in transnational collaborative contexts.

Varsay Sirleaf ’10 has applied his global experience and leadership skills to enhance the international perspectives of his peers.

President of the Emerging Markets Club and a member of the Black Management Association’s Executive Board, Sirleaf has created many events that helped his peers learn more about the world. These include a workshop that allows students to network and learn about careers and opportunities in emerging markets and a seminar on the student exchange program experience.

“Varsay is a student who leverages his understanding of the global economy to solve problems under various global constraints and consequently, enhance his classmates’ sensitivity to cultural and ethical differences,” a nominator wrote. “His programming promoted open dialogue among students interested in developing and transitional economies and helped provide education and career opportunities related to those economies.”

Intellectual Depth

The Intellectual Depth Award recognizes students who exemplify thought leadership through superior critical thinking. They demonstrate the ability to impose an analytical structure on complex, ambiguous business problems.

Tushar Jaruhar ’10 has applied his critical thinking skills and thought leadership to better the Kellogg School. Nominators spoke of Jaruhar’s commitment to education and the Kellogg School as a recipient of the Zell Scholarship Honorable Mention Award; his work with Kellogg Alumni Relations to develop a strategy to attract infrastructure endowments; and his market research through the Global Initiatives in Management program to launch a new drug in China.

In the classroom, Jaruhar is a tutor and teacher’s assistant for first-year students in finance, accounting and microeconomics and has been generous with his time in teaching complex concepts to his peers. His research on risk management “will enable Kellogg to provide cutting-edge thinking to risk managers in the future in both academia and the real world,” a nominator wrote.

“Tushar provides an intellectual benchmark for students at Kellogg,” nominators added. “Distinct from his peers, he has always provided thought-provoking commentary during class that actually adds value and has respectfully challenged professors during case discussions.”

Leadership and Social Responsibility

The Leadership and Social Responsibility Award recognizes students who best inspire, build trust and help teams develop and grow while maintaining strong values of social stewardship. These students serve in leadership capacities within the Kellogg School and beyond.

Nominators talked highly of Lauren Passero’s passion and dedication to all the projects with which she has been involved. Passero ’10 has led various Kellogg activities in her two years, from serving as KSA vice president of academics to leading the annual Charity Auction Ball. In addition, Passero served as co-chair of Day at Kellogg when she was a first-year student, and was the marketing co-chair for the Women’s Leadership Workshop.

Her accomplishments include raising more than $25,000 for local and global charities through the Charity Auction Ball and initiating the Faculty Impact Awards as a KSA leader.

Passero is “the consummate leader and lives and exemplifies leadership in every facet of her life,” a nominator wrote.

“She is distinctive from her peers in terms of the sheer time commitment she gives to the school and its constituents,” nominators added. “The impact she has made on the curriculum and student body will live on at Kellogg for years to come.”