Every academic year, the college recognizes 21 outstanding graduating seniors. These students demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership, service, professional development, and campus involvement.

Here’s what makes the 2026 honorees stand out:

Maria Aguilar-Mateo
Hampton, IA

Born and raised in rural Hampton, IA, Aguilar-Mateo arrived at college as a first-generation student navigating unfamiliar territory. Rather than shy away from discomfort, she embraced it—studying abroad in Singapore, seeking out leadership opportunities, and exploring career paths. This 2026 First-Generation Student Achievement Award winner is pursuing a career as a human resources coordinator in Des Moines.

Ryan Blazevich
Woodridge, IL

A double major in accounting and finance, Blazevich paired academic excellence with extensive leadership involvement at Tippie, serving as president of Beta Alpha Psi and helping fellow students as a peer mentor and tax volunteer. His experiences with Motorola Solutions, KPMG, and numerous campus organizations prepared him for a career in public accounting with Deloitte.

Claire Britt
West Union, IA

Combining studies in management, business analytics, and aerospace, Britt forged a unique path blending business leadership with military service. Through her mentorship, teaching, and leadership roles at Tippie and within Air Force ROTC, she has demonstrated a commitment to developing others while preparing to serve as an Air Force officer after graduation.

Kendall Deutmeyer
Eldridge, IA

As a talent buyer for SCOPE Productions, managing usher at Hancher Auditorium, and musician in Iowa City's jazz scene, Deutmeyer helped create spaces where people connect through music. At Tippie, she discovered a passion for economics, sustainability, and community building. Following graduation, she is pursuing master's degree in urban resilience and sustainability at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Alexis Elwood
Evergreen Park, IL

Elwood spent much of her time at Tippie ensuring her fellow students had their voices heard, from founding the Tippie Student Body Town Hall to leading the college’s student government. Off campus, Alexis applied her business analytics expertise to support multimillion-dollar real estate development projects, streamline operations through automation, and compete on the national stage in an Apple-sponsored case competition.

Richelle Fenteng
Rahway, NJ

Fenteng combined studies in finance, accounting, international business, and international relations for an interdisciplinary path at the University of Iowa. From studying abroad in Florence, Italy, and London, England, to competing in national case competitions and earning recognition through the Girls Who Invest program, she has built a global perspective and business foundation she hopes to bring to a career in corporate law.

Tyree Gardner
Waterloo, IA

After transferring to the University of Iowa as a sophomore to pursue a degree in finance, Gardner wasted no time immersing himself in the Tippie experience. His journey took him from case competitions in Arizona and Montreal, where he helped bring home a first-place finish, to a commercial banking internship that launched his career with U.S. Bank.

Mya Kemna
Algona, IA

A triple major in human resource management, marketing, and creative writing, Kemna spent her time at the university publishing work while helping others find their voice—whether as a Frank Business Communication Center tutor or Tippie Thrive trainer. She believes storytelling and communication are essential business skills, even in an AI-driven world. After graduation, she joined Cottingham & Butler in Des Moines while continuing to write poetry, essays, and creative nonfiction.

Jake Ryan Kenevan
Chicago, IL

Kenevan has come full circle at Tippie, evolving from a Gateway Summer Program participant to a mentor and engagement coordinator helping other students navigate their college journeys. Along the way, he has paired academic excellence with global learning experiences, national case competitions, and competitive finance internships.

Andrea Koehler
Bettendorf, IA

Koehler left her mark on Tippie through her extraordinary commitment to supporting fellow students, serving as a mentor, teaching assistant, advocate, and student leader across the college. Alongside her academic success as an accounting major graduating with highest distinction, she has embraced opportunities ranging from studying abroad in Italy to gaining professional experience in public accounting.

Raksha Kumar
Bettendorf, IA

A marketing and business analytics major with a minor in psychology, Kumar's Tippie experience spanned data, strategy, and human behavior. As a student leader, researcher, and marketing professional, her curiosity about how people make decisions led her to pursue opportunities in behavioral research, data-driven problem solving, and strategic marketing.

Rin McDonald
Davenport, IA

McDonald turned her interest in human resources into hands-on experience both on and off campus. From coordinating hiring and onboarding as a CAMBUS staffing supervisor to supporting manufacturing and corporate teams during internships at John Deere, she built a strong foundation in people management while complementing her studies with global business experience in Australia.

Euan Mugisha
West Des Moines, IA

Born in Uganda and raised in West Des Moines, Mugisha balanced two majors, a music minor, a certificate, performances with Old Gold A Cappella, and a job at The Stuffed Olive in downtown Iowa City. His summer internship with Centerview Partners, a New York-based investment bank, led to a full-time role as an investment banking analyst.

Michael Murnin
St. Louis, MO

Murnin helped transform Tippie Senate’s community engagement efforts, launching the college’s first Tippie Impact Week. As part of the Tippie Consulting Club, he also helped organize Iowa’s first consulting-focused career fair. The self-described introvert challenged himself through leadership roles, public facing jobs, and service initiatives. After graduation, he launched a strategy consulting career with EY Parthenon in Chicago.

Jasmin Ramos-Carrera
Tama, IA

A first-generation college student, Ramos-Carrea made the most of every opportunity at Tippie, combining academic excellence with leadership, mentorship, and professional achievement. From tutoring accounting students and mentoring peers through BizEdge to earning three tax internships with Deloitte, the three-time honors student built a reputation for hard work, service, and a commitment to helping others succeed.

Paige Reynolds
South Pasadena, CA

Whether welcoming prospective students to Tippie, helping plan the college's inaugural career fair, or representing student perspectives on the $65 million expansion of the business campus, Reynolds looked to make a lasting impact on the college community. Her work as a management researcher, combined with leadership experiences on campus and abroad, has inspired plans to pursue a career in HR analytics and management consulting.

Heidi Schoenberg
Ankeny, IA

When Schoenberg saw a need to expand the consulting opportunities available at Tippie, she helped build them herself. As co-founder and president of the Tippie Consulting Club, she grew the organization from an idea into a campus resource that connects students with employers, hosts major events, and prepares teams for national case competitions. After graduation, she will join McKinsey & Company in Philadelphia as a business analyst.

Advika Shah
Iowa City, IA

Shah combined academic excellence with a talent for leadership, helping launch the Tippie Consulting Club while representing the college in case competitions across the country. A decorated competitor and student leader, she was also selected to serve as a speaker at the Tippie College of Business's Spring 2026 commencement ceremonies.

Nitan Tantawichian
Bangkok, Thailand

Tantawichian paired her studies in business analytics and finance with hands-on experience turning data into actionable insights. From improving inventory forecasting at Winnebago to developing machine-learning models for customer segmentation at eFavormart and conducting research for the Krause Fund, she has explored the many ways analytics can drive business decisions.

Sumika Thapa
Bettendorf, IA

Thapa combined her love of analytical rigor and investment in the success of others throughout her Tippie career. From winning the Tippie Sustainability Case Competition and consulting through the Marketing Institute to mentoring students and coordinating service projects, she has consistently paired achievements with action.

Peyton Weber
Dubuque, IA