Business Fellows
Business Fellows Lance Entsuah, BA '24, and Paola Alcantara Arias, BBA '23.
The Business Fellows program provides underrepresented students from a variety of backgrounds with wrap-around support to achieve professional and personal success. By fostering career connections, community and leadership development, Business Fellows empowers future business leaders to solve problems that matter. Business Fellows advances a culture of inclusion and belonging within Lindner and at the University of Cincinnati as a whole.
Created in 2011 to support students of color through mentorship and professional development opportunities, Business Fellows has grown in scale and impact over the years.
About the Program
Incoming first-year students can opt-in to the Business Fellows program when they confirm their admission to the University of Cincinnati. From there, the opportunities to grow and connect are endless.
Business Fellows find community, support and opportunities for leadership and growth in the program.
- Participation in fall semester transition class
- Mentorship opportunities
- Access to scholarships
- Programming and workshops with the Warren Bennis Leadership Institute
- Engagement with corporate partners and employers
- Ability to travel with a study away experience
- Community service opportunities
Azaria Blair gives the toast and joins audience members in raising a glass to her fellow graduates.
Before graduation, senior Business Fellows are honored at a special annual event called The Toast. This event represents the finale of the Business Fellows student experience. The graduates begin their next chapter joining a legacy of notable and inspiring alumni, who often continue to give back and help future Fellows.
Pride of Business Fellows
Business Fellows aren’t just engaged in the classroom, but tend to take on active leadership roles across campus. Examples include:
Business Fellows Chandler Rankin (left) and Kameron Marshall were also part of the Darwin T. Turner scholarship program.
- Co-ops at leading companies.
- Lindner Business Honors.
- Homecoming court.
- University Student Government.
- Darwin T. Turner Scholars.
- African American Resource Center (AACRC) Transitions.
- Case competitions.
- Student Orientation Leaders.
From left: Elizabeth Piper, Holly Giese, Dominique Jones and My Dinh at an IU Kelley School of Business National Diversity Case Competition.
Business Fellow Miles Spearman on co-op with NBC Universal.
Alejandro Diaz, BBA ‘22
Alejandro Diaz
Experience: Co-Op, Transfer Student
"My experience at Gensuite LLC represents my first off-campus professional experience in the US. As an international student, what made me choose UC was its top-ranked co-op program and the incredible amount of resources Lindner has to offer through career services and coaching. At Gensuite, I currently work as a Customer Relationship Management Intern, where I collaborate with Gensuite team members and customers to support pilots, renewals, and launches for EHS compliance software. The company has been fantastic in offering a rich internship experience. Regardless of it being virtual due to the pandemic, I have been involved in several new subscriber launches and projects with teammates all over the world. Moving forward, I was offered a second rotation in the corporate finance and growth side of the business which lines up more with my interests. This speaks a lot about a company that is willing to be flexible and help its interns find their passion through real professional experiences and heavy involvement."
John Thomas, BBA '21
John Thomas
Experience: Lindner Business Honors, Darwin T. Turner Scholar, Co-Op
Business Fellows is my family within the Lindner College of Business. Through Business Fellows, I met Richard E. Thornburgh ’74, the UC Alumni Association’s 2016 honoree for the William Howard Taft Medal for Notable Achievement. He asked me about my interests, and I shared my passion for gaming. He connected me with his nephew, who connected me with his former colleagues from Electronic Arts (EA) in San Francisco. From there, I applied for a summer co-op position and, before I knew it, was on a flight out to the Bay Area. None of that would have happened without Business Fellows.
Contact Us
Brienne Blair
Assistant Director, Office of Inclusive Excellence