Press Release

Eller College of Management selects inaugural McCord Scholars

Five undergraduate students are recipients of $10,000 business school scholarships for Arizona residents

TUCSON, Ariz. – OCTOBER 19, 2006 – Seeking to support Arizona undergraduate business students who excel in academic ability, business acumen, and leadership skills, the McCord Scholars program was established by Phoenix residents Robert and Sharon McCord in May 2006. The Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona has selected its inaugural recipients of the McCord Scholar distinction.

Five undergraduate students will be recognized as the first recipients of McCord scholarships at the “Salute to Excellence” honors convocation on Friday, October 20, at The University of Arizona’s McClelland Hall. Eller College students Daniel Sands (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Sasha Meschkow (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Stephanie White (Tempe, Ariz.), Matthew Baum (Tucson, Ariz.), and Amrietha Nellan (Tempe, Ariz.) will each receive a $10,000 scholarship.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be awarded the McCord scholarship,” said Sands, who will be the first recipient to use his scholarship in the spring and fall 2007 semesters. (The other four students will use their scholarships in fall 2007 and spring 2008.) “Business is certainly the path that will allow me to make a difference. The scholarship enables me to pursue a rigorous business curriculum focused on the world economy which I believe is important due to globalization.”

“We are extremely proud of these outstanding business students and grateful to the McCord family for its generosity,” said Paul Portney, dean of the College. “Dan, Sasha, Stephanie, Matthew, and Amrietha are the best of the best among business undergraduates. The scholarships will enable them to take full advantage of an excellent Eller College education and make significant contributions to the business community upon graduation.”

Clearly understanding the competition that business schools face nationally in attracting the most promising students, Robert and Sharon McCord established the scholarships for business students at Arizona’s three state universities. “Education is critical to maintaining competition in the international marketplace. This program will help us compete and will assist in attracting the best students in Arizona,” donor Robert McCord commented.

The Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona will receive $3 million over four years to endow the McCord Scholars program. The endowment will be used to award scholarships to at least twelve students per year in perpetuity. Students receiving the award must meet the following criteria: be admitted to upper division standing through the rigorous Eller College professional admissions process; be a member of the Eller Honors Program; pursue a minimum of 12 hours of grade-level work per semester while making regular progress toward a four-year undergraduate degree; demonstrate leadership ability and involvement in student and professional organizations; earn a minimum of 3.6 cumulative grade point average; and be an Arizona resident.

Student Biographies

Daniel Sands will enter the Eller College professional program in spring 2007, majoring in accounting and business economics. He has worked for the Chicago Board of Trade as a runner and clerk, Southwest Resources, Inc., as a financial auditor, Pima Community College as a tutor, the Economics Department at the UA doing research and compiling data, NASA Space Grant doing data analysis, and as a private math tutor. He is a member of the U.S. Army Ranger Team through ROTC and participates on the Ranger Challenge Traveling Team.

Matthew Baum will enter the Eller College professional program in fall 2007 and plans to major in Accounting or Finance. He has worked as a salesperson at Baum’s Sporting Goods, and is an active member of Eller Scholars and Habitat for Humanity, where he has helped to build homes in Tucson, and Nogales, Mexico. Matthew’s other community volunteer participation includes Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Planet Drum, where he helped with town reforestation in Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador. He has also participated in the Eller College of Management’s New York Study Tour where he met business leaders.

Sasha Meschkow will enter the Eller College professional program in fall 2007 as an accounting major. She has worked with the Arizona Department of Liquor License and Control as an intern, Nordstrom, Inc., as a sales associate, and Meschkow and Gresham as an administrative assistant. Her volunteer activities include overseeing staff selection for Persona literary magazine, serving as Mock Trial vice-chair for Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, redesigning the website for Students Consulting for Non-Profit Organizations, and Up-Late coordinator for the University Activities Board.

Stephanie White will enter the Eller College professional program in fall 2007, majoring in marketing. She has worked in Residence Life (The University of Arizona) as a Resident Assistant and Desk Assistant, the City of Tempe as pool manager and head lifeguard, and the Pregnancy Crisis Center as a clerk. She served as president of Sophos Honorary, scholarship chair for Optimus Honorary, historian and wing representative for Hall Council, and a representative in Eller Scholars and the Freshman Class Council.

Amrietha Nellan will enter the Eller College professional program in fall 2007 as a Business Economics major. She has served as secretary for the Multicultural Business Student Association and Mock Trial at The University of Arizona. In addition, she volunteered in Malaysia for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Kuala Lampur. She is a selected member on The University of Arizona Honors Civic Engagement Team and an intern for Partner’s for Peace Initiative in Sulaimani, Iraq. Nellan serves as a representative on the Eller Student Council.

The Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona is internationally recognized for pioneering research, innovative curriculum, distinguished faculty, excellence in entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. U.S.News & World Report ranks the Eller undergraduate program #12 among public business schools and five of its departments are among the top 25 — Entrepreneurship, MIS, Marketing, Management and Organizations, and Accounting. The MPA program in the School of Public Administration and Policy ranks in the top 50. Financial Times ranks the Eller MBA full-time program #27 in the U.S. and #57 in the world, and Forbes ranks the program among the top 50 nationwide. The College leads the nation’s business schools in generating grant funds for research. In addition to a full-time MBA program, the Eller College offers an evening MBA program, and the Eller Executive MBA. The Eller College of Management supports more than 5,100 undergraduate and 600 graduate students on the UA campus in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

Press Contact:
Liz Warren-Pederson, Eller College of Management
520.626.9547, news@eller.arizona.edu