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Senior of the Year champions kindness

Katarina Benson — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:36:17 +0000

Senior of the Year champions kindness Katarina Benson Tue, 05/13/2025 - 14:36

Senior of the Year Haley White said double majoring in business and art history was one of the best decisions she made during her time at George Mason 麻豆国产. Her second best decision was joining the Mason Chooses Kindness initiative.聽

White, who is from Lynchburg, Virginia, has been a driving force behind Mason Chooses Kindness since 2023. 鈥淭he idea behind the initiative really spoke to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was raised to be polite, give back, and be kind, and I feel like we can always benefit from more kindness to ourselves and others. It鈥檚 not always about giving a compliment or holding a door鈥攖hough those things are great, sometimes it鈥檚 about doing hard things, and Mason Chooses Kindness really seemed to understand this.鈥澛�聽

Haley White. Photo provided.

For her dedication to kindness in both her personal and professional life, White was named Senior of the Year by the George Mason 麻豆国产 Alumni Association. She will be recognized at the association鈥檚 annual Celebration of Distinction this fall.聽聽

During her four years at George Mason, White has been very active with the Costello College of Business, where she works as a business engagement assistant. She was one of the main contributors and design lead on Costello's 47-page handbook on implementing well-being projects and co-authored an article on Costello鈥檚 introduction of kindness into their course curriculum.聽

鈥淲e do not know what we will do without her [when she graduates],鈥� said Gretchen Hendricks, term instructor at Costello. 鈥淗aley has been an instrumental part of the 鈥榞oodwill team鈥� within the Costello College of Business.鈥澛�聽

In November 2024, White led 75 students, faculty, staff, and alumni volunteers and helped organize the largest Day of Service event in Costello鈥檚 history, resulting in 3,000 lbs. of food packed to support the Patriot Pantry.聽聽

鈥淗aley embodies the best of George Mason students,鈥� said Christine Landoll, BS Accounting 鈥�89, MS Taxation 鈥�92, director of business engagement at Costello and White鈥檚 mentor. 鈥淪he is strong academically, strong civically, strong philanthropically, and a kind and compassionate human.鈥澛犅�聽

White said she fell in love with art history when she enrolled in ARTH 101 Introduction to Visual Arts to meet a Mason Core requirement. First, she added art history to her coursework as a minor and then realized she needed to just add it as a second major.聽

Looking forward to where the road after graduation takes her, White said she hopes to travel more and 鈥渂e happy with what I am doing. I have a lot more to learn, and I hope in 10 years I can look back and be proud of myself for all it took to get me there.鈥�聽

And of course, kindness will be a part of that future. 鈥淚 have become more intentional and more aware of what kindness looks like, and it is something that I am going to take into my future work and continue being an 鈥榓mbassador鈥� for in my personal life,鈥� she said.聽聽

Being kind to oneself is a core piece of White鈥檚 advice for incoming freshmen.聽

鈥淚t can be easy to beat yourself up when you get a question wrong or feel like you are behind others or not doing 鈥榚nough,鈥欌€� she said. 鈥淵ou don't have to be perfect every day or even do as much as you did yesterday鈥攆ocus on being kind to yourself, doing the best you can each day, and even if you are afraid, reach out for help when you need it. Extending yourself kindness every day is a worthwhile practice.鈥�聽

In This Story

Christine Landoll

Learn about Mason Chooses Kindness

Why it doesn鈥檛鈥攁nd shouldn鈥檛鈥攁lways pay to be a super-successful CEO

Jennifer Anzaldi — Wed, 07 May 2025 12:46:40 +0000

Why it doesn鈥檛鈥攁nd shouldn鈥檛鈥攁lways pay to be a super-successful CEO Jennifer Anzaldi Wed, 05/07/2025 - 08:46

In This Story

JK Aier

Are corporate boards acting as stabilizing forces for their firms, or enablers of extreme greed? That鈥檚 one of the questions implied by current debates about so-called 鈥渞unaway CEO pay.鈥� It鈥檚 not entirely clear how the CEO incentives set by the board can be squared with its fiduciary duty to safeguard long-term shareholder value. That鈥檚 largely due to the mystery surrounding how CEO compensation is determined in the first place.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a black box,鈥� says JK Aier, senior associate dean for academic affairs and global engagement and associate professor of accounting at the Donald G. Costello College of Business at George Mason 麻豆国产. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know why boards give bonuses, why CEOs get a raise鈥攊n other words, what goes on behind the scenes.鈥�

JK Aier

Aier鈥檚 academic paper, forthcoming in Accounting and Business Research, circumvents this problem by focusing on cases posing stark contrasts between short- and long-term value. (Jian Cao of Florida Atlantic 麻豆国产, Zhanel DeVides of Penn State Abington and Ki Kyung Song of West Chester 麻豆国产 co-authored.) When a company reports increased earnings year after year, a short-sighted board would raise CEO compensation in line with that performance, incentivizing the CEO to keep up the good work. To cooler heads, however, such a long 鈥渆arnings string鈥� would raise red flags, prompting a more cautious stance toward compensation.

鈥淐ontinuous growth or expectations of continuous growth create adverse incentives and challenges because it鈥檚 not possible, given how business cycles work,鈥� says Aier. 鈥淚t may create undue pressure on CEOs to maintain growth somehow if it is strongly tied to compensation.鈥� A strict pay-for-performance approach could induce CEOs to take risks that endanger long-term firm value, such as engaging in managerial manipulation. But how religiously do boards adhere to pay-for-performance?

The researchers examined earnings patterns and CEO compensation for thousands of firms during the period 1999-2018 (11,197 firm-year observations in all). About two-thirds of the firm-years saw an increase in earnings; of those, fewer than 20 percent were in their sixth year or later in an unbroken earnings string.聽

Across the sample, CEO compensation over time was responsive to earnings patterns. For the first few years of the string, boards lavished their outperforming CEOs with expanding pay packets. But rewards tapered off in subsequent years, indicating that boards may be aware of the risks of over-incentivizing long patterns of increased earnings.

A similar relationship existed for firms with negative earnings strings. After sharply reducing compensation in the first two years of losses, boards stopped penalizing struggling CEOs and kept compensation fairly flat.

鈥淚f a company continues to have losses, will directors keep penalizing the CEO? If they do, no one will want to work for that company,鈥� Aier says. 鈥淚nstead, giving CEOs a runway during a string of continuous losses provides them the opportunity to turn things around.鈥�

The researchers also looked at the probability of CEO turnover as it related to earnings patterns. Surprisingly, CEOs who presided over uncommonly long upward strings faced increased odds of turnover, which Aier attributes in part to board suspicions. 鈥淥n the profit side, there seems to be a loss of trust that this is even possible,鈥� he says. 鈥淏oards are willing to look at changing the CEO because they believe these strings may be unsustainable. In other words, something smells fishy to them.鈥�

The opposite dynamic held true for poorly performing firms. CEO turnover risk declined over the longer downward strings, presumably reflecting broader concerns about retaining talent during prolonged periods of financial difficulty.

In sum, board compensation committees seem highly attentive to earnings patterns, monitoring them for long-term risks and adjusting CEO pay packets accordingly. This cuts against the idea that directors may be complicit in a CEO money grab that imperils firms鈥� long-term standing.

Moreover, the researchers found that the above-mentioned relationship between earnings patterns and CEO compensation was much stronger for firms experiencing lower competition and higher earnings persistence. This suggests that where market discipline is lacking, directors will pay even closer attention to earnings strings in order to keep CEOs honest.

鈥溌槎构� research suggests that boards pay attention to their monitoring role,鈥� Aier concludes. 鈥淏oards are proactive; they care not only about whether the company is doing well, but also how performance is achieved.鈥�

Hedging long-term risks by changing CEO compensation is one way directors can prevent misaligned incentives from forming. 鈥淭he board鈥檚 role goes beyond making sure things go smoothly. It is also looking into the future in terms of what鈥檚 needed for the company and its stakeholders, and making sure the operations and the management of the company are also looking at performance from that perspective,鈥� Aier says.

Topics

Costello College of Business Faculty Research

Accounting Faculty Research

Research

Costello College of Business Announces Spring 2025 Degree Celebration Speakers

Jennifer Anzaldi — Tue, 06 May 2025 21:34:57 +0000

Costello College of Business Announces Spring 2025 Degree Celebration Speakers Jennifer Anzaldi Tue, 05/06/2025 - 17:34

The Costello College of Business at George Mason 麻豆国产 will be holding its Spring 2025 Degree Celebration on Friday evening, May 16, 2025. This year鈥檚 degree celebration will include remarks from the President and CEO of NABA Inc., Guylaine Saint Juste, BA International Relations 鈥�94.

Guylaine Saint Juste, BA International Relations 鈥�94

NABA Inc. is the premier organization dedicated to advancing professionals in accounting, finance, business, and entrepreneurship. With a dynamic network of more than 25,000 members, NABA champions the development of exceptional talent, drives innovation across industries, and cultivates a culture of excellence. Through education, access to opportunity, and strategic career connections, NABA empowers its members to lead boldly today while inspiring the next generation of leaders. The NABA-George Mason chapter holds a high interest in students who possess a strong sense of civic responsibility, a desire for excellence both inside and outside of the classroom, as well as those who are interested in promoting opportunities for all in the fields of accounting, finance, and other business-related professions.

Guylaine Saint Juste is a globally recognized transformational leader who delivers measurable impact by reimagining systems, expanding opportunity, and catalyzing growth. As President and CEO of NABA, Inc., she has led a bold transformation of the organization鈥攎odernizing its infrastructure, embracing digital innovation, and embedding strategic focus throughout its operations. Under her leadership, NABA has experienced explosive growth, expanding its membership fivefold鈥攆rom 5,000 to over 25,000鈥攁nd increasing annual revenue from $4 million to $18 million. Today, NABA is recognized as a high-performing, mission-driven organization with a national footprint and growing influence across sectors.

Guylaine has been recognized as one of Accounting Today鈥檚 Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for four consecutive years. She has also been named one of the Most Powerful Women in Accounting by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor for three consecutive years, including 2024鈥攁 testament to her far-reaching impact. With over two decades of experience driving organizational growth and fostering equity, Guylaine鈥檚 career reflects her unwavering commitment to closing opportunity gaps and building inclusive systems that create lasting change.

Before joining NABA, Guylaine served as Executive Director of the National Capital Region for Year Up, where she connected more than 2,000 young adults with life-changing career opportunities. Her earlier career includes a successful tenure as Virginia Market Executive and Senior Vice President at Capital One, where she led market expansion and oversaw a $1.1 billion deposit base.

During her degree celebration address, Ms. Juste will speak to undergraduate and graduate degree recipients on their responsibility to lead in a complicated world鈥攁nd how AI, Generative AI, and Agent AI tools will help them to focus on strategy, innovation, and human connections. And, as a George Mason alumna, her remarks on the importance of human connections in leadership are also expected to echo her alma mater鈥檚 definition of kindness: 鈥渋ntentionally engage in positive action that is friendly, caring, and compassionate towards self and others.鈥�

Following Ms. Saint Juste鈥檚 remarks, Sarah Oulton, BS Criminology, Law and Society 鈥�21, MS Accounting, Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting 鈥�25, will deliver the graduating student address.聽

Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter President Kevin Connor, MBA 鈥�22, will deliver the alumni address prior to the recognition of graduating students.聽

The Spring 2025 Business Degree Celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. in EagleBank Area on the Fairfax campus of George Mason 麻豆国产. Tickets are required for each guest over the age of two years. Visit the George Mason 麻豆国产 Degree Celebrations website for more information.

Topics

Alumni

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS

From public health to the boardroom: Dean Melissa Perry鈥檚 MBA journey reflects the future of higher education

Greg Johnson — Mon, 05 May 2025 18:41:18 +0000

From public health to the boardroom: Dean Melissa Perry鈥檚 MBA journey reflects the future of higher education Greg Johnson Mon, 05/05/2025 - 14:41

In This Story

Melissa Perry, ScD, MHS, Dean of George Mason 麻豆国产鈥檚 College of Public Health, will graduate this spring with her Costello MBA鈥攈er third graduate degree, earned while serving as a full-time dean, raising two children, and leading one of the largest and fastest-growing public health programs in the region.

Dean Melissa Perry

On its face, it鈥檚 a personal milestone鈥攁 story of resilience, grit, and lifelong learning. But it鈥檚 also something more: a symbol of the evolving nature of higher education leadership and the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration in a complex and rapidly changing world.聽

At 54, with decades of academic leadership under her belt, Perry didn鈥檛 need another degree. But she wanted one. Specifically, she wanted the tools to amplify the mission of public health through a deeper understanding of business strategy, finance, and systems thinking. And she wanted to walk in the shoes of her students鈥攖o experience the intensity, vulnerability, and growth that comes with sitting on the other side of the classroom.聽

鈥淚 pursued an MBA not because I was preparing to leave public health,鈥� Perry said, 鈥渂ut because I wanted to lead it better.鈥�

A Student by Night, a Dean by Day

Perry began her MBA in 2019 at George Washington 麻豆国产, taking synchronous online courses while working full time as a department chair. The demands of remote learning were immediate and intense. Asynchronous coursework鈥攚here material is delivered without live instruction鈥攑roved especially challenging.

鈥淚 discovered quickly that I learn best through discussion and connection,鈥� she said. 鈥淎synchronous formats made it harder to stay engaged, and with everything else I was juggling, I knew I needed a structure that mirrored a traditional classroom experience.鈥�

When Perry transferred into George Mason鈥檚 MBA program in the Costello College of Business, she opted for in-person courses whenever possible. She found herself immersed in lively evening classes that offered the structure, energy, and peer interaction she craved鈥攁fter full days spent leading faculty meetings, mentoring students, and managing the complex operations of a growing college.

Her children were just 7 and 12 when she began the program. And while her days stretched from early morning to late night, she credits her husband鈥檚 steadfast support with helping her stay focused and grounded. 鈥淗e was my rock,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e kept everything running smoothly at home and made sure I had the space and encouragement to keep going.鈥�

The tech demands were also no small feat. Leading a college through pandemic-era digital transformations while simultaneously keeping up with group chats, shared documents, Zoom sessions, and collaborative MBA tools made multitasking a full-time art form. 鈥淚 was toggling between college-wide dashboards and team Slack messages,鈥� Perry recalled. 鈥淭here were moments I wondered how many tabs one person could have open at once.鈥�

But through it all, she stayed present鈥攁nd determined.

Training the Next Generation of Public Health Leaders

While navigating her Costello MBA, Perry brought to the classroom more than just executive experience鈥攕he brought the insight of someone who has trained thousands of students over the course of a 35-year career. As a professor, mentor, and principal investigator, she has led a successful public health laboratory that has served as a training ground for cadres of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students.

Her passion for mentorship and education has been central to her career. From the laboratory bench to the lecture hall to the boardroom, Perry has devoted her professional life to building up others, equipping them with the skills and confidence to lead in the public health field.

鈥淲atching students evolve into independent thinkers and leaders has always been the most rewarding part of my work,鈥� she said. 鈥淭aking on the role of student again reminded me just how transformative that experience can be.鈥�

Blending Mission and Metrics

A scientist by training鈥攚ith a Doctor of Science and Master of Health Science from Johns Hopkins鈥擯erry has long been grounded in data, rigor, and public service. But as she stepped into broader leadership roles, she saw firsthand the gaps that emerge when great ideas meet operational realities.

鈥淧ublic health professionals are exceptional at solving complex problems,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we need fluency in the language of business to scale those solutions鈥攚hether we鈥檙e running health departments, nonprofits, academic institutions, or startups.鈥�

Her MBA program provided the missing pieces: advanced financial modeling, strategic planning, operational systems, marketing frameworks. It wasn鈥檛 about abandoning her mission鈥攊t was about making it sustainable. It also pushed her to think differently about impact.

鈥淚n business school, you learn how to think in terms of value creation,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n public health, we think in terms of lives improved. When you combine those perspectives, you unlock entirely new ways of approaching social good.鈥�

Forging Cross-College Collaboration at George Mason

Perry brought that mindset with her to George Mason 麻豆国产 when she was named the inaugural dean of the College of Public Health. Almost immediately, she began building bridges鈥攏ot just between faculty and students, but across disciplines and colleges.

One of her earliest initiatives was to host the leadership team from George Mason鈥檚 Costello College of Business. She invited them into public health classrooms and simulation labs, not just to showcase what the College of Public Health was building, but to spark conversations about shared purpose, complementary strengths, and collaborative potential.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no real daylight between our missions,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淭he business of health鈥攚orkforce, sustainability, innovation鈥攔equires both of us at the table.鈥�

That cross-college partnership is emblematic of Perry鈥檚 approach to leadership: not siloed, but integrated; not transactional, but transformational. As she often notes, the great challenges of our time鈥攎ental health, health equity, workforce development, aging populations鈥攄emand new models of education and action that cross traditional academic boundaries.

The Full Circle Moment

In a meaningful twist, Perry鈥檚 MBA will be conferred by the dean of the Costello College of Business, Ajay Vinz茅鈥攈er colleague, collaborator, and friend. It鈥檚 more than ceremonial. It鈥檚 a symbol of the university鈥檚 vision for a more collaborative future and a celebration of the value that comes from interdisciplinary leadership.

It鈥檚 also deeply personal. Perry began her MBA not to prove anything to anyone, but because she believed it would stretch her鈥攁nd it did. Now, as she returns to her students, faculty, and staff with fresh skills and a wider lens, she does so with renewed energy and imagination.

Redefining What a Student鈥攁nd a Leader鈥擫ooks Like

There鈥檚 power in this story for students, faculty, alumni, and staff. Perry鈥檚 path redefines what it means to be a student鈥攏ot someone just beginning their journey, but someone who is always learning. And it reframes what it means to be a leader鈥攏ot someone who has all the answers, but someone willing to ask new questions.

It also reminds us that careers, like learning, are nonlinear. They loop, stretch, and evolve. They make space for change. They鈥檙e allowed to be audacious.

Perry鈥檚 story is a George Mason story: grounded in access, elevated by ambition, and fueled by the belief that knowledge and community are transformative forces.

Looking Ahead

Now equipped with the perspectives of both scientist and strategist, Perry is turning her attention to what鈥檚 next. Her goals include advancing immersive technologies in public health education, strengthening interdisciplinary research, and positioning George Mason鈥檚 College of Public Health among the nation鈥檚 top programs.

But one thing will remain constant: her belief in people鈥攕tudents, colleagues, and communities鈥攁s the drivers of health and change.

鈥淎t the end of the day,鈥� she says, 鈥渨hat matters most is that we鈥檙e helping others find their path, live with purpose, and grow into the leaders the world needs. That鈥檚 what this degree was about for me. And that鈥檚 what Mason is all about.鈥� 聽

Topics

Costello College of Business

MBA Program

This former rower is racing toward the finish of her accelerated master鈥檚

Sarah Holland — Fri, 02 May 2025 18:40:51 +0000

This former rower is racing toward the finish of her accelerated master鈥檚 Sarah Holland Fri, 05/02/2025 - 14:40

Monika Blakely, BS Information Technology 鈥�24, has lived all over the world, but her time at George Mason 麻豆国产 has been particularly special. From rowing with the women鈥檚 rowing team to working as an influencer with ShopMason, this soon-to-be double George Mason graduate has left her mark on Fairfax Campus.

Photo provided

Blakely plans to graduate in spring 2025 with a master鈥檚 in management from Costello College of Business, completed through the Bachelor鈥檚 to Accelerated Master鈥檚 Program.

What inspired you to combine information technology and management?

My long-term goal is to be a project manager, and I think it鈥檚 useful to know both the technical side and the management side to understand how to be effective as a project manager. It also gives me the flexibility to do what I want in a different career path, if that ends up being right for me. I had extra spaces in my undergraduate classes, so I added the Bachelor鈥檚 to Accelerated Master鈥檚 Program for management.

Tell me about your internships.

Currently I have two internships. The first is with Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED). I started there in fall 2023 as a social media intern. I thought local government was interesting. I鈥檇 never been involved in that industry before and wanted to learn more about who鈥檚 involved and what they do for the city. I figured I鈥檇 try it and see if I liked it, and I did! I became a marketing fellow with FCED in spring 2024, and I am now a part-time programs associate.

My second internship is with General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). I鈥檝e been a public relations intern there since summer 2024.

What classes would you say have set you up for success at your internships?

Senior Capstone, for one, because I think that鈥檚 been the most similar to real-world problem solving. We worked with different concentrations in the IT department. We had people doing web development, programming, cybersecurity, and so on, seeing how those different skill sets can contribute to that one broad end goal.

GBUS 653 Organizational Behavior has also been helpful, just learning about different learning styles, how your learning style can fit in with others, and so on.

How have your extracurriculars impacted your work in the classroom?

Teamwork and communication are probably the biggest things. In rowing, you have different parts of the boat, different strengths coming together, and you have to work to stay in sync. Sometimes when you work in a team, it鈥檚 not always ideal for you. You have to learn how to work with other people, how to adjust your learning style to fit with theirs, and how to make compromises with decisions that won鈥檛 be agreed on.

My roles at FCED and GDIT helped me improve my communication skills. Even if you don鈥檛 work within your team, you鈥檙e working with other sections, and you always have to cross-collaborate. So, with FCED and GDIT, you have people from different backgrounds and different departments, which taught me how to collaborate effectively across teams to deliver a clear, unified message.

ShopMason also helped strengthen my communication skills, because you鈥檙e constantly collaborating with students and departments across the university and you have to come together to share a clear and engaging message. That experience has helped me better contribute in classroom discussions, group projects, and presentations.

Blakely, 6th from left, with the staff of FCED. Photo provided.

What are you most proud of from your time at George Mason?

Being involved in different organizations and meeting a bunch of people I probably wouldn鈥檛 have connected with otherwise. I鈥檝e been involved in organizations that reflect my culture and my studies, like the Japanese Student Association, the National Society for Black Engineers, and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. Connecting with students similar to me has made the university experience worth it.

What makes George Mason special?

As the daughter of military service members, I鈥檝e lived on different military bases around the world, and I think what makes George Mason special is that it has a space for everyone. There are cultural organizations, religious groups, interest groups...everyone can find a place to belong here, and that鈥檚 not the case everywhere.

What鈥檚 one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

If there鈥檚 a skill you want to develop or an interest you have, pursue it in undergrad when you have the time and space to do so. You never know when those skills will be useful, and if you鈥檙e passionate about your work, people will notice.聽
聽

2025 Spring Commencement

Topics

Costello College of Business

Master's in Management Program

Study: Left-handed CEOs are more innovative

Jennifer Anzaldi — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 02:32:28 +0000

Study: Left-handed CEOs are more innovative Jennifer Anzaldi Tue, 04/29/2025 - 22:32

In This Story

Long Chen

June Woo Park

Q: What do Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have in common (besides the obvious)?
A: All three belong to a community comprising about 10% of the population鈥攖he community of the left-handed.

And they鈥檙e far from the only business luminaries who are members. Steve Forbes, Oprah Winfrey and Lou Gerstner (of IBM fame) are left-handed, as were John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford and Ratan Tata.

Of course, this could be a mere coincidence鈥攂ut perhaps not. The popular belief that left-handers think more creatively鈥攁nd hence may enjoy an innovative edge in business鈥攈as been supported by cognitive neuroscience research, which shows that the left hand is controlled by the brain鈥檚 right hemisphere, a region closely associated with creative thinking. However, conflicting findings and limited research evidence prevent broad conclusions about the correlation between creativity and handedness, let alone its potential implications for business leadership.聽

A forthcoming research publication by Long Chen and June Woo Park, two accounting professors at the Costello College of Business at George Mason 麻豆国产, constitutes the first rigorous scholarly investigation into whether鈥攁nd how鈥攈andedness plays a role in business innovation.

June Woo Park and Long Chen

The paper was co-authored by Albert Tsang of Southern 麻豆国产 of Science and Technology and Xiaofang Xu of Beijing Technology and Business 麻豆国产.

The researchers searched Google for photos and videos of S&P 500 CEOs engaged in activities like writing, throwing, drawing, and eating to determine their dominant hand, if wasn鈥檛 already disclosed in published sources. 鈥淲e looked at pictures of them on the golf course to see how they held their clubs,鈥� Park explains. 鈥淲e also noted which wrist they wore their watch on; left-handed people often wear it on the right.鈥� When in doubt, they followed up with calls or emails to the respective companies. All in all, they were able to identify the handedness of 1,008 CEOs across 472 companies: 91.4 percent were right-handed, 7.9 percent left-handed, and 0.7 percent mixed.

The researchers then looked at the numbers of patents and citations received by the firms from 1992 to 2015. They controlled for firm and industry characteristics, as well as other personal traits known to affect CEO innovativeness (such as age, education, risk preference shaped by experience, birth order, and founder status).

In addition, they performed several follow-up tests, including one focused on a narrow subset of firms that unexpectedly switched from a right-handed CEO to a left-handed one due to unforeseeable circumstances such as death or illness.

Every variation of the study produced essentially the same result: Firms led by left-handed CEOs demonstrate significantly higher innovative output. The differences were qualitative as well as quantitative. Patents under left-handed leadership were more likely to represent something new under the sun, rather than a spin-off from established technology.聽

The researchers hypothesized that the left-handers鈥� creative orientation would impact the way they ran their firms, including hiring decisions. Indeed, they found that companies applied for more H-1B and STEM visas when left-handers were at the helm. This emphasis on talent acquisition was not only a key indicator of innovation commitment, but may have also contributed to the firms鈥� creative advantage.

鈥淲e find that left-handed CEOs are more likely to hire immigrant inventors in STEM fields, and are also more likely to be inventors themselves,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淭hese findings strengthen our argument by highlighting specific ways in which left-handed CEOs may directly enhance firm innovation.鈥�

Still, piling up patents doesn鈥檛 automatically produce outcomes that will make customers and shareholders happy. Ultimately, firm performance is what matters in evaluating business success. As additional analyses in the study suggest, firms led by left-handers had higher return on assets and stronger buy-and-hold returns than peers with a right-handed leader.

鈥淭hey outperformed their counterparts,鈥� Park summarizes. 鈥淚nvestors are drawn to innovative firms, and left-handedness is one of the factors investors could use in their stock-picking.鈥�

Yet innovative success is complex and multifaceted. Left-handedness is only one potentially meaningful trait among many鈥攁 lot more are yet to be explored.

鈥溌槎构� results are based on a large sample. But investors should not assume a CEO that is not left-handed lacks innovative potential,鈥� Chen says.

For their ongoing and future research projects, Chen and Park are looking beyond left-handedness to explore other deeply personal CEO traits that may have business implications.

鈥淲e find it fascinating to draw on insights from disciplines outside accounting and finance,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淐EO decisions may be shaped by factors like family experiences, genetics, academic background, career paths, and more鈥攔eally, the full range of experiences that makes them who they are. Understanding that can help market participants better interpret and predict CEOs鈥� decision-making.鈥�

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Costello College of Business Faculty Research

Accounting Faculty Research

Research

Accounting Advisory Council Scholarship broadens horizons for international student

Greg Johnson — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:58:26 +0000

Accounting Advisory Council Scholarship broadens horizons for international student Greg Johnson Fri, 04/25/2025 - 09:58

In This Story

Karen King

Haoling Wang was taking a professional skills development course taught by Karen King, an associate professor in business foundations at the Costello College of Business, when she encouraged him to take advantage of the resources being offered by the college.聽

Haoling Wang

Shortly thereafter, Wang learned about the Accounting Advisory Council Scholarship and submitted his application. In many ways, receiving the scholarship was a validation of his decision to leave China in pursuit of higher education in the United States.聽

鈥淚n Beijing, it鈥檚 the professor leading study,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut here it鈥檚 the students leading study, and we can ask more questions and embrace the community.鈥澛�

With his father working as a general manager and his mother serving as a vice president at a school鈥攑rimarily overseeing logistics and operations鈥擶ang grew up observing both executive leadership and the practical coordination required to support large institutions. These experiences sparked his interest in business structure and financial systems.聽

鈥淢ath is my favorite subject, and I鈥檓 pretty good at it,鈥� he says. 鈥淎lso, the calculating is pretty interesting for me because I can find financial reports on the company for their different activities.鈥�聽

As an international student, Wang finds it easy to connect with other students who share his cultural background. However, winning the scholarship and attending events associated with it helped him build connections with students of different backgrounds. George Mason鈥檚 diversity had been a major selling point for him, and he now has a much more diverse network and friend group. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty meaningful for me to explore and broaden my horizons during this program,鈥� he says.聽

Last year, Wang broadened his horizons further when he was a participant in the Global Engagement Scholars Program, a semester-long series of workshops covering topics such as cultural intelligence, cultural values, cultural influences, and how to use these factors in the workplace. 鈥淒uring that program, I just met so many interesting people. Some of them would be future classmates, and we work together in the same group for marketing courses,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ow they are my best friends in the school.鈥� In addition, he is an active member of the Chinese Student Association and Beta Alpha Psi at George Mason.聽

Embracing the challenge of coming across the world to pursue his dream of being an accountant has already brought many rewards for Wang, including tremendous personal growth. 鈥淚 can handle so many things,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing journey that changed me a lot.鈥� Graduating soon with his degree in accounting, Wang plans to stay in the United States to pursue a master鈥檚 degree and potentially a PhD. As he progresses through his studies, he鈥檚 keeping an open mind about which route in accounting he wants to take, but he is especially interested in corporate accounting and financial planning roles. 鈥淚 want to work in areas like management accounting or corporate finance鈥攈elping companies analyze costs, manage budgets, evaluate investments, and optimize their financial performance,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚 enjoy interpreting financial data to support smarter decision making and long-term strategy.鈥�聽

George Mason students come from all 50 states and 130 countries, and they are taught by faculty members who reflect that diversity. Though members of the community are from different places, they find a home within the cohesive culture at Costello, where opportunities are plentiful and a wide range of career paths are supported.聽

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Costello College of Business Scholarships

Scholarships

George Mason entrepreneurs win big at the 2025 Patriot Pitch Competition

Greg Johnson — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:34:46 +0000

George Mason entrepreneurs win big at the 2025 Patriot Pitch Competition Greg Johnson Wed, 04/23/2025 - 11:34

鈥淟et me be clear, innovation has always been, and will always be, the solution to the world鈥檚 challenges,鈥� said Patriot Pitch emcee Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at George Mason 麻豆国产's Costello College of Business. 鈥淚nnovation transforms potential into power and drives us forward as an institution, community, and ultimately a civilization.鈥�聽

Patriot Pitch emcee Patrick Soleymani addresses packed house in the Johnson Center Bistro. Photo by John Boal Photography

As emcee of the 2025 Patriot Pitch Competition, presented by 22nd Century Technologies Inc., Soleymani addressed the packed house. Eight final teams鈥�two from each track鈥�had been refining their business models with their mentors and practicing their pitches for several weeks in preparation for the afternoon鈥檚 competition.聽

Housed within the Costello College of Business, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) led the programming efforts and organized the final pitch event on Thursday, April 10. Ajay Vinz茅, dean of the Costello College of Business, reiterated the importance of entrepreneurship and what it meant to the college鈥檚 namesake.聽

鈥淚n 1976, Donald and a partner founded Century Stair Company, which grew to become one of the largest stair manufacturers on the East Coast,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is passion for entrepreneurship is here with us, in spirit. Today, we are honored to have his trusted former business partners, Joe and Peg Contrucci, with us in the room.鈥澛�

George Mason 麻豆国产 President Gregory Washington was also in attendance, along key stakeholders from the George Mason entrepreneurial ecosystem.聽

After Ava Uppal, BS Marketing 鈥�19, interviewed technology founder and executive Sid Banerjee (founded Clarabridge that was acquired by Qualtrics in 2021 for over $1 billion) in an illuminating keynote discussion, the competition commenced鈥�this time with a record amount of prize money.聽

Mason's Choice Award winners. Photo by John Boal Photography

One by one, finalist teams in the STEM, Social Impact, General Entrepreneurship for Undergraduate Students, and General Entrepreneurship for Graduate Students and Recent Alumni tracks took the stage to make their pitches to four judges鈥�subject matter experts chosen for each track鈥�and to the audience of George Mason community members. Following each 5-minute pitch, the presenting team fielded questions from the judges. Students in between classes quickly filled the back of the Johnson Center Bistro as they cheered on their classmates and friends.聽

Anticipation filled the air as another Costello alumnus and community leader, Jason Howell, BS Accounting 鈥�97, took the stage to announce the winners:聽

STEM聽聽

First place: Barty AI (Sahil Jagtap)聽
Second place: Q Haven (Caden Green)聽

Social Impact聽聽

First place: CarbonSecure (Maddie Gray, Maha Raja, Ryland Plodpluang, Juan Zambrano-Lozano)聽
Second place: The Allocated at Delia鈥檚 House (Marisela Zelaya Delcid, David Osorto)聽

General Entrepreneurship Undergraduate聽聽

First place: Valor (Caleb Fink)聽
Second place: NOVAFoam (Ethan Ford, Trevor Geissler, Mikhail Ivanov, Stephano Barra)聽

General Entrepreneurship for Graduate Students and Recent Alumni聽聽聽

First place: Viralbite (Emmanuel Nwokeabia)聽
Second place: EchoPods (Raghu Manjunatha, Pooja Manjunatha Swamy)聽

George Mason Emmanuel Nwokeabia presenting Viralbite. Photo by John Boal Photography

Following each track of presentations, audience members scanned a QR code on the screen to vote for the separate Mason鈥檚 Choice Awardees. The winners were The Allocated at Delia鈥檚 House and Viralbite.聽

Emmanuel Nwokeabia, a 2024 graduate of the Costello College of Business, received the most prize money鈥�$13,000 between his two awards. 鈥淭his was more than a win鈥�it was a powerful encouragement to pursue my vision. I encourage anyone with an idea to take that bold step, and see how the world responds,鈥� said Nwokeabia.聽

The 2025 Patriot Pitch Competition showcased the entrepreneurial spirit of the Costello College of Business and George Mason 麻豆国产. Approximately 250 audience members attended to watch the innovative concepts and products being pitched.

2025 Patriot Pitch participants

In This Story

Ajay Vinz茅

Patrick Soleymani

Jason Howell

Learn more about the Costello College of Business

Topics

Patriot Pitch Competition

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Alumni

Janis S. Reed Scholarship helps BAM student keep her focus

Greg Johnson — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 19:44:42 +0000

Janis S. Reed Scholarship helps BAM student keep her focus Greg Johnson Fri, 04/18/2025 - 15:44

Receiving the Janis S. Reed Scholarship sharpened the focus even more for the goal-oriented Anh Tran. Wrapping up her final semester as an undergraduate student in accounting at George Mason 麻豆国产 and completing the bachelor鈥檚 to accelerated master鈥檚 (BAM) program, she already had her eyes on the larger picture.

Anh Tran

Following a similar path as her aunt and nearly 30 other students each year, she attended two years at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) in the ADVANCE Program before transferring into the accounting program at George Mason. Her path is now leading her to completing the CPA exam after finishing her master鈥檚 degree courses.聽

Tran was drawn to the Costello College of Business because of its reputation for excellence and diversity. After transferring from NOVA, she worked with an academic advisor to see how she could earn the credits required to sit for the CPA exam. That鈥檚 when she first learned about the BAM program. At first, she was concerned that taking undergraduate and graduate courses at the same time would be too much. However, as she eased into the course material, she found that it was nothing she could not handle. Tran is now one of more than 60 BAM students pursuing this accelerated path to the MS in accounting degree.聽聽

Still, her course load was increasingly heavy, so Tran was relieved that the Janis S. Reed Scholarship helped pay off her financial costs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my first time taking both the undergraduate and also the grad classes, so I really want to focus on school,鈥� she says.聽聽

Not only did the scholarship help with finances, but it also gave her other opportunities, like connecting her with Reed herself. 鈥淚 had a chance to talk to her and other recipients at the scholarship luncheon,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he gave us good advice for our academic journey and then also tips for the career journey that we asked her for. It was really a great opportunity for us to meet her, and she was very sweet and friendly.鈥澛�

The scholarship luncheon, which brought together Costello donors and recipients to the Fairfax Campus, was an experience that Tran was grateful to take advantage of.聽

Looking back on her experiences at the Costello College of Business, Tran is glad that she took advantage of many of the opportunities, some of which were recommended or assigned by professors. She recalls attending the career fair for the first time with one of her classmates.聽

鈥淎t that event, I had my first opportunity to talk with real recruiters, and it was really special for me,鈥� she says.聽

It was at that career fair where she had the chance to interview for her first internship. The internship was exactly what she was looking for鈥攁 great learning experience in the professional tax services area at a public accounting firm.聽聽

Through focus, hard work, and informed planning, Tran is on schedule to sit for the CPA exam after graduation. She plans to begin her career immediately and balance her CPA studies with her work schedule. 鈥淚 want to work for a public accounting firm, perhaps in the tax area as well,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 believe I am familiar with taxes after my past internships, and I鈥檇 like to gain more knowledge and experience about this field.鈥澛�聽

Tran is excited to begin her state and local taxes internship at a public accounting firm in the summer of 2025. Another summer plan that she鈥檚 looking forward to is the global residency trip to Rome, Italy, as part of her global accounting environment class, where she will be able to engage with local companies and explore the culture.聽聽

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