News & Stories
In other news: October 2025
Thought leaders
- Professor Ted Zoller received the Karl Vesper Pioneer Award, a peer-selected honor that recognizes champions in entrepreneurship. “This award will serve as a daily reminder to continually re-earn it through my work, and to commit fully to realizing the immense potential of the extraordinary talent I have the privilege to teach and mentor in entrepreneurship,” Zoller said in a LinkedIn post.
Ted Zoller accepts his Karl Vesper Pioneer Award.
- Camille Walton, associate director of career coaching for MBA Career Services, received the University Partner Impact Award from the Raleigh/Durham Chapter of the National Black MBA Association.
- Professor Brad Staats shares insights on preparing for a future shaped by artificial intelligence in an interview on Martechify. Staats encourages students and business leaders at UNC Kenan-Flagler to embrace discomfort and adopt a mindset of continuous learning.
- New research from Professors Gregory Brown and Christian Lundblad shows that private equity has consistently outpaced public markets, delivering higher returns and lower volatility.
Standout students and alumni
- A new professional pickleball team, The Palm Beach Royals, was purchased by Hyperspace Ventures, a group of UNC-Chapel Hill alumni and tech entrepreneurs. The company is led by former Tar Heel tennis players Taylor Meyer (MBA ’18), Zach Hunter and Alex Rafiee, alongside fellow alumnus Peter Fox (BSBA ’17). Read more about the connection between the Royals and Carolina.
- Bhumika Agarwal (MBA ’25) shared the reasons she loves Chapel Hill in an article about the best cities to pursue an MBA. “What I love most about Chapel Hill is how effortlessly it blends small-town charm with big energy,” she said. “It’s a town where community matters, and that sense of connection is what I’ll miss most.”
- Katrina McGhee (MBA ’10) joined classmate Anshul Agrawal (MBA ’10) on his Accounting Trailblazers Podcast. They talk about the importance of career breaks, why burnout is so common and give practical advice for accountants.
- Savannah Koob (MBA ’25) represented Walmart on a recruiting trip to UNC Kenan-Flagler. “As a double Tar Heel, coming back to campus felt like home, but this time with the privilege of sharing Walmart’s story and opportunities with future leaders,” she shared on LinkedIn.
Spotted on social
- The UNC Kenan-Flagler Executive Development team attended the Association for Talent Development Government Workforce conference in Washington, D.C. They joined government leaders and talent development professionals for conversations on AI, tech and workforce strategy.
- The UNC Kenan-Flagler Marketing Area hosted Sheila Holman (MBA ’93), the head of marketing for the United States Postal Service. In addition to meeting with faculty, Holman guest lectured in Professor Kristopher Keller‘s core marketing course in the Master of Science in Management Program. She also answered questions from the MBA and undergraduate marketing clubs in a fireside chat with Professor Claudia Kubowicz Malhotra.
- Amy Bugno, director of career development and employer relations for the Undergraduate Business Program, hosted a fireside chat with William Warren (BSBA ’99) at the 2025 UNC Undergraduate Business Symposium.
- Lia Esposito (MBA ’27) shares reflections on the Executive MBA Program orientation in her LinkedIn newsletter, describing it as “a wonderful mix of nostalgia and new beginnings.”