Clark University’s School of Management (SOM) recently celebrated the induction of 38 students into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society exclusively for business programs accredited by AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. In addition, SOM honored outstanding students, an alumna, and a faculty member with awards for their scholarship, leadership, and service at the ceremony on May 10.

Alan Eisner, SOM Dean, opened the ceremony and announced the special award recipients.

“Our Beta Gamma Sigma students and major award winners are among the best and brightest in the School of Management,” Dean Eisner said. “Presenting these outstanding student and alumni awards remains a special tradition, and on behalf of our faculty and staff, I applaud each of you and offer our congratulations.”

School of Management Special Awards

Morton H. ’51 and Vivian B. Sigel Undergraduate Management Award

Morton H. and Vivian B. Sigel were dedicated and generous friends of Clark University, as well as engaged citizens who contributed time, talent, and resources to several Worcester area organizations.  Mort graduated from Clark with a degree in business in 1951, and was the founder and CEO of Millbrook Distribution Services in Leicester, Massachusetts. He and his family have made significant contributions to Clark and the School of Management over many years.

The Sigel Undergraduate Award was presented to Chang Liu. Chang had the highest GPA in the management major and will continue in the fifth year program to earn his MBA.

Morton H. ’51 and Vivian B. Sigel Endowed Fellowship Award

This award is voted upon by the School of Management staff and faculty and is given to individuals who exhibit excellence in academic achievement and who demonstrate strength of character, strong leadership skills and outstanding potential for future success in the business community.

The 2023 Sigel Endowed Fellowship was awarded to Paul Wilson of the MBA program.

William ’53 and Agnes Hausrath Leadership Award

William F. Hausrath graduated from Clark University in 1953 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.  During and after a long and distinguished career at General Electric’s aircraft engine division in Lynn, Massachusetts, Bill devoted much of his energy to supporting Clark University as an actively engaged alumnus. His generosity to Clark University has allowed the creation of undergraduate scholarships, the Armenian Genocide Fellowship Fund in the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and the Bill ’53 and Agnes Hausrath Fund for Business Leadership in the School of Management.

This year’s Hausrath Leadership Award was presented to three students:   Anjali Mahajan, Camryn Richey, and Yanjing Wang 

Tamarkin Finance Fellowship Award

Maurry Tamarkin was a distinguished finance professor who served as a teacher and mentor to thousands of students and alumni over his thirty years of service to Clark University. He was the Interim Dean at Clark SOM for three years and had the foresight at that time to design and introduce the MSF program which has become a globally recognized strength of the university. Professor Tamarkin will be long remembered by his former students and faculty colleagues for his enduring commitment to quality and high standards, his dry sense of humor, his generous spirit (including the annual barbecues hosted at his home), his quiet leadership and his ever-present integrity.

This year’s recipients of the Tamarkin award were: Anusha Baidawar and Yanyan (Bella) Che.

2023 PRME Alumni Award

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Alumni Award is given annually to an SOM alumna or alumnus whose actions and contributions, either through volunteer activity or professional work experience, align with the schools focus on responsible leadership, ethics, social responsibility, and/or sustainability.

The 2023 PRME Alumni Award winner is Sandeep Jain, MBA ’11, MSA ’13.

While at Clark, Sandeep actively volunteered for Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Worcester helping low and moderate income entrepreneurs with business consulting, business plans, and financial education at no cost.

Since graduation, Sandeep has been working at Leader Bank. Over his career, he has guided hundreds of small businesses and nonprofits, from very diverse backgrounds, raise capital and helped expand their businesses and missions.

During the pandemic, he was instrumental in helping disadvantaged and underserved demographic groups get access to SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program funds.

He is an active volunteer and serves on the Board of Food Link, an Arlington MA based non-profit which, in 2022, served 68,000 people facing food insecurity and saved 1.2 million pounds of food, thus helping the environment. In addition, he supports many other causes and nonprofits in the Greater Boston area.

Beta Gamma Sigma Induction

Membership in the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma honor society is the highest recognition a business student can receive in a program accredited by AACSB International. BGS has just under 600 collegiate chapters around the world. To be eligible, students must rank in the top 10 percent of their undergraduate management program, or the top 20 percent of their MBA or master’s in accounting, finance, or business analytics program.

Beta Gamma Sigma Professor of the Year: Dr. Atefeh Yazdanparast Ardestani