Success Story

Melinda Ornburg MBA 16
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Melinda Ornburg MBA 16

Former Forensic Anthropologist Now Studies Customer Clues

Giving back is at the top of Melinda Ornburg’s priority list. In her previous career studying to be a forensic anthropologist, Ornburg MBA 16 spent her working hours dissecting human skeletons during an internship at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s

Vickie Sherman MBA 13
Vickie Sherman, MBA 13
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Vickie Sherman MBA 13

Senior Marketing Manager, Golden 1 Credit Union

Vickie Sherman’s office is steps away from the landmark sports and entertainment arena her company named and is a centerpiece of the renaissance of downtown Sacramento: Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise.

Vickie Sherman’s

Adam Gouveia MBA 13
Bitcoin powers the Bitpesa fin-tech platform
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Adam Gouveia MBA 13

BitPesa

It was an investment opportunity like no other—compelling enough to quit his San Francisco finance job to join his client, a fintech startup in Africa. 

It was an investment opportunity like no other. For Adam Gouveia MBA 13, BitPesa was compelling

Daniel Covrig MPAc 17
Daniel Covrig, MPAc 17
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Daniel Covrig MPAc 17

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Realizing that his professional success required a deeper immersion in finance, Covrig entered the UC Davis Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program in fall 2016.

Thirty-five cents for a stem, ten dollars for a bouquet. Daniel Covrig had

From Energy to Education, Lavender Whitaker Leads with Empathy and Insight
Lavender Whitaker
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From Energy to Education, Lavender Whitaker Leads with Empathy and Insight

Bay Area MBA Student Focuses on Innovation at PG&E

Growing up in a communal community, Lavender Whitaker’s parents stressed “the importance of thinking about the effects of your actions on others and the environment.”

Those words of advice stuck with her. Although she dabbled in several majors as

Grace Guo MBA 17
Grace Guo
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Grace Guo MBA 17

Going Global: Grace Guo Combines Chinese and American Backgrounds

Pursuing a business career in the U.S. is the riskiest decision Grace Guo MBA 17 has ever made. She gave up her career and home, leaving behind her husband and daughter in China, to come to the UC Davis Full-Time MBA program.

Summer Internship

Brian Gage MPAc 15 Finds Renewal at UC Davis
Portrait of Brian Gage
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Brian Gage MPAc 15 Finds Renewal at UC Davis

Perseverance Propels Him Toward Long-held Career Dream

By Joanna Corman

The word “no” doesn’t resonate with Brian Gage MPAc 15. In high school, he dreamed of graduating from UC Davis.

As an undergraduate biochemistry major at Davis, he enrolled in pre-pharmacy while working at his family’s initially