|
Jessica Walton
BBA ’96, MBA ’02 |
|
When Jessica Walton, BBA ’96, MBA ’02, left her job as a vice president with Simmons & Co. in Houston in 2007, she didn’t know what her next step would be. But she knew she wanted more meaning and passion in her life and also a bit of adventure.
She found exactly that when she joined Shoulder to Shoulder (S2S), an NGO that operates a medical clinic and community center near the border of Honduras and El Salvador. S2S established the clinic in the mid-1980s in Santa Lucia, Intibuca, a remote corner of Honduras. Walton’s initial scope of work was a feasibility study on offering micro-loans and helping the community develop economically. But the program’s director was in the middle of negotiations with the Honduran Ministry of Health to expand S2S’s services, and they desperately needed someone with business expertise to spearhead the effort.
“It was scary to step off the corporate track, but it was also scary to imagine not really following my passion,” Walton says. “I knew I needed a change, and I really felt it was divine intervention when I spoke with [the S2S director] and saw how much they really needed my help.”
Walton’s home in Santa Lucia was eight hours from the capital of Tegucigalpa and three hours from the nearest town with a bank and gas station. She ate meals with the clinic doctors and their families, often dining on fried corn tortillas, refried beans and meat—even for breakfast.
During her two-month tenure with S2S, Walton assembled and presented a pro-forma budget for medical services to be provided to the residents of Western Intibuca, an area sorely lacking in health care programs and one of the nation’s poorest regions. She also led the hiring of employees for expanded clinic facilities and helped the formerly government-run clinics upgrade to S2S standards.
“It was all very exciting because you can see the difference between the quality of health care provided to the people we served and what they have in the other regions,” Walton says. “It would be such an improvement for so many people.”
Walton is an avid traveler. After her stint with S2S she embarked on a six-week trek through Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Colombia before settling in Austin in 2008. She recently launched a business called Global Image that designs sales incentive programs. Additionally, Walton is working with the McCombs School on the possibility of creating alumni global educational trips. If you are interested in participating, please take our survey.
McCombs Merchandise
 We've got t-shirts and other McCombs wearables in the online store. From executive gifts to t-shirts to travel items - we've got something for the current or future business mogul! |
|
Investment Opportunity
Make a gift to the McCombs School Annual Fund and help us achieve our goal of becoming the best public business school in the nation. Give now.
The McCombs School of Business 2005-06 Investors' Report is available online. View the 2005-06 donors and financial information.
Related Links
Hermes Society
Matching Gift Program
Give Online
The MBA Alumni Endowed Excellence Fund provides an excellent opportunity for all alumni to give back to the school. Launching new MBA initiatives that will enhance the educational experience of MBA students, this fund is unique in that a committee of students, alumni and MBA program office staff will work together to determine optimal usage of the funds.
Hire McCombs Alumni through the McCombs Job Board
Search for a job or promote employment opportunities to both current students and alumni of the McCombs School of Business.
Both the Alumni Directory and the McCombs Job Board are accessible through your UT EID (University of Texas Electronic Identification). Click here for more information on finding your UT EID, or contact the Registrar's office at 512-475-7656.
If you have any questions, please email us and refer to “Alumni Directory” or “McCombs Job Board” in the subject and content of your message.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories
In Memory of Matthew Douglas Bruder, MBA 2002
Matthew Douglas Bruder, MBA '02, passed on April 26, 2008. Born on April 18, 1973, in San Diego, California, Matthew was raised in Northern Virginia and Houston, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, in 1995 from Vanderbilt University and his MBA from the McCombs School of Business in 2002. Between time as a student at Vanderbilt and McCombs, he served as a Supply Corp Officer with the United States Navy, highlighted by deployments in The Southeast Pacific and The Persian Gulf. After four and a half years of service he left holding the rank of Lieutenant. Read more.
Johnson, MBA ’74, Talks Heinz Brand Power
William R. Johnson, MBA ’74, CEO of Heinz and McCombs Hall of Fame member, spoke April 17 at the McCombs VIP Distinguished Speaker Series. Heinz is a brand that has deep roots not just in the United States but worldwide, Johnson said. Here, Heinz is the ketchup brand but elsewhere it is much broader. In China, Heinz is known for baby food while in the United Kingdom it is baked beans, which is a dietary staple. “We sell 1.5 million cans of baked beans everyday. The Brits like to eat them on buttered toast for breakfast or snacks,” he said. “It’s an eye-opener when you see the way your product is being used.” Read more.
Class of 2008 Raises More Than $141,000 for MBA Legacy Campaign
MBA Legacy co-chairs, Ammanuel Metta and Ben Rodgers, led a successful campaign raising more than $141,000 for a media wall in the McCombs School atrium. The wall will feature several flat screen televisions and a financial ticker that will provide business students with continuous news and information. The McCombs School would like to thank the Class of 2008 for this generous gift. Visit the MBA Legacy Web site for more details.
Job Opportunity at McCombs: Assistant Director for Development
McCombs seeks an experienced candidate to cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of companies by collaborating with mid- to high-level alumni and corporate advocates representing school-wide perspective. View the complete job description and apply here. Search for the job with this number: 08-03-05-01-0814.
Qcue Takes Rice Competition, Finishes 3rd at Global Moot Corp
 Texas Moot Corp champion qcue, a company founded by Barry Kahn, Ph.D. ’07 (economics), Jitendra Dalvi, MBA ’07, and Andrew Mills, Ph.D. ’08 (computer science), won another title April 5 at the 36-team 2008 Rice Business Plan Competition. Their win was featured in Fortune Small Business magazine. Qcue, a software company that helps promoters set and adjust prices for concerts and live events to clear their tickets, took that momentum into the Global Moot Corp competition at McCombs April 30 - May 3. Watch the “elevator pitch.”
McCombs MBA Team Shines at Prestigious Tech Competition
At the annual International Tech Strategy Business Case Competition, sponsored by Ericsson and hosted by Boston University March 28-29, the McCombs MBA team of, left to right above, Tiju Tom, Darek VanToorn, Sumeet Daga and Nihar Gupta (not pictured) finished in fourth place and took home $2,500. The grueling 24-hour case analysis invitational featured eight international teams and eight U.S. teams reputed to be among the best in combined technological and business savvy. Stanford University won the top prize of $25,000.
Executive Education Hosts MBA Students from Finland
In April, Texas Executive Education welcomed a group of 17 executives from the Turku School of Economics in Finland. They are students in Turku’s executive MBA program and are in Austin for the program, “Competing and Leading in a Changing Business Environment.” This visit marks the eighth year of cooperation between Texas Executive Education and the Turku School. “One of the important goals of the program is to give our students a greater understanding of the U.S. perspective on global economics and global markets, as well as business in Texas,” said Kirsi Kostia, program manager with the Turku School.
Texas Executive Education Offers Course on Leading High Performance Teams, September 16-17, 2008
Managers in today’s business world must become creative leaders who inspire productivity and motivate employees to achieve organizational goals and objectives. The Texas Executive Education course, Leading High Performance Teams, provides a comprehensive toolkit of the major functions effective leaders perform: hiring, communicating, motivating, negotiating, teaming, evaluating, rewarding and creating a high performance culture. To register, click here or call 800-409-3932. Participants earn 1.4 continuing education units (CEUs). Faculty: John A. Daly, Ph.D., Janet Dukerich, Ph.D.
MMA Network News
Annual Summer Receptions: Welcome the Incoming MBA Class of 2010
“You are cordially invited to the McCombs MBA Alumni Network Summer Chapter Receptions. Stop by for an evening of networking and fun! This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow alumni, current students and friends in your area. Visit the Chapter Reception web page to RSVP and for more information, including times and locations. We encourage you to attend multiple receptions, if you happen to be visiting any of these cities.
|
|
|
|
Arkansas, 6/12/2008 |
Miami, 6/25/2008 |
|
Atlanta, 6/19/2008 |
Michigan, 6/12/2008 |
|
Austin, 8/26/2008 |
New York, 6/11/2008 |
|
Beijing, 6/8/2008 |
Philadelphia, 6/25/2008 |
|
Boston, 6/19/2008 |
San Antonio, 6/17/2008 |
|
Brazil, 6/4/2008 |
San Diego, 6/3/2008 |
|
Chicago, 6/13/2008 |
San Francisco, 6/3/2008 |
|
Dallas, 6/18/2008 |
Seattle, 6/5/2008 |
|
Denver, 6/26/2008 |
Shanghai, 6/7/2008 |
|
Fort Worth, 6/17/2008 |
Singapore, 7/4/2008 |
|
Houston, 6/5/2008 |
Tokyo, 6/21/2008 |
|
India, 6/2/2008 |
Tulsa, 6/10/2008 |
|
Los Angeles, 6/4/2008 |
Washington, DC, 6/18/2008 |
|
|
|
Help Find “Lost Classmates” for Reunion 2008
Classes of 1998 and 2003—your 10- and 5-Year reunions are September 19-21, 2008 in Austin. Your committee will be working hard to plan a memorable weekend. Please review this list of your lost classmates and ask those you know to update their contact information in the online database, so they don’t miss any exciting reunion news. They will need their UT EID and password to access the database. UT EID troubleshooting guidelines are on the lost classmates web page.
Travel Abroad with McCombs Alumni
A number of alumni have expressed an interest in participating in an international trip in conjunction with the McCombs School of Business. The trip design would be somewhat similar to the student global trips, which are led by a member of the faculty and offer exposure to local business practices and business leaders in the region. In order to get a more accurate picture of interest level and expectations, please take our survey.
Alumni in the News
Erin Defosse, MBA ’98, Opens Austin Bilingual School
Erin Defosse is the founder of non-profit organization Austin Bilingüe, whose primary objective is to launch a private, dual language immersion school in Austin. Children attending the school will become fully fluent (writing, reading, speaking) in English and Spanish. The school will eventually add additional languages, and students will engage in a globally oriented curriculum. “I decided to establish this school because I wanted my kids to have the type of education I grew up with,” said Defosse, who is bilingual and attended the American School in Mexico City as a child. He plans to open Austin Bilingüe in the fall of 2009, with a K-2 offering that will expand year by year.
Media: Austin’s uShip is Going Places
Austin American-Statesman, April 7, 2008
UShip, which has carved a niche as the eBay of shipping, is an Austin-based company started by three 2004 Texas MBA graduates. Matt Chasen came up with the idea and worked on the plan with fellow students Mickey Millsap and Jay Manickam during their time at McCombs. They pitched their idea at venture capital competitions and pumped professors and consultants for advice, and shortly after graduating, they launched uShip. The business allows consumers to post what they want to ship and freight companies bid for the business. Read more.
David Shepherd, MBA ’88, Publishes Novel and Tours Country
David Shepherd’s first novel hits bookstands this month. He begins a national book tour in early May and will be at Book People in Austin on Sunday, June 1 at 5:00 p.m. Shepherd earned his degree from the Texas Executive MBA Program in 1988 and served as a lecturer in the Department of Finance for several years. For more information about his book and tour, visit www.resrandi.com.
 Trent Thurman, MBA ’94, Reflects on Longhorn Support at Boston Marathon
Trent Thurman, MBA '94 and director of the Texas Evening MBA program, encountered overwhelming longhorn support while running the Boston Marathon last month. Read his commentary on the strength of the Texas network.
McCombs in the News
Brandl: How Do We Define Recession?
 In his latest video Macro Updates, Michael Brandl, senior lecturer in finance, discusses how economists define a recession. It is more complicated than simply two quarters of negative growth, says Brandl. Watch the video.
Media: Paulson Provides Tips on Getting the Best Deal
Fox News, April 2, 2008
 Gaylen Paulson, management lecturer, recently gave tips to Austin Fox viewers on how to haggle with retailers to win a lower price. This comes amid reports that major stores like Circuit City and Home Depot have given the go ahead to their salespeople to negotiate with customers. Watch the story.
|
Last Updated
Wednesday, July 23, 2008