KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Each year, faculty members from across Western Michigan University select the most outstanding student in their various academic schools, departments and programs to represent their units as a Presidential Scholar at Western, the highest academic honor that WMU can bestow on its undergraduates. In the Haworth College of Business, six Presidential Scholars are selected each year.
Josephine Thomas
Josephine Thomas
Presidential Scholar in accountancy
Josephine Thomas of Adamstown, Maryland, is an accountancy major with a minor in general business. Graduating in the spring of 2023, Thomas has been on the dean’s list each semester.
As a member of the Western gymnastics team, she received a full athletic scholarship and was named to the Academic All-MAC team for the 2021 and 2022 seasons and has been a member of the Diversity Task Force representing her team. Thomas interned at BDO Kalamazoo as a core tax intern and will be accepting a full-time position there starting in 2024. After graduation, she plans to continue gymnastics while finishing her Master of Science in Accountancy degree and become a CPA.
Best advice: “If you don’t know what you are doing, don’t worry—everyone is in the same boat. Things will begin to fall into place, and you will start to feel like you belong."
Cameron Johnson
Presidential Scholar in business information systems
Cameron Johnson
Cameron Johnson of Quincy, Michigan, is a computer information systems major with minors in business and anthropology. Graduating in the spring of 2024, Johnson has been on the dean’s list for five consecutive semesters.
During his time at Western, he has held student leadership positions as the vice president of the Business Analytics and Information Technology student organization and as the treasurer of the Latino Student Alliance. After graduation, Johnson will be pursuing a career in system administration.
Favorite memory: “Being given the opportunity to attend the joint ICHITA and IT Forum Conference in the fall of 2022. I felt lucky to have attended the event as a student and greatly enjoyed the day listening to the guest speakers.”
Ashley Hare
Ashley Hare
Presidential Scholar in finance
Ashley Hare of Otsego, Michigan, majored in personal financial planning with a minor in general business. Hare graduated Summa Cum Laude in the fall of 2022 and was on the dean’s list each semester at Western. She is a Bronco Merit Scholarship recipient.
Additionally, she has studied abroad in Bangalore, India, where she looked at sustainability through different lenses. She has obtained more than four years of industry experience and successfully passed her Certified Financial Planner certification exam. She is currently a junior advisor at Clearwater Financial, with a succession plan to take over as the owner and primary financial advisor of the company in 2029.
Favorite memory: “Hanging out in the Schneider Hall café in between classes to work on homework with friends.”
Jake Myers
Jake Myers
Presidential Scholar in management
Jake Myers of Monroe, Michigan, is a leadership and business strategy and finance major with a minor in general business. He was on the dean’s list each semester and graduated in the fall of 2022. He was involved in the Business Association of Mentors, Sales and Business Marketing Association, Phi Gamma Delta, Business Influencers Association, LeadCorp and Starting Gate. Myers has created his own brand, Peak Development, sharing inspirational content online.
He is a recipient of seven scholarships and awards and competed in five competitions during his time at WMU Haworth. After interning with four different companies and receiving two certifications, Myers moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, post graduation where he is now participating in the two-year Emerging Leader Development Program with Vanguard.
Favorite memory: “My favorite memories are the relationships I have built within my majors, the Zhang Career Center and student organizations. The relationships I have built will leave me forever grateful.”
Taylor Davis
Taylor Davis
Presidential Scholar in marketing
Taylor Davis of Commerce Township, Michigan, and is a marketing major with a general business minor. Graduating in spring of 2023, Davis has been on the dean’s list each semester. She is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Delta Sigma Pi and Beta Gamma Sigma and volunteers for Meals on Wheels in Kalamazoo.
She was awarded the Haworth College of Business Merit Scholarship for the 2020-21 academic year, and her marketing research group has been published in the International Journal of Business Marketing and Management. She has interned at Beasley Media Group in Detroit on the promotions team for the 94.7 WCSX and 101.1 WRIF radio stations.
Best advice: “Get involved on campus. It will help you make lasting friendships and give you a network of connections when searching for jobs or internships. It also makes college a lot more enjoyable!”
Lidya Kartika
Lidya Kartika
Presidential Scholar in integrated supply management
Lidya Kartika of Jakarta, Indonesia, is an integrated supply management and food and consumer package goods marketing major with a minor in business analytics. Graduating spring of 2023, Kartika has been on the dean’s list each semester at Western.
While working full time, Kartika has been involved in the Supply Chain Management Association and has competed in the WMU Business Analytics Competition in November 2022 and the 2023 WMPMI Project Management Competition. She has received multiple scholarships from WMU. After graduation, she will be moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to start a full-time job in a supply chain rotational program with Regal Rexnord and plans to obtain her MBA in the future.
Best advice: “Always push yourself and be open to try new things, you’ll be surprised at how much you can achieve!”
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