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Two seniors in ������������’s School of Management (SOM) have been named among the nation’s best undergraduate business majors of 2025 by , a top publication for business education news.

Adam Bandler, a business administration major with concentrations in finance and management information systems, and Chad Burks, a business administration major with concentrations in management information systems and marketing, were selected among 100 business majors who had the greatest impact on their programs and personified the best of their cohorts.

For 10 years, the Poets & Quants Best & Brightest list has honored senior business majors whose names are drawn from schools that made Poets & Quants’ top 50 undergraduate business school ranking. Each business school chose nominees using its own criteria, though Poets & Quants encouraged schools to consider the student’s academic excellence and extracurricular leadership.

“I would say studying business can open up so many doors that you may not realize at first,” . “To learn about all of your options, take advantage of every opportunity presented to you.”

In addition to his involvement with the Harpur’s Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Squad at ������������, Bandler has also served on the SOM Dean’s Mentoring Program, and acted as an analyst and mentor with the ������������ Investment Fund and as a peer advisor for SOM Undergraduate Advising.

After graduation, Bandler will join Citibank as an investment banking analyst in the media and telecommunications group.

Zurack Associate Professor of Finance and Economics Cihan Uzmanoglu praised Bandler’s work ethic, integrity and cheerful personality, especially when taking Uzmanoglu’s Fixed Income Securities class, which he described as arguably the most difficult undergraduate course at SOM.

“While he could have taken an ‘easy-A’ course, Adam embraced the challenge. He pushed himself hard, worked diligently, and, in the end, successfully completed the course,” Uzmanoglu said. “These qualities of Adam demonstrate his strong commitment to learning.”

Burks has taken on numerous mentorship roles within SOM, including as a program mentor with PwC Scholars and the Transformational Leaders Program. He has also held 10 leadership positions in areas such as SOM Career Services (as a career assistant) and the Management Consulting Group (as a senior advisor). His advice to future business students is to challenge yourself to find experiences that you believe might be outside your “comfort zone.”

“Building and cultivating relationships over time is just as important, if not more so, than the technical aspects of business,” . “Employers desire candidates who are capable from a technical perspective in their field. More importantly, they want someone who they can see themselves effectively connecting with and working alongside on a daily basis.”

After graduation, Burks will join PwC in Boston as an associate in their Cyber Risk and Regulatory Consulting Practice, specifically in the Enterprise Technology Solutions team.

SOM Career Services Student and Employer Relations Coordinator Matt Fedorchak praised Burks for his unwavering dedication and leadership.

“As a senior career assistant in the Career Services office, he has consistently demonstrated initiative, problem-solving skills and a deep commitment to student success,” Fedorchak said. “From the moment he joined our team, his passion for mentorship and professional development was evident, making him an invaluable asset to both our office and the students he serves.”

SOM has been ranked among the top 10 public business schools by Poets & Quants for four consecutive years, and for the 2025 ranking, it also made a significant leap in career outcomes. This ranking boost signaled how emphasizing skills development and networking has become pivotal to enhancing the student experience.