UNM The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership

05/29/2026

Still thinking about all the waves, smiles and proud Lobo graduates showing their Lobo pride.

This year’s ceremony was especially meaningful as we celebrated a historic moment for our school: the final Anderson graduates and the first graduates of The James and Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership.

Graduation photos are available to download now, at the link in the comments. Congratulations again to the Class of 2026! 🐺🎓

05/21/2026

We’re proud to recognize this year’s Convocation banner carriers, selected for their outstanding academic achievement.

Graduate Banner Carrier: Michael Parrino, Master of Accounting
Undergraduate Banner Carrier: Candy Zheng, Bachelor of Business Administration

Chosen for earning the highest GPAs in their respective programs, these students exemplify dedication, leadership and academic excellence. Their accomplishments reflect years of hard work, perseverance and commitment to their goals, and we are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition alongside the Class of 2026.

Congratulations, Michael and Candy!

05/20/2026

We were honored to hear from two inspiring speakers at this year’s convocation.

Thank you to Taya Perales, who reflected on the classmates, mentors and supporters who helped shape her journey. She reminded the Class of 2026 that some of the most meaningful words they heard at UNM were, “Let me know if you need anything,” and that here, people truly meant it. Her message encouraged graduates to move forward knowing they do not have to figure out what comes next alone and to walk with intention, integrity and beauty.

Thank you to alumnus Stephen Griego, Hall of Fame inductee and founder of DMC Logistics, for sharing how a willingness to say yes to unexpected opportunities helped shape his career. Drawing on more than 40 years of entrepreneurial leadership, he encouraged graduates to build skills, invest in relationships and trust their ability to adapt as their careers evolve.

We are grateful for the insight, leadership and perspective both brought to this historic celebration for the Class of 2026.

05/15/2026

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

We are proud to celebrate your incredible achievements alongside the friends and family who supported you every step of the way.

As members of the Class of 2026, you are both the final graduating class of the Anderson School of Management and the inaugural graduating class of The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership!

The full ceremony video and digital program are now available on our graduation website. Photos from the ceremony, reception and photo booth will be posted next week.

Link is available in the comments!

05/14/2026

Spring Convocation is live! The ceremony begins at 4 p.m.
Watch:

At 4 p.m. on May 14, celebrate a historic milestone as we honor the Class of 2026 during the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management Convocati...

05/13/2026

If you’ve spent time in the McKinnon Center for Management, chances are you’ve seen Solomon Gbara in the second-floor study area, connecting with fellow students and helping others move closer to their goals. Over the past four years, he has become known for turning ideas into action and creating opportunities for students across campus.

From organizing the “How to Win” conference to founding the New Mexico Innovation Ecosystem, Solomon has worked to connect students with resources, mentorship and opportunities to succeed.

Now, he is building on that impact as he works to connect students with career opportunities across New Mexico.

Hear more from Solomon and learn about his time at UNM in his Inspiring Graduate video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93j4p8zDmD4&t=1s

05/13/2026

Spring 2026 Convocation is tomorrow!

Join us at the Pit on Thursday, May 14 at 4 p.m. as we celebrate the achievements of our graduating students. A mixer for graduates, guests and faculty will follow the ceremony on the Club Level of the Pit. We’ll also have Anderson swag available for graduates!

Can’t attend in person? We’ll also livestream the event on our YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52SxwbfuutI

We look forward to celebrating this important milestone with our graduates and their families!

05/12/2026

What a fantastic group joined us at Topgolf for this year’s annual golf tournament!

Thank you to our generous sponsors: Construction Financial Management Association, UNM Alumni, RBC Wealth Management - Eric Harrigan, RBC Wealth Management - Brad Yablonsky, Frontier Restaurant, New Mexico United, The Cornivore Popcorn Company, Pepsi and Enchantment Printing.

We are grateful as well to everyone who participated in an afternoon of friendly competition, connection and support. Your involvement helps create opportunities for our students and strengthens our community.

Congratulations to our top teams:
🥇 Valencia County
🥈 UNM Alumni
🥉 Pepsi

Longest Drive Awards:
🏌️ Jason Mueller, Frontier Restaurant team
🏌️‍♀️ Britney Choy, UNM Alumni team

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s tournament such a success. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

05/12/2026

Lobo Investment Club members David Dávila and Samuel Landis, mentored by Professor Subramanian Iyer, earned first overall in the 2025-26 Chicago Quantitative Alliance Investment Challenge, outperforming university teams from around the world in a rigorous six-month equity portfolio management competition.

Competing as Alpha Strategies, the pair developed and executed a sophisticated quantitative investment strategy, generating a 29.06% return with zero compliance violations and earning $3,000 in prize money.

“I ran the model, which was a momentum-based strategy,” said Dávila. “We went long the top 50 names and short the bottom 50.”

“It was a lot of fun, but it was also very active,” added Landis. “We were trading almost every week and constantly monitoring anything that could affect our positions.”

Read more about their achievement and what they learned along the way: https://business.unm.edu/news/highlights/2026/05/unm-team-secures-first-overall-in-global-cqa-investment-challenge.html?image

05/11/2026

This spring, a team of undergraduate students, Andoni Gajjo, Ethan Garcia, Solomon Gbara and Haasika Jagirapu, and their coach lecturer Lucio Lanucara, advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 National Ethics Case Competition in Washington, D.C.

Their journey culminated in a remarkable honor: their written analysis was selected for publication, a distinction shared by only two other semifinalist teams nationwide.

Through months of research, collaboration and thoughtful discussion, these students tackled complex ethical challenges and demonstrated the power of principled leadership in action.

Read more about their journey: https://business.unm.edu/news/highlights/2026/04/unm-team-competes-as-semifinalists-in-2026-national-ethics-case-competition.html?image