Greg Johnson

Master's in Finance Program

Students step into the world of investment banking through Costello Fellows on Wall Street

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:52:31 +0000

Students step into the world of investment banking through Costello Fellows on Wall Street Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 05/13/2026 - 10:52

To learn through experience and gain a competitive edge, finance and accounting students from the Costello College of Business at 91�� participated in the Costello Fellows on Wall Street program, connecting with major financial services firms and alumni in New York City. What has become an annual tradition continues to grow, with participation expanding significantly—from 10 students in previous years to approximately 30 this year.

Costello College of Business alumni networking. Photo by Alina Alam

Using his extensive connections, the trip this past April was organized by Derek Horstmeyer, an instructional professor of finance at the Costello College of Business, who is also the co-founder and director of the Montano Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). SMIF is an all-equity fund administered by select finance students at Costello. Those selected as officers are responsible for managing a $492,000 portfolio.

Additionally, Costello offers a SMIF course taught by Horstmeyer, where students learn about the decision-making process involved in managing the fund. Along with other students who seized the funded opportunity to visit Wall Street, many of the participants were members of SMIF.

“A lot of these firms will give you the same experience by flying you out to private recruitment events, but those programs are really competitive, and sometimes they don’t consider you because of your major, year, or some other location factor.”

—Alina Alam, current accounting student at the Costello College of Business at 91��

Costello College of Business alumni reception signage. Photo by Alina Alam.

Alina Alam, a senior studying accounting, first learned about SMIF as a freshman and decided to get involved. She was accepted through the rigorous interview process for her final semester as an undergraduate student. As SMIF’s director of marketing, she documented the trip, capturing photos and moments to share across the organization’s rapidly growing social media platforms.

Over the two-day event, the group moved quickly from firm to firm with a packed itinerary. On the first day, they visited Raymond James, Oppenheimer, and S&P Global, and attended an alumni mixer in the West Village organized by the Costello Alumni Chapter featuring a panel of firm representatives—Manya Vij, BS Finance ‘21; Jannat Bhinder, MS Business Administration and Management ‘18; Megan Farina, BS Management Information Systems '01; and Michael Marino, BA ‘11. The next day consisted of visits to Wolfe Research (an equity research firm), J.P. Morgan, and BMS Capital.

Costello College of Business alumni panel. Photo by Alina Alam.

Many of the students participating in Costello Fellows on Wall Street rank among the top of their class and are applying—or planning to apply—to internships at firms on the trip itinerary. Experiencing the offices firsthand and engaging with professionals across varying levels of seniority provided invaluable insight into the careers they are preparing to pursue.

“A lot of these firms will give you the same experience by flying you out to private recruitment events, but those programs are really competitive, and sometimes they don’t consider you because of your major, year, or some other location factor,” says Alam.

She found tremendous value in the office visits in terms of networking and sharing information with other students. “The students who were on the trip, even the really shy, introverted ones, opened up, and they made friends with the people on the trip,” she says. “If you know people within your major, it gives you an upper hand in so many ways because you know exactly how to get more involved with on-campus organizations like the SMIF once you return from the trip.”

Costello Fellows on Wall Street program student participants. Photo by Alina Alam.

For students interested in working in the highly competitive world of investment banking and equity research, Costello Fellows on Wall Street offers a highly impactful experiential learning opportunity. Throughout the trip, the students learned from finance professionals—many of them alumni—and from each other about the actions they need to take to become stronger job candidates and stand out from the crowd. They are not waiting for firms to come to them—they are blazing a pathway and meeting them where they are.

To get involved with the SMIF, follow them on Instagram @smifgmu or access their official website www.smif.business.gmu.edu to learn more.

In This Story

Derek Horstmeyer

Explore the Costello College of Business

Topics

Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter

Costello College of Business Career Services

Innovation takes center stage at this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition

Katelynn C Hipolito — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:12:27 +0000

Innovation takes center stage at this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition Katelynn C Hipolito Fri, 04/24/2026 - 14:12

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, students, faculty, alumni, and other stakeholders from across the 91�� community gathered to cheer on the final teams of entrepreneurs competing in this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition, including those featured in the competition’s newly introduced Regional Showcase.

Attendees explore the tables at the Regional Showcase. Photo by John Boal Photography.

As a core component of the Patriot Pitch Competition, the Regional Showcase expanded the event’s reach by highlighting innovation from George Mason alumni, previous pitch competition teams, and community entrepreneurs who have graduated from entrepreneurship training programs led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) within the Costello College of Business at 91��.

“The Patriot Pitch Competition is an event where innovation takes center stage. It is a time when 91�� students, faculty, and staff come together in collaboration with our alumni, business community, sponsors, and many others to support our emerging entrepreneurs—many of whom will go on to play key roles in the vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driving the growth of our regional economy.”

—Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business

Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of Costello College of Business. Photo by John Boal Photography.

“The Patriot Pitch Competition is an event where innovation takes center stage,” said Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business. “It is a time when 91�� students, faculty, and staff come together in collaboration with our alumni, business community, sponsors, and many others to support our emerging entrepreneurs—many of whom will go on to play key roles in the vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driving the growth of our regional economy.”

Omar Solimon joins a keynote discussion with Jabs Totonji, BS '12. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Omar Soliman, co-founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving, published author, TV personality, and entrepreneur, joined Jabs Toto nji, BS ’12, chief investment officer at Golden Eagle Group Inc., for a keynote discussion about Soliman’s entrepreneurial journey—from his participation in a business pitch competition at his alma mater, to his appearance on the first episode of Shark Tank, to building his company into one of the fastest-growing franchises in the nation, employing more than 10,000 people. In addition to answering audience questions, Soliman emphasized the importance of hiring people with positive attitudes who get things done and healthy conflict in yielding positive results.

Of the 63 applications submitted for this year’s competition, eight teams advanced to the final round—two finalists in each of the four competition tracks—while 16 businesses competed for prize money in the Regional Showcase, all vying for a share of the $60,000 total prize pool.

For each of the four competition tracks, two finalist teams delivered five-minute pitches before a panel of judges and a packed room of spectators, followed by five minutes of Q&A from the judges.

While the judges were deliberating, attendees explored the Regional Showcase and cast votes for entrepreneurs who hosted tables and were competing for prize money. Audience members also voted for the Patriots’ Choice Awards, with ArcAid and EduVerse each earning an additional $5,000 on top of their first-place winnings and bringing their total awards to $13,000.

MBA student Bailey Mahoney presents his pitch for AgentForge, Inc. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Once deliberations were completed, the final prizes were announced. In the Innovative Ideas track, AgentForge, Inc. (Bailey Mahoney and Sahger Lad) took first place, while ExcelATC (Noran Megatheh, Alana Khem, Nathanael Davis, and Zach Cacace) earned second place. In the Social Impact track, ArcAid (Hocine Filali, Nesma Khalafalla, Alan Garcia, and Amr Hamza) won first place, followed by CareAble (Britney Orellana-Ochoa, Amy Mayeaux, and William Echols) in second. DealFax (Khaled Alkurd) received first place in the Future Founders track, with PawNutri360 (Supreet Singh and Conor Mangum) placing second. Finally, in the Early-Stage Ventures track, EduVerse (Jagan Yetukuri) took first place, and Rumi Legacy Schools (Wida Saber, Ahmad Khaled, and Noori Shukria Saber) earned second.

Each of the winning teams was welcomed to the stage by awards ceremony emcee George Schindler, a member of the 91�� Board of Visitors, where they posed for photos with sponsors, the George Mason Patriot mascot, and their giant checks.

“We’re proud to celebrate the makers, dreamers, and doers shaping our region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business. “Innovation has always been humanity’s greatest team sport—and here at Costello, we’re playing to win.”

The Patriot Pitch Competition reached new heights this year, drawing more than 275 attendees—an achievement made possible through a true team effort. In addition to the dedicated work of the Costello and CIE staff members, there were nearly 200 individuals and organizations actively engaged in the program, including pitch teams, mentors, judges, emcees, speakers, and sponsors.

This year’s Patriot Pitch Competition was led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Costello College of Business and was presented by 22nd Century Technologies Inc. Funding for the competition was provided through a subsidiary of the Donald G. Costello Declaration of Trust and the Sara Costello Exempt Trust, Joseph J. Contrucci, Trustee. Among the distinguished business and community supporters in attendance were Joe and Peg Contrucci; Sara Costello; and Anil Sharma, CEO of 22nd Century Technologies Inc., all of whom were able to witness the impact of their investment in supporting George Mason’s emerging entrepreneurs.

This year’s Patriot Pitch Competition was also made possible through the generous support of sponsors that included:

Innovative Ideas Track: College of Engineering and Computing, 91��
Social Impact Track: Lynn Alexis Lee Corey Prize for Social Entrepreneurship
Future Founders Track: Fairfax City Economic Development Authority
Early-Stage Ventures Track: Char’d
Patriots’ Choice Award: Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter, 91��
Patriot Sponsor: Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

Beyond rewarding bold ideas and emerging business ventures, the 2026 Patriot Pitch Competition celebrated the innovative spirit that continues to define the Costello College of Business and 91�� entrepreneurial communities.

Topics

Patriot Pitch Competition

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter

Campus News

entrepreneurship

Women in Business Initiative

In This Story

Cheryl Druehl

Patrick Soleymani

Learn more about the Costello College of Business at 91��

Women in Business at Mason hosts inaugural spring conference

Katelynn C Hipolito — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:59:04 +0000

Women in Business at Mason hosts inaugural spring conference Katelynn C Hipolito Tue, 04/07/2026 - 11:59

With more than 300 members and growing, the Women in Business at Mason student organization at the Costello College of Business, empowers women who are majoring, minoring, or interested in the world of business. Through networking and personal and professional development events, they aim to expand upon members’ skillsets as well as their networks inside and outside of 91��.

Women in Business at Mason. Photo provided by Women in Business at Mason.

During the spring 2026 semester, the members put their heads together and pooled their resources to host their first-ever Women in Business Spring Conference. Featuring 34 speakers from across industry and academia, the conference successfully positioned the group as leaders in elevating women’s voices, fostering meaningful connections, and inspiring the next generation of business leaders.

"The goal was to make this a real, recurring opportunity for women to connect with each other and with professionals who have a lot to offer, and I’m so happy to say our team achieved that and beyond.”

—Akanksha Padheriya, president of Women in Business at Mason

The spring conference kicked off with a keynote speaker—Lisa Leander, founder and CEO of Where Imagination Builds Excellence, a global community that began as Women in Business Education championing women in higher education leadership, and has since expanded its reach to business education leaders ready to reimagine what’s possible. Through stories and a hands-on networking activity, she addressed how attendees can build real connections, as well as grow, nurture, and draw strength from the people already around them.

Following the keynote, attendees broke into sessions focused on the professional development skills they wanted to strengthen, such as interviewing skills and case solving. Then they had the opportunity to sit in panel speaker sessions spanning a wide range of business fields, from technology to international business.

“We had so many people from different fields come in and it’s truly amazing,” said Katherine Guevara, speaker coordinator for the conference. “When I was sitting in my moderating sessions asking them questions, I was taking in every single bit of information and just learning about their field, how they got there. If they were George Mason alumni, how their experience at George Mason helped them grow to the person they are today.”

“Everyone had a smile on their face because they were happy to be there and learn from these panelists and amazing women,” said Faria Alam, director of operations for the conference.

Many of the speakers found the conference to be just as rewarding. “I was incredibly proud to see these young women take the initiative to design and deliver such a meaningful experience for their community by bringing people together to connect, celebrate, and learn from one another,” said Suehaila Nabulsi, BA ‘00, senior project manager at IBM. “I was truly inspired by their thoughtfulness and curiosity. Through both the women in consulting panel and individual conversations I had with many, I encouraged these extraordinary women to create and follow their own paths while resisting the urge to measure their journeys against others.”

Another George Mason alum, as well as President’s Circle donor, Phyllis C. Pajardo, MEd '93, retired superintendent of City of Fairfax Schools, was impressed and proud to see the students organize such a successful event. “Not only did the conference display the varied strengths and professionalism of the university students, the conference showcased the amazing talent, leadership journey, and the remarkable fortitude of successful women throughout the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area,” she said. “It was a pleasure to serve as a panelist; moreover, it was an even greater joy to see our current and future women business leaders in action.”

The afternoon concluded with networking, where attendees could connect with one another and also with the speakers to ask any follow-up questions. In addition to the speaker sessions and networking, several companies had tables where students could stop by to learn about the opportunities they had for them.

“Planning this conference was a very challenging task to take on, as we started with basically just an idea and had to figure out a lot as we went, since nothing like this had existed before at George Mason,” said Akanksha Padheriya, president of the Women in Business at Mason. “More than anything, I wanted to set something up that future members could actually use and build on. The goal was to make this a real, recurring opportunity for women to connect with each other and with professionals who have a lot to offer, and I’m so happy to say our team achieved that and beyond.”

Women in Business at Mason is excited to build on the success of the inaugural spring conference—including the professional connections forged—to create additional high‑value events in the future. The organization not only prepares female students to succeed in business but also serves as a home for cultivating friendship, support, and a strong sense of belonging at the Costello College of Business at 91��.

Topics

Building ideas and inspiring others, Amazon recruiter embodies Costello’s entrepreneurial spirit

Katelynn C Hipolito — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:35:36 +0000

Building ideas and inspiring others, Amazon recruiter embodies Costello’s entrepreneurial spirit Katelynn C Hipolito Fri, 03/27/2026 - 11:35

91�� alumnus Rayan Rahman, BS Management ’17, has achieved an impressive amount in a short period of time. Now a senior recruiter at Amazon, he has founded two companies—Changing Bangladesh Foundation and Airposted—the latter of which he sold during the COVID pandemic when it had reached a gross merchandise value of approximately one million dollars.

Rayan Rahman. Photo provided by Rayan Rahman.

Airposted had more than 60,000 active registered users during his exit and he scaled it to one of the top ten ecommerce platforms in Bangladesh. Remarkably, he launched both ventures while still a student at the Costello College of Business at 91��.

“Growing up, it was something I was always passionate about—just solving problems and seeing what kinds of problems I could tackle in everyday life,” he says.

While at Costello, he recognized a need to have goods shipped internationally at a low cost. From that idea, Airposted was born. Despite the late nights and long hours, the balance between running a startup and managing his coursework never bothered him—he was fueled by his passion.

“The fear of failing shouldn’t be something a student worries about—there is no failing. George Mason provides a great platform, and students should take advantage of it rather than worrying about what might happen if they don’t win. You should go for it.”

— Rayan Rahman, BS Management ’17

Rahman encourages students with entrepreneurial ideas to find a strong mentor.

“Could be out of school, could be within the school, could be a professor, could be anyone,” he says. “But it should be someone who has literally done it and seen some of it.”

Committed to supporting the next generation of Costello entrepreneurs, he has returned in recent years to serve as both a judge and mentor for the Patriot Pitch Competition—the same event that helped him launch Airposted when he was a student.

The Patriot Pitch Competition, led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, returns to George Mason’s Fairfax Campus on Thursday, April 9, with a total of $60,000 in prize money up for grabs. Rahman is impressed by how far the competition has come, attracting far more sponsors and publicity since its introduction.

“The fear of failing shouldn’t be something a student worries about—there is no failing,” he says. “George Mason provides a great platform, and students should take advantage of it rather than worrying about what might happen if they don’t win. You should go for it.” This year, Rahman is mentoring a team in the semifinals.

Not only did Patriot Pitch help launch Rahman’s company, but it also validated his hard work and vision at a time when that kind of affirmation is especially important for students. “Having your peers and professors come in and rally for you, it helps a lot.”

That transformative experience has brought him back to volunteer and share his expertise. In addition to working with Patriot Pitch, he serves as a friend of the board for the Costello Alumni Chapter.

For Rahman, success is measured not just by the ideas he has brought to life, but by the people he inspires to take risks and pursue dreams of their own. From student entrepreneur to mentor and Amazon recruiter, he reflects the innovative spirit of the Costello College of Business.

In This Story

Rayan Rahman, '17

Topics

Patriot Pitch Competition

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Fiscal Patriots take first place in national AGA Datathon

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:01:20 +0000

Fiscal Patriots take first place in national AGA Datathon Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 03/09/2026 - 13:01

This year’s AGA Datathon—a nationwide competition challenging college students to apply their data science skills to solve real-world government accountability problems—drew talent from many of the nation’s top business colleges. The Costello College of Business at 91�� was well represented by the team known as the Fiscal Patriots, who rose above the competition to capture first place.

Fiscal Patriots receive the first-place prize check at Datathon. Courtesy of Fiscal Patriots.

The Fiscal Patriots formed quickly through existing academic connections. “I was introduced to this competition through Professor Mike Wetklow [instructor in accounting] when I took his class in advanced accounting analytics, Accounting 665, last year,” said Khaled Alkurd, an accounting analytics and forensic accounting student. “When I learned about it again this year, I knew I wanted to build a team and compete.”

Mariam Debas, an accounting and management information systems (MIS) student, had also expressed interest, so Professor Wetklow connected the two. Already familiar from a previous project, they expanded their team by inviting Andy Yaro, a cyber security engineering student, and Nikita Chandrasing, an MIS and business analytics student.

To round out the team, Chandrasing reached out to Pranavi Doodala, a business analytics student, who had been a finalist in George Mason’s capstone competition a few weeks prior. The five students quickly established a strong dynamic and a well-rounded foundation for the work ahead.

From left, Andy Yaro, Mariam Debas, Nikita Chandrasing, Pranavi Doodala, and Khaled Alkurd. Courtesy of Fiscal Patriots

During the month leading up to the first phase of the competition, the Fiscal Patriots focused on refining their responses to various prompts they could expect at the Datathon. Wetklow provided the team with initial guidance, helping them decide on which direction to take. Later, Clement Chen, adjunct professor in management, reviewed their work and provided crucial feedback to strengthen the team’s submission.

Presented with three options to choose from, the Fiscal Patriots selected the use case of visualizing government spending data in an interactive, innovative format that would make complex financial information more accessible to the public. The result was AuditsMadeSimple, a website that serves as a launchpad for understanding federal spending and audit data. Broken into four distinct features—exploratory visualizations, a 50+ term glossary of auditing terms, a dataset guide, and case studies—the platform allows users without a technical background to interpret, contextualize, and better understand government accountability data.

“We’re really hoping to showcase the accessibility of the features we’ve carefully curated on this website and how they effectively make federal spending and audit data understandable to the average citizen,” said Doodala.

“This achievement was a year in the making with George Mason's first advanced accounting analytics class a year ago,” said Wetklow. “From the time I first met Khaled, his skills were apparent. What’s equally impressive was the full team—each with a unique superpower that demonstrated the Costello-91�� edge.”

—Mike Wetklow, accounting instructor at the Costello College of Business at 91��

In the opening round of the AGA Datathon, the Fiscal Patriots made their presentation in front of the panel of judges. During the 20-minute virtual session, they walked through their website before receiving feedback on content, delivery, and other insights to keep in mind for the competition’s final round.

Polished and poised, the Fiscal Patriots delivered their final presentation on February 18 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. Winning the top prize validated their preparation and commitment, but the Fiscal Patriots had so many other takeaways from the competition. “I got involved in this challenge because I just wanted to apply my skills,” said Debas. “Coming from an MIS and accounting background, I’ve built a strong foundation across both disciplines. What really excited me about this competition was the opportunity to focus on real-world government financial challenges.”

Chandrasing found that the competition helped her experiment with future career pathways. “Because one of my career goals is to become a product manager, I think creating the documentation for what the requirements for that would be really aligned with that,” she said.

“This achievement was a year in the making with George Mason's first advanced accounting analytics class a year ago,” said Wetklow. “From the time I first met Khaled, his skills were apparent. What’s equally impressive was the full team—each with a unique superpower that demonstrated the Costello-91�� edge.”

Together, the Fiscal Patriots proved that when diverse skill sets unite around a shared mission, the results speak for themselves—and they speak loudly enough to earn the top spot on a national stage.

Topics

AGA Datathon

Fiscal Patriots

Accounting Area

competitions

Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer

Costello’s Office of Career Services pilots agentic AI platform

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:44:55 +0000

Costello’s Office of Career Services pilots agentic AI platform Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 03/02/2026 - 09:44

Powered by nSpire AI, Career AI is the new agentic AI platform being piloted by the Costello College of Business Office of Career Services within the Costello College of Business at 91�� this semester.

Jay Liwanag, Costello career advisor, facilitating a virtual info session. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business

The platform is designed to help students navigate a rapidly evolving job market by bringing together cutting-edge AI capabilities and the business college’s career-readiness resources. As employers increasingly rely on digital tools to source workforce talent—from applicant tracking systems to AI-assisted screening—Career AI equips Costello students with the skills, confidence, and technological fluency they need to stand out.

“What employers are looking for is changing and how people find jobs is changing,” says Kerry Willigan, assistant dean of Costello’s Office of Career Services. “AI is a really critical piece, whether you love it or hate it. Learning how to use it in the job search now, while you’re in school, is really important.”

Career AI consists of three main components. The first is the resume optimization platform. With applicant tracking systems filtering out approximately 75 percent of submitted resumes, Career AI analyzes student resumes and identifies adjustments students need to make for their resumes to stand out to employers. The second is its interview preparation component, where Theo—the AI-enabled career coach bot—generates interview questions based off industry information, role requirements, and data from job sites, along with additional information it deems relevant to the opportunity. The third component is the entrepreneurship module that helps students develop a personal pitch and business plan. With so many entrepreneurial-minded students at Costello, the tool is poised to be a game changer for the business college.

Kaleb Gajeton -Lewis, director of Costello’s Office of Career Services, is especially excited for the resume optimization platform. “I think students sometimes have a hard time understanding or seeing what their resume is actually reading in comparison to a job description,” he says. “I find that Career AI’s platform does a good job of understanding business process, understanding business curriculum, and is able to tailor the feedback in a way that actually shows results for students.”

“What employers are looking for is changing and how people find jobs is changing. AI is a really critical piece, whether you love it or hate it. Learning how to use it in the job search now, while you’re in school, is really important.”

—Kerry Willigan, assistant dean of Costello’s Office of Career Services

Students concerned about data privacy can be confident knowing that Career AI passed through 91��’s Architectural Standards Review Board with flying colors. Already, about 400 Costello students are actively using the platform, with more than 1,700 slots still available. “We are starting to partner with faculty members to allow full class sections access to the system so that they can optimize their resumes, practice interviewing, etc.,” says Gajeton-Lewis.

Costello students are encouraged to embrace Career AI as a tool for improving their success with current job searches and for building fluency in agentic AI. Fluency in agentic AI will help to prepare them for a not-so-distant future where AI will be used by members of the workforce to help them do their best work.

Costello students who are interested in learning more about Career AI can contact the Office of Career Services at mycareer@gmu.edu for more information.

In This Story

Kerry A. Willigan

Kaleb Gajeton-Lewis

Topics

Career AI

Artificial Intelligence

Executive Education

Costello College of Business Career Services

Research

Costello-inspired entrepreneur fuels success through hydration and hustle

Katelynn C Hipolito — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:32:57 +0000

Costello-inspired entrepreneur fuels success through hydration and hustle Katelynn C Hipolito Thu, 01/22/2026 - 13:32

While growing up, Jheen Oh’s parents always prioritized health, especially his father. “He was always into the latest health trends and products and natural remedies,” he said. With that health‑conscious mindset already in place, Oh had a breakthrough idea while working for a startup in 2017.

Jheen Oh standing in front of his product, Susosu Water. Photo provided

“I realized that a lot of these major water brands are really just made from purified water, which now people are starting to realize it’s just another word for manufactured tap water, which doesn’t provide you the hydration nor the health benefits that you think it does,” he said.

With the help of his father, he launched Susosu Water, the only naturally sourced mineral water from a 600-foot underground source in South Korea, infused with extra hydrogen for a much healthier hydration.

Before enrolling at the Costello College of Business at 91��, Oh was often told by his parents that he was destined to work in business.

“It wasn’t until getting to George Mason that it really clicked and activated my passion for business, with aspects like building relationships, networking with the right people, and hustling,” he said.

Those connections helped him land a position at his first startup and helped him discover the kind of work that he was passionate about.

“It wasn’t until getting to George Mason that it really clicked and activated my passion for business, with aspects like building relationships, networking with the right people, and hustling.”

— Jheen Oh

The COVID-19 pandemic became a major turning point for Oh and Susosu Water, presenting both challenges and opportunities. As consumers rapidly shifted to online shopping, Oh saw a growth of approximately 295% in revenue, prompting him and his business partner to quit their full-time jobs and focus on Susosu. When issues with their Amazon storefront temporarily halted their momentum, they were forced to pivot.

“We had to figure something out, and it was from a simple Google search when we realized that we had to start getting into the wholesale part of our business and started developing that and partnered up with a local food and beverage accelerator program based out of Washington, D.C.,” he said. “We got our big break from Giant Foods, which is huge for us, especially in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, and that’s when we actually got a partnership with UNFI, which is the largest natural and organic distributor.”

At the same time, they were able to get their Amazon account restored, allowing Susosu Water to evolve into a business driven roughly 40% by e-commerce and 60% by wholesale. Susosu Water can be found in approximately 650 retail stores, including the Giant in Fairfax’s University Mall, with growth continuing to accelerate.

Oh reiterates the importance for Costello students to take advantage of their networks, connecting with their classmates, faculty members, alumni, and community partners.

“You’re paying to be around a lot of high-level people, and you just never know who’s going to contribute to your career post-graduation or even during school to set you up for what you want to do,” he says. “One of the core foundations of entrepreneurship is really networking and relationships.”

Along with attending networking events, he encourages students to take as many internships as possible to gain experience, expand skill sets, and explore their passions. Through Handshake, he has hired numerous George Mason students as interns.

Additionally, Oh is excited to return to campus to mentor young entrepreneurs for the upcoming Patriot Pitch Competition, an experiential learning opportunity where students compete for prize funding to launch their business ventures.

As Susosu Water continues to grow, Oh hopes his path inspires Costello students to stay bold, stay connected, and pursue opportunities with the same drive and determination that transformed his vision into reality.

Explore the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Learn more about the Patriot Pitch Competition

Topics

entrepreneurship

Patriot Pitch Competition

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Costello Scholarship Luncheon

Costello Scholarship Luncheon showcases growth in named scholarship funding

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:39:51 +0000

Costello Scholarship Luncheon showcases growth in named scholarship funding Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 12/17/2025 - 15:39

The Costello College of Business at 91�� recently announced a significant increase in scholarship money awarded to students—$1.3 million for the 2024-25 academic year—$500,000 of which went to named scholarships. Over the past five years, both the total amount of scholarship funding and the number of students who have received Costello scholarships have more than doubled.

Costello scholarship recipients. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

As outlined by Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president of 91��, priority number one at Costello is student readiness and career preparedness. “Scholarships play a huge role in the success of our students,” he said.

Costello celebrated donors and scholarship recipients on November 18 at the annual Costello Scholarship Luncheon. The luncheon featured an inspiring lineup of speakers whose lives and careers have been shaped by scholarship support. Mitchell Cho, BA '99, founder and CEO of FedWriters, Inc. (FWI), shared his journey. As a student, he said, he was not the overachiever some might assume. What he did have was persistence and grit. Today, as a member of the Corporate and Community Partners Program, Cho views scholarships as an investment in the future. “Supporting scholarship is not just about philanthropy for us,” he said. “It’s about investing in the future.”

Longtime donor Jim Beers, retired managing partner of Beers & Cutler, encouraged students to keep pushing forward toward their dreams. “It’s so important what you’re doing now—and it will be even more important after you graduate,” he said.

Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter, speaking at the Costello Scholarship Luncheon. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

Current students also shared their heartfelt reflections.

“Something I really appreciate about Costello is how it helps us grow,” said Iman Choudry, recipient of the Robert Amy Scholarship.

Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, credited her donor’s generosity for making her dreams possible. “I made a promise that I would give back when I can,” she said.

“I made a promise that I would give back when I can,” she said.

— Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter

While the speeches inspired and provided valuable insights, the luncheon’s greatest asset was bringing students and their donors together to express gratitude, network, and to ask questions. Many of the donors once stood in the shoes of the recipients, facing similar challenges.

Costello scholarship donors and Costello Alumni Chapter members. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

The Costello Scholarship Luncheon is a proud tradition, celebrating both student achievement and the generosity of donors. With the named scholarship funding continuing to rise, the Costello College of Business is sending a clear message that their business is student success.

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In This Story

Ajay Vinzé, PhD

Sandra Flores, '23

Topics

Scholarships

Corporate and Community Partners Program

Costello College of Business Scholarships