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Ohio Wesleyan Economics Management Fellows Learn from Big Apple Business Leaders

Name: Kathy Habian ’25
Major: Business Administration (Management Concentration)
Minors: Finance and Data and Society
Hometown: Medina, Ohio
High School: Cloverleaf High School

Name: Nathan Oke ’24
Majors: Pre-Dentistry and Pre-Professional Zoology
Minors: Accounting and Chemistry
Hometown: Shelby Township, Michigan
High School: Utica High School

OWU Connection Experience: Economics Management Fellows (EMF) trip to New York City

Each fall, Ohio Wesleyan’s Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship names a new class of Economics Management Fellows, selected for their high potential for success at OWU and their interest in business-related studies.

As sophomores, the fellows receive a fully paid, faculty-escorted study trip to a U.S. business hub, such as New York City. This year’s group was larger than usual to make up for travel missed during the pandemic and included meetings with business professionals, including Ohio Wesleyan alumni and current parents.*

Two fellows – Kathy Habian, who joined the EMF program in fall 2021, and Nathan Oke, who joined in fall 2020 – share their reflections of the travel-learning experience.

Trip Highlights

Habian: “The highlight of the New York trip for me was being able to speak with many successful professionals who offered insights from many perspectives. …

“I enjoyed speaking with Lucas Nathanson ’22 at Goodman Media International. He provided good insight into what it’s like to be in the workforce as someone who is fresh out of OWU. I learned from him that you can make connections through the EMF program that can open up opportunities for you, such as coming to Goodman Media International on the EMF New York trip and ending up working there.”

Oke: “The highlight of New York was being able to experience a little slice of everything and spending it with some pretty awesome people. … The EMF program is offering so many different opportunities, whether that be internships, grants, or other forms of learning. …

“(Another highlight was) meeting with Goodman Media. We were able to talk to a recent graduate named Lucas Nathanson. It was great listening to him tell us about how what we are doing now is a great look into what is possible in the future.”

Plans After Graduation

Habian: “I’m still figuring out my long-term career goals, but I want to work in a position/environment that allows me to be a servant leader and apply my strengths in practice.

“The New York trip helped me move toward this goal by giving me a chance to ask questions of people who have been in my shoes and found their path in life. I learned that it’s OK to change positions and try new things; it’s a part of figuring out where I belong!

“The EMF program has also helped me by giving me a group of peers with whom I can foster my business-related interests and rely upon for support in academics.”

Oke: “My long-term career goal is to own a personal dental practice as a doctor of dental surgery (DDS), being known as a cosmetic dentist.

“What helped me toward this goal during the trip was learning how to conduct myself in a proper meeting setting and knowing that these major companies all started from somewhere small.”

Why Ohio Wesleyan?

Habian: “I chose to attend Ohio Wesleyan because of the opportunities to get involved on campus. There are so many clubs, organizations, and programs available that allow me to develop as an individual and strive for academic excellence. Our business department and the Woltemade Center also have so many resources available to help me figure out my passions and career interests.”

Oke: “I chose to attend Ohio Wesleyan because I really enjoyed the small community feel that it gave me, and the scholarships I received were the best offers of all the institutions I applied to.”

In addition to Habian and Oke, this year’s EMF travelers also included:

• Shanzay Ali ’24 of Powell, Ohio
• Jeremy Dao ’24 of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Kory Kaiser ’25 of Cincinnati, Ohio
• Dominic Smith ’24 of Marysville, Ohio
• Digvijay Tekade ’25 of Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Kennedy Watkins ’25 of Blacklick, Ohio
• Wyatt Wells ’23 of Marion, Ohio

The students were accompanied by Jon Younkman, assistant professor of Economics and Business, and Destiny Coleman, administrative director of The Woltemade Center.

Business leaders meeting with the OWU EMF students during their New York trip included:

• GIA Partners (investment advisory services) – Hamburg Tang Jr., managing director and portfolio manager, and current OWU parent
• Goodman Media International (public relations) – Tom Goodman ’76, president and CEO, and company founder, and Lucas Nathanson ’22, assistant account executive
• Stifel (wealth management and investment banking) – Michael O’Keeffe, chief investment officer and current OWU parent
• Tiedemann Advisors (investment and wealth advisors) – Mike Tiedemann ’93, founding partner and CEO
• Valara Capital Management (portfolio management, financial planning, and investment advisory services) – Rob Simmons, co-founder