MVS Business Students and Alumni: Career Fair Connections and Internship Success
Thank you to the faculty who supported business student attendance at last week’s Career and Internship Fair! Business was the most represented major, with 68 business students among 450 attendees connecting with 59 employers. Participating employers included Bank of America, Mission Produce, CED, Curri, Meissner, Mutual Group, Hygiena, The Port of Hueneme, NAVFAC, and Mercury Systems. It was wonderful to see our business alumni recruiting current students, including Ehab Naim ’24 and Ashley Hernandez ’25 with Bartlett, Pringle, & Wolf; Devon Rodriguez ’20 with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration; Lauren Pierce ’25 with Plan Member Financial; and Renato Santos ’25 with The J.M. Smucker Co. Current business students also recruited fellow students, including Landon Schultz ’27 with Linked2Pay, Victoria Dority ’28 with Northwestern Mutual, Enjoly Garcia '26 with BPW, and MSBA student Ricardo Ferrer ’28 with the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center.
We’re also excited to share that the City of Ventura launched its inaugural internship program. The partnership was coordinated by MVS Advisory Council member Fabian Lemus ’19. MVS Scholars business students secured two of the program’s four positions: Ellie Stark ’27 as the Human Resources Intern and Stephany Vega ’27 as the City Clerk’s Office Intern.
MVS Faculty Advance Research and International Collaboration in Cambridge and Madrid
MVS faculty members Hua Dai and Ekin Pehlivan are pursuing scholarly opportunities abroad during the 2026–2027 academic year, contributing to international research and strengthening the School’s global connections.
Hua Dai is serving as a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence during her sabbatical. Her research explores artificial intelligence, trust, and governance, including how AI-generated content influences consumer trust, how people collaborate effectively with AI tools, and how organizations can develop responsible AI decision-making systems. Through these projects, Dai aims to advance understanding of how AI can support sound decisions while maintaining transparency and accountability.
Ekin Pehlivan has been selected as a 2026–2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar for Spain, with the Polytechnic University of Madrid as her host institution. The award supports teaching and research abroad while fostering international collaboration and academic exchange. Her participation provides an opportunity to build scholarly partnerships and strengthen connections between CSUCI and the international academic community.
These experiences reflect the School’s commitment to faculty scholarship and global engagement. We congratulate both colleagues and look forward to learning more about their work abroad.
MVS Celebrates Faculty Promotions and Welcomes New Colleagues
The MVS School of Business & Economics is pleased to celebrate faculty promotions and welcome two new colleagues for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Dr. Dylan Cooper has been promoted to Full Professor of Management. His teaching and research focus on organizational behavior, including decision-making, employee ownership, and workplace integrity.
Dr. Brendan Cline has been awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor of Business Ethics. His teaching includes business ethics and sustainable business, while his scholarship explores ethical questions related to moral judgment and the environment.
The School also welcomes Dr. Haoqiang (Kevin) Jiang, Associate Professor of Cybersecurity Management and AI, and Jili Shen, Assistant Professor of Accounting. Their expertise strengthens the School’s teaching and research in these important fields.
Please join us in congratulating Dylan and Brendan on their achievements and welcoming Kevin and Jili to MVS!
MVS Faculty Member Makes History with Two Prestigious NACRA Awards
Dr. Maria Ballesteros-Sola of the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics received two prestigious awards at the North American Case Research Association (NACRA) Conference held in Orlando, Florida, in October 2026, marking a historic achievement for CSU Channel Islands.
Dr. Ballesteros-Sola received the Gold Conference Award for Best Case for Africa Organic Chocolate, co-authored with ESADE professors Dr. Josep Cano and Dr. Josep Franch, and the Curtis E. Tate Award for the best case published in 2025 in the Case Research Journal for Scaling for a Purpose: Homeboy Industries’ Potential Acquisition of a B Corp Isidore Recycling, co-authored with Loyola Marymount University professor Dr. David Y. Choi.
This marks the first time in NACRA's history that the same author has received both of the association's top awards, recognizing Dr. Ballesteros-Sola's contributions to case research and business education.
About CSU Channel Islands:
CSUCI is the only four-year public university in Ventura County and is known for its
interdisciplinary, student-centered approach to learning. The Martin V. Smith School
of Business & Economics emphasizes applied learning and regional partnerships that
strengthen the local economy.