2021-2022 Parker Business Scholars
Amaya Acklin
Program: Marketing with Fashion Merchandising emphasis; Minor in Public Relations
Hometown: Buford, GA
Career Goal: To serve as creative director of a fashion company or magazine.
Quote/Life Motto: “You must give up a life that is planned in order to thrive in the life you were meant to live.”
Involvement: National Retail Federation Student Association, Internship at Apparel Marts.
Interests/Hobbies: Shopping, reading, trying new restaurants.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Don’t be afraid to engage in conversation first. Taking the initiative will lead you to potential friendships and/or job opportunities with your peers and even professors!
Ye’Senia Agosto-Rivera
Program: Marketing; Minor in Business Analytics
Hometown: Hinesville, GA
Career Goal: To be a marketing or social media specialist.
Quote/Life Motto: “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” – Marissa Mayer
Involvement: Honors College, 2021 SOAR Leader, Southern Ambassadors, National Retail Federation Student Association, Pi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity.
Interests/Hobbies: Crafts are my favorite past time when I have time to spare from work & academics. I’ve started my own small treats business & began to make clay earrings as a hobby. The multitude of things that can achieved by crafting truly excite me.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Never doubt yourself. Doubt brings mistrust, which appears real, even though it may have no real substance. We are our own strongest critiques. Your doubts are not the truth. If you are going to doubt anything about yourself to achieve what you want or change what you don’t, doubt your doubts.
Maret Backhaus
Program: Marketing; Minor in Business Analytics
Hometown: Decatur, GA
Career Goal: To be a marketing analyst.
Quote/Life Motto: “You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” – Tina Fey
Involvement: Kappa Kappa Gamma, Panhellenic VP of judicial affairs, Student Athletics tutor, marketing specialist intern at Sayers Technology.
Interests/Hobbies: Exercise, listen to music, swim, read.
Best advice for new Parker College students: To branch out and try new things. Go up to that table at the rotunda, or join that club for students with your major, and get to know your professor past a basic level. Trying new things will help you build relationships and open doors to opportunities you might not have known you had.
Shayna Bowyer
Program: Marketing with Sales emphasis & Supply Chain Management with Logistics emphasis
Hometown: Morganton, GA
Career Goal: To end up in a position where it doesn’t feel like a job. I want to be able to support my family but enjoy my career too.
Quote/Life Motto: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing is going to get better.” -Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
Involvement: Southern Ambassadors, Pi Sigma Epsilon, NSLS, Intramural sports.
Interests/Hobbies: I like to play a lot of different intramural sports as well as spend time with friends, watch movies and tv shows, and hang out with my dog.
Best advice for new Parker College students: I would tell them to manage their time well. When you do you save yourself a lot of stress and make time for hobbies and fun things.
Kenlaysia Brown
Program: Supply Chain Management with Logistics emphasis; Minors in Business Analytics & Information Systems
Hometown: Savannah, GA
Career Goal: To earn my Ph.D in Supply Chain Management and to become a professor after least 15 years of working a top Gartner company.
Quote/Life Motto: “I want to do something splendid…something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead. I don’t know what, but I’m on the watch for it and mean to astonish you all someday.” -Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Involvement: Student Assistant, WISE Connections Advisory Board.
Interests/Hobbies: I love to listen to and make music in my free time. I plan on learning how to play the guitar. I also like to watch films and discuss it my friends.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Get to know your professors. Some of the best advice I ever had came from a professor. They are here to guide you through your college experience and prepare you for your future. Trust them to do this and you’ll be better off.
Elizabeth Carpenter
Program: Marketing & Supply Chain Management with Logistics emphasis; Minor in Military Science
Hometown: Cave Spring, GA
Career Goal: To serve as an officer in the U.S. Army.
Quote/Life Motto: “When your mind is telling you that you’re done, that you’re exhausted, that you cannot possibly go any further, you’re actually only 40% done.” -David Goggins
Involvement: ROTC, Water Polo Club Team, Honors College.
Interests/Hobbies: I’m usually in the gym, in the pool, or studying.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Don’t be scared to ask questions, go to a tutor, or email a professor. Everyone wants you to succeed here, so don’t be scared to get help or reach out to someone when you need it.
Brynna Chin-A-Young
Program: Accounting; Minors in Entrepreneurship and Innovation & Information Systems
Hometown: Macon, GA
Career Goal: To become a CPA and to work in public accounting. I would also love to one day open my own business.
Quote/Life Motto: “Hope for the best and plan for the worst.”
Involvement: Beta Alpha Psi, Accounting Association.
Interests/Hobbies: In my free time, I like to do a lot of different crafts. From embroidering to painting to sculpting, I like to try out any new arts and crafts that I can find! I also love to spend time with my friends and my cat, Slinky.
Best advice for new Parker College students: The most important advice I would give to new Parker College students would be to be active on campus! That can look like going to office hours and developing relationships with your professors, or that can look like joining organizations to meet new friends. Either way, getting involved on campus will make your college experience so much more enjoyable!
Alexis Davis
Program: Accounting
Hometown: West Green, GA
Career Goal: To be a bank institution CFO.
Quote/Life Motto: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost
Involvement: Governor’s Intern, Community Bank Teller, Campus Outreach, Parker Scholar, Honor’s College, Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.
Interests/Hobbies: Travel.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Take every opportunity you are given! You never know what doors it could potentially open for your future.
Max Dease
Program: Accounting; Minor in Military Science
Hometown: Savannah, GA
Career Goal: To be a forensic accountant.
Quote/Life Motto: “Failure is not an option.”
Involvement: ROTC, Beta Alpha Psi, Sam’s Club Merchandiser.
Interests/Hobbies: Spend time with friends, read, or work with my hands.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Give it your all in everything you do.
Trey Dent
Program: Management with Human Resources emphasis; Minor in Psychology
Hometown: Statesboro, GA
Career Goal: To be as successful as possible, ideally with my own business.
Quote/Life Motto: You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes- James 4:14. (Basically, tomorrow isn’t promised, live in the present.)
Involvement: Phi Sigma Pi, Delta Sigma Pi, Men of Vision and Excellence, Restoring the Breach Inc., GS Habitat for Humanity, Minority Advisement Program, FYE Peer Leader, AgSouth Farm Credit intern, GS Human Resources student agent.
Interests/Hobbies: Watch/play sports, sleep, listen to music, and make art.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Use your resources. Make lasting relationships with faculty, staff, and students. It’s about what you know AND who you know.
Taylor Gray
Program: Information Systems
Hometown: Carrollton, GA
Career Goal: To work SAP as a consultant helping to transform business processes!
Quote/Life Motto: “Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” – Walt Disney
Involvement: Executive Vice President of SGA, Honors College, Honors College Ambassador, Alpha Delta Pi Member, Undergraduate Research in Information Systems, Internship with KPMG.
Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy working out, playing golf, and traveling!
Best advice for new Parker College students: Get involved! Georgia Southern and The Parker College of Business have so many opportunities for students. Join a club or on campus organization. Not only will it help you become more well-rounded, but it will help you set yourself apart from other job applicants in the future.
Emily Hennessey
Program: Marketing; Minor in Photography and Digital Imaging
Hometown: Cumming, GA
Career Goal: To help grow businesses by utilizing artistic and creative branding, advertising, and photography.
Quote/Life Motto: “If I wouldn’t ask your advice, I won’t take your opinion.” -Harold London (“Granddaddy”)
Involvement: Owner/Photographer at Hennessey Photography, Students with Disabilities Advocacy Group, Service Dog Training and Education Program, Georgia Southern Drumline.
Interests/Hobbies: Photography is my main passion and what I usually find myself doing!
Best advice to new Parker College students: Don’t let college pass you by. Jump on opportunities to grow yourself, both academically and interpersonally. Take initiative for your career by utilizing all the resources our College of Business has to offer!
Ma’Kayla Hulett
Program: Supply Chain Management with Logistics emphasis
Hometown: Brunswick, GA
Career Goal: To become a supply chain consultant.
Quote/Life Motto: Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.
Involvement: Student Support Services.
Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy reading in my free time.
Best advice to new Parker College students: Don’t be intimidated or afraid.
Lauryn Jackson
Program: Marketing with Retail Management emphasis
Hometown: Lawrenceville, GA
Career Goal: To work for a Fortune 500 company conducting product marketing, campaign marketing and/or marketing research, to ultimately better understand the consumer with future technological advancements in mind.
Quote/Life Motto: “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.”
Involvement: National Retail Federation Student Association, Atlanta First Agency.
Interests/Hobbies: In my free time, I enjoy trying new restaurants, products, and traveling.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Getting out of your comfort zone because you never know what opportunities are in front of you whether that be through your peers, professors, extracurricular activities, etc. The connections made within the Parker College can be useful for your future goals both short term and long term!
Cain Johnson
Program: Finance; Minor in French
Hometown: Locust Grove, GA
Career Goal: To become a managing director/partner at a private equity firm.
Quote/Life Motto: “Que Será, Será” is just a reminder for me not to stress so much over things, because if it was meant to be it will be.
Involvement: AT&T EDGE Intern, Southern Investment Association, Finance Association, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.
Interests/Hobbies: I like to watch Netflix, hangout with friends, and sleep.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Communicate more with your professors. Whether that be during class or during office hours your professors can help you far more than just class material. They can really become a lifeline for more networking/job opportunities, letters of recommendation, or just someone to talk to.
Abdou Njie
Program: Finance
Hometown: Riverdale, GA
Career Goal: To be a financial analyst.
Quote/Life Motto: “Be not afraid of discomfort. If you can’t put yourself in a situation where you are uncomfortable, then you will never grow. You will never change. You’ll never learn.” -Jason Reynolds
Involvement: Finance Association, Club Sports Supervisor.
Interests/Hobbies: Basketball, spend time with family.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Instead of looking at things as wins and losses, look at things as wins and lessons. If you want to succeed there will be a lot of lessons.
Jack Snyder
Program: Accounting
Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
Career Goal: To obtain a CPA license and become a partner at an accounting firm.
Quote/Life Motto: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward.” -Rocky Balboa
Involvement: Beta Alpha Psi, Treasurer of Pi Kappa Alpha.
Interests/Hobbies: I love playing all kinds of sports, hanging out and staying connected with friends, and spending time with family.
Best advice for new Parker College students: Start every semester with a determined mindset to perform better than you have previously. Being prepared will ultimately be your best tool to excel in all your endeavors. Remind yourself periodically that you are working to be the best scholar you can possibly be.
Last updated: 7/15/2021
