In spring 2024, 25 students were handpicked from around 1,000 business students to
receive the Muma College of Business鈥檚 25 Under 25 Awards. Among the honorees were two standout Judy Genshaft Honors College seniors, O鈥機arson
Fils and Yuki Shao. This award celebrates the achievements and impact of exceptional
students in the 51在线鈥檚 college for their commitment to positively
impacting the campus and greater Tampa community while exemplifying leadership, community
service, professional development, and scholarship.
For both Fils and Shao, success wasn't exclusively a product of hard work but of pursuing
their unique academic and extracurricular interests. Their respective experiences
reflect the impact of being students in the Honors College and Muma College of Business,
while also demonstrating how they shaped these communities in return.
MUMA BOUND
Surprisingly, Fils wasn鈥檛 always a business student. Initially driven by the idea
of developing treatments for age-related diseases, he started his USF journey as a
biomedical engineering student. However, he soon realized he wanted to break into
the field of medicine through business and technology. After exploring the Muma College
of Business, he transitioned to major in business analytics and information systems.
鈥淚 have loved being a business major so much. The College of Business provides so
many resources that I feel I鈥檝e taken advantage of. It was a really good change for
me,鈥� Fils shared.
Now, he aspires to become an entrepreneur and startup founder, aiming to use his platform
to impact medical innovation by investing in and empowering scientists.
A first-generation college student, Shao's journey to the Muma College of Business
was influenced by her family's entrepreneurial spirit. Initially enrolling as a management
major, she was inspired by her father, who has successfully run his own restaurant
for nearly twenty years. However, a passion for accounting was ignited by Professor
Jennifer Cainas鈥� Principles of Financial Accounting class.
鈥淚 really liked the way she taught and that accounting concepts to me felt more like
solving puzzles than work,鈥� said Shao.
It was then that Shao decided to change her major to pursue accounting as her future
career path, adding:
鈥淭he other accounting classes at USF Muma have been incredible for me. The professors
there have really moved me.鈥�
Intrigued by accounting, web design, coding, and art, Shao has tied all her interests
and skills together to create a website to sell her artwork.
Shao hopes to continue merging technology and art to help galleries and independent
artists sell and promote their work. Inspired by her professors, she also aims to
pursue a PhD to become an accounting professor.
LEADERS AND INNOVATORS
During his time at USF, Fils sought opportunities to grow himself as a student and
leader. He served as a resident assistant, president of , a member of , a partner in the student startup Debut Labs, and a marketing analyst for the .
According to Fils, his most invaluable leadership experience was rebuilding the Association
for Information Systems.
鈥淚 ended up feeling like this club needed to exist and I needed to do something. It
is really important to have a club for your major,鈥� said Fils. 鈥淚 was alone at first
and had to manage a team of eight to ten people. I had to learn how to deal with the
pressure of being in the spotlight. I am really glad I did it because I am more comfortable
as a leader.鈥�
Like Fils, Shao was highly involved on campus, serving as president of and on the executive boards of the and . She also had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for two upper-level
courses. Typically the domain of graduate students, Shao jumped at the role and opportunity
to gain experience as she helped teach her peers.
鈥淭he teaching assistantship really developed the way I speak and conduct myself.鈥�
said Shao. 鈥淏eing able to teach them and get to know the other students solidified
my interest in becoming a professor later on.鈥�
BEYOND BUSINESS
For Shao and Fils, college wasn鈥檛 all about coursework and internships but also about
finding balance to explore their interests.
According to Fils, it took him a year or two to find his footing on campus. He was
able to find organizations like the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity and the Collegiate
Entrepreneurs Organization where he could connect with peers while pursuing his goals.
鈥淪ince I want to be a startup founder, all of my interests eventually concentrated
into learning more about business,鈥� said Fils.
鈥淵ou definitely find yourself more along your college journey,鈥� said Shao.
Despite juggling school work and multiple jobs, Shao said she was intentional about
making time to pursue interests beyond her major like art, writing, and pickleball.
鈥淏alance is huge in my world. The things that I am doing drive me. Instead of being
things that I have to do, it鈥檚 things that I want to do,鈥� she added.
BRIGHT FUTURES AHEAD
Since spring of 2024, Fils has been working as a technology analyst for Citi Bank. He credits this opportunity to an event at USF鈥檚 Bellini Center, where he met a recruiter from Citi and secured an internship during his undergraduate career. This internship ultimately led to a permanent job offer before he even graduated.
Similarly, Shao gained valuable experience with her future employer, Ernst and Young, as a consulting and media relations intern. She will begin working full-time with Ernst and Young in the winter of 2025.