Student Profiles


Evan Brookstaff, JD/MBA 2017

MBA Concentration: Finance

Awards & Scholarships: CFA Honors Program, Cox BLC Leadership Forum Member, CFA Level II Candidate

Activities: Student Advisory Board Treasurer; Cox Graduate Finance Association; Cox Entrepreneurship Club; Corporate Law Association Treasurer

Pre-JD/MBA Job: Deloitte Consulting

Internships: Contract Negotiations at Parkland Hospital; Corporate Development at Alcon

Desired Full-Time Position: Corporate Development; Mergers & Acquisition Consulting; or Private Equity/Venture Capital

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Ryan Kennedy, JD/MBA 2016

MBA Concentration: Energy Finance

Awards & Scholarships: Law Dean's Scholarship

Activities: President, Cox Christian Business Society; Treasurer, Energy Club; Student Bar Association, 1L, 2L, and 3L Representative

Pre-JD/MBA Job: U.S. History Teacher and Football Coach, Rockwall Independent School District

Internships: Law Clerk, Justice Douglas Lang, 5th District Court of Appeals; Acquisitions Associate, Dale Operating Company; Summer Associate, Wells Fargo Securities, Energy Investment Banking Group

Full-Time Position: Associate, Wells Fargo Securities, Energy Investment Banking Group

Most Memorable Experience at SMU Cox: The GLP trip to Seoul, South Korea and Shanghai, China. Having the opportunity to travel with classmates and visit businesses abroad was by far the most fun I've had in graduate school. Korean BBQ sealed the deal for me.    

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Joshua Materne, JD/MBA 2018

MBA Concentration: Finance

Awards & Scholarships: Law Deans Scholarship, Cain Denius Scholarship, Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society

Activities: Tax Law Society, Secretary and Founding Member 2014-15; Student Bar Association, 1L Representative 2014-15 and 2L Representative 2015-16.

Pre-JD/MBA Job: Banking Policy and Regulatory Analyst; Legislative Correspondent for U.S. Representative John Mica, Associate at Materne Wealth Strategies

Internship: Materne Wealth Strategies

Desired Full-Time Position: Wealth and Retirement Strategist- Materne Wealth Strategies

Most Memorable Experience at SMU Cox: The Business Leadership Center Disney Institute trip

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Blair Moore, JD/MBA 2017

MBA Concentration: Finance

Activities: Law Board of Advocates, Mock Trial, Finance Club, Real Estate Club

Internships: Collin County District Attorney's office & Intern at Enoch Kever (2014), Legal Intern at Hunt Consolidated (2015), Summer Law Clerk at Holland & Knight (2016)

Desired Full-Time Position: Associate at a law firm

Most Memorable Experience at SMU Cox: Celebrating my birthday last year at Manny's in West Village.  The whole class was invited and most people came so it was a great night with my classmates.

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Alyssa Palatella, JD/MBA 2018

MBA Concentration: Finance

Activities: Finance Club, Consulting Club, Women in Business Club

Internship: Law Clerk at the AIDS Legal Referral Panel in San Francisco

Desired Full-Time Position: In-house counsel position or at a firm concentrating in Business Law

Most Memorable Experience at SMU Cox: I have a feeling it will be my upcoming Global Leadership Program trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong!

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