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Student research advances phishing detection and cybersecurity innovation

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:52:13 +0000

Student research advances phishing detection and cybersecurity innovation Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 06/15/2026 - 09:52

Taylor Le, BS Information Technology ‘26, was participating in the Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) internship at Mobius when he was put in contact with Brian Ngac, the assistant dean for centers and FedWriters, Inc., Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow at the Costello College of Business at 911��, who was helping to fund the program.

(left to right) Tien Nguyen, Taylor Le, Richard Nguyen, and Brian Ngac at the 2026 Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium. Photo provided by Brian Ngac.

During weekly check-ins throughout the internship, Ngac provided Le with a more in-depth understanding of PREP, an experiential learning program he launched at Costello. Le expressed interest in conducting research on phishing detection to which Ngac encouraged him to develop a proposal so he could help secure funding. The PREP internship was sponsored by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, which also supported the research conducted by Le and his team.

To conduct formal research on a multi-signal phishing detection and continuous user training platform, Le recruited two Virginia Tech computer science students—Tien Nguyen and Richard Nguyen—whom he met through networking. The industry participant Ngac paired them with was Parsons Corporation, a digitally enabled solutions provider at which he also works. Nathan Dykas, senior computational intelligence officer, and Daniel Boyce, AI (artificial intelligence)/ML (machine learning) engineer, mentored the student team during weekly meetings, providing recommendations and guidance on the direction of their research.

“It was awesome to see all the different professors and other students who are going down the same path as us and to see what they were doing with their research, as well as to get additional feedback that we could use to improve our own research.”

— Taylor Le, BS Information Technology ‘26

In collaboration with Parsons Corporation, the team developed Orion, a platform designed for phishing detection and user training. Orion was developed to address the issue of detecting modern phishing pages by combining machine learning with contextual guidance. It turns detection into an immediate teaching moment by mapping findings for the user, showing which parts of the page triggered concern.

Orion was selected for demonstration at the 2026 Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium in Richmond, Virginia, where the team forged valuable connections and gained insights to further strengthen the platform.

“It was awesome to see all the different professors and other students who are going down the same path as us and to see what they were doing with their research, as well as to get additional feedback that we could use to improve our own research,” says Le. The entire team made the trip for the symposium, where they had a booth playing their demo video and where they conducted a live demo as well.

“Being an information technology major, I always thought that I was kind of looped into only being able to do IT-based jobs,” says Le. “But doing a technical project like this gave me more confidence to strive higher and chase those cyber engineering jobs, which I feel like, without the program, I wouldn’t be in the same spot.”

The team’s successful showcase at the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium underscores how experiential learning, research, and industry partnerships can come together to prepare students to develop innovative solutions in the fields of AI and cybersecurity. Because of PREP and its invaluable industry connections, Le graduated with greater clarity, confidence, and direction, ready to make his mark in these evolving fields.

In This Story

Brian Ngac

Topics

Professional Readiness Experiential Program

Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow

Cybersecurity

Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI)

Costello MBA students drive real-world impact for nonprofit in Innovation and Design Lab

Katelynn C Hipolito — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:25:39 +0000

Costello MBA students drive real-world impact for nonprofit in Innovation and Design Lab Katelynn C Hipolito Thu, 06/11/2026 - 15:25

Launched in the spring 2026 semester, the Innovation and Design Lab for Business and Government (MBA 797) is a new experiential MBA course offered at the Costello College of Business at 911��.

loannis Bellos (back left), Natalie Foley (front right), Jessica Knocklein (back right), Deborah Casello (back, third from right), Tierney Marden (back, second from right), with Innovation and Design Lab students including, Lyne Joseph (back, fourth from right), David Pagan (front, second from left). Photo provided by loannis Bellos.

"The Innovation and Design Lab students approached KEYS 365's challenges with curiosity, compassion, and a genuine commitment to meaningful impact," says Deborah Casello, president of KEYS 365. "This work matters deeply because it will help KEYS 365 continue to empower more communities with free suicide prevention education." KEYS 365 is based in Fairfax, Virginia.

Created by its co-instructors, Ioannis Bellos, director of the MBA and MS in Management programs at Costello, and Natalie Foley, senior advisor at 911��’s University Business Consulting team and adjunct professor at Costello, the Innovation and Design Lab is a student-led course that was developed in partnership with NobleReach Foundation, a corporate and community partner of Costello.

“My vision for this course was to create an innovation experience that infuses an entrepreneurial, problem-solving mindset—one that is valuable whether students go on to become entrepreneurs, work in industry, serve in government, or lead in mission-driven organizations,” says Bellos. “Innovation is not just about launching new ventures; it is about learning how to engage with stakeholders, navigate ambiguity, test assumptions, and develop practical solutions under real constraints.” Working with a nonprofit, the students had to devise creative solutions with limited resources while meeting the timeline of their client.

“Effective innovation begins with understanding human needs and designing meaningful experiences that solve practical problems in ways that create lasting impact. The course also taught me that in consulting, the problem a client initially presents is not always the problem that ultimately needs to be solved, and that process of discovery is often what leads to the most innovative and user-centered solutions.”

— Lyne Joseph, Costello College of Business MBA student

Continuing the trend of increasing experiential learning curricula across Costello’s academic courses, Bellos and Foley collaborated on their overlapping areas of expertise and interests in design thinking and nonprofit organizations. After developing the course framework, Bellos and Foley connected with NobleReach Foundation, knowing they shared a commitment to experiential learning, mission-driven innovation, and preparing students to tackle meaningful, real-world challenges.

To complement Foley’s background in innovation consulting with Fortune 500 companies and large nonprofits, they were able to tap into NobleReach’s resources for the social impact component. “Over eight weeks, 911�� students worked directly with KEYS 365, a mental health and suicide prevention organization, to tackle two challenges that constrain small nonprofits everywhere: how to build sustainable fundraising without burning out leadership, and how to recruit and screen volunteers for emotionally demanding work,” says Jessica Knocklein, education manager at NobleReach Foundation. “They talked to stakeholders, tested their thinking, and delivered practical solutions. That process is exactly what the next generation of mission-driven leaders need: the ability to bring an entrepreneurial mindset to the hardest problems communities face.”

The course was experiential from day one, led by students rather than instructors. “We didn’t start with a lecture,” says Foley. “The student teams kicked off each class, presenting their field work from the past week, noting ‘this is what we did, this is what we learned, this is how things changed.’ I was really impressed with the level of ownership.” Students did customer interviews every week, pushing them to develop and iterate innovative solutions in a fast-paced, real-world environment.

“The course was not only a great opportunity to apply what we had learned throughout the MBA program, but it also gave us new tools that I think are crucial for every MBA student to know about,” says David Pagan, a Costello MBA student. “Some of the best businesses in the world solve problems with design thinking, and I’m excited to take the lessons I learned here to tackle whatever challenges I take on next.”

A major takeaway for Lyne Joseph, another Costello MBA student, was learning that in people-centered work and business, it does not have to be one or the other. “Effective innovation begins with understanding human needs and designing meaningful experiences that solve practical problems in ways that create lasting impact,” she says. “The course also taught me that in consulting, the problem a client initially presents is not always the problem that ultimately needs to be solved, and that process of discovery is often what leads to the most innovative and user-centered solutions.”

“The Innovation and Design Lab students approached KEYS 365’s challenges with curiosity, compassion, and a genuine commitment to meaningful impact,” says Deborah Casello, president of KEYS 365. “This work matters deeply because it will help KEYS 365 continue to empower more communities with free suicide prevention education.”

By integrating innovation and design thinking frameworks with hands-on experiential learning, the Innovation and Design Lab provides a space for Costello students to take ownership of their work and navigate complex, real-world challenges with confidence. Furthermore, through strategic business partnerships like these, students learn to address the needs of clients, lead with empathy, and deliver solutions that create meaningful impact.

Ioannis Bellos and Natalie Foley have been selected to speak more about the course at the Stearns Center Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference this September.

In This Story

Ioannis Bellos

Topics

Corporate and Community Partners Program

innovative classes

Innovation takes center stage at this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition

Katelynn C Hipolito — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:12:27 +0000

Innovation takes center stage at this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition Katelynn C Hipolito Fri, 04/24/2026 - 14:12

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, students, faculty, alumni, and other stakeholders from across the 911�� community gathered to cheer on the final teams of entrepreneurs competing in this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition, including those featured in the competition’s newly introduced Regional Showcase.

Attendees explore the tables at the Regional Showcase. Photo by John Boal Photography.

As a core component of the Patriot Pitch Competition, the Regional Showcase expanded the event’s reach by highlighting innovation from 911�� alumni, previous pitch competition teams, and community entrepreneurs who have graduated from entrepreneurship training programs led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) within the Costello College of Business at 911��.

“The Patriot Pitch Competition is an event where innovation takes center stage. It is a time when 911�� students, faculty, and staff come together in collaboration with our alumni, business community, sponsors, and many others to support our emerging entrepreneurs—many of whom will go on to play key roles in the vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driving the growth of our regional economy.”

—Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business

Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of Costello College of Business. Photo by John Boal Photography.

“The Patriot Pitch Competition is an event where innovation takes center stage,” said Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business. “It is a time when 911�� students, faculty, and staff come together in collaboration with our alumni, business community, sponsors, and many others to support our emerging entrepreneurs—many of whom will go on to play key roles in the vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driving the growth of our regional economy.”

Omar Solimon joins a keynote discussion with Jabs Totonji, BS '12. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Omar Soliman, co-founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving, published author, TV personality, and entrepreneur, joined Jabs Toto nji, BS ’12, chief investment officer at Golden Eagle Group Inc., for a keynote discussion about Soliman’s entrepreneurial journey—from his participation in a business pitch competition at his alma mater, to his appearance on the first episode of Shark Tank, to building his company into one of the fastest-growing franchises in the nation, employing more than 10,000 people. In addition to answering audience questions, Soliman emphasized the importance of hiring people with positive attitudes who get things done and healthy conflict in yielding positive results.

Of the 63 applications submitted for this year’s competition, eight teams advanced to the final round—two finalists in each of the four competition tracks—while 16 businesses competed for prize money in the Regional Showcase, all vying for a share of the $60,000 total prize pool.

For each of the four competition tracks, two finalist teams delivered five-minute pitches before a panel of judges and a packed room of spectators, followed by five minutes of Q&A from the judges.

While the judges were deliberating, attendees explored the Regional Showcase and cast votes for entrepreneurs who hosted tables and were competing for prize money. Audience members also voted for the Patriots’ Choice Awards, with ArcAid and EduVerse each earning an additional $5,000 on top of their first-place winnings and bringing their total awards to $13,000.

MBA student Bailey Mahoney presents his pitch for AgentForge, Inc. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Once deliberations were completed, the final prizes were announced. In the Innovative Ideas track, AgentForge, Inc. (Bailey Mahoney and Sahger Lad) took first place, while ExcelATC (Noran Megatheh, Alana Khem, Nathanael Davis, and Zach Cacace) earned second place. In the Social Impact track, ArcAid (Hocine Filali, Nesma Khalafalla, Alan Garcia, and Amr Hamza) won first place, followed by CareAble (Britney Orellana-Ochoa, Amy Mayeaux, and William Echols) in second. DealFax (Khaled Alkurd) received first place in the Future Founders track, with PawNutri360 (Supreet Singh and Conor Mangum) placing second. Finally, in the Early-Stage Ventures track, EduVerse (Jagan Yetukuri) took first place, and Rumi Legacy Schools (Wida Saber, Ahmad Khaled, and Noori Shukria Saber) earned second.

Each of the winning teams was welcomed to the stage by awards ceremony emcee George Schindler, a member of the 911�� Board of Visitors, where they posed for photos with sponsors, the 911�� Patriot mascot, and their giant checks.

“We’re proud to celebrate the makers, dreamers, and doers shaping our region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business. “Innovation has always been humanity’s greatest team sport—and here at Costello, we’re playing to win.”

The Patriot Pitch Competition reached new heights this year, drawing more than 275 attendees—an achievement made possible through a true team effort. In addition to the dedicated work of the Costello and CIE staff members, there were nearly 200 individuals and organizations actively engaged in the program, including pitch teams, mentors, judges, emcees, speakers, and sponsors.

This year’s Patriot Pitch Competition was led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Costello College of Business and was presented by 22nd Century Technologies Inc. Funding for the competition was provided through a subsidiary of the Donald G. Costello Declaration of Trust and the Sara Costello Exempt Trust, Joseph J. Contrucci, Trustee. Among the distinguished business and community supporters in attendance were Joe and Peg Contrucci; Sara Costello; and Anil Sharma, CEO of 22nd Century Technologies Inc., all of whom were able to witness the impact of their investment in supporting 911��’s emerging entrepreneurs.

This year’s Patriot Pitch Competition was also made possible through the generous support of sponsors that included:

Innovative Ideas Track: College of Engineering and Computing, 911��
Social Impact Track: Lynn Alexis Lee Corey Prize for Social Entrepreneurship
Future Founders Track: Fairfax City Economic Development Authority
Early-Stage Ventures Track: Char’d
Patriots’ Choice Award: Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter, 911��
Patriot Sponsor: Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

Beyond rewarding bold ideas and emerging business ventures, the 2026 Patriot Pitch Competition celebrated the innovative spirit that continues to define the Costello College of Business and 911�� entrepreneurial communities.

Topics

Patriot Pitch Competition

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter

Campus News

entrepreneurship

Women in Business Initiative

In This Story

Cheryl Druehl

Patrick Soleymani

Learn more about the Costello College of Business at 911��

Women in Business at Mason hosts inaugural spring conference

Katelynn C Hipolito — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:59:04 +0000

Women in Business at Mason hosts inaugural spring conference Katelynn C Hipolito Tue, 04/07/2026 - 11:59

With more than 300 members and growing, the Women in Business at Mason student organization at the Costello College of Business, empowers women who are majoring, minoring, or interested in the world of business. Through networking and personal and professional development events, they aim to expand upon members’ skillsets as well as their networks inside and outside of 911��.

Women in Business at Mason. Photo provided by Women in Business at Mason.

During the spring 2026 semester, the members put their heads together and pooled their resources to host their first-ever Women in Business Spring Conference. Featuring 34 speakers from across industry and academia, the conference successfully positioned the group as leaders in elevating women’s voices, fostering meaningful connections, and inspiring the next generation of business leaders.

"The goal was to make this a real, recurring opportunity for women to connect with each other and with professionals who have a lot to offer, and I’m so happy to say our team achieved that and beyond.”

—Akanksha Padheriya, president of Women in Business at Mason

The spring conference kicked off with a keynote speaker—Lisa Leander, founder and CEO of Where Imagination Builds Excellence, a global community that began as Women in Business Education championing women in higher education leadership, and has since expanded its reach to business education leaders ready to reimagine what’s possible. Through stories and a hands-on networking activity, she addressed how attendees can build real connections, as well as grow, nurture, and draw strength from the people already around them.

Following the keynote, attendees broke into sessions focused on the professional development skills they wanted to strengthen, such as interviewing skills and case solving. Then they had the opportunity to sit in panel speaker sessions spanning a wide range of business fields, from technology to international business.

“We had so many people from different fields come in and it’s truly amazing,” said Katherine Guevara, speaker coordinator for the conference. “When I was sitting in my moderating sessions asking them questions, I was taking in every single bit of information and just learning about their field, how they got there. If they were 911�� alumni, how their experience at 911�� helped them grow to the person they are today.”

“Everyone had a smile on their face because they were happy to be there and learn from these panelists and amazing women,” said Faria Alam, director of operations for the conference.

Many of the speakers found the conference to be just as rewarding. “I was incredibly proud to see these young women take the initiative to design and deliver such a meaningful experience for their community by bringing people together to connect, celebrate, and learn from one another,” said Suehaila Nabulsi, BA ‘00, senior project manager at IBM. “I was truly inspired by their thoughtfulness and curiosity. Through both the women in consulting panel and individual conversations I had with many, I encouraged these extraordinary women to create and follow their own paths while resisting the urge to measure their journeys against others.”

Another 911�� alum, as well as President’s Circle donor, Phyllis C. Pajardo, MEd '93, retired superintendent of City of Fairfax Schools, was impressed and proud to see the students organize such a successful event. “Not only did the conference display the varied strengths and professionalism of the university students, the conference showcased the amazing talent, leadership journey, and the remarkable fortitude of successful women throughout the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area,” she said. “It was a pleasure to serve as a panelist; moreover, it was an even greater joy to see our current and future women business leaders in action.”

The afternoon concluded with networking, where attendees could connect with one another and also with the speakers to ask any follow-up questions. In addition to the speaker sessions and networking, several companies had tables where students could stop by to learn about the opportunities they had for them.

“Planning this conference was a very challenging task to take on, as we started with basically just an idea and had to figure out a lot as we went, since nothing like this had existed before at 911��,” said Akanksha Padheriya, president of the Women in Business at Mason. “More than anything, I wanted to set something up that future members could actually use and build on. The goal was to make this a real, recurring opportunity for women to connect with each other and with professionals who have a lot to offer, and I’m so happy to say our team achieved that and beyond.”

Women in Business at Mason is excited to build on the success of the inaugural spring conference—including the professional connections forged—to create additional high‑value events in the future. The organization not only prepares female students to succeed in business but also serves as a home for cultivating friendship, support, and a strong sense of belonging at the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Topics

Fiscal Patriots take first place in national AGA Datathon

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:01:20 +0000

Fiscal Patriots take first place in national AGA Datathon Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 03/09/2026 - 13:01

This year’s AGA Datathon—a nationwide competition challenging college students to apply their data science skills to solve real-world government accountability problems—drew talent from many of the nation’s top business colleges. The Costello College of Business at 911�� was well represented by the team known as the Fiscal Patriots, who rose above the competition to capture first place.

Fiscal Patriots receive the first-place prize check at Datathon. Courtesy of Fiscal Patriots.

The Fiscal Patriots formed quickly through existing academic connections. “I was introduced to this competition through Professor Mike Wetklow [instructor in accounting] when I took his class in advanced accounting analytics, Accounting 665, last year,” said Khaled Alkurd, an accounting analytics and forensic accounting student. “When I learned about it again this year, I knew I wanted to build a team and compete.”

Mariam Debas, an accounting and management information systems (MIS) student, had also expressed interest, so Professor Wetklow connected the two. Already familiar from a previous project, they expanded their team by inviting Andy Yaro, a cyber security engineering student, and Nikita Chandrasing, an MIS and business analytics student.

To round out the team, Chandrasing reached out to Pranavi Doodala, a business analytics student, who had been a finalist in 911��’s capstone competition a few weeks prior. The five students quickly established a strong dynamic and a well-rounded foundation for the work ahead.

From left, Andy Yaro, Mariam Debas, Nikita Chandrasing, Pranavi Doodala, and Khaled Alkurd. Courtesy of Fiscal Patriots

During the month leading up to the first phase of the competition, the Fiscal Patriots focused on refining their responses to various prompts they could expect at the Datathon. Wetklow provided the team with initial guidance, helping them decide on which direction to take. Later, Clement Chen, adjunct professor in management, reviewed their work and provided crucial feedback to strengthen the team’s submission.

Presented with three options to choose from, the Fiscal Patriots selected the use case of visualizing government spending data in an interactive, innovative format that would make complex financial information more accessible to the public. The result was AuditsMadeSimple, a website that serves as a launchpad for understanding federal spending and audit data. Broken into four distinct features—exploratory visualizations, a 50+ term glossary of auditing terms, a dataset guide, and case studies—the platform allows users without a technical background to interpret, contextualize, and better understand government accountability data.

“We’re really hoping to showcase the accessibility of the features we’ve carefully curated on this website and how they effectively make federal spending and audit data understandable to the average citizen,” said Doodala.

“This achievement was a year in the making with 911��'s first advanced accounting analytics class a year ago,” said Wetklow. “From the time I first met Khaled, his skills were apparent. What’s equally impressive was the full team—each with a unique superpower that demonstrated the Costello-911�� edge.”

—Mike Wetklow, accounting instructor at the Costello College of Business at 911��

In the opening round of the AGA Datathon, the Fiscal Patriots made their presentation in front of the panel of judges. During the 20-minute virtual session, they walked through their website before receiving feedback on content, delivery, and other insights to keep in mind for the competition’s final round.

Polished and poised, the Fiscal Patriots delivered their final presentation on February 18 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. Winning the top prize validated their preparation and commitment, but the Fiscal Patriots had so many other takeaways from the competition. “I got involved in this challenge because I just wanted to apply my skills,” said Debas. “Coming from an MIS and accounting background, I’ve built a strong foundation across both disciplines. What really excited me about this competition was the opportunity to focus on real-world government financial challenges.”

Chandrasing found that the competition helped her experiment with future career pathways. “Because one of my career goals is to become a product manager, I think creating the documentation for what the requirements for that would be really aligned with that,” she said.

“This achievement was a year in the making with 911��'s first advanced accounting analytics class a year ago,” said Wetklow. “From the time I first met Khaled, his skills were apparent. What’s equally impressive was the full team—each with a unique superpower that demonstrated the Costello-911�� edge.”

Together, the Fiscal Patriots proved that when diverse skill sets unite around a shared mission, the results speak for themselves—and they speak loudly enough to earn the top spot on a national stage.

Topics

AGA Datathon

Fiscal Patriots

Accounting Area

competitions

Patriot Pitch Competition

Costello-inspired entrepreneur fuels success through hydration and hustle

Katelynn C Hipolito — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:32:57 +0000

Costello-inspired entrepreneur fuels success through hydration and hustle Katelynn C Hipolito Thu, 01/22/2026 - 13:32

While growing up, Jheen Oh’s parents always prioritized health, especially his father. “He was always into the latest health trends and products and natural remedies,” he said. With that health‑conscious mindset already in place, Oh had a breakthrough idea while working for a startup in 2017.

Jheen Oh standing in front of his product, Susosu Water. Photo provided

“I realized that a lot of these major water brands are really just made from purified water, which now people are starting to realize it’s just another word for manufactured tap water, which doesn’t provide you the hydration nor the health benefits that you think it does,” he said.

With the help of his father, he launched Susosu Water, the only naturally sourced mineral water from a 600-foot underground source in South Korea, infused with extra hydrogen for a much healthier hydration.

Before enrolling at the Costello College of Business at 911��, Oh was often told by his parents that he was destined to work in business.

“It wasn’t until getting to 911�� that it really clicked and activated my passion for business, with aspects like building relationships, networking with the right people, and hustling,” he said.

Those connections helped him land a position at his first startup and helped him discover the kind of work that he was passionate about.

“It wasn’t until getting to 911�� that it really clicked and activated my passion for business, with aspects like building relationships, networking with the right people, and hustling.”

— Jheen Oh

The COVID-19 pandemic became a major turning point for Oh and Susosu Water, presenting both challenges and opportunities. As consumers rapidly shifted to online shopping, Oh saw a growth of approximately 295% in revenue, prompting him and his business partner to quit their full-time jobs and focus on Susosu. When issues with their Amazon storefront temporarily halted their momentum, they were forced to pivot.

“We had to figure something out, and it was from a simple Google search when we realized that we had to start getting into the wholesale part of our business and started developing that and partnered up with a local food and beverage accelerator program based out of Washington, D.C.,” he said. “We got our big break from Giant Foods, which is huge for us, especially in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, and that’s when we actually got a partnership with UNFI, which is the largest natural and organic distributor.”

At the same time, they were able to get their Amazon account restored, allowing Susosu Water to evolve into a business driven roughly 40% by e-commerce and 60% by wholesale. Susosu Water can be found in approximately 650 retail stores, including the Giant in Fairfax’s University Mall, with growth continuing to accelerate.

Oh reiterates the importance for Costello students to take advantage of their networks, connecting with their classmates, faculty members, alumni, and community partners.

“You’re paying to be around a lot of high-level people, and you just never know who’s going to contribute to your career post-graduation or even during school to set you up for what you want to do,” he says. “One of the core foundations of entrepreneurship is really networking and relationships.”

Along with attending networking events, he encourages students to take as many internships as possible to gain experience, expand skill sets, and explore their passions. Through Handshake, he has hired numerous 911�� students as interns.

Additionally, Oh is excited to return to campus to mentor young entrepreneurs for the upcoming Patriot Pitch Competition, an experiential learning opportunity where students compete for prize funding to launch their business ventures.

As Susosu Water continues to grow, Oh hopes his path inspires Costello students to stay bold, stay connected, and pursue opportunities with the same drive and determination that transformed his vision into reality.

Explore the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Learn more about the Patriot Pitch Competition

Topics

entrepreneurship

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Costello Scholarship Luncheon showcases growth in named scholarship funding

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:39:51 +0000

Costello Scholarship Luncheon showcases growth in named scholarship funding Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 12/17/2025 - 15:39

The Costello College of Business at 911�� recently announced a significant increase in scholarship money awarded to students—$1.3 million for the 2024-25 academic year—$500,000 of which went to named scholarships. Over the past five years, both the total amount of scholarship funding and the number of students who have received Costello scholarships have more than doubled.

Costello scholarship recipients. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

As outlined by Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president of 911��, priority number one at Costello is student readiness and career preparedness. “Scholarships play a huge role in the success of our students,” he said.

Costello celebrated donors and scholarship recipients on November 18 at the annual Costello Scholarship Luncheon. The luncheon featured an inspiring lineup of speakers whose lives and careers have been shaped by scholarship support. Mitchell Cho, BA '99, founder and CEO of FedWriters, Inc. (FWI), shared his journey. As a student, he said, he was not the overachiever some might assume. What he did have was persistence and grit. Today, as a member of the Corporate and Community Partners Program, Cho views scholarships as an investment in the future. “Supporting scholarship is not just about philanthropy for us,” he said. “It’s about investing in the future.”

Longtime donor Jim Beers, retired managing partner of Beers & Cutler, encouraged students to keep pushing forward toward their dreams. “It’s so important what you’re doing now—and it will be even more important after you graduate,” he said.

Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter, speaking at the Costello Scholarship Luncheon. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

Current students also shared their heartfelt reflections.

“Something I really appreciate about Costello is how it helps us grow,” said Iman Choudry, recipient of the Robert Amy Scholarship.

Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, credited her donor’s generosity for making her dreams possible. “I made a promise that I would give back when I can,” she said.

“I made a promise that I would give back when I can,” she said.

— Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter

While the speeches inspired and provided valuable insights, the luncheon’s greatest asset was bringing students and their donors together to express gratitude, network, and to ask questions. Many of the donors once stood in the shoes of the recipients, facing similar challenges.

Costello scholarship donors and Costello Alumni Chapter members. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

The Costello Scholarship Luncheon is a proud tradition, celebrating both student achievement and the generosity of donors. With the named scholarship funding continuing to rise, the Costello College of Business is sending a clear message that their business is student success.

Learn about Mason Now

In This Story

Ajay Vinzé

Sandra Flores, '23

Topics

Scholarships

Costello Scholarship Luncheon

Corporate and Community Partners Program

Costello College of Business Scholarships

Mason Now: Power the Possible

philanthropy

Global residency empowers Costello MBA student’s entrepreneurial dreams

Katelynn C Hipolito — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:03:01 +0000

Global residency empowers Costello MBA student’s entrepreneurial dreams Katelynn C Hipolito Tue, 12/16/2025 - 10:03

Supreet Singh, MS Computer Forensics '14, balances coursework with a demanding career, while gaining a lifelong network of colleagues and friends.

Supreet Singh, current Costello MBA student. Photo provided by Supreet Singh.

After years of taking classes as an extended student at 911�� and advancing in her engineering career, Supreet Singh decided to take a leap and enroll in the Costello MBA program at the Donald G. Costello College of Business at 911��, to pursue a lifelong dream: starting her own business.

One highlight of her MBA experience has been the program’s global residency, which offers students a week abroad exploring real companies and cultures. “Growing up in India, the world awareness was very small,” says Singh. She was fascinated to learn about apartheid and its effects on business and culture, as well as the similarities between the colonialism of South Africa and that of India.

The Costello faculty member leading the trip, Russell Abratt, an instructional professor of marketing, had assigned the class half a dozen South African companies—ranging from an airlines company to a children’s music school—to research and present on prior to their departure. After gaining a perspective on the companies through research, they were able to ask questions during the residency to truly understand how each company operates.

The residency was a remarkable cultural experience that Singh was happy to share with the other students in her cohort. “We were really connected with each other,” she says. “The last day there we went to a restaurant where you get to play drums and dance on the dance floor.”

Looking ahead to graduation in spring 2026, Singh already feels more assured in her role as lead engineer at College Board. “Taking those finance classes, I feel very confident that I have built more awareness, and confident that I can move forward with cybersecurity,” she says. She also values the program’s flexibility, which has enabled her to balance coursework with a demanding career and personal commitments.

While Singh enjoys her engineering work, her ultimate goal is entrepreneurship—perhaps launching a dog food company or a café. “My end goal in life is to be able to start my own business, and I think this program has given me tools to do that on my own,” she says. Beyond skills, Singh has gained a strong network that she stays connected with for professional opportunities and social activities like hiking.

“My end goal in life is to be able to start my own business, and I think this program has given me tools to do that on my own,” she says.

— Supreet Singh, current Costello MBA student

Singh’s Costello MBA is not only a launchpad for her entrepreneurial dreams—it also provides a lifelong network of colleagues and friends.

Supreet Singh with the Costello MBA Program’s global residency students at the Cape of Good Hope. Photo provided by Supreet Singh.

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This MBA student is already putting her degree to work

sholla4 — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:30:18 +0000

This MBA student is already putting her degree to work sholla4 Fri, 12/12/2025 - 10:30

Working full-time while getting a graduate degree is no easy feat. But for Air Force veteran and soon-to-be 911�� alum Kathleen Gillmore, hard work is second nature.

Gillmore is graduating from 911�� in fall 2025 with a master of business administration and a graduate certificate in business analytics from the Costello College of Business. She started her degree at the same time she started as a data analyst at Accenture Federal Services.

What made you choose 911��?

I first heard about 911�� from my husband, who grew up in Reston and knew the school well. When we moved to Virginia after leaving the Air Force, he recommended 911�� so we could stay close to family and have a solid support system.

Once I researched the university myself, I was really drawn to its strong ties with major tech and business companies in Northern Virginia, as well as its connection to federal agencies. I chose 911�� because it offers a great pathway into both the local industry and government sectors.

How have your professors impacted your time at 911��?

My business analytics professors have made a huge impact on me. They really fueled my love for working with data, and I enjoyed getting hands-on experience with the different analytics software we used in class. Being able to apply what I was learning with real tools made the material come alive and helped me grow both technically and professionally.

How have your classes helped prepare you for your work as a data analyst?

My classes have directly supported my work at Accenture Federal Services. The business-focused courses helped me understand how organizations operate from a strategic and operational perspective, which improved my ability to interpret the “why” behind the data. The business analytics classes taught me to approach data from multiple angles and to think more critically about patterns, insights, and decision-making. These skills have translated seamlessly into my current role.

How do you hope this degree will advance your career?

This degree has expanded my knowledge in both business and analytics, and I’m already applying what I’ve learned in my current role. Looking ahead, I see the MBA as a versatile credential that will help me continue advancing in roles that involve analytical problem-solving and strategic decision-making. It opens doors across many areas of business and gives me the flexibility to pursue opportunities in different industries as my career grows.

What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming student?

Use everything 911�� offers: office hours, workshops, software access, and especially the networking events and career fairs. Those resources not only help you stay on track academically, but they also open the door to meaningful professional connections and opportunities.

What's next for you?

Academically, after completing this degree, I will be returning to 911�� next year to pursue a second master’s degree in data analytics engineering. Professionally, I look forward to applying everything I’ve learned in the MBA to continue growing as a data analyst and to open up new career opportunities. I’m excited to build on the momentum from this program and position myself for roles that allow me to contribute more strategically and analytically within my field.

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