Milgard School of Business

Over the past year, Jaishri Krishna has contributed more than 350 volunteer hours through both campus and community organizations, demonstrating exceptional commitment to service and leadership. Not only is he one of the Husky 100, but his dedication has earned him the 2026 Gift of Service Award!

Much of Jai's service has focused on food security, including volunteering with Nourish Pierce County's mobile food bank and supporting the UWT Giving Garden, contributing more than 100 hours to each organization.

As elected Board Member and Treasurer of the Indian Student Association, Jai supported student engagement initiatives throughout the year, including organizing one of the largest on-campus events for students. Jai also participated in various UW Tacoma service activities, including on-campus sustainability initiatives and cleanup drives.

Additionally, Jaishri Krishna served as a VITA Site Coordinator, helping community members by preparing, reviewing, and submitting their tax returns, dedicating 5-6 hours every weekend for 10 weeks. Jai also volunteers at large community events such as the upcoming Juneteenth celebration and the Downtown Tacoma Block Party, working 12-hour shifts.

These experiences have deeply shaped Jai's perspective on leadership, service, and community impact, exemplifying the values of the 2026 Gift of Service Award.

Develop your collaborative leadership skills this summer!
The Milgard School of Business is offering T BUS 490/TBUS 590 Collaborative Leadership during Summer Session A (June 22–July 22, 2026).

This hybrid course explores the theory and practice of leading across organizational, cultural, and political boundaries. Through case studies, guest speakers, and applied group projects, you'll learn how Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest leaders address complex environmental and natural resource management challenges.

Course Details:
📅 June 22–July 22
🖥️ Remote: Tuesday evenings
🏫 In-person: Saturdays (June 23, 27, 29 and July 11, 14, 18)
⏰ Enrollment deadline: Friday, June 19

Whether you work in public, private, nonprofit, or tribal sectors—or aspire to—this course will equip you to build and sustain effective cross-sector partnerships and drive collective impact.

Access students are also welcome!
Learn more: https://www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/collaboration/collaborative-leadership-program/

🏆 We have our winners!
The 2026 UWT Business Plan Competition brought incredible innovation to the stage! Student entrepreneurs pitched their startups to a panel of industry judges who evaluated feasibility, scalability, and impact.

Congratulations to our winners:
🥇 Gwen Winslow | Comfort Couture - $2,500
Fashion-forward accessories & apparel for people with chronic pain or disabilities
🥈 Dominic Martinez | Window Connect - $1,000
Lead-generating platform connecting window cleaners with repair contractors
🥉 Carmela De Jesus | Manila Bites - $500
Food truck serving freshly made lumpia on site

Thank you to our judges: Curtis Brooks , Evan Haines , Jen Reed , Keith Dashofy , Rena Pacheco-Theard Boutiq , and Troy Rucker Partners

The future is bright at UWT! 🌟

Build Your Financial Confidence with this superstar informative panel of Real Estate Experts! They will address the four phases of the real estate cycle and who is involved.

Topics will include:

💹What matters, local market trends, when it's good and not good to buy, and how to decide if it's right for you.
📰News headlines vs what's important
💰Buy vs rent analysis, understanding inventory
🤝Tackling affordability, niche programs, interest rates, how to negotiate

Job opportunities in Real Estate!
ATTEND IN PERSON or JOIN VIA ZOOM

Meet our Panelists:

REAL ESTATE
Anastacia Gill and Satbir Gill, Real Estate Agents
LENDING
Ethan McConkey, Senior Loan Advisor
Cross Country Mortgage, LLC
TITLE
Ann D Smith, Escrow Closer/LPO
First American Title
Maribel Hernandez, Senior Account Manager

Register now at https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/business/events -4016

🚀 TOMORROW: Innovation takes center stage!
The 2026 Business Plan Competition Final Round is HERE! Watch your classmates pitch game-changing ideas to a panel of judges and compete for $2,500 to invest in their business! 💰

📅 Thursday, April 23
⏰ Pitches start at 10 AM | Awards at 1 PM
📍 Carwein Auditorium, Key 102
All students welcome! Come see how UWT entrepreneurs are changing the world, one pitch at a time. 🌍💡

👔 Suit Up: Dress for Success!
The first 25 Milgard students to register and attend will receive a $100 gift card for professional attire! 💸
Learn how to tie a tie, nail the perfect hem length, and impress at interviews and client dinners.

Interactive panel + hands-on tips to help you dress the part.
📅 May 4, 2026
⏰ 12:15–1:15 PM
📍 Milgard Hall 301
Register now!
https://forms.gle/LRjBKezEStiPTrh98

🎉 Milgard pride is shining bright!
Congratulations to three incredible Milgard School of Business alumni named to the 2026 40 Under 40:

🌟 Erik Edvalds (BA Business Administration) - Multi-business owner investing in the Puyallup community

🌟 Abby Logan (BA Business Administration) - VP at Wells Fargo Commercial Bank & UWT Real Estate Advisory Committee member

🌟 MarcKia Wilson (Master of Cybersecurity and Leadership) - Cybersecurity leader, Oracle, and Air National Guard Flight Chief & community advocate

These leaders are transforming the South Sound through innovation, service, and dedication. We couldn't be prouder! 🏆

Read their stories here: https://www.southsoundbiz.com/40-under-40/40-under-40-south-sound-business-2026/article_4fa00649-e140-4e19-a79c-3996417db445.html

💡 Innovation is happening TODAY!
Stop by William Philip Hall between 10:30 AM–1:00 PM to see how your classmates are solving real-world problems with game-changing business ideas.

Explore the exhibits | Vote for your favorites | All students welcome!

Hosted by UW Tacoma, The Entrepreneurship Center & The Milgard School of Business.

🏆Congratulations to Noah Soepardi, Vardaan Parbhakar, Colin Sica, and Eon Hu!
This incredible team just earned 3rd place at the Milgard Invitational Case Competition on Social Responsibility (MICCSR 2026), competing against top universities from around the world.

Their journey was defined by resilience; pivoting strategies 24 hours before the deadline, working through the night to rebuild financial models, and trusting each other to execute under pressure.

This achievement is a testament to their hard work, collaboration, and commitment to excellence. Well done!

Read the whole story and how they recommended an investment in lululemon at https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/business/MICCSR-2026-UWT-takes-3rd