Two Farmer School students have been named to Poets and Quants for Undergrad's list of Best and Brightest Business Majors of 2020. Finance major J'Quaan Waite and marketing major Laura Mena are among the 100 students selected nationwide.

P&Q described the selected students as “seniors who differentiated themselves through their academic excellence, extracurricular leadership, innate potential, and personal character … these forces of nature are always there for others, to lend help and lead by example. In the end, they are the students who’ll be remembered, the ones who left their schools better than they found them.”

Waite is a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar, a member of the Multicultural Business Association, a guide for the Bridges Program, and a volunteer for Matthew 25: Ministries.

“I really enjoyed the amount of collaboration within the Farmer School of Business. Beginning immediately freshman year, we are consistently encouraged to work together with our peers, both inside and outside of the classroom. From learning how our own brains think to being paired with peers whose brains think in totally opposite ways, FSB ensures that we collaborate and connect with our business school peers, often in very fun ways,” Waite said. “Before entering the Farmer School of Business, I never would have imagined that my business school classwork would help create some of the best friendships I could ask for.”

"I’m honored to have been chosen as one of the Poets and Quants top 100 business majors alongside Laura. It feels amazing to be recognized with all the other outstanding students across the country, and I am blessed to be able to represent Miami and the Farmer School of Business in this light," he remarked.

An entrepreneurship minor, Mena co-founded one of the nation’s first student-led undergraduate social impact funds. She was chairman of the Red Dress Gala, which supports women’s heart health. In addition, Mena took on the role of co-managing director of RedHawk Ventures, one of a handful of undergraduate-run venture funds in the U.S.

“I think the Farmer School of Business is unique in that there is no shortage of opportunities to meet interesting people, learn a new skill or immerse yourself in a new experience. In my experience, the foundation of the business school is immersive learning opportunities offered to undergraduate students,” Mena said. “Whether that be the chance to enroll in a course where you start your own company or sign up for a study away trip where you work hands-on with a corporate client, Farmer is consistently catering immersive learning opportunities to students.”

"I feel extremely privileged to have been chosen for this honor! As a senior, I've been reflecting a lot recently on my decision to attend Miami and the Farmer School of Business four years ago. Every day I am grateful to have made that decision due to the constant support and encouragement I've received from both my peers & professors over the course of my time in Oxford," she noted.

After graduation, Waite will be joining GE Aviation's Financial Management Program, where he'll rotate through four different roles during his first two years, while Mena will take a position at 84.51 in Cincinnati as a Customer Strategy & Activation Consultant.