WW | College of Business Annual Report ('25)

Serving with Honor: Military Students Shaping the Future of Business

Driven by a passion for leadership and engineering, U.S. Army servicemember Evan Smith is pursuing dual degrees in Project Management and Engineering. With a foundation in computer-aided manufacturing and machining, Smith’s military career inspired a vision to lead engineering teams in the aerospace industry. His experience as Vice President of the Student Government Association (SGA) strengthened his abilities in decision-making, teamwork and communication. In SGA, Smith has helped increase his peers’ success by founding an Engineering Student Council and assisting deans in finding new ways to recognize academic excellence. Evan Smith credits the Worldwide Campus’ flexibility and supportive faculty for his success and involvement while balancing active-duty responsibilities with his education. His journey highlights the power of perseverance, passion and purpose, qualities he will carry into a future career shaping the aerospace field and empowering others to reach new heights.

Evan Smith ’27 B.S. in Project Management B.S. in Engineering

Read more about Evan’s story here.

Lt. Cmdr. Andrea Psimer, U.S. Coast Guard, was named the Coast Guard 2024 Vander Putten Inspirational Student of the Year. Psimer is currently chief of the Administration, Policy and Standards division for the Office of Cutter Forces supporting 243 Coast Guard cutters and 8,000 crew members. Psimer earned her Master of Science in Leadership from Embry-Riddle in just 9 months with a 4.0 GPA. She applied leadership lessons in real-time, inspiring Coast Guard peers to continue their education and championed improved practices across commands. Psimer applied her education by addressing an organizational misalignment at Coast Guard Headquarters. Using the coursework, she made a substantial change to optimize workload and personnel practices. Her academic excellence, recognized by peers and professors, was matched by her ability to balance full-time work, parenting, community service, participation in sports and education. A lifelong learner, mentor and advocate, Andrea Psimer’s journey is shaping the future of leadership in service and beyond.

Andrea Psimer ’24 M.S. in Leadership