Luke Grover

Bucknell University, Freeman College of Management

“A lifelong learner looking to create lasting relationships by leading with empathy, positivity and integrity.”

Fun fact about yourself: I have marched and played bagpipes as quartermaster of a band.

Hometown: Port Monmouth, N.J.

High School: Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, N.J.

Major: Accounting & Financial Management

Minor: Environmental Studies

Favorite Business Course: MGMT 335: So You Want to Become a Leader: Developing Your Personal Leadership Approach

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: Member of Freeman College of Management Student Advisory Board, Lead Freeman Fellow Teaching Assistant and Mentor, Bucknell Student Government Class of 2022 Secretary/Treasurer, Orientation Ambassador, Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) Vice President of Programming, Sigma Chi fraternity member, Teaching & Learning Center Facilitator, Division II Rugby Player

Where have you interned during your college career?

Financial intern, Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland

Banking and capital markets external audit intern, PricewaterhouseCoopers, New York City

Where will you be working after graduation? Banking and Capital Markets External Audit Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers, New York City

What company do you admire most? The company I admire most is the Ford Motor Company. The automobile manufacturer has undoubtedly shown resilience throughout history, adapting to hardship and historical events while continuing to provide innovative industrial systems and products. I respect the brand’s longevity and global influence. Henry Ford and the legacy he has left within the American franchise has affected the landscape of the world.

Who is your favorite professor? Professor Matt Bailey provides students with invaluable real-world skill sets that are put into practice in countless ways. Along with the ability to teach the plethora of topics related to business analytics and data visualization, he also includes personal life views and anecdotes that can change student perspectives outside of the classroom. I was able to take a class with Professor Bailey early in my Bucknell career. This class allowed me to expand on my fundamental knowledge of statistics and data interpretation while interning. Conversations with Professor Bailey inspire creativity and thought, especially when looking for ways to improve.

What did you enjoy most about your business school? The Freeman College of Management encourages full engagement of Bucknell’s liberal arts education. This fusion within management allowed me to interact with students, faculty and alumni with countless outlooks. Thanks to the Freeman College, I was able to form relationships unique to my expanding interest. The opportunities the Freeman College of Management has offered me on campus and abroad have shaped me into a professional eager to continue learning throughout my career. 

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Lead with fairness, decency and respect. Empathy is a core value crucial to the advancement of business and management.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Take advantage of any and every opportunity — even ones that may test you. The knowledge you bring to an experience is important, but opening your mind to new possibilities is vital for success. Finally, each relationship you make during your journey has the possibility to illuminate your future.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? I began my management school experience believing business and financial success could be defined through simple linear measurements. Bucknell’s education has taught me to look through different lenses and adapt to achieve different forms of success. I was most surprised to learn the necessary revisions and modifications that must be made to encounter true success in business.

Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of? The promotion to Lead Freeman Fellow for the Freeman College’s first-year mentorship program has been one of my greatest achievements. This position validated the work I conducted in my first year as a mentor and throughout my career as a student. The position encouraged me to work toward the greater goal of giving back to a community I strongly embraced. I aim to continue to help first-year students and my colleagues build relationships as well as explore opportunities beyond the classroom. The privilege to work in greater depth with the Freeman College of Management sparked a new respect for deeper connections.

Which classmate do you most admire? I truly admire my classmate Bennett Dahl ’22. Bennett has worked and traveled alongside me as a mentor and best friend. His contagious positivity and willingness to seek new adventure has led to abundant success in and out of the classroom. I admire Bennett’s ability to empathize with others and his skill to generate an amiable and authentic atmosphere. I have no doubt Bennett will brighten the lives of those around him throughout his career.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My parents have successfully introduced the values that molded me into the man I am today. I would like to thank my mother for teaching me the significance of determination to strive past “average” and exceed expectation instead of simply meeting them. I would like to thank my father for teaching me the values and benefits of patience and respect in all aspects of life. The lessons I have learned from my parents have led me to conduct life with happiness each and every day.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

• Play an instrumental role in a unique private equity restructuring acquisition.
• Create a work-life balance that allows me to dedicate love to both my career and family.

What are your hobbies? They are staying active and competitive through athletics, listening to diverse sets of music and podcasts, continuing my interest in cinema, and sketching.

What made Luke such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022?  

“Luke is a walking tour de force within Bucknell’s Freeman College of Management. Luke is always on the move: orienting new students within the College to their new environment, introducing a classmate to their new professor, directing a new student to their assigned classroom, and leading the conversation in Bucknell’s Student Managed Investment Fund. He is everywhere, uplifting others with his enthusiastic conversation and effusive personality.

One of Luke’s most significant contributions is his commitment to the Freeman Fellows, a group of students selected via an application process. Freeman Fellows are tasked with providing support to incoming first-year students enrolled in the College of Management. Luke, who has served for two years as a Freeman Fellow, pours his heart and energy into creating a fantastic first experience for new students. I often ask any first-year student I meet if they know Luke, and the unequivocal response is an emphatic “yes!” His encouragement and willingness to help others creates an incredible welcome for new students.

I first encountered Luke in his sophomore year in an upper-level accounting course. As a sophomore, Luke already had the confidence to ask questions in class. Deep into extremely complex accounting topics, I would survey the room and often noted Luke’s classmates looking frantically at Luke, hoping he had a question, because they knew he carried them on his shoulders. Fortunately, he was always ready with a question, followed by another question, and then another. I admire his willingness to speak up in class. After completing our question-and-answer exchange, his classmates’ understanding was clearly elevated. I’m delighted to have shared a classroom with Luke in four different semesters, each time he has taught me a masterclass in positive attitude.”

Curtis Nicholls
Associate Professor of Accounting
Co-Director, Bucknell’s Student Managed Investment Fund
Freeman College of Management
Bucknell University

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