Alice Mendelson

University of Richmond, Robins School of Business

“Budding business-leader with a passion for travel, reading memoirs, skiing, cooking, and bettering my community.”

Fun fact about yourself: In the summer of 2022, I hiked across the entire country of Liechtenstein with my family. Walking from border to border, we soaked in charming rural villages, breathtaking mountain landscapes, and stunning castle views.

Hometown: Richmond, Virginia

High School: Collegiate School

Major: Economics with a concentration in Business Analytics, dual degree in French

Minor: N/A

Favorite Business Course: Data Analysis & Computing for Economics & Business

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Awards and Honors:

Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society
Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society
Phi Sigma Iota International Language Honor Society
Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars
Phi Eta Sigma First-Year Student Honor Society
Presidential Scholar
Raymond Hailey/Tredegar Inc. Scholarship
Gray Wright Scholarship
Phi Beta Kappa Robert E. Loving Book Award
Dean’s List – All-A Distinction (all semesters)

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work, and Leadership Roles:

Mortar Board National Honor Society – Vice President
Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity – Vice President of Membership
Honor Council – Chair of Special Projects
Member of Hillel and Jewish Life
Richmond College Dean’s Office – Student Assistant
Intramural Soccer and Basketball
Participant of Jewish Learning Fellowship
Peer Mentor for Robins School of Business Endeavor Program
Teaching Assistant for Pandas Basics for Economists
Economics Tutor for Academic Skills Center
Alumni Reunion Student Ambassador

Where have you interned during your college career?

Markel Group in Richmond, VA – Finance Intern (Summers 2023 & 2024): Automated badge swiping data operations using Alteryx, Power Automate, and Power BI, enabling senior management of this Fortune 500 Insurance Company to make informed decisions regarding office space optimization; resulted in ~$60,000/year of savings.

Curtis & Co. in Richmond, VA – Summer Analyst (Summer 2024): As a consultant, I developed a dynamic Power BI dashboard for a client’s CEO to display comprehensive sales insights from alcoholic beverage distributors and retailers, achieving an over 80%-time savings in monthly reporting.

Where will you be working after graduation? Liberty Mutual Insurance in Boston, MA as a Corporate Strategy & Research Associate Consultant

Who is your favorite business professor? I’ve been fortunate to have had many fantastic professors in the business school, but Dr. Saif Mehkari stands out as my favorite. I was first introduced to Professor Mehkari during my first few days on campus. Since then, he has served as a professor, mentor, academic advisor, and role model to me. Professor Mehkari possesses an unparalleled passion and commitment to teaching, turning each class into an engaging and thought-provoking discussion. He challenges students to think at a deeper level, step outside of their comfort zones, and be intellectually curious.

However, I believe what sets Professor Mehkari apart is his unwavering dedication to his students. He stays on campus late into the evening to ensure that all his students understand the material before an exam. He also takes early-morning phone calls to help us navigate registration issues, and even provides snacks and meals during the stress of finals.

Professor Mehkari’s support also extends beyond the classroom and he has continued to provide guidance and perspective throughout my extracurricular activities and semester studying abroad. I attribute much of my success to Professor Mehkari’s mentorship and support throughout my time at the University of Richmond, and I’m incredibly grateful for all that he has done. The lessons he has taught me have shaped me as both a student and an individual, and I know they will stay with me long after I graduate.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Studying business and taking courses in each of the functional areas of business has taught me how interconnected all aspects of an organization are, ranging from economics to marketing to finance to operations. Every seemingly isolated decision has far-reaching consequences. Having a comprehensive understanding of an organization’s dynamics is key to driving effective and impactful business outcomes.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Take advantage of all the programming events your university offers, including executive speaker series and networking events. You’ll gain valuable insights that will help you understand the countless possibilities a business degree can offer. Hearing from individuals with diverse career paths helped me realize that studying business can open doors to unexpected industries and opportunities I hadn’t initially considered. As a freshman, I never would have believed that I would study economics and start my career in the insurance industry, but going to these opportunities opened my eyes to all the exciting career paths that exist.

Additionally, I would encourage students to challenge themselves by exploring a variety of subject areas that interest them. Keep an open mind, because you never know which class might resonate with your unique skill set and passions. Richmond offers a truly exceptional opportunity by integrating a business school within a liberal arts framework. The liberal arts education enhances everything you learn in the business classroom, fostering critical thinking and enabling students to approach global issues from diverse perspectives. Ultimately, availing myself of academic programming, extracurricular activities, and opportunities outside of my core business classes helped me to develop into a more well-rounded business student.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I wish that I’d started networking and connecting with upperclassmen, alumni, and professors about their careers and experiences earlier. As a freshman and sophomore, I was often intimidated to reach out to alumni and fellow students because I thought that I lacked enough experience and knowledge. However, looking back, most people are more than willing to share their insights and offer guidance, regardless of where you are in your journey. Speaking with others provided valuable perspectives that shaped my own path and helped me to develop professionally. I hope to pass this tremendous gift forward and help the next generation of Spiders navigate their careers.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? I went from having never used AI during my freshman year to watching it become a ubiquitous tool virtually overnight. I found myself taking a machine learning class that provided me with valuable insights into how algorithms function behind the scenes and their application in real-world business scenarios. Additionally, in many of my Business Analytics courses, I’ve been encouraged to leverage AI to identify syntactical errors in code and assist with tasks like formatting graphs and visualizations. I’m excited to see how this rapidly evolving technology will shape my career and how I can apply it in my first job with Liberty Mutual.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of being the fifth in my family to attend the University of Richmond and sharing the tradition of being a Richmond Spider. Having grown up in Richmond, many people wondered why I chose to go to college five minutes down the road from my house, but it has been incredibly special to share many of my college experiences with those of my parents and sisters. While I’ve had some of the same professors and participated in similar extracurricular activities, I’ve simultaneously been able to carve an individual path and find my own ways to impact the Richmond community. My family set a high bar academically and through their involvement on campus and in the greater Richmond community – and I’m proud to have been able to extend upon that legacy. I look forward to staying actively involved in the University community alongside my family for years to come, and I am excited to attend reunions and continue cheering on the Spiders at basketball games with them.

Which classmate do you most admire? Katherine Thomey is a classmate and close friend whom I deeply admire and respect. She is remarkably bright, empathetic, and hardworking. The standard she sets for herself in both her classes and extracurriculars motivates everyone around her to work even harder and strive for excellence. I admire how she readily embraces risks and challenges, setting ambitious goals for herself and pursuing them with resolve and perseverance. We spent a semester studying abroad in Singapore together; I hold a sincere admiration for the way she fully immersed herself in the culture, formed meaningful connections with new people, and maintained an open mind and positive outlook throughout the experience. Katherine is also someone who consistently shows up for her friends, no matter how big or small the occasion. Her altruistic and humble nature inspires me to strive to be a better and more authentic version of myself.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My two older sisters, Claire and Emily, are my biggest supporters and role models. They are undoubtedly the foundation behind my successes, and I have been incredibly fortunate to learn from them as they navigate life, college, and the early stages of their professional careers. They approach everything they do with grit, authenticity, and relentless determination, and they inspire me to become the best version of myself. My sisters are the first to celebrate my successes and lift me up during challenging times. They never fail to send me a text of encouragement before a stressful exam or presentation and have offered invaluable advice on career paths, the best places to study on campus, and must-take professors along the way. I hope to make them as proud of me as I am to call them my big sisters.

Claire and Emily, thank you for being my forever best friends and biggest cheerleaders. I love you both endlessly.

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

Start a business with my mom, dad, and two sisters (called “Mendelson & Daughters”).
Write my memoir.

What made Alice such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“Simply put: Alice Mendelson is a star! Not only is she a truly amazing student but an active member of the University community.

Academically, she has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA during her time at UR. This is extremely impressive because she has maintained this GPA while pushing herself along multiple academic dimensions. First, and most impressively she is a dual degree candidate meaning she is pursuing two separate degrees at the university – one is a BSBA with major in Business Economics and concentration in Business Analytics and the second is a BA in French. This combination has meant she has regularly taken a more than above average course load during her time here. It has also meant that she has shown herself capable in both the quantitative and business heavy courses in the Business School and the language and culture heavy courses in French. She is a rare dual Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa student – showing excellence in both business and the liberal arts. Second, during her time at the university she has never shied away from taking either hard courses or hard professors. She has always welcomed the challenge and risen to it. Her academic work garners universal praise from her professors.

As an active member of the community her contributions support and serve the campus and Richmond communities in many ways. She is a leader in the campus community. She currently serves as the Vice President for Mortar Board and has previously served as Vice President for Membership for the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity and Chair of Special Projects on the University’s Honor Council. She is also a skilled tutor having served as a tutor for the Academic Skill Center and she also helped me with maintaining and creating material for one of my classes. She is also active in Jewish Life and IM Soccer and Basketball and has mentored and supported many a first year.

Finally, no recommendation of Alice’s would be complete without mentioning that she is also a very kind human being with an impeccable character. Her peers, friends, and professor’s alike will comment on how she is always respectful, kind, and caring of everyone around her. She is that rare student that is academically strong, a leader in the community, and commands a lot of respect from peers and professors.

The Robins School of Business is lucky that Alice chose us as a home, and we are delighted that she will be honored as a Poets & Quants Best & Brightest! She is a perfect choice and one I imagine will go on to do great things that impact business and society in many positive ways.”

M. Saif Mehkari
Associate Professor of Economics
Co-Director Endeavor RSB
Co-Director Mathematical Economics Major

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