Spencer Shores
University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School
“The brightest, happiest person in the room who’s always willing to be there for others.”
Fun fact about yourself: I packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for every single school lunch from kindergarten to senior year!
Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina
High School: Southwest High School
Major: Business Administration and Public Policy
Minor: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Favorite Business Course: – My Senior Honors Thesis, titled “Out of the Closet and Into the Office: The Role of Higher Education in the Perception of Gay Men in Business Leadership,” has been an influential course for me to gain and refine hands-on, applicable research skills that I wouldn’t otherwise have strengthened as much at UNC Kenan-Flagler.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
- Bodford Scholar of Assured Admission to UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
- 180 Degrees Consulting, President
- Community, Equity, and Inclusion Board, Board Member, Director of Internal Programs
- Pride@KFBS, Vice President
- Undergraduate Consulting Club, Director of Internal Operations
- Undergraduate Business Symposium, Marketing Subcommittee
- Student Government, Undergraduate Student Body Secretary
- Marketing Club, VP of Membership
- Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR), Consultant and Program Ambassador
- Advanced Spreadsheets and Modeling (BUSI 520), Teaching Assistant
- Carolina Case Challenge, Chief of Staff
Where have you interned during your college career?
EY-Parthenon, Summer Associate in Chicago
Truist, Financial Services Intern in Charlotte, North Carolina
Where will you be working after graduation? EY-Parthenon, Associate
Who is your favorite business professor? Shimul Melwani. Shimul has taught three of my classes, and each class immersed me more than I could’ve imagined. For every class, she cleverly led us with a simulation or activity that tactfully incorporated the lecture material in, so much so to the point that class never truly felt like class – it felt like an experience. Shimul cares about her students and their long-term success and invests in students holistically beyond the classroom.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Business is ingrained in everything. From the policies and legislation that drive environmental protections to foreign relations with the EU, business’s influence–whether direct or indirect–is widespread and always present. Studying business has enlightened my understanding of how interrelated business is to all aspects of society and knowing this will help me make well-informed decisions in business.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Take advantage of every opportunity–try everything until you figure out your interests. So many opportunities exist for you to explore – different industries and functions. Take advantage of them! You might have undiscovered passions that won’t surface until you try them out.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? If I could do it all again, I’d engage more with professors who taught courses I wasn’t as strong in or familiar with. Beyond the classroom, professors have such fruitful knowledge and experiences in their respective fields. If I had asked more questions, had more conversations, and continued to push myself outside my comfort zone, I would have had an even more holistic experience.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? A major course project in Strategic Management with Audra Wormald was using ChatGPT as a consultant to come up with strategy recommendations for Lululemon. My hypothetical role in the project was a manager at a consulting firm, in which I gave directional feedback to ChatGPT to come up with the strongest strategic recommendation for Lululemon. From this project, I learned both the potential and limits of AI, how intentionally we can use AI to augment our experiences in business. At the same time, we learned to do so with caution, making sure to not over-rely on it.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I’m most proud of my senior thesis! Prior to my thesis, my background in research and analytics was rather limited, so undertaking a thesis was quite daunting. However, I leaned into the project and used all the resources UNC Kenan-Flagler has to offer, especially with its faculty. I’m so appreciative of Professors Chris Petsko, Allison Schlobohm and Shimul Melwani for all their guidance on my thesis committee and their dedication to my continued growth. I’m thankful I took the leap and stepped out of my comfort zone to conduct a thesis on a topic I’m passionate about.
Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire the most is Molly Gantt. I’ve taken several classes with Molly, and she’s been such a grounding person in my academics, my professional life and my personal life. Molly pushes me to be the best version of myself, and she’s one of the most supportive and genuine classmates and peers I could have at UNC. From our late nights at UNC Kenan-Flagler to our early mornings at coffee shops and everything in between, Molly has seen me grow personally, professionally and academically over the last four years. I wouldn’t be who I am today without Molly.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank Shimul Melwani most for my success. She invests in students as more than students. She views all of her students as the great potential they have deep down, as rounded people who she values and as humans who she truly cares about. She has transformed my undergraduate experience at UNC Kenan-Flagler through the three classes in which she taught me, her pivotal role in convincing me to undertake a senior thesis, and always being there for me during my lows and highs.
I will forever be indebted to Shimul for her kindness and generosity.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The top two items on my professional bucket list are to do the following:
(1) Give back to UNC Kenan-Flagler and UNC by coming back to campus for recruiting events
(2) Go back to school to get an MBA!
What made Spencer such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?
“Spencer Shores is the embodiment of what it means to be one of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Best & Brightest. As a professor who has had the privilege of teaching him in three courses, I have seen firsthand how he seizes every opportunity and turns it into something meaningful—not just for himself, but for those around him.
There is nothing Spencer has not done at Kenan-Flagler and UNC. He has led one of our largest consulting clubs with both grace and intellectual curiosity; played a pivotal role in our Community, Equity, and Inclusion Board; served as Secretary and Chief Communications Offer in UNC’s Student Government; and brought the highest levels of professionalism and engagement to nearly every major student-run event, from the Undergraduate Business Symposium to the Carolina Case Challenge.
But what truly sets Spencer apart is the way he leads—with deep care, intention and an unwavering commitment to others. There is no first-year student I meet who doesn’t credit Spencer with mentorship, advice, and a helping hand. His leadership is not about titles or accolades; it is about relationships, and the time he invests in making sure others feel seen, supported and empowered.
This same dedication to understanding and uplifting others is reflected in his honors thesis, one of only seven undertaken at the business school this year. His work, “Out of the Closet and Into the Office: The Role of Higher Education in the Perception of Gay Men in Business Leadership,” is a testament to his intellectual courage and his desire to challenge norms with both rigor and empathy.
Spencer operates with integrity, kindness and openness, all while balancing an extraordinary level of competence. His ability to connect with people is unmatched, and I know that the days I have my catchups with Spencer are always my favorite. The world needs more leaders like Spencer Shores—thoughtful, engaged and driven not just by achievement, but by a genuine desire to make a difference. He truly represents the very best of UNC Kenan-Flagler.”
Shimul Melwani
Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Business Program and Professor of Organizational Behavior
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