V’shoi Garfield Emanuel

University of Georgia, Terry College of Business

“The cat who became best friends with his curiosity.”

Fun fact about yourself:  I love jazz, my favorite jazz song is Naima by John Coltrane.

Hometown: St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands

High School: Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Performing Arts

Major: Finance and pursuing a Master’s in Accountancy

Minor: Spanish

Favorite Business Course: Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business, taught by Tricia Hackleman, one of the funniest and most charismatic people I’ve ever met.

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Playing jazz bass solos and gigs around town with other jazz cats

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar since entering UGA

Honors student in the Morehead Honors College

Mid-Term Foundation Fellow, which includes financial support for study abroad and a research stipend

Terry College of Business Ambassador

English Teaching Assistant (Spring 2024) at the University of Valencia in Spain

Arch Policy Institute member (2021-2023), API sponsors policy discussions with local leaders on civic issues like homelessness and transportation

Math Research Assistant (Fall 2022) for Dr. Brett Collins on a study of symmetric polynomials called Schur polynomials

Where have you interned during your college career? With the Macquarie Group in Jacksonville, Florida, from June – December 2024.  As a Principal Finance Legal Entity Analyst, I recapitalized and audited legal entities to redistribute ownership interests of global infrastructure projects and update financial statements. I also reported and analyzed interest and tax trends that dictated our debt levels across income statements into balance sheets.

Where will you be working after graduation? I will complete a Master of Accountancy at the University of Georgia and then pursue an MBA. I am looking forward to a career in investment banking, asset management, consulting/advisory, or private equity.

Who is your favorite business professor? Dr. Erin Towery. As one of my Managerial Accounting professors, Dr. Towery helped me realize that I was going to continue my studies in the field. She’s an extraordinary person who goes above-and-beyond for her students, and she always brings a great enthusiasm and excitement to the classroom. She is one of my heroes, and I know that she will do many more incredible things with her teaching and research.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Bring yourself to the table. Your character is one of your most valuable resources, and it should be weaved into how you work as much as possible. Having the confidence to deliver your thoughts and ideas to a classroom, meeting, or project will not only improve your self-esteem, but strengthen the way you do business. Ultimately, this makes it easier to develop trust with those around you and maintain your integrity. It’s the best deal you can make with yourself.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Talk to everyone! Your network is your biggest asset, and it’s not just because it looks good on your balance sheet. It’s a representation of who you are and what you value. Give people a chance to show you what makes them amazing by being open-minded and curious. Over time, you can integrate different elements of them into your personal narrative to share with the world. Who knows, you might meet your next best friend and start a business together.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I wish I had found the courage to be myself sooner. There are many instances when I could’ve been direct or communicated my thoughts more effectively. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the possibility of what could go wrong in the moment, but I’ve learned the best option is almost always the one truest to yourself. That’s why it’s imperative to remind yourself to do these things now as an acknowledgement of the person you used to be, have grown into, and will become.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? Many of my professors have implemented AI into the curriculum to recognize the potential efficiencies and research improvements it offers. However, they aren’t afraid to correct AI and remind students that our own investigations across multiple sources will always provide the best insight. I can see AI being used as another search engine to learn new concepts and languages.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I’m most proud of the incredible relationships I’ve made throughout college. Because of people like Ben Herrmann, Parker Taylor, Garrett Schwartz, Ohm Ray, and Nik Puri, I understood a much deeper meaning of friendship that I plan on taking with me for the rest of my life. Friends like these inspired me to shoot for the stars and confidently realize my dreams. Their encouragement gave me the assurance to take an overload of credit hours and apply for prestigious internships that felt out of my reach. I am forever grateful. To everyone who has been here with me – my friends, mentors, and family – I want to say thank you. I wouldn’t be myself without you.

Which classmate do you most admire? Joshua Duke Waller. Josh is the president of the Black Male Leadership Society, and he is the definition of hard work, sheer focus, and determination. He is what every leader should strive to be, and he pursues his ambitions with the mindset of a champion. I am proud to be his friend, and I look forward to all the amazing things he will do and create.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank my mom, Vivicka Garfield. As my biggest cheerleader and motivation, she is the reason that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. Despite her health issues, she continues to fight every single day and inspires me to give it my all. She is the woman I love the most, and I owe my success to her support.

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

1. Earn two more degrees: a Master’s in Accountancy at the University of Georgia and an MBA.
2. Learn two more languages: French and Italian.

What made V’shoi such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?  

“V’shoi is the kind of student who transforms every space he enters with his open demeanor. He creates an atmosphere where everyone feels encouraged to share ideas and excited to collaborate. In the classroom, his academic excellence speaks for itself. He stays at the top of his game, consistently excelling in his coursework while maintaining a genuine enthusiasm for learning. What truly sets V’Shoi apart, however, is his rare ability to unite people—whether collaborating on projects or leading campus events. He approaches his work with a deep sense of earnestness, and this, combined with his humor and lightness, makes every interaction pleasant. Despite his impressive success, V’Shoi remains grounded—his humility makes him approachable. He is always quick to express gratitude to the people who have helped him along the way. He’s the kind of person you want to work with, not just because the end product will be outstanding but also because the process will be enjoyable and imbued with creative energy. V’shoi brings the metaphorical jazz to everything he does, and that’s precisely the kind of mindset we need in fields like Accounting and Finance.”

Haley O’Steen
Finance Lecturer
Terry College of Business
University of Georgia

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