Alexander Lammayot
University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business
“Business student by day, cellist by night, and always eager to help others.”
Fun fact about yourself: In 2023, I gave a campus tour to John Byrne, founder of Poets & Quants. Outside the classroom, I perform professionally as a cellist in multiple symphonies.
Hometown: Spring, TX
High School: The Woodlands High School
Major: Accounting and Management Information Systems
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Favorite Business Course: BUSI 3302: Connecting Bauer to Business
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
Leadership Roles & Extracurricular Activities
University of Houston Ambassadors – Legacy Project Group Lead
Bauer Ambassadors – Director of Membership Relations
Beta Alpha Psi – Gamma Delta Chapter – Vice President of Corporate Relations
Emerging Leaders Academic Success Program – Peer Leader
Ion Houston – Student Ambassador
BobaTalks – Mentor
Alex’s Cello Studio – Owner & Instructor
Alex’s Strings – Founder & Owner
Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra – Cellist
Mid-Texas Symphony – Cellist
Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra – Cellist
Scholarships & Awards
PIMCO Future Leaders Undergraduate Scholarship
Jesse H. Jones Business Leadership Development Scholarship
ScholarShot Program Scholar
Performance Food Group Scholarship
Elvira Dell Krause Scholarship
John K. and Sharon L. Stubblefield Scholarship
Dallas/Fort Worth Lao Golf Association Scholarship
C.T. Bauer College of Business Dean’s List – All semesters
Bauer Ambassador of the Year
KPMG Ideation Challenge University Level – 1st Place
Where have you interned during your college career?
Capital One – Project Management Intern – Richmond, VA
Vine Advisors – Audit & External Accounting Intern – Houston, TX
Where will you be working after graduation? DRW – Leadership Rotation Network Analyst (Credit Risk & Global Trade Operations – Energy)
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? You don’t have to have everything figured out from the start. When I was a freshman, I was determined to follow a specific path. I planned to become a CPA, complete my master’s degree in accounting, and work at a Big 4 firm. However, by the end of my freshman year, I realized that business is far broader than I expected. Through coursework, internships, and conversations with mentors, I was exposed to new disciplines and careers that reshaped how I viewed my future. Business taught me that preparation and discipline matter, but so does adaptability. The ability to pivot when new interests and opportunities emerge is just as important as having a plan in the first place.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Explore different careers early, build real relationships with professors and peers, and look for experiences outside the classroom that challenge you. It can feel intimidating to walk into a professor’s office hours when you’re the only student there, but those conversations often become the most valuable ones. The same is true for networking events, case competitions, and even leadership roles. Business is sometimes perceived as less technical than fields like engineering or computer science, but much of its rigor happens outside the classroom. Success as a business student isn’t defined by a 4.0 GPA. It is defined by the initiative you take beyond the classroom. The students who thrive are the ones who consistently seek responsibility, embrace being uncomfortable, and treat every opportunity as preparation for something bigger.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? Bauer has integrated AI into our programming in several ways. One example is that every business student is required to take a professional selling class (MARK 3337). A component of this class is learning how to deliver a sales pitch to a buyer acting as an account manager. To help us practice, the course utilizes Second Nature AI, a role-play sales training software. We would speak with an AI acting as the buyer, which analyzed and responded to our answers while asking leading questions throughout the pitch. Afterward, it provided us with a score and feedback on areas for improvement.
Another use of AI in our programming is in one of my upper-level accounting courses. Instead of using AI to complete accounting problems for us, we examined its limitations. Because AI is notoriously unreliable when answering accounting questions, we were assigned to input accounting problems into ChatGPT, challenge its response, and ask follow-up questions to guide it toward the correct answer. For me, this assignment reiterated the importance of evaluating AI output rather than relying on it blindly. I’ve learned that AI is most effective when paired with strong foundational knowledge and sound judgment. Rather than replacing critical thinking, it amplifies it.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? During my sophomore year, I served as a peer leader in the Emerging Leaders Academic Success Program (ELASP). Alongside three other peer leaders, I helped lead weekly seminars, organize monthly events, and hold one-on-one conversations with students. In total, I mentored over 75 freshman business students, helping facilitate their transition to college both academically and personally. Many of the students came from first-generation backgrounds. As a first-generation student myself, I understood the uncertainty that can come with navigating college for the first time. I also worked with an incredibly diverse group. Some students asked me to review their resumes during the first week of classes, while others were curious about student organizations and leadership involvement. Some simply wanted to make it through their first year successfully.
Early on, I realized that mentorship is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each student had different goals, needs, levels of confidence, and it was my responsibility to meet them where they were and help determine the next step. Now, as a senior, I see the long-term impact of that role every day. I still see many of my former mentees on campus serving as officers in student organizations, securing internships, and even becoming peer leaders themselves, including the students who once felt shy or hesitant during their first year. Many continue to stay connected and reach out for advice after completing the program. There is no internship offer, scholarship, or job title that could replicate the fulfillment I felt from serving as a peer leader. Watching students grow into confident and capable leaders has been the achievement I am most proud of.
Which classmate do you most admire? I have to say Glenys Yevi. She graduated this past December and was on this list last year. We met through a group project in BUSI 3302: Connecting Bauer to Business, and that same semester we found ourselves involved in many of the same organizations. We interviewed for and joined Bauer Ambassadors together and spent countless late nights working on case competitions as teammates. What has always stood out to me is how she balances ambition with service. We both share the desire to help others while still pushing ourselves to improve. Whether reviving the NABA chapter at Bauer or leading multiple student organizations, she consistently chose to create opportunities for others rather than just focusing on her own success. She never let her background, school, or circumstances define what was possible for her. Instead of accepting limitations, she worked through them and built new paths where none existed.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? My mom. I don’t think I know anyone who has endured more and remained as strong as she has. She moved to the United States from Laos with her family as a teenager, speaking no English, and still graduated high school with honors. At the same time, she helped cook, clean, and care for her five siblings while her parents worked. She carried responsibility at a young age and never complained. Watching her sacrifices shaped who I am today. As a high school senior, I knew college would be a financial burden, and I didn’t want any of that weight to fall on her. I have since been fortunate to earn over $100k in scholarships and financial aid so she never had to pay a dime for my education. Every internship, leadership role, and late-night study session has been driven by one motivation. I want her to feel secure and never have to worry about finances or stability again. Everything I have accomplished over the past four years is rooted in the example she set for me. Thank you, Mom, for shaping me into the person I am today. I love you.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
- Return to my college and establish a scholarship endowment to support future students.
- Bridge the gap between my career in finance and my passion for performing arts.
What made Alex such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?
“Alex is a quintessential student. Since the day he started as a freshman, he has brought such dedication and passion to his journey as a Bauer student. He is looked up to by his peers and is often top of mind of staff when a student leader representative is needed. He will continue to go places and achieve incredible things!”
Whitney Johnson
Director of Student Success
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