Community Impact Awards honor champions of Fisher students

By Margaret Farnham
Fisher College of Business

Beyond the classroom, Fisher students draw on the real-world experiences, insight and support of seasoned professionals. Leaders from organizations like Ernst & Young LLP (EY U.S.) and Bank of America offer valuable industry information and consistently open doors to internships and full-time careers.

“We love giving students the opportunity to see their path forward,” said Kyle Kaufman (BSBA ’10), EY assurance partner. 

Kaufman’s employer is one of Fisher’s many corporate partners who support the work of the college’s programs and student organizations through financial support, mentoring, site visits and participation in panel discussions and case competitions. They regularly come to campus and welcome students into their organizations, developing relationships that benefit both the students and companies.

“Student success is not achieved in isolation,” said Cynthia Turner, associate dean for access and student success. “It is built in community; it is sustained through relationships.”

For 23 years, Fisher’s Community Impact Awards, presented annually by the Office of ACCESS, have recognized the organizations and individuals who consistently build impactful relationships with programs and student groups on campus. The awards were created under the leadership of David Harrison, senior director of the Office of ACCESS.

“This is a meaningful tradition; one rooted in recognition, gratitude and partnership,” said Turner. “Honorees represent what is possible when commitment meets action, and when organizations and individuals choose to invest not only in talent but in potential.”

Five corporate partners and 10 individuals were recognized during the 2026 award presentation.

EY U.S. received the overall corporate award in a field of nominees that included Fifth Third, KeyBank, Red Bull and TTI.

“EY’s continued presence fosters belonging and confidence among students by providing approachable role models and demystifying corporate spaces,” said Kay Smith, academic outreach and engagement liaison in the Office of ACCESS. “Their partnership reflects a sustained, evolving commitment to student success rather than a transactional relationship.”

The EY Columbus office has supported several programs and organizations over the years and was nominated this year for its work with Project THRIVE, an experiential learning program. EY U.S. professionals serve as mentors and provide Project THRIVE students with professional development and practical learning experiences.

EY’s ongoing relationship with Fisher allows the organization to have an impact and to tap into a familiar and dedicated talent pipeline. More than 50 students were hired or interned at EY U.S. during the 2024-25 year, according to Fisher’s Office of Career Management.

“Planning for the future for all organizations is paramount,” said Kaufman. “It is so important to have a feel for your next group of leaders and those after that.” 

“Ohio State students are well-rounded and come ready to collaborate with people from all types of backgrounds. They’re hard workers, grounded and open-minded. They come in ready to work, they’re hungry and ready to be great client-servers and leaders.”

James “Rich” Lawrence, vice president at Bank of America, sees the same attributes in the students he mentors. He was selected to receive the overall individual award.

“I think of the diversity, quality, talent and energy of the students I get to work with here,” he said. “It’s important for me to give back and share my knowledge.” 

Lawrence grew emotional as he accepted his award and spoke about the students he works with in the Asian Business Student Association (ABSA).

“I don’t show up with a lot of PowerPoints,” he said. “I show up and talk to them about the real aspects of what work in the corporate space looks like.”

Lawrence joined Bank of America one year after his graduation from Ohio State in 1998. He praised his company for its commitment to volunteerism, noting that employees are given eight hours each month to serve the community.

“Rich offers personalized advice, shares industry insights from Bank of America and tailors programming to student needs,” said Xin Lin, president of ABSA. “He has supported career development by bringing Bank of America professionals and Ohio State alumni to speak on internships, recruitment and personal finance, and is coordinating a site visit to further expose students to career pathways.”

Other individual nominees included:

• MaryBeth Allen, supervising associate in early careers talent attraction at EY, based in Pittsburgh. 
• Charlene Free, an award-winning transformational leader, professional development trainer and founder of Flow of Life LLC.
• Charles Goodwin (MBOE ’12), director of aviation business services, Columbus Regional Airport Authority.
• Cody Marcantonio, commercial and brand director at Procter & Gamble.
• Luke Rohling (BSBA ’22), senior account executive at Procter & Gamble.
• Bryan Schreiber, manager of business development for air cargo and foreign-trade zone, Columbus Regional Airport Authority.
• Tiffany Stubbs (BSBA ’99), managing director at JPMorganChase.
• Justen Turner (BSBA ’24), co-founder of Dreadhead Films.
• Scott Van Ooyen, standards check pilot with Southwest Airlines.

All the nominees, with the encouragement of their corporate leadership, have readily volunteered to work with Fisher students. The return on their investment far exceeds expectations. 

“In a very, complex dynamic world, a lot of the solutions and challenges lie in a gray area,” said Kaufman. “To achieve those things, it takes teamwork, hard work, leadership, and in my opinion, some humble optimism and gratitude. The students that come from this university bring it every single year; we see that time and time again.” 

Hover over the photo below to view the 2026 Community Impact Awards photo gallery.