Whether in the classroom or on the field for the University of Maryland field hockey team, Carla Tagliente ’01 was as fierce a competitor as anyone. Now, she’s on the sidelines, sharing her experiences and ushering in the next generation of student-athletes. As the head coach of the Princeton field hockey team, Tagliente has helped transform the program into a powerhouse, leading the school to its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, amassing four tournament appearances (2016-2019) and reaching the Final Four three times (2016, 2018 and 2019).

As she graduates from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business this spring, you can trust that Goodness Ihekweme will wear something special. She says she wouldn’t have it any other way. Ihekweme is graduating with a marketing major and technology entrepreneurship minor – and with an apparel e-commerce business she launched on her own, called GStyles.

Working for a global company requires growth and an openness to learn. For Rachel Yamrus, vice president at JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMC), finding success in a global environment means “you are aware of your perspective but trying to grow through opening yourself up to others’ perspectives and negotiating within this space.”

For Chris Grant, ’13, revitalizing Baltimore isn’t just a career, it’s a calling. The 29-year-old Maryland Smith grad and Baltimore native, who was recently named to Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30 in Finance,” has big plans for the city. Through his work with Blueprint Baltimore, Grant oversees a $140-million project to renovate Baltimore’s Amtrak and regional train station.

Over the years, Laura Benkowski’s entrepreneurial spirit has taken her all over the world, even to the site of a closed gem mine in Arizona. “The gem mine was shut down in 2012 and contains a turquoise known as Sleeping Beauty turquoise that is very rare and highly sought,” says Benkowski ’11, MBA ’14.