Tanner Barton

Honors Business Administration
Thesis: Check, please: The Rise of Checklists in Healthcare

Tell us something about your thesis: 

My thesis is about the application of checklists in healthcare, and the effect that it can have on outcomes. Using University of Utah Healthcare’s Value Based Equation for healthcare, we find that implementing checklists can improve every variable in the formula. As checklists become more commonplace in the industry, we will see a level of standardization that will hopefully combat the rising costs of treatment in America.

What was your most memorable #EcclesExperience? 

My most memorable experience was traveling to Seattle for Business Scholars in 2017. Meeting with managers and alumni working at Microsoft, Boeing, and Amazon helped me envision how I could apply my education in life after school, and I loved being able to spend more time getting to know my fellow Business Scholars. We almost got to witness Utah Football pull off the upset vs. Washington as well, which was the cherry on top.

What are your plans after graduation? 

After graduation, I plan to attend medical school as I continue pursuing my dream of becoming an orthopaedic surgeon.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give a shout out to? 

The two people who impacted my experience the most were Alayna Williamson and Glen Schmidt. Alayna taught my business scholars class, and was the perfect mentor as I started my business education. She gave me the foundation and confidence that I needed to reach my potential as I went through my undergrad. Glen was my OM professor, and one of the first people who showed me how I could directly apply my business learning into the medical field. He has also been a mentor for me- both for my honors thesis and otherwise- and I’ve learned so much from him. I’m so grateful to these two individuals for having such a positive impact on me during my time at the U.

Emily Black

Honors Finance
Thesis: Socially Responsible Investing: Robinhood Users and Their Response to ESG-Related Announcements

Tell us something about your thesis: 

The primary purpose of my thesis was to find whether millennial investors consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related decisions when investing in companies. My work looks specifically at investors using the Robinhood platform and the change in number of users after a company made a social or environment-related announcement. My analysis indicates that, on average, there was an increase in millennial investor numbers following both social and environment-related press releases. Understanding these preferences will allow firms to assess current priorities and implement new strategies that attract millennial investors.

What was your most memorable #EcclesExperience? 

I have had so many incredible experiences over the past fours years that I cannot narrow it down to just one. Studying abroad in Sydney and Shanghai was a major highlight for me and that was where I actually took my first finance class, which led me to choose my major. My time as a Goff Scholar was also very memorable and I will forever cherish the relationships I made and the lessons I learned. In addition, I have spent the past two years serving as a Peer Advisor, helping students navigate their undergraduate careers at the business school, and I also served as an Eccles Ambassador which allowed me to mentor many freshmen and transfer students. All of these opportunities and more have contributed to my outstanding Eccles experience.

What are your plans after graduation? 

After graduation, I will be staying in Salt Lake City to begin my career at Goldman Sachs as an analyst in the Controllers division.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give a shout out to? 

There are so many people who have contributed to my success at the Eccles School, but first and foremost, I would like to thank my parents for their unwavering support. I could not have done this without them! I would also like to thank my academic advisor since day one, Maddie Rossman, my career coach, Suzy Shurtliff, my honors thesis advisor, Davidson Heath, and my Goff Scholars professor, Bonita Austin. Also, a big shoutout to both my team of amazing advisors and peer advisors that I have had the pleasure of working with and the entire Business Scholars team. “Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to give a shout out to my best friend from home, Maddy, and my friends here in Utah who have been the best support system!”