On Wednesday, May 6, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., the University of Arizona Eller College of Management will host the third annual 2026 Eller Partners Summit at the Arizona Sands Club, located at 565 N. Cherry Avenue, Suite #Fl 5. Presented by the Eller Partnerships Office, this event brings together corporate partners, faculty and students to celebrate the impact of experiential learning and the strength of industry collaboration.

Centered around the theme Turning Data into Decisions, the program will feature a panel discussion exploring data-driven decision-making and strategic leadership in uncertain environments. In addition to the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with student experiential learning showcases, participate in networking with industry and academic leaders and attend an awards ceremony. The ceremony will recognize outstanding contributions across partner, ambassador, students, and faculty categories, underscoring Eller’s commitment to building relationships that shape the future of business education and workforce development.

“As we bring together leaders, partners and students at this year’s Partner Summit, we are reminded that meaningful impact happens through collaboration. It is especially exciting to recognize Banner Health as our Partner of the Year, an acknowledgment of the shared commitment and collective investment it takes to truly move the needle,” said Anastasiya Ghosh, associate dean of partnerships. “We are equally proud to honor our Ambassador of the Year, Neelakshi Mohta, and Faculty of the Year, Seokjun Youn, whose dedication amplifies the strength of our ecosystem in a new award category. Together, these individuals and organizations represent the very best of what partnership looks like in action — driving innovation, elevating student experiences and shaping the future of business.”

The awards ceremony portion of the event focuses on the following recognitions:

Partner of the Year — This award honors the valued partnerships that have set a benchmark for excellence and recognize organizations that have demonstrated strategic collaboration, deep engagement and a shared commitment to student success. This year’s honoree is Banner Health.

Ambassador of the Year — This award honors an outstanding individual whose dedication and influence have significantly advanced the reach and impact of the Eller Partnerships Office through meaningful engagement, relationship-building, and bridging academia and industry. This year, the award will be presented to Neelakshi Mohta, senior director, transformation, Honeywell Aerospace.

“I’m incredibly honored to be named Ambassador of the Year,” Mohta said. “The future is built through strong connections between industry and education, and I’m energized to keep shaping opportunities that empower students to lead what’s next.”

Faculty Advisor of the Year — Honoring an outstanding faculty member whose commitment to mentorship and experiential education has made a lasting impact on students and partners alike, this award recipient exemplifies excellence in bridging classroom knowledge with meaningful, real-world experiences. The 2026 Faculty Advisor of the Year award winner is Seokjun Youn, assistant professor of Management Information Systems.

Student award winners will also be recognized, with those honorees announced during the event.

Together, these recognitions reflect the impact of Eller’s immersion learning model and the opportunities it creates for students. “Being part of the immersion learning project this year has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at Eller,” says Sandhya Rangaswamy ‘26 MSBA/MS MIS. “Working at the intersection of business and innovation alongside an industry leader is exactly why programs like this matter.”

For more about this event and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-eller-partners-summit-turning-data-into-decisions-tickets-1983388202505?aff=oddtdtcreator

For more about the Eller College of Management, visit https://eller.arizona.edu/.