Students and Faculty Win Awards at MBAA Conference

For research, posters and student management

Jerry Chi, professor of management and SBA graduate program director, and Edna Kim, MBA student, both received awards at the MBAA International Conference in Chicago. (Photo by Jerry Chi)

Graduate students and faculty in the Andrews University School of Business Administration (SBA) won five awards and presented 17 papers at the Midwest Business Administration Association (MBAA) International Conference, held annually in Chicago. The MBAA International Conference is a multidisciplinary academic gathering, bringing together more than 6,000 academics and professionals, with the goal of sharing research, teaching and creating networking opportunities.

Edna Kim and Frank Gondwe, Andrews MBA students, were awarded in the Best Conference Research Paper category. Jerry Chi, professor of management and SBA graduate program director, also won two awards for Best Student Management. He explains that there were “hundreds or thousands of submissions … These awards are heavily restricted, sometimes granted to fewer than .25% of all accepted papers. Winning an award provides global visibility for the author's institution and research findings.”

Gondwe, whose paper was titled “The Relationship Between Faith-Based Resilience and Academic Persistence Among Graduate Business Students,” shares, “I chose this topic because I have personally experienced how faith sustains perseverance. As an international student in Malawi, I dreamed of studying at a Christian university like Andrews. Despite financial challenges and not being able to obtain a student visa, I did not give up. I continued to trust God, and He opened a way for me to study remotely. That journey of faith inspired my research on resilience and academic persistence.”

Gondwe also won a Distinguished Research Poster Award for a project titled “Global GDP Growth, Economic Development, and Regional Disparities: A Three-Way Multivariate Analysis.” In his poster, he analyzed 113 countries over five years. He discovered “geographic continent” is the strongest predictor of GDP growth, a finding that challenges universal development models while supporting region-specific economic policies.

Kim’s paper was titled “Impact of Economic Size and Pandemic Period on Economic Performance: A 3×2 Factorial Design Across Five Years.” She notes, “This study looked at how a country’s economic size affected its performance before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic over five years. The key finding was simple: larger economies didn’t just handle the crisis better; they pulled further ahead over time … For policymakers, this research means that one-size-fits-all crisis responses don’t work. Understanding how size shapes recovery can help leaders design smarter, more targeted support for economies of different sizes during any future global crisis.”

Kim, who also serves as program operations and student success coordinator in the School of Nursing, reflects, “I am the only one in my immediate family who holds any type of degree in higher education. Winning this award feels like validation for every late night, every moment of doubt, and every time I had to choose between work, school, family and rest … This award isn’t just mine. It belongs to everyone who carried me here.” She shares, “I’m also grateful for Andrews University for creating space for students like me, working, parenting, trying to balance it all and to still be seen, still be challenged and still be celebrated.”

“These awards are a confirmation that persistence and faith truly open doors,” Gondwe echoes. “They represent the encouragement of my mentor, Dr. Jerry Chi, and the support of Andrews University.”

Chi, who coordinated the Andrews cohort at the conference, notes, “These awards demonstrate the Andrews University School of Business Administration’s commitment to high academic rigor, impactful real-world application, and the development of both faculty and student research.” He adds, “Student and faculty research is critical because it bridges the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application. It actively solves pressing global challenges and directly trains the next generation of critical thinkers.”

The School of Business Administration offers several undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as a variety of learning pathways and research opportunities for students. In addition to participation in the MBAA International Conference, faculty and students presented seven articles at the 2026 Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters Conference.

“Our MBA curriculum in business research and quantitative methods and optimization modeling directly prepares our MBA and MSA students to influence top-tier business decisions and propels their future consulting, industry or academic endeavors,” Chi shares. Additional information can be found at the school’s web page.