6 minute read
Erica Stocker
Intended Liberal Arts and Business Majors:
Spanish and Finance or Marketing Target Language: Spanish Email: estocker@tulane.edu Academic Achievements: AP Scholar with Honor; National Honor
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Society Member; National Spanish Exam Gold Medalist (x4). Extra-curricular Activities: President of the Key Crew (spirit club);
President of Quiz Bowl; Student Council Representative for
Wellness Council; Member of the Foreign Language Club and
Model United Nations; Softball Center Fielder; H-E-B Summer
Intern in the Education Initiatives/Corporate Communications
Department; Babysitter. Community Service: Teen Suicide Prevention Advocate; Member of
Teens Give Back; Volunteer for Under the Bridge (serving meals to homeless); Volunteer for local Battered Women’s Shelter;
Spanish Tutoring for Kindergarteners. International Experience: I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled internationally numerous times with my family (mainly to Europe) because I have relatives in Switzerland. However, as my interest in language grew, I enjoyed traveling to Spanishspeaking countries more, such as the Dominican Republic and
Guatemala. My most memorable trip was a month-long homestay program in southern Spain the summer going into junior year.
Aside from traveling, I also love learning about international affairs by reading the news and being a Model United Nations delegate. Personal Interests/Hobbies: I love spending time with friends and keeping busy while also allowing myself time to relax sometimes.
Some of my favorite things to do include reading, trying new restaurants, going to concerts, musicals, and museums, and watching baseball and football games. Also, I enjoy not only playing music on instruments like the piano and drums, but I love listening to basically every genre, especially rap and R&B. Three Words to Describe Herself: Outgoing, silly, empathetic. Fun Fact from Erica: I’m oddly good at wiggling my eyebrows. Erica Stocker San Antonio, Texas
Program Co-Directors
Casey Love, Ph.D.
In addition to serving as co-director of the Altman Program, Dr. Casey Love serves as Interim Associate Dean of Global Education and Interim Director of CGE and is a Senior Professor of Practice in the Department of Political Science. She holds three degrees from Tulane: a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Political Science (1997), a M.A. in Latin American Studies (2000), and a Ph.D. in Political Science (2005). Dr. Love teaches courses on Mexican politics, U.S.- Latin American relations, U.S. immigration policy, comparative politics, and political and economic development in the Global South, and she integrates service learning into most of her courses. She has extensive experience living, teaching, and studying in Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Thailand. She is the recipient of multiple awards for teaching and service at Tulane, including the Mortar Board Excellence in Teaching Award (2018), School of Liberal Arts Outstanding Service Award (2016), the Center for Public Service’s Barbara E. Moely Service Learning Teaching Award (2013), and the Stone Center’s Simon Rodriguez Award for Best Undergraduate Teacher (2012). In addition to her academic pursuits, Dr. Love is the director of a 501c3-designated all female Mardi Gras performance troupe.
Myke Yest, Ph.D., CFA
Myke Yest, a Professor of Practice in Finance at the A.B. Freeman School of Business, teaches both graduate and undergraduate classes in such areas as Risk Management, Corporate Finance, Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Cases in Finance. Outside the classroom, Myke acts as program director for Tulane’s Partnership Program with CFA Institute and faculty adviser to several organizations on campus. Myke also consults for a local investment advisor firm that helps high-net worth individuals prepare for retirement. He holds a BBA in Business Man agement from Stetson University, an MBA from the University of South Florida, and a PhD in Finance from Tulane University, in which he focused his research on mutual fund management structures.
Having spent over 25 years in the finance industry allows Myke to integrate both practice and theory into his finance courses. His dynamic approach toward teaching has earned him numerous awards, including the Freeman School Student Government Teaching Excellence Award, the James T. Murphy Award for Teaching Excellence, and twice-winning the Howard J. Wisner “Professor of the Year” award at the Freeman School. In 2019, he was awarded the inaugural Peter R. Ricchiuti Professorship in Finance.
Program Staff
Natalia Porto
Natalia Porto joined the Altman Program team in April 2012 having previously worked in such institu tions of Tulane as Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Cuban and Caribbean Studies Institutve and Center for Inter-American Policy and Research. As the Program Manager, she administers the logistical aspects of the program and is responsible for student advising and internship placement.
Natalia is originally from Russia. In the last twenty years she has lived and worked in Europe, Brazil, Ecuador and the US and has been in New Orleans since 2004. She earned her Masters in Pacific and International Affairs with a regional specialization on Latin America from the University of California, San Diego.
Jamie Montelepre
Jamie Montelepre joined the Altman Program in October 2017. Born and raised in New Orleans, she most recently worked as an Access Coordi nator for the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility at Tulane. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama and Communications from the University of New Orleans and is an active member of the New Orleans theater community. With a diverse work background that includes website content editing and office management, she assists with the administrative operations of the program. Jamie is currently pursuing a Masters in Health and Wellness Management through the School of Professional Advancement at Tulane.
About Jeffrey Altman
The Altman Program in International Studies & Business is the focus of a major gift from the Jeffrey A. Altman Foundation. The Jeffrey A. Altman Foundation has pledged $10.3 million to Tulane University to establish this dual-degree program. Similar programs are available at only a handful of select universities nationwide. “In an increasingly global business environment, international study is a must. There are very few business programs in the entire country that offer a dual degree with an international component such as this,” said Jeffrey Altman, a 1988 graduate of Tulane, founder and managing partner of Owl Creek Asset Management LP and founder and director of the Jeffrey A. Altman Foundation. “After the incredibly rewarding experiences I had as a student at Tulane, I feel fortunate to help the university develop this four-year program. Graduates will be even better prepared to excel in an increasingly interconnected world economy.” The new dual degree will require students to complete coursework in Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School of Business and its School of Liberal Arts. “This combination of disciplines with an emphasis on the understanding of foreign cultures is crucial to preparing students to excel in today’s global economy,” said Altman. Upon the creation of the program, Tulane President Emeritus Scott Cowen said, “If I were an undergraduate now, this is the course of study I would pursue. With an ever-increasing amount of economic growth coming from outside the United States, this is the best way to prepare students for the future. This is definitely a program for the 21st century, and we are most grateful to the Altman Foundation for making Tulane one of only a handful of universities in the country to offer such a unique undergraduate program.”
