The D'Amore-McKim School of Business recently inducted 170 students into the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Many gathered to celebrate the inductees' achievements and honor the Finucane and Best Teacher award recipients.

Kate Klepper, associate dean of graduate programs, offered welcoming words to students and their families and friends. “We are here… to recognize the academic excellence of the best students in business across all graduate programs,” she said. “There is no higher honor for students of business and management than to graduate Beta Gamma Sigma.”

Universities officially name their students who rank in the upper 20 percent of their graduating master's class and meet the Beta Gamma Sigma lifetime membership requirements, identifying them as not only academically-excellent students, but also as especially promising future business leaders.

Carolyn Boviard, director of specialty MBA programs, gave remarks on behalf of Michael McCarthy, president of the Boston Alumni Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, who congratulated and welcomed the new inductees into the society. The remarks highlighted that these students are now members of the world's largest business school alumni organization. Founded in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma now has more than 750,000 members spanning all 50 U.S. states and 160 countries, representing 534 schools worldwide.

The presentation of two distinguished awards added to the jubilant ceremony.

Professor Sharon Bruns presented the Finucane Award, named in honor of Dan Finucane, a graduate business student who lost his life in a tragic accident. The graduate business class of 1987 created a scholarship in memory of their classmate. The award is given to a student who most embodies Finucane's spirit, with a combination of scholarship, leadership, and friendship. This year's recipient was Samuel Ahove, MSA/MBA'15.

Klepper shared the history of the D'Amore-McKim Best Teacher Award, an accolade established in 1992 that holds particular prestige among professors since it was created by and comes directly from the students.

This year, graduating students bestowed the honor of the D'Amore-McKim Best Teacher Award to Professor Steven Kursh. Burch Simon, MBA'15, presented Kursh with the esteemed husky-engraved dog bowl trophy.

“I truly treasure this award. My greatest thanks to my students, the university, and the D'Amore-McKim leadership and my colleagues for providing me the opportunity to be in the classroom at Northeastern University,” said Kursh.

Kursh graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston College prior to earning his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. He has earned and continues to be re-certified in both the IEEE CSDP and the CSP designations. Kursh was named a Fulbright Scholar in 2005. He is co-director of the High Technology MBA and MS in Innovation Programs at D'Amore-McKim.

Simon also shared quotes from fellow students, all applauding Kursh's commitment to his students.

“He is the most dedicated and knowledgeable professor I've had my entire education career.”

“Professor Kursh has a really great ability to combine teaching the class material and relative industry insight at the same time. His class was the most challenging and required the most amount of effort, but I also learned the most than any other class.”

Klepper closed the ceremony with the induction of the newly elected Beta Gamma Sigma members, asking the students if they would accept the principles for which the society is named, translating to honor, wisdom, and earnestness, to guide and stimulate their personal conduct every day of their lives.

A resounding “I will” from the group signified their official entrance into the society.