Where Growth Becomes
Greatness.
Three Pitt Business graduates. Three different journeys. One shared experience of growth, confidence, and opportunity.
From their first step on campus to their walk across the commencement stage, members of the Class of 2026 underwent unique, yet remarkable transformations.
While the life-changing aspects of college are different for everyone, here’s a look at three who have used Pitt Business to challenge themselves to grow.
One, who called herself a shy freshman, now emanates confidence. Two others traveled to other countries and are forever changed because of those experiences.
Business is Blooming.
and so is Shanele.
As a first-generation college student, Shanele Tamulevicius’s main goal was to begin a legacy to thank her Lithuanian immigrant parents for their hard work and sacrifice.
“I was a shy freshman just hoping to graduate and get a job,” she says.
Four years and many leadership and extracurricular experiences later, Tamulevicius was recognized by Poets&Quants as one of the 100 Best and Brightest Undergraduate Business Students for 2026.
“It’s something no résumé can capture. It’s the confidence to walk into any room knowing I belong, to speak up even when I’m unsure, and to take on challenges without doubt. Pitt Business pushed me beyond my comfort zone, and, in return, gave me the resilience and belief in myself I didn’t have when I started,” she says.
That complete change didn’t happen overnight. Over the course of her four years in the program, she dug deep and got involved, even when it became a lot to juggle.
She served as both teaching assistant and student director to the first-year course BUS10 – Your Academic & Career Success and participated in two co-curricular programs.
“There were times when it all felt overwhelming, and it would have been easier to take a step back. Instead, I chose to lean in and take on multiple responsibilities, even when it felt uncomfortable. That decision was a risk, but it ultimately paid off,” she says.
Tamulevicius has joined Ernst & Young as FSO Audit Staff 1.
“I’m most excited to take everything I’ve learned and apply it in a real-world setting. I have a strong foundation and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow, challenge myself, and step into this next chapter with confidence,” she says.
Is This Metamorphosis?
Pittsburgh-native Sophie Lu didn’t venture far from home to attend college, but she still found ways to stretch her wings and take off.
She spent the entirety of her junior year as an exchange student at the London School of Economics.
“The adjustment to a new country and school where I knew no one was filled with anxiety at first,” she says.
“Looking back, though, that anxiety has been replaced by memories of how fulfilling, exciting, and enriching my time in London was, along with the opportunity to explore the UK and travel across Europe.”
After taking the leap and spending a year overseas, Lu’s confidence skyrocketed.
“Junior year I was doing things alone and doing things that were unfamiliar, challenging, and, at first glance, very intimidating,” she says.
“Senior year, I took care to continue to exercise those muscles by committing to things I had been interested in starting for a while and following through with them.”
“I started pottery, explored different Pittsburgh neighborhoods, and ran a half marathon.”
Lu feels at ease in her own skin now, remarkably different than when she started college.
She surprises herself with how easy she finds initiating social interactions and how decisive she’s become.
When faced with the new challenges that will come in her life and career as an associate with Boston Consulting Group in Pittsburgh, Lu has a mantra that everyone should keep in mind.
Global Experience Sparks Growth
For Ryan Schreyer, business has taken him around the world.
During his first year, he participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program in Costa Rica. Later, he participated in a Global Service Learning experience in Trinidad.
These international opportunities were among the most formative and impactful experiences he had in his time at Pitt Business.
Senior year, his international experiences came full circle when he was asked to serve as a student ambassador for Pitt Business’ Global Experiences Office.
He advised younger students looking to study abroad and helped the office research possible new offerings.
He credits his supervisor, Director Bryan Schultz, for being positively influential.
“He assigned me numerous projects that, to be honest, were challenging. These projects, along with his guidance, have trained me to adapt when I’m stuck, how to properly research relevant information, and how to present both my work and myself,” Schreyer says.
To Schreyer, Pitt Business was the best playground for his personal and professional growth.
He was unsure about his academic plans when he entered the program. Through conversations with his advisors and professors, Schreyer decided on an ambitious track where he would enroll in 18 credits per semester and pursue both finance and accounting majors.
“Through real experiences with companies and challenging courses, I am prepared for real life challenges both at work and home in the future,” he says.
“Because of my time here, I am now perfectly suited to enter the working world and have an incredibly successful career,” he says.
After graduation, Schreyer joined Withum in Princeton, New Jersey, as a real estate auditor.
Growth That Goes
Beyond the Classroom.
All three of these graduates reached beyond their potential thanks to their unique experiences and connections within the Pitt Business undergraduate program.
“Pitt Business has allowed me to meet so many people that have positively impacted my life.”
— Ryan Schreyer
“In every single area of my experience here there have been incredible people by my side.”