Achieving GPA perfection: Muma students named King O’Neal Scholars

TAMPA – Eight students from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business were named King O’Neal Scholars for spring 2026, a prestigious award honoring graduates who completed their baccalaureate degrees with a 4.0 GPA. 
 
The spring recipients are marketing major Ashlyn Celeste; global business majors Minh Anh Bui and Desiree Frohlich; accountancy major Aiden Miller; supply chain and business analytics major Sahara Sipple; finance majors Keso Tsiklauri and Kian Viegas; and accounting and finance major William Armbruster.  
 
Aside from their perfect academic records, they shared their stories of resiliency, achievement, and what made their time at USF so special. 

Ashlyn Celeste  

For Ashlyn Celeste, earning a 4.0 GPA and being named a King O’Neal Scholar is one of the most meaningful and rewarding parts of her time at USF. 
 
“It represents the hard work, growth, and consistency I’ve put into my academic journey,” she said. 
 
Celeste is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, with a concentration in sport and entertainment management and a minor in risk management and insurance.  
 
During her time at USF, she volunteered at the NCAA Women’s Final Four and at Savannah Bananas games. She was also a marketing intern at the Helen Ross McNabb Center in Tennessee and a member of the Street Team for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 
 
“I’ve always been drawn to the energy of sports and the way marketing shapes fan experiences,” she said, adding that her coursework showed how strategy, planning and storytelling go into building a successful organization and event. 

Sahara Sipple

Sahara Sipple absolutely loved her time at USF. So much so, she’s returning in the fall to start the MBA program while working full-time in the aerospace and defense industry. 
 
This summer, she joins Honeywell Aerospace Technologies as an analyst in its University Relations Development Program, an 18-month program where analysts complete three distinct 6-month rotations across different areas of supply chain while also experiencing its commercial, defense, and space business sectors.

 One of her most impactful Muma experiences was serving as president of the Supply Chain Professionals at USF for three semesters — a student organization she’s been a part of since her freshman year. As president, she helped rebrand the group and double its active members. 
 
“This organization was how I first learned the fundamentals of supply chain management,” she said. “I was able to grow my network early in my career. This led to my first internship after my sophomore year.” 
 
Being president of her “beloved” organization meant she could give back to the supply chain community, as well as provide students the same support she received during her early years at USF, she said. 
 
Sipple is graduating with dual degrees in supply chain management and business analytics and information systems and is grateful for the impactful experiences at USF.  
 
“I always knew I wanted to do something math and logic-based, so supply chain was the perfect combination of my love for numbers and the practicality of the business world,” she said. 

Desiree Frohlich 

Desiree “Daisy” Frohlich is earning two bachelor’s degrees — one in accountancy and one in global business. 
 
The first-generation student was born in Sarasota but has lived abroad for most of her life — in South Africa, Thailand, and Spain. As a result, attending USF was a bit of a culture shock. Since her family stayed in Europe, she had to navigate freshman year far from home. 
 
“Receiving the King O’Neal Award is proof of my resilience and hard work paying off. This award shows that with perseverance and determination, you can do anything you put your mind to,” she said.

One of her favorite USF experiences was studying abroad in London, UK during the summer of 2024 with the Judy Genshaft Honors College. The following summer, she completed an audit internship at accounting firm Cherry Bekaert. 
 
After graduation, Frohlich heads to General Dynamics as an accounting intern for the summer before returning to USF in the fall to start the master’s accountancy and analytics program.

Kian Viegas 

Finance major Kian Viegas described his journey at USF as a transformative college experience “in the best way possible.” 
 
While he was never focused on earning the King O’Neal Scholar award, he’s proud of the accomplishment, as it reflects his dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. 
 
“I strive to embody these values in every aspect of my life,” he said.

His career aspirations evolved three times, reflecting both personal growth and a willingness to explore new opportunities. What started as attending a student organization for the free food during his freshman year ultimately led to him serving as vice president and president of that same group, the Market Development Club. 
 
Viegas is currently a venture capital intern at Tampa General Hospital. His goal is to build a career that combines finance and medicine. 
 
“Making a meaningful impact on patients’ and providers’ lives through the business side of medicine has always been my goal — to support advancements that improve care delivery and health outcomes,” he said.

Aiden Miller

For Aiden Miller, transferring from Arizona State to USF was a turning point and one of his best decisions. 
 
“I came here looking for a community, and in the Muma College of Business, I found a home,” said the accountancy major, who wants to pursue his CPA and a career in forensic accounting. 
 
Miller said the faculty at the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy taught him more than just academics. They taught him how to lead. He rose through the ranks at Beta Alpha Psi to serve as president of USF’s Delta Gamma chapter, allowing him to give back to the community that shaped him.

After graduation, he will continue his academic pursuits at Villanova University, enrolling in its master’s program in accounting. 
 
Graduating with a perfect academic record was never the goal, he said. “It’s the byproduct of a personal commitment I made to simply be better than I was the year before. It represents the late nights and the discipline required to excel at the highest academic level.” 
 
Miller will get the chance to address his peers one last time at the commencement ceremonies. 
 
“Being invited to speak at my graduation ceremony is the ultimate full-circle moment, allowing me to represent the class of 2026 and the university that gave me so much,” he said. 

Minh Anh Bui

During her time at USF, Minh Anh Bui was named a Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 Award honoree and a King O’Neal Scholar. 
 
But at a place like USF, a lot of people are doing incredible things, she said.  
 
“For me, it’s less about the GPA and more about everything that came with it,” said Bui. 

During her time as a Bull, she co-founded the Vietnamese International Student Association.  What started as just an idea turned into a community with hundreds of members, and seeing people find connection and belonging through something she built was rewarding.

She also supported student organizations across campus as the Campus Council Chair for Student Government. After earning dual degrees in global business and psychology, she plans to jump into the startup and tech space.    
 
“I definitely studied a lot, but the things I’m most proud of are the teams I’ve been a part of, the organizations I helped grow, and the impact we were able to make while we were here,” she said.