A University of Texas at Dallas student has earned national and international recognition through his selection into two highly competitive programs.
Hayagreev Jayaram
Hayagreev Jayaram, a global business senior in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, was awarded a Critical Language Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State. The program, which supports the study of languages critical to U.S. diplomacy and international engagement, has an acceptance rate of approximately 7% nationwide. Jayaram is the first UT Dallas student selected for the Japanese track.
Jayaram, who is expected to graduate in May with a concentration in innovation and entrepreneurship, also represented UT Dallas at the 2026 Harvard College Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) global leadership conference as a Texas delegate.
“The global business program played an important role in preparing me for these opportunities,” said Jayaram, who has maintained a 4.0 GPA, earned dean’s list honors for six consecutive semesters and is on track to graduate summa cum laude. “I am honored to represent UT Dallas through this wonderful opportunity.”
Jayaram said one of the defining strengths of the global business program is its emphasis on understanding how business, culture and policy intersect across borders.
“The faculty encourages students to pursue global experiences and connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world issues,” he said.
Hubert Zydorek, associate professor of instruction in organizations, strategy and international management, said global business students study other countries because modern careers, markets and leadership challenges are fundamentally global.
“During his time at UT Dallas, Hayagreev went above and beyond,” said Zydorek, director of the Center for Global Business. “He engaged in events and activities … and sought additional opportunities to build skills and competencies to become a global leader. His experiences reflect the program’s goal: preparing students not just to understand the global economy, but to lead within it.”
Golfer Wins Comets’ First Lone Star Conference Championship
Brooke Yount captured The University of Texas at Dallas’ first Lone Star Conference (LSC) title by winning individual medalist honors at the LSC women’s golf championship on April 14 at Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club.
Brooke Yount
Yount, who won by four shots, set school records for best 18-hole score (66) and for three-round total score (209) at the tournament. She posted 10 birdies and two eagles overall, including five birdies and one eagle in the final round.
“What Brooke Yount accomplished is still hard for me to fully process,” said Cole Sondgeroth, head coach of both the men’s and women’s golf teams at UT Dallas. “Bringing home UT Dallas’ first-ever Lone Star Conference Championship — of any kind — is an incredible achievement.”
Yount, a finance sophomore from League City, Texas, finished ahead of five players ranked in the top 25 nationally and earned All-LSC first-team honors. For the year, she shattered the school records for most eagles in a season and a career with five.
“I couldn’t be prouder of Brooke. Joining a new team and playing for a new coach isn’t easy, especially in a season like the one we had. We faced plenty of ups and downs and dealt with injuries as a team,” Sondgeroth said. “On top of that, we weren’t [NCAA] postseason eligible, which could have made it easy to lose focus and look ahead to next year. But our team stayed strong and bought in to competing for a conference title.”
UT Dallas is ineligible for NCAA postseason competition until it completes a three-year provisional period for its move to Division II. Due to an LSC rule, the Comets were allowed to compete in the postseason conference events for cross country, track and field, and golf.
Accolades is an occasional News Center feature that highlights recent accomplishments of The University of Texas at Dallas faculty, students and staff. To submit items for consideration, contact your school’s communications manager.