Celebration of Success raises recording-breaking scholarship funds with keynote Oscar Munoz 

Daniela Ibarra-Hernandez recaps her experience attending the CU Denver Business School’s Celebration of Success for the second time and being inspired by the keynote speaker and impact awardees.

By Daniela Ibarra-Hernandez, student marketing assistant at the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship

The evening of Thursday, April 17, brought together a lively group of CU Denver students, faculty, staff, and Denver business leaders inside the ballroom of the Hilton Denver City Center. The packed room buzzed with energy in anticipation of the night’s renowned speakers and what might be in store. Luckily for me, it was my second time attending the biennial Celebration of Success, a fundraising gala that benefits student scholarships at the CU Denver Business School, as both a CU Denver student and Denver Scholarship Foundation recipient. 

My group sat next to the Denver Business Journal, whose members asked us about our current studies and plans for after graduation. After about an hour of chit-chat, taking photos, and shaking hands, we took our seats to listen to and watch the night’s program. 

While trying to remember which fork to use to eat my salad (the one on the outer left?), Scott Dawson, Dean of the Business School, took the stage to welcome everyone. He thanked all the attendees for coming out, supporting students, and contributing to the Business School’s overall impact. He was then joined by Mayor Mike Johnston, who spoke about the importance of investing in the talent of tomorrow. I was surprised to hear that 75 percent of college students stay in Denver after graduating, and he stressed the importance of keeping talented people and supporting their growing businesses. 

“This is the fuel we need,” he said.  

The rest of the program featured the following impact awardees and guest speakers:  

• Ariana Lily Nikmanesh ‘18, Distinguished Recent Alumnus Award
  Her story was incredible! Ariana earned her BSBA with a concentration in marketing and now works as a senior policy analyst for Salesforce’s Office of Ethical and Humane Use. She spoke about the importance of the support she received through CU Denver and the many mentors who helped her along the way.  

• Jennifer Leitsch MBA, MS ’08, Distinguished Alumnus Award
  Jennifer is a lecturer at the Business School, where she teaches the graduate-level elective Accounting and Finance for Sustainability. She serves on the Business School’s Board of Advisors as well as the Managing for Sustainability Advisory Council, which she chaired for seven years. It was heartwarming to see this recognition given to someone who has embodied CU Denver as much and for as long as she has.  

• Dan Dye, Former CEO of Ardent Mills, Outstanding Community Mentor
  “Leadership is a privilege,” Dan said during his acceptance speech. Even as he was being recognized, he used the time to encourage those in the room to invest in students, to lead with integrity, and to take care of the people in their companies and communities.  

After an amazing dinner, our keynote speaker took the stage to be interviewed by alumnus and Outside CEO Robin Thurston. And what a keynote it was!  

Oscar Munoz — former CEO and executive chairman of United Airlines, published author, and public speaker — somehow made the large, formal event feel like an intimate conversation. It was truly empowering to watch someone with such a similar background to me (a first-generation Mexican American) commanding the room as he shared his story and words of wisdom. Munoz started his career working in finance at PepsiCo, and he emphasized that while opportunity is all around us, it is up to the leadership of individuals and companies to take advantage of those opportunities. He spoke about the importance of airports and how they attract people, help the city scale, and fuel the growth of the business community. Munoz then announced that he’ll be teaching a new aviation course in the MBA program at CU Denver. It was inspiring to see that even well into his accomplished career, he continues to take on new challenges and learn new ways to provide for his community.  

He then shared more about his experience as CEO at United, which inspired him to write his first memoir, Turnaround Time. The book’s primary message is about how one can create real change as long as one leads with integrity and a human-first mindset. Munoz spoke about his 90-day listening tour at United that was meant to answer one question: “What’s wrong with United?” He shared that on the 37th day of that tour, he had a heart attack, which put him into a coma and later led to a heart transplant. Munoz spoke about the importance of checking your heart and listening to your body. Despite his health challenges, Munoz persevered and returned to United with a second chance at life.  

The feedback he had received on that listening tour surprised him and reshaped how he saw the problems happening at United. While many thought the solutions should be statistical and based on the numbers, Munoz maintained a people-first and word-of-mouth approach. 

“Be the brand, be friendly, and remember how humans work,” Munoz said to his publicist and assistants on the listening tour. His entire story emphasized the importance of remaining authentic and genuine, despite many people’s tendency to put on a mask.  

It was truly mesmerizing to hear from him first-hand and see myself reflected in his story. I especially appreciated it when he touched on struggling with imposter syndrome and perfectionism while in college, which created a lot of disappointment in himself.  

“I thought that my failures would reflect on my family and on my heritage,” he said. These words alone completely reflect my own personal struggles. The pressure that is put on first-generation Americans is never easy to deal with and can leave you feeling lonely, especially in higher education. Like me, Munoz was able to bridge the gap and attend college through a scholarship, which allowed him to launch his career and eventually lead thousands at United Airlines.  

It was truly extraordinary and heartwarming to be in a room where so much hard-earned success was being shared, recognized, and celebrated. It was not only a night of fundraising but a night of inspiration surrounding the impact that the CU Denver Business School has on its students’ lives. I now feel even more motivated to take advantage of this time as a student to not only evolve and meet as many people as possible, but to also take risks and lead with a people-first mindset. By the end of the night, the event had raised $450,000 to support scholarships for CU Denver Business School students, making it the most successful event of its kind to date!