Jonathan Mathai

Class of 2025

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Currently Studying: BBA/MBA in Public Accounting

In the fall of his freshman year, Jonathan was sitting in his dormitory floor’s lounge in Maria's Tower when he was approached by students Jacob Selman and Ethan McKellar with an invitation to join their startup: F14 Entertainment. Two semesters and a slew of content later, Jonathan has become a sophomore with an enviable resume who is taking on his career with dedication and perseverance.

Why did you choose Pace University and the Lubin School of Business?

When I initially started looking for colleges, I thought I'd like to go to an out-of-state school because I'm from Long Island, New York. But, after receiving a few letters from Pace and other universities in New York, the idea of staying in the state intrigued me. Specifically, Pace intrigued me because of the New York City campus. And once I took a virtual tour of the campus, I knew that Pace was the type of place where I would want to study and have my career take off. Now, as a sophomore, I'm so happy I decided to come to Pace, and it's one of the best feelings ever.

Tell us about F14 Entertainment. How did you get involved with this initiative?

F14 Entertainment is a company run by Pace students. We create Gen Z content for Gen Z. When we started, we didn't know each other. The connections began after I moved into Maria's Tower. One day, as we were sitting in our dorm's lounge, I got to meet Ethan and Jacob, two exceptional individuals, and we started thinking about starting a company that would allow us to create the content that we wanted to see. Ethan and Jacob asked me if I would be interested in handling the company's financials, and I said yes, not even knowing what I was getting into, but knowing I could figure it out. Now, I can confidently say that I made the right decision.

How are you using what you learn in your classes to inform your role within F14?

Academics are my priority, but I've found that handling F14's everyday business activities helps me with my schoolwork. I get to do all the budgeting and all financial work that we might need for F14’s projects, including purchasing items for the set of a short film, drafting agreements for signing new artists, or filing any financial paperwork. My classes have also really helped me understand what's going on in the business.

"We had to follow COVID-19 protocols, so even meeting with one another was a difficult thing to do. But we still had our determination, and we were able to connect with many incoming first-year students from different majors. I think that as I get to collaborate with others and work as hard as I can, I will be unstoppable."

You recently completed an internship at a recording studio; what was that experience like?

When I started looking for a summer internship, I knew that I wanted to hone my business skills and work in a field that I wouldn't get tired of. I started out looking for bookkeeping positions or anything accounting or finance-related. Since I'm also a music producer, I felt confident about approaching some recording studios and doing a couple of cold calls; that is how I landed an internship. My job was to handle anything financial, including cash and checks, help out with budgets, and create any Excel spreadsheets that the recording studio needed. I also got a chance to meet and hear stories from many great musicians, producers, and very passionate artists. And a lot of them, surprisingly, were business majors!

How did you manage to connect and collaborate with your peers in a remote learning environment?

That was a serious adjustment, balancing F14 and my freshman year at the Lubin School of Business was challenging; I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I took many tough classes, and in terms of F14, making connections became significantly more difficult. We had to follow COVID-19 protocols, so even meeting with one another was a difficult thing to do. But we still had our determination, and we were able to connect with many incoming first-year students from different majors. I think that as I get to collaborate with others and work as hard as I can, I will be unstoppable.

What is your advice for incoming students?

My advice for the incoming class would be to socialize. Because of the current circumstances, we might find it hard to talk to people and get immersed in a new community. I think it's all about reaching out. If you find a friend or someone who shares many interests with you, talk to them and make as many connections as you can. This will help you out.

What does #LubinLife mean to you?

Community. Lubin provides a lot for its students. The benefits range from educational support to just talking to professors about business or life in general. Community is important, and I think that many people coming into the Lubin School of Business will appreciate that and love the community.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University today announced the launch of the School’s Sustainable Business Law Hub.

Haub Law’s Sustainable Business Law Hub will serve as an incubator space, student-training program, research endeavor, and think tank devoted to addressing global sustainability challenges through policy and research projects, relationships with the business community, and capacity building in private environmental governance. The Hub will incorporate the three pillars of sustainability—economic, social and environmental welfare—into global business practices by engaging in research and policy development, improving public law and governance, and working with existing industry, the small business community, startups, and the community at-large to develop and employ innovative private environmental models and sustainability practices, such as those that promote a circular economy. Working hand-in-hand with faculty experts, students participating in the Hub will receive practical training and experience in using the law to foster sustainable business practices.

“Haub Law continues to successfully train lawyers of the future and our newly launched Sustainable Business Law Hub will now train the first generation of ‘sustainable business lawyers’,” remarked Horace Anderson, Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. He continued, “Haub Law is uniquely situated in White Plains–making it the only law school in Westchester, while also being a short train ride into New York City. The opportunities for collaboration and impact in the local Westchester community, New York City and State, and beyond are vast.”

“Haub Law continues to successfully train lawyers of the future and our newly launched Sustainable Business Law Hub will now train the first generation of ‘sustainable business lawyers’.”

—Dean Horace Anderson

The Sustainable Business Law Hub will function as a competitive program with Haub Law students applying for acceptance and taking pre-requisite courses. Participation in the Sustainable Business Law Hub is open to qualifying JD law students who will have the opportunity to pursue an accelerated JD/MBA joint degree, receive the Advanced Certificate in Environmental Law, and take part in the school’s sustainable business law track in the Business Law Path-to-Practice, as well as receive specialized career mentorship and guidance. The Hub will also employ an LLM graduate research fellow. The Hub will have a rigorous curriculum, with seminars related to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) and sustainable development, and opportunities for practical experience through externships and a practicum. Within those settings, the students will work in an in-house sustainability or legal department – handling environmental compliance issues, ESG, and/or assisting with sustainability strategies and policies.

“Haub Law’s environmental law program is ranked number one in the nation. Our innovative and future-thinking curriculum is what continues to differentiate us from other law schools. We have been teaching our students the importance of sustainability for many years through our courses and our clinics. This Hub will not only continue to educate and graduate lawyers with a mind for sustainable business practices, but help employ those practices in real-time, benefiting the social spectrum of businesses and the environment,” stated Jason Czarnezki, Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law and Associate Dean of Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives. “I see this as a prime opportunity for Haub Law to meaningfully contribute to the enhancement of good corporate citizenship, actualize an honest vision for corporate social responsibility, and foster social equity awareness leading to action in the private sector,” added Achinthi Vithanage, Associate Director of Environmental Law Programs.

“We are thrilled with the timing of the launch of Haub Law’s Sustainable Business Law Hub,” noted Marvin Krislov, President, Pace University. “Pace University’s Lubin School of Business recently launched The Lubin Center for Sustainable Business (“CSB”). The Center will focus on the integration of business, environmental, social, and governance stewardship. Haub Law’s Sustainable Business Law Hub will perfectly complement the CSB and function parallel to it. Pace students are achievers, motivated, and engaged in learning – we anticipate a larger cross-over with not only courses in sustainability, but opportunities for collaboration, and students who are eager to pursue our 3-Year JD/MBA Joint Degree Program.”

As part of the launch of Haub Law’s Sustainable Business Law Hub, a kick-off inaugural Roundtable, “Building Sustainable Business and the Role of Law” will be held in early 2022. The event will include roundtable discussions with business leaders, attorneys, and thought leaders.

The Sustainable Business Law Hub Advisory Board

• Anna Marciano Romanella (Haub Law ‘00), VP, Sustainability Zone North America Nestle, GC & Head of Sustainability, Nespresso USA
• Colin Myers (Haub Law ’21), Associate (ESG), Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
• Anna-Sophia E. Haub, ESG Project Manager, Emil Capital Partners LLC
• Madhuri Pavamani, Sustainability & ESG Advisory Practice Director, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
• Horace Anderson, Dean and Professor of Law, Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• Jason Czarnezki, Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, Associate Dean and Executive Director of Environmental Law Programs, Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• Achinthi Vithanage, Associate Director of Environmental Law Programs and Professor, Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• Jon Brown, Director, Food and Beverage Law Clinic, Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• Josh Galperin, Assistant Professor of Law, Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• Shirley Lin, Assistant Professor of Law, Elisabeth Haub School of Law

Hannah Wyllie

Data Analyst, Martello Expert Services

Class of 2023
BBA in Business Analytics with a minor in Statistics

Member of: Pace Perk Café, Student Leadership Program, Pforzheimer Honors College, Pace Field Hockey team.

From the UK to a Pleasantville campus, to the Pace Perk kitchen, to field hockey games, to the research lab, Business Analytics major Hannah Wyllie is making the most of her time at Pace University. An international student who has traveled to 22 different countries, Hannah chose Lubin to provide her with a launching pad for her career.

Why did you choose Pace University and the Lubin School of Business?

I was initially introduced to Pace by the Field Hockey Coach, Kayte Kinsley, because I was interested in playing field hockey at a university in the United States. I started conducting research and became very interested in Pace because of various opportunities at Lubin, such as the data analytics boot camp and the professional experience requirements. I knew this would help me develop my resume and increase my employability potential for the future.

“This experience has helped me advance my career exponentially. I now have evidence of all the skills I have developed at Pace and something tangible that I can show to future employers during interviews.”

You work at Pace Perk, one of our student-run businesses on campus. Tell us about that professional experience.

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I originally started working at Pace Perk in the Fall of 2019 as a Shift Associate. Since then, I have been promoted into several roles, including Shift Manager, Assistant Operations Manager, and now Chief Operating Officer. This development opportunity has helped me understand that hard work and going that extra mile doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s been great to see the ups and downs of running a business: from dealing with broken equipment and complaints to completely shifting our business plan to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, working for a student-run business has helped me develop different relationships and has enhanced my resume. Employers are very interested in the student-run aspect of it. Pace Perk has also allowed me to attend impactful networking events such as the Executive in Residence Program and I have also been able to present at board meetings.

Being a student-athlete is very demanding; what have you learned from being on a team?

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Being a student-athlete is very time-consuming, but I love having lots of different things to focus on and getting a break from schoolwork. I have always loved playing team sports, so over the years I have learned how to communicate with lots of different personalities and be supportive of everyone. Being a part of the Field Hockey team has taught me to be patient because there will always be ups and downs in our performance. I’ve learned to think “longer-term” and bounce back instead of getting frustrated with myself and the team. Managing my time can be a challenge, but I write down everything I need to do and plan accordingly to prioritize my time.

How has your research experience helped you advance your career?

Participating in the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Program over the summer helped me understand that conducting research is never a simple task. There will always be dead ends and drawbacks. As a Business Analytics major, conducting research is essential, so it was helpful to find strategies and methods to navigate challenges. Being in the program improve my technical skills. We used programming tools such as R, and I got some experience writing a technical paper. This experience has helped me advance my career exponentially. I now have evidence of all the skills I have developed at Pace and something tangible that I can show to future employers during interviews.

Do you have any advice for incoming international students?

It’s always difficult to leave home and adapt to a brand-new way of life and a completely different culture, but it’s important to embrace this change and make the most of your experience here. So give yourself time to adapt and be as outgoing as possible during this process!

What does #LubinLife mean to you?

Being a part of Lubin has made me feel as though I am at my home away from home; it has given me a great sense of community. My professors have been so supportive and caring; they genuinely want to see me succeed. I have also met some inspiring classmates and colleagues who are very passionate and proactive about their futures.

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Emeritus Professor Jeffrey G. Miller was honored with the 2021 American Bar Association Section on Environment Energy & Resources (SEER) Lifetime Achievement Award at a virtual event on November 18. SEER recognizes individuals, entities, and organizations that have made significant accomplishments or demonstrated recognized leadership in the environment, energy, and natural resources legal area.

Fellow colleagues and former students joined the event in support of Professor Miller’s more than 50 years of service in the field of Environmental Law, fondly remembering his groundbreaking contributions, his high standards in education, and his sense of humor.

Alum Sean Dixon ’09, Soundkeeper & Executive Director at Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, spoke about Professor Miller’s profound impact in his profession, citing his “wisdom and creativity” in shaping the environmental lawyers of the future and calling him a “mentor and a generous human being.”

“Jeff Miller’s career as a teacher, advocate, and leader in environmental law was exceptional,” said Horace E. Anderson Jr., Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. “He was a pillar of the Haub Law faculty and a mentor to me; I can think of few people more deserving of such an honor.”

Professor Miller began his legal career in the late 1960s as an associate in a Boston law firm, practicing business and finance law. In the early 1970s he joined the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its Boston regional office as an enforcement official, later moving to EPA's headquarters in Washington, DC, to head its water pollution permitting and enforcement program, to begin its hazardous waste enforcement program, and ultimately to head its national enforcement program. After a decade at EPA, he became a partner in a Washington, DC, law firm, practicing environmental law and representing corporate, non-profit, and governmental clients.

In 1987, Professor Miller joined the Pace Law School faculty, teaching torts, constitutional law, criminal law/legal writing, and over a dozen environmental law courses. He served as the distinguished James D. Hopkins Chair in Law during the 1999–2001 academic years. He retired from teaching in 2013, and continued to work on the Law School’s National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, now named in his honor. Professor Miller has lectured, taught, and consulted on environmental law throughout the country and in half a dozen foreign countries.

ABA presentation of the Seer Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Jeffrey Miller