2026 SU M.B.A. Graduates Keep it in the Family

By SU Public Relations

SALISBURY, MD---When families fill Salisbury University’s Maggs Physical Activities Center for this May’s graduate Commencement ceremony, two will have double the achievements to celebrate.

This year, SU’s M.B.A. Program graduates two sets of siblings: Brianna and Tristan Plotts of Morris Plains, NJ, and Cole and Kyle Zeder of Elkridge, MD.

Their stories began similarly: In both cases, the younger sibling majored in the same field as their older sibling as undergraduates (marketing for the Plottses, finance for the Zeders) and was attracted to SU following their older sibling’s positive experiences in the University’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business.

“A big factor in why I decided to come to SU was that my brother was a student here, and I heard good things about it,” said Kyle, who earned his B.S. from Salisbury in 2025 after transferring from Howard Community College. “I knew SU had a good business school.”

“I always wanted to pursue my M.B.A.,” said Tristan, who earned his B.S. from Drexel University in 2025. “Bri did her undergrad at SU, and I heard only good things. It’s been a really great experience.”

Both admitted there were other factors in play, as well. For Kyle, it was the opportunity to live with someone familiar instead of a random roommate. For Tristan, it was the chance to spend his final years of NCAA eligibility as a member of SU’s storied Division III men’s lacrosse team.

For the older siblings, returning to SU to pursue their M.B.A. degrees was an easy decision, thanks in large part to the dedication of the Perdue School’s faculty, which they experienced as undergraduates.

“Someone I remember fondly from my undergraduate degree is Irina Piatselchyts,” said Brianna, who earned her B.S. from SU in 2022, noting that she took a class with the marketing lecturer during her last semester in which students were tasked with promoting an insurance firm on a platform where the audience tends to skew younger. “She really taught us how to market something that isn’t very marketable on social media, and I found that to be super interesting.”

“I remember having an [investments] class with Dr. [Ani] Mathers, and her class really helped me with the more advanced side of finance,” said Cole, who earned his B.S. from SU in 2024. “Before that, finance was a known topic for me, but that really advanced my knowledge.”

Kyle also named Dr. Leonard Arvi, Finance Department chair, as an undergraduate influence: “He led me to get an internship at a local real estate agency, and it broadened my perspective on finance as a whole, not just in investment strategies, but in real estate.”

At the graduate level, Brianna and Tristan noted Dr. David Yoon, associate professor of management as one of their most engaging faculty. And all four unanimously praised Bernard McGorry, who oversaw their capstone projects, through which students traditionally perform consulting work for real-world businesses and organizations.

“He provided some of the best feedback I’ve ever had,” said Cole. “Sheets and sheets of feedback for every project.”

For Tristan and Cole, that meant providing analysis for EcoMap Technologies, a Baltimore-based software company that provides companies and economic developers with the information they need to build their business networks and ecosystems.

As part of SU’s partnership with the NFL’s Washington Commanders, Kyle’s M.B.A. team was assigned to build a map of area youth football leagues and teams for the Washington Commanders Youth Football program and determining strategies to boost participation in these leagues.

Brianna’s team was assigned to create outreach, sponsorship, social media marketing, and volunteer recruitment strategies for the Lower Shore Autism Community, a nonprofit that advocates and supports local families and individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“It was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done throughout my time at SU,” she said. “It really pushed my creativity, and it was fulfilling knowing that we were doing this work for a really good cause.”

Both she and Cole said they already have been able to apply many of the skills they learned through SU’s M.B.A. program in their careers. Brianna serves as the sales and marketing coordinator for New Jersey Monthly magazine. Cole is a financial analyst for TidalHealth, the regional healthcare system serving the Lower Eastern Shore.

“My time at SU has really shaped me professionally,” said Cole. “I feel very prepared for the next steps in my career, and that’s thanks to both the undergraduate level and the master’s program.”

Tristan and Kyle believe their M.B.A. experience similarly will be helpful as they begin their careers.

“There are things we learned in our master’s classes that we didn’t in undergrad,” said Tristan. “Working with real companies gave us real-world experience that will be useful in the future.”

“I want to work with the U.S. government,” said Kyle, noting his interest in becoming a Foreign Service diplomat. “It made sense for me to enroll in a value-oriented program like SU’s.”

So, in the end, what was it really like taking classes together as siblings?

“Some of the M.B.A. program classes had challenging subject parts,” said Cole. “If one of us didn’t get it, the other most likely did. Between the two of us, we could both fully understand because we had the other person as a resource.”

For Kyle, that also meant a welcome chance to work with someone familiar on occasion in addition to collaborating with other students on group projects and assignments.

The Plottses had a slightly more adversarial experience — in a good way.

“We competed on who could get the best grades and [grade point averages],” said Tristan. “It pushed us both to do our best.”

“Doing this with my brother is an experience I won’t forget,” added Brianna. “It’s a really cool memory that we’ll always have with each other.”

SU’s M.B.A. Program continues to be highly rated by national publications including U.S. News & World Report. Fortune recently ranked it among the top 30 “Best Business Schools and M.B.A. Programs for 2026.”

For more information about the program, including online and accelerated options, visit the SU M.B.A. webpage or email mba@salisbury.edu.

Learn more about SU and Opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at the SU website.