A pair of Oklahoma State University MBA students were selected for the highly competitive Mortimer J. Adler Fellowship, a national leadership program recognizing emerging business leaders from top institutions across the country.

Chosen as part of a cohort of just 45 fellows for 2026, Olumide Ale and Oladotun Solomon, both from Nigeria, will join peers from leading universities such as Cornell University, the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University and Duke University. Their selection highlights both their individual achievements and the growing national presence of the MBA program at the Spears School of Business.

Hosted at Florida Atlantic University in partnership with the Charles Koch Foundation and the Madden Center for Value Creation, the fellowship focuses on developing transformative business leaders. The program emphasizes three core pillars: character and purpose, value creation and integrated leadership, which encourages participants to align personal values with meaningful professional impact.

The fellowship experience is structured into three phases: a seven-day Spring Intensive in South Florida, a nine-week Summer Practice Lab, and a final reflective report. Throughout the program, fellows engage in rigorous discussions, hands-on learning and leadership development activities centered on using business as a force for long-term societal good.

“The program consistently pressed us to move beyond competence and ask deeper questions about purpose, character and how our leadership choices affect the flourishing of others,” Ale said.

Ale and Solomon already attended the Spring Intensive phase and described it as an immersive experience centered on reflection, dialogue and character formation. Both students say they have already gained a deeper understanding of business leadership that they are actively applying throughout the program.

“I grew in critical thinking, listening, reflection and engaging thoughtfully with people from different backgrounds and perspectives,” Solomon said. “I am truly grateful for the opportunity to represent Oklahoma State University on a national level, in such a meaningful program.”

As they continue this journey, both students look forward to bringing back new perspectives and insights to enrich the OSU MBA community, reinforcing the program’s mission to prepare leaders who understand not just how to lead, but why it matters.

Story By: Raigyn Mayes | raigyn.mayes@okstate.edu