Convocation
Document Type
Presentation
Date
8-20-2007
Program
- Prelude Music: Joanna Messer, 1997 IMSA Graduate
- Pledge of Allegiance & Welcome: Jonathan Koch, Student Council President; Dr. Max McGee, President; Dr. Eric McLaren, Principal
- Featured Piece: Joanna Messer, 1997 IMSA Graduate
- Keynote Speaker: Jessica Droste Yagan, Sam D. Yagan; 1995 IMSA Graduates
Recommended Citation
Koch, Jonathan '08; McGee, Max; McLaren, Eric; Yagan, Jessica Droste '95; and Yagan, Sam D. '95, "2007 Convocation" (2007). Convocation. 19.
https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/convocation/19
Sam & Jessica Yagan FY07 Convocation.pdf (7330 kB)
Sam & Jessica Yagan '95 Keynote Address
Max McGee FY07 Convocation.pdf (2023 kB)
Max McGee. Ph.D. Convocation Remarks
Sam & Jessica Yagan '95 Keynote Address
Max McGee FY07 Convocation.pdf (2023 kB)
Max McGee. Ph.D. Convocation Remarks
Guest Biographies
Jessica Droste Yagan '95
Jessica grew up in Dow, IL with her two younger sisters and graduated from IMSA in 1995. While at IMSA, she played volleyball, basketball, and Softball, earning eight varsity letters and served as Student Council president. She earned her bachelor's degree in Public Policy from Haverford Colege, where she led its public service organization and earned ten athletic varsity letters. She won the Varsity Club Award, given to the athlete who has contributed the most to Haverford Athletics in his or her career.
Jessica has a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. In graduate school, Jessica served as Vice President of the Corporate Responsibility Council, Co-president of the Public Management Program, and a board member of Net Impact. She also contributed to the academic field of corporate social responsibility by designing two new courses at Stanford, publishing two case studies at Harvard, and serving as a research assistant to Professor John Ruggie, United Nations' Special Representative on Human Rights and Business.
Jessica currently works for McDonald's Corporation where she focuses on corporate social responsibility and specifically supply chain sustainability. In this role, Jessica works with McDonalds executives throughout the world to improve McDonalds' impart on society, the environment, and animal welfare. Her professional experience also includes Senator Paul Simon's (D-IL) office, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Ann Taylor, and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, a non-profit economic development consulting firm.
Jessica is in the process of moving to Chicago with her husband, Sam D. Yagan.
Sam D. Yagan '95
Sam is the co-founder & CEO of the online dating site OkCupid.com. He previously co-founded and led SparkNotes, the leading brand of study guides, and eDonkey, formerly the most popular peer-to-peer file-sharing software in the world. He has spoken before the Cato Institute and the Federal Trade Commission and testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was also named to Billboardmagazine's "Top 30 under 30" most influential business executives in the entertainment industry. Sam has worked closely with many first-time entrepreneurs and serves a board member of four start-up companies.
Sam graduated from IMSA in 1995 and attended Harvard University, where he graduated with an honors degree in applied mathematics and economics. He also served as a Teaching Felow in the Computer Science department, earning six Derek Bok awards for distinction in teaching. Sam has an MBA from Stanford University, where he graduated first in his class and earned recognition as a Siebel Scholar, an Arjay Miller Scholar, and the Henry Ford II scholar. He also served as co-chair of the Academic Committee of the student government, where he worked closely with
the Dean's office to improve teaching and learning.
Sam was an inaugural member of the IMSA President's Alumni Advisory Committee (IPAAC), where he just completed a three-year term. Sam grew up in Bourbonnais, IL, with his younger brother, Danny, 23, who also graduated from IMSA. He is delightfully married to his high school sweetheart, Jessica Droste Yagan, '95