MIS Student Combines Optimism with Passions for Learning and Technology

Gabriella (Gabby) Nkeze ’26 BSBA (Pre-Business) has always loved gaining newfound knowledge about the world around her. With interests ranging from technology and business to political science and reading, she has remained curious and open to new learning experiences.

Born in Seattle, Nkeze grew up partially in Auburn, Washington, before her family moved to Litchfield Park, Arizona. She also spent much of her childhood in Limbe, Kumba and Douala—all cities in Cameroon, where her parents grew up.

As a child, she cultivated a deep fascination with technological advancements and this sense of intrigue continued to blossom as the years went by.

“My parents would always call me to fix a device or adjust cords, and my interest kept increasing,” she says. “As I grew older, I started noticing more and more how major of a role technology played in the world we live in today, specifically in businesses.”

Soon enough, she developed a keen interest in operations and supply chain management.

“I started to appreciate the process and the analysis of the times it would take paper to be printed to the time it would take for a meeting to be completed,” she says.

These influences came into play as Nkeze decided what to study at the University of Arizona.  She is a sophomore pre-business student and intends to double major in Management Information Systems and Operations/Supply Chain Management.

Choosing the Eller College of Management just made sense. “The moment I stepped foot in Eller two summers prior to graduating high school, I had a feeling that this was the place for me,” Nkeze says. “I knew there were opportunities here awaiting me, and I trusted my intuition to attend the Eller College.”

Time has proven that her instinct was correct. Her younger twin sisters, Rachelle and Adelle, share the same sentiment and are presently enrolled as freshmen at the University of Arizona.

Nkeze is involved in a plethora of extracurricular organizations at the University of Arizona, which include the professional business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, the Eller African American Honorary, Zipperman Scholars, UA StuMo, the Eller College Dean’s Council and the Arizona Strategy Program, among others.

She has also participated in various activities on campus. Through the Dhaliwal-Reidy School of Accountancy, she was selected to attend the MADE Conference at Deloitte University in Westlake, Texas. Furthermore, she attended Delta Sigma Pi’s LEAD School in Denver and partook in Eller’s Dallas Study Tour in Dallas.

On top of all that, she serves as a student worker in the MIS Department’s front office. Beyond her academic pursuits, Nkeze is a management analyst intern for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, she’s helping with the development of a new agency that will support the United States’ counteractive measures with epidemics, pandemics and natural disaster defense mechanisms.

With her infectious energy and outgoing personality, Nkeze sees every opportunity, whether positive or negative, as a valuable learning experience to be embraced.

“Getting out of your comfort zone is crucial and can truly transform your life,” she says. “After all, life is too short to be afraid of new experiences, the world and people.”

A fundamental lesson Nkeze has gleaned from her time at Eller is the importance of maintaining a balance between optimism and realism. It’s OK to lend a hand to a peer, but it’s equally important to acknowledge personal struggles and seek support when necessary.

“I feel that through Eller, I have gained a higher level of cultural competence, fruitful connections that may last a lifetime and a greater excitement for the future,” Nkeze says.