Whitman School Announces Senior Class Marshals for the Class of 2027

The Whitman School of Management is proud to announce Yasmin Leite '27 and Sophia Engels '27 as Senior Class Marshals for the Class of 2027. Selected for their academic achievement, campus leadership and commitment to the Whitman and Syracuse University communities, both students will represent their class at Commencement and serve as a bridge between the Class of 2027 and the broader University community in the months ahead. 

Yasmin Leite '27 

Yasmin Leite arrived at Syracuse University from Alpharetta, Georgia, as the first in her family to pursue a college degree and she has spent every semester since making the most of that opportunity. A double major in accounting and business analytics with a 3.91 GPA, Leite is a member of the Kessler Scholars Program, Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Sigma Pi, and has earned a place on the Dean's List every semester. 

What sets Leite apart is the consistency with which she has turned her own experiences into service for others. As a community service chair on the Christian Outreach executive board at Hendricks Chapel, she organizes volunteer opportunities across campus and beyond, including work with the Salvation Army Rehabilitation Center. She has mentored at-risk students at McKinley Brighton Elementary School and serves as a hospitality associate at Hendricks Chapel, supporting student religious organizations and helping resolve conflicts between groups with care and respect. As a member of the Goodman IMPRESS Community Board, she facilitates programming around mental health and career development for her fellow Whitman students. 

For Leite, being Orange is rooted in a simple but deeply held idea. "Being Orange is not only having hope in yourself, others, and the world," she writes, "but working toward that hope through being in service of others." 

"I know she would represent the Class of 2027 well as a Senior Class Marshal, because of how she already strives to connect with others and leads by example," wrote Rev. Devon Bartholomew, Christian Chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, in his letter of recommendation. 

Sophia Engels '27 

Sophia Engels '27 came to Whitman knowing she had found the right place the moment she stepped on campus. A management and marketing management double major with a minor in Spanish and a Whitman Leadership Scholar, Engels has spent her time at Syracuse building outward: stretching her experience into as many corners of the community as she can reach. 

As a Career Center Engagement Assistant at the Whitman School, Engels guides dozens of students each day through questions about resumes, internships and career opportunities, earning the trust of everyone who walks through the door. As Brotherhood Resource Manager for Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity, she supports more than 100 members in accessing University resources and building a more inclusive community. Through Balancing the Books, she tutors more than 25 middle school students in the Syracuse community each week. She also plays on the Syracuse Club Softball team and spent the summer of 2025 as a human resources and marketing intern at A.B. Munroe Dairy, where she helped build the company's first Employee Value Proposition and restructured its hiring process. 

Engels describes her time at Whitman through the metaphor of a growing orange tree: absorbing, branching outward, and eventually giving back what she has gained. "I want to extend my knowledge and love this community has given me to future generations," she writes, "who will go on to become the next greatest business leaders and alumni who carry this legacy." 

"She possesses the rare quality of leading through action rather than through words," wrote Kara Primrose, executive director of Career Services and Employer Relations at Whitman, in her letter of recommendation. "Her integrity and work ethic inspire those around her without seeking the spotlight." 

Leite and Engels will serve as Class Marshals through Commencement in May 2027.