Mays Business School Names PepsiCo 2026 Partner of the Year
Recognition celebrates a shared commitment to mentorship, recruitment, and student success.
March 26, 2026
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Mays Business School
Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School has named PepsiCo its 2026 Partner of the Year. The recognition highlights a multi-year partnership that prepares students for leadership and long-term career success by connecting them with executive mentorship and real-world opportunity.
“Transformational student success happens when world-class education is connected to world-class partners,” said Dr. Nate Y. Sharp, dean of Mays Business School. “Our collaboration with PepsiCo is a powerful example of this principle in action, giving our students direct access to executive mentorship and a clear pathway into a leading global company. With PepsiCo’s help, Mays is developing leaders of character who are ready to make an immediate impact.”
A central component of this effort is the PepsiCo Leadership Certificate Program. Launched in 2021 with Mays and expanded in 2024 to include students from the College of Engineering, the program has become a model for how companies can expand opportunity for the more than 20% of Texas A&M students who are first-generation college students. Supported by a corporate gift through the Texas A&M Foundation, PepsiCo leaders come to campus to lead a development series focused on navigating difficult conversations, managing conflict, and building professional confidence.
The impact of this involvement extends far beyond this signature program. PepsiCo is an active corporate partner with the Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute, the Center for Human Resource Management, and the Supply Chain Consortium. This deep academic engagement is matched by a powerful recruiting relationship that makes Texas A&M one of PepsiCo’s top two recruiting universities nationally. The company has hired over 80 Aggies in the past year for internships and full-time roles, demonstrating a clear investment in student development, from the classroom to a career at one of the world’s leading food and beverage companies.
The 2026 Partner of the Year recognition honors a partnership that is exceptional for its wide-ranging and meaningful contributions to student success. By connecting with students at every level, PepsiCo is helping Mays build a vibrant community of leaders equipped with the confidence and readiness required to excel in a rapidly evolving business environment.
The honor will be formally recognized during a celebration ceremony on April 15, 2026, at Mays Business School, bringing together university leadership, PepsiCo executives, and student participants to highlight the impact of this exemplary partnership.
