As the University counts down to Commencement, UConn Today is featuring some of this year’s outstanding graduating students, nominated by their academic school or college or another University program in which they participated. For additional profiles of students in the Class of 2012, click here.

James Londono will graduate with a master’s degree in finance on May 5. During his time at UConn, he has been a teaching assistant in the School of Business marketing department; president of the Graduate Business Association; lead manager of the school’s Student Managed Investment Fund; a Husky Student Ambassador; a volunteer helping low-income state residents with their tax returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA); and has taken classes at three different UConn campuses: Stamford, Hartford, and Storrs. All while commuting from Monroe.

He is also a husband and the father of two toddlers.

While Londono admits there have been challenges along the way, those hurdles should be well worth it – he’s been accepted into GE Capital’s Experienced Commercial Leadership Program, a highly selective management training program that recruits candidates from top-tier MBA programs. After completing the two-year program, Londono will move into a management position with the Fortune 500 firm.

Before coming to UConn, Londono, a Windsor native, worked for a small start-up company, Induase, which specializes in international insurance consulting. But after seven years with the firm, including two in Mexico City – where one of his sons was born – Londono realized he had reached a point where he was no longer growing. He also decided he wanted to work for a larger corporation, and knew that the way to get there was to go to graduate school.

Although he was leaning toward attending school part time, his wife Kirsten encouraged him to go full time and get it done. “She encouraged me and helped me juggle these two worlds during the past couple of years,” he says.

Michael Deotte, executive director of the MBA program, says London is one of UConn’s best MBA students, “consistently performing at the highest level in all aspects of the program, academically and otherwise. Throughout his time in the program, both in the classroom and as a student leader, he has added tremendous value not only to the MBA program, but to the UConn community in general.

“James has a bright, successful future ahead of him,” Deotte adds, “and we look forward to his continued support and participation as an active business school alumnus.”