Graduation Spotlight: Blickensderfer named one of Poets&Quants' Top 100 undergraduate business majors for 2025
Finance major honored for leadership, academic excellence and impact
Kim Chaudoin |
Natalie Blickensderfer, a May graduate of Lipscomb University, has been named one of the nation’s Top 100 undergraduate business majors for 2025 by Poets&Quants for Undergrads, the leading online publication for undergraduate business education.
Blickensderfer, a Bachelor of Business Administration major in finance from Plano, Texas, is among a select group of students chosen for Poets&Quants’ annual “Best & Brightest Business Majors” list. Now in its tenth year, the list recognizes students who not only excel academically but who also make meaningful contributions to their institutions, distinguish themselves through leadership and service, and embody the qualities of initiative, integrity and innovation.
“The Poets & Quants honor is unbelievable to me,” said Blickensderfer. “I know the professors here have helped shape me into the person I am, and I hope they know how much this award is a direct reflection of their influence. I hope this distinction showcases the effect a Christian education can have on a broader scale.”
Allison Duke, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business, said Blickensderfer exemplifies the best of Lipscomb’s business graduates.
“Natalie embodies the heart of Lipscomb — faith-driven, intellectually curious and deeply engaged,” said Duke. “Through her leadership in student organizations, success in national competitions and heart for service, she brings excellence and integrity to all she does.”
During her time at Lipscomb, Blickensderfer served as president of Lipscomb’s chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA), where she led her team to multiple national accolades. Under her leadership, the chapter earned top-three finishes in the Marketing Strategy competition at AMA’s International Collegiate Conference in both 2022 and 2024, and secured first place in the Design Lab competition in 2024. She also received individual awards for Perfect Pitch (2nd place, 2023) and Sales (3rd place, 2024).
Blickensderfer with retired business professor and administrator Joe Ivey.
In addition to her work with AMA, Blickensderfer was a founding member and president of Lipscomb’s Classics Book Club and served on the College of Business Dean’s Student Leadership Council. She was a member of the winning team in the 2024 Tractor Supply Company Supply Chain Case Study Competition and earned top honors in the 2024 Oracle Elevator Pitch Competition. In recognition of her strategic thinking and leadership, she was also named the inaugural recipient of Lipscomb’s Joe Ivey Strategy Award in 2024.
“Operating in a variety of student organizations and competitions has allowed me to diversify my educational experience,” Blickensderfer said. “There are many incredible and hard-working students who could have easily deserved this award. I just happen to be involved in many different spaces.”
After completing an internship this summer, Blickensderfer will return to Texas and pursue a career in finance or the tech industry, where she hopes to apply her skills in analyzing and interpreting financial data.
“I’m not sure of my exact role yet, but I’m excited to regroup and start the next chapter,” she said. “I really enjoyed working in the tech industry and plan to pursue opportunities that merge financial data with innovative tools and platforms.”
While her resume reflects a long list of achievements, Blickensderfer said her time at Lipscomb was defined just as much by personal growth as it was by accolades.
“Lipscomb’s College of Business is truly a hidden gem,” she said. “I have a personal relationship with each and every one of my professors, have had more support than I know what to do with and have been given incredible opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.”
She added that the environment at Lipscomb gave her the confidence to step outside her comfort zone.
“Lipscomb has been a great place to learn how to fail, too. This is a relatively risk-free environment,” she said. “I feel freedom to try new things, take business classes outside of my major and participate in events that don’t align with my perceived skill set.”
Blickensderfer said Lipscomb’s emphasis on faith integration was also instrumental in shaping her college experience.
“Being a Christian at Lipscomb means that conversations about faith are not off-limits,” she said. “Both in the classroom and with friends, it is not abnormal to use Scripture in conversation or talk about how the Lord is growing us. I’ve loved how faith impacts our classes, and the comfortability people have here.”
As Blickensderfer leaves Lipscomb, she said her experience will have a lasting impact.
“This place has truly shaped me. I’m walking away with more than just a degree,” she said. “I’m walking away with deep relationships, a stronger faith and the confidence to pursue whatever comes next.”