Business @ UM-Flint School of Management Magazine

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Interim Dean, School of Management

Yener Kandogan, Ph.D.

PUBLICATION

MANAGING EDITOR

Kimberly A. Laux, MA

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Alyssa Norris, BFA

CONTRIBUTORS

Kristin Arntz, BA

Heather Coulman, MA

Jennifer Hogan, MA

Yener Kandogan, Ph.D.

Kimberly Laux, MA

Alexis Menard, BBA

Antonio Riggs, Ed.S., MA

Melissa Stephens-Farrell, BBA Anna Swartz, BA

BOARD OF REVIEWERS

Craig Gomolka, MSA

Yener Kandogan, Ph.D.

Alexis Menard, BBA

Antonio Riggs, Ed.S., MA

Melissa Stephens-Farrell, BBA Anna Swartz, BA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dean’s Message

News & Briefs

Maize and Blue Winners; Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees; Alumni Career Panels

SOM Dean Transition

Entrepreneurial Spirit Soars During the UM-Flint Zillion Solutions Competition

SOM Professor Appointed Myron and Margaret Winegarden Professor

Forecasting Her Future

Feature: Business Education in a Digital World

Digital Job Seeking Tips

Alumni Relations

Pathways for Transfer Students

SOM Alumna Promoted to VP of Award-Winning Agency in East Lansing

New Staff & Faculty

Faculty Profile: Brian Blume, Ph.D

SHRM Recognized as 2021 Outstanding Student Organization at UM-Flint

Research Spotlight

Scholarly Publications & Presentations

Giving Blueday Recap

Esteemed Alumna and Family Establish Graduate Studies Scholarship to Promote Higher Education Learning Opportunities in Flint

Letter to Friends of SOM/Giving Highlights

Donor Honor Roll

The School of Management is located on the second floor of the Riverfront Center on the University of Michigan-Flint Campus.

umflint.edu/som

DEAR FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT:

After more than a year of operating through the pandemic, this year’s Business@ UM-Flint explores the theme of business education in a digital world. While this situation may come as forced for some business schools, the School of Management has decades of experience in adopting technology-driven innovative teaching in online courses and programs focused on active student engagement, and over time, we adopted newer technologies. Check out our hyperflex classroom in fall!

However, “business education in a digital world” is more than offering courses and programs delivered in an online modality. As many of you know, a business education does not merely consist of courses in accounting, finance, marketing, and so on. It is a business school’s duty to prepare students for their careers. What we do outside the classroom is just as important. As you will read in our feature article, the School’s academic and career advisors did a phenomenal job providing their services digitally to our students. Our student organizations brought in guests from all over the world, which would not have been possible in the past. And don’t forget to check out the Research Spotlight to read about faculty research relevant to the ways business is taking place and being taught in our digital world.

Stories rounding out the magazine also include information about our transfer pathways and tips about virtual interviewing from SOM’s career counselor as well as student, new faculty and staff, donor, and alumni profiles and a list of our faculty’s recent publications and presentations.

Each and every year, our financial supporters have stepped up in greater force to assist our students with an ever-increasing list of scholarships. I cannot thank them enough for their continued support!

Finally, it was my great pleasure to have worked with Dean Scott Johnson over the past eight years. Under his leadership, the School made great progress in preparing itself for the digital world. He will continue as part of our faculty focusing on what he loves best—teaching our students. GO BLUE!

Best wishes, Yener Kandogan, Ph.D. Interim Dean

NEWS BRIEFS &

Save Summer 2021

UM-Flint student promotes COVID vaccines to “Save Summer 2021”

Students have big ideas at UM-Flint. Sophomore Christina El Zarka’s big idea came after a conversation with friends. Many of them weren’t planning on being vaccinated for COVID-19. She found that surprising (and upsetting), so she created an Instagram poll to survey more people in her network about their vaccination plans. The results mirrored her first conversation: 44% of the 400 respondents didn’t intend to receive a vaccination either. This resistance toward the COVID-19 vaccine and the misinformation prevalent among her peer group motivated El Zarka to create Save Summer 2021, a viral video and social media movement promoting coronavirus vaccination among young people.

“I know a lot of people my age are sick and tired of being at home. We want to have in-person classes. We want to go out and go to concerts,” said El Zarka, who is a member of UM-Flint’s Entrepreneurs Society. She saw the existing messaging around the vaccine not resonating strongly with her demographic and took a new approach. This campaign approaches vaccines from a new angle, highlighting the rewards that can come from being vaccinated.

El Zarka’s viral campaign utilizes social media influencers to amplify her public health message. Personalities like @smilelikechad, a US Air Force dentist with more than 20,000 Instagram followers, have reposted the video. College students from across the country are also taking part in the “Shoot Your Shot” challenge, where they post their perspectives on getting the vaccine and nominate others to do the same.

The campaign offers more than influencers and social media challenges, however. The Save Summer 2021 facts page draws directly from the CDC and includes videos featuring Dr. Fauci debunking vaccine conspiracies. This commitment to sharing facts-based information has earned the campaign endorsements from the Genesee County Health Commission.

A biology major with plans on medical school, El Zarka is minoring in business and part of UM-Flint’s Entrepreneurs Society, an award-winning group that fosters innovative business thinking in students and throughout the community. The group is advised by Michael Witt, PharmD, JD, a lecturer in management studies. Witt’s broad expertise has been invaluable to El Zarka, both in the Save Summer 2021 initiative and planning for her future as a business-minded health professional. She considers him a valuable mentor, and Witt sees mentoring students as among the most rewarding activities he can do as an educator.

“Learning to evaluate critically, to think deeply and objectively, to read broadly and carefully, and to be open and introspective are all hallmarks of a proper education,” said Witt. “It is deeply rewarding to be able to work with such fine students as are here at our university and makes life worthwhile.”

This

Christina El Zarka, a member of the Entrepreneurs Society, is the creator of Save Summer 2021.

public health social media campaign encourages vaccination among teens and young adults.

Loaner Laptops Available to UM-Flint Students

Last fall, UM-Flint launched a new program to assist students with increasing technology needs due to the pandemic. As part of the program, students now have access to laptop computers and other equipment (headsets, microphones, and web cameras) for short-term, emergency loans. The goal of the program is to ensure students have the technological resources they need to succeed at the university, both during the pandemic and beyond.

Thanks to support from generous donors, students will have access to loaner laptops and other multimedia equipment to support their participation in online courses.

Students who are registered for the current semester are eligible for this program and may reserve laptops and other equipment for up to one semester with the ability to submit a new application each semester.

The program is coordinated by the Division of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, ITS, and the Thompson Library. Funding for this program has been provided by generous donations to the Student Affairs Opportunity Fund and the Provost’s Initiative Fund. More information about the program including giving opportunities can be found at umflint.edu/ellp/.

In addition to the University’s loaner laptop program, SOM also established a loaner laptop program for SOM students. The School provided laptops to ten students last year. SOM also recently furnished three study rooms with laptops, headsets, microphones, and web cameras for use by SOM students who are taking online courses.

SOM Professor Remembered for Dedication to UM-Flint

Dennis Ellis, Ph.D., professor emeritus of business economics, passed away on December 9, 2020. He was 80 years old.

The UM-Flint’s Online Bachelor of Business (BBA) program has been ranked as the top online business program in the state of Michigan, and one of the top 20 programs in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report for 2021.

“We are very gratified that our Online BBA program is so highly ranked and recognized,” said Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D., SOM dean when the list was released. “Our faculty are knowledgeable in their disciplines and are experienced in providing high-quality online instruction… Our students often have jobs and families. They appreciate the flexibility to learn in a convenient online format.”

U.S. News is an independent global publisher of news and education rankings for various higher education institutions. The U.S. News & World Report methodology for the Best Online Bachelor’s Program rankings were determined by the quality of education, time of completion, and affordability of the program for working professionals looking to progress or change careers. Additionally, school rankings were also based on four categories: engagement, service and technologies, faculty credentials and training, and expert opinion.

A professor of economics and business statistics, Ellis was an active researcher, publishing multiple articles and two books: A Managerial Guide to Business Forecasting and Business Cycles and Forecasting. He was a contributing editor of the Journal of Business Forecasting and on the Board of Directors of International Association of Business Forecasting. He received bachelor’s degrees from Alma College and the University of Detroit, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Wayne State University.

Ellis retired from UM-Flint in 2003. He continued teaching occasionally through Fall 2015, focusing on such courses as business conditions analysis in the BBA program and the managerial economics courses in the MBA program.

Dennis Ellis, Ph.D., professor emeritus of business economics, passed away on December 9, 2020.

UM-Flint Bachelor of Business Administration named #1 Online Business Program in Michigan

MAIZE AND BLUE DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR AWARD

The Maize and Blue Distinguished Scholar Award is the highest academic award bestowed upon

of

of Michigan-Flint and presented to no more than 13 graduates at the December and April commencement

Nominees must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and demonstrate intellectual maturity and depth, character, talent, and service to their department, university, and/or community.

Congratulations to this year’s School of Management Maize and Blue Award winners!

FALL 2020 WINTER 2021

BETA GAMMA SIGMA

Beta

Congratulations to this year’s Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees:

Bishr Al-Dabagh

Majdi Alhasan

Giana Almasri

Amanda Armstrong

Vince Bono

Sonja Daneshgari

ALUMNI CAREER PANELS

Ilana

Tiffany Olson

Brad Phillips Raymond Pirouz

Emilee Semple

Khaoula Squali Melinda Wentworth Bobby Wentworth Amanda Wildner Marcia Yhap-Davson

SOM thanks the following alumni for sharing their wisdom and experience as part of the 2020/2021 virtual career panels:

SEPTEMBER 2020

Rashal Baz Zureikat, BBA ’14, Corporate, Labor & Employment Attorney, O’Hagan Meyer LLP

Joshua Galbreath, BBA ’12, MBA ’14, Operations Manager, Maxim Healthcare Services

Chris Matheson, MBA ’12, President, CS Partners

NOVEMBER 2020

Laura Bell, BBA ‘16, CPA, Staff Accountant at Lewis and Knopf

Jennifer Flagel, BBA, MBA ‘97, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment and Director of Graduate Admission at Bentley University

Mike Torrey, BBA ‘82, Vice President, Rates and Regulation at Consumers Energy

FEBRUARY 2021

Danielle Mauter, BBA ’14, Chief of Marketing and Communications, Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Ryan Thomas, BBA ’12, MBA ’16, MSA ’19, Auditor, Defense Health Agency

Bianca Torbert, BBA ’15, Assistant Program Manager, Office of Educational Opportunity Initiatives, UM-Flint

APRIL 2021

Jim Carney, MBA ’02, Vice President, ChoiceOne Bank

Amanda Coon, BBA ’14, MSA ’15, Tax Manager, Plante Moran

Mike Strader, BBA ’00, Vice President and Retirement Plan Consultant, Retirement Plan Services

If you are interested in serving on an alumni career panel, contact Anna Swartz, SOM alumni liaison, at annas@umich.edu or call 810-424-5587

students

the University

ceremonies.

Giorgia T. Pasqui Angela Longbucco Alexis E. Snell Alexis A. Menard Jay’la C. Rivers

Gamma Sigma is the honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International.

Darren Burbank Michelle Chen Katrina Crosson Tara Crower

Meredith Davis Nancy Escarzaga

Rachel Farrell Destiny Raine Friedman Don Gorbutt Elisabeth Hamilton Quinn Hanses Megan Hanson Julie Hill Hannah Hodgkinson

Israel Jinesh John Melanie Kless Stacy Kuebler Skyler Kurmas Raymond Kusch Salma Mansour Austin McIntosh Fellipe Mikami Ashley Mitchell

Chandra Mouli Pamujula

SOM DEAN TRANSITION & SEARCH

When Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D., began his appointment as dean of the School of Management in July of 2013, he created a long list of goals that included, among other items, gaining more input from community members and building the SOM brand. He spent the next eight years accomplishing these tasks and building valuable relationships along the way.

Although he stepped down from his role as dean this past April, Johnson plans to continue the work he started in SOM and looks forward to his new focus on teaching.

“There are many people I want to thank for making my School of Management deanship a rewarding and gratifying experience,” said Johnson. “Yes, there are broad groups of people such as our students, our faculty, our alumni, the business advisory board, and my fellow deans and colleagues across the university. However, within each group are the individuals who were a joy to know and who contributed greatly to the success of the School of Management. I cannot name everyone, but you know who you are. I want to say thank you for your generosity, collegiality, and support.”

In his time as dean, Johnson oversaw the conception of two new undergraduate majors, a new graduate program, and formalized two distinct departments within the School. Generous external financial support helped create an endowed professorship, fund many new student scholarships, and support faculty research. Since SOM had strategically enhanced online offerings well before the pandemic, there was a relatively smooth transition to online learning. Social media communication became a priority. New international programs were developed in Taiwan, China, Belgium, and Slovenia. Enhanced travel funding and annual excellence awards for faculty and staff recognized and rewarded fine teaching, research, and service. Many of SOM’s diverse student organizations competed nationally and won recognition for their work.

“While we’ve accomplished so much these past few years, I am especially proud of our outstanding faculty for their fine research and teaching,” said Johnson. “The School of Management has been consistently recognized over the years as a top business school by Business Week, Princeton Review, CEO Magazine, and U.S. News and World Report. Faculty are the catalyst behind such rankings which in turn positively influences the success of our students and enhances the broader reputation for the University of Michigan-Flint.”

Previously serving as associate dean, Yener Kandogan, Ph.D., professor of international business, will fill the position of interim dean until January 1, 2022. Kandogan received his Ph.D. in economics (international) from the University of Michigan in 2001. His areas of expertise include international alliances, free trade agreements, international assignment selection, network analysis of trade, immigration and trade, political economy and trade, and role of culture/language on trade. He has more than 30 academic publications in various international business and economics journals and is also a faculty associate at the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies of the University of Michigan.

“Faculty enjoyed Scott’s strong support for their efforts in research and teaching effectiveness,” said Kandogan. “I also enjoyed his support as the associate dean for the last eight years and learned a great deal from him.”

Currently SOM is undergoing a national search to fill the dean position. The Search Advisory Committee began reviewing candidates over the summer and will continue until the position is filled.

During his time as dean, Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D., enriched the experiences of students and faculty and established valuable relationships between SOM and donors and business/community partners.

Yener Kandogan, Ph.D., will serve as interim dean of SOM through January 1, 2022.

Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D., served as dean of SOM from 2013 to 2021.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT SOARS

DURING THE UM-FLINT ZILLION SOLUTIONS COMPETITION

By Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021)

Despite complications from the pandemic, the 2021 Zillion Solutions competition, organized by the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, received 495 submissions— up 149 from the previous year.

The campus-wide competition encourages students to create short videos or presentations describing a unique idea for a new product or service that will solve a problem. The 2021 competition was revamped due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the center had to rethink all angles of how to promote the competition to students in the new virtual environment.

“Marketing and promotions was a headache at first,” said Mark Simon, Ph.D., Hagerman Center director and Hagerman Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship. “A lot of things were up in the air with COVID regulations and the stress and anxiety students felt from the pandemic and returning back for school in the fall.”

Serving as associate director of the Hagerman Center was Brian Blume, Ph.D,. professor of organizational behavior and human resources management. UM-Flint students on the planning team were Erik Johnson, Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021), Angela

Longbucco (BBA, 2021), Trevor Bennett (BBA, 2021), Neil Kagerer (BA, 2021), Tim McGlinchey (BBA, 2021) and Sumer Wascher (BBA, 2021).

The team also had help from Madeline Rasberry (BSN, 2021), a student serving as the first-ever Student Ambassador representing the School of Nursing that advocated for Zillion Solutions in her cohort and to SON students. Rasberry was also the $2,000 grand prize winner of Zillion Solutions in 2019 and used her expertise to mentor her peers.

“It was a team effort. We were also able to get support across campus from staff and faculty members. They are the ones that also made this year a success by talking about Zillion Solutions in their virtual classrooms or posting about it on Blackboard,” said Simon.

One of the ways the Hagerman Center team further developed the competition was to offer more ways to submit ideas. In the past, students were asked to make a short video (under two minutes) that describes their unique idea for a new product or service that will solve a problem. The submission requirements were changed to allow Powerpoint presentations to lower the barriers of entry for students.

Alyssa Norris (BFA, 2021) was one of the finalists in the Zillion Solutions competition. Her entry for Sustainability Store was selected as the College of Arts & Sciences winner and fan favorite.

“This change to our submission process made it a lot easier for students to participate and avoided the discomfort some students feel when recording themselves. This process also made it easier for students to submit multiple ideas,” said Simon. “Students started to realize there were problems all around them that they could solve. It sparked more entrepreneurial thinking. We would talk to a student about the competition and their original idea and then next week get an email that they are submitting another idea.”

The biggest increase in participation was seen in Early College and Dual Enrollment Educational Partnerships (DEEP). Erik Johnson facilitated more than a dozen virtual workshops on Zoom with dual enrolled students to help fine tune their ideas and walk them through the submission process.

“The main issue was that students didn’t know how to get started,” said Johnson. “We created a PowerPoint template that included everything we were looking for such as stating the problem, giving examples of existing solutions, and how their solution clearly solves the problem.

“We received a lot of great comments on the process and looking back at this year, these [high school] students have been through a lot. Zillion Solutions was an outlet for them to be creative. I’m delighted that we were able to have such a successful year and impact so many students.”

The 2020/21 Zillion Solutions competition was sponsored by the Mott Foundation and supported 53 awards ranging from $100 to $2,000. It also supported the daily operations of the center and smaller prize incentives to students.

The Zillion Solutions Virtual Award Ceremony took place on April 7. Nine finalists from each academic unit, undecided student category, and early college/DEEP went head to head to compete for four prizes; $2,000 – Grand Prize, $1,000 – 1st Runner up, $500 – 2nd Runner up, $500 –Fan Favorite Award.

The Center is planning in-person events in the fall/winter focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation and will be helping students with their Zillion Solutions submission online or with inperson office hours. For more details go to umflint.edu/som/hagerman-center/zillionsolutions/ or contact the Hagerman Center at hagermancenter@umich.edu.

FINALISTS AND UNIVERSITY WIDE AWARDS:

Meghan Bobrowski – Multisensory Children’s Books, SEHS Finalist

Stephen Downs – IV Access Stabilization Tray (IVAST), SON Finalist and Grand Prize Winner

Alyshia Fkye-Jolly – O2 Tube, CAS-STEM Finalist

Quinn Hanses – Adaptive Equipment Lending Library, CHS Finalist

Evan Johnson – The Love Button, Undecided Finalist and 2nd Runner Up

Lillian Longdrigian – Volunteer Program for Spanish Speakers, DEEP/EC Finalist

Mark Miller – Ventilator Disconnection Identification Device, SOM Finalist and 1st Runner Up

Alyssa Norris – Sustainability Store, CAS-Arts & Humanities Finalist and Fan Favorite Award

Elizabeth Warden – The Senior Picture Project, CAS-Social Sciences Finalist

This year’s

149 from the previous year.

of this year’s

Zillion Solutions competition received 495 submissions—up

Pictured are some

organizers: (front) Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021); Neil Kagerer (BA, 2021); Trevor Bennett (BBA, 2021); Angela Longbucco (BBA, 2021) and (back) Brian Blume, Ph. D., associate director of the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation; Erik Johnson, student; Christopher Finelli, student; Mark Simon, Ph.D., director of Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

QUOTES

Dr. Cavusgil’s research record and recognition by internal colleagues and external scholarly committees attest to her research ability and productivity as an excellent researcher. I have no doubt she will continue to make important theoretical and managerial contributions to the field of marketing. Furthermore, based on Dr. Cavusgil’s sustained research excellence and her record of staying abreast of research trends, she has the capability to serve as an influential and inspirational mentor to the junior faculty in the school.

JANET Y. MURRAY, PH.D.

E. Desmond Lee Professor for Developing Women Leaders and Entrepreneurs in International Business | Professor of Marketing, University of Missouri-St. Louis

I cannot be more emphatic in my endorsement of Dr. Cavusgil for the meritorious award of the Myron and Margaret Winegarden Professorship. The University of Michigan-Flint is fortunate to have such an accomplished colleague among the faculty.

Mary B. Teagarden, Ph.D.

Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Administration |

Professor of Global Strategy | Editor in Chief, Thunderbird International Business Review | Area Editor, Journal of International Business Studies

Dr. Cavusgil is one of the most cited professors at the University… She has a strong academic grounding with degrees in both chemical engineering and biomedical engineering that contribute to her expertise in pharmaceutical new product development and global marketing strategies.

Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D. Former Dean, UM-Flint School of Management

PROFESSOR CAVUSGIL

APPOINTED MYRON AND MARGARET WINEGARDEN PROFESSOR

At the February 2021 meeting, the Board of Regents recognized Erin Cavusgil, Ph.D., professor of marketing, as a Myron and Margaret Winegarden Professor effective September 1, 2021. The distinction honors tenured UM-Flint associate and full professors who demonstrate (or show strong potential) to achieve the highest levels of scholarship, teaching excellence, and contributions to pedagogy and social impact—bringing national recognition to the University.

“It is truly an honor and privilege to receive this award,” said Cavusgil. “It provides further motivation to continue serving UM-Flint and its stakeholders by pursuing a prolific agenda in teaching, research, and service. I believe in the unique mission of our university to serve a non-traditional student body that works hard to create a better future. I like to think that the typical UM-Flint student genuinely understands the value of education and the role it plays building productive careers.

“I realize a recognition of this type is not an ordinary event, and, therefore, I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the selection committee as well as those who nominated me and wrote letters of support. I am fortunate to be working with such a special group of supportive colleagues.”

Before earning a Ph.D. in marketing from Michigan State University, Cavusgil worked as a chemical engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. She has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. She joined UM-Flint as an assistant professor of marketing in 2008, then was promoted to full professor ten years later. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses for the School of Management including Principles of Marketing, International Marketing, and Retail Management—her favorite.

“My teaching focus has moved to developing high quality online classes at the university,” said Cavusgil. “This past year, I’ve been investing my time in developing innovative ways to engage students in a virtual environment and recently started working on research projects with graduate students, which I also enjoy.”

Cavusgil’s research focuses on contemporary issues encountered in the business world. Topics have included emerging markets, entrepreneurship, and innovation. She has been published in the Journal of Product Innovation Management, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Sciences, Journal of International Marketing, International Business Review, and Journal of Business Research among others. She is also a member of the Journal of Business Research and Thunderbird International Business Review Editorial Boards.

“I’m thankful to be working at an institution with an environment that is conducive for producing scholarly research,” she said. “In particular, I appreciate the leadership of the SOM over the years by Dean Scott Johnson. He has created an environment where individual faculty are incentivized to be productive.”

Continuing for a period of five years, the Winegarden professorship is renewable and carries a stipend to support scholarship. It is named after benefactors Myron and Margaret Laage Winegarden. Myron was a lifelong resident of Flint. He graduated from the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and Arts with an undergraduate degree and earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Margaret was born in Crawford County, Michigan, and graduated from Eastern Michigan University.

“Apart from being generous supporters of the university, Myron and Margaret Winegarden were hardworking members of our community who were thoughtful enough to create an endowment at UM-Flint,” said Cavusgil. “I hope my work and professional agenda from here on will reflect and further their values.”

In addition to teaching and scholarship, Cavusgil has participated in American Marketing Association (AMA) conferences and served as a workshop leader for the International Marketing session of the Faculty Development in International Business pedagogy workshop sponsored by Georgia State University. In her spare time, Cavusgil enjoys working out, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

alumni PROFILE

KIRA ROUSER BBA, 2016 FORECASTING HER FUTURE

Kira Rouser (BBA, 2016) has always enjoyed managing finances so a career as financial analyst was a “natural fit.” As a senior financial analyst at InfuSystem, a growing healthcare company based in Rochester Hills, MI, Rouser interacts with sales and department leaders to make accurate forecasting predictions.

“I help support the budgeting and forecasting process for the company, but what that looks like on a day-to-day basis varies, which is part of the reason I love my job!” exclaimed Rouser. “Some days I am spending the majority of my time interacting with our sales group with a focus on updating the latest revenue forecast, other days I’m meeting with department leaders reviewing expenses from prior periods and updating what the months ahead look like. Each day holds something new.”

When asked what advice Rouser would offer to aspiring financial analysts, she shared, “Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. I think oftentimes when you’ve committed to a particular area of study (accounting or finance) you think that you should be an expert, but that’s not always true. You should aspire and work towards being

knowledgeable in your area of focus, but the reality is that when you first start off, you’re not at that expert level. If you ask the right people the right questions, you’ll put yourself on track to being successful at what you do.”

While Rouser appreciates the preparation SOM offered toward her career, she also values connections she made along the way.

“Flint is my home and holds a big place in my heart, so being able to stick close to home while pursuing my bachelor’s degree was great,” said Rouser. “UM-Flint is a good school and offers so much to its students. The fact that I was able to get a fantastic education in a small community setting was something that helped me more than I recognized at the time I was attending.

“My favorite experience was the interaction I had with the people there. The professors, staff and my fellow students were amazing. I made some really strong connections, and I know that I would not be where I am in my career without the people I met at UM-Flint.”

PASQUI

My college years were filled with memorable moments that I will cherish forever. I am eternally grateful to my professors who mentored me throughout these tough years by not only teaching me the curriculum but also valuable life lessons. I am especially thankful to the friends I made, who have often acted like family and supported me through the highs and lows of college. Being an ocean away from my family for extended periods of time was definitely hard, but my friends never failed to make me feel at home.

I will always treasure experiences like the CEO Conferences I attended, going to debate tournaments all over the US, winning the CEO Global Chapter of the Year award, and the sisterhood events I participated in with my sorority sisters. The one lesson I learned throughout my university years is that hard work and dedication are important and will lead you far; however, the accomplishments that come from that will not feel as rewarding if they are not shared with our loved ones.

After graduation, Pasqui was hired as a project manager for an automation company in Warren, MI. She plans to continue gaining professional experience, eventually in retail and high fashion industries, and begin an MBA program in New York—the city of her dreams.

BUSINESS EDUCATION IN A DIGITAL WORLD

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND INNOVATION TRANSFORM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

IN SOM

By Kimberly Laux (BA, 1999), MA

In dynamic fields like business, you don’t distinguish yourself by merely keeping up with trends and best practices. Instead, you strive to be the one making them.

When COVID forced much of the world to shut down, most schools scrambled to pull together the necessary resources to provide learning opportunities in a new, digital format. Issues within the workforce, training, funding, and technology presented unanticipated obstacles that hindered the quality of instruction. But not in the School of Management. Instead, the SOM community viewed the 2020/2021 academic year as an opportunity to improve and extend online learning that had already been in place for the past 20 years and explore new ways of offering meaningful SOM experiences and services in a digital format. |

MAXIMIZING ONLINE LEARNING

“Business faculty are not foreign to online teaching,” said Yener Kandogan, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Management. “We have been delivering our MBA program in mixed online format since 2001 and our BBA program online since 2005. Our MS programs in accounting and leadership have been in mixed online formats since the onset. Over the years, faculty have integrated more recent pedagogical technology into their online courses.

“When the pandemic hit, and the university decided to convert classes online, we were ready to go pretty quickly. In fact, only one of our faculty members at that point had not taught online before. So, this transformation has been very easy for the School of Management faculty.”

Currently, UM-Flint offers online learning in three different formats: online asynchronous (no virtual meetings; lectures are pre-recorded), online synchronous (class meets virtually at specific days/times) and hyperflex (class meets on campus while simultaneously allowing students to participate online).

Although Min Jung Kang, Ph.D., associate professor in finance, has taught online since 2013, she took advantage of several recent online training workshops, including an intensive design course through the Office of Online & Digital Education (ODE), to improve and learn more advanced technological skills.

“In this class, I experienced what it’s like to be an online learner and how to set up Blackboard and video-content lectures more systematically and effectively so that it is less confusing and more personable,” said Kang.

“The biggest change was creating videos of my lectures for all of my classes. I could have uploaded text notes or PowerPoint slides (without audio) and asked the students to fill in the gaps with information from the readings. But if students are ‘teaching themselves’ this way, why take a class at UM-Flint? That’s why I wanted to create an online class that felt personable and approachable regardless of the format.”

Kang used video tools to record her synchronous lectures to accommodate students who could not make virtual class meetings. She posted announcements twice a week to help students prioritize assignments and prepared separate whiteboard recorded lectures so students could see how she solved financial problems using different equations step by

step as if they were in class. She also held several one-on-one Zoom Q&A sessions—some as late as 11 p.m.

“Students appreciated that I tried to make the online classes as smooth and personable as possible and how much I cared about their successes amidst the pandemic,” she said.

Kang’s empathy was shaped by challenges her three children faced as they participated in online learning through the K-12 education system. Her oldest child, an all-A student, was suddenly losing track of assignments. She expressed being too nervous to speak up in Zoom sessions when she had questions and ran into technical trouble that caused her to miss out on important class information.

“Fortunately, she got used to it as time went by, but it was definitely a learning curve,” said Kang. “Her challenges helped me understand the real issues my students were facing on the other side of the screen and reinforced the need to be flexible.”

This year lecturer Gerald Knesek, Ed.D., worked on making his onIine classes more dynamic. He regularly consulted with ODE to find ways of integrating new technology with his existing content.

“Recently, my biggest change was moving from an online discussion board where students responded to written questions to a Zoom-based discussion of the same set of questions,” Knesek explained. “I had to provide multiple zoom sessions to accommodate work schedules, but the students appreciated the Zoom discussions. My goal is to create a Zoom-based online environment that is as close as possible to what I would do in a classroom.

“Online courses are a lot more work to design and teach, but new technology is creating wonderful opportunities for virtual education. My biggest challenge is to get comfortable with this changing technology. I make mistakes, but students are forgiving because they know I am trying to create a better online learning experience for them.”

Another course significantly impacted by the pandemic was the study abroad class taught by Gregory A. Laurence, Ph.D., professor of management and chair of the Department of Management and Marketing. The course, listed as Business of Japanese Culture (INB 480/INB 580 and INT 394), can be selected by undergraduate students toward BBA requirements or as a general education global studies course; it is also open to graduate students.

The study abroad course was cancelled in 2020, and SOM worried that cancelling again in 2021 would be problematic for some students. The international business major, for example, requires either study abroad or some other international experience.

As director of UM-Flint’s International and Global Studies Program, Laurence was involved in conversations on campus that focused on different approaches to global education when travel is not possible. He recommended that SOM try a “virtual” study abroad course as a way of keeping momentum around study abroad offerings. The course attracted 27 students—more than SOM has taken on a study abroad course that does involve travel.

“Some of that was pent up demand after not offering study abroad last year, of course, but some is likely connected to an opportunity to do a deep dive into how business and culture interact in a country like Japan,” said Laurence.

“I wanted students to get a sense of Japan and how its culture interacts with various aspects of business that can help them to assess the same issues here in the US. Like anything, businesses are artifacts of culture and are culturally bounded. We generally don’t think about that fact because it’s all around us all of the time. I think it’s easier to reflect on how this works in your own culture after thinking about it in the context of a foreign culture.”

In addition to assigned readings, Laurence asked students to watch films (short-form and long-form videos from YouTube as well as documentaries), read (fiction in the form of manga), and listen (old and new pop music forms) to different source material from what you might find in traditional business courses. While some of the content was clearly focused on business in Japan, other content required students to consider the media form itself as business and how the creation and consumption of the content was indicative and reflective of Japanese business practices. He organized live/synchronous sessions with people in Japan, some of which offered opportunities for students to “tour” places of interest, and he organized a synchronous group meal at the end of the semester to complement discussion about Japanese food businesses.

“Certainly, planning for this class has helped me to consider how non-reading sources can be used in various courses,” said Laurence. “Often, I think, we (faculty but also students) are tied to the paradigm of the textbook in higher education. Certainly, textbooks have advantages— nobody would use them if they didn’t—but there is an awful lot of interesting, high quality, educational material available through other media. Preparing for this class has forced me to consider how some of these might be useful and relevant to the content I use to engage my students. I like to think my ‘regular’ courses are fairly innovative in terms of assignments and content, but experimenting in the interest of continuous improvement is always a good idea.”

While the shift toward online learning was necessary this past year and often preferred, some students appreciate

having the option to choose. Many freshmen completed the 2020/2021 semesters of their first year of college completely online. Most had not stepped foot in a traditional classroom since the middle of their senior year of high school and were eager to return to “in-person” classes.

To accommodate student choice, SOM anticipates offering more courses in a hyperflex format. This format gives students the option to take a class in the classroom, online synchronously (participating live virtually during class), or asynchronously (viewing recorded class meetings)—providing utmost flexibility.

Over the summer, SOM built a hyperflex classroom with a 360-degree camera and large screen on the wall to give presence to Zoom participants. They also designated three study areas for students who are on campus and taking classes online.

Over the summer, SOM built a hyperflex classroom to allow students to choose between in-person and online synchronous modalities for certain courses. The space features a 360-degree camera and large screen on the wall for Zoom participants.

Min Jung Kang, Ph.D., associate professor in finance, used video tools to record her synchronous lectures to accommodate students who could not make virtual class meetings.

E X T E N D I N G SERVICES & ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Outside of online learning, SOM has been innovative with the way it offers different services and engagement opportunities. In particular, SOM advisors, who primarily relied on in-person advising appointments to interact with their students, took advantage of several means to communicate with students including email, phone, video chat, and messaging.

“Certainly at the beginning of the pandemic, there was concern about the full effectiveness of these mediums without the inperson opportunity,” said Brenda L. Harrison, LPC, Ph.D., senior academic advisor/counselor in SOM. “As it has turned out, students are more likely to keep in touch and use the video chat option if a face-to-face meeting is preferred. Even after the university loosens campus restrictions, advisors will continue to rely on these remote methods to advise our students.

“Given the increasing demand for online classes and programs, SOM must maintain the aforementioned processes to advise our students. Perhaps the biggest aid to our remote advising system is the ability to share our screens. This allows us to review the degree evaluation and point out specific concerns that many students overlook when reviewing the evaluation on their own.

“I have also noticed a slight increase in Google messaging. This uptick is coming primarily from my international students more than anyone else. My assumption is that messaging is cheaper than calling or video chats. Furthermore, they can message me at a time that is convenient for them and know that I will answer their message which they will read again when convenient for them.”

Harrison commented that regardless of the method, SOM advisors have done a commendable job managing their caseloads via remote advising. This year advisors will work on developing and standardizing outreach processes with the goal of connecting with each student at least twice per year.

“This outreach is designed to be proactive rather than reactive,” said Harrison. “We regularly hear from a certain core of our students, but we want to reach out to all students in our caseload to touch base with them before problems arise.”

In addition to using new technology to communicate with their students, Harrison shared that SOM is currently working on an online training program for advisors. She expects it will open the door for a new standard of training in the School of Management and perhaps the university.

Despite restrictions, the International Business Student Organization (IBSO) held three events in 2020/2021 that would not have been possible in the past due to expenses and the time commitment of the guests.

Students were also eager to use technology to stay engaged with organizations on campus. Despite restrictions, the International Business Student Organization (IBSO) held three events in 2020/2021 that would not have been possible in the past due to expenses and the time commitment of the guests. Speakers included Ovidiu Stocia, Ph.D., finance professor, the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania; Rima Turk Ariss, Ph.D., senior economist, The International Monetary Fund (IMF); and Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Ph.D., a Somali American economist, professor, and former prime minister of Somalia.

While the IBSO is still planning this year’s events, the organization’s co-faculty advisor, Seyed Mehdian, Ph.D., professor of finance, recommends continuing events of this nature. “They have high educational value for the students,” he said.

Alumni panels and career events were also held virtually this academic year. Recent graduate Jason Bellant (BBA, 2021) landed a job after networking with Yeo & Yeo at a virtual SOM Career Fair organized by Antonio Riggs, career planning counselor in SOM.

“In previous years, my schedule never allowed me to attend career fairs,” said Bellant, now an assurance staff accountant at Yeo & Yeo. “So when I saw the career fair was being offered online through Handshake, it was the perfect opportunity to network with employers.”

ALUMNI & EMPLOYERS ENGAGE WITH SOM VIRTUALLY

HANDSHAKE

Handshake was implemented by Career Services as the University’s primary job search engine during the summer of 2020 to connect students and alumni with internship opportunities and entry level jobs. All students have access to Handshake, and alumni can request use of the tool to establish an account. Handshake allows candidates to upload resumes, review job postings, and apply for openings. Handshake users can also participate in virtual events hosted by employer partners and attend virtual career fairs. Employers use Handshake to host virtual information sessions and interact with students.

WORKFORCE WEDNESDAYS

Host a conversation about careers and the skills needed to be successful as students transition into the workforce. SOM is seeking a variety of guest speakers (in a virtual setting) to highlight their careers and offer students advice. Sessions begin at 1:45 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.

EMPLOYER IN RESIDENCE

As an Employer in Residence you can commit to a half day or an entire day on-campus or follow-up/meet with students in an alternate format. We provide space in our Student Professional Development Center to promote internships/job opportunities, conduct interviews, present career development topics, and network with faculty, staff, and students.

Jason Bellant (BBA, 2021) landed a job after networking with Yeo & Yeo at a virtual SOM Career Fair organized by Antonio Riggs, career planning counselor in SOM.

Alumni and/or employers interested in learning more about Handshake, Workforce Wednesdays or the Employer in Residence program, contact Antonio Riggs, career planning counselor, at anriggs@umich.edu or call 810.237.6680.

DIGITAL JOB SEEKING TIPS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

By Antonio Riggs, EDS, CCSP, GCDF

In today’s digital world we are leveraging social media and virtual conferencing platforms to connect and network with individuals on a daily basis. Since the pandemic began, organizations and institutions worked around the clock to set up or enhance their current infrastructures to support activities and services to move 100% online using the World Wide Web. Therefore, job seekers must be tech savvy and conscious of how they present themselves in this virtual work environment.

If you are applying for future job opportunities here are a few tips to aid you with completing applications and acing interviews in a digital environment.

Application Tracking Systems (ATS)

Walking into a company and requesting a job application is becoming obsolete. The paper application has moved to an electronic document within application tracking system (ATS) portals that can be completed using a computer, mobile device, or tablet. ATS is a one stop shop where you can review job descriptions, fill out applications, and upload supporting documents to meet qualifications for job opportunities. While filling out the online application make sure you:

• Read the job description in detail.

Prepare supporting documents (cover letter, resume, transcript, writing samples).

• Create an account on the Applicant Tracking System.

• Read the directions or instructions of the application.

• Complete the application in detail (leave no section blank).

• If a question does not apply, follow what is outlined in the instructions or write “N/A” (not applicable).

• Read the terms and conditions or agreement section.

• Sign and date the application.

The Virtual Interview

While in-person and phone interviews are still common, more virtual interviews are taking place. Virtual interviews usually consist of informational meetings between an employer recruiter/team with job candidates using video communication technology. Popular video conferencing platforms are Google Meet, Go To Meeting, Handshake, Microsoft Team, Skype, and Zoom. I strongly encourage you to get experience using these platforms and making sure they are compatible with your communication device(s).

Before the Interview

• Gather details from the recruiter prior to your scheduled interview. You will want to know how many people will be part of the interview, if they will give insight into the types of questions being asked, and how you should plan ahead for technical issues.

• Research the company, interview committee members, products/services and relevant current events/culture that could come up during the meeting.

• Create a list of questions to ask the interview committee.

• Download the required platform on your device and give it a test run with a friend.

During the Interview

• Carefully plan what you should wear. First impressions are valuable! Consider how clothing will appear on camera; solid colors tend to work best. Coordinate your outfit and background.

• Prepare the meeting space; this should be a controlled environment with no distractions/interruptions. Consider how others will perceive your background. Lighting should be natural. Try facing a window and turning off overhead lights. Allow space between you and the background.

• Get the audio and video settings working. Remove webcam covers. Place the camera at eye level. Be conscious of body movements on camera, look into the webcam and stay engaged.

After the Interview

Don’t let the employer’s interaction with you end once the camera is off. Follow up to ask about next steps and/or send a thank you note or message.

BE SOCIAL

Follow UM-Flint social media. Share your photos, Tweets, and videos on our official social media sites. And be sure to like UMFlint School of Management on social media! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

MAKE A GIFT

Give back to SOM! Every gift to our entire campus matters, regardless of size. Support the university’s efforts to prepare the next generation of Leaders and Best. Visit umflint. edu/som/ and click “give now.”

TAKE US ALONG FOR THE RIDE

UM-Flint is in the Vehicle City. Show your UM-Flint pride with a UM-Flint license plate available from the Michigan Secretary of State at michigan.gov/sos

ALUMNI RELATIONS

University of Michigan-Flint alumni are part of the University of Michigan alumni body. With more than 600,000 alums, U-M has one of the largest alumni networks in the world.

We’re here to help you stay connected to everything you love about the UM-Flint. Our programs and events are designed to engage, inform, and foster connections among the 48,000 graduates of UMFlint’s campus. In collaboration with the University of Michigan Alumni Association, we are your tie to Leaders and Best!

Whether you are looking to volunteer, network, or attend an upcoming event, we’d love to hear from you! Visit our webpage at www.umflint. edu/advancement/alumni-relations/ for the many opportunities provided throughout the year. Here are other ways to stay connected to SOM and the University of Michigan-Flint:

HIRE THE LEADERS AND BEST

Recruit from the deep UM-Flint talent pool that has been producing leaders for more than 60 years. SOM alumni can post internship/job postings as well as utilize career counseling and assistance finding a job. For more information, contact Antonio Riggs, SOM career planning counselor, at (810) 237-6680 or anriggs@umich.edu.

SPREAD THE WORD

Stay up-to-date with the latest UM-Flint news and stories with your friends and fellow alumni. Check out news.umflint.edu.

WEAR IT ON YOUR SLEEVE

Wear your UM-Flint pride. Check out the UM-Flint Bookstore for your UM-Flint and Wolverine gear. Visit go.umflint.edu/bookstore.

STAY IN THE LOOP!

Follow Alumni Relations on social media on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to stay in the loop with the University of Michigan - Flint!

Keep in

touch!

For more

information about alumni opportunities

in the School of Management, contact Anna Swartz, SOM alumni liaison, at (810) 424-5587 or annas@umich.edu.

SMOOTH SAILING

TRANSFER PATHWAYS HELP STUDENTS NAVIGATE TRANSITION

FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO UM-FLINT

By Kimberly Laux (BA, 1999), MA

Like the adage says, “There are often several paths to the same destination.” While some students begin their journey toward a BBA as a freshman business student at UM-Flint, others attain it by following a slightly different route. Many attend a community college first.

“Starting at a community college can be beneficial for students because it is less expensive, which can be helpful for students who are trying to stretch limited financial aid,” said Anna Reed, an academic advisor in SOM. “Community colleges are also a good starting point for students who aren’t completely sure what they want to study yet…

“The number one thing I tell students who plan to start at a community college is to be sure to work with the university they ultimately want to transfer to for their bachelor’s degree so that they make sure they are taking classes that will transfer in as what they need. Those are not always the same classes they need to graduate with an associate degree. It’s also important to know that you don’t have to complete an associate degree before transferring to the university.”

Before transferring to UM-Flint to study entrepreneurship and innovation management, Kayla Laird (BBA, 2020) attended Mott Community College and earned two associate degrees in arts and business administration.

“I really wanted to attend a university after graduating from high school, but after weighing the costs of being $52,000 in debt over a course of four years at a university versus going to a community college and getting as many credits as I could for less than half the price, I chose to be conservative with my money,” said Laird, who recently graduated from the School of Management with honors.

“But, I always wanted a ‘university experience.’ I heard the University of Michigan was one of the best universities in Michigan and that they offered an amazing entrepreneurship program. I knew they had several campuses in Michigan, and the Flint location was ideal because it was cheaper than going to Ann Arbor and only seven miles from my house.”

To help ease the transition students like Laird often face while transferring, SOM’s business program recruiter, Craig Gomolka, worked closely with community colleges to develop Transfer Pathway Guides. These documents identify specific courses to take at community colleges and disclose how the credits transfer into UM-Flint toward the degree.

“Many transfer students, especially those majoring in business, try to save money by starting off at a community college,” said Gomolka. “I’m here to support those students. We created transfer pathway guides and transfer planners so students will know exactly what they need to take and how the credits will transfer toward their BBA degree.”

By following a “pathway,” students can complete most (or all) of their general education and pre-business requirements at a community college, then transfer to UM-Flint to complete approximately two years or less of upper level business courses.

According to Gomolka, during the 2020/2021 academic year, SOM attracted 195 transfer students with 113 enrolling. Most students were from Mott Community College. Others were from Washtenaw Community College, Oakland Community College, Delta College, Macomb Community College, and Wayne County Community College District (in order of number of students who transferred).

“Transferring was scary because I wanted to make sure I brought over as many credits from Mott as possible, and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t take courses that wouldn’t be accepted during the process,” said Laird. “I worked closely with Erica Ogburn, my advisor, and Craig Gomolka as part of the Mott2UMF program. Let me tell you—without them, transferring would have been so stressful. I am grateful that everything went smoothly. No money lost, no classes lost, and I had a clear plan to guide me through the process.”

Shortly before graduation, Laird competed in the Pitch 4K competition and won over $8,000 toward her businesses: Lord Laird’s Premium Lemonade, Queen Netzo Jewelry, and Mobars. The award allowed her to transition from her role as a project manager at 100K Ideas to a fulltime entrepreneur with a passion for creating healthy and sustainable products.

“Throughout my whole college experience I have been blessed with scholarships and awards that helped me pay for my education,” said Laird. “There were often times payment was due, and when I would go to pay the full amount for tuition, the payment would refresh the page and I’d see scholarships and grants available for me to use. If that ain’t the Lord, I don’t know what else it’d be.”

HEITMANN, JOHN & KATHIE FAMILY CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

Transfer students are eligible for transfer merit scholarships as well as institutional scholarships like the Heitmann, John & Kathie Family Continuing Education Scholarship. To qualify for this scholarship, students must be residents of Michigan with a major in accounting as part of their first undergraduate degree and at least junior standing. Minimum GPA requirement is a 3.0 cumulative. Financial need is a consideration with preference given to students only eligible for loans and those transferring from Mott Community College. For more information about scholarships at UM-Flint, visit www.umflint.edu/finaid.

alumni PROFILE

When Laurie DeYoung (MBA, 2010) started as an account director at King Media, a full-service marketing, advertising, public relations and digital media agency based in East Lansing, she never imagined that in less than six years she would be named as the agency’s vice president.

“My new position is a true honor,” said DeYoung, who was promoted to vice president of King Media earlier this year. “Each day I’ve worked at King Media has presented me with an opportunity to make a difference. I love the chance to be both creative and strategic, the satisfaction of moving the needle for our clients, and the collaboration within our talented team.

“The work itself is always challenging – but mostly in a good way. In marketing, you always have to be up to speed on the latest trends so you can develop the most effective solutions for your clients. That’s a tall order, but I’m fortunate to work with talented teammates who work together to stay cutting edge.”

King Media is internationally recognized for its compelling creative execution and experience driving business growth for clients of every size within multiple industries, including agriculture, automotive, education, finance, and healthcare. The agency has won 50 national and international awards in the last six years, including PRNEWS’ Boutique Agency of the Year. In addition to their headquarters in East Lansing, the agency has offices in Grand Rapids and St. Joseph.

“Laurie has brought significant value to King Media,” says Coleen King, president and founder of King Media. “Her leadership, dedication to excellence, and passion for creating positive change are seen and felt by our clients and teammates. She is my right hand in all agency operations, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

As vice president of King Media, DeYoung assists King with agency operations, plays a key role in pitches to new clients, collaborates on strategies for existing clients, and directly manages large client accounts. She is also instrumental in the agency’s ongoing expansion throughout Michigan.

DeYoung’s interest in business grew out of her desire to use her writing skills in a meaningful way. Since then, DeYoung admits falling in love with the dynamic nature of the marketing industry and thrives on “a consistent sense of accomplishment.” She grew up in South Lyon and studied English and business as an undergraduate at Alma College. She decided to pursue an MBA from UM-Flint (with a focus on organizational leadership) to maximize her potential for success in the business world.

“The MBA program prepared me to take my career to the next level,” said DeYoung. “Learning alongside other smart, successful professionals helped me discover new perspectives and develop new skills that were simply not possible in my undergraduate education...

“Through classes that focused on communication and leadership, I became more aware of my personality traits and thought processes. One professor taught me not to listen to my ‘inner terminator,’ while another helped me recognize my ‘best self.’ Those important lessons have affected every part of my life.”

In addition to her role at King Media, DeYoung is a member of the Alma College Alumni Board and enjoys mountain biking and competing in triathlons to stay physically and mentally fit. She participates in four or five races/events each summer and trains year-round. Additionally, she coaches the Court One Triathlon Club and is a member of the SPIN Cycling Club and the Mid-Michigan Mountain Biking Association and serves as a volunteer ride leader for the Capital Youth Cycling Adventure Bike Club.

“Career-wise, my greatest accomplishment was being named vice president of King Media after just six years with the company,” said DeYoung. “But on a personal level, my greatest accomplishment continues to be living each day with purpose and passion. Work is part of that, but so is building a beautiful, fulfilling life with my husband and our two children.”

Change—whether you avoid it or embrace it, it’s inevitable. As a professor of organizational behavior and human resources management and associate director of the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Brian D. Blume, Ph.D., is an expert on the ways change impacts students, education, and the way we do business.

“We all deal with change in our personal and professional lives,” said Blume. “Perhaps that’s why I enjoy teaching the Leading Organizational Change course most. As students grow and are challenged by the relevant and applicable content, I am also reminded of change principles that I can apply to my life.”

Blume recommends and assigns his students to read Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

“Effectively leading change is difficult for organizations but continuing to adapt is important,” said Blume. “My colleagues and I worked with a design company that was going through a strategic change. One of our successes was helping the client better understand how to lead change and apply change management principles to meet their strategic goals.”

A significant change affecting both education and organizations is the shift to online learning platforms taking place in the digital world.

“The world and business are moving more online, and COVID-19 has accelerated this transition,” said Blume. “Our educational methods and strategies are reflecting this trend, although I believe there will always be a desire for and benefit from in-person interactions. Students in my courses are effectively preparing virtual presentations and interacting online. With online education, like most things, you get out of it what you invest into it. So it is important for students to be self-motivated and disciplined, and for us as faculty to present material in an engaging manner.

“This shift in education is also impacting companies on an organizational level. I recently had the opportunity to consult with a company based out of Sweden that offers an online learning transfer platform. The goal is to enable those being trained to experience a learning journey that provides the full value of a company’s training investment—to better enable learners to apply the training to their jobs. I expect that this will become more common.”

faculty SPOTLIGHT

BRIAN D. BLUME, PH.D., MBA

PROFESSOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & HR MANAGEMENT

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF HAGERMAN CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION

Change is also key in Blume’s role as associate director of the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Together with Mark Simon, Ph.D., and others, the Center provides opportunities for students to experience and grow in the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation.

“It’s exciting when these experiences intersect to better the Flint-area community,” he said.

Promoted to full professor at a relatively young age, Blume continues to strive for excellence in research, teaching, and service. He has published several papers that are frequently read/cited in the transfer of training area (i.e. or e.g., examining factors that influence how much employees apply their training to the job), and he finds it rewarding when students share how material they learned in his courses have impacted their professional and/or personal lives.

“Dr. Blume has been an active and thoughtful participant among faculty,” said Yener Kandogan, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Management. “I particularly appreciate his impactful research productivity and many years of service at the Hagerman Center.”

This year, he and co-advisor Gerald Knesek, received UM-Flint’s Outstanding Student Organization Advisor(s) award for their guidance to the Society for Human Resource Management.

“SHRM has the best faculty advisors helping us meet our mission,” said Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021). “I’m delighted Brian and Gerry received the Outstanding Advisor Award because they really deserve it. They are both educators who go above and beyond to support students in and outside of the classroom. They are great mentors and I have been inspired and impacted by both of them.”

Outside of the classroom, Blume enjoys spending time with his wife and three teenage children, as well as watching sports, playing basketball, and volunteering in the community.

“I want to thank God, my colleagues, SOM leadership, and my students for encouraging me in my career and providing me with many opportunities,” said Blume. “Together we are making an impact in the UM-Flint community and beyond.”

2021 OUTSTANDING STUDENT ORGANIZATION

SOM STUDENT CLUB RECOGNIZED AT UM-FLINT

By Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021)

While the past academic year was full of challenges and unknowns, a student organization at the UM-Flint School of Management rose above these obstacles to meet their goals in a virtual environment and received recognition from the University of Michigan-Flint.

This past April, the UM-Flint chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) received two awards at the 2021 Celebrating Wolverine Excellence ceremony, hosted by the Department of Student Involvement and Leadership. SHRM was recognized as the 2021 Outstanding Student Organization. Co-advisors for SHRM, Brian Blume, professor of organizational behavior & HR management, and Gerald Knesek, lecturer of management, were presented with the Outstanding Student Organization Advisor(s) awards.

“One of the goals of SHRM is to help students make connections and advance in their professional/personal development,” said former SHRM president, Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021). “SHRM has the best faculty advisors helping us meet our mission. I’m delighted Brian and Gerry received the Outstanding Advisor Award because they really deserve it. They are both educators who go above and beyond to support students in and outside of the classroom. They are great mentors and I have been inspired and impacted by both of them.”

SHRM’s mission is to help students at UM-Flint by providing educational, networking, volunteer, and leadership opportunities to their members. SHRM also assists all UM-Flint students with resumes/interviewing, offering student professional development, and more to help students efficiently prepare to get an internship or career opportunity while in college.

The organization hosted seven monthly events in the 2020-2021 academic year, ranging from networking, panel discussions, speaking engagements on hot topics, and resume improvement. UM-Flint students and SHRM members also participated in their first SHRM

case competition at SHRM UMICH and Greater Ann Arbor SHRM chapters.

“Although COVID-19 has impacted many student organizations at UMFlint, I strongly feel as though more people that weren’t originally able to commute to the campus have now been able to be involved,” said Blume. “SHRM has new members from around the nation and have seen engagement from students that lived one or more hours away from campus joining our virtual events.”

SHRM officers will continue to cater to all members of the UM-Flint community when the University returns in-person in the fall. The organization also has more plans to engage online with members at the UM-Flint campus.

SHRM Treasurer Erik Johnson, is working on an all-inclusive podcast that will anonymously interview people of all occupations about their careers in a tell all format. SHRM will use the stories of students and alumni to help guide members of the UM-Flint community.

Another SHRM officer, Secretary Elayna Moore, made great strides to improve SHRM’s online presence. She worked with the Office of Online & Digital Education (ODE) to create a Blackboard group so the organization can collaborate and connect with each other in between meetings and offer more networking opportunities. In fall 2021, they plan to roll out more planned content such as discussion boards, videos for new members on the missions of SHRM, and post recorded events or meeting notes.

“Overall, we were able to accomplish a lot being remote,” said Menard. “We hosted our first annual HR Alumni Panel and invited UM-Flint alumni to present their experiences. We had two alumni present from out of state in California and New York and that’s something we couldn’t have done without the technology resources the campus has provided us.”

SHRM faculty advisors, Professors Blume and Knesek, actively give responsibility to the students in the organization for daily operations, such as lining up speakers for events or advertising. The co-advisors give freedom to the members to pursue what interests them, but they also provide ideas or suggestions based on their combined expertise.

In previous years, SHRM members hosted a Rapid Resume event where SHRM members offered detailed critiques and comments on resumes before career fairs. Blume suggested SHRM members host the event virtually during the Winter 2021 semester. The students devised a plan to review resumes for two weeks in March 2021 with help and guidance from Antonio Riggs, SOM career planning counselor. SHRM officers reviewed 31 resumes of UM-Flint students from all disciplines and directly supported SHRM’s initiative that students are career-ready.

In addition, Knesek suggested that SHRM officers attend a Civility Project session to see if this would be a good fit to bring to UM-Flint.

“The idea behind SHRM is to create better workplaces where all employees thrive,” said Knesek. “The Civility Project is a forum for modeling respect for each other and opposing viewpoints. This turned out to be the largest SHRM event of the year… Overall, we had a great year thanks to the leadership provided by Alexis, the officers, and great participation from all the members. It really is the students that make the club successful.”

WINTER

2021 MAIZE & BLUE RECIPIENT ALEXIS MENARD (BBA, 2021)

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do for my degree until I was offered a job in the HR office on-campus my first semester. From there, I knew I wanted to study business and decided to branch out with all the opportunities the campus offers. I added a marketing major after my first HR internship with Michigan HR Day and found that having marketing knowledge is crucial when trying to attract new talent in a dynamic and diverse work environment.

Soon I fell in love with the culture of UM-Flint and downtown. I knew I wanted to be a differencemaker on-campus, and that has slowly evolved over my five years of education. I have had a lot of opportunities I never would have expected, such as entrepreneurial scholarships and a chance to work for the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation promoting Zillion Solutions, being a peer mentor for the Success Mentorship Program, a student ambassador for 2021 Giving Blueday, and being on the Commencement Mural Planning Committee.

Since I was a sophomore, I’ve been a student employee for SOM, and I was responsible for running their social media, promoting events, and managing their website. This was an incredible experience, and I was able to meet so many like-minded students and alumni! I was also able to serve as the President of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for two years. This was the most important thing I have done to impact myself and other students. My position at SHRM has enabled me to help students by providing free professional development and career resources to all UM-Flint students. I am tremendously fortunate to have had these opportunities of being a student leader to impact the lives of students and broaden my horizons to learn the necessary skills for my career. In April, SHRM also won the Outstanding Student Organization at UM-Flint, and I couldn’t be more proud of my faculty advisors, officers, and members for being so awesome willing to go outside of their comfort zone this past year.

Most importantly, I was able to meet passionate individuals and lifelong friends, as well as make connections with the outstanding staff and faculty that have guided me to where I am today. I was able to figure out who I was as a person and learn from great mentors and my peers. I couldn’t have made it to where I am today without their support. I will always carry a piece of UM-Flint in my heart as I remember my humble roots as an unsure, apprehensive student and the struggles I have overcome. I’m proud to be a #umflintgrad! Go Blue!

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

HOW ONLINE LEARNING COMPARES TO THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM

Chen, C., Jones, K., and K. Moreland. 2017. “How Online Learning Compares to the Traditional Classroom: Measuring Accounting Courses Outcomes”. CPA Journal 87 (9): 44-47.

The phenomenal growth of online and distance learning has had a tremendous impact on higher education throughout the country. As employers often recruit students from institutions of higher learning (colleges and universities), it is important to understand the impact that online learning has on students, employees, and future employees.

A significant amount of academic research has focused on the effectiveness of online learning in higher education. Studies have uncovered evidence of narrowing effectiveness gaps between online and traditional in-class learning; however, relatively few studies have examined the role of learner characteristics such as self-regulation and cognitive efforts in online learning settings.

“Our research focused on how a student’s self-regulation and level of cognitive effort translate into their ultimate course experience,” said Clement Chen, Ph.D., CPA, professor of accounting and David M. French Professor.

“This study examines how these learner characteristics are relevant to higher levels of thinking which is important in judgement and decision making based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.”

Results of the study reveal that a student’s ability to self-regulate and put forth effort can be associated with a more positive course experience regardless of whether the course is delivered in a traditional or online format. Online students did not underperform, and differences among students’ learning characteristics had a greater effect than course delivery method. When searching for future employees, student characteristics such as their level of self-regulation and cognition are potentially more important than the method in which their courses were delivered.

“Sometimes, it can be challenging for employers to develop new professionals who have the potential to use higher levels of reasoning to solve problems,” said Chen. “Once the hiring decision is made, it will be beneficial for employers to commit to development of higher levels of thinking by exposing the new hire to situations that require analysis, synthesis, and exercise of judgment to solve problems. Providing support and feedback can be an important part of the process to learn from these challenging situations. An organization’s commitment to the development of high levels of thinking will contribute to long-term success of the organization.”

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

USING ZOOM BACKGROUNDS TO PERSONALIZE THE WORKPLACE

Gregory Laurence, Ph.D., was quoted in the Wall Street Journal article “What Working From Home Taught Us About Our Office Setups” by Krithika Varagur (June 6, 2021) and interviewed via video as a companion piece to the story.

Communicating aspects of our identity is one of the key functions of personalization in the workplace— whether represented by workspace decoration or uniform modification like “Flair” in Office Space— when one doesn’t have a dedicated workspace. When engaging on Zoom, conscious choices about what to have in the background (whether a physical background or a virtual one) can serve the same function.

“Specifically, where bookshelf backgrounds are concerned, knowing that viewers are likely to read the titles of the books behind us, we may choose to have books there that are related to hobbies/ interests outside of work or that are related to work topics,” said Gregory Laurence, Ph.D., professor of management. “Similarly, non-book items that appear on those shelves can communicate something to viewers.”

Personalization at work has a couple of functions beyond expressing identity. It allows us to manage our work-nonwork boundaries. Some people like that to be fairly permeable (so, they personalize a lot) and some like it to be very defined (less personalization). However, when working at home, these boundaries can become blurred.

“Even those who like a more permeable boundary are unlikely to want a 100% open boundary between home and work and the result of this, I think, will be a shift toward less personal backgrounds over time,” predicts Laurence.

“Organizations are also likely to want to try to build organizational culture and socialization even with a workforce that is remote, so something like mandated organizationally-themed virtual backgrounds would not surprise me. For example, SOM created a whole suite of themed virtual backgrounds available for faculty to use for classes and meetings, and these seem to be fairly popular.

“I predict organizations will make more efforts toward ‘institutionalization’ rather than personalization by providing employees with ‘work from home toolkits’ that feature branded objects like mugs, mouse pads and notebooks to place around their home workspaces in addition to themed Zoom backgrounds… Some of my students who shifted to remote work or new jobs during the pandemic mentioned they were given ‘care packages’ of such items when they went into work to pick up their computers.”

INTERNET ADDICTION: WHEN POSITIVE EMOTIONS ARE NOT

SO POSITIVE Longstreet, Phil, Stoney Brooks, and Ester S. Gonzalez. “Internet addiction: When the positive emotions are not so positive.” Technology in Society 57 (2019): 76-85.

Internet usage has become a prevalent part of daily life. In fact, the Pew Research Center reports that the majority of Americans access the Internet at least once a day and more than 30% reported being online almost constantly. This usage pattern has been exacerbated by the recent pandemic in which many people used the Internet from their homes (while isolating) for both work and personal purposes. In fact, for many, the Internet was one of their only outlets during the pandemic.

Noting that there was a lack of research on the negative outcomes associated with such frequent Internet and social media usage, Phil Longstreet, Ph.D., associate professor of management information systems, and his team of researchers decided to investigate.

“Our article examines the potential emotional and lifestyle influences that social networking and Internet usage has on the welfare of its users,” said Longstreet. “In particular, we wanted to learn how individuals use the Internet as a coping mechanism to escape daily frustrations of life and, in effect, replace those negative emotions with more positive ones.

“Unfortunately, this ‘solution’ only feeds the problem. It leads some users to become Internet addicted, where they have trouble functioning in their daily lives because they are spending so much time online.”

To promote a better understanding of the positives and negatives of Internet use, the researchers applied the coping theory to explain how internet addiction influences both positive and negative emotions.

“Our study demonstrates that frequent internet use tends to cause users to experience the opposite of their desired effect—less positive emotions and greater negative emotions,” said Longstreet. “Furthermore, our research study empirically examines Internet addiction with various emotional states, including depression, loneliness, happiness, and life satisfaction. The proposed model was tested and validated with SEM techniques to data collected from 251 participants. Overall, our findings provide a deeper understanding that explains the direct impacts from Internet addiction on various emotional states.”

Based on his research, Longstreet recommends that businesses and universities integrating more of their operations into a digital format should continue to teach proper management of Internet usage and guide their employees in proper Internet usage—potentially even provide human resources services to support Internet addicted employees and seek to establish a more balanced approach to virtual and physical life.

SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS

JOURNAL ARTICLES, BOOKS, AND BOOK CHAPTERS

Ahmed, M. U., Shafiq, A., & Mahmoodi, F. 2021. The role of supply chain analytics capability and adaptation in unlocking value from supply chain relationships. Production Planning and Control. Forthcoming.

Salamon, J., Blume, B., Orosz, G., & Nagy, T. 2021. The interplay between the level of voluntary participation and supervisor support on trainee motivation and transfer. Human Resource Development Quarterly.

Sardana, D., Cavusgil, E., & Gupta, N. 2021. The growing popularity of spiritual brands: What drives purchase intent? International Business Review. Forthcoming.

Chen, C., Garven, S., Jones, K., & Scarlata, A. 2021. Is career guidance sending the right message about accounting work? Comparing accounting with competing professions. Accounting Education. Forthcoming.

Helmuth, J., Angur, M., & Singh A. 2020. An assessment of business failures: A comparative study between India and American Family Businesses. International Journal of Business and Management Studies.

Helmuth, J. 2020. Family business: Measuring performance in an imperfect word. International Journal of Business and Management Studies.

Hemphill, T. 2021. The innovation dilemma: 21st century governance alternatives to the precautionary principle. Technology in Society. Forthcoming.

Hemphill, T., & Kelley, K. 2021. Artificial intelligence and the fifth phase of political risk management: An application of regulatory expropriation. Thunderbird International Business Review.

Hemphill, T., Kelley, K., & Cullari, F. 2021. The ascendancy of stakeholder capitalism: What is its meaning for corporate governance? The Journal of General Management. Forthcoming.

Hemphill, T. A., & Johnson, S. D. 2020. Premiumpriced, branded generic pharmaceuticals in emerging economies: A socially responsible consumer pricing strategy? Business and Professional Ethics Journal.

Hemphill, T. 2020. Biologics regulation, secondto-market competition, and the use of blockchain technology: An opportunity for the FDA to support responsible biotechnology innovation. Journal of Responsible Innovation.

Hemphill, T. 2020. The small-dollar loan industry: A new era of regulatory reform – and emerging competition. Business Economics.

Kanai, A., Laurence, G., Sakata, K., Fujimoto, T., Yamaguchi, H., Takai, J., & Tak, J. 2021. An international comparison of determinants of long work hours. Japanese Psychological Research. Forthcoming.

Li, Z., Lytvynenko, I., Chen, C., & Jones, K. 2020. Coordinating the lifetime learning credit, scholarships, and the kiddie tax: An unconventional tax saving strategy for parents of college students. CPA Journal, The.

Li, Z., Lytvynenko, I., Chen, C., & Jones, K. 2020. To include or not include: A step-by-step tax saving strategy for parents of college students receiving scholarships. CPA Journal, The.

Li, Z., Lytvynenko, I., & Philippoff, K. 2021. How does the stock market respond to R&D cuts used to manage earnings? International Review of Financial Analysis. Forthcoming.

AND PRESENTATIONS

Li, Z., Lytvynenko, I., & Philippoff, K. 2021. Reexamining the role of accounting information in CEO compensation contracts: Evidence from foreign and domestic income. Journal of Theoretical Accounting Research. Forthcoming.

Li, Z., & Lytvynenko, I. 2020. An extension of the Gordon growth model with currency fluctuations. Journal of Theoretical Accounting Research.

Li, Z., & Lytvynenko, I. 2020. Currency fluctuation and the post-earnings announcement drift. Financial Research Letters.

Liu, C., Xu, C., & Liu, Z. 2021. To control or to compromise? The prominence of chief compliance officer and foreign corrupt practices act violation. Journal of Corporate Accounting and Finance.

Cheng, Y., Liu, Z., & Varvus, M. 2021. Detecting revenue fraud: A case analysis of Quantum Corporation. Journal of Forensic & Investigative Accounting. Forthcoming.

Liu, Z., Cheng, Y., & Liu, R. 2020. Why nonaccelerated filers voluntarily comply with SOX 404b? International Journal of Accounting & Finance Review.

Longstreet, P., Valacich, J., & Wells, J. 2021. Towards an understanding of online visual aesthetics: An instantiation of the composition perspective. Technology in Society.

Mehdian, S. 2020. An investigation of the presence of anomalies in digital asset markets: The case of Bitcoin. Applied Finance Letters.

Reinstein, A., Talyor, E., & Miller, C. 2021. A Judaic approach to applying materiality Concepts. Research on Professional Responsibility and Ethics in Accounting. Forthcoming.

Shrader, R., Simon, M., & Stanton, S. 2020. Financial forecasting and risky decisions: An experimental study grounded in prospect theory. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal.

White, G., Rajwani, T., Lawton, T. 2021. Open for business in a closed world: Managing MNE nonmarket strategy in times of populism and geopolitical uncertainty. Multinational Business Review. Forthcoming.

Xu, S., & Hao, A. 2021. Understanding the impact of national culture on firms’ benefit-seeking behaviors in international B2B relationships: A conceptual model and research propositions. Journal of Business Research.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Banerjee, S., & Sen, A. 2021. Does situated WOM lower retail infidelity? Insights from QSR brands. e-WOM Research Virtual Symposium.

Mehdian, S., Stoica, O., & Diaconasu, D. 2021. Some insights into investors’ behavior in Bitcoin market. International Conference on European Finance, Business and Regulation.

White, G., Chintakananda, A., Racela, O. C., Thoumrungroje, A., & Hayati, B. 2020. The impact of government corruption on foreign subsidiary strategic positioning and channel capabilities: Evidence from Southeast Asia. Academy of International Business, Miami, Virtual.

White, G., Rajwani, T., Krammer, S., Herrera, M. E.B., & Le, T. V. 2020. Brush with the law? The legal arena and entrepreneurial orientation of foreign subsidiaries. Academy of International Business, Miami, Virtual.

Giving Blueday Raises $800,000+

Giving Blueday has become an annual tradition at UM-Flint and across its social media platforms. This year, over $800,0000 was raised during the 24-hour online event designed to encourage donations for campus priorities specifically aimed at benefiting students. While this amount fell short of the $1 million goal, it significantly exceeds past Giving Blueday totals.

“While we always knew we had the support of our community of donors—alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students—this year we challenged ourselves to be bold, to work harder, and do better. Our donors responded,” wrote Chancellor Deba Dutta in a message to alumni following the event.

“People from across the campus and our friends and alumni across the country banded together to make this possible. I am extraordinarily proud of this collective effort and sincerely thank you for all you do on behalf of the University.”

While the generosity of donors directly contributed to the success of this year’s total, students played a critical role in helping the university promote the event. Fifteen students from across the five academic units volunteered as student ambassadors—serving as the collective voice of UM-Flint’s students to tell their personal stories, many of which often resemble those of their peers.

“The student ambassadors helped us connect and reconnect with donors, alumni, and friends, nurturing the culture of philanthropy on campus and in the Flint community,” said Tetyana Clarke, donor relations and stewardship officer, University Advancement.

“They were enthusiastic about projects and volunteered a great deal of their time to help the university cultivate and steward our donors. Specifically, they worked on creating high-quality solicitation and thank you videos as well as promoting the event across the campus and the Flint community… I was impressed by their energy and spirit as I knew they were also in the midst of their winter semester and had school, family, and work commitments on top of being ambassadors. We received feedback from our donors who were also impressed and touched by students’ stories that we shared with them online.”

Representing the School of Management as a student ambassador was graduate student Sheena Burgos (BS, 2020).

“Scholarships made a big difference in my education by allowing me to be selective in how I spent my free time and in helping me achieve my goals and complete the last semester of my bachelor’s degree,” said Burgos, who is currently pursuing an MBA.

“What motivated me to participate was the dedication and support I have for UM-Flint. I love helping people and would go above and beyond for them as well as our community. I love that I had the opportunity to make a difference.”

Also representing the School of Management was Alexis Menard (BBA, 2021) who was wrapping up her final semester in the undergraduate organizational behavior & human resource management and marketing programs.

“I have tremendously benefited from giving at UM-Flint, and I wanted to give back a portion of my time to promote an initiative that can benefit the lives of thousands of students,” said Menard. “Giving Blueday is a time when the UM-Flint community comes together and makes an impact on campus. I am happy to be a part of such an important initiative and connect with my fellow peers, alumni, staff, faculty, and donors.

“My life has completely changed because of scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, I will be graduating from UM-Flint debt free. Scholarships have lightened an incredible financial burden and allowed me to focus my time and energy shaping the UM-Flint culture by taking on roles as president of the Society for Human Resource Management, student scholar for the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and mentor for the Success Mentorship Program through the Division of Student Affairs. I am fortunate to have had these opportunities to impact the lives of other students and broaden my horizons to learn the necessary skills for my career.”

Giving Blueday 2022 is set to take place on Wednesday, March 16. For more information about Giving Blueday, visit umflint.edu/givingblueday.

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Congratulations to our 2020/2021 scholarship recipients!

Gifts totaling roughly $207,000 were awarded to the following students:

BAKER-ROBERSON SCHOLARSHIP

Devyn Wylam

JAMES AND DESOLINE COKLEY FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

Jazzmin Jackson Helena Schutt

DIPLOMAT SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Tiffany Gagne

Jennifer Hagerman

Danielle Hoffman

Jinesh John Stephanie Lopez

Angie Rushlow

Melody Wendling Baylee Wheeler

WALKER E. FESMIRE ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP

Joseph Kitchin

Maggie Stafford Ciera Meier

FLAGEL FAMILY GRADUATE STUDIES FUND Dylan Straka

R. & E. FREEMAN NETPLUS MBA SCHOLARSHIP

Bishr Al-Dabagh

Aleigha Anthony Vince Bono

Robert Burke

Nancy Comden

Destiny Raine Friedman Sarah Harper

Julie Hill

Raymond Pirouz

Emilee Semple Michael Surato

R. & E. FREEMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Melanie Beaumont

Michelle Chen

Branden Cook

Annie Crimi

Jacob Matheson

Austin McIntosh

Paul Richardson

THE NICK AND SHARON GEORGE SUCCESS FUND

Nija C. Brown

Hunter R. Duehring

Jazmyn C. Norman

Holly S. Parker

GMAT SCHOLARSHIP

Devyn Wylam

JESSICA HAGEMEISTER CPA SCHOLARSHIP

Joseph Kitchin

HAGERMAN SCHOLARS SCHOLARSHIP

Neil Kagerer Tim McGlinchey Sumer Wascher

CATHLEEN E. HALE SCHOLARSHIP Angela S. Wang

PAMELA HERNANDEZ SCHOLARSHIP Melanie Beaumont

OLIVER LAGORE VANVALIN INVESTMENT GROUP SCHOLARSHIP

Tiffany Muma

LINDA AND RANDY LEACH FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

Robert Gustitus Jazzmin Jackson Garrett Prince Jay’la Rivers Alexis Snell

CATHLEEN L. MILLER, PH.D., CPA ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP Michelle Chen Austin McKenzie

I. DOUGLAS MOON SOM UNDERGRADUATE MERIT SCHOLARSHIP Annie Crimi

MBA SCHOLARSHIP Brad Phillips

DAVID A. PAGE CPA SCHOLARSHIP Joseph Tomczak

PLANTE MORAN ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP Michelle Chen

TIMOTHY PURMAN CPA SCHOLARSHIP Brittany Porter

CHARLES ERICKSON RACHOR SCHOLARSHIP Arrianne Klier

THOMAS P. RYAN & THOMAS P. RYAN, JR. SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Dan Brewer Michelle Chen Branden Cook Bailey Duvall Spencer Gomez

Robert Gustitus

Megan Hanson Jazzmin Jackson Taylor Johnson

Tristan Lovasz

Jacob Matheson Austin McIntosh Austin McKenzie Ciera Meier

Tiffany Muma Holly Parker

William Pittsley Garrett Prince Paul Richardson Jay’la Rivers Helena Schutt Alexis Snell

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP

Annie Crimi Jacob Matheson Austin McIntosh Paul Richardson

TROMBLE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Trevor Bennett

DAVID C. TUCKER CPA SCHOLARSHIP Rebecca Fletcher

STEVE WHITENER SCHOLARSHIP FOR INNOVATORS

Trevor Bennett Angela Longbucco Alexis Menard

COJEEN, PROFESSOR ROBERT H. SCHOLARSHIP

Daniel Brewer Megan Hanson Taylor Johnson Lauren Lenz Tristan Lovacz Austin McKenzie William Pittsley

JOHN T. HEITMANN CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP Melanie Kless

CHANCELLOR RUTH J. PERSON INTERNSHIP SCHOLARSHIP Lillian Simmonds

STEPHEN A. WHITENER MERIT + SCHOLARSHIP

Joseph Leblanc Abigail Shock Lillian Simmonds

WINTER 2021 MAIZE & BLUE RECIPIENT ANGELA LONGBUCCO (BBA, 2021)

My experiences with SOM have been overwhelmingly positive. SOM offered me a community of like-minded individuals to be around which always led to interesting conversations, a professional network, and friendship. There were countless classes I felt inspired by with professors who truly loved both their subject and the process of teaching itself. My favorite classes taught me how to manage teams, international business, international management, and organizational behavior.

Longbucco is focusing on preparing for graduate school and searching for a job. She appreciates having time to spend with family and friends and to focus on her spiritual growth.

“FALL 2020 MAIZE & BLUE RECIPIENT ALEXIS E. SNELL (BBA, 2020)

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UM-Flint was the most amazing experience that I was not expecting. As a remote nontraditional student, who was working full time and raising three children, I was expecting furthering my education to be almost impossible after completing my AAS at Gogebic Community College.

I am grateful to SOM for offering an online program… The admission process was flawless. Craig Gomolka is amazing; he always answered my questions. Faculty in SOM are absolutely the best educators. They are engaging and find ways to make you feel connected to the program. Drs. Gerald Knesek, Yener Kandogan, Mark Simon, and Syagnik Banerjee are all top notch faculty, and I appreciated their dedication to my education and to the program. I will never forget my peer, Alexis Menard. Without her, I don’t know that I would have been as successful. She helped me along the way with anything I needed. She was my connection to the University as a remote student.

Snell recently accepted a new position, director of Finance and College Administration in the College of Sciences and Arts at Michigan Technological University (MTU) in Houghton, MI. Having been with Michigan Tech for 20+ years, she says “this will be the position I retire from.” Prior to her position, she served as department coordinator in Chemical Engineering at MTU for six years.

WINTER 2021 MAIZE & BLUE RECIPIENT JAY’LA C. RIVERS (BBA, 2021)

SOM has given me so many opportunities to make memories. One of the most memorable was joining the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). One of my classmates was already involved with the organization and knew how great it was. He wanted students in SOM to have all the opportunities he had access to, so he reached out to interested accounting students and made sure NABA was available to students the following year. From NABA I have met many great professionals and individuals. I have also traveled, secured internships, and gained additional knowledge. This is one of many memories I have created at SOM and will miss as I step into my new journey.

Rivers plans to attend Northeastern University to work toward a Master of Science in Management while working for PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC).

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ESTEEMED ALUMNA AND FAMILY ESTABLISH GRADUATE STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP TO PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN FLINT

Jennifer (Neiman) Flagel (BBA/MBA, 1997) grew up in Capac, Michigan. Like many first-year students, she didn’t know anyone when she started college at UM-Flint. She drove to campus for class, then left shortly after for home or work.

One day, a classmate invited Flagel to play cards in the University Center (UCEN). In that card group, she met Elizabeth (Becky) Armour Standel (BA, 1996), assistant director of UM-Flint’s Student Success Center. At the time, Standel was working in Student Life and convinced Flagel to apply for an orientation leader position. This invitation sparked a lifelong friendship and Flagel’s successful career in higher education—a journey she is now making possible for others.

“I was never a ‘joiner,’ but working in Student Life exposed me to student government, clubs, Greek life, art gallery exhibits, performing arts, and all sorts of activities that I would not have otherwise participated in,” said Flagel, who is now assistant vice president of enrollment and director of graduate admission at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

“I’ve always loved puzzles and games, and I enjoy jobs where I can exercise those skills daily in a way that has a positive impact on others. Over 25 years in higher education, I have worked in student life, information technology, fundraising and alumni relations, and enrollment. A consistent theme has been helping institutions make better use of their resources—especially technology, people, and data—to make smarter decisions, be more efficient, and improve outcomes.

“I know I could be a successful manager in nearly any industry, but I love the higher education environment. My job provides a great mix of strategy, analytics, marketing, and team work as well as direct interaction with incredibly brilliant students and faculty from whom I am constantly learning. I focus a lot on change management within teams and organizations, so most of my work consists of many incremental successes that, over time, have a major impact. One of the things I like most about enrollment, which involves aligning recruitment and admission strategies with institutional goals and resources, is the role I’m able to play in making higher education accessible to traditionally underserved populations.”

The desire to make education accessible grew out of experiences Flagel had at UM-Flint. Small class sizes allowed her to develop relationships with both classmates and professors, despite being admittedly shy and self-conscious. She found the mix of traditional and nontraditional students from diverse backgrounds to be comforting. Since there wasn’t a specific “type of student at UM-Flint,” she didn’t feel like an outsider. She found it motivating to be among so many students who were

working multiple jobs to fund their education, often while balancing the demands of family and parenthood.

UM-Flint also prepared Flagel for the diverse skills and knowledge she would need to be successful in higher education. The Honors Program challenged her to develop exceptional critical thinking and communication skills, and the School of Management taught her the practical application of business concepts and tools in accounting, information systems, operations management, marketing, and human resources. The five years she worked in the University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) department under the mentorship of Vahid Lotfi, Ph.D., professor emeritus of management science, were instrumental in preparing her for success throughout her career.

“You can learn the material almost anywhere, but UM-Flint provided an incredibly robust context for applied learning,” said Flagel. “In addition to texts and classroom instruction, I was learning from the shared stories of my classmates, many of whom were deeply experienced, and of my professors who contributed their own research and expertise as well as their professional network. This prepared me well for my first full-time job where I was tasked with leading the implementation of a new self-service application for the campus, now known as the Student Information System (SIS).

“In under a year, we moved from paper registration and grading to a fully web-based platform. It was a huge accomplishment because it had a highly visible, immediate and lasting impact on nearly every member of the UM-Flint community, and it also effectively launched my professional career.”

Perhaps what Flagel appreciated most about attending UM-Flint was the tremendous opportunity for experiential learning. One of her favorite events was the annual MLK Day of Service, a day off from classes when UM-Flint students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to honor Dr. Martin Luther King by volunteering in the community.

“One year I was assigned to a team that painted murals at a nearby elementary school—something I would never have volunteered for since I am not at all artistic,” laughed Flagel.

As a way of providing support to students and encouraging higher education opportunities at the University dear to her heart, Flagel and her husband, Andrew, started the Flagel Family Graduate Studies Fund. Pictured (left to right) are Andrew, Jennifer, and Joshua Flagel.

Experiences like these continue to impact Flagel in her role as assistant vice president of enrollment and director of graduate admission at Bentley University where she continues to work with a diverse population of graduate students who are striving to advance their own professional opportunities.

“Some of them are struggling to prioritize this investment of time and money over family needs and sometimes their own personal welfare,” said Flagel. “There are few studies of student persistence rates at the graduate level, but many students drop out due to financial issues and limited funding options, especially for part-time students.”

As first-generation college student whose family struggled financially over the years, Flagel can relate.

“UM-Flint’s tuition, supplemented by my Honors Program scholarship, was within my parent’s budget, and I was able to fund my living and personal expenses through my own income, but I was living paycheck to paycheck,” said Flagel. “Any unexpected incident, like major car repairs, would put me under water. I applied for and received a onetime community service scholarship—the only scholarship I could find that was open to graduate students. It was a huge help at that time and left a lasting impression.”

As a way of providing support to students and encouraging higher education opportunities at the university dear to her heart, Flagel and her husband, Andrew, started the Flagel Family Graduate Studies Fund. The Flagels met toward the end of her graduate degree while Andrew was working as director of admissions on the UM-Flint campus. Like Jennifer, he has enjoyed a successful, lifelong career in higher education and is currently president and CEO of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. The couple now lives in Arlington, VA, with their son, Joshua.

“Our family hopes this fund will support UM-Flint graduate students who are working hard to better themselves and contribute to their community and who need a little assistance to get there,” said Flagel. “My husband and I have both dedicated our careers to promoting higher learning opportunities, and we take great pride in giving back to the communities in which we’ve studied and worked.

“State funding for public institutions does not go far, and a gift of any amount makes a difference in opportunities for future students. As a major component of college rankings, alumni giving also has a direct impact on the value of your own degree. I’ve made it a goal to make a gift every year, even if just $5 or $10 in some years, to demonstrate to administrators, law makers, and employers the lifetime value UM-Flint provides. The Flagel Family Graduate Studies Fund directs this annual commitment to an area that is underserved and is important to me personally.”

Deeply connected to the campus and community, the Flagels enjoy staying engaged through giving and events (like the SOM Alumni Career Panel) as well as through the personal relationships they have maintained with faculty, staff, and other alumni.

“I recognize that not every graduate had a college experience like mine because each deals with their own personal struggles and ambitions that influence their student journey,” said Flagel. “I hope that every UM-Flint graduate is able to appreciate the tremendous impact this institution has on so many students and on the greater Flint community.

“If there was an aspect where you felt underserved, then step up and offer your time and energy, and possibly funding, to make it better for future students. Know that small, incremental steps have a big impact over time!”

Flagel (second from left) started her lifelong career as an orientation leader at UM-Flint after being encouraged by Elizabeth (Becky) Armour Standel (BA, 1996) (fourth from left) to apply.

THE FLAGEL FAMILY GRADUATE STUDIES FUND SCHOLARSHIP GUIDELINES:

1. Intended for full-time and half-time students pursuing and enrolled in an MBA program.

2. Eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

3. Preference will be given to students who received their undergraduate degree from UM-Flint.

4. Preference will be given to students who are ambassadors for the university and have been involved on campus through student clubs, service learning, or other organizations that move the student body and or campus forward.

5. Scholarship awards will be a minimum of $500 per student and will support tuition, fees and other educational expenses.

6. Scholarships will be awarded through the SOM scholarship committee.

For more information about scholarships at UM-Flint, visit umflint.edu/finaid/

For more information about starting a scholarship fund, contact Melissa StephensFarrell at msfarrel@umich.edu.

DONOR HIGHLIGHTS

Dear friends:

We are hopeful that everyone is transitioning back to your positions and businesses with great success!

This past year was challenging as we all did our best to navigate the pandemic. Our alumni and friends truly stepped up to support the School of Management. Thanks to your gifts, allow me to share the following outcomes:

• The Excellence Fund was able to support a “Laptop Loaner Program” to assist students who had technology needs while the campus’s computer labs were closed.

• $207,000 was awarded in scholarship support to deserving business students from the endowed scholarships previously established. This provided additional support to students in financial distress due to the pandemic and in danger of not graduating because of it.

• Through a highly successful Giving Blue Day campaign we gained over 30 new donors to the Entrepreneurs Society student organization.

• We also had several current donors commit to more support of their existing scholarships and two new business scholarships established, one for graduate studies in accounting and the other for full or part-time students who are trying to manage their academics and be the primary caregiver of a dependent child.

We look forward to a new academic year optimistic and ready to serve our resilient students as they pursue their aspirations of becoming valued employees. Your support is a key factor in allowing many of our students to pursue their education, so thank you!

We are growing the SOM community; however, there is much work to do! If you have not already, I urge you to consider supporting your alma mater. Simply put, we will find a way for you to contribute or engage in a meaningful way such as serving on a career panel, speaking to a class, or serving on a board. I can be reached via email at msfarrel@umich.edu or at 810-424-5480

Thank you for your consideration and as always—GO BLUE!

Melissa Stephens-Farrell

THE

Dr. Yener Kandogan*

Adam Keith

Jacinda Kitts

Herbert & Mary Kops

Steven & Elizabeth Kramer

Frank Lloyd Richard & Lisa Maiz

Dr. John & Patricia Marquardt*

Daniel McMunigal

Jennifer Milliken

Michael Munley & Teresa Irland-Munley*

Heidi Myers

Patrick & Mary Ouellette

Daniel & Sarah Quigley

Joseph & Linda Reynolds

Linda & Joseph Reynolds

Robert Ringler

Natalie Roland

Raymond & Maria Scott

Thomas & Sharon Shannon

Michael & Bernice Shegos

John Simpson & Lynda Crisler-Simpson

Melissa Stephens-Farrell & Edward

Farrell*

Robert & Wanda Stork

John & Mary Sullivan

Steven & Janette Sullivant

Anna Swartz*

Sean Tabor

James Terry Christopher Thomas