Dave Barger (Member, Board of Directors, gategroup)
Barry Blattman (Senior Managing Partner, Brookfield Asset Management)
David Blumenfeld (Principal, Blumenfeld Development Group)
Jonathan Carson (Co-Founder, Skywell)
Daniel Denison (Professor, International Institute for Management Development)
Doug DeSchutter (President, U.S. Regulatory and Digital Comm., Broadridge Financial Solutions)
Frederic Friedman (CEO, w5creative)
Julia Rosenfield Friedman (Philanthropist)
Robin Jacobs (Philanthropist)
Joseph Kaplan (CEO, Field Ventures)
Andrew J. Lansing (President and CEO, Levy Restaurants)
Mark H. Lundy (President and COO, Gould Investors L.P.)
Brendan T. Nedzi (Head of Enterprise Stress Testing, General Electric Capital Corp.)
Evan Schwartzberg (Co-Founder, Managing Member, Odeon Capital Group, LLC)
Teresa Sebastian (Founder, CEO and President The Dominion Asset Group)
Robin S. Tryloff
In the fall of 2013, LSA began the process of creating a new look and feel for departmental websites. Organizational Studies made the switch this past January and we are asking you to help us make it better. The main purpose of the OS website will always be to answer questions that our prospective and current students have, however we would like to make our Alumni section more robust. When you’ve got the time, please go take a look at our new site and let us know what you think is missing. While you are there, make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
Michael J. Behm, Grand Blanc
Mark J. Bernstein, Ann Arbor
Laurence B. Deitch, Bloomfield Hills
Shauna Ryder Diggs, Grosse Pointe
Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms
Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor
Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park
Katherine White, Ann Arbor
Mark S. Schlissel, ex officio
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Directing the Organizational Studies Program has to be the best job in the world. I have the opportunity to work with an outstanding, world-class faculty, a highly skilled and dedicated staff, a supportive College administration, a terrific group of alumni, and, most important, a collection of brilliant and dynamic students who continuously bring distinction to the program. All I have to do is enjoy the ride.
This year was an especially eventful one for Organizational Studies. Approximately once every decade, departments on campus receive an external review, in which leading scholars from other major universities spend two days on campus evaluating the program—providing suggestions, criticisms, and advice to both the department and the College. In March, OS experienced its first-ever external review, and the committee’s praise was effusive. They described our faculty as “perhaps the strongest liberal-arts organizational faculty in the nation,” our staff as “a dedicated core [that] combines a remarkable level of skill [and] commitment,” and our students as “an exceptionally talented and enthusiastic group, with a strong sense of community and a fierce loyalty to the program.” The report noted that, “viewed in its entirety, the OS Program is the strongest of its type in the nation.” We do face challenges, and the committee pulled no punches in listing them. These “are not the challenges of overcoming failure,” however, “but rather the much happier challenges of sustaining, building upon, and sharing success.” In the coming weeks and months we will be discussing the report, among ourselves and with the College administration, and we will emerge from these discussions with a plan for action. We will be sure to keep you informed as we develop this plan.
In addition to the external review, we experienced our usual array of accomplishments. We will welcome another outstanding new cohort of students this fall, a select group of 54 chosen from more than 200 applicants. We continue to expand our new Alumni Shadowing Opportunity, generously supported by the Malkin Family Mentorship Fund. A total of 24 students have now participated in this program, in which they spend a day with one of our alumni at their place of employment. Nineteen alums have hosted our students, with five having opened their employment space up more than once. The response from the participants has been universally positive. One student was pleasantly surprised to learn “how much agency is both given to you and expected of you to advance your own individual career” within a consulting firm. Another noted that “this has provided me with a new network of people to look to for advice and support as I continue into my future endeavors.”
Meanwhile, although we are now comfortably settled into our temporary space in the Ruthven Museums Building, preparation continues for our move to the newly-renovated Weiser Hall in fall 2017. The building has a new website (http://sites.lsa.umich.edu/weiserhall/) that includes an artist’s rendition of our new space. The layout, with its student-friendly study and discussion space and its prime views of the campus and beyond, will offer numerous opportunities for us to further enhance the educational experience we provide.
As we prepare for the challenges ahead, we are confident that the foundation we have established will allow us to emerge stronger than ever. Please join me in celebrating the accomplishments of our community described in this newsletter. And please stay in touch. It is our connection with all of you that has allowed us to achieve our present success, and that will sustain us in the future.
Mark Mizruchi
Mark Mizruchi
ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY (2015-2016)
Elizabeth Armstrong (Organizational Studies, Sociology, and Women’s Studies)
Stephen Garcia (Organizational Studies and Psychology)
Michael Heaney (Organizational Studies and Political Science)
Arnold Ho (Organizational Studies and Psychology)
Mark Mizruchi (Barger Family Professor and Director, Organizational Studies and Professor of Sociology and Ross School of Business)
Jason Owen-Smith (Organizational Studies and Sociology, Director, Barger Leadership Institute)
Sara Soderstrom (Organizational Studies and Program in the Environment)
ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES STAFF (2015-2016)
Kristin Edison (Executive Secretary)
Melissa Eljamal (Chief Administrator)
Joseph Johnson (Student Services Coordinator)
Cathy Philbin (Advisor)
Tiffany Purnell (Barger Leadership Institute Coordinator)
Denise Yekulis (Program Assistant)
Fond Farewell from Denise Yekulis
In October, 2001, I met with a professor who had a kind smile, a red sweater, and a bright yellow rain slicker. He told me about a new program he was spearheading with students. The program was called Organizational Studies. His enthusiasm was contagious. When we parted I couldn’t wait to be part of this new program. I still consider myself fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be part of OS from the very beginning. Where else can you find a major at any university that enables their students to follow their passion and design their own education for two years? I have watched so many of our students go on to very successful careers all over the world.
Retiring from OS was a very difficult decision and yet it was time for me to move into the next phase of my life. I enjoyed 14+ years with OS and over 20 years with the U-M. The highlight of each year was watching our students graduate and move on to the next phase of their lives.
I have made many friends throughout my years here and I am happy to say I still get together with them and share the latest news about my retirement and make them jealous with the news of my impending travels, the latest dessert I made and the vegetables and flowers I have added to my gardens.
I am confident the program will continue to move forward and grow with the OS students at the core. Go Blue!
OS Welcomes New Members to the Community
Kristin Edison started with OS in April 2016 as our Executive Secretary. She oversees the Director’s calendar, organizes OS events, coordinates faculty and GSI recruitment, and supports development for the program. Previously supporting several high level executives in the Japanese automotive industry has allowed her to refine her project management skills. She is excited to be back at the University of Michigan where she received her BA from the Center for Japanese Studies program. Working for an international company provoked a curiosity in Kristin about how different cultures work together and learn from one another. Joining a program like Organizational Studies felt like a natural fit where she hopes to learn more on such a fascinating topic.
After work Kristin likes to stay active by camping, kayaking, and indoor rock climbing. She also tries to take time to pursue her passion for design. Her first love being photography, she has also spent several years experimenting with furniture refinishing and most recently graphic design. She plans to add unique design elements to Organizational Studies events to help draw even more buzz to this exceptional program.
Jeremy Levine is a sociologist interested in organizations, politics, and inequality in cities. Jeremy’s research falls into three general areas. First, he studies the role of nonprofit organizations in urban governance, and analyzes how organizational and political processes affect poor urban residents. Second, he is interested in the relationship between neighborhood social organization and political behavior—in particular, citizen requests for basic city services. Finally, his most recent research focuses on demographic change in cities and the increased reliance on regressive revenue instruments, such as fees and fines. Jeremy’s research has been published or is forthcoming in journals such as American Sociological Review, Sociological Forum, and City & Community. He is currently completing a book manuscript on the transformation of urban governance and neighborhood redevelopment in Boston.
Before joining the faculty at Michigan, Jeremy earned his A.M. and Ph.D. in Sociology at Harvard University. He graduated from Michigan with a B.A. in History and Sociology in 2008.
Andrew Hoffman (School of Natural Resources, Ross School of Business)
Diane Kaplan Vinokur (School of Social Work)
Fiona Lee (Psychology)
Ramaswami Mahalingam (Psychology)
Richard H. Price (Professor Emeritus)
Lance Sandelands (Ross School of Business, Psychology)
Carl Simon (Economics, Mathematics, Public Policy, Center for Complex Systems, UM Phoenix Energy Institute)
Gretchen Spreitzer (Ross School of Business)
Oscar Ybarra (Psychology, Institute for Social Research, Center for Culture, Mind, and the Brain)
Kristin Edison
Jeremy Levine
Profiles in the Lives of OSers
On the eve of our 15th anniversary of the program, we thought it would be interesting to share the full spectrum of OSers’ relationships to the program. Throughout the next few pages we will share perspectives from a sample of recently admitted students, recently graduated students, and alumni to provide their thoughts on the program.
New Student Spotlight
As always we are excited to welcome in our new cohort of students. To capture some of the excitement many of them have about the program we reached out and asked a few of them to write a few words about what they look forward to experiencing within the OS program.
I am hoping that through the Organizational Studies program, I will learn how to effectively operate an organization in the non-profit public health sector that could potentially reach out to those coping with long-term illnesses such as cancer or diabetes. I am excited to be a part of OS because it will allow me to enroll in public health classes while simultaneously ganing a business perspective on how health organizations run effectively and serve the community. One aspect of OS that attracted me was its small class size. I am looking forward to getting to know all of the members of my cohort and forming a tight-knit community that I would not find otherwise through my Psychology major.
I am grateful to be a part of a program that is so dedicated to the unique academic and professional goals of its students and that seeks to provide them with tools to achieve those goals. I am excited to be a part of a group of dedicated, passionate students who take advantage of these opportunities and go the extra mile to embrace new learning possibilities and leadership roles. I am inspired by how OS students cultivate their interests and passions into work they find meaningful, and how they use that purpose to empower and help others. I look forward to learning from the interests and experiences of others and being a part of a group of students who work together to find value in what they do.
Through taking an interdisciplinary set of classes, learning from OS faculty at the top of their fields, and engaging with talented and motivated peers, I look forward to applying my research experience to how we structure our corporate business organizations— particularly from the vantage point of positive management and leadership. Despite being a new admit to the program, OS has already enriched my education by helping me plan to study abroad in London, begin a position as the VP of Operations with Women in Leadership Lessons, and connect me with faculty who have experience in my field of interest. I greatly look forward to what the rest of my time in the OS program will bring!
I applied to the University of Michigan knowing that I had to be in the Organizational Studies program. Since I was young, I have always been passionate about social and environmental activism. These interests complemented my ambition to create my own business and introduced me to companies that exist for a purpose beyond just the fiscal bottom line. I believe that businesses have the power and responsibility to make valuable change in the world and to give back to the community. I hope to further cultivate these interests and fuse my passions for entrepreneurship and social change through my academic pathway.
Lindsay Hiser (OS ‘18)
Rachel Gringlas (OS ‘18)
Emily Hogan (OS ‘18)
Jenni Steiger (OS ‘18)
Graduating Student Reflections
As the academic year was coming to a close we asked a few of our graduates to reflect on their time in OS. Despite the hectic close to their year, a few of them took us up on the offer.
My experience in OS has been a core part of my undergraduate years. Academically, OS allowed me to shape my track toward my passions in Healthcare and Social Justice while also providing me with a solid foundation in the study of organizations. My professors always made me feel comfortable in seeking out their mentorship whether it was geared toward academic, professional, or personal interests. I valued the empowering community within the program, where as co-chair of the Organizational Diversity Initiative, I was primarily involved in the diversity and inclusion efforts within OS. In this capacity, I was supported by my peers and the administrative staff to enhance OS This pairing of academic and extracurricular empowerment has truly made OS a positively formative experience.
On hearing the news of my acceptance into OS, I was thrilled that such a unique and selective department had welcomed me, yet I was aware that I was an unusual fit. Many of the philosophy, history and classics students that shared my courses were puzzled at my decision: why had someone wanting to be a writer and a theorist chosen a program for consultants and business leaders? OS provided me with an interdisciplinary platform free of the constraints of a traditional department. I chose courses from a variety of fields, took agency in the Honors Program, developed my skills as a TA, and put ideas to work as a part of the Organizational Diversity Initiative. Looking back, I can see that I gained a new eye for the impact of organization in systems of education, and grew in my ability to analyze and better the organizations in which I participate.
The OS faculty and advisors supported me throughout my academic journey, as my concentration pathway evolved from political organizations to empowerment within organizations. OS and the Barger Leadership Institute provided me with funding to support internships as a Legislative Coordinator in Washington, D.C. and as aTransportation Policy Researcher through the Detroit Community Based Internship Program. They also supported study abroad opportunities including a Spanish language program in Málaga, Spain and a Business Development/Marketing internship at a startup in Munich, Germany. Finally, I have received phenomenal academic advising and career counseling, which has led me to my next step as a Venture for America Fellow in Detroit. Thank you OS!
When I first entered OS, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. Through OS, I was introduced to new concepts, such as linking entrepreneurship with nonprofit studies. The unification of these two fields led me to my most exciting experience as an undergraduate: volunteering at a nonprofit in rural India. There, I performed social research on the empowerment of rural women and worked on projects that would have a long-term impact. It is clear that the journey does not end here, though. After talking with numerous OS alumni all over the world, I can see that they have continued to apply OS’s theoretical and practical discipline with a high level of compassion and intentional thought. As I graduate, I am excited to join this impactful group and I hope to provide mentorship to other OS graduates in the future.
Jake Gustaveson (OS ‘16)
Jess Hasper (OS ‘16)
Julia Kortberg (OS ‘16)
Aubrey O’Neal (OS ‘16)
Alumni Spotlight
The connection to our alumni is always at the top of the list when we ask graduating seniors what they liked about their time in the Organizational Studies program. This connection is something we continue to foster through our Career Prep series, the Malkin Shadowing opportunity, mock interviews, resume review and individual mentoring. In 2015-2016 we started a new program on our Facebook page, called Alumni Spotlight and we have plans to incorporate these spotlights to the career section of our webpage. If you would like to contribute to the Alumni Spotlight series, please send an email to org.studies@umich.edu. Here is a sample of this years spotlighted alumni.
Sarah Blegen (OS ‘15) Marketing Project Specialist Cisco
Sarah focused her OS pathway on how varying international trends, cultures, and political structures in our world impact a multinational corporation’s business strategies and organizational structure. She also focused her studies on leadership, and the skills/attributes necessary to be an effective leader in an organization or on a team. In the future, she wants to be a leader in an organization that has a strong and positive international presence. Sarah is working in the Global Demand Center at Cisco Systems in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her team focuses their efforts on generating demand for Cisco’s technology worldwide via targeted marketing campaigns and events that engage and nurture customers all around the world. Sarah says, “It has been incredible to see the concepts I learned in OS relating to leadership and international business in action!”
Dan Haddad (OS ‘10) Senior Client Analyst Millward Brown Digital
Dan provides client service to technology companies. Specifically, he focuses on improving the marketing efforts of advertisers in the digital space. Currently, Dan works as a Senior Client Analyst at Millward Brown Digital in San Francisco, working with clients to improve the effectiveness of their online advertising in reaching a target audience. This work requires an understanding of clients’ organizational needs within their market, as well as a knowledge of reaching users whose media consumption habits are rapidly evolving. Dan says, “My studies prepared me for this work by teaching the importance of flexibility in adapting to a changing marketplace. With this background, I plan to grow my expertise in analyzing and innovating how companies can improve their assumptions about and methods of advertising.”
Zach Sherman (OS ‘09) Medical Student
Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai
Zach Sherman graduated with a double major in Organizational Studies and Economics. He is currently a 4th year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and is in the process of applying for his internal medicine residency. Prior to deciding to pursue a career in medicine, Zach worked at NERA Economic Consulting in New York. He then completed his post-baccalaureate pre-health studies at New York University and did research at the VA Medical Center in Manhattan while he was applying to medical school. Since starting medical school, Zach has taken an interest in working with underserved communities both globally, conducting malnutrition research in rural Uganda, as well as locally, as the finance coordinator of the East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership, the student-run free clinic for uninsured residents of East Harlem. Zach is looking forward to beginning his residency in July 2016 and anticipates his background in Organizational Studies serving him well in the constantly evolving healthcare environment where increased emphasis is placed on efficiency, quality improvement, and patient safety.
Perry Teicher (OS ‘07) President Detroit Nation
Perry graduated with a B.A. in Organizational Studies and Political Science. From 2007-2009, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan, where he worked with a disabled persons’ organization. After his work in Kazakhstan, Perry returned to the University of Michigan and graduated with a JD/MBA while serving as Director of the UM Social Venture Fund, leading investments in mission-driven, high-growth start-ups, with a particular focus on Detroit. Currently he is a Co-Chair of the JDC Entwine Steering Committee and on JDC’s Board of Directors, extending his passion about global Jewish community since traveling to Bulgaria in 1999. Perry also serves as the Impact Finance Fellow at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, supporting investment funds, family offices, and early stage companies looking to achieve intentional social and environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. He serves as President of Detroit Nation, building networks to explore new ways to connect Detroit expats to the city. Perry is a 2013 Ariene de Rothschild Fellow and a member of the ROI Community.
OS Special Topics Courses: Faculty and Student Perspectives
Special Topics courses in Organizational Studies continue to provide students and faculty with the opportunity to explore new specialties. During the past year, OS offered four new special topics classes. During the fall, Arnold Ho and a group of students explored The Psychology of Prejudice and Inequality in Organizations and Elizabeth Armstrong taught Law, Organizations, Movements, and the Media: Investigating University Responses to Sexual Assault on Campus. During the winter, Adjunct Lecturer David Sweetman examined Strategic Change through Managing Human Resources and Steve Garcia introduced Organizations and Marketing. These courses are sought after by our students for different reasons. They provide an opportunity to learn about a more specialized organizational topic and allow our OS students to connect with one another as a community of scholars in a more intimate class setting. They also allow our faculty a chance to get to know the current students better and to inspire them more directly in their academic (and sometimes post-academic!) pursuits.
See what our students and faculty are saying about a couple of these courses!
Law, Organizations, Movements, and the Media: Investigating University Responses to Sexual Assault on Campus
I taught OS 495 “ Law, Organizations, Movements, and the Media: Investigating University Responses to Sexual Assault on Campus” for the first time Fall 2015. While some of the subject matter is difficult, teaching the course was enormously gratifying. This subject integrates my interests in institutional change, social movements, higher education, gender, and sexuality in the context of a social problem that I care deeply about. I think I learned as much as the students in the class. We had guest speakers from all over campus come to class to talk about various aspects of the way that the University responds to sexual violence. Students worked together in groups to delve deeply into various aspects of the problem -from Greek life to the University police. I hope to have some students next fall who haven’t thought much about sexual violence or education, as the course offers tools to think about institutional change broadly. I appreciate a diversity of perspectives. - Professor Elizabeth Armstrong
Investigating Sexual Assault on Campus was, hands-down, one of the most interesting courses I have taken at the University of Michigan. Whether the issue of sexual assault is personal to you or not, it is fascinating to study from an organizational lens. Because of its urgency and relevance in society as a whole, we were able to take theoretical conversations and apply them to real-world examples that were surfacing in real-time on college campuses across the country. The class discussions were dynamic, challenging, and eye-opening so it made for an excellent seminar. I learned so much from this course and discovered the depth of my passion for advocating for women’s issues and consent education; the lessons will stick with me forever! - Alyssa Setting (OS ‘16)
OS 495 was enlightening on a number of fronts and I am very appreciative that I had the opportunity to take this class. Professor Armstrong’s class was a well-timed answer to many current discussions surrounding sexual
assault on college campuses. This is one of a select few classes I have taken at university where I left feeling wellinformed about every aspect of this issue. I now feel I have all the information necessary to debate this issue and to reference effective alterations that could be made in higher education to address this issue. The case studies we discussed, essays, and presentations from guest speakers were all extremely valuable in shaping my understanding of the context of this issue and what we can do as students (and perhaps future administrators) to reduce rates of sexual assault on college campuses and to ensure the fairness of the trial/response process to reported cases of sexual assault. This was a great class!
- Linda Fisher (OS ‘16)
the surrounding interview process, a capstone action plan to relate course materials to a personally-meaningful goal, in-depth class discussions, and more. We bridged theory to real-world application, providing effective peer feedback throughout the semester, and creating a positive classroom atmosphere that was very conducive to learning and exemplified the concepts being taught. - Adjunct Lecturer David Sweetman
Strategic Change through Managing Human Resources
One of the most critical success factors for organizations is the ability to implement strategically important change. Change of any magnitude is an inherently social process. Grounded in organizational behavior research and theory, this course provided practical understanding and skills to manage human resources in the context of strategic change. Topics included thinking strategically, culture, job analysis and design, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and incremental and transformational approaches to change. The course included case studies, activities to create a job description and
Strategic Change through Managing Human Resources was one of my favorite OS courses. I gained a thorough understanding of HR and was able to apply the material throughout my job search. Furthermore, the course was very interactive and I enjoyed learning about my classmates.Julia Kortberg (OS ‘16)
By Sara Soderstrom
OS 410: Advanced Research Methods in Organizational Studies is one of my favorite courses to teach because I love this opportunity to facilitate student research projects. This hands-on course focuses on the use of social science field research methods to study organizational adaptation, problem solving, and change. Students learn by doing. Conducting organizational research from start to finish – from finding a focal organization, to collecting interview, observational and survey data, to analyzing the data and communicating the findings.
When class starts in September, no one knows what organizations will be chosen for projects. As the team members get to know each other they brainstorm potential focal organizations. Teams then develop their research questions and negotiate access to their target organizations. For some teams, the first organizations they ask agree to partner with them. For other teams, access doesn’t develop as quickly or easily and we brainstorm other options and/or revise project scope. Regardless of how the teams start, all of the teams end with really interesting projects, developing insights and recommendations based on the data they collect and solidifying their understanding of organizational concepts and theories and how to apply these to help improve organizations.
In fall 2015, 10 student teams focused their projects on a diverse group of organizations around Ann Arbor. From university groups to small businesses, teams developed unique insights over the course of their semester.
Two teams focused on newer restaurants in the Ann Arbor area. One studied how employee empowerment at The Lunch Room contributed to employee commitment to their work. They found that social bonds with the owners and coworkers supported empowerment, and raised the important question of how the owners can maintain this if they decide to grow. Another team looked at the factors that drove customer attraction and retention at Salads UP. They found current promotions were not framed effectively to motivate customers’ repeat purchases. They also found Salads UP was challenged by the paradox of choice – too much choice overwhelmed customers. The team thus recommended revisions for the menu and promotions to better align with customer preferences.
One team studied a new business on Main Street in Ann Arbor - Shinola. Shinola is headquartered in Detroit and the team found Shinola’s embedded Detroit brand in the company’s story was a fundamental distinguisher from other brands. While they found that the Detroit brand is a motivating factor for customers to purchase, their work showed product quality is actually more important for customers. Thus, they recommended Shinola emphasize the quality of their products in addition to their Detroit story.
Many teams decided to focus on organizations that specifically support University of Michigan students. One group explored engagement patterns and motivations for students to become involved with Michigan Hillel. They found that throughout college, student engagement in Hillel declines while overall engagement in the Jewish community increases. Engagement was driven by relationshipbased and community-based factors. Therefore, they recommended that Hillel target and retain underclassmen and encourage engagement through activities that build a sense of community.
Another team focused on TechArb, a program that supports student entrepreneurs. They focused on how teams’ different motivations (intrinsic vs. extrinsic) for starting their businesses affect level of personal engagement with the company and well-being and life balance within the company. They found that extrinsically motivated individuals have a greater interest in their own personal development while intrinsically motivated individuals have a greater interest in general company development. Intrinsically motivated individuals reported lower levels of balance, between their startup work and other aspects of their lives, however. This team’s recommendations focused on how TechArb can better select ventures to engage with company development as well as better support entrepreneurs with life balance and wellness skills.
Many teams engaged with issues of importance to the U-M student community. One focused on Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), an organization on campus that provides students with access to mental health care, and specifically their new initiative, “Leaders at their Best,” to promote positive psychology practices. They found students were generally not aware of this program, and recommended more promotion, targeting certain groups that would be more receptive to this topic, and increased effectiveness of promotional material.
Five of our OS seniors focused on the University of Michigan Career Center (UMCC) and whether it is meeting the needs and expectations of LSA students. They found that while students were generally satisfied with UMCC, satisfaction was greater for students in Ross or Engineering who used their collegespecific career centers. Additionally, they found that many LSA students were not aware of the career center, and therefore not using it. Thus, they developed recommendations to improve awareness of the UMCC and strengthen the offerings.
Another team focused on how training of residential staff could be improved to better support students living in residential halls. Based on their analysis, they recommended smaller, interactive trainings to increase interest in training and retention of information. They further advised that more training time should be spent in individual buildings — both to prepare new members for building-specific responsibilities and to encourage more bonding between building members.
A group of OS seniors brought their own interests in community engagement in their project to explore the positive and negative effects of making a service-learning course graded. They found no decline in satisfaction and motivation for students between credit/no-credit and letter graded semesters. However, even though instructional staff felt the grading helped to legitimize the class, they struggled with differentiating student effort with grades. Thus, the team developed recommendations to better support instructors as they worked to support students’ learning through service while also differentiating students through grades.
Last, but not least, we had one team study the OS program itself. They explored how the internal perception of the OS program is affected by the group cohesiveness and embeddedness of OS students. They found that for the average OS student greater cohesiveness and embeddedness in the program was related to higher satisfaction. They also found that while a strong community is positively perceived as being an essential attraction to and perceived strength of the OS program, the social network amongst students is not as strong as perceived by the community. The average OS junior is not known by 69% of their junior classmates and the average OS senior is not known by about 41% of their senior classmates. Rather than the OS community consisting of one large network, where everyone knows each other, it seems that instead most students have built strong ties with around 5-7 OS students and weak ties to others in the program.
Honors Research
The Organizational Studies Honors Program is designed to enable OS students to gain experience in the design, implementation, and analysis of research on organizations and organizational behavior. Honors students collaborate directly with a faculty mentor to complete an original research project. For students with strong academic records and an interest in research, the honors program serves as a capstone for their undergraduate studies and as important preparation for graduate studies or other future endeavors.
On April 19, 2016, Organizational Studies hosted its annual Honors Symposium. This year, five honors students formally presented their research to fellow students, faculty, staff, and family.
Jacob Gustaveson “From the Tabernacle to the Bloggernacle: Institutional Isomorphism, Ordain Women, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”
Mentor: Michael Heaney, Organizational Studies
Jessica Hasper — “Theological Praxis: Creative Faith and Doctrinal Belief in Puritan Congregationalism and a Corporate Megachurch”
Mentor: Mariah Zeisberg, Political Science
Zoë Miller “Understanding Blameworthiness and Treating Juvenile Violence”
Aubrey O’Neal “Network-Based Development Through a Non-Governmental Organization: A Case Study of Empowering Women in Rural India”
Mentor: Michael Heaney, Organizational Studies
Paul Vicinanza — “Identity-Constrained Isomorphism: An Integrated Model of Organizational Mimicry”
Mentor: Mark Mizruchi, Organizational Studies and Sociology
Left to Right: Jessica Hasper, Jacob Gustaveson, Aubrey O’Neal, Prof. Michael Heaney (OS Honors Coordinator), Zoë Miller, Paul Vicinanza
Awards and Recognitons
OS has had much to celebrate in 2015-2016! Our OS community has been making a difference on many fronts, and in many cases being recognized for our efforts.
Professor Michael Heaney’s 2015 book Party in the Street, has been designated as one of the ‘Top 25 Books’ for 2015 by Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries.
The 2016 Psychology Faculty Diversity Research Award went to Professor Arnold Ho, who was recognized for his paper, “The Nature of Social Dominance Orientation: Theorizing and Measuring Preferences for Intergroup Inequality Using the New SDO7 Scale.”
Jessica Hasper (OS ‘16) received the LSA Honors Program’s Virginia Voss Award for exceptional writing in an Honors thesis.
Gary King (OS ‘16) won 2nd place in the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority’s Black Male Highlight awards in November.
Nathan Novaria (OS ‘16) received special recognition in April for his contributions to the Greek Life Diversity & Inclusion Task Force.
Alyssa Setting (OS ‘16) received the Michigan Difference Student Leader “Social Justice” Award in March.
Florence Rivkin (OS ‘17) was featured on the Alumni Association webpage for the blog she wrote while studying abroad in Havana, Cuba and wrote an article for the NY Times about President Obama’s visit.
Nadia Weeks (OS ‘16) was picked to be an LSA Dean Ambassador.
Fourteen members of the OS ‘16 class were inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society.
Congratulations to OS staff members Denise Yekulis for 20 years of service and to Cathy Philbin for 30 years of service with U-M. Cathy also won an LSA Staff Spotlight Award.
Melissa Eljamal was recognized as a 2016 finalist for the Robin Sarris Outstanding Individual Employee Award.
Michael Heaney
Jessica Hasper
Nathan Novaria
Florence Rivkin
Denise Yekulis and Cathy Philbin
Arnold Ho
Gary King
Alyssa Setting
Nadia Weeks
Melissa Eljamal
Organizational Studies Class of 2016
Lejla Bajgoric
Casey Baltimore
Keegan Beljanski
Kendall Berry
Erron Boykin
Ashley Byykkonen
Carren Cheng
Lauren Dahar
Shoshana Engelson
Jason Fike
Linda Grace Fisher
Karly Forman
Matthew Frederick
Sherilyn Gould
Jacob Gustaveson+
Danica Harris
Jessica Hasper+
Elana Horwitz
Caitlin Janquart
Xinru Jiang*
Emily Kaplan
Jacob Kennelly
Trevor Kim*
Allison Kobrick
Yael Kornfeld
Julia Kortberg
Mandy Kreisberg*
Jun
Erin Lennon
Sheng (Dylan) Lim
Jiaqi Mai*
Haider Malik
Jordyn Migdal
Zoe Miller+
Krista Moussavi
Nathan Novaria
OS GRADUATES FOURTEENTH CLASS OF STUDENTS
Aubrey O’Neal+ Harshana Perera*
Olivia Rath
Madison Romney
Yumeng Rong*
Alyssa Setting
Matan Skolnik
Zoe Van Dyke
Paul Vicinanza+
Micalah Webster
Nadia Weeks
Yanshuo Yang
Kei Shan Yuen*
Morgan Zander
*December 2015 Graduate +OS Honors Graduate
On April 29, 2016, families and friends gathered in Kraus Auditorium to applaud the achievements of the class of 2016. After a welcome by Director Mark Mizruchi, keynote speaker Teresa Sebastian, Founder, President and CEO, The Dominion Asset Group, addressed the Class of 2016. Kendall Berry served as student speaker for the ceremony.
The Organizational Studies Program also recognized OS community members with special awards:
• Jacob Gustaveson was recognized as the Lansing Leader-Scholar recipient for demonstrating academic excellence in the classroom and leadership qualities in Organizational Studies and the broader U-M community.
• Nadia Weeks won the Suzanne Jones OS Spirit Award for her role in fostering a strong community within OS.
• Micalah Webster received the Jordan Harris Social Justice Award. This award was established to recognize a graduating senior whose academic and extra-curricular work suggest exceptional potential to make a significant contribution to the pursuit of social justice in one or more areas.
We congratulate our Organizational Studies graduates and wish them well for the future!
Nicole Howard
It has been a very exciting year for the Barger Leadership Institute. Julia Spears has joined the Institute as Assistant Director. We have developed new programs including an integrated series of workshops we call the Leadership Labs and a new capstone project experience. Even more exciting, the BLI has been engaged in a comprehensive strategic planning process. This intense period of self study and visioning has led us to a five-year plan that, if approved, will allow the BLI to realize its full potential as a college and campus-wide program dedicated to helping undergraduates learn how to be better leaders through rich, faculty-guided experiences. As we take our next steps, we will become an independent unit in the College of LSA. It is with both excitement and some sadness that we share with you this, our last update in the Organizational Studies newsletter. Please look for more information on BLI as we enter the next phase of our development HERE. - Director Jason Owen Smith
GIFTS AND PLEDGES TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES PROGRAM from 5/1/15 to 4/30/16
We deeply appreciate the gifts and pledges made this year by our donors. Gifts made this year have helped to secure the existence of the Program by sustaining the Director’s Strategic Fund. Gifts provided many internship and study abroad opportunities; other gifts made the difference in helping students in need or honoring those who have demonstrated leadership. Donations from alumni and friends of the program provide funding for numerous talks and workshops, and help to fund graduation and other community-building events between students and alumni. The Program could not offer any of these exciting opportunities for students without the generosity and support of our donors. Thank you!
Aetna Foundation
Katherine L. Balzer
Jonathan A. Berger
David Blumenfeld
Broadridge Financial Solutions
Grace A. Chen
Wendy S. Dahar
Deloitte Foundation
Eva S. Demeter
Daniel R. Denison
Douglas R. DeSchutter
Sara A. Eidelman
Rebecca J. Eisen
Frederic M. Friedman
GE Foundation
Dana S. Gorodetsky
Susan P. Green
Allison C. Green
Kathleen K. Hope
Heath S. Izenson
Paul A. Johnson
Shoichi Kohatsu
Laura J. Kray
Andrew J. Lansing
Tim S. Lindow
Adam S. Mesh
Brendan T. Nedzi
Cynthia L. Persky
Kelly S. Reinhardt
Andrew C. Richner
John C. Robertson
Ruth Hillary Rosenfeld
James E. Salliotte
Evan Schwartzberg
Teresa M. Sebastian
Arielle Shanker
Frances B. Siegler
Daniel M. Strauss
Julie B. Teicher
The Malkin Families
Robin S. Tryloff
Katherine M. Van Dusen
LeAnne A. Wintrode
Jeffrey A. Wojcik
Zachary Lainer Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
This word cloud was generated from the responses of the class of 2016 to a survey question about the number one strength of the OS program.
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT
The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional Equity, and Title IX/Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Office for Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, 734-763-0235, TTY 734-647-1388, institutional.equity@umich.edu. For other University of Michigan information call 734-764-1817.
