Given the love Husky Nation has for documentation and data, it should come as no surprise that students are jumping at a new opportunity to put their tabulation skills to the test through the Excel Club at Michigan Tech.
The club was founded in January 2026 by Jodie Dompier, assistant teaching professor of accounting information systems in the Michigan Tech College of Business. Dompier was inspired by attending the Microsoft Excel World Championship as a spectator and the company’s The Active Cell training camp. Dompier, the 2026 College of Business Teacher of the Year, enjoyed the camaraderie surrounding the competition and wanted to bring that learning modality and community spirit to campus. “Learning Excel through gaming is much more fun than going through a certification manual,” she said.
Rylan Feierabend and Nick LaValley, among the first to join the club last spring semester, competed in the 2026 Microsoft Excel Collegiate Challenge (MECC) weekend online battles. They also attended the regional competition in Orlando, Florida. Feierabend placed third and LaValley came in 16th from among more than 100 students from five universities.
LaValley, who graduated in spring 2026 with his bachelor’s degree in finance and is pursuing a career as a financial advisor, said joining the club made sense because Excel can be challenging to self-learn.
“I personally struggled with knowing where to start and finding the motivation to practice consistently. Excel Club provided me with both, while also gamifying the learning experience,” he said. The added layer of competition was a definite draw. “Personally, I live for competition, so it was great to get out there and spend a few hours completely focused on doing my best at something,” he said.
Feierabend, an engineering management major, is returning to the Club this year after a summer internship at Polaris as a quality engineering intern.
Feierabend joined Excel Club to become more proficient with functions and shortcuts and apply what he learned to his work. “The field of operations involves a strong focus on Microsoft Office tools, specifically Excel,” he said. “I decided to compete for fun one day, and it turned out I wasn’t too bad at it. It is super geeky, but yes, that’s MTU for you. It’s like a puzzle, just using formulas and tables, and who knows what else. There are also always several ways to solve the problems, so it’s fun to see how everyone goes about it differently.”
Feirabend says he’s no pro and credits doing his research—using files from older competitions to practice—helped him do “pretty well,” expanding a personal “dictionary” of formulas that he felt confident using to extract data. “Also, using Excel in industry with my first internship and again at Polaris quite a bit this summer has helped me learn even more tools I hope to apply this upcoming year,” he said.
LaValley, whose goals include earning his Certified Financial Planner credentials and opening his own financial firm, said the skills he learned through Excel Club put him far ahead of the average user.
“If you’re interested in pursuing investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, accounting, or any career that relies heavily on Excel, completing MECC badges will strengthen your resume and give you invaluable practical skills that you’ll use throughout your career,” he said. “It’s genuinely one of the best things I got involved in at Michigan Tech. I hope to see the club grow!”
He encourages Huskies to not be intimidated by competition but to step through the doors that participating can open.
“If Tech ever gives you the opportunity to travel somewhere and represent the school, 100 percent take it,” he said. “These opportunities only come around so many times during your time at Tech, so you should take advantage of them whenever you can.”
Club member and management information systems major Lexi Boutilier hasn’t tried competition yet, but plans to give it a go this year. She said participating in Excel Club has helped her develop and strengthen new skills that are directly applicable to her academic and professional development. She’s discovered ways to organize the data she works with more concisely and has also noticed that she’s able to solve problems faster.
“Learning new Excel skills involves patience. You really put your mind to the test. You have to be willing to go out of your comfort zone and complete tasks that you might not get right on the first try,” she said. “Excel is a great skill set to have on your resume. It teaches you soft skills like teamwork and communication, and improves your overall efficiency.”
Boutilier said she had a blast watching Feierabend and LaValley practice for their events, working against the clock with time-limited challenges.
“They were so fast—and it was interesting to watch them problem-solve in real time,” she said. “I think anyone interested in esports or problem-solving games would really enjoy the club. But there’s also non-competitive aspects that will appeal to people who want a more chill vibe. Our Excel lessons are great practice for classes like BUS2300 or if you just want to brush up on your Excel skills to show off to employers!”
Boutilier is the club’s social media manager. She encourages Huskies across campus to follow @mtu_excelclub on Instagram and check out MTU Snapchat stories for updates on how to get involved.
“I’m excited to continue learning new skills in Excel,” Boutilier said. “It truly is a geeky pastime that I adore—and I think others would like it just as much!”
About the College of Business
The Michigan Tech College of Business prepares tomorrow’s business professionals through STEM-infused, AACSB-accredited degree programs and minors. The college offers nine bachelor of science programs in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing; and four master of science programs in accounting and analytics, applied natural resource economics, engineering management, and the TechMBA®.
Questions? Contact us at business@mtu.edu. Follow the College of Business on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.