Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Author: Shannon Rinkinen

Elham Asgari Selected for Deans’ Teaching Showcase

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Elham (Ellie) Asgari, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship, poses in the library
Elham Asgari

Dean Johnson, dean of the Michigan Tech College of Business (COB), has selected Elham (Ellie) Asgari, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship, as the featured instructor this week in the Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

Asgari will be recognized at an end-of-term luncheon with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the next CTL Instructional Award Series.

Asgari is being recognized for innovative in-class teaching methods including a crowdfunding campaign where students gauge interest for their start-ups while simultaneously attracting resources; using customer discovery to help students assess start-up potential; connecting students with MTEC SmartZone mentors; advising students in writing SBIR/STTR proposals to attract funding; and working one-to-one with students preparing them for regional and global investment pitches.

“Dr. Asgari brings the role of Gates Professorship in Entrepreneurship and Innovation to life in and out of the classroom. The above-and-beyond effort mentoring students preparing for dozens of pitch competitions is apparent in the results—students earning top awards and prize dollars,” said Johnson.

“The above-and-beyond effort mentoring students preparing for dozens of pitch competitions is apparent in the results—students earning top awards and prize dollars.”

Dean Johnson, dean, Michigan Tech College of Business

From e-pitch opportunities to on-campus traditions like the Bob Mark Business Model Competition to Central Michigan University’s New Venture Competition, Asgari’s work supporting entrepreneurially minded students has resulted in renewed motivation among students, helping them make positive impacts in the campus community and around the world.

Asgari offers the Social Impact Award as part of the Bob Mark event, recognizing students’ societal impacts. In addition, a portion of Asgari’s professorship funding is directed toward sponsoring the New Venture Competition awards, bringing goodwill and collaboration to the University.

Mentoring students in I-Corps workshops and guiding them in applying for I-Corps National Science Foundation grants is also a priority for Asgari. The process assesses market potential of new technological developments and has been successfully awarded to an MTU student.

New to campus is the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO), a student organization which Asgari serves as an advisor and supports students to attend the CEO Global Conference, where one Husky made it to the top 25 of 600 applicants. In 2022, Asgari also helped launch and execute COB’s Summer Youth Program—”Be Your Own Boss.”

For her impact with hands-on entrepreneurial education at Michigan Tech and beyond, the College of Business is honored to recognize Elham Asgari in the Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

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Business Huskies Honored for Academics

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Volleyball player makes a pass
College of Business student-athlete Carissa Beyer executes a pass.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced the All-Academic and All-Academic Excellence Teams for the Fall 2022 semester. A total of 140 Michigan Tech student-athletes earned recognition with 94 Huskies on the All-Academic Excellence Team and 46 on the All-Academic Team.

Criteria states that the student-athlete must be an active member on the roster at the end of the season, not a first-year or a first-year transfer student. GLIAC All-Academic teams are comprised of those student-athletes that meet the criteria and carry a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0-3.49. GLIAC Academic Excellence teams are comprised of student-athletes that have a cumulative GPA of 3.50-4.0.

All-Academic and All-Academic Excellence Teams representing the Michigan Tech College of Business:

Men’s Cross Country Academic All-Excellence 

  • Clayton Sayen, Gr., Master of Business Administration, 3.87, Houghton, Mich./Houghton

Football Academic All-Excellence 

  • Gabe Frontuto, Jr., Master of Business Administration, 3.66, Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco
  • Collin Hicks, R-Fr., Finance, 3.67, Marquette, Mich./Marquette Senior
  • Patrick Kastner, R-Fr., Accounting, 3.51, Elmhurst, Ill./York Community
  • Louis Thom, Sr., Engineering Management, 3.88, Leonard, Mich./Romeo
  • Owen Watson, So., Engineering Management, 3.79, Otsego, Mich./Otsego

Football All-Academic

  • Will Ark, Sr., Master of Business Administration, 3.12, Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon
  • Hunter Beuchel, So., Finance, 3.06, Lake Mills, Wis./Lake Mills
  • Steele Fortress, Jr., Construction Management, 3.25, Spring Arbor, Mich./Parma Western
  • Kolby Hindenach, R-Fr., Construction Management, 3.39, Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw
  • Brady Ingbretson, So., Finance, 3.30, Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa
  • Kevin Lee, Sr., Business Administration, 3.16, Warren, Mich./De La Salle Collegiate
  • Will Marano, Jr., Management, 3.25, Dearborn, Mich./Edsel Ford
  • Liam McDonough, So., Engineering Management, 3.31, Green Bay, Wis./West DePere
  • Jacob Newman, So., Finance, 3.23, South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon
  • Bryce Pietrantonio, R-Fr., Construction Management, 3.31, Kingsford, Mich./Iron Mountain
  • Brendan Stephens, R-Fr., Construction Management, 3.30, Trenton, Mich./Allen Park
  • Connor Worthington, So., Construction Management, 3.30, Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven
  • Scout Wunder, Sr., Construction Management, 3.44, Escanaba, Mich./Escanaba

Soccer Academic All-Excellence

  • Julia Pietila, So., Marketing, 3.96, Hartland, Mich./Hartland
  • Alicia Shatrau, Gr., Accounting, 3.62, Brighton, Mich./Brighton

Volleyball Academic All-Excellence 

  • Carissa Beyer, Sr., 3.54, Finance, Appleton, Wis./Appleton North

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

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Give Back to the Pack Giving Challenge is February 8-10

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Give Back to the Pack graphic

Mush! Hike! All Right! Let’s Go! Give Back to the Pack is a 48-hour giving challenge taking place over Winter Carnival (Feb. 8-10). Huskies from around the country and world will unite to make an impact in the lives of our current and future students. Funds big or small will directly impact student experiences and scholarships.

Celebrate Winter Carnival 2023 from wherever you are and Give Back to the Pack

You can play a special role in the effort by serving as a College of Business Give-Back Ambassador. You already know how critical the College of Business (COB) is to Michigan Tech, so we need you to spread the word to your network. Your role as ambassador is to actively generate excitement about giving back to the College of Business via your social platforms and digital avenues, like text messages. Become an ambassador today by entering your email to this website, and you will receive your Ambassador Toolkit: https://giveback.mtu.edu/

“College of Business students make me so proud! How can I not give back to the community that made me so successful?”

Marie Cleveland ’82

Multiply your impact with these matching opportunities sponsored by generous College of Business donors:

College of Business Leadership Scholarship Challenge

Bob ’66 and Suzi Tripp will generously support the COB Leadership Scholarship. For every five donors, an additional $5,000 will be unlocked up to a total of $25,000.

College of Business Starter Match x 2

Mary ’73 and Kerry ’72 Irons will generously match up to $2,500 for Michigan Tech’s College of Business.

College of Business Match x 2

Marie ’82 and Mike ’82 Cleveland will match up to $10,000—funds will support Michigan tech business students through the following opportunities: Sam B. Tidwell Learning Center, student entrepreneurship, student marketing research, the Management Information Systems (MIS) fund, the Applied Portfolio Management Program (APMP) fund, and the student economic outlook project.

College of Business Match x 2

Support the greatest needs of the College of Business—Dan ’90 and Anne-Marie Batten will match up to $5,000.

View COB’s Give Back to the Pack website.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

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2023 Bob Mark Business Model Pitch Competition Winners

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Three students stand with certificates

By Eugene Brown Agyei (Husky Innovate), Shannon Rinkinen (COB)

On Jan. 19, eleven Michigan Technological University students across disciplines pitched their business models to a panel of judges comprised of faculty and business professionals. In it’s sixteenth year, the business pitch competition is a tribute to the late College of Business Professor of Practice Bob Mark and helps nurture Michigan Tech’s entrepreneurial spirit. The tradition is a highlight of Innovation Week activities.

In the end, Bayle Golden (master’s in engineering management) emerged as the top award winner with SafeROW, a startup focused on solving child abductions. Golden also earned the Social Impact Award, sponsored by Elham Asgari, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship in the College of Business.

Presenting Tall and Small Designs, an innovation for finding the right clothing fit, was Jordan Craven (management information systems), who earned second prize as well as Audience Favorite and Breakout Innovation Award, sponsored by the MTEC SmartZone and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Third prize went to Asia Motta (engineering management) with the Droplet, a device to keep houseplants alive.

Ideas spanning health, education, and sustainable power generation were also pitched by Huskies.

Business Model Awards

Presented by the College of Business with thanks to sponsors Rick and Jo Berquist, and Dan and Jane Green for sponsoring the Audience Favorite award.

  • First Prize—Bayle Golden with SafeROW ($2,000)
  • Second Prize—Jordan Craven with Tall and Small Designs ($1,000)
  • Third Prize—Asia Motta with The Droplet ($500)
  • Honorable Mention—Rehab (Ruby) Alhajjar with The Water Solution ($250)
  • Audience Favorite—Jordan Craven with Tall and Small Designs ($250)

Social Impact Award

Sponsored and presented by Gates Professor Elham Asgari, College of Business.

  • Winner—Bayle Golden with SafeROW ($1,000)

Breakout Innovation Award

Presented by Patrick Visser, chief commercial officer, MTEC SmartZone.
Sponsored by MTEC SmartZone and Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

  • Winner—Jordan Craven with Tall and Small Designs ($1,000)

Special Thanks

Special thanks to those who dedicated time and resources to make the competition a success.

Sponsors:

  • Dean Johnson, dean, College of Business
  • Elham Asgari, Gates Professor, College of Business
  • Rick and Jo Berquist
  • Dan and Jane Green
  • MTEC SmartZone and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Judges:

  • Jay Meldrum, executive director, Keweenaw Research Center; MTU liaison to the Grand Traverse Area
  • Eric Roberts, MTU alumnus; executive director, 20Fathoms
  • Elham Asgari, Gates Professor, College of Business
  • Dan Green, MTU alumnus and entrepreneur; principal, BlackFin Group
  • Adrienne Minerick, professor of chemical engineering; affiliated professor of biomedical engineering; president, American Society for Engineering Education
  • Patrick Visser, chief commercialization officer, MTEC SmartZone
  • Michael Cleveland, P.E. and MTU alumnus; mentor in residence at Michigan Tech
  • Lawrence W. Staley, MTU alumnus; director of engineering (retired 2019), Parker Hannifin Corporation

Visit the Husky Innovate Events page for upcoming opportunities.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

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Huskies Win at Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge

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Winners of the Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge pose with their checks
Jordan Craven (bottom, center) and Rourke (top, left)

By Jessie Stapleton, Shannon Rinkinen

On Friday, November 11, four Huskies representing three teams pitched their business ideas at Michigan State University during the Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge (MCSC), competing for more than $12,000 in cash prizes. MCSC is Michigan’s university-level business model competition specifically designed for student entrepreneurs across the state. The second-annual MCSC, sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, fosters entrepreneurship by encouraging commercialization of ideas.

Twenty semifinalists representing nine schools pitched their ideas, including the following Michigan Tech teams:

Craven took first place, winning $5,000, for Tall and Small Designs, a retailer software service providing form-fitting mockups of online clothing products for consumers. Sylvain, of Integrated Molecular Innovations, an electrochemical biosensor for at-home detection of T4 thyroid levels, earned fourth place, netting $1,000.

Students spent the first portion of the day pitching their ideas to judges. Ten startups were selected to move to the finalist showcase round.

Hosted by Michigan State, the pitch competition was a collaboration between Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, Mid-Michigan College, Northern Michigan University, and Wayne State University.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

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