Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Alumni

College of Business Celebrates Academic Year Achievements at Awards Ceremony

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Eight students stand smiling with framed awards certificates at the annual College of Business ceremony and banquet in the Rozsa Center at Michigan Tech. Behind them, faculty, staff, alumni, and student attendees stand and sit at tables in the lobby, mingling.
The College of Business recognized outstanding students in each of our degree programs as well as the overall student of the year. From left are winners Jaylen Body, marketing; Morgan Carilli, accounting; Leiland Leiter finance and Outstanding Student in Business; Jakob Christiansen, construction management; Ryan Miller, Outstanding Student in Business; Skyler Spitzley, management; Ethan Semenchuk, engineering management; and Max Schramm, management information systems.
New members of Beta Gamma Sigma were inducted at the College’s annual awards ceremony.
Students smile with their honor cords, along with chapter advisor Jonathan Leinonen.

Students, faculty, staff, distinguished alumni, and industry advisors came together at the end of spring semester for the second annual College of Business Student Awards program. Highlights included the induction of students into the Michigan Tech Chapter of the international business honor society Beta Gamma Sigma and recognition of an outstanding student in each degree program, along with presenting the Outstanding Student in Business and Teacher of the Year awards. Here’s a look at the winners and what nominators had to say about their accomplishments:

Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society for AACSB-accredited schools. AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, is a professional organization founded in 1916 to provide accreditation to business schools that meet standards of excellence in education.

To see who qualified for the honor, joining the ranks of what honor society advisor Jonathan Leinonen described as “the best of the best,” access the full list of Beta Gamma Sigma inductees and members.

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Business Alumni Connect With Current Huskies at Winter Carnival

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A group of people gather in a conference room in the Michigan Tech College of Business to talk about careers and college studies while enjoying pizza.
Huskies enjoyed pizza and conversation in the College of Business as alumni shared their experiences and expertise with students. (Image credit: Jodie Filpus-Paakola)

If anyone needs proof that Winter Carnival brings the Husky family together, they need look no further than the College of Business. Students had a career-forward chance to kick off their Carnival weekend with an alumni panel on Friday. And on Saturday, a pair of management information systems scholarship recipients and the donors who made it possible met up at the MTU Huskies hockey game.

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Retired College of Business Lecturer Paul Aho Passes Away

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Michigan Technological University’s College of Business honors the memory of Paul Aho, a faculty member dedicated to student success.

The College of Business is saddened to announce that long-time College of Business faculty member Paul Aho passed away November 2 at age 71. Aho served as a lecturer in management information systems from 1987 until his retirement in 2006.

In 1978, Aho completed a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in information systems at Michigan Tech, then working in the accounting industry for several years. Later, he a earned a master’s degree in economics from DePaul University.

“Paul was a great inspiration to me as an undergraduate,” said Adam Mitteer ’03 ’17, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Management and a master’s in Data Science at Michigan Tech. “Taking his classes changed the course of how I looked at technology and really academia in general. It was a pleasure to get to know Paul through clubs, as a TA (teaching assistant) for his class, and taking many of his courses.”

Mitteer said Aho also served as a mentor to students through his connections to industry and University alumni, always helping students find the best path for pursuing fulfilling careers.

Read Aho’s full obituary.

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COB Alum Appointed CFO of Fox Cities Performing Arts Center

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Sharon Pickering-Polzin who earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting in 1993, has been appointed the chief financial officer of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. Her appointment to the role was covered by Fox Cities Chamber and Broadway World.

According to media releases, Pickering-Polzin will leverage her expertise in non-profit accounting and strategic planning and her passion for people to drive organizational success and make a meaningful impact within the community. The releases noted that her educational background complements her extensive career dedicated to the non-profit sector, including significant roles with the YMCA of the Fox Cities and the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes.

Congratulations, Sharon!

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Alumna Offered Houghton County Administrator Position

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Following candidate interviews for the Houghton County administrator position on October 16, the county board voted to offer the job to current county finance director Chelsea Rheault. Rheault, ’22, earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting in the Michigan Tech College of Business. In an article in the Daily Mining Gazette, Rheault was praised for her strong financial management skills and her contributions over the past three years

Congratulations, Chelsea!

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