Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Awards

MTU’s DECA Soared at State Conference

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SGroup DECA 2016tudents from Michigan Tech’s chapter of Distributive Educational Clubs of America (DECA) attended the State Career Development Conference over spring break. The competition has three different types     of events which include case studies, business simulations, and prepared events. The students are given thirty minutes to an hour to prepare the event depending on the type, and then present their findings to judges who grade them based on specific performance indicators. For the business simulations and case studies, no outside materials are allowed. The competition is designed to take the knowledge students learn inside the classroom and apply it to real world problems. The judges are professionals from that specific area meaning that the judge typically works for a firm within that industry and/or holds certifications which makes them competent to judge the event. This year, eleven members from Michigan Tech attended the conference, and nine qualified for the International Career Development Conference. Ken Arndt placed third in the corporate finance event, and Cassandra Barry (pictured below) placed first in the accounting event. In Michigan Tech’s chapter of DECA, placing first in any event had only occurred three times, once when the chapter was established, and twice in 2013.

 

C Barry DECA

 

 

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Two Michigan Tech Teams Win New Venture Competition

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Two student teams from Michigan Tech each brought home $10,000 or more in venture funding from the New Venture Competition at Central Michigan University last weekend.

Superior Filament, led by Cedric Kennedy, Aubrey Woern and Jos Krugh, brought home a $10,000 Best Technology Award, as well as another $1,000 for Best Pitch and the $250 Audience Choice Award.

The student-run company is developing filment for 3-D printers from recycled plastics to support growth in the 3-D printing industry while reducing environmental impact.

We Inspire, led by Arick Davis, won the $10,00 Korson Family Highest Growth Potential Award. We Inspire is developing an online system and community to help students make informed career choices by connecting them with profiles and feedback from practicing professionals.

Two other Michigan Tech teams participated in the annual entrepreneurial competition. TRU is developing a big data solution with proprietary algorithms to help performance athletes optimize performance through informed nutritional and dietary supplement choices.

Huskies 4 Hire is connecting students looking for short-term employment opportunities with community members seeking temporary employees.

The Pavlis Honors College helped sponsor the event financially.  The student teams received support from Michigan Tech’s Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship, the School of Business and Economics and the MTEC SMartZone..

Story written by Jenn Donovan in Tech Today – Tuesday, April 12 2016

To read more, check out senior electrical engineering major, Arick Davis’ LinkedIn post.

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VITA wins Tech’s Exceptional Program of the Year

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Outstanding students, staff and a special alumna were honored on Friday, April 17th at Michigan Tech’s 21st Annual Student Leadership Awards Ceremony. The event’s keynote speaker was also the winner of, perhaps, the most prestigious award presented. Britta Jost, ’02, ’04 received the 2015 Outstanding Young Alumna Award. Jost is senior engineer in large structures design engineering for Caterpillar. In her remarks, Jost recalled the changes that have occurred since her days as a student, most of them in technology and social media.

“Back then, if a speaker looked out and saw the audience looking down, she would have thought they were bored or disinterested,” she said. “Now I know you’re posting my remarks on Twitter.”

Jost said the most important aspects of a Michigan Tech education have not changed since her time here a decade and half ago.

Perhaps the most prestigious undergraduate award, the Presidents Award for Leadership, was presented to Kim D’Augustino, a double major in Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. President Glenn Mroz cited D’Augustino’s numerous accomplishments including serving as vice president of the biomedical engineering society, mentoring students through the Wahtera Center and the ExSEL program and acting as event coordinator at the recent, highly-successful, campus Relay For Life.

Dallas Linville, was the recipient of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Advancement Award for Service, Nate Peterson received the Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance Award, the Exceptional Enthusiasm as Student Leader Award was presented to Luke Dalton and the Student Employee of the Year was awarded to Taylor Driscoll.

The Rising Star of the Year, presented to a first or second year student showing great potential for leadership, was awarded to Keagan Fortier. Britta Anderson was named Outstanding Future Alumnus or Alumna. The award is presented to a student already living the Alumni Association’s motto of “Celebrating Traditions, Creating Connections.”

Other awards handed out included:

Exceptional Program of the Year: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

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Members of VITA present their award for Exception Program of the Year alongside their advisor, Anne Warrington

 

Most Improved Student Organization: Mu Beta Psi

Exceptional Community Service Project: Society of Women Engineers, Homecoming Spirit Sprint

Claire M. Donovan Award: Susan Liebau, Director of the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success

Student Organization of the Year: Broomball Committee

Student Organization Advisor of the Year: Jeremiah Bauman, Broomball Committee

The Provost’s Award for Scholarship was selected from the Departmental Scholars. This year’s recipient was Melissa Michaelson, Departmental Scholar from Social Sciences.

Award recipients who received their awards at previous ceremonies were also recognized. They include:
Percy Julian Award: Taylor Driscoll
Exceptional Graduate Student Leader: Abhilash Kantamneni
Exceptional Graduate Student Scholar: Xu Yang
Outstanding Graduate Mentor: Dr. Gregory Odegard
Greek Man of the Year: Jonathan Iafrate
Greek Woman of the Year: Erica Morley

 

This article was originally written by Mary Wilcox and posted in the April 22, 2015 edition of Tech Today.

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MIS student achieves Capital One Academic All-District First-Team honors

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BG_KwangMichigan Tech women’s tennis player Kwang Suthijindawong (Bangkok, Thailand) has earned Capital One Academic All-District First-Team honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Suthijindawong was selected as one of 13 female Division II student-athletes from the Midwest Region in the at-large category, which includes the sports of bowling, fencing, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, tennis, hockey, rifle, skiing, swimming and tennis.

Tech’s No. 1 singles player, Suthijindawong was named the Huskies’ first GLIAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year last fall after a 12-0 league singles record. The junior completed her third perfect season in GLIAC singles (36-0). She posted a 17-1 overall record in singles, falling in the championship match of the ITA Midwest Regional singles draw. Suthijindawong and partner Sandra Cvetanovic posted 15 wins in doubles on their way to becoming the ITA Midwest Regional Doubles Champions—the first in school history.

In the classroom, Suthijindawong owns a 3.57 cumulative grade point average in management information systems.

Suthijindawong is eligible for Academic All-America recognition, which will be announced June. 10.

 

This article was written by Wes Frahm, director of media relations, athletics. It was originally posted in Tech Today on May 15, 2015.

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THE Project: SBE works to make higher education more affordable in MI

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rsz_1the_project_2015_2For the 4th year in a row, Michigan Tech placed second in THE Project’s 2015 competition on April 13. The event was held at the Pinnacle Center in Grand Rapids, MI and included 15 teams from the State of Michigan. The competing students were asked to prepare a variety of deliverables to reduce the cost of higher education in the state of Michigan.

Michigan Tech had 2 teams both receiving recognition and awards. Michigan Tech’s Team A received the highest presentation score in their division. The students of Team A consist of:

  • Helen Richards, majoring in Engineering Management
  • Arissara (Kwang) Suthijindawong, double major in MIS and OSM
  • Cody Waffle, majoring in Engineering Management

Michigan Tech Team B placed second overall and received the highest score in their division. The students of Team B consist of:

  • Taylor Auguston, majoring in Management with a concentration in Supply ChainTHE Project 2015
  • Kareem Fayssa, majoring in Operations Systems and Management
  • Frances Kallio, majoring in Operations Systems and Management
  • Dylan Whittaker, majoring in Operations systems and Management

Both teams worked over the course of the two semesters to prepare for their deliverables and final presentations. With guidance from Dr. Dana Johnson the students all received valuable knowledge and project management skills that can be utilized as they move forward with their careers. Kallio expressed “It was the greatest experience of my college career. Not only did my presentation and public speaking improve, but my team work, leadership and communication skills grew beyond belief.”

Members of both teams improved their understanding of project management concepts along with gaining confidence in their ability to apply them to a real world experience. Fayssa noted that he now intends to pursue a career in project management and will often reflect on his experience with THE Project 2015.

 

This article was written by Frances Kallio.

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