Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Students

The Business of Being a Husky: Why Join a Michigan Tech Club or Organization?

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Members of the Michigan Tech chapter of the American Marketing Association
Photo of Mary Stevens, MTU student
Blog author Mary Stevens is a Michigan Tech marketing major and student ambassador

Michigan Tech has more than 200 registered student organizations and clubs to choose from. Getting involved in a variety of these groups across campus has helped me find my home at Tech. During my first semester, I decided I wanted to be a part of Greek Life and joined Delta Phi Epsilon, an international sorority based on the values of justice, sisterhood, and love. One element I really appreciate about my sorority (and Greek Life in general) is the emphasis on community service. I’ve had opportunities to volunteer and truly make a difference in our community that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’ve also found a support network within the sorority, and the alumni relations are a huge benefit when looking for jobs and internships.

I’m also a part of the American Marketing Association (AMA) at Michigan Tech, a faculty-led student org, which is open to students of all majors. The goal of AMA is to prepare Huskies for the professional business world through education and practical experience, including on-campus marketing campaigns, Google Analytics projects, and business skills competitions. The American Marketing Association provides networking opportunities, too. I’ve had the chance to meet leaders in business from all walks of life, most of whom went to MTU themselves. It’s inspiring to hear their success stories, as well as get to know them on a personal level.

My professional circle has expanded exponentially because of my involvement with the American Marketing Association. 

Mary Stevens, Michigan Tech marketing student

In addition to Delta Phi Epsilon and the American Marketing Association, I play in the renowned Huskies Pep Band. Along with the social opportunities at school events and sports games, students involved with Pep Band and other musical organizations are able to use their talents to audition for more exclusive scholarships. We also get to be at almost every athletic event to support our teams. What I love most about Pep Band is the camaraderie. Everyone was friendly and welcoming the moment I walked through the door, and I’m always excited to see my Pep Band friends on and off campus. 

Overall, there are hundreds of reasons to join an MTU club or organization. From community service and an everlasting support network, to learning practical skills and supporting your fellow Huskies, each organization has something special and unique to offer. When you join a club, it can lead to so much more than just a few activities on weekends. It can lead to you meeting your future best friends or landing a scholarship to help pay for school, and, of course, finding your home at Michigan Tech. 

Every fall, American Marketing Association advisor, Dr. Junhong Min, pictured far right, travels with students to a marketing competition and career fair.

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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Faculty-Led Study Abroad Returns for 2023

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Group of students in orange vests pose during a plant tour
Beck’s Brewery tour in Bremen, Germany

A group of Michigan Tech students participated in an inaugural faculty-led study abroad trip to Germany over the summer. Ulrich Schmelzle, assistant professor of supply chain and operations management in the Michigan Tech College of Business, led a group of eight Huskies to his hometown of Hamburg. This once-in-a-lifetime tour will have a positive impact on students’ future careers, and will return as a study abroad option for summer 2023.

“One of the objectives of the Germany experience is to prepare students for careers in a globalized and interconnected business environment,” says Schmelzle, who has two decades of international industry experience in semiconductor and aerospace fields. Increasingly, recruiters emphasize the need for students to develop intercultural skills and awareness about different business etiquette when dealing with business partners across the globe. 

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Business Students Earn First, Third, and Audience Favorite in Idea Pitch Competition

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Students winners of the Idea Pitch Competition pose with certificates.
Winners of the Idea Pitch Competition representing the Michigan Tech College of Business—Alex Bos (second from left); Asia Motta (third from left); and Noel Kamdem-Tegue (third from right)

Congratulations to Idea Pitch Competition winners representing the Michigan Tech College of Business (COB): In first place—Anastasia (Asia) Motta with The Droplet; in third place—Alex Bos with The SELF Couch; and the audience-favorite—Noel Kamdem-Tegue with Black Earth Rising, a food truck.

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Tech Student Entrepreneur Advances in Global Pitch Competition

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MTU student Ali Dabas and Rourke Sylvain posing with a large check
Rourke Sylvain, pictured right, earlier this year with fellow Tech student, Ali Dabas.

From an applicant pool of 600 students, Rourke Sylvain, president of Michigan Tech’s chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO), is among the 100 participants selected to compete in the 39th Annual Global Pitch Competition hosted by the University of Tampa. Over the next month, Rourke, who is a graduate student pursuing biomedical engineering, will create a four-phase online investor pitch deck—the problem, the solution, a business model, and a video pitch.

Twenty semifinalists will move on to present their ideas live at the Global Conference in Chicago, Illinois, to be held October 28-30. The highly selective conference and competition promises to “Frame Your Future” with an assembly of some of the brightest minds in collegiate entrepreneurship.

Founded in 1983, CEO has a global network of more than 250 college and university chapters, and supports and inspires the growth and development of students seeking to be entrepreneurial. Michigan Tech’s chapter of CEO was established last year, and the environment in the College of Business (COB) is rich for tech-savvy innovation.

“Rourke’s opportunity is a reflection of the advancements we can make when STEM intersects with business.”

Jon Leinonen, COB faculty member who advises CEO at Tech

Rourke is advancing Integrated Molecular Innovations LLC, an enterprise centered on his research on electrochemical biosensors. His end goal is to develop a device that can remotely monitor thyroid hormones in patients. According to Rourke’s research, more than 3 million people are diagnosed with hypothyroidism every year. Many lived with symptoms for years pre-diagnosis, and most don’t find a stable medication regimen for another year or more. He says the current testing protocol requires patients to travel to a medical provider’s office or a central clinical laboratory every few months to have blood drawn and tested. Rourke’s device will allow for home testing, resulting in a richer data set for physicians and faster diagnosis and symptom relief.

MTU student Rourke standing near podium
Rourke aims to improve the wellbeing of people living with hypothyroidism.

Rourke’s pitch must include value proposition, customer discovery, product-market fit, investment requirements, and customer pain points. Much of his entrepreneurial training has come through his participation in Husky Innovate, a series of events, workshops, and resources designed to guide students through key phases of innovation and business development.

MTU student Rourke on stage pitching his enterprise
Through his involvement in Husky Innovate, Rourke has already gained pitching experience and success on campus and beyond.

Earlier this year, Rourke saw significant success when he was selected to pitch during TCNewTech’s University Showcase, part of Michigan Tech’s Grand Traverse region initiative. During Central Michigan University’s New Venture Competition, Rouke and fellow biomedical engineering student Ali Dabas earned second place in the “High-Tech, High-Growth” category, with a prize of $5,000 in seed money. 

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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