Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Apply Now for the Spring Break 2020 Michigan Tech Silicon Valley Experience

Published December 18, 2019

Aspiring student entrepreneurs and innovators are invited to apply for the Michigan Technological University Silicon Valley Experience, an immersive tour during spring break 2020 of California Bay Area companies that includes meetings with entrepreneurs and Michigan Tech alumni who are leaders in their field. The deadline to apply for the experience co-hosted by Husky Innovate, a collaboration between the Pavlis Honors College, the College of Business, and the Office of Innovation and Commercialization, is February 10, 2020.

student standing in Facebook headquarters

Silicon Valley is known for its technology breakthroughs, high-tech startups, innovative companies, and Fortune 1000 companies. Its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem including culture, policies, talent, resources, and networks serve as inspiration for students.

The Silicon Valley Experience will showcase multiple perspectives of a day-in-the-life of successful entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, and business leaders. This tour will provide an interactive opportunity for students to discover more about a variety of industry settings, to sample various innovative corporate cultures through tours and presentations, and to meet and talk with successful alumni entrepreneurs.

Up to 15 students will be guaranteed a slot on the trip. Lodging, ground transportation to and from toured companies, and some food will be covered. Students will be responsible for arranging and paying for their own air travel. Students who have a demonstrated financial need can apply for a limited travel scholarship.

Students who apply and are accepted will have the opportunity to:

Tour companies like Google, Netflix, Hewlett Packard, Facebook, Ford, Clari, BYTON, Twilio, Autodesk, Waymo, the Porter Vineyard, as well as recent Michigan Tech-alumnus startup company Handshake
Meet with entrepreneurs and innovators
Talk with Michigan Tech alumni who are leaders in their field
Get answers to your real-world business, innovation, and leadership questions
Gain firsthand knowledge of the enterprises that are revolutionizing global business

As part of the application, students will create a two-minute video describing how they will share their experience with the Michigan Tech community upon completion of their travel in order to positively contribute to our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Apple here: SVE Experience 2020 Application.

Major funding for the trip is provided by the 14 Floors alumni group.

Tech’s Accounting Major Among Top in State

Published November 22, 2019

By Shannon Rinkinen

Prospective students looking for a top accounting program can look no further than Michigan Tech, whose program ranks number three in the state among four-year public colleges and universities according to newly released rankings by College Factual. Only Michigan State and Hope College rank higher on its list.

Michigan Tech accounting has achieved this ranking two years in a row.

Two students in learning center

Dean Johnson, dean of the College of Business, says it’s our focus on technology in addition to attentive faculty that offer superior outcomes for Husky accounting graduates.

“The accounting field is being driven by technology and a demand for data management. Our grads are uniquely prepared for high-level, high-tech careers in accounting because of our nimble curriculum led by professors who care.”

See College Factual’s 2020 Best Accounting Schools in Michigan list here.

They Can See Clearly Now: Couple Donates Washer Fluid for Student Travelers

Published November 21, 2019

By Shannon Rinkinen

By Mark Wilcox, University Marketing and Communications

Roger Woods (engineering management faculty) and Teresa Woods (Math) often travel during the holidays. For a while now the Woods have been looking for a way to make a donation related to residential life, when the idea of helping students traveling home for the holidays came to mind.

“In our various Thanksgiving and Christmas travels we have always gone through gallons of washer fluid heading downstate or to Wisconsin,” Roger Woods says. “We recognize that most Tech students do the same but may not have factored washer fluid into their plans. We came up with the idea of donating cases of washer fluid to the residence halls for whomever needs it.”

The Woods reached out to Auto Value of Houghton which sold them 100 gallons of washer fluid at cost. The washer fluid will be available beginning today at the desks of each residence hall.

Joseph Cooper, director of Student Financial Services, is also interim director of Residence Education and Housing Services. He applauds the Woods for their creative donation. “Many of us have been in the predicament where we’re struggling to get to the next gas station to fill up on washer fluid. This is an incredibly generous idea and we appreciate Roger and Teresa supporting our students in this unique way.”

Gallon bottles of washer fluid are available for students on a first-come, first-served basis along with a wish for safe travels from the folks who donated them. “From your fellow road trippers, R & T Woods — Be safe.”

Preparing for a Future-Proof Career: My Experience at the Global Leadership Summit

Published November 12, 2019

By Shannon Rinkinen

By Jennifer Carolan, accounting student

As part of Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS), the honor society that represents the top five percent of the top 10 percent of AACSB-accredited business schools, I recently attended the 2019 Global Leadership Summit in Chicago. The event had many networking opportunities and included recruiters from Geico and KPMG (a top accounting organization), as well as amazing speakers and 400 other students from all around the globe. Throughout the conference, I made many connections to concepts I am familiar with thanks to my business classes at Michigan Technological University.

Student stands in front of pull-up banner at conference — Students in Beta Gamma Sigma are recognized by employers as being the “best in business”

The Future of Work panel highlighted how with artificial intelligence (AI), it is important to have specialized skills and to rapidly adapt to technology. This is the perfect takeaway for me as a Michigan Tech student because Tech is giving me the tools to work with technology and to specialize with a data analytics concentration.

During the trip, I became familiar with the Clifton Strengths test from one of the speakers. The Clifton Strengths test helps identify four key categories of strengths to better understand how people perform. The test provides self-awareness and helps understand how people with different skill sets work together, which is one of the skills that won’t lose value in the future and is something we spend a lot of time on in our Team Dynamics business class.

Another reference to my classes was ethics. Ethics is a part of many of my courses at Michigan Tech and for good reason; I learned that 83 percent of people experience an ethical dilemma in the first two years of employment, and everyone does at some point in their career. One of the speakers taught the RAISE (Recognize, Analyze, Identify, Select, Execute) model to combat unethical situations. It is important to follow through to the end when combating unethical situations, even if it isn’t easy. I plan to take this advice to properly handle unethical situations in my future career. It feels good knowing I have a plan for difficult situations I might encounter.

One of Michigan Tech’s core values–tenacity–was emphasized by a speaker. They defined it as a mathematical equation: skill plus achievement plus effort. Michigan Tech students certainly have tenacity and it is an asset that won’t go away anytime soon. The speaker also mentioned the importance of self-awareness and communication, because the future of work will require soft skills no matter how technologically advanced the world becomes.

Lastly, a recurring theme throughout the whole event was life-long learning. Dean Johnson, dean of the School of Business and Economics, also believes it’s the right mindset to have in business. It was noted that being a life-long learner is not just about continuing your education, but that it could also be specializing with certificates, learning new technologies, and simply being willing to adapt to our changing world.

Careers of tomorrow won’t look like they do today, and preparing myself for the changing world is an important step.

Student stands in front of Beta Gamma Sigma pull-up banner at conference. — Students in Beta Gamma Sigma are recognized by employers as being the “best in business.”

New Scholarship Targets Non-Resident Business Students

Published October 15, 2019

By Shannon Rinkinen

The National Business Scholars Program provides $20,000 per year to incoming students in the School of Business and Economics who are from outside the state of Michigan or from international countries.

As part of an initiative to expand the School of Business and Economics by providing greater access, Michigan Technological University launched a new scholarship program for students from outside the state of Michigan—including international students—who are considering attending Michigan Tech in fall 2020 for an eligible business or management major.

“Around the world, business ranks as the most-pursued college major. We’re excited to offer this new opportunity to serious business students who see the advantage of studying at a technological university,” says Dean Johnson, dean of the School of Business and Economics.

Renewable for four years, the National Business Scholars Award, which is automatically awarded, is valued at an unprecedented $80,000. The program was piloted last December and officially launched in September.

“In many cases for students in Wisconsin and Minnesota, we are the closest accredited business school with a technology focus—the key to a successful career in today’s business world,” Johnson adds.

Majors included in the program are accounting, construction management, economics; engineering management, finance, general business option, management, management information systems and marketing. In addition to National Business Scholars award funding, recipients have the opportunity to earn additional aid based on results from student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Learn more about the National Business Scholars Program.