Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Economics Graduate Accepted into top 100 Law School

Published May 16, 2012

Coleman Segal to attend McGeorge School of Law.

The School of Business and Economics wants to congratulate Coleman Segal for his acceptance into the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. We’re so proud!

Despite being accepted to UC Berkeley out of high school, Segal chose to pursue his undergraduate degree at Michigan Tech. After visiting his Aunt and Uncle in the Houghton as a child, he has always loved the area. The wild, beautiful surroundings, the opportunity to participate in the vibrant folk music scene, and the impressive academic reputation were all factors in his decision to come to Tech.

After researching universities, he learned of the Economics program at Michigan Tech. Economics interested Segal in high school because it can be applied to so many different aspects of life. Segal said, “The study of economics is in large part an effort to understand the mechanics of a functioning society, and so it relates to many different fields. It also provides a good background for law school, which I have planned to attend since high school.”

Segal is a California native and will soon return to his home state to pursue his law degree from one of the top 100 Law Schools in the nation. Applying and being accepted to five law schools –Marquette University in Milwaukee, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, and Albany Law School– Segal selected the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and will begin classes next fall. In addition to their impressive reputation, Segal said he chose McGeorge School of Law based on their location in Sacramento, California. He finds the area interesting as a center of government, with multiple courthouses at different levels in the immediate area.

Crediting his experiences with extracurricular activities such as the iOMe Challenge and the Pavlis Institute for advancing his goals of attending law school, Segal noted that Michigan Tech prepared him well for continuing his education. Mastering skills such as writing and researching papers, in many different subjects, have been instrumental for the pursuit of his law degree.

Woods Receives Distinguished Teaching Award

Published May 15, 2012

By

Faculty and Staff

MTU School of Business and Economics Roger Woods — Roger Woods Receives Distinguished Teaching Award

“Office hours” are an elastic concept for Michigan Tech’s 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award winners.

Roger Woods, a lecturer in the School of Business and Economics, received the award in the assistant professor/professor of practice/lecturer category. He also synchronizes his schedule to his students.’

“I’m on IM from 8 to 10 p.m.,” he said. “That’s when they are doing homework. When they get stuck, I help them get unstuck.”

Woods came to Michigan Tech in spring 2003. The former IBM manager and engineer teaches Quantitative Problem Solving and is an instructor in the Business Development Experience, the School’s equivalent of Senior Design. He also has taught a variety of other courses, including project management, operations management and entrepreneurship.

Students polled in his Quantitative Problem Solving class wrote, “He never lets a student fall behind if the student is putting their 100 percent effort into the course”; “He makes a difficult class enjoyable and gives us plenty of opportunities to get help”; and “He is the BEST teacher that I have ever had, period. Of all the schools I have ever been to, he is the most helpful teacher and the most excited about his job. He creates energy so that this class will never be boring and keeps us busy.”

How does he inspire such enthusiasm? “I think it’s access,” Woods said. “I don’t expect them to learn everything from a book or from a lecture. It’s going to take some exploring; when they explore, they sometimes need help, and that doesn’t happen on my schedule.” He also makes a special effort to tailor the material for his students. “It’s important to think of your audience.”

One of the best things about teaching, he said, is watching a student experience the “aha!” moment that may serve them later in their careers. “I want them to walk away with confidence that they can learn, not just regurgitate information,” he said. “Someday they will be in the workplace, without a professor, and I want them to apply these lessons so that ultimately they will do their job better.”

“I challenge them, I make them think,” Woods added. “If they are willing to respond by thinking, then they get it, and that’s rewarding to them. And I enjoy interacting with those students who have that desire to learn.”

Just reading a textbook won’t cut it. “Word gets out: don’t miss class,” he said.

Occasionally, students let him know his efforts have paid off after they leave the University for the corporate world. “I get emails back saying, ‘I did what you told me, and I was a star.'”

“It’s no surprise” that Woods has been honored for his teaching, said Tom Merz, associate dean of the School. “Roger has a great rapport with younger people,” he said. “It’s a cliche, but it’s still true: he deeply cares about younger people, and he gets a lot of gratification watching them work hard and succeed. Plus, he has a sense of his audience, who he is communicating with, so he can reach them.”

His students agree. Wrote one, “When I tell people that I’m in BUS2300, people say ‘Is Woods still teaching that? I loved that guy.'”

Originally published in Tech Today by Marcia Goodrich, magazine editor.

Students Take Bloomberg Aptitude Test

Published May 14, 2012

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While most students had already left Houghton in the rearview following five days of finals, 22 School of Business and Economics students gathered for yet one more exam. The Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT) was developed in collaboration with financial professionals, recruiters, and academics to uncover knowledge and skills relevant for a financial career.

“Bloomberg already provided students with Bloomberg Certification in the use of the Bloomberg terminal. Now Bloomberg has strengthed its commitment to students achievement through the BAT,” said James and Dolores Trethewey APMP Professor Dean Johnson. “The BAT allows Bloomberg to bring prospective employers together with skilled investment students.”

Over thirty five thousand people around the world have completed this proctored exam, specifically designed for people who are interested in working with investments. The 165-question exam covers topics ranging from financial statement analysis to portfolio management, ethics, and logic in a three-hour period.

Brent Halonen, a 2011-2012 member of the Applied Portfolio Management Program achieved a notable accomplishment by placing among the top 525 (1.5%) test takers. “The BAT is was a good opportunity to show the world what we learned in school in a unbiased environment,” said Brent. “I think my results reflect the strength of APMP and the educational opportunity that it represents.”

Congratulations to Brent and the rest of the test takers.

Klippel Named Dean of School of Business and Economics

Published May 14, 2012

By

Faculty and Staff

The School of Business and Economics welcomes back Dr. Gene Klippel as the new Dean.

Gene Klippel has been named dean of Michigan Tech’s School of Business and Economics. He will take over the position on July 1. Klippel replaces Darrell Radson, who left the University in May.

Klippel knows the campus and community, having served as dean of the School from 1994 to 2003. While at Michigan Tech, he led the School to accreditation by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International).

“He was consistently the top-ranked candidate in the pool, given his extensive experience at the dean level at a number of universities, his familiarity with AACSB accreditation, and his professionalism,” said Sonia Goltz, professor and chair of the search committee. “We look forward to Dr. Klippel leading the School of Business and Economics as we further advance our programs and scholarship.”

“Dr. Klippel’s strong leadership and communication skills will be vital in achieving the School’s mission,” said Dean Johnson, James and Delores Trethewey Professor in the School. “We look forward to him building relationships with the Michigan Tech community and alumni.”

Previously, Klippel was the founding dean of the College of Management at the University of Wisconsin, Stout and dean of the College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana.

Before joining Michigan Tech in 1994, he was a member of the faculty in the College of Business Administration at West Virginia University, where he was designated a distinguished professor and holder of the Kmart Chair in Marketing.

He also has held faculty appointments at the University of Florida, the University of South Florida and the Harvard Graduate School of Business.

Klippel has conducted extensive research and scholarship in the field of marketing. Further, he has served as a member of the editorial review board of the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Marketing Management.

In addition to his academic background, Klippel’s experience includes corporate marketing staff assignments with Ford Motor Company and Cummins Engine Company, as well as president of Market Research of Florida and vice president, consumer research, Management Horizons Inc., formerly a division of Pricewaterhouse/Coopers.

Klippel has also served as an independent consultant to numerous Fortune 500 companies, including Drexel Heritage Furniture, Westinghouse and Caterpillar and Caterpillar-Australia.

He received his PhD in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in marketing from the University of Cincinnati.

A Michigan Tech Education Pays Off

Published May 8, 2012

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News

Michigan Tech graduates know the value of their education.

Is a college education a good investment?

No question about it, according to a report just issued by the website PayScale.com. In its 2012 Return on Investment (ROI) rankings, PayScale reports that a bachelor’s degree from Michigan Tech can be expected to yield more than $450,000 over a high school diploma in 30 years.

Michigan Tech placed 102nd among 850 US colleges and universities ranked in PayScale’s latest ROI report. According to the report, a Michigan Tech bachelor’s degree provides a return on investment of 9.6 to 11.1 percent.

“You would have a difficult time getting 11 percent every year going forward in the stock market without taking on a lot of risk,” said President Glenn Mroz. “And this is an investment people make in themselves that pays dividends beyond a simple ROI, since it affects a person’s quality of life and that of their family, often for generations.”

The ROI report also compared the cost of a degree at each of the colleges and universities ranked. It reports that a degree from Michigan Tech costs an average of $103,200, including tuition, fees, room and board, and books and supplies, with 91 percent of students receiving financial aid. At the top 10 schools on PayScale’s ROI list–all private–a degree costs between $203,500 and $212,900.

“The top of the list is dominated by expensive private schools and public universities with a strong STEM focus, demonstrating the value of STEM degrees,” Mroz pointed out.

Graduate School Dean Jackie Huntoon agreed. “I think this is a more rational ranking than the US News report, since it is based less on other academics’ perceptions and more on student outcomes,” she said.

(This article was written by Jennifer Donovan, Director of Public Relations, and was orignially posted in Tech Tody).