In a quiet computer lab in the basement of Michigan Tech’s Academic Office Building, an important learning opportunity is taking place that has immediate, real-world consequences. College of Business students stationed at their laptops are huddled with community members, cheerfully and efficiently tackling the complexities of tax filing. There’s a low hum of conversation as they work through W-2s and 1099s, using official Internal Revenue Service (IRS) software.
Three new faculty members joined the Michigan Tech College of Business this academic year. Their expertise spanning business analytics, leadership, accounting, and taxation, enhances our programs and creates opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration within the College and across campus.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Tech Today, submitted by the Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning.
Dean Johnson, dean of the College of Business (COB), has selected Laura Sieders as featured instructor in the Deans’ Teaching Showcase. Sieders, the Ed and Betty Robinson Faculty Fellow in Accounting, is being recognized for her outstanding work in making students feel comfortable in the classroom while learning challenging material. She will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other spring showcase members and is a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.
Nearly 50 College of Business (COB) students marked a major milestone in their lives on Saturday as Michigan Tech staged its 2024 Midyear Commencement ceremony. In the lineup section reserved for graduating business students, four accounting majors were the first to arrive—a fact that surprised none of them.
“I mean, we are accountants,” said Jason Pleau. For Pleau and his fellow accounting graduates, the job opportunities are as predictable as their purported tendency to arrive prepared and on time. The accounting program has a 92 percent job placement rate.
“Once you have your degree, what you can do is pretty broad. You can choose your niche,” said Pleau, who will begin his career at Schneider National, working in internal audit.
Second-generation family businesses play a crucial role in family-owned enterprises’ stability and growth. As highlighted in the Harvard Business Review, the second generation can make or break a family business’s future. While they inherit a legacy, they also face extraordinary challenges, such as managing relationships, implementing changes, and establishing their own identity. Research from the Smith Family Business Initiative at Cornell emphasizes that only about 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation. This brings to focus the importance of effective succession planning. Second-generation family business leaders can create a lasting and prosperous tradition by leveraging their inherited wisdom and adapting to market changes.
As a native Michigander, Ivy Stoller was born in downstate Lowell and made the trip up north to Houghton to pursue her education. Ivy graduated from Michigan Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, concentrating in data analytics, in the spring of 2023. During her time at MTU, Ivy was active in various clubs and student organizations. She participated in Kappa Sigma Iota (KSI Accounting Club) and was a member of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program helping with tax returns for fellow MTU students and local community members. Additionally, Ivy was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an honor society for business students. Beyond academic achievements, Ivy cherished her time at Michigan Tech as a period of personal growth and building lifelong friendships.
Ivy’s family owns a business called Heidi’s Farmstand & Bakery located on 30 acres in southern Lowell. The family farm was founded in 1949 with many functions: raising cattle, running a dairy operation, and growing corn, soybeans, and wheat. Its business operations were started in 2006 by Ivy’s parents in collaboration with her mom’s brother. Later in 2007, the business was sold to Ivy’s twin uncles. Now, since Ivy has graduated, the family plans on changing it to a joint venture between the uncles, Ivy, and at least one of her siblings.