Tag: Michigan Technological University

Career Success in Economics: Q&A with Jerrid Burdue

Photo of four people including Jerrid Burdue, Debbie Stabenow, Dean Johnson, Emanual Oliveira
During Jerrid’s tenure at Michigan Tech, he had a chance to present to policymakers in Washington about ideas for the future of retirement. From L to R: Jerrid Burdue, Senator (MI) Debbie Stabenow, Dean Johnson, Emanual Oliveira

Niles, Michigan, native Jerrid Burdue, a 2017 Michigan Tech economics graduate, shares about his outside-of-class involvement instilled confidence to secure a rewarding full-time position.

Career Success in Economics: Q&A with Brianna Turunen ’17

Brianna and colleagues at Career Fair
Back on home turf, Brianna (left) recruits with RS&H colleagues at Michigan Tech’s Career Fair (Image courtesy Brianna Turunen/RS&H)

Brianna (Koski) Turunen, from L’Anse, Michigan, graduated in 2017 from Michigan Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She is the operations lead for civil engineering firm RS&H’s East region.

Second-Gen Involvement = Sweet Success(ion) for Family Business

strawberries
Following a bountiful strawberry season, Heidi’s will bring sweet cherries and blueberries to market. (Image courtesy Heidi’s Farmstand and Bakery)

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. 

Ivy Stoller in front of Husky statue
Ivy Stoller ’23 celebrates earning her Michigan Tech degree. (Image courtesy Ivy Stoller)

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. 

Research Q&A with Elham Asgari

Elham Asgari
Asgari is an assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship at Michigan Tech.

Elham (Ellie) Asgari, the Charles C. and John G. Gates Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is at the leading edge of entrepreneurship research, studying the formula of success in this high-stakes sector of business. Last month, Dr. Asgari was selected as a recipient of the Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning Instructional Award for Innovative or Out-of-Class Teaching. Asgari’s selection was based on her innovative teaching strategies, including use of crowdfunding campaigns to help Huskies gauge startup interest, and working with students individually to help them prepare for regional and global investment pitches. During the 2022-23 academic year, Michigan Tech student teams collected $67,000 in pitch prize money.

Jenny Apriesnig Earns Research Award for Collaborations Impacting Region and World

Jenny Apriesnig
In addition to her research, Dr. Jenny Apriesnig serves as the Collegiate DECA advisor on campus.

The 2022-23 Michigan Tech College of Business (COB) Research Award has been presented to Jenny Apriesnig, natural resource economist and assistant professor of economics.

Apriesnig’s research evaluates natural resource allocation issues of regional economies, i.e., how firms and consumers respond to changes in the availability of natural resources or natural resource policy. She was selected as the award recipient by her COB colleagues.