ROSS YEARBOOK: A Pictorial of the 2017-2018 Academic Year
A Year at Ross Please enjoy this book of memories from the 2017-2018 Academic Year at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. As the song says: "It was a very good year." Many thanks to everyone who helped to make it all possible and who celebrated each others' successes along the way. Together, we are Victors for Ross, Victors for the World.
NOTE: This gift book encompasses but a sampling of innumerous accomplishments, activities, and success stories from the year.
FALL 2017
MBA Impact Challenge Good eats and lifelong leadership lessons were in abundance at the Michigan Ross Impact Challenge for FullTime MBA students August 13-17, 2017. First-year MBAs worked with Detroit entrepreneurs to tackle challenges facing their growing food-based businesses. The program, which is offered through Ross' Sanger Leadership Center, teaches students to lead, collaborate, and produce viable business strategies in high-pressure situations.
Ross Welcomes New Faculty Members Michigan Ross welcomed six tenure and tenure-track faculty members this year, including a PhD alumnus and a former senior economist from the Council of Economic Advisers. Five of the six professors are women, which is the largest group of women to fill tenure and tenuretrack positions at Michigan Ross in the last 10 years. New faculty members, clockwise from top left: Gwen Yu, Shima Nassiri, John Silberholz, Nirupama Rau, Julia Lee, and Charleeen Case.
MAcc Profiles in Leadership During the 2017 Fall Semester, 12 Master of Accounting (MAcc) students embarked on a one-day challenge to develop a leadership course for students at Detroit's Cornerstone Leadership & Business private high school. The winning team received a $3,000 scholarship and had their plan developed into a course at Cornerstone. This firstever program was part of a Profiles in Leadership course, a collaboration between Ross' MAcc Program, the Sanger Leadership Center, Deloitte, and Cornerstone.
BBA Recruiting Kickoff Just weeks into the academic year, undergraduate students gathered in the Davidson Winter Garden to get a head start on career searching at the BBA Recruitment Kickoff on September 7, 2017. Held annually, this informal event offers students a low-pressure opportunity to introduce themselves to leading companies and make connections that can result in internships and longterm careers.
The Joseph and Sally Handleman Lecture Series with Daniel Pink Renowned author Daniel Pink took the stage at Hill Auditorium on September 12, 2017 to discuss the skills people need to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work. Pink's talk was the 2017 entry in the Joseph and Sally Handleman Lecture Series, which is Michigan Ross' premiere showcase for C-suite executives and influential thinkers.
Svetlich Professorship Celebration Michigan Ross Professor Ravi M. Anupundi was appointed to the Colonel William G. & Ann C. Svetlich Professorship of Operations Research & Management, which was established at Ross in 2016 with a gift from the late Colonel William G. Svetlich, MBA '60. Prof. Anupundi celebrated with three generations of the Svetlich family at a special event at Ross on September 8, 2017.
Dana Muir Named Top Undergraduate Professor It takes amazing instructors to teach the leaders and best. Dana Muir, who is wellknown at Michigan Ross for her challenging and inspiring teaching style, was honored with a spot on Poets & Quants' Top 40 Undergraduate Professors List, which was published on September 18, 2017. Muir is the Robert L. Dixon Collegiate Professor of Business and the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Business Law.
Erb Institute Kudos The Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, established in 1996 with funding from Frederick Erb (UM BBA '47) and his wife, Barbara, is a partnership between the Ross School of Business and U-M's School for Environment & Sustainability. Through research, teaching and business engagement, the institute aims to create a sustainable world through the power of business. In October 2017, BusinessBecause recognized Erb's dualdegree program as a Top Seven MBA program for careers in CleanTech.
Nobel Laureate Talks Global Poverty Solutions In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan welcomed Nobel Laureate Sir Angus Deaton to Michigan Ross for a discussion on October 5, 2017 about the role that NGOs, governments, and the private sector should play in poverty alleviation. Among other points, Deaton argued that freer markets, globalization, and technical change have been vital to the drastic reduction in global poverty over the last 30 years.
The Michigan Sport Business Conference The Michigan Sport Business Conference, held at Michigan Ross on October 6, 2017, paid heed to the everincreasing role that technology plays in the sports industry. The conference attracted hundreds of professionals from top companies in sports management, media, and entertainment. Highlights included a session on connecting with digital consumers led by execs from Twitter, Gatorade, and the NFL, as well as the first-ever Tech Showcase.
Och Initiative Chicago Trek The Och Initiative for Women in Finance brought a group of BBA students to the Windy City for an inside look at how Finance operates in global hubs. During the trek, which took place October 13-15, 2017, students visited companies such William Blair, Lincoln International, Goldman Sachs, and PepsiCo. By engaging undergraduate students in treks and other programming, the Och Initiative is encouraging and empowering women to pursue leadership careers in Financial Services.
Tozzi Center Celebration Michigan Ross celebrated the renovated John R. Tozzi Electronic Business & Finance Center on October 28, 2017 with a champagne-toast ceremony hosted by Scott DeRue, the Edward J. Frey Dean of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Made possible by John R. Tozzi, MBA '67, the Center offers advanced financial research tools and is one of the largest academic trading floors in the nation. The Tozzi Center is a powerful and unparalleled resource for Ross students and faculty.
Homecoming Tailgate Michigan Ross welcomed home more than 500 Wolverines for a fun-filled tailgate celebration preceding the football game against Rutgers on October 28, 2017.
Globally Engaged Students During the 2017-2018 Academic Year, nearly 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students at Michigan Ross pursued business courses, consulting projects, internships, service learning, and exchange programs in more than 50 countries, including Chile, China, Iceland, South Africa, and others. Multiple Ross donors help to make these unique and valuable experiences possible.
RossTalks LA with Charlie Munger On November 30, 2017, alumni in Los Angeles gathered for a conversation between Michigan Ross Dean Scott DeRue and Charlie Munger, vice chair of Berkshire Hathaway, business partner to Warren Buffet, philanthropist, author, and a former University of Michigan student. The two candidly discussed Munger's life, career, and global trends. The event was part of RossTalks, which connects Michigan Ross alumni around the world with the latest topics in business.
WINTER 2017- 2018
MBA MAP Reveal Cheers erupted from the Davidson Winter Garden in Michigan Ross on January 5, 2018 as MBA students met their teams and learned where they would be traveling for their Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP). The incredible scope of MAP, which embeds students in leading companies around the world, makes this annual reveal particularly exciting.
The MBA Leadership Crisis Challenge Tensions rose on January 11, 2018, as MBA students navigated the 2018 Leadership Crisis Challenge, a highstakes learning experience from the Sanger Leadership Center. Students stepped into the shoes of executives at Dryyver, a fictitious company facing a major crisis following the debut of its first fleet of driverless taxis. Students also weathered a mock meeting with Dryyver's board of directors and an intense press conference with real journalists.
BBA Capstone MAP BBA seniors had the opportunity to apply all they had learned at Michigan Ross by participating in a Capstone MAP project during their last semester on campus. With guidance from top faculty members, these students solved real business challenges for 30-plus businesses, startups, and nonprofits. Given that the Capstone course is an iterative learning experience, it takes place annually during the final semester (winter term) of the BBA's senior year.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national day of service honoring the work and legacy of Dr. King, the Michigan Ross community gathered together to assemble lunch bags and toiletry kits for families in need. The event, which was held on January 15, 2018, was organized by Service Corps Alumni, the MBA Council, MBA Program Office, and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in partnership with Food Gatherers, the Education Project, and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
2018 Social Impact Challenge A record 144 students across U-M took part in the 2018 Social Impact Challenge, which asked them to determine how pop-up businesses can promote neighborhood revitalization and small business development in Detroit. Team Upstart, a group of five undergraduates, took home the top prize on February 6, 2018 for their innovative and research-driven proposal that highlighted a sensitivity to incomes and accessibility. The challenge is put on by Ross' Center for Social Impact.
Michigan Business Challenge (MBC) - Seigle Impact Track In this campus-wide competition, students develop mission-driven business plans for a socially- and/or environmentally-focused new business, product, or service. Announced in February, the firstplace 2018 winner was PedalCell, the developer of a bicycle that uses bicycle energy-capture technology to charge smartphones and other devices. Made possible by Ross donor funding, this competition is co-managed by the Center for Social Impact, Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, and Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise. NOTE: The MBC - Seigle Impact Track is a specialized track or subset of Ross' broader Michigan Business Challenge, which is open to all kinds of businesses. Read more about Seigle Impact Track student teams on the next page.
In addition to PedalCell as 1st-place winner, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-place awardees of the MBCSeigle Impact Track were: Canopy: A web application that helps people talk about and make end-of-life healthcare decisions, then share those decisions through a legal document FoodFinder: A web and mobile app to make it as easy for families in need to locate and learn about their nearest free food assistance programs Adelie: A digital platform that seamlessly manages parental leave for expectant mothers and fathers
Alfred L. Edwards Conference Each year, the Alfred L. Edwards Conference engages attendees around the issues, challenges, and opportunities encountered by underrepresented minorities in the business world. This year's conference on February 10, 2018 included a fireside chat with Tristan Walker, the founder and CEO of Walker & Company Brands and a star of the Silicon Valley tech scene.
Learning Investing, by Investing Thirty five graduate students participated in the Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund in 2017-18, whereby they actively sourced and screened more than 125 start-up ventures (a fund record), conducted due diligence on 10 of them, and invested in one compelling company: Neurable, which specializes in braincomputer interface technology. This hands-on learning opportunity is made possible by the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Students.
SPRING 2018
MBA MAP For seven weeks in March and April 2018, the Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) course brought enterprising Ross students to locations throughout the world. In cities ranging from Detroit to Tel Aviv, San Francisco to Shanghai, students gained handson business experience by helping sponsoring companies solve real business challenges. More than 1,500 companies and 12,000 Michigan Ross MBAs have participated in MAP since it was launched more than 25 years ago.
March Madness Go Blue! This year, the Wolverines made it all the way to the championship game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament in March 2018. One highlight took place near the end of the Sweet 16 round, when a three-point shot from Michigan Ross BBA freshman C.J. Baird helped the team set a tournament record. It was the first time eight players have hit a three-pointer in one game. Here's to having a Ross student on the team!
Michigan Ross Rankings Boost On March 20, 2018, U.S. News & World Report released its latest ranking of the country's top full-time MBA Programs, and Michigan Ross was ranked #7--an impressive four-point increase from last year. Michigan Ross also ranked in the top 10 in these specialty areas: Accounting (No. 4); Entrepreneurship (No. 7); Finance (No. 10); International (No. 5); Management (No. 3); Marketing (No. 4); Non-Profit (No. 5); Productions/ Operations (No. 3); and Supply Chain Management (No. 6).
Donors & Scholars Celebration Michigan Ross hosted more than 220 guests at its 2018 Donors & Scholars Celebration on March 15, 2018. This annual event brings together Ross students and the donors who make their scholarships and educational experiences possible. Thanks to donors' generosity, Michigan Ross awarded 756 scholarships in the 2017-18 academic year, totaling nearly $6 million.
Alumni Orientation More than 500 graduating Ross students participated in a bustling Ross Alumni Orientation Fair on March 27, 2018, where they learned about a multitude of advantages available to them as a Ross alum. It's all part of AlumniAdvantage, which offers four overarching benefit areas: 1) Networking & Events 2) Career Resources 3) Lifelong Learning 4) Volunteering
Ross Debuts Student Datathon The first-ever data analytics competition at Michigan Ross on April 13, 2018 drew more than 100 students from all degree programs at Ross. With just a seven-hour deadline, students were provided with large datasets of all U.S. domestic flights, weather data for all airports, and major events that drew large crowds. They were then tasked with defining and solving a related problem. The school awarded $10,000 in prizes to winning teams.
Preparation Initiative (PI) Founded by Ross Professor Frank Yates, the Preparation Initiative at Ross provides a supportive learning community to undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds who want to become business leaders. From April 29 to May 5, 2018, 22 PI students participated in an action-based, educational trek to New York City, hosted and facilitated by donor Ari Spar, AB '89. Before the trip, PI students celebrated the end of the school year Revel & Roll in Ann Arbor on April 17, 2018.
Ross Way Awards Hats off to multiple Ross professors and staff members who received awards of excellence on May 3, 2018 in recognition of their exceptional abilities to grow, collaborate, and do great things at Michigan Ross. Several of the awards were made possible thanks to endowed gifts from Michigan Ross donors.
Ross Open Road With contributions from the Ford Motor Company, three teams of Ross MBAs embarked across America in May 2018 as part of Ross Open Road, an action-based social entrepreneurship program. They spent the month meeting with different entrepreneurs, working with them to bring innovative solutions to business challenges. This student-run program is cosponsored by the Center for Social Impact, Zell Lurie Institute, Sanger Leadership Center, Erb Institute, and Ross MBA Program Office.
Business Data & Analytics Concentration In April 2018, Michigan Ross announced that a new concentration in Business Data & Analytics will be available to full-time MBA students starting Fall Term 2018. The new concentration is designed for students who want to hone their analytical skills to develop data-driven business strategies and recommendations.
Librarian Wins Second in Squirrel Photo Contest As any Wolverine would tell you, squirrels are a muchloved fixture of the U-M campus. And Michigan Ross' Corey Seeman is a master of capturing them on film. Seeman, who is the director of library services at Ross' Kresge Library, won second place in this year's Washington Post Squirrel Week photo contest. The winning image, published on washingtonpost.com on April 18, 2018, was captured in a bed of mums in front of Michigan Ross.
Ross Professor Named to '40 under 40' List In April 2018, Poets & Quants named Ross Professor Martin Schmalz to its annual list of "40 Under 40" outstanding business school professors. Schmalz, who is the Harry H. Jones Research Scholar and an assistant professor of Finance, was recognized for his work as a top researcher and dedicated teacher. The "40 Under 40" list was published on April 23, 2018. Hats off to this exceptional Ross faculty member.
Two Ross MBAs Make List of "Best MBAs" of 2018 Two recent Michigan Ross graduates---, Ariana Almas and Kristen Steagall, made Poets & Quants' "2018 Best MBAs" in the nation list for their impressive leadership and achievements during their MBA studies at Ross. Poets & Quants published the list on April 27, 2018. Congrats, and Go Blue!
Three Ross BBAs Among "Best & Brightest" in U.S. Three 2018 Ross BBA graduates, Sabiya Turner, Danny Sheridan, and Kara Cendrowski, were highlighted in Poets & Quants as being among the "Best and Brightest Undergraduates" in the country. The list, which was published on April 5, 2018, acknowledged the students for their exceptional work and accomplishments during their undergraduate studies at Michigan Ross. Well done!
2018 Michigan Ross Commencement On April 27, 2018, the Class of 2018 gathered with family and friends for a heartfelt graduation ceremony that celebrated all they accomplished as students at Michigan Ross, as well as the start of countless new adventures for themselves and their classmates.
Tauber 25/25 Challenge In May 2018, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Tauber Institute for Global Operations, the Tauber Alumni Board launched the Tauber 25/25 Alumni Scholarship Challenge to raise $25,000 for the Tauber Alumni Scholarship Fund. The goal is to build up to the fund so it is completely selfsustaining and, as such, can annually support two Tauber students who demonstrate leadership and community service.
Positive Business Conference More than 450 people participated in the fifth annual Positive Business Conference at Ross May 10-11, 2018. Workshops and sessions focused on how to build and sustain a positive, high-performance culture in the workplace. World-class Michigan Ross faculty and executives from Humana, McKinsey & Company, Seventh Generation, Microsoft, and elsewhere shared research, perspectives, and strategies to put in practice immediately.
Summer Season? Well, that's another book!
This book was produced by the Office of Development & Alumni Relations at Michigan Ross. If you'd like a downloadable copy, please send an email to RossDevAR@umich.edu.
University of Michigan's Ross School of Business Office of Development & Alumni Relations 701 Tappan St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 michiganross.umich.edu