Thomas C. Jones Initiative for Innovation in Undergraduate Education
Maximizing the Ross Experience
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Ben Schuster, BBA ’21, Cleveland, OH; Layaill Mustafa, BBA ’21, Dearborn, MI
en Schuster and Layaill Mustafa are two undergraduate students at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business who have made it a point to be involved in the direction of the school for the benefit of their fellow students. Both members of the Ross Undergraduate Student Advisory Board among a number of other organizations, Schuster and Mustafa took the time to answer some questions about their experience as BBA students at Michigan Ross, and how the Thomas C. Jones Initiative for Innovation in Undergraduate Education helped expand their educational opportunities in ways they did not imagine as first-year students.
Why did you choose Ross? Ben: Ross’s reputation for being a top business school for the most driven and intelligent students drew me away from LSA and into the world of business. When I applied, I was looking for an emphasis on positive business, an element of the school that Ross has grown over the years and is still in the process of defining. I wanted a community where I felt I could use the best Michigan has to offer, one that would empower me to be my best and do my best. I can say I’ve found most of that to be the case in Ross, even despite my “nontraditional” business career path and aspirations. Layaill: I was someone who was extremely unsure of what I wanted to do after graduation or with my career. Because of this, I was drawn to Ross because of the amazing flexibility of the BBA degree. I knew that I would have access to so many different career opportunities. Additionally, I was someone who really wanted a holistic experience in college. I always loved the humanities and the flexibility of the Ross degree and the way it pushed to pursue other classes enabled me to minor in Arab & Muslim American Studies and pursue supplemental studies in Public Policy. Additionally, I knew that I was someone who learned by actually doing things, when I was applying to college and learned more about Ross’s focus
on action-based learning I knew it would provide projects and engagements that allowed me to grow.
Why is it important to be involved? Ben: Being involved in student programs and organizations, to me, is the core of Ross. Put simply, my Ross experience would not have been the same without exposure to service learning in Guatemala, corporate strategy in China (Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen), or a semester studying ethics and management at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Nor would it be the same without my organizations — Out For Business, an organization I have had the privilege of leading for the better part of my BBA experience; the Ross Undergraduate Student Advisory Board (RUSAB), a group of some of the most dedicated and service-minded individuals I have ever met; Delta Sigma Pi, my business fraternity that makes up a large part of social and professional exposure at the school; and the Big Ten Voting Challenge as the Ross Voting Lead, a position I find extremely rewarding in connecting my Ross network to the power of civic engagement. In RUSAB specifically, I have had several takeaways that will undoubtedly shape my perspective post-graduation. First, I’ve learned that sometimes the best ideas are often the hardest to put into action. On the advisory board, we have had some incredible ideas, but often struggle to put them into practice given the complexity of the Ross curriculum, student interests, and faculty perspective. However, these projects are often the most rewarding. Second, I have learned to lead by example and with my values, an opportunity I had this past summer when leading the board and student body in the creation of the BBA Call to Action in support of Black Lives Matter and students of color in the BBA program. My personal philosophy is to act as a trustee on behalf of the student body — i.e. doing what is right, regardless of the consequences.
Layaill: I was extremely involved in high school and I knew that some of my best memories and experiences came from being a part of things outside of the classroom. Additionally, I knew I had four years at college to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible, and what was great was the fact that Ross really does a lot to provide so many different types of things to meet different students’ needs. I have been able to travel to Guatemala, learn from leaders in Washington, meet with Common and Neri Oxman, and so much more. In terms of RUSAB, my biggest takeaway is developing empathy for the administration. Being a part of RUSAB has shown me how much the administration is committed to being better and doing better for the student body. In terms of shaping the student body, I have been able to work on material regarding additional resources to provide for students during summers and breaks, work for first-generation students in Ross, and items focused on modifying classes within the curriculum to be more effective. My personal philosophy has been two-fold in that I wanted to leave the Ross community better than when I came, but the reason is rooted in my second philosophy:
“Ross and U-M have given me the ability to take advantage of so many opportunities that I imagined when I was younger—meeting with leaders, traveling, learning, and I want to ensure that other students have the ability to find their passions through Ross.”
How Ross is shaping your career path Ben: Currently, I am taken by the idea of using what I have learned in business school to reimagine government. Having grown up in an era of increasing instability (1998-present), I have developed a deep appreciation for efficiency and ethics, both of which I believe our government systems and political institutions are in desperate need of. Therefore, I hope to work on behalf of the American people to make our system better, more reflective of the values I know we have as a nation, and use business
concepts to achieve a better outcome. Specifically, I would love to pursue a career at the intersection of business strategy and government, one where I can ask high level questions and use the classic 80-20 rule (shoutout to Strategy 290!) to enable progress we have yet to see. Layaill: I am going to be working in consulting at McKinsey after graduation. In terms of implementing experience from Ross, I came to college not really knowing what business was and now I feel prepared to learn about companies and organizations and make them better. Additionally, Ross really taught me how to work with teams and understand evolving and complex dynamics that will help me on the job.
Thank you! Ben: To the donors — your support matters. A lot. After speaking with Ross Admissions, I have gained so much appreciation for the dollars you donate to enable students like myself to pursue our educations and our wildest dreams. I would also like to emphasize the importance of supporting students of color and those from underrepresented backgrounds. Many students do not enroll in the BBA program because they have received generous financial aid packages from Ivy League institutions — when Ross was in fact their first choice. Layaill: As a student at Michigan Ross, I have received scholarships and financial aid that has given me the opportunity to pursue a career and a future that I always dreamed about. Without support from donors financially that would not have been possible. The money you donate really does impact the everyday life of students for the better to enrich their education and their future and I know that because I am one of them. The Thomas C. Jones Initiative for Innovation in Undergraduate Education was made possible by generous support from Tom Jones. Since being established in 2005, the initiative has introduced a diverse range of undergraduate programs, learning opportunities and courses that have reshaped and rejuvenated the BBA experience at Michigan Ross.