Monthly Archives: August 2020

MBA Alumnus uses Financial Skills to Add Value to Post-Acute Care Company: August’s aMaizeing Alumni

By Alexis Menard On August 21, 2020 3:30 pm

McCoy Wilson, MBA ’14

Alumnus, McCoy Wilson graduated from UM-Flint with his Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Finance in 2014. During his time at UM-Flint, he was apart of diverse student organizations, such as Black Student Union and InterVasity. McCoy is a Sales Operations Financial Manager and played a key role in his company by creating and implementing a new data reporting program. As our featured Alumni of the month, McCoy gives insight into his experience with student organizations, career advice, and his future travel plans to Spain!

Q: Degree(s) and graduation year:
A: MBA in Finance (2014)

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization? What is your normal day to day?
A: I’m currently working at Encompass Health, Dallas, Texas as Sales Operations Financial Manager. I have been with Encompass Health for 3 years. I oversee the design and distribute compensation plans, report payout data, and ensure timely and accurate compensation. I create and manage reports, forecasts, metrics and dashboards for our sales team.

Q: Why did you choose UM-Flint for your degree(s)?
A: Both the academic reputation of the School of Management and the school’s vast alumni network influenced my decision.

Q: What is one of your favorite experiences at UM-Flint?
A: I lived on campus for a year and I enjoyed the various student activities. I was a member of InterVasity student organization and the African Students Union. Being around such a diverse population of students was both exciting and somewhat of a cultural shock for me.

It was awesome to meet, interact and collaborate with people of different backgrounds, ethnicities and beliefs. And that’s an important aspect of higher education – the ability to learn from many others who bring their own personal and cultural experiences to the table for the benefit of alls.

Q: Why did you choose to go into the career path you are currently in?
A: I was drawn to this career path because it appeals to my passion and proclivity for management and strategy, data and analytics. Undoubtedly, the School of Management’s classes introduced me to concepts and skills that prepared me for this.

Q: What is one of your proudest accomplishments so far?
A: I played a key role in creating and implementing a new data reporting program which is currently being used to ensure timely and accurate compensation.

Q: What advice would you give students that are thinking of pursuing a career in your field?
A: Always look for the opportunity to interact and learn from other students and faculty. I benefited a lot from the virtues of group work. These smaller group settings provide platforms that stimulate creativity and intellectual curiosity.

My job as a Sales Operations Financial Manager is based on my communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, and working with different groups on class projects was fundamental to the development of these skills.

Q: Fun Facts!
A: I am making plans to visit the Camp Nou soccer stadium in Barcelona, Spain next year. Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe with a seating capacity of 99,354. I really hope my team, FC Barcelona, wins on the day I visit. That would make my experience more memorable.

Occupational Therapy Scholar Highlights Advantage of Dual Degree

By Alexis Menard On August 15, 2020, 1:40 PM

Quinn Hanses, Dual OTD/MBA student.
Photo provided by Quinn Hanses

Quinn Hanses dreams of being the voice for her patients. At the University of Michigan-Flint, she can pursue this dream in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) program with a concentration in Healthcare Management. 

Hanses is native to Lansing, MI, where she grew up and attended college, but currently lives in Flint, Michigan. She likes to be close to campus and loves supporting Flint. “I enjoy living downtown and supporting local businesses. I love the “#FlintFwd” and “be good culture” movements that support bringing light and business back to Flint,” said Hanses. 

Hanses is the first student in Michigan to pursue the dual OTD/MBA program at UM-Flint and has achieved a 4.0 GPA in her first year of courses in the two programs. “The more you learn and realize this is your future, the more you are passionate about what you’re learning,” said Hanses.

Hanses chose UM-Flint for two reasons. 

First, UM-Flint has the only entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) in the state of Michigan. In addition to being a one of a kind program in the state, it can also be paired with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), which makes a strong match in reaching her goals in the field. 

“The dual OTD-MBA program provides various benefits that are difficult to overlook, such as overall reduced cost rather than taking the degrees separately, flexibility with the MBA Net+ program, overlapping classes, and the MBA offers accommodation for those who wish to progress through the program at their own pace,” said Hanses.

Second, UM-Flint encourages students to participate and engage in research. Hanses has a Graduate Student Research Assistantship (GSRA) position and has been a part of Cognitive Neuroscience and Parkinson’s Disease research since her first semester with Dr. Nathaniel S. Miller, Assistant Professor of Psychology, at the UM-Flint College of Arts and Sciences. 

Overall, UM-Flint has the most significant qualities and benefits she was looking for at the right price. “The University of Michigan always provides quality education, and this knowledge is essential to best serve my patients,” said Hanses. 

Hanses’ long-term goal is to run a proprietorship or partnership and pair her OT background with a business mindset that will help her and her future patients. Within the healthcare industry, Hanses hopes to improve communication and advocate for patient needs. 

“As a therapist, I want to do more than send the patient off to the next person. I would love to help in the operations of this sort of process, as there is always room for improvement to serve better, provide, and take care of the patient adequately,” Hanses continues, “I am interested in an MBA, so I can go from being a single link in the pathway to becoming a navigator of the entire healthcare chain.” 

The MBA program supports and encourages classmate interaction and is a team-based driven program. The student population in the MBA program has diverse professional backgrounds and the courses inspire collaboration between classmates. 

“In the MBA program, there is significant diversity in the educational and professional backgrounds of students. For example, we typically have a number of students from the healthcare industry that provide valuable insights to the classroom discussions and team projects. This diversity encourages different ways of thinking and problem solving, leading to greater learning and a richer educational experience,” said Dr. Brian Blume, Professor of Organizational Behavior and HR Management, and Associate Director of Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Hanses took Dr. Blume’s MGT 541 – Organizational Behavior course in the fall of 2019 and enjoyed being part of the diverse classroom environment. “It feels more collaborative rather than being on my own and at my own pace. I love hearing perspectives of my other classmates,” said Hanses. 

On the topic of her concentration, Hanses says, “As an OT with an MBA, I will have assorted and unique perspectives on circumstances. I can effectively weigh the outcome of a complication given what I know from patients, colleagues, and/or investors. Along with being a voice for these people, I can also do something about it. I hope to work to improve communication, within the healthcare industry, in this distinctive way.”

When it comes to making an impact, using the technical skills that come with the MBA has helped Hanses realize the importance of practical finance skills and being innovative. “Medical facilities manage on limited financial resources, and it is imperative to find solutions that can aid in a more efficient way. I want to make a positive impact on patient care by having more responsibility. I would love to devote my career to bigger picture thinking when I am not seeing patients.” 

Outside of the OT world, Hanses appreciates the skills and knowledge that come with the usefulness of the MBA, stating, “The MBA degree has opened my eyes to not only the practical skills of financial planning, how the money supply works, calculating the relative costs of my opportunities, but also the basic principles of economics, finance, accounting, marketing, and management skills.”   “An MBA is smart and feasible for professional administrative skills and is even more critical for lifelong skills with understanding bills, mortgages, taxes, regulations, and helping you know how our government system works,” said Hanses.

“I am going into this field, knowing it will be a lifelong career. I am devoted to becoming a leader, and to do this, I need these credentials to move up the ladder. Ultimately, this MBA will open up more doors to advance my career. I could not be more excited to pursue this additional degree.”