Category Archives: Alumni News

Passion for Education and Leadership: The Story of Dr. Clyde Barnett III September aMAIZEing Alumni

Dr. Clyde Barnett III, a 2011 graduate of UM-Flint with a BBA in Marketing, reflects on his career and educational journey. With post-graduate degrees from Eastern Michigan University, Dr. Barnett is the founder and executive director of Discover Without Barriers Consulting LLC and a research associate at Wayne State University’s College of Education. He discusses his work, which involves research, leadership development, and professional training, as well as his path from higher education advising to owning his consultancy firm. Dr. Barnett credits his education at UM-Flint for laying the foundation for his success and offers advice to current students and recent graduates. A passionate music fan, he also shares a personal story about collecting Beyoncé’s vinyl records from around the world.

Q: Were you involved in any clubs or extracurriculars during your college experience? If so, what organizations/clubs?
A:  – Student Government
   – Black Student Union
   – Resident Advisor
   – Peer Facilitator/Program Associate — Educational Opportunity Initiatives
   – Marketing Club

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization?
A: I am the founder and executive director of Discover Without Barriers Consulting LLC (DWB) which provides critical research, leadership development, and professional training to schools, colleges, and government agencies, across the state of Michigan. Further, I recently joined the Wayne State University’s College of Education where I act as a research associate for two grant funded projects—Centering Black Children in Education and Leaders Investing in Future Teachers in October 2023.

Q: What is your job like day to day?
A: In both roles as executive director and research associate, my job day to day varies from reviewing existing literature and research to inform project direction and methodology, to collaborating with the project teams to design research protocols and data collection instruments ensuring they align with overall project goals and objectives. Data analysis is also a significant part of my daily work including qualitative coding and interpretation of findings. I also engage in writing reports, articles, and presentations to disseminate research to various audiences and stakeholders. Lastly, I participate in regular meetings, conferences, and workshops related to the projects with other researchers and professionals.

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree(s)?
A: As a Flint native, I was very familiar with UM-Flint knowing many people from the area who attended. I wasn’t in a position to go very far for college and attempted to secure enough scholarship funding to make UM-Flint as affordable as possible. It was an easy and necessary choice.

Q: How did your education at UM-Flint prepare you for what you are doing today?
A: My education at UM-Flint prepared me for EVERYTHING I’m doing today in ways that I did not anticipate. I was provided a strong foundation in marketing while gaining valuable work and extracurricular experiences that were transferrable across all of my professional and personal interests. The foundation I gained at UM-Flint has been instrumental in my current roles allowing me to think creatively and produce work I am proud of. Through my extracurricular involvement specifically, I was never told “no,” but instead was asked “how.” My ability to think critically was cultivated at UM-Flint in ways that I am continually grateful for today.

Q: Who influenced you most during your time at UM-Flint and why?
A: During my time at UM-Flint, Jessie Hurse (the director of student life during most of undergrad years) influenced me the most. His passion for students, innovative and creative ideas to make campus life thrive, and his dedication to student success truly inspired me to work hard. Jessie also held students accountable in productive and encouraging ways. I am forever grateful to Jessie for his foundational mentorship!

Q: Describe your career path.
A: I pursued a bachelor’s degree in marketing and worked in higher education recruitment and advising at the beginning my of career. Following this I pursued a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs and a doctoral degree in educational leadership where I honed my skills in experimental design and data analysis. Through dedication and continuous learning, I progressed to roles with increasing responsibility, eventually becoming a owner of my own educational consultant agency and senior research associate. Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to lead research projects, mentor colleagues, and contribute to publications in my field.

Q: Why did you choose to go into the career path you are currently in?
A: I chose my current career path because of my passion for learning and I wanted to think about how to solve complex problems. While I have had success in education, I’ve always been interested in why and how education does not work for everyone. Ultimately, I’ve determined that the systems/structures in place are inadequate to routinely meet people’s need. This career path has granted me continuous learning and growth in professional ways but, most importantly, in personal ways.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: My advice to current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in my professional field would be to focus on building a strong foundation in relevant skills, stay updated on industry trends, network with professionals in the field, and seek out opportunities to gain hands-on experience. Think about the spaces you would want your name mentioned in and network with individuals who have such access. It’s all about who knows you and your delivery when opportunities present themselves.

Q: Fun Facts! (Examples: sports fan, long term goals, favorite vacation, future travel plans/ideas, or come up with your own!)
A: I’m a HUGE music fan and started a vinyl collection a few years ago. After hunting high and low, I now have Beyoncé’s entire discography on vinyl in my collection, one of which I found all the way in Australia at a record shop. The owner of the shop shipped it to me and it arrived in perfect condition!

Holly Kilburn: 2023 Early Career Alumni Achievement Award Recipient

Holly earned a Bachelor Business Administration degree with a major in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management in 2016. She was recognized UM-Flint as a Maize and Blue Award winner. With her continued high academic achievement, she was also recognized as a James B. Angell Scholar. Speaking during the spring 2016 commencement ceremony, Holly offered a message of hope and inspiration, sharing challenges that students had to overcome as single mothers, first-generation college students, and English language learners.

As the Grants and Special Initiatives Manager for CS Partners, Holly puts students at the center of every decision and plan. She expertly manages grant requests for schools across the state serving more than 11,000 students and managing over 40 million dollars in grants for the 22-23 school year.

Holly continues to deliver her message by providing practical advice to University of Michigan-Flint students. She has served as a panelist during School of Management Alumni Career Panel events; collaborated with the school to start an internship program with her company; and continues to mentor students while sharing her experience and knowledge. As a Flint native, Holly believes that the lessons learned at the university will continue to serve her well as she endeavors to contribute to the community.

2024 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient, Steve Whitener, BBA 1977

Steve Whitener hasn’t forgotten the support he received as a college student at UM-Flint. He was slated to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business. He worked 32 to 40 hours a week at Kroger to help pay for school, but as a senior, he struggled to pay for college, along with basics like groceries, gasoline, and rent. But university officials helped Whitener land a series of scholarships. Several of them came from small organizations or clubs. This helped Whitener to stay in school and graduate.

Since then, Steve Whitener has carved out a long and successful business career. After graduating, Whitener purchased several real estate properties, and had a successful career at Westinghouse Electric. Co., Eaton Cutler Hammer, Pirelli International, and Anixter. Whitener founded National Systems Installers in 1993 to provide infrastructure cabling services to companies. In 1999, he founded Nuspire Networks, which offers managed IT security services to companies.

Whitener expressed his gratitude to the university by establishing two endowed scholarships: Stephen A. Whitener Scholarship for Innovators, and Whitener Merit Plus. Whitener said these are intended to leverage and support the talent on campus with 2-3 full-ride scholarships per year. Both scholarships supported more than 50 students since 2017. Whitener visits the campus on many occasions, as the chairman of the School’s business advisory board and attends many of the events, during which he talks to students about his business career and keys to entrepreneurial success.

Accomplished Alumna, Anna Church, Takes Leadership Role at Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: February aMAIZEing Alumni

In April 2023, Anna Church, a distinguished graduate of the School of Management with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, transitioned seamlessly into the position of Program Manager at the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation upon completing her academic journey. During her tenure as a student at UM-Flint, Anna actively engaged with the Center, demonstrating a profound commitment to fostering entrepreneurial initiatives among her peers and the local community.
Anna’s extensive involvement extended to various roles, including positions with 100K Ideas and the university’s Rec Center. Notably, her association with 100K Ideas, a key ecosystem partner of the Hagerman Center, has proven invaluable in shaping her professional trajectory and contributing to her future endeavors.

Q: Were you involved in any clubs or extracurriculars during your college experience? If so, what organizations/clubs?
A: I was involved in and president of Women’s Club Soccer, along with being a member of the Entrepreneurs Society, InterVarsity, and a Hagerman Scholar. Outside of that, I own(ed) my own portrait photography business.

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization?
A: I am the Program Manager for the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, within UM-Flint’s School of Management. After being a student employee, I was offered a full-time position in July of 2023.

Q: What is your job like day to day?
A: As a program manager, a typical day includes coordination, project management, and goal achievement. In this role, I work closely with the Center’s director and associate director. I often plan, market, and execute events that ignite a passion for entrepreneurship. Also, I play the role of a mentor, overseeing six talented student scholarship recipients who bring fresh perspectives and invaluable assistance to our programs and events. It’s a rewarding experience to witness their growth and contribution to the Center’s shared goals.
In the broader scope of my responsibilities, I engage in strategic dialogues with various organizations within Flint’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It’s about building bridges that strengthen the foundation of the shared entrepreneurial mission.
So, as a program manager, my days are a whirlwind of creativity, coordination, and collaboration.

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree(s)?
A: Choosing UM-Flint for my degree wasn’t just a decision; it was a convergence of my passions and purpose. As a budding photographer, I found myself at a crossroads where my artistic inclinations intersected with the world of business.
During orientation, I engaged in insightful conversations with various individuals who opened my eyes to the possibilities within the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The more I delved into the program’s offerings, the more convinced I became that it aligned seamlessly with my aspirations.
The encouragement and support I received from the university community solidified my decision. It wasn’t just about earning a degree; it was about crafting an educational experience tailored to my passion.

Q: What is the most important thing you learned while you were at UM-Flint?
A: During my time at UM-Flint, the most crucial lesson I learned was the importance of application. While education serves as a valuable asset, its true power is unleashed when applied in the real world. Recognizing this, I made a conscious effort to not only absorb knowledge in the classroom but to actively integrate it into my professional experiences.
One of the key strategies I employed was holding a job during each semester I pursued my degree. These employment opportunities weren’t just a means to make ends meet; they were invaluable learning environments that provided real-world contexts for the theories and concepts I studied in class. Each position became a stepping stone, contributing significantly to my journey and shaping the trajectory of my career.

Q: Who influenced you most during your time at UM-Flint and why?
A: Throughout my time at UM-Flint, Dr. Mark Simon had the biggest impact on me. He emerged as more than just a favorite professor – he became a mentor while I was a student scholar and, eventually, became my supervisor. He went beyond the role of an instructor, actively seeking opportunities to offer guidance, support, and, most importantly, avenues for personal and professional advancement.

Q: What is one of your favorite events you attended or classroom experiences at UM-Flint? Why?
A: Attending the Flint City Bucks game with the School of Management was a highlight of my time at UM-Flint. It was more than just a soccer match; it was a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow students, faculty, and staff in a dynamic and enjoyable setting.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: To current students and recent graduates eager to embark on a career in business, I would encourage the following:
1. Take Chances: Embrace opportunities that might seem daunting at first. Whether it’s a new project, a challenging assignment, or an unfamiliar role, taking chances is often where you discover your true potential. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone – that’s where growth happens.
2. Prioritize Your Goals: Define your professional goals and prioritize them. Whether it’s climbing the corporate ladder, starting your own venture, or pursuing further education, understanding your objectives helps you make strategic decisions that align with your aspirations.
3. Take Breaks: Burnout is real, and it’s essential to prioritize self-care. Take breaks when needed, recharge your mind, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Sometimes stepping away for a moment allows you to come back with a fresh perspective and renewed energy.
4. Build a Network: Cultivate meaningful relationships within your professional network. Attend industry events, connect with professionals in your field, and seek mentorship. Networking not only opens doors to opportunities but also provides valuable insights and guidance.
5. Continuously Learn: The professional landscape is ever-evolving. Stay curious, embrace a mindset of continuous learning, and be open to acquiring new skills. This not only keeps you relevant but also positions you as an adaptable and valuable asset in your field.

Q: What is a long-term career or professional goal you have for yourself?
A: One of my long-term career and professional goals is to establish and lead one or more small businesses with a strong focus on social impact and community involvement, all while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Q: What is one of your proudest accomplishments so far?
A: Securing a new, full-time position right out of college stands as one of my proudest accomplishments to date. This opportunity not only opened the door to a fulfilling professional journey but also introduced me to an exceptional team. Recently, our collective efforts were honored with the prestigious Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation award, marking a significant milestone in my career.
The remarkable experience of accepting the award on stage was the culmination of countless hours of dedication. Stepping into the spotlight, I felt an immense sense of pride not just for my individual achievements but for the collaborative effort that earned our team this prestigious honor. It was a moment to celebrate not only the award but the journey and camaraderie that made it possible.

Q: Fun Facts! (Examples: sports fan, long term goals, favorite vacation, future travel plans/ideas, or come up with your own!)
A: I enjoy taking trips and exploring the great outdoors with my boyfriend. We often go to the great lakes or local trails to enjoy the outdoors.

Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: I’m really into coffee and visiting new coffee shops! My first gig was slinging drinks as a barista at Biggby Coffee, and ever since then, I’ve been hooked. Lately, I’ve been loving a hot hazelnut oat milk latte – it’s my current go-to pick-me-up!

Navigating the Maze: From Coaching High School Football to Financial Business Systems Analyst. Alex Okopien is our January aMaizing alumni.

Alex Okopien, a 2020 graduate, is a Financial Business Systems Analyst at MillerKnoll, with a year and a half of experience specializing in collaboration with the Accounts Payable team. During college at UM-Flint, Alex balanced two jobs while pursuing an affordable and flexible degree, choosing UM-Flint for its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The career path included roles in manual labor, accounts payable, project control, insurance sales, and cost accounting before finding a fulfilling position at MillerKnoll. UM-Flint’s education, particularly a supply chain management course, provided valuable skills for problem-solving using technology. The SOM advising office played a crucial role in guiding Alex’s course scheduling. Alex advises aspiring professionals to emphasize their uniqueness and acquire basic coding skills. Outside of work, Alex enjoys board games, heavy music, mountains, dogs, and coaching high school sports. The diverse experiences have led to a contented and fulfilling present for Alex Okopien.

Q: Were you involved in any clubs or extracurriculars during your college experience? If so, what organizations/clubs?
A: I worked two jobs for the majority of my time in school, so free time was at a premium. However, I did coach football at my high school alma mater, which was a fantastic experience.

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization?
A: I am a Financial Business Systems Analyst for MillerKnoll (formerly Herman Miller). I specialize in working with our Accounts Payable team, and have been in the role for about a year and a half.

Q: What is your job like day to day?
A: My job is a lot of troubleshooting on system issues for users, as well as testing changes and upgrades prior to implementation. Essentially, I am the problem identifier and liaison between the IT team and users. The vast majority of my time is spent working in our ERP systems, with some work being done in Excel. My work calendar is primarily my own, and most meetings occur when there is an urgent issue needing a fix.

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree(s)?
A: I loved the idea of an affordable and flexible Michigan degree. After 2 years at Oakland Community College earning credits and figuring out what I wanted to do, I needed to spend time at a school where I could tailor my schedule. UM Flint allowed me more flexibility in my schedule and with the best University tuition I could find the in area – this allowed me to graduate without student loan debt.

Q: How did your education at UM-Flint prepare you for what you are doing today?
A: This is extremely specific – I took a supply chain management course where a big focus was problem solving using modern technology. In that class, we learned about project management calendars as well as how to use Excel’s Solver add-on, both of which helped me greatly early on in my career path.

Q: Who influenced you most during your time at UM-Flint and why?
A: Honestly, it was the SOM advising office. Everyone was so incredibly helpful in helping me navigate my course scheduling, and from the first semester we were able to plan out a year-to-year schedule based on their recommendations and normal scheduling. I absolutely insist that if you want to get ahead early, the best way to do it is meet with them and create your own plan.

Q: Describe your career path.
A: My path went all over the place before settling where I am now… During college, I worked at Home Depot and Dayton Freight doing a lot of manual labor. About halfway through my degree, I transitioned into accounts payable for a 3rd party management company (Common Sail Investment Group). I moved to Colorado with my now-wife, and there I worked for a couple of different defense contractors as a project controller. After a couple of years I needed a change of pace, and ended up in insurance sales/financial planning – and quickly discovered that is not a good space for me to be in! I found a job in cost accounting for a manufacturing company, spent some time there, and then finally was introduced to MillerKnoll and my current position. It took a lot of time and caused more than enough frustration, but I’m very happy with where I’ve ended up.

Q: Why did you choose to go into the career path you are currently in?
A: Really, it found me. I don’t think I would’ve known a role like this existed until I interviewed for it. I found that following my intuition has put me in the right spot almost every time, and not trusting my gut in making a career move has been to my detriment every time.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: You’re not going to find many small companies that have a role/field like the one I’m in. You’re going to have competition for roles, so highlight what makes you different. Specific knowledge that would have been incredibly helpful for me going in would be basic coding, most functionally in SQL.

Q: Fun Facts! (Examples: sports fan, long term goals, favorite vacation, future travel plans/ideas, or come up with your own!)
A: I’m a lover of board games, heavy music, mountains, dogs, and coaching high school sports.

Alum Rachel Middleton shares her career journey with Amazon: April’s aMaizeing Alumni

Rachel Middleton graduated in 2016 with a BBA in International Business. She shares her career path through Amazon and her future goals. As our alumni spotlight, Rachel talks about the unorthodox class lessons that helped her years later in her career, her travels, her advice to students to always seek feedback, and her many unique hobbies.

Q: Were you involved in any clubs or extracurriculars during your college experience? If so, what organizations/clubs?
A: Entrepreneurs Society, Global Ambassadors Program, Internship with Verizon Wireless (via a career fair held at UM-Flint)

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization?
A: I have worked for Amazon for going on 7 years. I am currently a Senior Program Manager for Amazon Robotics but started off my career within a year of graduating from UM-Flint as an Area Manager for Amazon Sort Centers. In my tenure, I have been promoted from middle management in the warehouse and manufacturing space, to upper management in the Learning & Development space, to now managing large-scale programs and projects for Amazon Robotics. I started this career in San Antonio, TX, but have been all around the country with Amazon to either launch new sites, conduct Kaizen events for process improvements, or start my next role in a new city. I lived in Jacksonville, FL, for almost 3 years, and now live in Waco, TX, where I am working from home and spending quality time with my dogs and cats.

Q: What is your job like day to day?
A: As a Senior Program Manager, my day-to-day duties adapt to the needs of the business and of the teams under the Amazon Robotics umbrella. I develop project plans, build informational websites for information repositories, assess and onboard third-party support, evaluate launch outcomes, reintegrate learning into the organization and product plan, and manage programs from development stages through to launch and Hypercare. Throughout the program or project lifecycle, I manage performance and measure, determine, then drive, any initiatives necessary to improve it. My job calls for understanding aspects of how new service and/or product launches will impact the internal and/or external customer experience and partnering closely with Amazon business stakeholders to ensure said services or products are meeting needs.
We are experimenting with new questions for our alumni feature! We would like for you to answer and make this your own based on your path and experience.

Q: Share your best college memory
A: In one of Dr. Laurence’s classes, his first group project assignment was for the group to do something together that was entirely unrelated to class. The activity was for us to decide, and my group got together for a game of beer pong, in true college fashion. To this day, one of the people I met through that experience is a great friend, who got my younger brother his first job, and is also a successful graduate of UM-Flint. I tell this story often as I really appreciated how Dr. Laurence prioritized building a connection within a team before giving us any executive functions to perform. I utilize this approach in different ways in my career to this day. If you earn the trust of your team, performing tasks together becomes both smoother and easier.

Q: How did your education at UM-Flint prepare you for what you are doing today?
A: As a first-generation college student from parents who respectively either barely graduated high school or was an immigrant, I had very little preparation for higher education despite performing well academically prior to my college experience. UM-Flint was the stepping stone I needed to segue between knowing nothing of the possible paths available to me and jumping into a career path I could excel in. Having grown up in the Flint/Burton area, UM-Flint offered me the stability of staying close to home while working on my education.

Q: Who influenced you most during your time at UM-Flint and why?
A: Both Dr. Laurence and Dr. Witt in the School of Management were fantastic role models for me. Their teaching methods were memorable in that they were somewhat unorthodox, and to this day I hold a lot of respect for their ability to engage their students in things bigger than themselves.

Q: Describe your career path.
A: I started off as an Area Manager for Sort Centers with Amazon. I was promoted within the role to a higher-level Area Manager within the Sort Center network and spent a year in that role before moving into the Fulfillment Center space to continue growth within my own skill sets. After getting accustomed to a new, faster-paced, and more demanding space, I was again promoted to Operations Manager for Learning & Development. In this role, I managed a team responsible for onboarding and training Amazon warehouse employees from Tier 1 level associates through Level 6 Operations Managers. In that space, I also facilitated the launches of four different fulfillment centers across three different states. After those successful launches, I wanted to slow down in my career in order to prioritize my life at home and transferred into my current role as a Senior Program Manager, where I am an individual contributor and appreciate working from home.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: My advice to current students would be to field 360 feedback wherever they can in life. This can even be practiced as a student through conversations with peers and professors. Being open to feedback that sometimes may be difficult to hear, and being able to show up with an action plan to address opportunities and fine-tune strengths is something that will speak volumes to those around you. Do not wait nor expect someone to do this for you. I’ve seen time and time again that people struggle to move forward or upward because they are waiting on their manager or their peers to give them the tools they need to advance. Be tenacious; show up for yourself. Asking the right questions can take you a long way (e.g. How am I to work with? Do you consider my writing strong? What courses/trainings are available to me to better my understanding of this subject? What do I need to work on?).

Q: What is a long-term career or professional goal you have for yourself?
A: I would like to continue diversifying my skill sets to prepare myself for an international move. I consider my background in manufacturing management and learning and development to be strong and am working to bring my program management skills up to the same level of proficiency. For me, this looks like continuing to take on projects or programs that have a global impact on Amazon. As a dual citizen of the USA and Japan, and would like my experiences to open doors for me to move back to Japan or perhaps another country.

Q: Fun Facts! (Examples: sports fan, long-term goals, favorite vacation, future travel plans/ideas, or come up with your own!)
A: I’ve been to 46 US states and 25 different countries since I graduated college. I’ve always had a passion for travel, different cultures, and languages and I’ve really prioritized it since I started being able to afford it. My next vacation will likely be going home to see my family in Japan as I have not been back there since the pandemic began.

Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: I have many, many hobbies that are all over the map and don’t often come up in conversation in my profession as they are quite the opposite of what is typically discussed. When they do come up, however, people tend to be surprised. I’ve played many instruments from a young age (piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, banjo, and harmonica), I do a lot of art (paintings (portrait, landscape), Dungeons and Dragons miniatures painting, and tattooing (licensed in Florida) – I’ve also tattooed myself), I train dogs (I myself own a Belgian Malinois (working line) and a Siberian Husky, and trained Belgian Malinois dogs for obedience and bite work in Texas), and I sew clothes and blankets. I like to stay busy and enjoy activities that are mentally stimulating.

Jania Torreblanca shares her unique career path and her skills at adapting to change: March aMaizeing Alumni

Jania Torreblanca graduated in 2021 & 2022 in the dual degree master’s program receiving MBA and MSLOD degrees. Her college career started in high school which led her to the US Navy allowing her the opportunity to learn a trade, travel, and be independent. Jania explains her education took a longer path but that she does not regret the choices. As our alumni spotlight Jania talks about valuing your connections, the resilience of her and her classmates during covid, and her future goal to teach at the college level.

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization?
A: I am the Senior Director, Sterile Processing for The Resource Group, Spend Management Solutions, a subsidiary of Ascension. I have been with The Resource Group since December 2021. As the Senior Director, Sterile Processing, I lead one arm of the Sterile Processing Community and work in sync with our Sterile Processing Operations leaders. We currently manage the Sterile Processing departments across 12 states where Ascension operates.
In my role, I am in charge of leading a team who is creating and driving a national strategy, in a standardized, clinical integration approach for the Sterile Processing department’s education, quality, best practices, and regulatory compliance initiatives.

Q: What is your job like day to day?
A: My day-to-day job varies by week and project we are working on, however, I can group it into two different types of work: strategy development/support and clinical support. For perspective, we currently have 101 workstreams we are working through.
A typical day consists of meeting with our national teams, creating/supporting the work of an initiative, removing barriers, and providing guidance. The other half of my day is spent meeting with our local leadership teams and helping them through action items, Joint Commission visit work plans, and providing them the connections, tools, and documents they need to address an issue.
The fun part of my work week is when I am able to travel to one of our hospitals and I get to interact with our front-line staff and leaders. I enjoy meeting them and learning about them and their passion for the work we do. The dedication and energy I hear from them motivate me, even more, to continue to complete our national work so I can help them have a more satisfying work environment.
I can honestly say that I love my job and I love the people that I work with, I cannot imagine doing anything other than what I am doing today.

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree(s)?
A: I chose UM-Flint, because of the smaller class sizes and the way the courses are taught. In today’s business world, the work is conducted in teams- there are rarely projects that are accomplished alone and as an aspiring executive, I needed to make sure that my course of study was taught in the same manner. UM-Flint did an awesome job in providing that framework, I never imagined that an accounting project and a finance project could have a team project deliverable!

Q: Share your best college memory
A: My best college memory is about meeting people for who they are as individuals and not by their titles. I met hospital executives, physicians, and other business executives who did not bring their titles to the classroom. They were personable and students just like me or they were professors who were sharing personal learning experiences of what worked and didn’t work for them.

Q: What is the most important thing you learned while you were at UM-Flint?
A: I started the Master’s program, a year before the pandemic and was deep in my studies when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Most importantly though, I learned how resilient my classmates and I were for not giving up when things became really hard. At the onset of the pandemic, I was working 10-12 hours a day, on-site at the University of Michigan Health, and yet I continued powering through work and school. The assignments and projects didn’t ease up, so I learned how to balance my time and attention appropriately to family, work, and school and NOT give up on either one. I am so grateful for the time-management and organizational skills I learned during my studies at UM-Flint and I have carried those on to my work today.

Q: How did your education at UM-Flint prepare you for what you are doing today?
A: The varied course work and case study analysis in the dual degree program MBA/MSLOD helped me prepare for my current role and for my future roles. Learning about strategy development, organizational behavior, change management, talent and recruiting, negotiation and so many other courses has helped me as I perform my current work. Truly, every single course I enrolled in, has helped me become a better leader.

Q: Describe your career path.
A: My career path has not been a straight line and I changed directions several times throughout my initial years after high school.
When I was in high school I actually started attending college classes in the evenings during my junior and senior years. While other kids were working or doing extracurricular activities, I was attending classes and learned about philosophy, art, and politics. It doesn’t sound like fun, but I truly enjoyed learning about Socrates and Descartes’s “Discourse on Method,” and at that point, I wanted to become a philosophy major! However, I learned about the US Navy, and the opportunity to learn a trade, travel, and be independent, convinced me to put my bachelor’s degree on hold and go on a journey.
I spent 5 years in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and learned that I actually loved healthcare. During my years in the Navy, I listened to my recruiter and volunteered for every training program possible. So, I was a certified EMT-B, Food Inspector, Sterile Processing Technician, Medical Assistant (MA), Nursing Assistant, etc, etc. I also led a team on the USS O’Kane and realized I liked leading people. When my 5-year military term was over, I moved to Michigan, to support my husband’s career and that is when my Sterile Processing career took off. I began working as a Sterile Processing technician and then quickly moved into progressive leadership roles (supervisor to Sr. Director).
Since 2014, I have volunteered my time to be a part of the development of AAMI Sterilization Standards, which are the industry standards for Sterile Processing.
In the last 18 years, I have only worked for three organizations, but each of these three organizations has provided me the opportunity to progressively grow my skills as a leader and lead bigger teams with each growth opportunity. In my first role as a supervisor, I led a team of 15 technicians on the afternoon shift. In my first role as a manager, I led a team of 35 people, in my next role as a manager I led 84 people and in my first role as a director, I led a team of 150+ people. Today I lead a smaller, national team of 9, who influence 60+ hospitals across 12 states.
I continued to slowly work on my bachelor’s degree throughout my Navy career and graduated with my Bachelor’s in Healthcare Services from the University of Phoenix in 2005 (3 years after I left the Navy). I started my Master’s program in January 2020, after much deliberation on what I wanted to do in the next phase of my career. Continuing my education and obtaining my Master’s degree has always been a goal, however, I wanted to be 100% sure about which program I chose to pursue.
I probably took a much longer road to get to where I am today, but I do not regret my choices. I truly believe that each of the roles I have held, the life experience of the Navy, and returning to school when I did, provided me the opportunity to soak in what I was learning and afforded me the chance to apply what I was learning to my current position.

Q: Why did you choose to go into the career path you are currently in?
A: As I am typing this synopsis of my career path, I am laughing at the fact that for a long time, I did not think that leadership and healthcare were my future. Yet, every time I have had the opportunity to leave this industry I have not left it, instead I continue to grow in it.
A couple of years before I committed to the MBA/MSLOD program, I truly believed I wanted to leave healthcare and leadership all together. I explored many programs outside of these two disciplines, yet, every path kept leading me to this exact one. It wasn’t until I took the Enneagram Personality Test last year that I learned why I am so drawn to the career path and work I do today AND why I find my job satisfying.
As it turns out I am a Type 1 on the Enneagram, I am the Reformer (perfectionist and idealistic type). I have a sense of duty and commitment to create perfect things and I will continuously search to find the ideal state. In Sterile Processing, we have to have high-quality standards and create products that will help surgeons perform surgery to improve patient outcomes. If we don’t meet those quality standards, a lot of issues can arise. In my current role, I have to create these best practices and help our front-line associates reach these goals. What drives me and keeps me on this road, is the opportunity to help others, and of course search for the perfect state. In this journey though, I have also had to learn how to balance this “search” and create realistic goals and expectations.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: Value your connections and the people you meet along the way because you never know who will end up being your boss or co-worker in your next opportunity. Healthcare is spread out across the nation, but it is also a small community and now with so many mergers and acquisitions the healthcare world is getting smaller. Make connections, make a first impression, and keep in touch, because one day you will need to reach out to them for advice, a referral, or just a discussion.
For example, I obtained my first job as a supervisor because (unbeknownst to me) the manager of the Sterile Processing department of another hospital, worked per-diem at my hospital and she saw my work ethic and the way I connected with people. We made a connection, I sent her my resume and since the skill sets she had observed matched what was on my resume, she referred me and hired me at her hospital. I still keep in contact with her today. Several positions I have been hired into after that, have been as a referral.

Q: What is a long-term career or professional goal you have for yourself?
A: Towards the end of my career, I would love to teach at a college level. I am still working on the details and pathway to that goal, but that is where I am headed.

Q: Fun Facts! (Examples: sports fan, long-term goals, favorite vacation, future travel plans/ideas, or come up with your own!)
A: I love to travel and visit new places with my family. Since my husband loves to drive, we drove to Guatemala a couple years ago and had so much fun. From Michigan, that is about a 3-day trip each way- that is the furthest we have ever driven. In a couple of years, our goal is to drive to Alaska.

Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: Although I was living on a Navy destroyer ship for 3 years in the Navy, I do not know how to swim! I can float, but I just cannot coordinate my hands and feet to be able to swim. It happens with Zumba or any other hand-and-foot coordination activities.

From a BBA to a CFO, Robert shares his passion and investment in Flint: February aMaizeing Alumni

Robert Widigan graduated from UM-Flint School of Management in 2014 with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a concentration in Accounting. He has been the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the city of Flint, Michigan for over a year and explains that some of the most important things he learned while at UM-Flint were the core skills he uses every day. Such as, working on a team, handling big projects, staying organized, and managing stress. As our featured alumni of the month, Robert gives advice on working for the city, his path to becoming a CFO, and his favorite memories about UM-Flint!

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization?
A: I am the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the city of Flint, Michigan. I have been here for over a year now

Q: What is your job like day to day?
A: Every day brings its own set of challenges. Therefore, it is crucial to understand clearly and have the department’s critical long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals in focus as you’re pulled in numerous directions. Day-to-day includes overseeing all aspects of the City’s finances, including preparation and administration of the City’s budget and financial reports, as well as accounting payroll, grant reporting, and purchasing. In addition, the CFO also oversees Fleet Management, IT Services, and Facilities. Recently, the day-to-day has primarily consisted of working with our partners in Lansing to find a solution to subsidizing the City’s underfunded pension fund. That goal was achieved recently with the newly adopted state budget, which included a $220M lump-sum infusion into the City’s pension fund, bringing it up to 60% funded, as required by state law. This funding will help ensure the City of Flint is financially sound for generations.

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree(s)?
A: It was clear that UM-Flint had amazing resources for students to be successful both academically and in their careers. To me, UM-Flint was a great opportunity to earn my degree while also remaining involved in my hometown.

Q: Share your best college memory
A: Attending home games at the Big House, Go Blue!

Q: What is the most important thing you learned while you were at UM-Flint?
A: Some of the most important things I learned while at UM-Flint were the core skills I use every day. Such as, working on a team, handling big projects, staying organized, and managing stress.

Q: How did your education at UM-Flint prepare you for what you are doing today?
A: Well, there is not much that can truly prepare you for being the CFO of the City of Flint. However, I will say the relationships I made and the passion for this community that I developed while at UM-Flint made it easy to say “yes” when asked to take on this role. When your hometown calls, you go.

Q: Who influenced you most during your time at UM-Flint and why?
A: Professor Chris Douglas. I had Sports Economics with Professor Douglas, one of the best classes I have ever taken. The class examines the economic issues pertaining to professional and college sports – such as labor relations and how franchises impact the local economy. I still talk about what Professor Douglas taught us in that class today. We have stayed in touch over the years; he has even presented at conferences I planned while working at the State of Michigan.

Q: Describe your career path.
A: Before joining the City of Flint’s Team as CFO, I served as the Finance Director for the City of Lansing. There I managed the Finance Team, oversaw short and long-term financial planning and financial operations of the City, prepared revenue projections and debt service requirements, and evaluated department operations, among other tasks related to the City’s financial health.

Previous to Lansing, I served as the Village Manager for the Village of Shelby in Oceana County, Michigan. In this position, I oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Village. Leading a small local government required me to wear many hats, including budgeting, community engagement, economic development, forging public-private collaborations, and working with local, regional, and state partners.

Prior to that, I was with the Michigan Department of Treasury for over four years. There my responsibilities included:

– Analyzing trends.

– Compiling local government data.

– Preparing reports for long-range strategic planning and recommendations for state support directly to local governments.

Throughout my career, I’ve developed substantial expertise in calculating and managing risk, cash flow projections, economic development, and planning, facilitating communications and decision-making between departments and administration, financial and operational management, labor negotiations, long-term financial planning and financing strategies, policy and ordinance development, and an understanding of State reporting requirements. This experience also taught me excellent skills in building lasting relationships with individuals and community members.

Q: Why did you choose to go into the career path you are currently in?
A: I have always been interested in government, finance, and economics, and I have a high drive and desire to help people and communities progress toward further success; this role as Flint City CFO allows me to do just that!

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: First, Take your time and be patient. Second, it’d be helpful to earn your Bachelor’s in Public Finance alongside a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. That will open many doors for you, from CFO to City Manager. Lastly, take an internship somewhere, like with the City of Flint!

Q: What is a long-term career or professional goal you have for yourself?
A: I would like to go back to school for my MBA.

Q: What is one of your proudest accomplishments so far?
A: My proudest accomplishment was helping carry the football across the goal line: pension reform in Michigan. It is unmistakable that Flint has had its share of disinvestment over the years.

Upon taking the role of CFO with the City of Flint, the City faced unrealistic annual pension contributions. FY2022 and FY2023, the pension contribution was about $32 million and was projected to increase to $40 million in FY2024. This drastic increase made pension contributions our most significant expense in the City’s budget.

While facing this reality, under my leadership we engaged in numerous meetings with state legislatures and our partners in Lansing.

All these meetings led to $750 million being set aside in the state of Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to support underfunded municipal pension plans, helping to ensure a promise made is a promise kept to hardworking local government employees across the state.

This is a historic moment in Flint; thanks to the countless meetings and hard work, we helped ensure the City of Flint is financially sound for generations to come with this cash infusion of up to $220M into our pension fund. Based on recent analysis, $220M deposited into the pension plan will reduce our pension contribution for that following fiscal year to approximately $18 to $19 million, ensuring we fulfill our promise to retirees while maintaining City services.

Links:

https://bit.ly/3yVSwoU

https://bit.ly/3sdl9Kx

https://bit.ly/3eKZvKO

Q: Fun Facts! (Examples: sports fan, long-term goals, favorite vacation, future travel plans/ideas, or come up with your own!)
A: I really enjoy golf (although I am really bad at it). Future travel plans include Puerto Rico in January, Mexico in February, and Honduras in the spring.

Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: I was a paid-on-call firefighter for seven (7) years.

Persevering Through the Pandemic – One Grad’s MBA Journey: May’s aMaizeing Alumni

Alumna, Felicee Murchison, graduated this past April from UM-Flint’s School of Management with a Master of Business Administration (MBA). She was also awarded the Most Outstanding MBA Student from her graduating cohort. During her time as a student, Felicee was engaged with campus events and cross-campus learning opportunities such as earning a certificate from the Sexual Violence Prevention Program and a certificate from the Inclusive Leadership Program. As our featured alumni of the month, Felicee shares why she attended UM-Flint, career goals she outlines for herself, and how peer-to-peer interaction shaped her time at UM-Flint.

Q: Degree(s) and graduation year:
A: Master of Business Administration – General, 2022

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree?
A: I chose UM-Flint because of the convenience without compromise. UM-Flint offers an award-winning and the highest accredited online MBA option, which I needed while working and caring for my family.

Q: What is the most important thing you learned while you were at UM-Flint?
A: The most important thing I learned while at UM-Flint was to never give up. During my first semester at UM-Flint, we went 100% online. It was quite an adjustment for me because I am a fan of the more traditional classroom setting. However, my peers and professors made it easy to adjust and succeed.

Q: What is one of your favorite events you attended or classroom experiences at UM-Flint? Why?
A: My favorite event attended was Blue Bash 2021. It was really the first time that the UM-Flint community came together after the pandemic. It was as if we didn’t skip a beat and the sense of togetherness and belonging was amazing and memorable.

Q: Who influenced you most during your time at UM-Flint and why?
A: Becky Toney, my fellow classmate was very influential late in my journey. She offered some incredible gems of advice right when I was at my breaking point of giving. She was so positive and encouraging and would even call to check on me at times!

Q: Describe your career path.
A: Currently, I work on the clinical side of healthcare as a technologist. However, I chose to return for a Business degree to tap into the administrative and/or leadership side of decision-making.

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization? What is your job like day to day?
A: Computed tomography/Radiology,CVT Technologist-Mclaren-Flint. Worked here for the past 15 years. I treat and care for patients. This ranges from performing scans on suspected stroke patients to assisting the cardiologist to insert cardiac stents for patients that are having a heart attack.

Q: What is a long-term career or professional goal you have for yourself?
A: I am a change agent and I had an amazing internship experience in the Human Resources arena that allowed me to look for ways to make a positive and lasting impact within the organization. I intend to stay on a professional journey that allows me to bring solutions to problems within the overall culture.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: I would tell anyone interested in Business Management that it is such a broad career path. Please give yourself grace if you find yourself gravitating towards certain subject matters and running from others!

Q: Fun Facts!
A: I am a Lebron James fan! I would love to travel to Africa! I love Jesus!

Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: I am really an introvert! I am learning to step outside my comfort zone and open up to new people and opportunities!

SOM Alumna Estimates with Confidence in New Career: April’s aMaizeing Alumni

Angela O’Rourke earned her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Operations Management and Finance from the University of Michigan-Flint in 2020. Currently, she works at Mid Michigan Pride (MMP) Painting as an estimator. Every day she’s doing something different from looking at blueprints, working with customers, or on-site to evaluate the conditions of a project. As our featured alumni of the month, Angela explains why she choose UM-Flint, how her education prepared her for her current job, and shares her love for the outdoors!

Q: Degree(s) and graduation year:
A: Bachelors of Business Administration in Operations Management and Finance

Q: Where are you currently working and your title? How long have you been in this position or at this organization? What is your job like day to day?
A: I currently work at Mid Michigan Pride (MMP) Painting. I am an estimator and have been with them for about 9 months now. I look at blueprints all day and do what we call a takeoff. Which is figuring out the square footage of walls, ceiling, steel bracing, columns, floors…really anything that can be painted, epoxied, or have a wallpaper or covering put over it, I have to measure it. Once I have all my measurements, I have to put them together and figure out what surface gets what covering and how much that would cost.

In between doing the takeoffs, I deal with filing away daily paperwork and downloading new jobs, and getting them in files. I return phone calls and emails to customers about any questions they have reached out with. I also take care of submitting product samples and data sheets to be approved before we can use them on sight.

Q: Why did you choose to go into the career path you are currently in?
A: Honestly, this career fell in my lap. I had no idea it really existed to the extent of what it is. I went into my interview to become an administrative assistant and walked out hired as an apprentice estimator. Now that I am in it, I am choosing to stay in it because it’s something new every day. It keeps my brain stimulated and doesn’t get boring. Some days I am in the office looking at blueprints and some days I might be on a job site looking at the condition.

Q: Why did you choose to attend UM-Flint for your degree?
A: U of M was the school I had always dreamed of going to as a kid. I ended up taking a different path and attended Central Michigan for my first year of college. It wasn’t a good fit and I came home to get my associate’s at Mott Community College. Then once I was ready for my bachelor’s I decided to give U of M a try and applied. Once accepted I started towards a teaching degree before quickly realizing that it wasn’t what I wanted to do and switched to business.

Q: What is the most important thing you learned while you were at UM-Flint?
A: I learned that you always have to keep striving to do better than you did yesterday. Sometimes you have to pick up the slack for others because there will be times that you need someone to do the same for you.

Q: How did your education at UM-Flint prepare you for what you are doing today?
A: I learned that you had to find a way to get the work done no matter what obstacles might be in the way. That it is ok to ask for help and admit if you don’t understand something. It prepared me to know when I need to take the lead and when I to give someone else the lead. That you have to speak up to be heard.

Q: What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
A: That it is a harder job than it sounds. There is so much more to it than meets the eye. I will actually be going to estimating school in the next month or two before training under a second estimator. This way I can learn many different ways to do the job and find what is comfortable for me.

Q: What is a long-term career or professional goal you have for yourself?
A: Long term goal of my position would be to become head of the estimating department.

Q: Fun Facts!
A: I have two favorite vacations to date. One with just my husband when we went to Peru for our honeymoon. We got to eat dinner and sleep in a pod on the side of a mountain that we climbed. We got to do a day hike on the Inca trail to see Machu Picchu and then see the sunrise over Machu Picchu the following morning. We got to see rainbow mountain ad stay in the Amazon forest for 3 days. We held a sloth and anaconda while there and fished for piranha (which tastes very good).

My second favorite was our family vacation when we got to take our two kids and my brother out west for almost two weeks. We camped in the mountains and saw many historical sights. We also did a lot of hiking and found an ice cave that the kids loved.

Q: What is something people may not know about you?
A: I love to go backpacking, and I mean in the sense of carrying everything I need with me and sleeping under the stars in a hammock. Most people are shocked to hear that.

UM-Flint School of Management Blog

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