When: July 11 – July 13, 2017
Where: The School of Management, Riverfront Center
The Summer Entrepreneurship Institute will assist participants with an interest in business and entrepreneurship decide if this is a route they would like to pursue in college. The program will engage students in a series of life changing sessions, allowing them to get a feel for the field. Click here to read more.
The Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation held its Summer Entrepreneurship Institute camp for the first time on July 12-14.
High school juniors and seniors spent three days learning about multiple aspects of entrepreneurship, business, and marketing. The camp aims to help high school students understand entrepreneurship and the excitement surrounding new ventures that can solve real problems.
Professor Amy Gresock, Assistant Professor of Management, said she hopes to challenge the students to think about entrepreneurship in a multi-faceted way.
“Opportunities are everywhere. It wasn’t just sitting in a classroom with the students. We were in the Flint community. We were on campus and we challenged them to look for opportunities,” said Gresock. “In some of the exercises we did, they came up with some really good ideas that played off of opportunities that they saw in the external environment. Their problems don’t have to be something really grandiose. It can just be solving a problem that they see in everyday life.”
Professor Greg Laurence teaches summer camp students about the basics of Entrepreneurship.
Students spent time with School of Management Professors Amy Gresock and Greg Laurence inside the classroom and in the community working to develop their entrepreneurial venture. During day one, students toured the UM-Flint campus looking for opportunities and quickly found that Flint has a lot of prospects for entrepreneurs.
Sean Mason, a high school junior from Davison, said he appreciated the implementation of lessons learned during the Summer Entrepreneurship Institute.
“I liked that it was hands on. I didn’t know exactly what to expect coming into it but I liked that after we learned something, we got to try it out,” said Mason.
Sean Mason asks a question during a Skype interview with Chris Trejbal.
The camp aimed to encourage entrepreneurial thinking by engaging students with course materials, community experiences, and a field trip to Skypoint Ventures in downtown Flint on the second day of the camp.
Interim Director of Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and camp organizer, Professor Brian Blume, said he believes the Summer Entrepreneurship Institute was an engaging experience for the high school students.
“The camp was effective in introducing students to entrepreneurship and helping to develop an entrepreneurial mindset,” said Blume. “We, also, were able to show students how downtown Flint is being transformed to support and encourage entrepreneurial ventures, as well as introduce the strong entrepreneurship program at the UM-Flint School of Management.”
Summer camp students tour Skypoint Ventures. Bryce Moe, Managing Director of Skypoint Ventures, shows students a portion of the Dryden building that is under renovations.
On day three, the students wrapped up their work and learning by presenting their feasibility analysis projects to fellow students and their parents. Mason said he believes he gained a lot out of the camp experience.
“Before this camp I had a rudimentary understanding of business and certain opportunities. I learned about how to find your niche, how do you look at an opportunity and seize it and use the correct branding and marketing to really succeed and advance your cause,” said Mason.
The School of Management will be hosting another summer camp next year for high schoolers. Blume said he hopes to see more student participants in the future. He also has a piece of advice for other young entrepreneurs who want to get started.
“I suggest exploring these entrepreneurial interests early on. I encourage you to become involved with a business venture or to start a business, even if it’s a part-time business. Also, be sure to watch the TV show Shark Tank.”
This past year, there were more than 700 international students attending UM-Flint – the most they have ever hosted.
“We are an international campus that has been progressing over the past decade,” says Dan Adams, International Center Director. “The reality is that having this identity isn’t just our students. It happens with the curriculum and student life make-up; it’s a matter of embracing what is here now. Diversity means nothing; it’s really about what you do with it. It’s how you incorporate it into your everyday life, your student and professional lives, your friendships and relationships.”
And UM-Flint is not short on diversity. Students hailing from China, India, South Korea, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Jamaica and even more countries decide to live, work, study and play in Flint.
Read the full article HERE.
By On June 14, 2016 2:31 pm
UM-Flint senior Greg Hooper was energized throughout his recent trip to Detroit.
Hooper, and two others from the Flint campus, spent the day with peers from the Ann Arbor campus last month, visiting startups in Detroit, meeting with alumni, and networking. He was one of 49 University of Michigan students participating in DTrek, a program of The Center for Entrepreneurship, which is part of the university’s College of Engineering in Ann Arbor.
Hooper, who is studying entrepreneurial management, enjoyed representing UM-Flint during the trip, and sharing his experiences and expertise with those from the Ann Arbor campus. He also learned from them, along with from the entrepreneurs who relayed their stories of starting up ventures in Detroit.
Read the full article HERE.
The Hagerman Student Scholars program has been expanded for the 2016-2017 academic year by adding two additional students to the lineup for its annual Hagerman Student Scholar Award. The Hagerman Student Scholar award was created in 2015 to support future entrepreneurs. Hagerman Student Scholars become ambassadors of the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation located inside the School of Management.
Lauren Adams, Bryan Halpin, Nolan Moore, Sean Tabor, and Emily Zoromski will step into their role of Hagerman Scholars in the Fall 2016 semester. Along with receiving a $2,000 scholarship, they will become ambassadors of the School of Management Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Through this opportunity, the scholars will expand their networking opportunities while working one on one with School of Management professors and the community.
Adams, a senior majoring in Business Administration, expressed her excitement about being selected as a Hagerman Scholar. “It’s exciting to get involved this early on since I am only in my third year. I am excited for the networking opportunities and community involvement,” said Adams.
Adams sees entrepreneurship and innovation as ways of creating positivity in the community. As a part of the National Society of Leadership and Success, she has found that traits she already possessed will suit her entrepreneur spirit. “[National Society of Leadership and Success] gave me realization of my strong traits and interests. I am embracing entrepreneurship because it will teach me to be a better leader and to take risks for positive changes,” she said.
Lauren Adams, 2016
Moore, a senior majoring in Business Administration, echoed Adams sentiments about receiving the award. “When I heard about it, I got really excited. I applied for it and I was lucky enough to get it,” said Moore. “It’s been a huge blessing to me and my family. My mom cried when I told her I got it.”
As someone who grew up just outside Flint, Moore was never unaware of the cities issues. After he graduates from college, he hopes to contribute to positive changes in the city. “I heard about the crime, the violence, the poverty, and the poor economic situations that have plagued the city for years. Hearing about these things can easily crush one’s hope for a better future. After attending the University of Michigan-Flint for four years now, I have seen things that have restored my hope for the city, and I want to be part of that,” he said.
As a senior, Moore can see the impact that it will have on his education and career outlook. “The simple fact is this will help me get though school,” he said. “This is going to be my last year and I can get through this year without a bunch of student debt. It’s going to relieve a lot of stress and help me get a jump start on my career.”
Nolan Moore, 2016
Halpin, a senior majoring in Supply Chain Management and Marketing, agrees that the financial stress of education can affect the choices students can make. He understands the financial burdens that affect college students and how they impact the time it takes to get a degree. Originally starting his college career in 2004, he took only one course each semester while working full time. He states that the sacrifices his wife and himself have made allowed him to pursue his college education full time. “I set myself up to have one year without a job to go to school full time and this award helps me achieve my goal; it helps me to get where I’m going,” said Halpin. “My wife and I have both sacrificed for me to get this degree. For the school to participate in that and help to ease our sacrifice is amazing to me.”
As a student who is already heavily involved with Entrepreneurs Society as their Vice President, Halpin understands the impact of Hagerman Student Ambassadors. “I think the ambassadorship, reaching out to the community and to other students, that’s going to be the most fun,” he said. “I look forward to helping people achieve their goals just like this scholarship helped me achieve mine. That’s going to be phenomenal.”
Bryan Haplin, 2016
Tabor, a senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship, credits Dr. Michael Witt for igniting his passion for Entrepreneurship when he joined the Entrepreneurs Society. He was elected Vice President for the 2014-15 academic year and shortly after, transitioned to President for the 2015-2016 academic year. He pursued his passion by starting his own real estate investment company while attending school full time. Shortly after, he obtained an internship with SkyPoint Ventures. He hopes his work through SkyPoint Ventures will create opportunities for students to strengthen the surrounding community.
“I think it’s [the Hagerman Student Scholar Award] going to give hope to local entrepreneurs,” said Tabor. “It’s going to give hope to college grads who want to be entrepreneurs and realize that there are people out there who want to support them— people out there that understand the importance of small business and that they’re willing to give of their fortune to help someone create their own.”
Sean Tabor, 2016
Zoromski struggled to find her place in the beginning of her college career. She discovered her love for business and joined the Entrepreneur Society. It was there that she discovered her passion for working with others.
“That has had a really big impact on my college career,” she said. “I have met a lot of really great students with the same goals and mindset that I have. That’s had a big impact. You get different viewpoints on everything and just some of the projects you do, dealing with the people you are helping is really cool.”
Zoromski believes that future Hagerman Scholars will benefit and gain opportunities that otherwise would not be available. “I think that it’s [the Hagerman Student Scholar Award] going to help other students learn and grow,” said Zoromski. “Everyone wants scholarships and having the different things you’re involved in, from getting the scholarship, is a great learning opportunity for other business majors. I’m a finance major so letting people other than entrepreneurship majors know about this scholarship will be a great opportunity for them to learn about entrepreneurship.”
Emily Zoromski, 2016
Vino Raj wants to bring entertainment to “a new level” in downtown Flint. And thanks to University of Michigan-Flint, his aspirations are closer to reality.
The UM-Flint graduate student is working with two business partners on a venture that would merge “different forms of entertainment, such as live action role-playing, puzzles, treasure hunts, and interactive team work.”
Read the full article HERE.
School of Management students were inducted as new members of Beta Alpha Psi on January 29, 2016. Beta Alpha Psi is an international honor and service organization that recognizes high scholastic achievement in Accounting, Finance, and Information Systems. The goal of Beta Alpha Psi is the development of confident, ethical, and professional leaders. Faculty advisors to Beta Alpha Psi include Dr. Cathy Miller and Roz Nowosielski. Congratulations to our new inductees into Beta Alpha Psi!
(From left to right: Jennifer Wenzlick, Justin Adsitt-Weiner, and Chloe’ Kas-Mikha)
University of Michigan-Flint students Justin Adsitt-Weiner, Chloe’ Kas-Mikha, and Jennifer Wenzlick were selected as the School of Management’s Hagerman Student Scholars.
Through this opportunity, Adsitt-Weiner, Kas-Mikha, and Wenzlick committed to being ambassadors for the new Hagerman Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and will get firsthand experience in working with the School of Management and its professors in order to build a network of professionals in the community.
The Hagerman Student Scholars program was made possible by a gift by Phil and Jocelyn Hagerman to establish the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (HCEI).
Justin Adsitt-Weiner, a sophomore majoring in international business, a former Business Plan Competition participant, cites the competition as motivation to apply for the Hagerman Student Scholar program.
“Prior to the competition I had had limited exposure to what entrepreneurship looked like in practice, and it was the skills that I began developing for and through the competition along with the influence of faculty members such as Dr. Laurence and Dr. Witt that kindled my now burning excitement to incorporate an entrepreneurial mindset into whatever path I may take,” said Adsitt-Weiner.
With the experience he gained through the Business Plan Competition and with the opportunities he was offered through the Hagerman Scholarship, Adsitt-Weiner understands the significant impact this can have on future recipients.
“By directly providing students with the support that is needed, they will have both more time and opportunity to take part in additional collegiate activities. With the addition of the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, these opportunities are boundless in their potential to help students achieve whatever goals they may have,” said Adsitt-Weiner.
Senior double majoring in health sciences and business marketing Chloe’ Kas-Mikha cites campus organizations such as Student Government, The Michigan Times, and Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority as giving her the skills to be an ambassador for the Hagerman Center. Her involvement with the community has strengthened after receiving the Hagerman Scholarship.
“I am thankful to the Hagerman’s for allowing the opportunity to apply for the scholarship and being a recipient of it. The Hagerman’s generosity has inspired me to continue to help others and give back to the community,” said Kas-Mikha.
Kas-Mikha cites the Hagerman’s involvement as inspiration to continue her education and educating others.“ The Hagermans have aided in fostering education and growth at the University of Michigan-Flint and throughout the Flint community. I am happy to be a part of that change and legacy to teach and aid others,” said Kas-Mikha.
Senior human resources major Jennifer Wenzlick hopes the Hagerman Scholarship will benefit the next round of recipients the same way it helped her.
“It is inspiring and motivating to do more in community and to be more involved. I hope it gives them the same passion and drive that it has given me. I hope that it will follow through with the next recipients,” said Wenzlick.
Wenzlick’s involvement with the community and School of Management events has increased since receiving the scholarship. Along with attending the Business Plan Competition last year, she is excited for what is to come in this year’s Business Plan Competition event.
“I watched the final rounds last year and thought the Business Plan Competition was pretty cool. I am really excited to hear about the new ideas from inspiring entrepreneurs in our community. I still follow the companies from last year’s Business Plan Competition to see how they grow,” said Wenzlick.
By ROBERT GOLD On August 10, 2015 5:48 pm
It started off as a hobby.
Greg Hooper, who grew up learning how to woodwork from his dad, received a lathe late last year.
And shortly after getting this gift, a visitor stopped into his uncle’s lumber yard in Holly, where Hooper works.
“A gentleman came into the lumber yard with a wooden pen,” said Hooper, who is studying entrepreneurial management through the School of Management (SOM). “I asked him how he made it, where he got the wood, and got the parts.”
By Robert Gold On June 9, 2015 6:07 pm
University of Michigan-Flint student Ashley Knific will move her venture, Jobs 4 Moms, into the university’s Innovation Incubator later this month.
At the core of her organization’s concept is finding balance between raising a family and succeeding professionally. Knific aims to connect employers and employees, which will allow people to work from home and help employers find qualified staff.
Read the full article HERE.