Student Success

UM-Flint SOM’s Inaugural Sales Competition Team Excels at Regional Tournament

UM-Flint SOM students, Ja'Ron Lee, Alaina Sotherman, Audrey Warren, and Kateryna Dzhevaga pose infront of the SVSU regional sales competition banner. — Left to right: Lee, Smotherman, Dzhevaga and Warren.

On Oct. 11 and 12, 2024, four UM-Flint School of Management students participated in Saginaw Valley State University’s Regional Sales Competition for the first time as a competitive team. Coached by Daniel Lake, professor of marketing at SOM, all four students, Alaina Smotherman, Audrey Warren, Kateryna Dzhevaga, and Ja’Ron Lee, performed exceptionally well.

Smotherman achieved two perfect scores and was a champion in her division, and Warren also took a perfect score and was the champion in her division. Dzhevaga and Lee were both awarded runner-up in their respective divisions. The team will continue to sharpen their skills in preparation for Northwood University’s competition in February 2025.

Contact Daniel Lake to learn more about joining future sales competitions.

UM-Flint’s SHRM ranked #1 in HR games in Michigan

In October 2022, UM-Flint’s chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management competed at the MISHRM conference HR games against three other teams from Western, Eastern and Grand Valley State University. After four rounds and over 50,000 points, the team of SOM students Laurel Ferguson, Elayna Moore and Abigail Weycker won first place. The team also received the Callie Zipple Spirit of HR Award, which is awarded to the team that best exemplifies collegiality, professionalism, a positive attitude, and respect for fellow competitors and volunteers during the competition.

Read the press release for more information.

Left to Right: MISHRM Representative, Laurel Ferguson, Elayna Moore, Abigail Weycker

Shaunda Richardson-Snell

Mott Community College has named Shaunda Richardson-Snell as its interim president, following the retirement of previous president Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea. Richardson-Snell is currently the principal at Aquila Advisors in Bloomfield Hills and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan-Flint.

Ronjia Williams

Ronjia Williams, MBA 2022, was recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business among People on the Move. Mr. Williams accepted the Senior Vice President role of Printwell Acquisitions Company, Inc. His responsibilities in include deploying strategies to help achieve financial and operational goals while increasing ROI. His patentable technique is driving collaboration across the organization to identify opportunities and develop scalable solutions.

Lottie Ferguson

Lottie Ferguson, BBA 2015, was announced as the new Vice President of Development and Donor Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. Ferguson was previously the Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Flint, under Mayor Sheldon Neeley.

Shelley J. Bausch

GATX Corporation announced the election of Shelley J. Bausch, MBA 1995, to its board of directors. Ms. Bausch will also serve as a member of the board’s Audit and Governance Committees. Ms. Bausch serves as Senior Vice President, Global Industrial Coatings of Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., a leading global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of high-performance coatings systems that serves a variety of industrial end markets. Ms. Bausch led the Asia Pacific region and the Fluid Technologies business unit for Carlisle Companies Incorporated.

Alison Hopkins

BBA-Accounting student was awarded a $15,000 scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

Dylan Doherty

An MSA student contributed to a research article with Dr. Cathy Miller titled “Do applicants want diversity statements or diversity facts? A field experiment to evaluate whether values or facts are more effective at attracting underrepresented groups to the accounting profession” was accepted for a presentation at American Accounting Association Annual Meeting in Denver on August 8-10, 2023.

“We love hiring interns and part-time staff from your college. We hired our current VP of HR as a part-time HR employee from a UM-Flint career fair our Credit Union attended. She started as a part-time HR Assistant, finished her degree from UM-Flint and has been promoted since to HR Manager, Director, and now Vice President of HR and Learning and Development. She is amazing! Our current DEI professional is also completing his degree from UM-Flint. Our Finance Manager also completed her degree from UM-Flint and was originally hired as a PT Teller. Lots of success stories!”

DeAnna Wallace

SVP People and Retail Delivery for Financial Plus Credit Union

SOM alumni recognized in Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce’s “40 under 40”

“Leaders and Best” are more than words from the Michigan fight song – it is a philosophy the University of Michigan-Flint community embodies daily. The university’s commitment to that philosophy is evidenced in the Flint & Genesee Group’s first “40 Under 40” list, which spotlights young professionals leading the way in shaping the future of the Flint area. The list includes six UM-Flint alumni from the School of Management, all under 40 but already making a difference through their work.