October 9, 2009

  Congratulations to the Class of 2009

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Individuals admitted to the Ross Global MBA Program are from a select group of candidates who have accumulated several years of professional experience in the corporate world before joining the program. Global MBA students bring their significant knowledge and experience to classroom discussions, student team interactions, and the Ross community as a whole. With the completion of their MAP project in July, students in the Global MBA Class of 2009 completed the academic requirements of their MBA program. With the recent approval from the University's Board of Regents, the class has officially graduated. Congratulations to the Global MBA Class of 2009!

We offer congratulations to the entire class and in addition, we would like to offer special recognition to members of the class who have distinguished themselves even further through their outstanding academic performance. In the Global MBA Class of 2009, six graduates were recognized for their academic achievements; 3 graduating with High Distinction; 3 with Distinction. "High Distinction" is awarded to those graduates with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, and "Distinction" is awarded to those with grade point averages between 3.25 to 3.499. Congratulations to these outstanding Global MBA graduates, pictured below, who completed the program with honors. 
 

The following three Global MBAs graduated with the academic honor of high distinction:

  Michigan Football

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - On Saturday, September 19, the Class of 2010 joined more than 107,000 other football fans at Michigan Stadium as Ross' East Asia Management Development Center hosted them to an afternoon of Michigan Football. We are happy to report a victory for the Wolverines in the game against Eastern Michigan University.   

The first half of the game was close, but Michigan pulled ahead in the second half. The Wolverine's strong running game allowed them to the end the match with a 47 to 14 win over Eastern Michigan. The win gave Michigan a 3-0 record for the season. The following weekend, on September 26, Michigan hosted the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Conference opener. It was an exciting match with Michigan earning two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to win its Big Ten Conference opener for the 40th time in the last 42 tries. The Wolverine's record is now 4-0.

Michigan Stadium, also known as the 'Big House', is the home of Michigan Football. As one of the country's most classic, widely recognized sport facilities, Michigan Stadium has come to symbolize the pride, tradition and excellence of the University of Michigan.

  Class of 2010 Begins Elective Term in Ann Arbor

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Fall 2009 term is the first term in which Class of 2010 Global MBAs have an opportunity to take advantage of the vast array of elective courses at Ross. The first 6 months of the program are devoted to the core through instruction in Japan, China, Korea and Ann Arbor, lasting through the summer. September marked the start of the fall term. Global MBAs are experiencing the beginning of autumn in Ann Arbor, the beginning of the academic school year at the University of Michigan, and the beginning of integration into the regular academic schedule at Ross. Given the ability to customize their curriculum, Global MBAs take ownership of their education based on personal interests and professional goals. In the fall term, Global MBAs are presented with an expanded community and the freedom to choose from the full breadth of Ross elective courses which adds another dimension to their Ross experience.

Global MBAs can be found throughout the business school campus. Pictured left in the top photo are Global MBAs Jo-Wei Wang of Genia & Co., Ltd., Hataikarn Junpitak of Krung Thai Bank along with Allison Kuo, a second-year MBA and exchange student from IESE Business School at the University of Navarra in Spain, in a group study room near the Davidson Winter Garden. Pictured below is Global MBA Shigeo Fujioka of Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation studying in the Kresge Library.

  Mt. Fuji in August

  Alumni News

Jun Usaka of Benesse Corporation and the Global MBA Class of 2008 announced the birth of his first child. On September 17, 2009, Jun and his wife, Chiaki, welcomed a son. They named him Sei, blessing him with a name that means he will be a brilliant person. The proud new father is pictured right holding Sei while still in the hospital. The birth of Sei coincided with the national holiday in Japan so Jun was able to enjoy a few extra days with Chiaki taking care of Sei and spending time as a family. Congratulations to Jun and Chiaki!

Hiroto Ishikawa of Sony Corporation and the Global MBA Class of 2009 and his wife, Chiaki gave birth to their first child on September 18, 2009 in Tokyo. The Ishikawa's were blessed with a daughter who they named Sara because it is a beautiful name and they believe the pronunciation would be easy in both Japanese and English; the first step in guiding their daughter toward international success.

Before joining the program in February, 2008, Hiroto managed the consumer AV-IT marketing group in Sydney for Sony Australia Limited. From there he joined the program, taking classes in China, Japan, Korea, and Ann Arbor. After completing the program in July, 2009, Hiroto returned to Sony, but this time to their Tokyo headquarters to assume the role of Strategic Planning Manager in the CEO's office. Congratulations to the Ishikawa's!