Brian Coleman
MBA ’11 // Evening Program
Analyst, Strategic Business Development Group
3M Co.
St. Paul, Minn.

Brian initially wanted to transition into management at his company. But after a few strategy classes and the Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) course, he expanded his vision. “I knew I had higher capabilities,” he says. While consulting on a team project for Coll-Med Laboratories, Brian created a market entry strategy for a burn care product. “MAP gave me the confidence to walk into any project, hear the issue, and start formulating a plan,” he says. The ultimate test of Brian’s confidence came when he went through on-campus recruiting. “Recruiting puts you in front of many companies, so you get a feel for where you fit. But it’s also a stressful, all-consuming experience.” Ross’ team in the Office of Career Development helped navigate the process. “They were paramount to my success, and their approach to recruiting is something I will use throughout my career.” Brian entertained several offers from top firms before deciding to launch the next phase of his career at 3M Co.

Tom Godfrey
Evening Student
Engineering Specialist, Advanced Propulsion Thermal Systems
General Motors Corp.
Warren, Mich.

Tom’s long-term goal is to launch his own company, “and I knew Ross would provide opportunities to practice business while still going to work,” he says. An engineer by training, Tom is customizing his MBA experience to develop an entrepreneurial skill set that will deliver long after he graduates: “I don’t just want a diploma; I want an education.” He has found his fellow students to be equally open to exploration. “Students at Ross have made a deep commitment to themselves by entering the program, so they’re very focused and want to learn from each other,” says Tom. He also appreciates how the flexible pace of the Evening format allows time for his two young children. “The Ross Part-time Program is as close as I can get to a full-time MBA while maintaining my career and family life.”

Naveed Khan
Weekend Student
Business Process Consultant
Xerox Corp.
Stamford, Conn.

When Naveed learned about Ross’ emphasis on action-based learning, he knew it was the right choice. “I’m not interested in just doing theoretical work; I want to do something that creates value,” he says. His statistics class has illustrated how statistical frameworks can drive a company’s strategy, and he currently is applying the demand curve principles from his microeconomics course to his consulting work. “If my MBA studies stopped right now,” he says, “I already would have valuable takeaways.” Equally valuable are the personal connections Naveed is forming. “I tapped the alumni network while I was considering Ross, and looked for graduates who were in brand management careers. The people I contacted were helpful, thoughtful, and detailed in their responses. It gave me confidence to know I was joining a group of motivated and intelligent, yet down-to-earth people by getting a Ross MBA.”

Ebony Pyke
Evening Student
Business Planner Manager, Americas
American Axle & Manufacturing Inc.
Detroit, Mich.

Ebony aspires to utilize her operations experience and business savvy to elevate her career, and she’s leveraging resources in the Ross School’s Office of Career Development (OCD) to help her get there. “OCD is committed to accommodating Part-time students,” she says. “They don’t want us to feel like outsiders in the recruiting process, and they help develop skills that allow us to present ourselves in the best manner throughout our careers.” Ebony participates in OCD’s Saturday workshops and chats with career counselors by phone or Skype. Additionally, she tapped the Consulting Club to refine her goals, develop proficiency in the case-based problems often used for consulting interviews, and enhance her ability to apply classroom concepts to situations commonly encountered in the workplace. Ebony also networks with Full-time MBA students. She met several during an operations management class, and now they exchange tips from OCD’s many developmental workshops and employer-sponsored presentations. “Ross has taught me to be aware of my surroundings and see how different perspectives fit together to achieve positive results,” she says.

Jessica Rai
Weekend Student
Buyer, Powertrain Purchasing
Ford Motor Co.
Dearborn, Mich.

Captivating a busy professional’s attention at the end of a work week is no small task, but Ross faculty are up to the challenge, says Jessica. “I find myself completely focused,” she says, citing professors like marketing’s Tom Kinnear and strategy’s Aneel Karnani. “They want you to think through both sides of the story, and then challenge you to take a stance and support it through data. By pushing me to consider all aspects of a decision, I build upon knowledge from our core classes and further stretch my thinking.” Jessica’s Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) also required her to examine alternate viewpoints. Her team of six Weekend MBA students helped Medtronic Inc.’s Surgical Navigation Business Unit explore acquisition, partnership, and/or minority investment opportunities. “We all came from different industries, and we quickly learned how each of us could make the greatest contribution,” Jessica says. “I was amazed by how much MAP taught me in a short amount of time.”

Max Riso
Weekend Student
Vice President, Chief Risk Office
Credit Suisse
New York, N.Y.

“Ross makes it nearly seamless to get right off the plane and go to class,” says Max, who forgoes the hectic pace of Wall Street every other weekend for the classic Big Ten ambience in Ann Arbor. Leaving the Financial District provides valuable perspective, he says. “I wanted a setting outside my day-to-day view. It rounds me off better in the long run.” Max also wanted a school that helps part-time students with career development. “A key selling point was the full access to on-campus recruiting and services through Ross’ career office. That’s not the case in other top programs.” Although Max studied business as an undergrad, he says it’s different this time. “After having been in the workforce, I sit in my economics class and think about the element of application. It’s easier to connect core principles to the real world once you’re living it.”

Brian Spinneweber
Weekend Student
Project Manager
GE Aviation
Cincinnati, Ohio

“Action-based learning is taking what you’ve learned and immediately applying it,” says Brian. He tested the concept through the Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) course, where his team helped a northern Michigan-based plastics company conduct a situation analysis and develop a market entry strategy for a reusable merchandise bag. The assignment deviated sharply from Brian’s supply chain oversight role, which made it appealing. “I wanted to use MAP to explore a new field,” he says. Part of the leap was navigating the large parameters of the project. “MAP is a good experiment in taking an overload of information and trying to synthesize it into solid takeaways that can help drive a company’s strategy.” Brian says the Ross classroom environment also puts his knowledge to the test. “Ross professors don’t let us get too comfortable. They challenge our ideas and encourage us to challenge each other. We are very close as a cohort because we spend so much time together, but we also push each other.”

Krissy Thompson
Weekend Student
Physician Segment Manager, Membership Marketing and Strategy
American Medical Association
Chicago, Ill.

Krissy didn’t want to step away from her career to enroll in a full-time MBA program. At the same time, she wanted more than a part-time connection with the experience. “The people in my cohort have a genuine interest in each other,” she says. “I have a network of classmates and professors I know I’ll be connected to for a long time.” Despite her demanding travel schedule, Krissy stays connected to Ross regardless of location. “We’re all so attached to our electronics and can get our group work done remotely. It’s comforting to know so many of my classmates are in other states and time zones,” says Krissy. She finds the diversity and range of expertise in her cohort mirror her environment at work. “Being with such different types of people at Ross — and seeing a problem through their eyes — gives me new strategies to bring to my work. And it makes me excited to lead my team.”

Jeremy had yet to enroll at Ross when he fully engaged with the alumni network. “My manager was a Ross alum, and she was a major advocate for the program,” he says. An international assignment in Switzerland provided further exposure to the school when he worked alongside a colleague who’d graduated from the Full-time MBA Program. “He went out of his way to help me and told me a lot about Ross. It spoke to the caliber of people the school attracts.” Now that he’s on campus, Jeremy witnesses the same spirit. “Everyone is here because they believe in the program. People at Michigan take pride in the fact that they attend Michigan.” The school’s attention to human capital is something that will benefit him long after he graduates, Jeremy says. “My Ross MBA is an investment that will pay dividends throughout my career.”