For Broad College Reunion Days alumni who will be on campus beginning June 6, the college alumni office has arrange for a complimentary registration for the popular Business & Bagels series, hosted at the Henry Center.  Please call the Broad College Alumni Relations Office 517-432-7442 to register for this event.

Business & Bagels on June 7 begins at 7:30 a.m. The featured speaker is professor Bonnie Knutson, who will take a look at “C-worthy” marketing for businesses. In rough, uncertain economic seas, smart businesses invest in “C-worthy” marketing instead of waiting for a change in market conditions. History shows that organizations maintain or increase their marketing activities in down times average significantly higher revenues during the recession and recovery period than those who do not. In this interactive, entertaining session, you will learn the “Cs” of today’s marketing that will allow you to navigate today’s turbulent economic waters. You will also learn “C-worthy” strategies to safely sail into a prosperous port. “It is not the ship so much as the skillful sailing that assures the prosperous voyage.” (George William Curtis, 1824-1892).

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Some 80 Spartans turned out for an afternoon session to learn how to take charge of their career from Chicago Spartans who shared their experiences with the Broad College’s Executive Development Programs.

MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis shares a laugh with participants at the 7th annual Broad Executive Forum of Chicago.

Julie Fasone Holder (BA Business Administration ’75), vice president of the Broad College Alumni Association and executive consultant, moderated a panel that included Stu Reed (BA Materials and Logistics Purchasing Management ’83), president of Sears Home Services and 2013 president of the Broad College Alumni Association; Bruce Leech (BA Financial Administration ’78), co-founder and director of Cross Com National; and Heather Jacobsen, director of portfolio project management at Sears Home Services, a recent alumna of the EDP Program Executive Strategies for Women.

In an evening program that featured Michigan State University’s athletic director and MSU alumnus Mark Hollis (BA Communication Arts & Sciences ’85) as the keynote speaker, alumni had plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the new Big 10 east and west divisions as well as learn about facilities developments and team achievements in the Spartan athletics programs.

Hollis also spoke about the unique partnership between the Broad College and Athletics to present Building Winning Teams: Quest for Excellence.  “Excellence,” he said, “is achieved when the knowledge of coaches and the research expertise of faculty come together in this unique learning experience for the business community.” The three-day program, which was offered for the first time on May 15–17, 2013, on the campus of MSU, included live discussions with coaches, leadership assessment and evaluation and action learning activities participants build sustainable skills needed for creating high-performing teams.

Finally, the Broad College Dean Stefanie Lenway presented the college’s 2012–2013 Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award to Chicagoan Bruce Leech. “From your role on the Broad College department and alumni boards to your personal assistance in elevating the presence of the college among Chicago alumni and business people, you have shown a dedicated interest in providing an outstanding student experience for undergraduate and graduate students of the Broad College and alumni, and enhancing our reputation as a top teaching and research institution,” Lenway said.  The outstanding alumni recognition honors business achievements and contributions to industry and community.

In what is a first for the Broad College, Leech is the second alumnus in his family to receive the college award. His late father, Ransom Leech (BA Economics ’53), was awarded the honor in 1999.

Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean Stefanie Lenway presents the 2012–2013 Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award to Bruce Leech.

Dean Stefanie Lenway and Bruce Leech at the 7th annual Broad Executive Forum of Chicago.

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Alumnus Manoj Saxena told Broad students to find and go after a worthwhile purpose in life, to acknowledge those who helped them, and to help others along the way.

At this spring’s Broad College undergraduate commencement ceremony, alumnus Manoj Saxena (MBA Marketing ’91) encouraged Broad graduates to find meaning in their work and to go forth boldly to make their mark in the world.

Saxena, general manager of IBM Watson Solutions and two-time entrepreneur, was the featured speaker at the ceremony held May 4 in the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Nearly 1,000 students graduated from the college—joining a strong network of more than 70,000 Broad alumni around the world.

Following is the text of Saxena’s inspiring speech:

Thank you Dean Lenway, members of the platform party, graduates of the class of 2013, and your families and friends.

It is a tremendous honor and a privilege for me to be here at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world.

I am delighted to be back to this special place that brings back so many fond memories and has changed the trajectory of my life and continues to influence me in what I do today.

My father used to say, “an ungrateful life is a wasted life,” and I am very grateful to MSU for the key role it has played in my life and continues to do so today. I am also grateful for you inviting me to be a part of such a significant day in your life.

Today is a day of celebration, a day to celebrate all the hard work that got you to this place where you can sit. For this, I want to congratulate not only you, the graduates, but also your teachers, parents, friends, and families who have brought you to this special moment in your life.

When I was first asked to give this commencement speech, I felt both a deep sense of honor and some trepidation. It was because I don’t think of myself as old enough to have any real wisdom to impart on such an august occasion. As they say, “inside every 48 year old is an 18 year old wondering what the heck just happened?”

So bearing all that in mind, I’ll share some personal discoveries with you that have at least served me well. Discoveries based on this most amazing journey that I have been on. I will share three of them to be precise.

First, “Your focus determines your reality”

Twenty-two years after my own graduation, I have come to understand that “your focus determines your reality” is not just a cool line from George Lucas’ Star Wars, but is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea:

It is the idea that it is ultimately YOU and what you choose to focus on that changes the way you manifest and find your place in this world.

What you can conceive in your mind, believe in your heart, you WILL manifest with your efforts!

Once you conceive, it is all about effort and about having the courage to fail and to quickly recover from it.

Nothing is impossible!  Impossible just takes a little more effort and tenacity.  

So become aware now, of what you are thinking about, as you enter this next stage of your life.

As an avid racer, I can tell you that every racer knows that no race has ever been won in the first corner; but many have been lost there.

So think about how you are starting this race and set yourself up for the right trajectory in life as you approach this first turn of your life.

Second, “Be bold and don’t be a sheeple”

Don’t be a follower, or as my older daughter calls it, don’t be a “sheeple.”

Believe in yourself and chart your own path. Don’t blindly follow the vast herd of humanity; instead, break free from the crowd.

Invest time in finding things you are good at and then find something valuable that makes the world a better place by genuinely helping others. That’s the trick to have a happy, fulfilled, and prosperous life.

You are graduating at a time when the world is getting ready for the next big shift in how we work, live, and play.

The coming “super convergence” of mobile, cloud, social, analytics, and big data will completely reimagine the way we learn, think, live, and operate in our society.

This is not just a technology phenomenon, but a shift in society’s fabric. Ninety percent of world information was created in just the last two years and this is doubling every five years. Data is the new oil and there will be many industries that will be built to exploit this.

This is not just an opportunity for those with technical backgrounds. The next 10 years will open up massive opportunities for everyone—from individuals to small businesses to large companies.

Be bold, trust your intuition, and do take risks. If you miss the mark, as you sometimes will, may it be for too much audacity, and not too little.

Build resilience and remember that success is never final, failure is never fatal.

Third, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose”

Finally, one of my biggest personal discoveries was that the very purpose of life is to find purpose in what you do.

Let me share a story with you. During both of my startup companies I used to have a picture of the “Golden Spike,” a picture taken on May 10, 1869 to commemorate the final spike to join the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States.

It showed Americans from all nationalities in front of the train—from business men to immigrant workers from Germany, Italy, and China with shovels and spades in their hands.

When I was building my software startups, I always took inspiration from that picture and used to tell my team of engineers, many of whom were immigrants like me, that just like they built the physical America over 100 years ago, we are now building the digital America to improve our healthcare and our financial networks.

What this did was give all of us a purpose that was much bigger than our lives or our bank balances. It motivated us and made it much easier to take the body blows that you inevitably experience while building a startup.

I also found something else that was interesting. If you set your mind to a cause that is big and pursue it with integrity, there is an invisible hand that guides you when you hit obstacles.

So, as you go forward with focus and boldness, find out what brings meaning and purpose to YOUR life.

Don’t just chase money; find and go after a worthwhile purpose. Money is just the scoreboard. Find a game you are good at and the scoreboard will take care of itself.

And, as you find your success, which you will, help some people along the way and acknowledge those who helped you, including this great university.

In Closing

So, go make your mark, find what you like doing, pursue it boldly, and find meaning in it.

Congratulations, class of 2013, on receiving a first-class education, from this first-class institution. Make sure that you carry the Spartan spirit forward.

Thank you once again for allowing me to play a small part in such an important day in your life today.

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Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean Stefanie Lenway congratulates a graduate at commencement.

The advanced degree ceremony at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on Friday, May 3, honored 405 graduates from the following programs:

• Full-time MBA: 88
• Weekend MBA: 153
• MS in accounting: 123
• MS in finance: 13
• MS in foodservice: 2
• MS in hospitality business: 11
• MS in supply chain management: 4
• Doctoral programs: 11

Prior to the ceremony, Matthew Barnhill (MBA Marketing ’94), executive vice president of corporate market research at BET Networks, was the featured speaker at a luncheon for Full-Time MBA and Weekend MBA graduates.

During the Broad College undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 4, also at the Breslin Center, nearly 1,000 graduates received degrees. Continuing the tradition of excellence at the college, four of these students were honored with Board of Trustees’ Awards for having a 4.0 GPA at the close of their last semester at MSU.

Bachelor’s degrees were conferred in these programs:

• Accounting: 180
• Finance: 235
• General management: 42
• Hospitality business: 174
• Human resource management: 15
• Marketing: 137
• Supply chain management: 216

Manoj Saxena (MBA Marketing ’91), general manager of IBM Watson Solutions, presented the keynote address. Graduating supply chain management senior Anna Ricelli also spoke at the ceremony as the class of 2013’s representative.

“We are incredibly proud of our graduating students, who exemplify the capabilities, leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and legacy of Broad’s alumni,” said Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean Stefanie Lenway. “We anticipate these students will continue their commitment to excellence as they draw upon their educational experiences at Broad to become worldwide leaders in their chosen fields.”

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Program details and registration information coming soon.

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This year’s recipients are David P. Cosper (BA Financial Administration ’77, MBA Finance ’78) – Lifetime Alumni Achievement Award – retired CFO of Sonic Automotive and former vice chairman, CFO and assistant treasurer of the Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit Company; Alan J. Kaufman (BA Business ’70) – Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award – chairman, CEO and president of the H.W. Kaufman Financial Group and chairman, CEO and president of Burns & Wilcox, Ltd.; Bruce R. Leech (BA Financial Administration ’78) – Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award – founder and director of CrossCom National; Tania Narula Chopra (BA Supply Chain Management ‘03) – Young Alumni Achievement – vice president at Credit Suisse; and Ryan P. Sullivan (BA Finance ’06) – director of Business Development, Rock Ventures (Quicken Loans Family of Businesses).

The Broad College Alumni Achievement Awards are administered by the Broad College Development and Alumni Relations Office. Nominations are reviewed and selection is made by the Broad College Alumni Association Board of Directors Executive Committee.

See a list of the past winners at broad.msu.edu/alumni/awards/.

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Although one dollar may not seem to go very far these days, with every song downloaded, the Greater Lansing Food Bank receives sufficient funds to purchase seven pounds of food—that’s enough to feed a family of four a complete meal. According to the food bank, 24 percent of its recipients report having to choose between buying food and paying for utilities. At a time when many in the state are still underemployed, this additional support is both in high demand and incredibly appreciated.

The idea behind We Sing For Food was imagined by accounting and information systems professor Brian Pentland. A musician himself, Pentland was inspired to help local artists get their work out there for others to enjoy and to raise money for a great cause. Earlier in the semester, he approached the information technology project management class for assistance in making his plan a reality.

Seniors Ron Brown, Courtney Houldsworth, and Ryan Miceli jumped on board, designing and implementing the concept. Now that they have launched the startup, Brown is responsible for art and planning, Houldsworth takes care of social media and marketing, and Miceli handles the music coordination and communication.

Since going live on March 22, the group has already produced two albums featuring songs from 13 separate artists. As more artists join the cause, additional compilation albums will be added to the releases. The music is available for download for $1 a song or $7 an album through We Sing For Food’s website at wesingforfood.bandcamp.com.

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The SEO interns include David Walker, Jerry Hendrix, Britney Holloway, and Shawn Glasper.

The Broad students, seniors Shawn Glasper, Britney Holloway, and David Walker, will be joined by economics junior Jerry Hendrix in New York, where they will intern at J.P. Morgan Securities, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Jefferies, and another firm to be determined.

Together, the four students make up the largest class of SEO interns ever selected from MSU—previously, no more than one student had been accepted in a year. Knowing this, they are very enthusiastic about what their large group means for Broad and minority students at MSU.

They believe that the college’s jump in participation will incentivize SEO to recruit on campus, which would spark student interest and make the program more accessible. Holloway points out that “some universities have more interns as a result of recruitment.”

“We should all be tremendously proud of these students,” says Helen Dashney, director of the Financial Markets Institute. “Four is a record number and is a testament to the ability and motivation of these individuals.” Dashney introduced the Broad students to the program and acted as an advisor and go-to person throughout the application process.

The students went through multiple rounds of interviews before being matched with companies based on fit and offerings. Prior to starting their internships, they will complete 100 hours of SEO training. Approximately 40 hours will be done online and the remaining 60 hours will be dedicated to in-person, internship-specific training.

According to Dashney, “SEO’s focus on training is hugely valuable to a student and is indicative of the hard work these students will do.”

As Hendrix explains, the program is “really demanding, but what we get out of it is much more beneficial.” Speaking of the intensive training and support from SEO, he continues, “Investment bank employees often say SEO interns are better prepared than people who get internships off the street.”

Along with those from 3 international affiliates, SEO alumni total more than 8,000 and represent 46 states and 45 countries. Like those before them, Glasper, Hendrix, Holloway, and Walker hope to pave the way and be resources for all Spartans and minorities who are seeking careers on Wall Street.

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An alumni reception at the Gillette World Shaving Headquarters begins at 6 pm, and the program featuring Dr. Gupta begins at 7 pm.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, April 30, 2013. To place your reservation by phone, obtain additional information, or request accommodation for persons with disabilities, please contact Brenda Samson at events@msu.edu or (517) 884-1038.

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We’ll be serving up hot dogs, hamburgers, side dishes and beverages along with plenty of Spartan Spirit. Broad College tailgate tents open two hours before kick off at all home games. Location details will be confirmed and announced at a later date (although we expect to hold our position on Red Cedar Road, just north of Shaw Lane).

GO Green!

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