The highest quality academic programs offered in the College of Business & Information Technology are enhanced by extracurricular events that engage students, alumni, and the community at large. Every year, the College hosts Alumni Week, an academic excellence induction, a high school competition, and a high school leadership conference. Here are this year’s highlights. If you’re interested in learning more, we welcome you to call 248.204.3050 or write to cobitsuccess@ltu.edu.

Alumni Week 2023

"You can have it all, just not all at the same time."
- Dr. Sharon Dare Wayne

Now in its 10th year, Alumni Week invites CoBIT graduates to reacquaint with the campus many haven’t visited since graduation and share their career success with current business and IT students. Alumni are invited to address students during their class or lunch time. It’s held every year the week after spring break. Between March 13 and 17, 13 alumni met with LTU students and Dr. Shannon Dare Wayne, BSIM ’98, MSIO ’03 served as keynote speaker. Dare Wayne has been making an impact since graduating from Lawrence Tech with undergraduate and graduate degrees. She has worked for Ford Motor Company for 25 years and is currently a Business Office Manager for Ford Model e division. Previously, she worked in Planning & Strategy for Ford’s Middle East & Africa region.

Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Gamma Sigma is the international honor society recognizing business excellence since 1913. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive at a school accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. These students' academic achievements are honored with lifelong membership in a prestigious international organization. Based on cumulative GPA, only the top 10% of undergraduate and top 20% of graduate students each year from our MBA, MSIT, MSBDA, BSBA, BSIT, and BSBDA programs are selected to be inducted. The top percentage of those programs, approximately 40 students, are eligible and invited to join each year. 

The 2023 induction banquet was held on Friday, April 14, at Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield. Joshua Aker ’24 was inducted in 2022. The Business Management student said, “I was really surprised by this recognition. I’d never heard of Beta Gamma Sigma before. But I appreciate it. I believe it looks awesome on a resume. It shows employers that I’m a hard worker, I’m serious about my studies, and it adds credibility.” 

Said Dean Bahman Mirshab, “We are certainly proud of all of our Beta Gamma Sigma students as their hard work and academic accomplishments attest to the rigor and high quality education they receive at LTU.”  

DECA High School Competition

DECA Awards, 2022

CoBIT has been sponsoring the Michigan DECA High School conference and competition each December on LTU’s campus since 2018, with the 2020 competition taking place virtually due to the pandemic. Future leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management from 22 Oakland County high schools (District 6) interact with volunteers and sponsors, as well as campus faculty, staff, and administration. Competitions are held throughout the university’s Southfield campus. The event also offers networking opportunities for the students with industry leaders. 

Judges for the event are faculty, industry advisory board members, alumni, and industry partners.

The December 2022 DECA High School Competition welcomed 602 students, 21 teachers, 24 chaperones, 10 staff members, 72 judges, 42 from the DECA organization and 30 from Lawrence Tech, and 12 LTU staff volunteers.

“Our sponsorship of the DECA Competition each year demonstrates our ongoing commitment to community engagement as well as preparation of young students for college and the real world,” said Mina Jena, director of programs for the College of Business and Information Technology.

Young Women’s Leadership Conference

The Young Women’s Leadership Conference is an opportunity for young middle and high school girls to meet and interact with notable women in positions of leadership within government, business, medicine, or academia. Lawrence Tech seeks to inspire the more than 300 attendees each year to build supportive networks and to set ambitious educational and career goals of their own. 

Initiated in 2017 and suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, attendees of the October 14th conference were treated to two highly acclaimed keynote speakers. The list of keynote speakers has been inspirational and impactful for the young ladies who’ve attended:

2017: Ms. Andra Rush, Founder, Chair, CEO and President of Rush Group

2018: Ms. Lynn M Torossian, President and CEO of Henry Ford, West Bloomfield Hospital

2019: Ms. Laura Jones, Global Talent Director, General Motors 

2022: Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence in the morning and Attorney General Dana Nessel in the afternoon

In addition to the keynote address, the conference each year includes a panel discussion by three or four Michigan women leaders and multiple leadership workshops for students led by nationally and internationally known professional development professionals.

The significant impact and importance of the 2022 Young Women’s Leadership Conference are reflected in the students’ comments on their event evaluation forms. Wrote one student, “I am capable of doing anything no matter how hard it might be. WOMEN ARE THE FUTURE.” Another stated, “That no matter what I'm feeling in the moment or what people tell me my voice matters, my choices matter, and I matter.” And a third said, “That I don't have to stay on the sidelines, I don't have to wait on being asked to do something. I also learned that I should be brave and independent.”

by Renée Ahee

Panelists of the 2022 Young Women's Leadership Conference