Jacob Kennedy
MBA/MS '25
Pre-Program Role
Trees Atlanta
Program Supervisor
NeighborWoods
Post-Grad Role
Kraft Heinz
Sustainable Procurement, MBA
Leadership Development Program
Building Expertise and Experience
Course Highlights
Ross MO 611: Business Leadership in Changing Times
“The class provided many opportunities to get reps in complex problem-solving and public speaking, and they brought in executives from the cases we were doing to provide direct feedback.”
SEAS EAS 615: Renewable Electricity and the Grid
“I wanted to learn more about the grid, and the professor does an incredible job of taking complex ideas and making them very digestible.”
Co-Curriculars
Food, Bev, and Ag Club
“FBA provided very intimate events. When there were panels or other speaker events, you got a ton of one-on-one time to ask direct and personal questions for networking and industry learning in Food, Bev, and Ag.”
Michigan Climate Venture
“I knew I wasn’t going to build a career in venture capital, but I was curious about it as an engine of innovation. It provided a true depth and breadth of exposure to all things climate.”
Erb Experience
Student Advisory Board
“I felt strongly about the Erb community coming into the program and wanted to be a part of shaping it moving forward. I assisted in recruiting a diverse class and worked to foster a sense of belonging.”
Erb Funding
Utilized conference funding to attend conferences such as GreenBiz, Verge, and ClimateCAP
Obtained GRI Sustainability Professional and GHG Protocol Scope 3 Certifications
Erb Traditions
“My favorite tradition was obviously Erb Camping! Also the third-year retreat, we planned a trip for our class to Red River Gorge, just hung out for four days, connecting with each other in a disconnected way.”
Internships
Sustainability - Ahold Delhaize
Developed company’s position statement on regenerative agriculture.
Gathered information from holdings within the company’s supply chain on their purchases of shrimp and tuna.
Sustainable Procurement - Kraft-Heinz
Parlayed skills and experiences from his internship with Ahold Delhaize to liaise with the sustainability teams at the companies within Kraft Heinz’s supply chain.
You can’t take every class you want to, but there are other ways to learn outside the classroom. You should lean into that, whether it’s a consulting project, a speaker series, a panel, or auditing a course you’re tangentially interested in.
Jacob Kennedy
MBA/MS '25
Shivanee Shah
MBA/MS '26
Pre-Program Role
Consultant - IBM
Post-Grad Role
Associate Brand Manager - General Mills
Building Expertise and Experience
Course Highlights
EAS 577 - Political Ecology: This course provided me with different lenses through which to analyze systemic problems. Taught through the Socratic method, the majority of the class is spent discussing and debating various topics.
ACC 711 - Financial Statement Analysis I: This class helps you understand how to dissect a company's financial statements to determine the health of the business and what is driving its finances. I felt that this is a foundational course for understanding how a business operates.
EAS 524 - Agroecosystem Management: In this class, I learned the basics of nutrient cycles, soil health, and a wide variety of agricultural management topics, such as cover crops, rotational grazing, and nutrient management. It was interesting to hear directly from farmers with various production practices and motivations. This exposure helped me build a basic understanding of sustainable agriculture and its connection to the food system.
BL 513 - Law of Marketing: As someone interested in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), I found it helpful to gain a deeper understanding of the legality of marketing claims. I actually utilized some of the class material during my internships.
Co-Curriculars
UM Campus Farm Club: I have always been interested in farming, and this was a great way to learn about the process from planting to harvesting. It was also nice to have a designated time each week to connect with nature and enjoy being outdoors.
Erb Student Advisory Board: Supporting the Erb community through my involvement in Erb SAB over the past three years has always been important to me, given how much I have gained from it.
Michigan Marketing Club: This club provided a vital support system and resources that helped me feel confident during the recruiting process for brand management.
Erb Experience
Erb Coaching: When I first came to campus, I felt overwhelmed balancing academics, extracurriculars, social life, and recruiting responsibilities. Coaching provided me with the space to work through my own challenges with the support of a peer. Additionally, coaching skills are valuable from both a personal and professional perspective, as they help you support others through their own challenges.
MBGAY: I love that the Erb team provides a safe space for those to explore a side of your personality that you might not typically express, all while helping raise money for a good cause.
Internships
Suntory Global Spirits
Brand Management Intern
Suggested improvements to optimize their innovation process and explored the growing non-alcoholic space.
My favorite part was that I got to work across the organization, including Insights, R&D, and Brand. Additionally, we spent a few days in Kentucky and learned about the production of bourbon.
General Mills
Associate Brand Management Intern
Built a strategy for a product line to engage a new target consumer, refined its claims strategy, and helped progress a new innovation.
My favorite experience was that I got to sit in on a consumer testing session and learn how consumers help shape future products.
Don't underestimate the importance of developing your soft and leadership skills during your time in graduate school. This is the opportunity to explore different ways of communicating, to lead without authority, and to practice your presentation skills in a manner that feels authentic to you. Feedback I received from both of my internship managers indicated that my ability to form connections across the organization through my curiosity and authenticity was one of the main reasons they felt I had successful summers.