Birthday Party Memories: Celebrating 100 Years with a 100-Foot Cake
In August, Michigan Ross officially celebrated its 100th birthday with remarks from Sharon Matusik, Edward J. Frey Dean of Business, a surprise performance by members of the Michigan Marching Band, and a 100-foot-long birthday cake made by Heather Leavitt, BA ’07, of the Sweet Heather Anne bakery in Ann Arbor.
According to Leavitt, planning for the Michigan Ross birthday cake took months, including approximately one week to bake, build, decorate, transport, and add finishing touches on-site.
“I loved working with our team to take on this challenge,” said Leavitt. “There were so many things to factor in, like how much buttercream we would need, how long it would take us to assemble on-site, and how we could take two-foot-long segments of cake and make them appear as one seamless 100-foot cake. It was amazing to see the team come together and make it happen.”
Leavitt is a graduate of the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan. She opened her own bakery in 2010 and loves to take on baking challenges to create special experiences for her customers.
The Centennial birthday party kicked off with brief remarks from Dean Matusik, who introduced the Michigan Marching Band. After an energizing performance of “The Victors,” “Happy Birthday,” and “Let’s Go Blue,” the Michigan Ross leadership team took the stage, began cutting the cake, and invited guests to come forward and enjoy a slice.
Below, check out some photos of the cake and 100-year birthday party festivities.
