Q&A: Michigan Ross Staff Share Takeaways from Professional Development Experiences
Professional development can help faculty and staff build new skills, grow in their careers, and find greater satisfaction in their work. Additionally, when individuals learn and improve, they bring fresh ideas and renewed energy to their roles. We asked staff from across Michigan Ross to share how recent professional development experiences have impacted their growth and how they plan to implement what they’ve learned this academic year.
Claire Wagner, staff operations HR generalist, Ross Human Resources
What is your current role at Ross, and how do you and your department support the school’s mission?
I’m an HR generalist on the Ross Human Resources team. In my role, I support recruiting and onboarding, maintain accurate records, ensure compliance, and assist with various employee needs and inquiries. Our HR team helps advance Ross’s mission to build a better world through business by supporting the people who make that mission possible. We strive to create a positive and inclusive work environment where faculty and staff feel valued and empowered to do their best work.
Why is professional development important to you, and can you please describe a recent experience you’ve had?
Professional development is important because it helps me stay current in a constantly evolving field and build the skills and confidence I need to continue growing in my role. Working in higher education, I truly value lifelong learning, not just for our students but also for ourselves as professionals.
Most recently, I used my professional development resources to pursue the Society of Human Resources Certified Professional certification. This exam is designed to enhance HR knowledge, provide valuable networking opportunities, and help HR professionals gain a deeper understanding of day-to-day HR tasks and processes. I’m proud to share that I became certified in February of this year. Preparing for the exam allowed me to deepen my understanding of key HR competencies and gain a broader perspective on best practices across the industry.
What did you learn from that experience that you plan to implement in your role this academic year?
By preparing for and earning my SHRM-CP certification, I gained a stronger foundation in key HR areas like employee engagement, compliance, and communication. It helped me better understand the “why” behind many of the processes I support and how they contribute to a positive workplace culture.
This academic year, I plan to apply what I’ve learned by continuing to look for ways to improve the employee experience — whether that’s through clearer communication, helping streamline HR processes, or simply being a helpful and reliable resource for staff. I’m also excited to bring a more informed perspective to the work I support and keep learning as I go.
Rob Gorczyca, digital project manager, Office of Marketing and Communications
What is your current role at Ross, and how do you and your department support the school’s mission?
I am the digital project manager for the Office of Marketing and Communications at Michigan Ross. I help ensure our digital marketing initiatives run smoothly and on time, enabling the team to effectively promote the Michigan Ross brand and mission of building a better world through business and attract quality students to our programs.
Why is professional development important to you, and can you please describe a recent experience you’ve had?
Professional development is crucial for me because it’s how I stay effective and innovative in my role as digital project manager. Technology is constantly evolving, and to ensure our marketing efforts at Michigan Ross are always cutting-edge and efficient, I need to stay on top of the latest tools and trends. Continuous learning allows me to simplify our processes and deliver better results for the team.
I recently attended a valuable online workshop on creating effective dashboards within Wrike, the project management software that our team uses.
What did you learn from that experience that you plan to implement in your role this academic year?
From the online workshop on implementing team dashboards, I learned how to design dashboards that allow team members and leadership to see a high-level overview of current projects and tasks.
This academic year, I plan to continue building these dashboards to make it easier for team members to track our work and better manage their projects within the software.
Michelle Roney, director of experiential engagement, Office of Advancement
What is your current role at Ross, and how do you and your department support the school’s mission?
In my role, I focus on creating a great experience for our donors and alumni when they attend a Ross event. Whether it is our Homecoming Reunion weekend or an intimate donor reception, it is important to create an environment where our alumni feel inspired and motivated to continue supporting and amplifying the Ross mission.
Why is professional development important to you, and can you please describe a recent experience you’ve had?
Professional development is such a critical component of personal growth in your career. I have been fortunate enough to have these opportunities during my time at Ross, and it is always a great feeling to challenge yourself to learn new things and see where these new skills can be effective in your current role.
In the past, I have attended the Peer Business School Conference centered on donor relations. It is great to come together as a community of higher education professionals, share best practices, and develop long-lasting cross-functional relationships with peers from coast to coast. I always come back from this conference energized with a new mindset and ready to implement new ideas.
What did you learn from that experience that you plan to implement in your role this academic year?
From my experiences at this conference, I have learned that there is always room to improve your planning and processes, even when you think you are in a good place. Without change, there is no growth. I always strive to keep an open mind when attending professional development opportunities to see where I can grow and develop myself even further. I plan to keep an open mind this academic year to identify ways to improve our donor and alumni events.
Tedra White, director of communications, Office of Marketing and Communications
What is your current role at Ross, and how do you and your department support the school’s mission?
I’m the director of communications in the Office of Marketing and Communications. In this role, I lead a talented team of content strategists who share the great things happening at Ross primarily through storytelling and creating content for social media, podcasts, and other marketing channels, including The Ross Report! We also maintain contact with news media professionals and constantly look for opportunities to get our people and programs featured in national and global outlets. Our goal is to support our leadership team and program partner units in continuing to build our brand reputation as a leading global business school.Â
Why is professional development important to you, and can you please describe a recent experience you’ve had?
Professional development is extremely important to stay ahead of all of the change that is impacting how we work, in particular AI. We cannot rely on what we learned in school or keep doing the same things in our current roles and expect to continue producing our best work. I’ve worked as a communications professional in the news media, banking, healthcare, and now higher education. I have learned that it’s critical to continue learning and remain aware of new and more effective ways to engage consumers as the marketplace becomes more competitive.
Recently, I attended a women’s leadership development conference called Thrive in Chicago. I met some phenomenal women from various industries and stages in their careers. The speakers and workshop leads shared great insights on how leaders can better support and motivate their teams, and lead with compassion and empathy. I was grateful for the opportunity to attend this event and get out of my environment for a few days to focus on myself as a leader and what I can do to be more effective.
What did you learn from that experience that you plan to implement in your role this academic year?
One big takeaway from attending the Women’s Leadership Development Conference was the importance of ongoing personal and professional growth — not just for myself but for my team. As a leader, it is my responsibility to make sure my team has the tools and resources they need to do their best work and also to encourage opportunities for them to learn new skills. I was reminded that one of the things I enjoy most about my role is helping people achieve their goals and realize their full potential.
