2017 Best & Brightest: Lindsey Hirt, University of Michigan (Ross)

Lindsey Hirt

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

“A bubbly blonde businesswoman that ballroom dances and brightens lives of those around her.”

Fun fact about yourself: During the summer after my freshman year, I studied abroad in Urbania, Italy as the only business major among Vocal Performance majors. During the trip, I grew not only in my language skills, but also in my appreciation and craft of singing opera!

Hometown: Okemos, Michigan

High School: Williamston High School

Major: Business Administration with an emphasis in Management and Organizations

Minor: Community Action and Social Change

Favorite Business Courses: Intro to Positive Organizational Scholarship, Leadership in Organizations, Managing Change

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: President of the Michigan Ballroom Dance Team, Lead Fellow in the Center for Positive Organization’s +LAB, Member in Cru and the Ross Leaders Academy

Where have you interned during your college career? Marketing Intern for Cardinal Health in Dublin, Ohio during the Summer of 2016; Marketing intern for Chefmade and Frontlight Digital in Chicago, Illinois during the Summer of 2015

Describe your dream Job: My dream job is to be a Chief People Officer, empowering others within a positive organization. After serving in the private sector for a while, I would like to be a Management and Organizations professor.

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? I admire Bob Quinn, one of the professors here at the University of Michigan and founders of Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS). Not only does he inspire positive change through consulting work with organizations or educating students on the field of POS, he inspires it through living out the practices that he is teaching. He lives out his mission every day and demonstrates compassion, empathy and kindness through each interaction.

What did you enjoy most about majoring in a business-related field? The best part about majoring in business was the excellent and applicable training that I received in such a wide variety of courses. Whether it was learning how to effectively deliver a speech in front of hundreds of people, how to create a successful marketing strategy or how to implement change, it was so easy to see how the material translated outside of the classroom and these skills could be used to leave a positive impact.

Where would you like to work after graduation?  After graduation, I will be working at Cardinal Health in their Human Resources EMERGE Leadership Development Program.

What are your long-term professional goals? My hope is to enact positive change through a career in human resources in the private sector and then to eventually become a professor and/or coach so that I can serve others.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? If you are interested in having an impact on society or in some of the various fields of business, go for it! Majoring in business has been one of the best decisions of my life. Even though I was not one hundred percent sure of what function I wanted to be in when I started, everything that I have learned has been so interesting and helpful – I feel so prepared to go into the workforce thanks to my business education.

“I knew I wanted to major in business when…I read the Ross School of Business’ mission statement – to develop leaders to make a positive difference in the world.”

“If I didn’t major in business, I would be…an Organizational Studies major.”

“Before I entered business school, I wish I had known…just how incredible the professors are! Throughout my time at Ross, I have been blessed to have such intelligent, experienced and caring professors that take a vested interest in the students. However, I did not utilize office hours nearly as much as I should have! Looking back, I wish I had developed a closer bond with some of my favorite professors, so that I could continue to learn from them even when the classes have ended.”

What was the happiest moment of your life? One of the happiest moments of my life occurred when I was on a Chicago Summer Mission with Cru, a few summers ago. I was playing guitar and singing in the worship band during the last week, leading my friends in worship before we parted ways after spending the last ten weeks together. It brought me incredible joy to be able to use my gifts to serve the community and praise God together through music.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? Being able to serve as President of the Ballroom Dance Team this year has been one of my proudest achievements. I joined the team at the beginning of my freshman year, so to be able to give back to a group that has been an irreplaceable part of my collegiate experience has been incredibly rewarding. The best part is when I hear positive feedback about how much joy and growth members have been able to experience as a result of being on this team, especially from the work of myself or from some of my board members. It makes it all worthwhile.

What animal would you choose to represent your professional brand? A dove because they symbolize, peace, love and faith, all of which are extremely important to me.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? God because every good gift is from Him, and my parents for their constant love, support and provision, without whom I would not be the person that I am today.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? My hope is that my peers would remember me as a leader and friend that cared for others well and always sought to improve the lives of those around her.

Favorite book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Favorite movie: Legally Blonde

Favorite musical performer: Michael Bublé

Favorite vacation spot: Torch Lake, Michigan

What are your hobbies? In my spare time, I love to sing, play guitar, piano, games (especially card games) and bake.

What made Lindsey such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2017?

“Lindsey Hirt has been an invaluable addition Michigan Ross’s BBA Class of 2017. I’ve gotten to know her as a highly-engaged member of our Ross Leaders Academy (RLA), which is a selective program for 25 of the University of Michigan’s leaders and best. She’s been a positive force there, and a supportive leader of her team. She’s a student of management and organizations with a passion for applying positive psychology to business. She’s brought that mindset and tools with her to leadership roles with the Center for Positive Organizations’ +Lab, the Michigan Business Women Club, and Michigan Ballroom Dance Team, where she serves as president. She’s also a student of social change and community action, with a long-term personal mission to create positive impact in the lives of others. She’s certainly started down that path during her time at Ross!”

Brian Flanagan
Managing Director, Sanger Leadership Center
University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

DON’T MISS: THE FULL HONOR ROLL: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2017

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