Roman Rhone

University of Michigan, Ross School of Business

“An entrepreneur who continues to aim to create a positive impact and learn every day!”

Fun fact about yourself: I play the steel drums.

Hometown: Austin, TX

High School: St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Major: Finance

Minor: N/A

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• BlackGen Capital Inc., Co-CEO
• BlackGen Capital Inc. at the University of Michigan, Co-President
• Preparation Initiative (PI), Mentor
• Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity
• MREACH, Instructor
• Diverse Leaders for Tomorrow, Executive Vice President
• Diverse Leaders for Tomorrow, President
• 2023 University of Michigan MLK Spirit Award Winner
• 2024 Ross Impact Award Winner

Where have you interned during your college career?

• JP Morgan Chase & Co., Advancing Black Pathways Investment Banking Fellow – New York, NY
• Morgan Stanley, Sales and Trading Summer Analyst – New York, NY

Where will you be working after graduation? Morgan Stanley – Sales and Trading Analyst

Who is your favorite business professor? My favorite business professor was Justin Frake, who taught the final strategy requirement, STRAT 390. Professor Frake had a profound impact on my Ross experience. The practical advice and guidance he gave were instrumental in enhancing my understanding of strategic business principles. Professor Frake’s impact extended beyond academic boundaries as well. While the classroom sessions were instructive and I gained substantial insights into optimizing business operations, the real value came from my daily interactions with Professor Frake. From engaging conversations about post-school plans and current passion projects to everyday hobbies and interests, Professor Frake was always there to listen and engage. I enjoyed how authentic our conversations would be, as he provided me with more knowledge than simply business theory. Although that might not seem too big, it had a profound impact on my experience within the business school.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I gained from studying business is that business is all about the relationship that you have with all stakeholders within whatever business function you work with. At a high level, I have learned that no business has ever been successful without having a good relationship. Therefore, it is important to understand how all stakeholders think and interact with one another. By understanding a company’s stakeholders, individuals can make decisions and present their solutions in a way that satisfies and gets approval from all stakeholders.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? If I could sum up my advice in three words, it would be this: Research, Discuss, and Act. The business world is a complex environment that requires strategic navigation, adaptability, and resilience to succeed. I have found that understanding theories and concepts within business is an important starting point, as they can most often be the access gap from receiving an offer to negotiating a business deal. Communicating with others is something that I have also found imperative. Without talking to those within whatever business field you’re interested in, you are bound to make similar mistakes and even some that you might have never thought about or even thought possible. Last is action. Without action, there is no possibility for success. If I leave one of these three things out, whether it is in the classroom or workforce, I have found myself struggling to achieve my goal. When I have done all three, I have found the most success. As a result, I make it imperative to, at minimum, do all three in every business endeavor I am interested in.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? What surprised me the most about majoring in business is the importance of communication. In high school, I could get away with putting my head down and studying without needing to collaborate with others. Within Ross and throughout my internships, I found that it was not only advantageous to communicate, but it was imperative. I have found through my time in the business world that every person has learned more valuable lessons from another individual than from a book. Although books are necessary for understanding, people are necessary to make an impact.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Overall, reflecting on my experience at the Ross School of Business, I am very happy with my experience as a whole. Entering Ross, my goal was to learn as much about business as possible and to connect with like-minded individuals to grow alongside. I believe that in my time at Ross, I exposed myself to a diverse array of fields, which allowed me to learn a lot about the different avenues of business. I was able to start and join organizations where I met some of the most inspiring and hard-working people I know. Although I wouldn’t change my experience for anything, the one thing I would have done differently would have been to grow a stronger connection with my professors. I believe, and know, that there was a lot more that I could have learned through more discussions with my professors that I did not take advantage of. I plan and hope to connect with some of my favorite professors throughout the rest of the time I have here and into my future professional career.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of planning and coordinating the BlackGen Capital National Conference in 2023. In 2023, we were able to coordinate a National Conference where over 100 underrepresented students in finance were able to participate in a stock pitch competition, network, and workshop in front of firms like Morgan Stanley, Vanguard, Evercore, Jefferies, and more. It was a great experience for me to be able to see all nine chapters of BlackGen, from the University of Michigan to the University of Pennsylvania, represent an organization at a conference at Jefferies, where individuals were able to network, hear from Wall Street leaders and executives, and participate in a stock pitch competition.

Working alongside my team, Kellie Graves, Kyle Bernardez, and Ray Shoemaker II, I was able to learn and grow tremendously from this experience, understanding more about how the world of finance works. It was great to see the impact of BlackGen Capital and how success could come out of hard work and putting trust in those around you.

Which classmate do you most admire? A classmate that I most admire is Omar Elrashid (Class of 2023). Omar is a friend, mentor, and inspiration of mine. He helped me start BlackGen at the University of Michigan, but also played an integral role in my Ross experience. He was there for me when I was recruiting and had trouble in classes. He was also there to help us build the great club we have on campus today. He did this all while still being a student and dealing with his life and I am incredibly thankful for him. I am very thankful for his guidance and friendship and look forward to what the future holds.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? It is hard to pick one person for my success, so instead I will pick my family: my mom, dad, Kerrick, Raven, and Sharlee. My family has always been there for me and supported me throughout all of my goals. From supporting me leaving Texas to explore new states like New York and Michigan, to having faith in me and being my number one critic, my family has always been there to motivate and support me. I would not be anything or anywhere without them.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The top two items on my professional bucket list are to own my own business and become an investor back into my community for other businesses.

What made Roman such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Roman has been an invaluable source of support for our team and our Preparation Initiative and MREACH students. During his time at Michigan Ross, Roman has worked to not only deliver high quality instruction to both first-year college students and high school students, but he has also served as a mentor to a number of students both in our programs and to many students at U-M. Roman takes time to meet with and encourage other students of color who wish to pursue finance or who may just need a listening ear. Roman was instrumental in bringing a Black Gen chapter to U-M as another resource for students to pursue their career goals.  As my team has gotten to know him, we have also enjoyed the sense of humor he brings to our team meetings and events. Even though he will soon be an alumni, senioritis could never be used to describe Roman. He will be traveling with our team to help us on our NYC trek with 20 first-year and sophomore students. The care and encouragement he has provided to his peers has created an impact that will go beyond his years here at U-M.”

Lauren Clarkson
Director of Academic Success
Office of Undergraduate Programs
Stephen M. Ross School of Business

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