Sigma Eta Pi – University of Michigan on LinkedIn: In SEPi News: Alumni Speakers Mark Norten and Peter Koomen Thank you to… (2025)

In SEPi News: DEI and Entrepreneurship PanelOn September 9, during our open rush round, Sigma Eta Pi held our DEI and Entrepreneurship Panel, organized by our VP of DEI, Esthel Yi. The panel consisted of 5 brothers (Kevin Toledo, Madia Adnan, Shreyas Sreeprakash, Max Feldman, Melisa Orduna) and 1 special guest, Jenni Yim. Jenni is a trainer at ZingTrain which she joined in 2022. ZingTrain is a branch of Zingerman's that focuses on helping and training organizations to be an engaging environment for their customers and staff. Some of Jenni's training specialties include customer service, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), How to Improve (Standard Operating Procedures) and Dialogue, and teaching internal Zingerman’s classes. During this event, we asked our panelists questions about their individual experiences- whether that was working at an internship or job, their time in SEPi, or any entrepreneurial advice they had. The panelists also discussed DEI in their workplace and the value of diverse opinions in entrepreneurship.Finally, rushees were given the opportunity to ask panelists questions directly and network with our panelists and other brothers at the end. We thank the panelists for their thoughtful insights and time. Thank you to everyone for attending!

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In SEPi News: Summer Experiences Recap (Part 3)Our brothers gained invaluable professional experiences this summer from various companies and disciplines and could be seen across the country and beyond. Here are more of their experiences and what they learned:Madia AdnanHenry Ford HospitalDetroit, MIMadia’s passion for exploring the social determinants of health and enhancing healthcare access led to her involvement in a research project focused on the Henry Ford Trauma Recovery Center, the first of its kind to launch in the state ofMichigan. The Trauma Recovery Center is working to maximize the recovery of traumatically injured patients, families, and communities through support, mental health services, education, and access to resources. She developed a patient resource pamphlet listing local community organizations providing essential support and services. Additionally, she formulated a strategic timeline detailing the center's needs and milestones, covering immediate, near-term, and long-term objectives.“It is a privilege to assist individuals during their time of greatest need, and the healthcare sector works hard to overcome many obstacles on a daily basis so this is possible. Everyone should have access to affordable and high-quality healthcare.”Max FeldmanCollageCo-Founder of a Startup CompanyThis summer, Max had the opportunity to work on a startup he co-founded with another SEPi brother, Alex Wang. They are building Collage, an AI advising and social scheduling platform for college students. Collage helps students craft their perfect class schedule with ease! Students can access a course catalog built around their academic needs and professional interests and can ask our AI assistant questions about individual courses. They want Collage to be the ‘Pinterest for education’ – A source of inspiration and discovery for students! As CEO, he assembled a talented team of University of Michigan students, and they have spent the summer building our site from the ground up. His role involves overseeing the creative and strategic direction, leading team meetings, and managing assignments. They’re thrilled to be launching this November for University of Michigan students! If you’re interested in learning more or want to join the waitlist, check out collageapp.info“If you want to be successful as a leader and create something meaningful you need to be guided by empathy.”Our brothers will undoubtedly go forth into the school year grateful for their experiences. We are so proud of everyone!

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In SEPi News: Summer Experiences Recap (Part 2)Our brothers gained invaluable professional experiences this summer from various companies and disciplines and could be seen across the country and beyond. Here are more of their experiences and what they learned:Evan CohenCompugenHolon, IsraelCompugen is an Israel-based biotech company that does cancer immunotherapy research. Evan developed an AI feature within the company's cloud platform to help biologists answer questions about their work. This enabled more efficient research to find new cures faster. He worked with an incredible team and had an amazing experience.“AI is cutting-edge technology, and everyone is trying to understand it.”Xavier JenkinsHITT ContractingFalls Church, VAHITT Contracting provides premium construction services across the nation. Xavier worked as a Construction Management Intern where he learned the planning, logistics, day-to-day operations, and complexity of managing a 500 million-dollar construction site. He also learned about the importance of site, schedule, and relationship management which he approached in new ways each day.“The difference between great and good is the details.”Yasmine YavinskyIPG MediabrandsNew York, NYIPG Mediabrands is a leader in the media industry, managing over $47 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients. Yazy worked at Kinesso, IPG Mediabrands’ technology-driven performance marketing agency. For the majority of her internship, she worked with the Paid Social team on the Kenvue account, tracking and optimizing the performance of paid social media ads across several self-care and essential health brands. The other part of her internship was spent collaborating with a team of interns to create a full-funnel media plan for Truth Initiative, which they presented directly to the client.“A huge takeaway from this experience was becoming familiar with the jargon used within the media industry. There are so many acronyms! Luckily I now know what they mean."Jacqueline SinaiRoyal Caribbean GroupMiami, FLJackie had the opportunity to work in the Entertainment Department at Royal Caribbean International as a Production Intern. She worked closely with casting, operations, and artistic integrity teams to make sure that the Main Stage, Aqua, and Ice shows on all the ships in the fleet were operating perfectly every day. She also worked on the performer, creative team, and scenic vendor contracts during her 10-week internship.“It was amazing to see the level of talent and artistry that Royal Caribbean offers on their ships and it was a privilege to be a part of creating that magic.”

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In SEPi News: Summer Experiences Recap (Part 1)Our brothers gained invaluable professional experiences this summer from various companies and disciplines and could be seen across the country and beyond. Here are a few of their experiences and what they learned:Sarika WaikarDeloitteChicago, ILDeloitte Global is a professional internal network supporting Deloitte member firms worldwide. As a Global Ethics intern, Sarika worked on effective communication with the Gen Z and millennial workforce, ethical use of AI, and course-taking integrity.“Connecting with people and projects on a deeper level is critical! Be passionate about getting to know people and exploring new areas.”Kevin ToledoZF GroupLivonia, MIZF is a global technology manufacturing company that plays a crucial role in supplying advanced mobility products and systems for vehicles and industrial tech. As a finance and profitability intern, Kevin helped reinvent the process of tracking and reporting profit, quote new business with customers, assess opportunities for cost savings on hundreds of parts, and found the Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Network. The experience of working on multiple global projects taught him the value of being adaptable and saying "Yes!" to new learning opportunities!“When you infuse genuine passion and happiness into your work, you’ll not only achieve your best but also ignite a spark in others to reach their fullest potential in their professional and personal lives!”Hannah TillerComcastPhiladelphia, PAComcast is a media and technology company that owns subsidiaries like NBCUniversal, Xfinity, and Peacock. Hannah worked as a Comcast Creative Group Intern on the Production team where she helped produce content in advertising, website, and social media. She has been working on the Paris 2024 Olympics as Comcast sponsors Team USA.“I’ve learned about the value of storytelling across a larger corporation to foster favorability and recognition across all subsidiaries!”Trisha PalApple Inc.Cupertino, CAApple is a multinational corporation and technology company best known for its electronics, software, and services. Trisha worked as a Software Engineering Intern in the SWE Operations and Planning Team where she collaborated with her team on ongoing projects and worked on her own intern projects. At Apple, she learned more about the behind-the-scenes of how a large business operates and saw that the projects she worked on had a positive impact on her team and other employees.“It may not be easy, but it will be rewarding.”Elijah GrayPlaya BowlsAnn Arbor, MIPlaya Bowls is an açai shop that serves healthy fruit bowls, juices, oatmeal, soup, and coffee while focusing on sustainability and community. There are more than 150 locations worldwide. Eli made an assortment of açai bowls and smoothies for customers.“Playa taught me how to make an amazing smoothie!”

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In SEPi News: Chicago Trek Winter 2024During the weekend of April 11th - 13th, a group of SEPi brothers traveled to Chicago for oursemesterly Professional Trek, organized by our VPs of Professional Development, Alex Wang and Max Feldman.During this trip, we visited 5 businesses and gained professional advice for working in a startup and for networking experience. The first company we visited was G2, a global software marketplace with the mission of crowdsourcing software, meeting the needs of both a growingcustomer base and number of software developers and vendors. They are greatly inspired by the PEAK value framework which stands for performance, entrepreneurialism, authenticity, and kindness.After visiting G2, we met with 1871, a non-profit tech innovation hub focused on uplifting tech entrepreneurs in the Chicago area and the Midwest. 1871 discussed their university partnership programs, affording students at select schools resources and expertise to grow their ventures. The brothers also walked through the spaces where founders and early stage entrepreneurs put in the time and work to create and innovate and the spaces where public pitch competitions and events took place to bring the community together. The second day began with Inspire11, a tech consulting firm with a mission to re-invent the way they think about consulting and its workflow. Inspire11 focused greatly on harnessing the power of emerging technologies and AI in efforts to increase productivity and ultimately work towards increased value generation. Founder and CEO, Hans Nelson shared insight on the invaluable nature of constructive feedback culture, innovating and disrupting with purpose, and always being curious and entrepreneurial. Next, we visited a hard tech incubator called mHUB . mHub is a more hardware-centered incubator, also focused on uplifting entrepreneurs and founders in the Chicago area and the broader Midwest. The brothers learned about how they measure success through the economic impact they can facilitate with their resources and services they provide to early stage startups and innovators, providing insight into the way they see the work they do as catalytic and to the benefit of the surrounding community.The last company was Origin Ventures, a digital nature venture capital that focuses on investments in the digital native economy. The brothers were fascinated by Origin’s investment thesis placing attention on the outsized opportunity in the digital native economy and businesses positioned to best take advantage of present and future generations’ familiarity and attachment to technology. Managing partner Jason Heltzer provided more insight into the field of venture capital, from advice on breaking into the field to what makes the great founders and startups excel. This trip to Chicago was yet another amazing trek experience. We thank all the companies for hosting us and providing a personal look into their operations!

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In SEPi News: Professional Development x DEI ActivityYesterday, SEPi members came together during our regular chapter time to participate in a Professional Development x DEI Pitch Competition, hosted by our VPs of DEI, Sarika Waikar and Kevin Toledo, and one of our VPs of Professional Development Max Feldman.First, in groups of 5-6, our members brainstormed challenges or inequities faced by college students today, and how technology could be leveraged to address these challenges. Next, each group was tasked with coming up with a creative, unique startup idea that addressed one or more of the previously identified issues. Using research and organizing their key aspects, groups prepped themselves and their idea before presenting to the rest of the chapter. Group 1’s idea was an app to streamline transportation. With a goal of creating a way to make public transportation more accessible, Group 1 talked about compiling all public transportation into one space to make things easier for students and allow students to save money. Group 2’s pitch aimed to tackle the issue of students getting scammed in ticket exchanges for numerous events. To make things easier for students, Group 2 wanted to compare all games and tickets into one place for convenience and easy usage. Group 3 presented an app with features including healthy meals alternatives, where to find healthy options in dining halls, volunteer opportunities, and more. This app would foster community, while helping college students with access to fresh and healthy meals. Group 4 not only sough out to make the transportation system simpler and more affordable, but also making housing easier by allowing students to pick living places farther from campus, with the help of their form of cheaper public transportation. Group 5 came up with an innovative subletting app that allows individuals to post and look at all subletting options in on location. Through filters such as price and time, this app is designed to help students find housing options that align with their needs and preferences. Lastly, Group 6 created a constantly up to date online brokerage for student housing. With this idea, Group 6 tackles the issues of how expensive having a personal broker can be and how often lots of listings are not kept up to date. Ultimately, our hosts decided that Group 4 delivered the best pitch and idea! Congratulations to Saajan Kikani, Madia Adnan, Thomas Landgraff, Jenny Hald, Maya Lindsley.In the end, this pitch competition prompted our members to think about real-life issues college students like us face every day, and how we can work towards fixing these challenges and inequities. Through activities like this, Sigma Eta Pi offers members a chance to practice their entrepreneurial spirit and problem solving skills.

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In SEPi News: Alumni WeekendThis past weekend, we were excited to receive a visit from five accomplished SEPi alumni: Tim Dunkel, Lucy Sohr, Mark Norten, Peter Koomen, and Nicholas Zacharek.On Saturday, we hosted a social where current brothers and our alumni could catch up and reminisce about old memories in a fun and casual atmosphere.During our weekly chapter on Sunday, we organized a discussion panel with Tim and Lucy, who shared some wise words with our current members, which was then followed by a Q&A with the brothers. They spoke on behalf of their favorite SEPi memories, what their careers are like, and gave insightful advice about job recruitment. “Anything that you do that you love, save it,” Lucy said. “There is a very good chance you will be able to use that when you are seeking out jobs. If you feel proud of it now, that’s not going anywhere, and someone else will probably feel proud of it in the future.” Tim discussed strategies for interviews and networking by creating analogies within a resume to elaborate on specific qualifications for a position. He also mentioned the importance of leadership experience for your future endeavors and to learn from others’ accomplishments. Thank you to our VP of Membership, Mitchell Herndon, for planning an amazing weekend. We sincerely appreciate all the alumni who came out this past weekend. We love you all and hope to see you again soon!

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In SEPi News: Guest Speaker Matt GordonOn February 18th, SEPi gathered for an insightful chapter with guest speaker Matthew Gordon, Co-Founder and CFO at The Pickleball Club. Established in 2019, The Pickleball Club is dedicated to building indoor pickle ball courts across the United States. Gordon talked with our members about his personal experiences in creating The Pickleball Club, sharing valuable insights into the entrepreneurial journey and what it takes to be a true entrepreneur. Here is a summary of specific advice Gordon offered for young adults interested in entrepreneurship:1. Entrepreneurial wisdom and mindset:All great entrepreneurial endeavors start with a compelling idea. According to Gordon, finding an opportunity is just the beginning; it requires diligent research and effort to turn ideas into reality. In addition, he advised that the faster one can identify what does not work, the sooner they can determine what does work. 2. Personal growth and learning:Reflecting on the start of The Pickleball Club’s journey, Gordon recalled making more mistakes than he can count, but highlighted the significance of not just accepting failure but embracing it as a fundamental aspect of entrepreneurial growth. That being said, entrepreneurs must be comfortable with the concept of pivoting within their work. Lastly, recognizing mistakes as valuable learning opportunities is key to a smoother path to success.To fuel inspiration for our upcoming endeavors beyond graduation, Sigma Eta Pi extends invitations to a range of UM and SEPi alum and local entrepreneurs to come and share words of wisdom to our members. We are so grateful for the chance to learn about The Pickleball Club and gain insights from a local entrepreneur! And thank you to our VPs of Professional Development, Max Feldman and Alex Wang, for organizing our guest speaker series! Thank you, Matt, for sharing your experiences with us!

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In SEPi News: DEI and Entrepreneurship PanelOn January 22nd, during our open rush round, Sigma Eta Pi held our DEI and Entrepreneurship Panel, organized by our Heads of DEI, Sarika Waikar and Kevin Toledo. The panel consisted of 5 brothers (Alex Wang, Riya Munot, Gabriel Cueto, Olivia Garzo Dominguez, Tiffany Li) and 1 local entrepreneur Kaylan Mitchell. Mitchell is the co-owner of The Getup Vintage located here in Ann Arbor. Since its opening, The Getup Vintage has focused on bringing environmentally conscious fashion to downtown Ann Arbor!We asked our panelists questions about their individual experiences- whether that was working at an internship or job, their time in SEPi, or any entrepreneurial advice they have. The panelists also discussed DEI in their workplace and the value of diverse opinions in entrepreneurship.Finally, rushees were given the opportunity to directly ask panelists questions and network with our panelists and other brothers at the end. We thank the panelists for their thoughtful insights and time!

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