We are excited to announce the winners of our seventh annual 2021 Business Process Management Scholarship contest! Congratulations to first place recipient Marisa Mullins, and runner-up recipients Rachel Romaine and Ian Schoenmeyer. 

As a family-owned business, we recognize the importance of higher education and aim to do our part in assisting students during their academic journey. Available to students majoring in business or a business-related field of study, this scholarship offered one grand prize of $1,500 and two runner-up prizes of $1,000.

“Today, more than ever before, we know how important it is to support our next generation of business leaders with financial assistance to attend college,” said Schodowski. “In our seventh year of running this scholarship, we’ve learned just how motivated today’s youth are to making a difference in their communities and economies.

Read on to learn more about these three deserving students. 

Marisa Mullins

Marisa uses her passion of helping others through business as a motivator while she expands her education and expertise. Her hardwork and determination are clear – obtaining an M.B.A. at night while working as the Vice President of Real Estate and Marketing for a regional development firm, launching her own business consulting firm, and now attending law school to specialize in business, corporate, and transactional law. Giving back to her community is a priority – volunteering for non-profit organizations, tutoring children in emergency shelters, and leading supply drives for those in need. 

She finds helping commercial and residential clients extremely rewarding, and looks forward to doing further good work as a business law attorney. This passion for creating a positive impact for people in various communities has driven her to continue her business education, opening the door to larger opportunities to create change and help others.

Rachel Romaine

Rachel is double majoring in International Business and Management Information Systems, as well as pursuing a minor in Digital Business. Upon graduation, she plans to further her education and obtain a Masters of Business Administration. Her initial interest in business started with her family – her grandmother owned a small fabric business in Africa, and both her mother and aunt have M.B.As. 

In this digital age, she is specifically interested in how business and technology intersect. She aspires to work internationally in a business field or for a global company, utilizing her background in technology. As a minority student who is also hard of hearing, she hopes to influence other people with disabilities to pursue degrees in business. In addition, she plans to work with organizations to host financial literacy and technology classes in minority communities.

Ian Schoenmeyer

Ian was inspired to begin a business-related field of study when he decided to start a business of his own. Like many others, during the spring of 2020, Ian was without a job and seemingly felt like he was without a purpose. This led him to begin Critter Creations MI with his friend, creating and selling squirrel feeders. Setting up a woodworking shop in his garage and making a Facebook page, he continued to develop the business – growing the product line and branding their logo into the products. 

Starting from scratch, he had a business that brought in income, gave him a productive use of time, and provided a new-found purpose – using his creativity, problem solving, and collaboration skills to create a product that brought people joy. This inspired Ian to pursue a business degree at Saginaw Valley State University – hoping to further hone these skills in the years to come. 

Marisa, Rachel, and Ian, we wish you the best of luck in your studies and future career. This achievement is just the start of your success!