Championing ambition in every space
KALAMAZOO, Mich.— “Combining sales and strategy has always been what I desired in my future career,” says sales and business marketing and leadership and business strategy student, Madison Black. “The mix of a strategic framework, benchmarking and competition is thrilling to me.” Originally from Woodhaven, Michigan, the Western Michigan University Haworth College of Business senior has developed an impressive academic resume, which is fueling the start of a fulfilling career.
At WMU Haworth, Black has had unwavering support to reach her goals, driving her forward to the workforce ahead.
“I wholeheartedly believe in using the resources on campus. As a current student employee at the Zhang Career Center, I have seen the benefits. Many students who attend career development events walk away with valuable connections and even full-time job offers. Each time I give a tour in the career center, I am always sure to tell students about my experiences and the endless support that WMU Haworth has to offer.”
With a wide variety of skills at her fingertips, Black has completed multiple internships. Most recently, she worked as a sales operations intern at General Motors, where she was tasked with creating national advertisements, strategizing onboarding documents across the sales organization, and supporting retail initiatives and planning for national vehicle analytics.
“What drew me to General Motors was not only that they were in my field of work, but that they are a big name in an iconic industry. Coming from the Motor City, the auto culture of Detroit has remained very important to me so being able to contribute to major organizations that have influenced the culture of the city while also being so influential in my field was very inspiring to me.”
Adding to her international business knowledge, Black completed the Sustainability in India study abroad program this past December. “This trip reinforced how important it is to understand the relationship between our world and the environment and the impact each of us has through our own actions,” she says. “The program did a wonderful job educating us on how the future is changing and how we’re responsible for building long-term sustainability and equity. However, what truly made this program special was the people I met along the way—I gained more from the experience than I ever could have imagined.”
As graduation approaches and her time at WMU will soon be in the rearview mirror, Black shares advice with incoming business students.
First, she encourages fellow students to take advantage of WMU Haworth resources. “Using the resources at the Sanford Center for financial help, going to the tutoring centers, being pushed to enhance my interviewing skills, and leaning on my professors for help has accelerated my development.”
And she reminds students that hearing “no” is just an indicator that you’re putting yourself out there.
“Always be a go-getter. The worst thing you can ever hear is a no. The number one person who believes in you must be yourself. WMU provides so many avenues for students to be successful, and if you take advantage of those opportunities, you’ll have an amazing future as a Business Bronco.”
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