WMU student one of six to receive national scholarship
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A Western Michigan University integrated supply management student is among six students from across the country to receive a coveted nationwide business scholarship awarded by the Richter Foundation and the Institute for Supply Management's Richter Scholarship Fund.
Madison Dober of Lake Orion, Michigan, received a $10,000 award from the foundation and will have the opportunity to be mentored by established executives and former Richter Scholars.
The Richter Scholarship Program is one of the largest national scholarship programs in the field of supply management. The 2023 Richter Scholars will be honored at a dinner at the ISM World Conference, held May 7 to 10, in Grapevine, Texas.
“Madison receiving this prestigious award, as one of only a handful of undergraduate students in the country, is a well-deserved recognition of her academic and co-curricular engagement with our program," says Dr. Marcel Zondag, director of the integrated supply management program at WMU Haworth. “Madison is an excellent student and promising future industry leader. This award underscores the quality of our graduates, and I wholeheartedly congratulate Madison on her success.”
Dober is a junior majoring in integrated supply management and minoring in business analytics. She expects to graduate in spring 2024. In fall 2021, she was part of the student team that won the General Motors/Wayne State University Supply Chain Case Competition. She has served as a supply chain intern at Consumers Energy and as a manufacturing supply chain intern at General Motors. In May 2022, she studied global negotiation abroad in Germany. This upcoming summer, Dober will be joining AT&T in Dallas, Texas, as a supply chain sourcing intern.
She was awarded the Excellence in Education Scholarship from Achieving Women's Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management, and Education (AWESOME) in spring 2022. As a winner of this scholarship, she was recognized for being a future female leader in the supply chain industry.
Dober is involved with several student organizations on campus, including the Supply Chain Management Association, where she serves as president, and Delta Sigma Pi, where she previously held the position of social chair in spring 2022. In addition, she serves as a Haworth College of Business student ambassador.
Receiving the scholarship is an honor that reflects Dober’s commitment to the field of supply chain management and her exceptional work as a student. “I am excited and honored to be recognized among this group of future leaders in supply chain,” says Dober. “This award opens many doors that will propel me to success in my future career. I am looking forward to the mentorship and networking opportunities this scholarship provides. In addition, this award allows me to financially finish my undergraduate education with confidence. I am thankful for the generosity of both the Richter Foundation and the Institute for Supply Management.”
The top-ranked WMU integrated supply management program has provided many experiences for Dober to grow as a professional, preparing her for her internships and leadership roles. Chief among her mentors in the program is Zondag. “I had the opportunity to get to know Dr. Zondag on a study abroad trip and as the faculty advisor of the student club, Supply Chain Management Association. He is a passionate professor who truly guides, encourages and supports all students. I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor over the last year and for his support as I went through the application process for this scholarship.”
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