Steering Students to the Stars, Grounded in the Keweenaw: The Enduring Legacy of Mari W. Buche
Mari W. Buche has served her country, her community, and her college with distinction. The associate dean of the College of Business and professor of management information systems has forged a career that embodies the spirit of Michigan Tech: rigorous, collaborative, and dedicated to excellence.
Over a remarkable 22-year career at Tech, Buche has acted as a guide, mentor, and visionary administrator. Perhaps the most important lesson the newly named professor emerita has impressed on students is that reaching the heights of success is made all the more possible when the dreams you set for yourself are grounded in a sense of belonging and service to others. She has taught thousands of Huskies to push technological boundaries while never losing sight of the people and communities those advancements support.
To understand Buche’s immense and enduring impact, one need look no further than the generations of students she’s launched into the world. Her mentees go on to establish fulfilling careers at the forefront of game-changing industries. Take graduate student Amanda Jaycox, who is literally reaching for the stars as an engineer for SpaceX's Starship program. Or consider Adam Mitteer, a graduate of Buche’s first data science cohort, who now balances a corporate executive role with teaching at Tech and leading the Michigan Tech Alumni Board of Directors. Both credit Buche with providing the foundational confidence to succeed in fast-moving, high-stakes environments.
Find out what they have to say and hear more from Buche herself on her career and what’s ahead at the College of Business Newsblog.