Two SMC students enrolled in the Ferris State University @ SMC bachelor’s degree program were recognized for their success in an international competition for business students.

Of 821 international teams entered, only 215 teams advanced to the semi-finals. Judy Kieffer-Phillips and Laura Kroboth were one of only two Ferris teams statewide to make the semi-finals.

“We had the opportunity to combine all the accounting and business classes we had taken and put them to work,” Kieffer-Phillips explained. “We were given a (simulated) business to run for eight years. This included control of operations, HR and marketing and sales, to name a few. It was a great chance to see just a small part of what goes into running a large corporation. We had a blast with it.”

Kieffer-Phillips served in the U.S. Army before coming to SMC.

“I deployed to Iraq in 2006,” she said. “While overseas, I decided that when I came home I would go to school. SMC was my first choice due to location and cost. I then went on to Ferris because I liked the fact that it was on SMC’s campus and they offered small classes.”

Currently, she is employed with the Michigan National Guard as a platoon sergeant with the 46th Military Police out of Dowagiac.

Kieffer-Phillips’ leadership skills served her well both in military and civilian life.

“She is a true leader in and out of the classroom,” said Stacy Horner, chair of SMC’s School of Business.

Laura Kroboth, a 2005 Dowagiac Union High School graduate, said, “I enjoyed the one-on-one experience that SMC and Ferris @ SMC provided. I decided to do the Ferris @ SMC program because they offered the program I wanted and I could save money.”

Kieffer-Phillips and Kroboth joined 24 other Ferris State University at Southwestern Michigan College students Saturday, May 7 during the commencement ceremony on SMC’s Dowagiac campus when they received their Bachelor of Science in accountancy degree through Ferris at SMC.