A few months ago, I found myself in conversation with a colleague who is a professor at a university in a different Midwestern state. We were discussing changes to our respective undergraduate curricula when we hit upon how we decided what new learning skills to teach in our courses. My colleague expressed surprise when I explained that we routinely seek and act on input from local employers on our advisory boards on topics such as these, while for them the faculty alone decide what is “best.”

I don’t know how common my colleague’s experience is, but I do know that connecting with the local business community and addressing its needs is highly valued in the Seidman College of Business, and it is what we strive to emphasize in this publication.

In this edition of the Seidman Business Review, connecting with the Michigan business community is, as always, a core theme. Some articles focus directly on employment – addressing the shortage of accountants or developing digital badges to enhance and verify the skills of workers. Other articles look at different businesses, such as the varied impacts on the economy from the large waste management industry or a small local breakdancing academy that received assistance from our Small Business Development Center. All of this in addition to our regular analysis of West Michigan stock performance, the regional housing market and, of course, our annual Grand Rapids economic forecast, round out the 2025 Seidman Business Review.

As you read this edition’s articles, keep in mind that at Seidman strong community partnerships and applied scholarly work are at the heart of what we do.