Student Profile: Nik Butz

Document Type

News Article

Publication Date

6-7-2012

Campus Unit

College of Business & Public Administration

Abstract

Nikolaus Butz has always known that he belonged in the classroom. As a second year Master of Business Administration student at the College of Business and Public Administration, Nik has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in Higher Education at UND. He will begin the program in Fall 2012. He has also been accepted to teach Principle of Management at University of Shanghai Science and Technology, one of UND's partner universities, in the Summer of 2012. After completing the doctoral program, Nik would like to pursue a professorship in business. Nik's future goal to work in higher education emerged from various teachers throughout his life who have impacted him. "I've had so many teachers and professors who have made a difference in my life, and I'd like to make a difference in people's lives as well," Nik says. He appreciates professors who trigger new interests and new ways of thinking.

Nik's father, who was born in Germany, came to North Dakota in high school when he participated in a study abroad program. Although first disappointed when his friends were placed in California and New York, Nik's father thoroughly enjoyed his time in the region and has since been living in North Dakota. Nik has been able to travel to Germany every year with his family and also traveled to China through the MBA program last summer. Because of these unique experiences, Nik hopes to focus on international business in the future. Nik says the MBA program has showed him that "the world is getting smaller and firms need to know how to compete internationally." Nik

The Dickinson, North Dakota, native came to the University of North Dakota College of Business and Public Administration after completing his undergraduate degree in Secondary Business Education at Dickinson State University. His choice to attend the University of North Dakota for graduate school came quite easily as Nik's father completed the Master of Business Administration program here in 2005.

Involvement in student organizations and working for the Management Department at CoBPA has been a great passion for Nik. Nik is currently president of the Master of Business Administration Student Association as well as Sigma Iota Epsilon, a management business fraternity. He is also the vice president for the Business and Public Administration Council, the student advisory council at CoBPA. As a graduate teaching assistant for the Management Department, Nik has been able to work with exceptional faculty members. In the spring semester of 2011, Nik worked with Dr. Duane Helleloid, who was Nik's father's advisor during his time at UND.

Being part of student organizations has allowed Nik to reach out to community business members and bring their experiences and stories to students. Nik says that the Master of Business Administration Student Association "bridges the gap between community businesspeople and the university." In addition, throughout both his work and classroom experience, Nik has enjoyed getting to know the "very approachable" staff and faculty at CoBPA.

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