Author: bseehausen

Written by Brad Seehausen
Marketing and Communications Intern, Lacy School of Business ’26

After being named Regional Champions, Lacy School of Business students Jack Maier and Mariah Richardson advanced to the national Data4Good Competition at Johns Hopkins University, showcasing their predictive models on AI use in the classroom to a panel of expert judges.

Competing against top programs from across the country, the duo applied their skills from MS365, LSB’s business analytics course, to develop models focused on improving AI accuracy and reducing misinformation in educational settings. Their work built on Python programming and Microsoft Excel expertise, combined with innovative problem-solving and independent research.

Their success was part of a remarkable showing for Butler: 16 of the top 17 teams in the regional points-based competition were from LSB, and 50 of 53 students in MS366 earned Microsoft AI-900 certification, including Jack and Mariah — a testament to the technical excellence fostered in the program.

Building on their coursework and independent research, Jack and Mariah, along with their teammates, tackled a complex challenge using predictive models they hadn’t encountered before. Their task involved an ever-increasing ethical issue in modern education settings: AI use in the classroom, and more specifically, determining its accuracy. “We broke the problem into our ability to predict whether an AI output would be factual or inaccurate,” Mariah, a finance and entrepreneurship and innovation major, explained. 

While being a large point of contention in education, Jack and Mariah agreed on the fragility of AI use in the classroom. Jack, who is the treasurer for his fraternity, offered that uninformed use of AI is not the way to go when it comes to using AI as a tool. “I think there’s an ethical way to use AI in the classroom, and then there’s an unethical way to use it. You need to know what you’re talking about when you ask AI to create a certain code for you. I think it’s important to improve efficiency and accuracy of your own knowledge rather than to just get the answer, straight up,” Jack, an accounting and finance major, detailed. 

After laboring over the project, Jack and Mariah were the two selected from their regional team to represent LSB at Johns Hopkins in the national competition. Their plan was relatively simple: Catch a flight to Baltimore, present their findings to a panel of judges, and fly back. However, after numerous hours stuck at the Indianapolis airport, Jack and Mariah’s flight was canceled. But, after a last minute notice from the judges, Mariah and Jack threw on business professional attire, and proceeded to give their presentation virtually instead of in-person.

Despite a plane-sized wrench that prevented them from presenting in person, Jack and Mariah adapted quickly, delivering a polished virtual presentation that demonstrated professionalism and resilience under pressure. “We learned a lot about overcoming things that pop up suddenly, like a flight getting canceled and working under pressure. It was a learning experience,” Mariah commented. 

The team, through both hard work and overcoming obstacles, were able to give an effective presentation to the judges at the Data4Good competition. “Every team has its strengths. I really liked competing with others, and it’s where you get the most to learn from. Getting to build off of one another, and getting a close simulation to the real world, I genuinely enjoyed it,” Mariah stated. 

The two attribute their success mainly to the course work in MS365, as well as to Professor Matthew Lanham, who has close ties to the competition, championing its importance in the context of modern education. “He’s a super positive and smart professor. He was part of the judging for the state section of the competition, but he ensured that we would pay attention in class,” Mariah said. “We really couldn’t have done it without him, so I just want to give a shout out to him and the class as well,” Jack added. 

Jack and Mariah’s accomplishments reflect both their talent and the strength of LSB’s analytics curriculum in preparing students for real-world challenges.

Written by Brad Seehausen
Marketing and Communications Intern, Lacy School of Business ’26

Pursuing a higher education is no easy task. Intense workloads, late-night studying, and balancing a tight schedule require an immense amount of skill and discipline. For first-generation college students, one could add “graduating on time” and “figuring out how to apply for financial aid” to that list among many others. Despite the added challenges, these first-generation students at Butler University have defied the odds to find success in the Lacy School of Business.

For Tiffany, pursuing higher education was an easy decision to make. “I thought I basically had to go to college. It was an automatic thought when I was younger,” she clarified. “And when I eventually figured out that I wanted to do healthcare management as my profession, I knew I would have to go to college for that.”  

As the firstborn in her family, Tiffany said that she’s always had to figure out processes for herself when it comes to her educational journey. However, she aims to spin the narrative for other first-generation students. As a Student Orientation Guide for new students, she had the opportunity in the 2025 fall semester to welcome Butler University’s first round of admitted Founder’s College students, many of whom were first-generation. “I knew exactly what it was like for them. I felt like I could be a really good mentor because I went through what they did. I just wanted them to see me as a friend who could answer their questions, even after orientation,” Tiffany said. In addition to being a Student Orientation Guide, Tiffany has taken up numerous leadership roles in various organizations on campus, taking full advantage of the opportunities that have presented themselves to her.

A daughter of two immigrants from Mexico, Citlaly got her first introduction to the business world when she attended Ben Davis University High School, a public early college school in Indianapolis. There, she was able to take various business and accounting courses, which are passions of hers that she carried with her as she entered Butler. In her first year, Citlaly has already gotten involved with LSB, immersing herself in the First Year Pitch Competition as well as being involved in social media outreach for the International Business club on campus. She is also a part of First-Generation Dawgs, a student support group for first-generation students of all majors.

Citlaly, while acknowledging the hardships that she’s faced in her path through college, promotes a different perspective. “Being a first-generation student, you have the opportunity to choose freely in regards to your career. There are no prior notions of how to dictate that choice. When I told my parents I wanted to do international business, they just told me how amazing it was,” Citlaly expressed when asked about the roles of her parents while navigating college life. 

Coming into college, Alvin likened his experience to “a shot in the dark” when it came to applying for financial aid assistance, college applications, and finding scholarships. “Figuring it out for myself was very difficult. But with the way I was raised, I was taught the importance of hard work, and that it wins in the end.” Many may see struggling as a disadvantage, but Alvin offers that it has only broadened his perspective, giving him a competitive edge. “People don’t see you scrape, scrape for money, for anything you have. It teaches you to use the resources you have.”

The sophomore has definitely taken advantage of his resources during his time at LSB. As a part of Butler’s 4 + 1 Accounting Program, Alvin plans on getting his CPA and has aspirations to work in a larger accounting firm, supported by his professors at LSB. In the meantime, Alvin is the founder of Revamp Vintage, which is a thrift store where he buys and sells vintage clothing items. 

It’s evident that these students didn’t let their upbringing hold them back from pursuing their goals, both within the business realm, as well as outside of it. With 15% of LSB students being first-generation students, there are various resources that Butler offers such as the Career and Professional Success office as well as mentorship programs, among many other opportunities, that establish a foundation that allows first-generation students to get a head start in business.

Through leadership roles in business clubs to accelerated Master’s programs, there is an outstanding connection that cannot be denied – life as a first-generation student can be hard, but many may be better for it. This success is a testament to both Butler’s ability to curate and materialize the potential within these students, as well as the drive and ethic of the students who are working to better their future. 

Written by Brad Seehausen
Marketing and Communications Intern, Lacy School of Business ’26

Becoming the state champion of anything doesn’t just fall into someone’s lap – but for Seth Raymond, becoming the Indiana State Champion in Microsoft Excel wasn’t the goal. Instead, it
was the byproduct of hours of hard work spent watching tutorials and taking practice exams in pursuit of his Excel certification. As a result, Seth ended up getting slightly more than he bargained for.

“I wasn’t trying to be the state champion in Excel,” said the senior finance and business technology & analytics double major, “A lot of workforces use Excel, so I was just hoping to
better myself in different aspects that I would be getting in the workplace.”

Entering the Lacy School of Business as a finance major, Seth was soon exposed to the world of Business Technology & Analytics, where he found a niche working with software applicable to real-world settings. In addition to his natural curiosity, Seth accredits much of his success to his
professors, especially Jason Davidson, an assistant professor of management information systems at LSB, as well as Seth’s academic advisor. “Professor Davidson recommended that we
take our [Excel] certifications and I just happened to score high enough to where it ended up qualifying for state champion,” he added.

However, Seth didn’t just score “high enough” to qualify for state champion, he scored a perfect 1000/1000 on his certification, bringing home Butler University’s second Microsoft Excel State Championship within the last three years.

But how does one become so well-versed in Microsoft Excel? Seth places an emphasis on doing the dirty work, but to have fun at the same time. “Just get in there and get reps in,” the senior commented. “Watching practice videos can be very helpful, but also just getting in the program itself and messing around with all of the cool different things that you can do.” He believes people shouldn’t learn Excel with the goal of winning competitions, but rather with a genuine desire to build knowledge and become familiar with the software.

In addition to being Excel State Champ, the Fishers native is involved in numerous clubs and organizations on campus, having served as Vice President of his fraternity, Sigma Nu as a sophomore, as well as a part of the Management Information Systems and Technology Association. As a self-proclaimed sports fan, Seth has also participated in the Final Four Analytics Challenge, in which he competed to present a cohesive visualization of key data supplemented by NCAA Tournament. His goal? To utilize these experiences and certifications as he pursues a career in financial planning and data analytics.

The desire to compete and excel academically isn’t the only driving factor for Seth; he’s also driven by a passion for sharing his knowledge with others who are interested in strengthening their technical skills in the workplace.

Seth’s Excel journey doesn’t end at the state level. His next stop is Nashville, Tennessee, where he will compete at the Microsoft Excel National Championship, representing Indiana and Butler on the national stage, accompanied by Professor Jason Davidson in June. Professor Davidson is confident in Seth, who commented, “I’ve had the privilege of watching him grow over the past four years. His dedication and hard work earned him the top spot in the state, and I have no doubt he will carry the Butler Way with him to the national championship in Nashville this summer.”

Although there are some nerves surrounding the competition, Seth is all smiles. “Yeah, it’s nerve-wracking, but I’m honored to be able to have this opportunity and attempt to place high,” he gleefully shared, “I’m definitely excited to compete.”