Forrest Cox, MBA '24
After completing his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Forrest Cox aimed to make an impact in American Indian Country. His journey has led him from Ann Arbor to the White House and Oklahoma, working for the Cherokee Nation’s government relations team and supporting the Principal Chief. Now back in Ann Arbor, he is working towards completing his MBA after interning this past summer in corporate finance at Nike’s headquarters.
Forrest began his career as an intern in the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs before interning in the White House with the National Economic Council. As his career unfolded, he noticed his mentors’ impressive financial acumen, prompting him to ponder the idea of business school.
“I started to see finance as a potential way to really grow. Besides that, I noticed that there aren’t as many tribal leaders with MBAs as there are with law degrees,” Forrest said. “I think there might be an opportunity for me and other Native people to rise into leadership positions and grow Native MBAs.”
When it was time to choose a school, the opportunity to return to his alma mater and become a “Double Wolverine” was an easy choice, and the Multidisciplinary Action Projects program made it even easier.
“What stood out to me when looking at the different business schools was, hands down, the MAP program. I viewed it as an opportunity not only to have an additional internship but also to study abroad.”
Forrest’s project first took him to Chennai, India, where he and a team of three other Ross students spent a week working with Brakes India to identify suitable markets to sell their products. After conducting their initial research, the team split into two pairs, with Forrest and his partner spending a week in both South Africa and Kenya, and the other pair traveling to Thailand and Indonesia.
“We were investigating how the supply chain works in each country. It was pretty eye-opening to understand how each market differed vastly in both countries and how Brakes India’s imports would enter each country.”
Now, back at U-M, Forrest has continued to connect with Native students while pursuing his goal of a job in finance. In November, Forrest was in lead of organizing the inaugural Native American Heritage Month Conference at Ross. He also works with the DEI office and Investment Banking Club to help create opportunities for underrepresented minorities in finance.
As he reflects on his journey to this point, Forrest has one piece of advice for current and future MBA students: “Write down your goals. I think I stayed with my goals for the most part, but you have to reassess them constantly and how you’re going to get there. If you have to change a goal, that’s fine, but are you able to see something through? For me, it was, ‘How do I make an impact on my tribe and other tribes?’”