Samantha Sardina, BBA '25
Samantha Sardina, BBA ‘25, traces her interest in business back to third grade, selling cookies for her Girl Scout troop. Even at a young age, she thought strategically about her goals.
In high school in The Woodlands, Texas, she followed her passion into her school’s entrepreneurship class, in which a final project cemented her passion for pitching. Throughout the class, she created an app that would allow users to develop their film photos using their phone, without needing to send the film away and wait. “Our final was a Shark Tank, so we pitched it to real sharks in our community,” said Samantha.
When it came time for Samantha to choose a business school, the Ross School of Business was already at the top of her list. “Michigan was the dream school since I was in seventh grade,” Samantha said. She credits this to early exposure to the passion that U-M alumni have for their school. “My friend's parents went there, and they were the biggest fans. They have a room in their house dedicated to Michigan.”
After watching first-hand accounts of student life on social media, Samantha felt that Michigan Ross had the kind of community she wanted to be a part of. So when she received her acceptance to Ross, she committed the very same day.
Finding Community on Campus
Samantha’s positive impression of the Ross community is proving true. She enjoys the freedom the broad-based Ross BBA offers her, allowing her to refine her interests within a supportive structure. Attending the Och Initiative trip to New York City to meet with top financial firms helped her clarify her passion for marketing and bond with fellow women in business. She also developed her interest in international business by taking Professor John Branch’s course Cross-Cultural Business, which partnered with classes in Egypt and Libya on group projects.
Even though it's a competitive environment, everyone wants you to succeed.
After having learned so much from social media during her school search, Samantha envisions a future creating her own content. “I've done a lot of social media marketing, which I really enjoy,” she said. “I think specifically luxury marketing would be really cool.”
She credits these realizations to the guidance and mentorship she received from the Career Development Office. “One of my career coaches at the CDO said, ‘you light up when you talk about marketing. You don't have to follow the path that everyone says you should.’” Samantha took that advice and is now gaining first-hand experience as the marketing and digital media intern for the Professional Golf Association.
Going Blue & Giving Back
Samantha focuses on helping other students find their way as a peer mentor and Ross BBA ambassador. As a woman of color, she especially values showing diverse students that they can find belonging on campus. “A lot of people don't see themselves at prestigious places because they haven't been exposed to that,” she said.
The Ross community has been so welcoming that I didn't feel like there was anything that I needed to do or say differently or be a different person. I felt like I could be myself from day one.
When she’s not guiding other prospective students, Samantha engages with the U-M community as a recruitment officer at her sorority and a performer with MUSKET, a musical theater troupe. Her love of being a Wolverine follows her beyond Ann Arbor, as she frequently hears a “Go Blue!” while wearing her Michigan clothing, whether she is back in Texas or abroad in Dubai — reminding her of the home she’s found on Michigan’s campus.
“On game days, walking through campus and seeing everyone wearing Michigan merch and knowing that you are a Wolverine is the best feeling ever.”
Want to know what a day in the life of a Ross BBA student is like? Connect with Samantha and our other Student Ambassadors or check out our BBA YouTube playlist.