Paying It Forward: Deloitte Leaders Reflect on a Decade of Partnership and Impact
For more than a decade, the Deloitte Foundation has played a pivotal role in helping the Sanger Leadership Center at Michigan Ross shape the next generation of leaders. Through mentorship, partnership, and philanthropy, Deloitte’s leaders have supported Sanger programs such as the Ross Leaders Academy (RLA), helping students strengthen the skills that define great leadership: resilience, empathy, collaboration, and adaptability.
As part of Sanger’s 10-year anniversary, three Deloitte professionals: Jim Sohigian (MBA ’95), David Parent (MBA ’95), and Jake McMahon (BS ’13) reflected on their connection to Sanger, the impact of the partnership, and what excites them most about the future of leadership at Michigan Ross. Together, their insights represent the continuum of Michigan alumni: from seasoned leaders to the next generation of professionals helping shape what leadership looks like in a changing world.
As Sanger celebrateS 10 years, what excites you most about the future of leadership development at Michigan Ross?
Across all three conversations, a shared optimism emerged about how Sanger and Michigan will continue to evolve in an era of rapid change.
Jim Sohigian, senior principal at Deloitte, Ross alum, and Sanger Advisory Board member, emphasized the Center’s tangible impact:
“The difference Sanger is making in shaping tomorrow’s business leaders excites me. The students who participate are amazing, and Sanger provides them with additional leadership tools to be even more successful.”
For David Parent, Michigan managing principal at Deloitte and a Ross alum, the excitement lies in Sanger’s ability to prepare leaders for whatever comes next:
“We are in a time of rapid change and, reflecting on the past 10 years, this may simply be the new normal in business and society. Through this period, I believe it has been proven that those who choose to invest in their own professional development as leaders emerge with a better and more complete set of skills to lead teams and organizations successfully. There is no place better at helping students and alumni in developing and refining these leadership skills.”
Jake McMahon, a recent Michigan alum and senior manager at Deloitte, added a perspective rooted in innovation and the future of work:
“As the world continues to rapidly evolve around new technologies, I’m excited to see how the University of Michigan continues to shape future leaders. A changing environment mandates an evolving approach to education, and I’m confident Michigan will continue to excel in producing talented people.”
Why do you choose to give—whether your time, expertise, or philanthropy—to Sanger? What keeps you involved?
For all three leaders, the motivation to stay involved with Sanger comes down to a shared sense of gratitude and responsibility to give back to the community that shaped them.
Jim described his ongoing engagement as both energizing and affirming:
“Engaging with the students, faculty, and staff is energizing. Every time I have an interaction with the Sanger team and students, I come away feeling great about our future leaders and very proud to be a Ross alum.”
David echoed that sentiment, connecting it to his belief in mentorship and reciprocity:
“Part of it is my belief in paying it forward. If others can gain even a slight benefit from my lessons learned and experiences, I’m happy to spend the time with those who are interested.”
Jake reflected on how his own experiences as a Michigan student shaped this mindset:
“Numerous people dedicated their time to my development when I was at Michigan, so it feels natural to share lessons I’ve learned to help others succeed. I believe this cycle can continue and expand, acting as a force multiplier to better our collective future.”
How do your different identities—whether as donors, alumni, or board members—shape your connection to Sanger?
Each of the Deloitte partners spoke about their connection to Michigan with a deep sense of pride and a recognition that their contributions, whether financial or personal, are part of a larger mission to advance leadership at a world-class public university.
Jim Sohigian: “As a donor and Sanger Advisory Board member, I just hope that my contributions of time, insights, and dollars are helpful to the overall mission.”
David Parent: “I’m a proud alum of Michigan and believe it’s one of the greatest public universities in the world. I’m happy to play a small role in supporting Michigan’s mission to create the next generation of Leaders and Best.”
Jake McMahon: “Involvement with Sanger through corporate sponsorship allows me to bring pragmatic advice for future leaders to consider. Sharing experiences in hopes of improving the development of future leaders is a rewarding experience.”
If you could share one piece of leadership advice with today’s Michigan students, what would it be?
When asked to reflect on lessons learned, all three leaders offered perspectives shaped by experience and grounded in growth.
For Jim, leadership starts with perseverance:
“Resilience is key. A critical component of leadership is not how you lead in the ‘good times’, but rather how you lead in a crisis, or when the odds are stacked against you, or when you have to recover from defeat and loss. These are the important times. And every leader will face these challenges many times over through the course of their career. How they respond to these challenges, learn from them, grow as a result, and teach those around them will be the true test.”
Jake focused on empathy and perspective-taking:
“Try to place yourself in the shoes of the people you lead and the people you report to. Understanding multiple perspectives and motivating factors is a powerful tool when making strategic leadership decisions.”
And David offered a reminder that leadership is a lifelong journey:
“There’s no single recipe that defines good leadership. We all have the necessary skills within us, but we use them in different ways. These skills require continuous strengthening, learning, and adapting—and the environment in which we lead will always demand new approaches. As one of the leaders I most admire says, ‘We’re all leaders in training.’”
The Impact of Partnership
For over a decade, Deloitte’s partnership with the Sanger Leadership Center has exemplified what it means to invest in people. Through mentorship, programming, and philanthropy, Deloitte professionals have helped shape a culture of leadership that empowers Michigan students to make a difference in their careers and communities.
“There’s no place better than Michigan for developing and refining leadership skills.” — David Parent, Deloitte
Want to help shape the next 10 years of leadership at Michigan?
Check out our Corporate & Alumni Partners page for ways to get involved and support the next generation of values-driven leaders.
