Muskegon, MI — As commencement approaches, we are proud to spotlight a series of outstanding student award winners whose stories reflect perseverance, leadership, academic excellence, and the spirit of the Baker community. Selected through a nomination process recognizing exceptional academic achievement and student success, these honorees represent the very best of Baker College. Over the coming days, we’ll feature graduates from a variety of programs and award categories as they prepare to cross the stage and begin their next chapters.
For Tristen Bailey, earning a Master of Business Administration from Baker College represents far more than academic achievement. It reflects years of dedication, balance, resilience, and personal growth. Originally from Three Rivers, Michigan, Tristen brought both professional experience and a strong academic foundation to Baker College, having previously earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources with a minor in General Business.
While pursuing an MBA, Tristen balanced a full-time career in compliance and operations while also running a small business, Tristen’s Trademark, where she creates custom resin artwork and floral preservation pieces. Her entrepreneurial journey became one of the driving forces behind continuing her education.
“I was inspired to pursue this degree because I wanted to continue growing professionally in the areas of compliance, operations, leadership, and business strategy while proving to myself that I was capable of reaching a higher level academically.,” Tristen said. “Building my business further inspired me to pursue my MBA because I wanted to strengthen my leadership, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurial skills.”
Throughout her graduate journey, Tristen maintained a 4.0 GPA which is an accomplishment she considers one of her proudest moments at Baker College. Balancing graduate coursework, a full-time career, and entrepreneurship was not without challenges. Tristen described long nights, stressful deadlines, and moments of self-doubt, but she remained focused on her goals and leaned on the support of those around her.
“My family had the biggest impact on my journey because they consistently encouraged and supported me throughout my education,” she shared. “My professors at Baker College also played an important role by challenging me academically while creating an environment where I felt motivated to succeed.”
Several faculty members left a lasting impression on Tristen during her time in the MBA program, helping shape her understanding of leadership, business strategy, project management, and organizational development. She credits Dr. Lang with helping strengthen her understanding of leadership and people-focused management, while Dr. Roeder, who nominated her for the Graduate Student of the Year award, played an important role in expanding her perspective on business strategy and professional growth.
Being named Baker College’s Graduate Student of the Year holds deep meaning for Tristen, especially considering the responsibilities she carried throughout her education.
“Being selected for this award is an incredible honor,” Tristen said. “It represents more than academic achievement to me. It represents sacrifice, resilience, growth, and perseverance.”
After graduation, Tristen plans to continue advancing her career in compliance, operations, and auditing while continuing to grow Tristen’s Trademark. Long-term, she hopes to combine her business expertise and creativity to continue building meaningful professional and entrepreneurial opportunities.
As she prepares to walk across the commencement stage, Tristen hopes her story encourages others who may be navigating challenges of their own.
“The biggest thing I learned is that you are capable of far more than you think,” she said. “Success does not always follow a straight path. Sometimes it is built through persistence, adaptability, creativity, and the willingness to keep moving forward even during challenging seasons of life.”
Baker College is an independent, private, non-profit institution that grants associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees on six campuses across Michigan and online. Founded in 1911, the institution’s mission is to provide an inclusive, innovative, and transformative educational experience, driven by a student-first philosophy. Learn more at baker.edu and follow on X, Meta, and Instagram.