“I was in Dr. Fretz’s fall ’23 class, and created BoostedMoo LLC. As we progressed through meetings with VC firms and investors, Dr. Fretz’s wise words ‘Just GO! STOP waiting around for the perfect opportunity‘ ring through my head. I will always be grateful for the time spent in his class, and the lessons I learned.”

“I started a handmade jewelry shop the summer before taking ALA 223, and was able to not only develop my own luxury jewelry kits, but also gained experience in scaling my business and leading a team. Dr. Fretz gave me so much good advice and most importantly, he gave me the confidence that helps me grow my business to this day. He opened up countless opportunities that I never even knew of prior to taking his class, and I was able to host multiple classes, pop ups, and events that I am able to continue to hold thanks to him and his club, ECC. ALA 223’s curriculum is unique and relevant, and gives students the rare opportunity to apply their personal interests and creativity in an academic setting. This class has altered my perception of myself, my potential, and my career in the best way possible.”

“Dr. Fretz is a national treasure and an American hero.

His guidance was instrumental in taking Funkin’ Seeds from a measly class project to a profitable business that received grant funding from the University. I can confidently say that the five of us are better off — both personally and professionally — from our time with Dr. Fretz, and we believe the school is doing current and future students a disservice by abandoning such a formative course.

Long live Fretz.”

“I had the privilege of taking ALA 223 with Dr. Fretz last year. I am deeply saddened to hear that UMich has decided to shut it down, as it is easily the most impactful and relevant course that I have taken in my 6 semesters here so far. ALA 223 is one of the few business related classes that are available to BCN students like me, who have stem-heavy coursework and do not have easy access to changing my major or courses that I am interested in. I was able to find my true passion and calling through this class, and it is the ONLY class that I have been actively recommending to my peers.”

“Sorry to hear the class is shutting down! This class should remain an integral part of the minor and a class that anyone at Michigan who is interested in entrepreneurship should take. I learned so much from the hands-on approach we had to take with creating our own start-up.”

“Dr. Fretz and this class was honestly one of the highlights of my college career and the reason I decided to minor in entrepreneurship (instead of business). Dr. Fretz taught us the importance of questioning what traditional norms look like and how to think outside the box, something that is the foundation of entrepreneurship. I also learned the importance of facing setbacks, and that there is no clear path to achievement, something that most of my classes at Michigan fail to do. My group mates from that class still keep in touch after two years, and it is so sad to see the University take action against a professor who in my eyes has done no wrong.”

“Psych 223 is one of the most unique courses on this campus and most definitely should be a mainstay. The reason for this is Dr. Fretz. I will never forget my team’s meeting with him on his back porch where he gave a simple yet insanely profound quote that I think about multiple times a week. ‘Everything in life comes down to this, the energy you put into a task is ultimately what you will get out of it.’ This simple advice completely changed the way I look at the world and how I go about doing work. Additionally, Dr. Fretz’s class was filled with life lessons that go beyond entrepreneurship with lessons on retirement planning and how to talk to police. Classes like Psych 223 are what make this University the best in the world. Dr. Fretz did not treat students like children, instead he inspired them, believed in them and attacked each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. It is truly a shame that this course is getting discontinued however its legacy will forever live on in all those who had the pleasure of taking it.”

“Psych 223 teaches you what other groups have done in the past, what made them successful in terms of planning and degree of effect, then turns to you and invites you to the same level of success on your terms. It promotes independent thinking, and exposure to real life conflicts that could occur, and the opportunity to address them before they become wildfire. Dr. Fretz helped me see the bias my perspective played in my handling of my group’s disagreement, and allowed our team to reach productive common ground towards project completion after encouraging communication. I can confidently say no class at the University of Michigan teaches you to check yourself before checking others.

This [testimony] serves as a reminder that although we have lots of professors who are leaders in the classroom, a select few are leaders and mentors outside the classroom. Dr. Fretz is a leader and a mentor inside and outside the classroom in his delivery of classroom instruction, reaching students productively, and being an example of a successful idea well-executed.”

“Psych 223 and Dr. Fretz is the perfect example of a practical and applied educational course whose content works not only within the academic echo chambers of Michigan but also out in the real world. This course is incredibly impactful and produces radical, out-of-the-box thinkers. This type of creativity is needed now more than ever especially in the time of AI and lowering work force.”

“Transferring as a community college student was very intense, however, Dr. Fretz put life in this course into perspective for me. On the first day of this course, Dr. Fretz was very blunt and said that he did not believe that grades mattered and that there’s more to a person than what’s printed on a piece of paper. This very much resonated with me as coming from someone who is in the trades the idea of me being able to pursue a college degree, was unheard of based on my high school performance and grades that were printed on a piece of paper. this one small statement set the stage for me to find success later on here at the University of Michigan.

The advice that Dr. Fretz gave throughout the course [not] only changed my perspective on how to succeed as a student, but also changed my perspective on how to succeed in life. This course taught me that the most important thing in life is to figure out what you’re good at and how to use that to make a positive contribution to society. It doesn’t matter if you come from a community college or you worked in the trades. Here at the University of Michigan, Dr. Fretz is the definition of what it means to be a Wolverine. I believe students need this course because they need to be reminded that there is more to a person than the grades that they receive at the end of every semester. Not only does this course give you the tools to form a project, sell a product, and learn from mistakes but it also allows you to understand how your skills and the skills of your teammates can be utilized to give back to society and reinforce the idea that everyone has something to offer when working with a team.”

“As [someone who] completed the entrepreneurship minor, this class was the most important class for the minor because it gave us hands-on experience that none of the practicums could because it put my peers and I in the driver’s seat. Without this class, I wouldn’t have been able to pitch my middle school/high school fundraising tactic (cake pops) to NYC Venture Capitalists and 10 other very successful professionals. This class not only taught me, but pushed me to gain the most important characteristic of any entrepreneur – grit. As my time at Umich comes to a close this May, Dr. Fretz stands out as an irreplaceable faculty member who taught me something no other dared to teach me at this University – to believe in myself. In my opinion, if you take away Psych 223, you might as well take away the entire minor. Entrepreneurship means absolutely nothing if you don’t also teach and build the spirit of the entrepreneur.”

“This testimony is on behalf of a group of students who took Dr. Fretz’s PSYCH 223 class in Winter 2023.

From market research to prototype development to business plan creation, our group learned so much about launching a new product and developing a feasible plan for a business. We enjoyed every step of the process, even when we hit roadblocks and challenges; Dr. Fretz always gave us the best advice to move forward. Aside from the class project, we also looked forward to attending lectures and learning how to lead teams more effectively, have fun in teams, and develop psychological safety. These lessons equipped us with tools we have utilized in future academic and professional settings, and we are thankful to have taken Dr. Fretz’s class.

Dr. Fretz is an incredible educator who teaches not only lessons in entrepreneurship but also valuable life lessons through relatable and inspiring personal anecdotes. Our group consisted of a Business Major, a Sport Management Major, and an Engineering Major. While our interests and backgrounds differed greatly, Dr. Fretz taught us how to find common ground and similarities with people who seem very different from ourselves (we are still in touch 2 years later!). We respect Dr. Fretz’s efforts to teach students about the pillars of entrepreneurship, leadership, and teamwork, and so many students learn these same lessons every semester that prepare Wolverines for successful futures in all fields.”

“My name is Rileigh Goldsmith and I am a recent alumni who had the pleasure of taking Psych 223 my senior year of college. My team was Redemption Prom, and we had the most incredible time creating our event alongside Dr. Fretz. I genuinely believe that this class was what gave me the confidence to conquer my post-grad journey. Dr. Fretz had high expectations of us, but he was also wildly supportive. We had the space to try something new and learn about business, event planning, and ourselves. My team members and I still keep in touch. I truly hope this class doesn’t end, as I think it was the best one I took in my entire time at Michigan.”

“If it wasn’t for Psych 223, my life would not have been a living hell that semester. From debating about presentations, team differences and other things, we went back and forth about company decisions. All I can say is that I learned. While assignments were light, the learning came instead from teamwork. I learned how to work with others, work for the best interest of a team and, most importantly, have fun in a field that is considered to be ‘work.’

I can’t say I love that class. I mean, I can. However, I love people, animals and the earth. Class is more of something to do while we’re here. Anyway, I hope this class has a future, so other people can experience this unique hell. I don’t want to end like that, though, because hell is not totally what this class was, because there were many heavenly moments. Someday we’ll find it: the rainbow connection. This class was close to it.”

“Not only did the fundamentals I learned from 223 help contribute to me successfully leading a team of salesmen to achieve an $89,000/month company sales goal *months* after being in his class, but the impact Dr. Fretz has on his students as an individual cannot and should not be understated.

He is the individual who met with me on a rainy Saturday morning outside of his tailgate to answer any and all questions I had about the military after my graduation. He then took the time to answer any questions I had about my class project, which provided a level of reassurance I did not know was needed. All the while having his class remain the single handedly most important class I took during my 4 years of undergraduate.”

“Dr. Fretz was easily the best professor I ever had. His class was the only class I’ve ever been in where the entire 300 seat auditorium was full for every single class period. Kids wanted to be there. Dr. Fretz’s lectures were some of the most interesting and valuable lectures I heard while at Michigan. He fostered a great creative environment where students could do epic stuff. Every semester, you would see posters for epic projects and you just knew it was something for Dr. Fretz’s class. All of us who took his class over the years he taught it are extremely lucky.”

“I am reaching out because I had an awesome experience in taking PSYCH 223 at the University of Michigan. This course is an amazing one that the school offers not only because of the principles and concepts it teaches the students, but because of the teamwork and group collaboration that is needed in order complete a great project. I learned how to work extremely well with a team in this class.

Please keep this class as an option to students at UMich. Allow future wolverines to learn from and enjoy this incredible course! GO BLUE!”

“2024 grad here – Dr. Fretz’s class psych 223 class was my favorite of all I took at UM. The class’s thoughtful content and lectures taught me a lot. Beyond that, the structure of the group project showed me how to innovate with and lead a team. I have used anecdotes from this experience in countless job interviews, and in my role today. My group opted to do a flash mob to raise money for a local soup kitchen. It is to this day one of my greatest memories.”

“Ultimately, my group’s project was not a home run project; it was not a project that got the attention of thousands of people in the way that a project like the Michigan Marriage Pact did. Despite that, I can definitively say that it is my favorite course I’ve ever taken at the University of Michigan.

What a few classmates and I decided to do was to plan and execute the first ever All-Star Skills Competition for the intramural hockey league on campus, the Michigan Hockey League (MHL). It was the brain-child of myself and another classmate, who also happened to be one of my good friends on my hockey team. Dr. Fretz was gracious enough to invite us to his home on an early Sunday morning for an analysis of our ideas, and it was here that he approved of our concept. That began the process of bringing this idea to reality. We got the idea approved by the commissioners of the league at the time, we got ice time, we got equipment for the event, we worked on acquiring sponsorship money to help us pay for expenses as well as acquiring in-kind sponsors to provide pizza/merchandise for the event.

The day of the event was an unbelievable feeling; seeing all of our work over the past three or so months finally coming to fruition. Most importantly, in the aftermath of the event, my friend and I were offered the role of being a commissioner of the league in the following season, a role which we occupy today. Additionally, that same friend’s brother, who worked photography for the event, also got a job through the sponsor of our intramural, LUG, to photograph other games in various LUG leagues. THREE jobs were created because of the work done in this class. Amongst the many lessons learned in this class – such as event planning, project management, team leading, and many other areas – the memories we created will be the longest lasting impact from that class. I know these are takeaways I share with many others on campus (I just recently overheard someone at the library giving an interview in which she described PSYCH 223 as her favorite course), and I truly hope that these are experiences and takeaways that can be shared with students in years to come, which is why I hope that this class can continue.”

“I’m Jackson Marchal and took Dr. Fretz’s class [in 2023]. I have attended numerous universities including Michigan, Southern Methodist University, and Macomb College. Almost 50 classes… No class was more impactful and memorable than Fretz’s Psych 223. It’s what I envisioned set The University of Michigan apart.

On our first day, I knew that it was going to be a special semester. Dr. Fretz said the class was not going to be easy, but emphasized that nothing in life was going to be easy. He shared his health concerns with complete honesty and noted that (if allowed) he would teach the class until the day that he died. This stuck with me and my classmates. I realized that this class was much more than getting a good grade. It was about becoming a better person, and I intrinsically took the class seriously because of it.

There is not a single class more useful and applicable to real life than Psych 223 at this entire university. What does that say about The University of Michigan? I would take this class again. I want my kids to take this class when they’re in college. I encourage serious re-evaluation from the University before shutting down an invaluable course that promotes entrepreneurial endeavors and gives back to the community’s less fortunate.”

“I’m a Michigan alum, one year out, and I was heartbroken to hear the news about PSYCH 223. I took the class to help a friend who wanted me on their team, but Dr. Fretz was a big part of many of my buddies’ communities well before that.

UM is completely stupid to discontinue PSYCH 223. I mean, what the hell. That class was wonderful, it gives real insight into what it takes to do something life-changing. That’s useful for any Michigan student anywhere.

I was on a team with 3 long-time friends, and to this day I’m still best friends with two of them. Our product completely sold out on launch day, and we made back all of our investments. I’m a Stamps grad, and my role on the team was graphic designer. To this day, that label design is a major heavyweight in my portfolio. People LOVE it. Every recruiter, interviewer, or just fellow designer I’ve spoken with, the project I did in PSYCH 223 is easily their favorite of my work. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this experience got me jobs. It’s been literal years since that project and I still haven’t been able to top it.”

“[PSYCH223] was easily one of the best classes I took during my time at U of M. I’m a bit sad to hear it may be ending, but also grateful I got to be apart of that class.

The thing that made the class so great (for me) was the fact that the ‘creativity’ aspect of the class was a very real focal point of the class. Obviously, there were certain restrictions with the projects but largely I felt as though there was a lot of room for folks to be creative and create projects that were closely aligned with students interests, hobbies, ideas, etc.”

“ALA 223 was the best class I’ve ever taken at U-M. It is horrible that the university is shutting it down. Through this course I was able to land an internship with a tech startup. It really helped me grow into who I am today!”

“I graduated from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in 2022, and one of the most impactful professors I had was Dr. Fretz. In Psych 223, while my team didn’t publicly launch a project, the experience of observing other teams and engaging with the class was invaluable. The course fosters a uniquely supportive and collaborative culture around entrepreneurship, making it far more engaging than a typical class.
Beyond the classroom, there are alumni groups that allow graduates to stay connected with ongoing projects and collaborate across different cohorts. Dr. Fretz went above and beyond by hosting students at his home, facilitating meaningful professional connections, and even helping students launch real businesses.

With a business degree and a minor in performing arts management and entrepreneurship, I can confidently say that this was the most impactful entrepreneurship course I took. I have since founded my own LLC and hope to pursue that full time in the next couple of years, I would largely attribute this class as one of the most impactful motivators. Losing this environment would be a significant cultural loss, as it nurtures collaboration, innovation, and real-world entrepreneurial success.”

“My name is Julia Soleymani and I was in PSYCH223 as a sophomore. I am now a senior, and the class is still one of my favorites to date. I created a handbook to help guide student organizations and their leadership teams. It was a great way to use what I had learned to help improve other student organizations. I also learned a lot from Dr. Fretz’s lectures and really enjoyed the strong community that he fostered in the class. PSYCH223 should definitely remain running on campus — the coolest, most exciting entrepreneurial ventures have come from it!”

“I fondly remember him taking a class to give financial life advice that no one teaches you. It was very applicable, considerate, and real – something a lot of Michigan’s bigger, cookie cutter, core classes struggle to do.”

“Dr. Fretz’s course is honestly one of the only courses that had such a large impact on my education at Umich. I loved going to lectures and working on our project Roses Are Blue. We even got on Mlive with our project which was such a cool thing to be a part of. Thank you Dr. Fretz for such a wonderful experience. The university doesn’t know anything about their students if they believe getting rid of this class is the right thing to do.”

“Fretz put his all into these classes, and he taught us real-world skills in and outside entrepreneurship. He was the only teacher I had at UMICH who taught students, many of whom had not learned these skills before, functional and practical skills about life regarding finances, networking, our rights as an American civilian, and more.”

“PSYCH 223 / ALA 223 was instrumental in shaping my mindset, creativity, and entrepreneurial approach. The lessons I learned in that class continue to influence me today, both in my career and in the way I approach challenges.

Since graduating from UMich in 2021, I’ve worked in real estate finance—first at a mortgage-backed REIT and then transitioning into real estate private equity. After 2.5 years in the industry, I decided to pursue my master’s at Columbia University while launching my own real estate development company. Looking back, I realize how much of my entrepreneurial drive stems from the foundation built in Dr. Fretz’s class. The emphasis on creativity, problem-solving, and taking risks gave me the confidence to carve my own path.”

“I was an international student from Turkey who had heard about Fretz before arriving in Michigan. My sister, Ece, also a Michigan student, was always talking about him and his class, as he had led incredible projects across Turkey with refugees and locals. After hearing so many amazing things about him, I decided to take his class with great enthusiasm.

This class is different—you feel it within the first five minutes. It is unique because it helps uncover the ‘builder’ within everyone, fuels it with inspiring personal stories, and then pushes students to execute their ideas. Many ‘entrepreneurship’ classes fail to emphasize execution and building, whereas that is the core focus of Psych 223.

Fretz inspires through his enthusiasm for building, helping, and motivating others. Everyone probably feels differently about creating something that won’t continue beyond the class, but I believe that, for the first time since building random things as kids, we all leave with something we created—a contribution to the world. Fretz inspires people to, as Coach Harbaugh says, ‘attack every day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.’ He is part of what makes the Michigan experience unique, and this class has left a lasting mark on so many lives around the world. If we all manage to accomplish even 1% of what he has, I am sure we will achieve amazing things.“

“This class was by far my favorite. It stood out from the typical, structured courses at Michigan, offering a unique opportunity for students to think creatively and freely. The experiential learning component was incredibly valuable, and the action-based nature of the class taught us how to actually execute ideas rather than just planning hypotheticals.

As a current entrepreneur, I can confidently say this class is ideal for anyone considering an entrepreneurial journey.
Count my vote to save the class.”

“I genuinely believe that this was one of if not the best class that I have taken at Michigan. In Fretz’s class my group an I organized a charity boxing event that raised nearly $15,000 for charity. If Fretz is willing to teach this class in his current health condition I think that it is a travesty that the school is shutting this class down. Hopefully something can still be done to save the class.”

“I graduated in 2021 and in 2019 took this class with a few friends. Our project was “OSPoo”, aka toilet paper with OSU graphics on it. It was a silly and fun project we worked on, but genuinely, this class made me realize how easy it can be to start your own business. It inspired me to have an entrepreneurial side gig, and most importantly, it broke down the barriers to entrepreneurship by making it less intimidating.

I’m grateful I had the opportunity to take Dr. Fretz’s class and work with a manufacturing and supplying company to see first-hand what it’s like to start a business from the ground up. We also learned the the importance of marketing our product in bundles, and timing our promotions for optimal demand (i.e., leading up to the annual UM/OSU game).

I hope this class sticks around because I am so grateful for the lessons it taught me.”

“This class NEEDS to stay! Talk about real application to the ‘real world’. We formed a team with other individuals and attempted to create something that provides benefit to others in the community! This was an incredible experience, one that I held very close to my heart during my time at the University of Michigan.

This class must not go. Life is about teams and this class is about that, forming one and attempting to execute a common goal all while working through the relationships with one another. GO BLUE!!!”

“This class made people work together in small teams to accomplish great things in a short amount of time and really was a hands-on way to learn about entrepreneurship as you learn best by doing. I liked how we got to visit Professor Fretz’s house for the office hours and fondly remember all the late nights we worked on this project. I loved presenting to the board of execs who potentially would invest if they liked our project.

Honestly, I think the entrepreneurship minor (and even the engineering majors) needs a class like this as it helps take ideas into products and eventually businesses. Otherwise, you just learn a bunch of theory. Even the presentations in class helped me in my life after college and taking it along with the other classes in my minor led me back to UofM to pursue a minor and get more involved in VC activities. The class provided me a better understanding of entrepreneurs and it along with E-hour were some of the most inspiring classes I had in undergrad.”

“This is terribly sad news. It’s good that this class is a pain in the University’s butt; that means students are being pushed into trying new things outside the box, failing, and ultimately learning—innovation often pushes against established norms and bends the rules. I believe the University’s very purpose should be to figure out how to foster and protect that experience despite the challenges it may cause them, not to shut it down, and I hope they reconsider this decision.

Psych 223 stands out as one of the top three classes I took during my time at U-M for being truly engaging, focusing on real applicable skills instead of irrelevant tests, and pushing students to engage with the challenges of the real world outside of the college bubble. My computer engineering undergrad curriculum fell significantly short with regards to fostering creativity and hands-on skills applicable in real life after college, while Psych 223 absolutely shined in this context.”

“My story is probably different from that of most students. I’m a 43-year-old business owner who decided to return to the University of Michigan to complete my degree after dropping out 21 years ago. At the time, I was a young, working, single mother, and balancing college with raising my son became impossible.

When I enrolled in this class, I initially planned to work on a project outside my industry. I’ve owned and operated a real estate company for the past 16 years, but Dr. Fretz saw potential in a coaching program I had loosely developed for my agents. He encouraged me to refine it, create video content, and market it to other agents and companies—allowing me to share my expertise across the industry while reducing the need for in-person coaching at my office.

I will always be grateful for this class and the opportunities it has created. Dr. Fretz is exactly the kind of professor the University of Michigan needs—one who teaches students what the real world is truly like. I enjoyed every class with him and will always be thankful.”

“I will forever be grateful for Dr. Fretz’s PSYCH 223 course. I think the University will be missing one of the few courses that not only teaches theory, but actually gives you real hands on experience in ways you could not imagine. This course was the reason I have aspirations to become an entrepreneur and did so successfully for a few years after graduating college. During the actual course myself and three cofounders created Fifty State Suds – state shaped and scented soaps mimicking the shape and scent of the state. I really hope this class does not end as it was one of the few classes I found myself excited to participate in and work on as it felt like I was doing something for myself and not to get a simple letter grade.”

“Although I can’t remember much of what was exactly taught, that class opened my eyes to the possibility of becoming an entrepreneur and creating a life on my own terms. After college, I started multiple ecommerce stores, and am now running my own executive mindset coaching business. The past few years of entrepreneurship have taught me a lot, and it reflected what I had learned in that one class I took my senior year of college. I am grateful for that class, and honestly believe it was one of the more influential building blocks of where I am now.

From what I remember, Dr. Fretz also had an “I believe in you” energy, which is so needed nowadays. This is something that can’t be taught but felt. I hope this class can continue so that it may inspire hope in young individuals to pursue their dreams.”

“Prof. Fretz was amazing! He told my group, if you can get sued by Coca Cola, that’s only gonna help you get exposure! Do it, I dare you. Very few professors are this motivating and calling to your inner curiosity and desire to solve a problem and unlock your creativity. Our project was aimed at raising awareness for how much sugar is in daily products that we consume. We created Instagram called Sweet Disruptions. I think about that class quite a bit in my life!”