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Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Trace Grain (Acct’17, MAcct’18, MFin’19) 
Hometown: Port Huron, Michigan 
Position: Graduate Student Instructor at the University of Michigan School of Information

Applying and getting into Leeds was Trace Grain’s “most successful blunder” after accidentally checking the wrong box on his college application. He thought he was following his brother Chris’ footsteps at CU in studying economics. Now three degrees later, he’s back in his home state of Michigan, where he’s found his passion in teaching data science at the University of Michigan. 

Grain also works as a part-time data scientist for two family businesses: the pediatric practice of his mother, Dr. Annette Barnes, and the estate of his late relative Thelonious Monk. He does all that while volunteering as a member of the Leeds GOLD Board and SONS (Save Our Neighbors and Streets), and while pursuing further graduate studies in the MBA and MS in information science programs at the University of Michigan.

In his future, he wants to be a leader helping small businesses level the playing field using AI technology.

“What I loved most about being a student and studying at ���񱦵� was that the Leeds community made my large college feel small. It’s not easy to find people that are willing to be and stay in your corner. There were many faculty, staff and students (now alumni) at Leeds that had my best interest in mind.”