THE FORUM

Willamette MBA Students Use Business Skills to Make Community Impact

 
Pace 2: In Demand Consulting

Salem, ORE – April 7, 2008 – Six local non-profit and government organizations benefited from special business consulting courtesy of teams of Willamette MBA students. The PACE (Public, Private and Community Enterprise) experiential learning program provides MBA students with the unique opportunity of designing and presenting a for-profit business venture while concurrently serving local non-profit community organizations.

On April 4, six MBA student teams presented their results, projects and recommendations to a board of directors who evaluated the students’ for-profit and community partnership plans and recognized the top teams in both categories. In-Demand Consulting, or PACE team 2, swept both honors through their “Callisto Guide Systems” GPS touring software and their community impact on Marion County Juvenile Department’s Fresh Start Market.

All six teams delivered impressive new venture and community impact presentations. Overall, student teams dedicated over 2000 hours of service to all six community organizations and developed innovative business ideas, which the PACE board critiqued and judged for feasibility. Students have the opportunity to take these new venture ideas to market in their second year of studies through a unique elective course.

The PACE program is part of the first year curriculum for all early career MBA students at Willamette University. Willamette’s program is recognized for its unique integration of business, government and not-for-profit management.

Team Projects:

• In Demand Consulting: Developed Callisto Guide Systems GPS tour software and partnered with Marion County Juvenile Department to improve operations and employee training at Fresh Start Market.
• Lumeni : Developed Camplicity, an online camping rental software, and partnered with Oregon Public Broadcasting in assessing new markets to serve with programming.
• Balance Consulting: Developed infinityONE interactive MP3 covers and partnered with the Nature Conservancy to assess land value trends in the Willamette Valley.
• Trig Enterprises : Developed Green Spring Mattress Solutions, a mattress recycling program, and partnered with St. Vincent de Paul to assess the viability of starting the mattress recycling program in Salem.
• Q 12: Developed GreenMonkey, a sustainable auto shop, and partnered with the Oregon Food Bank in assessing mission driven practices and efficiency goals at regional food banks.
• Furthering Your Success Consulting: Developed It’s News 2 U, a specialty memento products company to capture life events, and partnered with Trillium Family Services to help enhance their online presence.

Learn More about the early career MBA at Willamette University.