Action Learning

Competitive Edge Competitions, with their structural limitations and heightened sense of urgency, bring action learning into sharp focus. In November 2004, Eller MBAs were one of ten finalists in the Global Innovation Challenge, beating out 240+ teams from 81 business programs in 17 countries. Eller’s entrepreneurship students also fare well in this arena. Teams from the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program have won or placed in over 80 percent of the events in which they compete. In 2005, a cross-campus team placed 3rd in the national Spirit of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development competition.

Throughout their degree programs, Eller College students apply their knowledge in dynamic action learning experiences. This experiential approach to education gives students first-hand insight into the challenges and rewards of business and leadership outside the traditional classroom.
  

Social Action

Social responsibility informs much of the activity of the Eller College, from research with far-reaching social implications to focused education like the Honors Social Entrepreneurship course in the Department of Management and Policy.

In the second semester of the class, students take business plans for addressing social and environmental problems to market, transforming them from academic exercises to funded social initiatives.

One recent project focused on increasing global awareness, culminating in the Global Awareness Challenge in 2005, sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and matching Eller students with local area high school students in quiz-style competition.
  

International Reach

We believe Eller College students should make a positive impact on the global economy. International action learning opportunities are an important aspect of the Eller experience.

Eller students recently developed market entry strategies for an Andean grain product from Bolivia and an organic shrimp from Ecuador.

Another group of Eller students recently teamed with graduate students in the College of Science to work with scientists in Mexico developing feasibility studies for taking leading-edge optical science projects to the commercial marketplace.

  
Learn more with the Eller MBA and McGuire Entrepreneurship Program.