Willamette MBA students drive real community impact

When universities advertise “experiential learning,” they often refer to simulations, case studies and hypothetical scenarios. Students tinker around with numbers and dollar signs, knowing that if things go south, the only stock that tanks is their grade.

Willamette University’s MBA program offers experiential learning in the truest sense of the term, allowing students the opportunity to do homework with a real impact in the community. The wide range of experience levels and backgrounds brings a unique dynamic to the program. “It’s a really cool blend where everybody brings something to the table,” said Dr. Romana Autrey, Interim Dean of Willamette’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

Autrey explained that students fresh out of their undergraduate studies often are more dialed in for the rhythms of school, providing unhindered vision and an ability to efficiently interact with the educational system. Career-change students and current professionals bring a wealth of experience to every assignment, balancing their visionary counterparts with real-life perspective.

Every MBA student participates in at least one experiential course, such as Practical Applications for Careers and Enterprises (PACE). The PACE program partners students with a local business to provide consultation for targeted improvement in the business’s current practices.

“It’s a real project for a real company,” Autrey said. Students present their projects at the end of the year, often inviting executives from their partner business to attend. Autrey said these projects offer significant value to the businesses they work with.

Another opportunity for students to make a positive impact in the local community comes with the Philanthropic Investment for Community Impact (PICI) program. United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley provides a pool of funding for students to distribute to local nonprofits.

Students release a request for proposals, work to publicize it, and watch as the requests start filing in. Students process each request, vet organizations, perform site visits and advocate for their assigned nonprofit. The program culminates in an award ceremony at the end of the year.

Acres of Hope Youth Ranch received $15,000 during this past grant cycle. Acres of Hope’s trained staff, volunteers and horses offer mental health services to adolescents at no cost. The grant funding allowed them to buy a manure spreader, which they estimate will save them $5,000 every year. “Every dollar that we save allows that to go back into the program, enabling us to serve more youth,” said co-founder and Executive Director Emmy Arana.

During the 2023 grant cycle, The Northwest Hub received $25,000 for their Farmworker Support Program. Executive Director Kirk Seyfert said the grant allowed them to distribute more than 200 bikes, locks and helmets to local farm workers. It also enabled them to provide $12,900 worth of no-cost repair services “to keep farm worker communities in North Marion County rolling,” Seyfert said.

Programs like PACE and PICI bring students into the community and empower them to make a difference. Students build their professional network and develop skills in action, providing real-world value to local businesses and communities.

On top of equipping students for success in their field, Willamette’s MBA program gives students a taste of the satisfaction that comes with making a lasting positive impact on the people around them, setting the trajectory for the rest of their professional life.