The most valuable resource for any business is human talent, and the most powerful investment in that resource begins with education. But the world of academia differs greatly from the world of business, and it can be challenging for students to make the transition from a traditional classroom to their career. How can we better prepare them to succeed?
Experience is the key to that preparation, and WSU’s College of Business is focusing its efforts on delivering those experiences. The vision is to provide each and every student with unique, collaborative and immersive learning experiences that will allow them to better connect theory to practice, and as a result, thoroughly prepare them for the business careers that await them.
In order to offer those powerful experiences, resources and support are needed – and the College of Business Engaged Learning Endowment is being created to do just that. With the help of our donors, we will be able to provide sustainable support for student, faculty and business collaborations that will lead to authentic and practical learning experiences for all involved.
Opportunities Abound
- Internships, practicums and job shadowing
- Sales competitions
- Course-embedded experiential projects
- Networking opportunities
- Consulting projects
- Entrepreneurial skill development, showcases and competitions
- Financial literacy and investment events
- Project-based training
- Student and faculty immersion opportunities
- Leadership opportunities
- Focused company day experiences and activities
- International and intercultural showcases
- Academic service learning
- Knowledge transfer collaborations
“What this does is invests in the youth that are going to be our future. They’re gaining real world experience, they’re understanding what these business professionals are doing on a day-to-day basis, and they’re really putting themselves in their shoes to see what they want to do. It’s better preparing them for graduation as well as being a professional.” – Mukosa Namuninia ‘15
“Engaged learning is important because it takes what you have learned through a textbook or within a test and applies it. When I was on the sales team, I took the content I was learning in class and it allowed me to learn exactly how to apply it – how do I use my body language, my tone, the mood of my conversation to engage that sale and get it closed – something that I couldn’t get within just a classroom.” – Momin Choudhry ‘16
“What we’re doing is looking at building in ways for students to have internships, experiences, real world case application. We want them to walk out of Winona State and be able to say “I have experience and a degree, even though I’m just starting.” – Dr. Jana Craft, Associate Professor of Business Administration and Human Resource Management
How you can get involved
GIVE
Gifts of any size are important – and make a real impact at WSU. Larger pledges can be paid over 3-5 years, with gifts of $1,000+ recognized on a digital display slated for the College of Business Engagement Center. You could also share your time and talent in the classroom, or partner with faculty to create unique engaged learning experiences for WSU students.
CONNECT
Join us for our first College of Business Alumni Engagement Day during Homecoming 2018, on Thursday, October 4th. Learn more about how COB students are creating their more while connecting with students, faculty and other alumni through various activities, and celebrate the kick-off for the College of Business Engaged Learning Endowment campaign at 5:00pm in the College of Business Engagement Center (Somsen 108).
LEARN
Read more about the project, watch video testimonials about the impact, and stay up-to-date on the College of Business Engaged Learning Endowment campaign at wsu.mn/business-endowment.