The capstone experience of at ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë Grossman School of Business is the : a full-time, hands-on, three-month consulting engagement with an organization seeking to advance sustainable business ideas. On Friday, July 26, SI-MBA students presented their final Practicum presentations to their partnering host companies, classmates, SI-MBA faculty, and staff.
The culmination of one year together
These final Practicum presentations were the culmination of everything SI-MBA students learned over the last year with their cohort. The Practicum is an opportunity to apply their skills, training, and creativity to address real-world challenges for companies and organizations of many shapes, industries, and sizes – all at the intersection of business and sustainability. For three months, students work as consultants on sustainability-related innovation challenges that have been proposed by sponsoring companies. Host organizations have included leading B Corporations, sustainable development consultancies, early-stage social enterprises, and globally recognized companies seeking to advance ethical business practices.
The final deliverable of the Practicum is a detailed and comprehensive business/action plan for the host organization, which students pitch to a panel of faculty, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, financiers, and host organization representatives at the end of July each year. A successful Practicum pitch is required for inauguration, which traditionally falls the weekend following Practicum.
From ideas to impact
This year, SI-MBA students partnered up and together worked with 12 companies to advance their sustainable business goals. Students explored ways to scale Vermont-based hydration start-up to the next level; looked at how to apply open-source data to ’s global supply chain; and began developing a framework to determine the best second-life uses of the batteries used in the planes of electric aviation company . One student team worked with to determine how they could help Vermont businesses continue to thrive and be an asset to their communities when their founders retire. Others looked at the feasibility of pursuing grass-fed butter with and mapped out how to catalyze the development of an economic system in North Carolina for .
Thanks to our partners
The Grossman School of Business would like to thank partnering host organizations for their time and mentorship working with SI-MBA students. .