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True understanding comes from doing, not just reading or listening. This principle is at the heart of Mississippi State University’s (MSU) College of Business, where active engagement in learning is not just encouraged but a big part of the curriculum. Through hands-on projects, internships, and real-world simulations, the College of Business students emerge as graduates ready to apply their knowledge and skills.
While many universities tack an internship at the end of a programme, MSU’s College of Business takes a more holistic approach by embedding experiential learning directly into the coursework. The College has hands-on courses across its nine majors, allowing students to gain valuable insights and practical experience in finance, supply chain management, sales, and more.
Dean Scott Grawe made this possible. “A lot of schools will count internships as experiential learning, and internships are great, but I want to bring live cases and live work into the classroom,” Grawe says. “Not everybody is going to do a summer internship. So if we can give them that experiential learning opportunity while they’re in the classroom during the fall or spring semester, we give them those tools that they may otherwise be missing out on.”
Experiential learning, like live case studies, offers supply chain and logistics students numerous benefits. Source: Mississippi State University
This is what drew Jonathan Mason, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Logistics graduate, to MSU. “What stood out to me about this programme and what continues to attract more and more students, is the college’s engagement with local companies to complement the lessons we are taught in the classroom,” he says.
Real-world application in supply chain and logistics
Real-world logistics and supply chain operations are complex and vary widely across industries, with success dependent on the effective coordination of processes within and across organisations. “It is hard for students to appreciate this reality simply from classroom discussions. It must be experienced to be truly understood,” says Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management Dr. Christopher Boone.
That’s where live case studies come in. It offers students a firsthand look at the dynamic nature of supply chain operations, plus a whole host of other advantages. “Students develop and hone increasingly valued soft skills by working collaboratively in teams and presenting their findings to industry professionals,” says Boone. “These practical experiences boost students’ confidence and make them more competitive in the job market.”
Mason credits his professors for placing him in environments that reflect the jobs he would apply for after graduation. “The professors have built a place where every student that wants to build a career in the supply chain can find like-minded students who want to succeed and dream big,” he says.
Many MSU’s College of Business students reported that the Live Case course significantly enhanced their problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities. Source: Mississippi State University
Special topics: Live case Taylor Logistics
The Spring 2024 Special Topics — Live Case Taylor Logistics course exemplifies this approach. In partnership with the Taylor Group of Companies, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty material handling equipment, students were tasked with improving the company’s logistics operations. By working closely with Taylor Logistics, students gained firsthand exposure to a vertically integrated supply chain, from order placement to final delivery.
“At the start of this course, MSU asked us to use our knowledge from the classroom to make Taylor Logistics better,” Mason says. “This was an open-ended request but gave us many options for where to take this project moving forward. Throughout phase one of the course, we spent our time meeting the logistics team at Taylor Logistics, asking them questions, and doing a physical walkthrough of their facility.”
They developed a Supplier Scorecard to enhance purchasing relationships and later presented their findings to Taylor executives. Thanks to his participation in this course, Mason’s confidence in his skills has skyrocketed. “By challenging myself throughout my college career through experiential learning, job experience, and case competitions, I secured my first job as a Brewery Area Manager for Anheuser-Busch,” he says.
The curriculum includes many other engaging elements. For instance, a partnership with McLeod Software gives students exposure to industry-leading transportation management systems (TMS) software. In courses like Procurement and International Supply Chain Management, students tackle purchasing and supply management challenges and work with local companies, such as the PACCAR Engine Company, on process improvement projects.
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