FSU’s undergrad business students were not the only ones busy gaining real-world experience during their studies. Fayetteville State University MBA students took on 25 different projects proposed by local businesses over the past semester, culminating in three top projects in the semi-annual MBA Project Showcase.

Assuming the role of business consultants, each team spent the last four months conducting research, interviewing industry experts, compiling and analyzing data, and formulating recommendations and solutions to share with their business clients.

“Each year our students bring valuable research and recommendations to their clients, and this year is no different,” said Ulysses Taylor, J.D., dean of FSU’s Broadwell College of Business and Economics, in a press release. “I am immensely proud of the work produced by these young people who are already making a difference in both the local and international economies.”

The X-Culture team earned first place, under the supervision of Meysam Manesh, Ph.D, assistant professor of management in FSU’s Broadwell College of Business. The international team included Alicia Del Pardo (USA), Areeba Mohsen (Pakistan), Ewan Campbell (UK), Kelonda Mitchel (Grenada), Marie-Amélie Bricout (France), and Rahul Sengupta (India). They provided solutions to the Brazil-based company, Novabrink. 

Novabrink has manufactured toys for 70 years and was interested in expanding. The X-Culture team recommended leveraging existing relationships with technology and entertainment companies to develop environmentally conscious products for sale in the United States. The team identified potential promotion, distribution, pricing, regulatory, and logistical considerations to support Novabrink's expansion into the United States. They won $2,000 for their project.

The second-place winner worked under the supervision of Burcu Adivar, Ph.D., interim assocıate dean and assocıate professor of management in the Broadwell College of Management. The student team included Daniel Becker, Sameer Kapilesshwari, Joshi Manoj, Ahmed Salem and Thomas Wehrenberg. They worked with very large weigh-in-motion datasets to create a dashboard for various stakeholders. 

The third-place project award went to the team made up of Amanda Blackwood, Jonathan Baird, Patricia Dudley and Winona Tosic, who worked under Dr. Burcu Adivar’s supervision. The student team examined the medical flight services operated by Duke Life. Students analyzed current business processes, collected and analyzed data, and created a discrete-event system simulation to minimize the total time from dispatch to the hospital arrival. Project results attracted Duke Life’s attention and will continue as a research project.

Organizations interested in collaborating with the Broadwell College of Business and Economics can  fill out the application form: 

BCBE Project Showcase: Project Proposal Application for Industrial/Community Partner