Experiential Learning Center

Jewel-Osco Press Release

2012-01-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

This past fall of 2011, a team of Northern Illinois University students were individually selected to participate on an elite consulting team within the “Experiential Learning Center” (ELC). This team was charged with a task from grocery store giant, Jewel-Osco, to tackle its business challenges head on and return with results and recommendations. After a 16 week semester the team of NIU students was able to meet all of the deliverables that were agreed upon, some of which included the attraction and engagement of the millennial consumer demographic ranging from ages 18-30. The students engaged in some very in depth market research that included primary surveys as well as secondary research and expert opinions. The semester concluded with this team of junior consultants presenting their eight strategic recommendations to a large room of Jewel-Osco executives as well as preparing a final report and contributing a group total of 900 hours. The fall 2011 Jewel-Osco ELC team made Northern Illinois University very proud and the client extremely pleased.

Experiential Learning Center Press Release

2012-01-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

Recently, a team of Northern Illinois University students worked as consultants to NIU’s College of Business Experiential Learning Center.

The consulting project was conducted through the Experiential Learning Center in the NIU College of Business. For the last decade, teams operating out of the ELC have been “hired” by companies looking for fresh insight into a business issue. Companies such as Caterpillar, Wal-Mart and McDonalds have each used multiple ELC teams over the past decade.

The projects allow students, who are drawn from departments throughout the college and across the university, to apply concepts that they are learning in the classroom to actual business challenges. Along the way, they also learn lessons about team work, leadership, researching, presentation skills and more.

This team analyzed the strategic marketing strategy of the Experiential Learning Center and provided recommendations in improving the center’s online presence and effective strategies to connect with students and future clients. These recommendations were presented to the corporate board of advisors made up of executives from Dell, McKesson, Follet, McDonald’s and many others along with many guests from the College of Business.

About 50 students participate in ELC projects each year gaining real world experience and a unique experience to place on their resume.

For more information on the ELC, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/elc/

McDonald's IT Foundation Press Release

2012-01-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

A team of Northern Illinois University students recently worked as consultants for McDonald’s Corporation. The consulting project was conducted through the Experiential Learning Center in the NIU College of Business. For the last decade, teams operating out of the ELC have been “hired” by companies looking for fresh insight into a business issue. Companies such as Caterpillar, Wal-Mart and McDonald’s have each used multiple ELC teams over the past decade.

The projects allow students, who are drawn from departments throughout the college and across the university, to apply concepts that they are learning in the classroom to actual business challenges. Along the way, they also learn lessons about team work, leadership, researching, presentation skills and more.

The team was tasked to identify the needs of its internal McDonald’s employees from the perspective of their IT support.

The team presented their findings to executives from McDonald’s Corporation on December 2, 2011.

In order to build a reputation as a proactive, on-trend customer service provider, the IT Foundation department needs insight into who uses its services and tools, and how they use them. In turn, IT Foundation must learn how to respond to complex customer needs through meaningful metrics and appropriate reporting and they need to be able to tie this information back to how they work today in the McDonald's workplace.

About 50 students participate in ELC projects each year gaining real world experience and a unique experience to place on their resume.

For more information on the ELC, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/elc/

McDonald's IT Talent Management Press Release

2012-01-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

A team of Northern Illinois University students recently worked as consultants for McDonald’s. The consulting project was conducted through the Experiential Learning Center in the NIU College of Business. For the last decade, teams operating out of the ELC have been “hired” by companies looking for fresh insight into a business issue. Companies such as Caterpillar, Wal-Mart and True Value have each used multiple ELC teams over the past decade.

The team of ELC students provided recommendations to help McDonald’s attract, identify, and retrain top-level information technology (IT ) talent. First, the team needed to understand why top-level IT talent didn’t think of McDonald’s while job hunting. Surveys, interviews, and a focus group helped to uncover the root of the problem. After researching talent management and motivators, the recommendations were presented in front of McDonald’s executives during a final presentation.

About 50 students participate in ELC projects each year gaining real world experience and a unique experience to place on their resume.

For more information on the ELC, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/elc/

Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties, Inc. Press Release

2012-01-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

A team of Northern Illinois University students recently worked as consultants for Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties, Inc. The consulting project was conducted through the Experiential Learning Center in the NIU College of Business. For the last decade, teams operating out of the ELC have been “hired” by companies looking for fresh insight into a business issue. Companies such as Caterpillar, Wal-Mart and McDonalds have each used multiple ELC teams over the past decade.

In summer of 2011, the Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties, Inc., sponsored by McKesson, requested a Northern Illinois University Experiential Learning Center team to define and create a comprehensive social media strategy, evaluate the current JLKD website and make recommendations for an ongoing digital presence. After contributing more than 1,200 hours into the project, the team of NIU Junior Consultants successfully presented the findings and recommendations on November 29^th at McKesson and provided the JLKD with a comprehensive report. For more information on the JLKD, please take a look at the current website at www.jlkd.org and follow up on the implementation of the NIU ELC recommendations.

About 50 students participate in ELC projects each year gaining real world experience and a unique experience to place on their resume.

For more information on the ELC, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/elc/

Spring 2012 McDonald's Enterprise / Training, Learning & Development

2011-10-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

Topic: Learning Tools Evaluation

Meeting Time: T/Th – 9:30 to 10:45

Faculty Coach: Tamara Phelan

McDonald’s recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Hamburger University (HU), where various educational programs and degrees, including a degree in Hamburgerology, are offered to its crew and staff. McDonald’s has been investing in learning technologies to help modernize the learning experience by offering blended learning curricula, including e-learning, virtual classrooms, self-studies, online tests as well as traditional classroom training. We are on a journey to better define our learning technology platform to include an LMS, LCMS, virtual class and assessment tools. While we have most of these technologies in place across our 7 HUs around the world, we’d like to define a platform that would allow us to standardize learning technologies and establish a global recommendations and best practices.

ELC- An Assistant Coach's Perspective: David Hansell

2011-10-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

The NIU ELC team has been tasked with analyzing the marketing strategy of the center from all levels. Because of some of the issues surrounding the attraction of Client sponsors to the center and the continuing need to always recruit the best students with quick turnover, the team's challenges are great. The team has done some great things and learned a lot along the way.

The team has been able to:

learn from ELC alumni and leverage their real-world experience to analyze how the ELC experience affects them long-term (it has a very positive effect!),
gain insight into the inner workings of many corporations that have been and have not been project sponsors, and
learn how to manage six team members on a task that is ambiguous and constantly changing.

This team has worked together extremely well thus far into the semester and has already seen great success stem from their hard work. As the semester quickly ticks away it will be exhilarating and exciting to see what great ideas and recommendations are offered to our unique client and what great lessons the team is able to take away from the semester.

ELC- An Assistant Coach's Perspective: TuNhi Le

2011-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

"The ELC is a great opportunity for students to be in an environment completely different from what they're used to. Within this short time period, ELC members experience real world consultations, and dynamic relationships with client and group members. In these 15 weeks, students get a taste of what it feels like to be working on a project that cold possibly be implemented after the completion of the the project. The most rewarding part of the ELC is the relationships built and a deeper understanding of team dynamics."

ELC- An Assistant Coach's Perspective: Wasil Pahuchy

2011-10-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

Not only is the ELC a great place to be a part of a cross-functional team working on real-world problems for household companies, the ELC strives to professionally develop its junior consultants.
ELC students have the opportunity to develop themselves above and beyond the average classroom experience. As a junior consultant for the ELC, students are exposed to business executives during discovery meetings, conference calls, and presentations. At first, these situations can be intimidating, but the ELC provides workshops to help position students to be successful.
Workshops focus on sharpening creative brainstorming, writing, survey construction, technology, and presentation skills. In particular, the 3 S’s Workshop focuses on delivering memorable presentations. Bob Dean discusses easy-to-implement presentation strategies in an interactive and comfortable environment.

As I prepare for the professional world, my experience in the ELC has helped differentiated myself from other young professionals. I recommend the ELC to every student that is looking for a life-changing experience.

ELC- An Assistant Coach's Perspective: Sergio Rivera

2011-10-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have had the honor to be a part of the ELC for two semesters in two different roles. My first role was as a junior consultant for NIU’s University Relations project. This project was focusing on how to effectively incorporate social media into their marketing plan. The main takeaways I got from this project was to working outside my comfort level (that being on a marketing project) and the importance of making feasible and economical recommendations.

Currently, I am an assistant coach for one of the McDonald’s Corporation projects. Being an assistant coach has given me experience with what goes on to be an effective leader. Within my first month as a team lead, I have taken away three main things. The importance of:

• Motivating the team.

• Making the team members feel accountable for their work.

• Having an answer and being ready to guide the team when they need it.

I would not have had the opportunity to be in a team lead/project manager role if it wasn’t for the ELC. I was able take my lessons learned as an assistant coach and apply it in order to also be successful in my operations management capstone class.

Spring 2012 Follett Corporation

2011-10-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Topic: K-12 Classroom Social Media Strategy
Meeting Time: T/TH 8:00 to 9:15 AM
Faculty Coach: Sheila Kloster

Follett Corporation is a privately owned retailer, wholesaler, and distributor of educational products and services with annual sales over 2.7 billion dollars. For over 135 years, our mission is to help improve people’s lives by supporting a lifetime of learning and education. We touch the lives of millions of students ranging from adults taking classes on college campuses and in cyberspace to grade school children surfing the Internet in their school library.
Follett is engaging an ELC team to look for ideas, suggestions, and recommendations on how to attract and build an online community of teachers through the use of social media tools and techniques to expand our value proposition in the K-12 Classroom. The team will develop a vision, strategy, roadmap, and business case to implement recommendations. A prototype of the proposed solution will also be part of the final deliverable. All business majors needed.

Spring 2012 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA)

2011-10-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Topic: Marketing Video Production
Meeting Time: T/Th – 9:30 to 10:45
Faculty Coach: Dr. Laura Vazquez

Aspiring to be the world's leading teaching and learning laboratory for imagination and inquiry, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) strives to develop innovation and entrepreneurial talent and capacity. This includes creating conditions to stimulate, support and conduct innovative pilots/prototypes that have the potential to transform STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education. Started with seed funding from the Abbott Fund, Tellabs Foundation and the State of Illinois, CoolHub.IMSA connects learners of all ages and gives them tools to explore their "What if?" questions, take creative risks, develop ideas and innovate together outside traditional organizational structures. Through physical and virtual meeting spaces, CoolHub.IMSA provides opportunities and resources that accelerate research, rapid prototyping and program development.

IMSA would like to engage an ELC team to produce a short series of five-minute vignettes that tell the story of several CoolHub Projects. Each vignette will include interviews or statements with project owners, project participants and other relevant people associated with the project. These videos will be used for fundraising and marketing efforts as way to showcase this exciting real world learning environment. To learn more about CoolHub.IMSA visit http://coolhub.imsa.edu/cool-hub. This team will be comprised of film majors (filming/editing) from NIU’s Communications Department and business majors (project management/budgeting) from the College of Business. All business majors needed.

Spring 2012 Richardson RFPD, Inc.

2011-10-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

Topic: Optimizing New Product Introductions Using Web-based Tools/Activities
Meeting Time: T/TH 12:30 to 1:45 PM
Faculty Coach: Dr. Jim Johnson

Richardson RFPD, Inc., an Arrow Electronics Company, is a global leader in the RF and wireless communications, power conversion and renewable energy markets. Relationships with the industry’s top component suppliers enable Richardson RFPD to meet the total engineering needs of each customer. Whether it’s designing components or engineering complete solutions, Richardson RFPD’s worldwide design centers and technical sales team provide support for all aspects of customers’ go-to-market strategy, from prototype to production. Local sales engineers work side-by-side with customers to design circuits, select cost-effective components, plan reliable and timely supply, create reference designs, test prototypes and assemblies, and manufacture the highest quality solutions.

Richardson RFPD views new production introductions (NPI) program as a key differentiating element to drive and expand their business, both from sales and profitability perspectives. As a company with a highly technical sales team specializing in the RF, Microwave and Wireless markets, the company is positioned to offer a best-in-class NPI program to their suppliers and customers. To further expand and enhance this program, Richardson RFPD views web-based activities and tools (e.g. website, online advertising, social media, etc.) as an area for improvement. The objective of this study is to review competitor activities, perform benchmarking and recommend website improvements, online activities and social media programs that would most effectively support NPI to help gain market share. All business majors needed.

Spring 2012 Coupon Cabin

2011-10-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Topic: Market, Business and Product Development Plan
Meeting Time: M/W 9:30 to 10:45 AM
Faculty Coach: Dr. Lauren Labrecque

Lakeshore Interactive is developing a mobile strategy for one of its clients, CouponCabin, that maintains the site’s position as the definitive, online source for coupons. CouponCabin helps consumers save money when shopping online or at bricks-and-mortar retailers by providing online coupon codes (i.e., free shipping and other promo codes used directly on retailer websites), grocery coupons, printable coupons, product deals, and more. CouponCabin has experienced tremendous success working directly with name-brand retailers to bring coupons online and drive hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions to its partners. Consumers know CouponCabin for its quality content, offerings from a large network of retailers, and ease of use. However, the site lacks a mobile presence. Mobile commerce in the United States is projected to reach $6B in 2011 and $30B by 2015, making this space extremely attractive for CouponCabin.

Lakeshore Interactive would like a preliminary business and product development plan that recommends a strategy for CouponCabin’s mobile launch. This plan should incorporate market research that investigates consumer behavior and expectations when shopping with mobile devices using iOS apps for the iPhone and iPad, Android apps, SMS, and mobile websites. It should also consider how the content and functionality currently available at CouponCabin.com may be leveraged to delight consumers while supporting business goals. All business majors needed.

Spring 2012 Savant Capital Management

2011-10-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Topic: Research and Growth Plan
Meeting Time: M/W 3:30 to 4:45
Faculty Coach: Joan Petros

Savant Capital Management, a nationally recognized wealth management founded 25 years ago and residing in Rockford, Illinois has continued to expand into other regional markets in the Midwest. The company would like to better understand the current community demographics where the home and satellite offices reside as well as other potential expansion opportunities. Savant would like NIU Experiential Learning Center to help identify target Midwest markets within 3-400 miles of Rockford, Illinois with a large percentage of high net worth individuals ages 55 or older who are either nearing or in retirement. In addition, we would like help identifying other office expansion locations, possible acquisition candidates, competitor analysis and some additional analysis of the economics of local markets. Once demographic research has been conducted, Savant would like recommendations about ways to identify and reach those high net worth individuals nearing or in retirement approximately those who are 55 or older residing in our current markets as well as those recommended expansion locations. All business majors needed.

Spring 2012 Abbott Nutrition Brands

2011-10-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Topic: International Digital Marketing Plan
Meeting Time: M/W 2:00 to 3:15 PM
Faculty Coach: Dr. Mark Rosenbaum

Abbott is a global, diversified healthcare company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals, nutritional products for children and adults, and medical products including devices, diagnostic tests and instruments. Abbott's Nutritional Products division offers some of the world's most trusted brands in pediatric, therapeutic and performance nutrition. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products worldwide.

Abbott Nutritional Products division would like an ELC project team to deliver a proposal that details progressive, compelling and differentiating ways to drive market share growth, improve knowledge of the customer and the customer experience, and differentiate Abbott Nutrition products by leveraging digital marketing and social media programs/tactics. The ELC project team shall develop a comprehensive recommendation that accounts for the unique needs of key brands (such as Similac, Ensure, Pedialyte, Glucerna), including the optimization of product launches within a brand, and the unique cultural considerations, as well as market conditions/constraints of Abbott Nutrition's critical international markets, known as "BRIC - MTV" (Brazil, Russia, India, China, Mexico, Turkey, and Vietnam). As part of the proposal and recommendation, the project team should consider the competition, consumer, financial, healthcare economic/professional, clinical, and societal perspectives, along with new/emerging media and technology channels to achieve near-term wins and to achieve sustainable long-term momentum and value. All business majors needed.

Spring 2012 NIU Information Technology Services

2011-10-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Topic: Go Green Strategy & Marketing Plan
Meeting Time: M/W 11:00 to 12:15

Faculty Coach: Brian Bender

Northern Illinois University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) would like to engage a team of students for creative ideas and solutions to help make NIU a more “green” campus as it relates to computer labs and printing. The project team will create fresh ideas and recommendations for NIU’s ITS department to help implement and spread the message to faculty and students regarding alternative methods to reduce the printing at all NIU computer labs across campus. This will assist with NIU’s Vision 2020 Strategic Plan on ways to be more sustainable with resources. The project will result in a detailed strategic marketing plan and further recommendations for a possible future ELC project to help the university become more “green”. All business majors needed.

Chloe Connor - An ELC Assistant Coaches perspective

2011-10-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

As an acting consultant for the NIU Experiential Learning Center, you truly get the most complete and in-depth business learning experience possible for a young professional. The possibilities and opportunities are endless with the guidance and resources available to students from the ELC program. Some students are extended incredible job offers as well as being given the privilege to network with such established job professionals from an array of companies and industries. As an ELC consultant, you also have the chance to work closely with your favorite professors from all majors and to learn more from them as a mentor. I would not trade my time or invaluable experiences in the ELC for anything because they have both been so instrumental to my personal development and growth as a business professional. I have acted as a consultant on a project for Frantz Manufacturing and am currently leading the Jewel-Osco team as an Assistant Coach and I enjoy it so much that I want to return to the ELC for a third semester. It amazes students every semester how much they take away from their experience and how much they learn. You truly gain much more from your experience than what you put in. I would highly recommend this program to any student that wants to maximize their potential and experience at NIU.

The ELC experience, a Coaches Perspective

2011-03-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

There are many differences between coaching an ELC team and teaching a regular course. With regular courses, the professor does much of the talking. As an ELC coach, we try to keep quiet as much as possible so the students can grow and develop. The coach will intervene when the team is wandering off task, cannot get any traction, or is falling behind.

The role of coach is very rewarding to me. I teach UBUS 310, which involves between 800 and 1,000 students each year. I know very few of them, and the ones I do know, I cannot get to know them very well. As an ELC coach, I become quite close to all my team members, and, individually, they often come to me and appreciate me mentoring them. I also get to see the students grow tremendously over the fifteen weeks. Almost like watching your own kids grow, but in fast forward!!

Dr. James Johnson

http://www.cob.niu.edu/elc/coaches_johnson.asp

The ELC experience, and Assistant Coaches Perspective

2011-03-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

My name is Caitlin Paloian and I am currently working as the Assistant Coach of the NIU University Relations ELC team!!

The ELC is a great program to be associated with because you receive a very unique experience in comparison to that of a general internship. Having the “Experiential Learning Center” on your resume will initiate an instant talking point between yourself and the Employer in any job interview. Employers are already aware of the value that general internships tend to provide, but do they know the type of experience a student can get as a junior consultant? Not usually. The ELC experience(s) that you engage in here at NIU will set YOU aside from every other applicant in the “pile” of resumes.

In Fall 2010, I was accepted into the ELC on the GEICO team. Here, we were asked to develop a policy manual that will help to bridge the gaps between the age range of generations in an organization. With this, we did extensive research on generational differences including characteristics, communication, collaboration, and even differences specific to the workplace (i.e. attitude towards hierarchy.) We provided tangible evidence of what upperclassmen students are expecting of their first job through survey responses, as well as evidence of what the employer is expecting of the new hires through cold-calling decision-makers. This way, our manual was much more of a “how to understand differences” regardless of position within the company.

As my second project, I was selected to be the Assistant Coach for the NIU University Relations team. Here, my duties include managing the team’s deliverables, delegating responsibility to the team, and essentially keeping them on track with the project plan as the short 16 week semester comes to an end. As an assistant coach, I have gained great leadership skills and have learned to keep the morale of the team high, regardless of certain complications that the team has experienced. As a team, we have overcome adversity and are continuously moving forward with the project at a steady pace with the intention of providing the most value we can to the University Relations department of NIU. My team has been asked to develop a strategy to help the NIU recruitment efforts through the use of social media. Through creativity and collaboration, we are sure to provide valuable deliverables to our client to ensure successful implementation of our recommendations.

Having any type of ELC experience is one of the best things you can do in order to make yourself more than just a student here at NIU. You are viewed as “the best of the best” and consultants (not students) who solve “real-world business issues.” Some ELC students receive job offers by the clients at the end of the semester! Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this?

McDonald's Fall 2011 Project #2

2011-03-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Topic: IT Foundation Improvements – Measuring & Meeting Customer Needs

Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. – 9:30 to 10:45

Faculty Coach: Tamara Phelan

McDonald's is one of the world's most well-known and valuable brands. With over 31,000 restaurants in 118 countries, McDonald's serves over 50 million people each day. McDonald’s IT Foundation business unit would like to engage a team of students to identify and track needs of its customers. As a service organization, it is essential that IT Foundation find ways to better engage with its customers and identify and track their changing needs. In order to build a reputation as a proactive, on-trend customer service provider, the IT Foundation department needs insight into who uses its services and tools, and how they use them. In turn, IT Foundation must learn how to respond to complex customer needs through meaningful metrics and appropriate reporting and they need to be able to tie this information back to how they work today in the McDonald’s workplace.

Experiencing the ELC Team Group Development as a Student

2011-03-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on the NIU BELIEF Program ELC team with a great group of five other NIU College of Business students.

I remember learning Bruce Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development, but I never really noticed it in action until becoming part of the ELC. The stages fit. I could see each stage as we went through it. I could see the timid beginning, the wobbly step into civil disagreement, the foray into finding that shared goal, and finally achieving the peak performance.

Our first meeting was a little awkward, I’ll admit. We were timid, didn’t want to interrupt each other, and tried not to disagree. We were still trying to get a feel for the whole ELC experience. I guess this is what Tuckman would call the forming phase. We were getting a feel for each person’s personality and work dynamic. This is where any normal group begins. And with our being a normal group, the process started here.

It didn’t take long, however, for us to begin to have civil conflicts of idea. It’s not that we were a bad team; we simply disagreed about some aspects of the project. And this disagreement actually made us better. We were able to hear each other’s perspectives and ideas, see things we may not have considered before, and come to a consensus on the best way to proceed. This is what Tuckman would label the storming phase. For some teams, I’m sure the storm was much more intense than ours; we were lucky enough to only face a mild downpour.

Following storming, comes norming. This is when the group gets things nailed down and finds that common goal. Our group was the group that would write everything down. And by everything, I mean everything. It was a bit overwhelming, but taking the time to go through it all and select what was best and most important allowed us to find that group norm. We plucked out the goals we wanted to set and started work on the deliverables. Once a group hits this point, the project is ready to excel. Some groups get here quickly while others take a little more time. The key thing is just to get here and find that common goal.

After the group reaches the norming phase, the performing phase follows. This is when the team has that common objective and is devoting solid work time to the project. At this point, the project is running efficiently and each member knows the tasks to accomplish. This doesn’t mean that the group is conflict-free, but it does mean that the conflicts aren’t personal and that they can be approached from an objective, project-centered point of view.

From Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development, I would suggest that the most important thing is finding a common goal. Sure, this goal is borne of forming and storming, but it’s worth the process if you can find that shared objective. If the common goal is there, then arguments can be measured against the goal. It doesn’t become personal or argumentative. It becomes about the project. It becomes about providing the best results to the client. Because that’s what the ELC is ultimately about: giving the client something on which NIU, the College of Business, and the ELC are proud to stamp their name.

Damon Lindsey
NIU ELC Student

Fall 2011 ELC Application

2011-03-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

Apply to The Experiential Learning Center

The ELC is accepting student applications for Fall 2011 Projects through our online application system through April 1st, 2011.

Click here to apply.https://applyelc.niu.edu/

NIU College of Business Experiential Learning Center Fall 2011 Project

2011-03-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

Topic: Strategic Marketing Plan
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. – 3:30 to 4:45
Faculty Coach: Chris Millington (retired McDonald’s executive)

Northern Illinois University's College of Business Experiential Learning Center (ELC) is a consulting center that provides opportunities for select NIU student teams, with the guidance of a faculty member, a chance to work as consultants that solve real world business issues with an actual client.

The ELC would like to engage its own consulting team to create a strategic marketing plan that will provide recommendations for improving the website, marketing materials, social media presence, and process for engaging students and corporate project sponsors. The ELC team would design a plan and template for an ELC website to bring the marketing plan to life. This team will work closely with the ELC Corporate Advisory Board and center director. The faculty coach on this project is a retired McDonald’s C-Level executive who has been involved with the ELC for several years. We are looking for students from all majors and this will include former ELC students as well as students who have not been a part of the ELC.

McDonald's Fall 2011 Project

2011-03-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

Topic: Talent Management
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. – 2:00 to 3:15 PM
Faculty Coach: Lauren Labrecque

McDonald's is one of the world's most well-known and valuable brands. With 31,000 restaurants in 118 countries, McDonald's serves over 50 million people each day. McDonald’s want to get the best people that can lead technology in a world class brand. People that one day will lead the company at officer and CIO level. McDonald’s would like recommendations on how to identify, attract, incent and retain this talent.

Junior League of DuPage and Kane County Fall 2011 Project

2011-03-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

Topic: Comprehensive Social Media Strategy
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. – 3:30 to 4:45 PM
Faculty Coach: Joan Petros

The Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties, Inc. (JLKD) is a hands-on, volunteer organization comprised of approximately 200 women from throughout DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois who share a commitment to helping children at risk in our communities. Members, reflecting a wide range of backgrounds, interests and professional pursuits, work together to identify unmet needs, forge effective coalitions and work for positive change. The women of JLKD believe that all children should have access to the opportunities and services essential for their physical, intellectual, emotional, mental and social growth, and advocate as needed to ensure these needs are met. Each year, JLKD conduct a variety of community outreach programs focused on building dreams, promoting literacy, and improving self-esteem among children in their communities. Additionally, trained volunteers donate thousands of hours to other community organizations focused on helping at-risk youth. JLKD also supports numerous community partners throughout their four-county service area by collecting greatly needed necessities ranging from baby wipes to batteries. The Junior League would like an ELC team to define and create a comprehensive social media strategy and evaluate the current JLKD website (http://www.jlkd.org/) and make recommendations for an ongoing digital presence.
This non-profit project is sponsored by the generous funding from McKesson.

Jewel-Osco Fall 2011 Project

2011-03-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Topic: Customer Attraction and Retention
Meeting Times: Monday and Wednesday 2-3:15pm
Coach: Mark Rosenbaum

Currently, Jewel-Osco operates 183 stores across the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. Jewel-Osco has a very devoted and loyal customer base. The most loyal customers have been shopping with Jewel-Osco for many years now and enjoy our traditional stores and ways of operating. Jewel-Osco understands that current customers’ shopping patterns are starting to change as the needs and habits of households change over time. In order for Jewel-Osco to ensure longevity and relevance in an ever changing market and technologically advanced time, they need to determine how to adapt to the needs of future generations while maintaining their current customer base. Jewel-Osco recognizes the opportunities that exist to connect with this new type of shopper, and make them Jewel-Osco shoppers for life. Jewel-Osco is engaging an ELC team to look for ideas, suggestions, and recommendations on how to attract and retain the 15-30 year old consumers to Jewel-Osco for their primary supermarket shopping trips. Their goal is to be top of mind when shoppers think quality products, customer service, and expanded variety. The ELC team will develop recommendations and a plan of implementation and with projected costs associated with it. http://www.jewelosco.com/

True Value Company Fall 2011 Project

2011-03-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

Topic: Store Performance Analysis
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. – 12:30 to 1:45 PM
Faculty Coach: James Johnson

A clear direction for growth and success…With a new store format steering their future, True Value Company is on the move and growing. They put their retailers' success at the heart of everything they do. True Value’s competitive edge: An organization with $1.8 billion-plus in annual revenue, more than 60,000 products, 12 distribution centers and extensive buying power. The give all the tools their entrepreneur-retailers need to be the best and have a presence worldwide. True Value's cooperative serves 54 countries with more than 5,000 stores and 3,000 associates. Many of their retailers enjoy a rich history spanning generations in their local communities. The True Value name is a trusted and recognized brand. Whether operating as independent hardware stores or specialty business, their retailers are supported by the training, technology and retail support of an organization that strives to be the best in the industry. True Value stores are positioned to compete with the resources to deliver a compelling shopping experience, the most relevant product assortment and unparalleled customer service.

True Value has engaged an ELC team to analyze the sales performance of 150 Destination True Value stores (new store format) and to recommend sales and margin opportunities to help stores improve their profitability. www.truevalue.com

GEICO Project Student Experience

2010-11-11T12:39:00.000-08:00

My name is Allison Arbizzani and I am currently doing an Experiential Learning Center project for GEICO. My team and I are working as junior consultants for the company. GEICO wanted the team to create a manual and/or video of what it takes to be successful at your first job. So my team and I examined the multiple generations in the workforce currently, the expectations of employers, as well as the perceptions of students. There are four different generations working together in the work place right now, more than ever before. We studied the disconnects between the generations when it comes to factors such as communication, recognition, and values. We also interviewed multiple decision makers of companies, people that often hire new employees, within five industries: Information Technology, Finance, Healthcare, Retail, and Insurance. Along with that, we created a survey for students to take so we could gain a better understanding of their expectations and perceptions of their first job. With that we were able to discover the differences between what students think they’re first job will be like, and what employers expect of their new hires.

My team and I have had multiple face-to-face meetings and conference calls with our clients, which have all been great learning experiences. Our project this semester has been a lot of fun. It’s not just like a research project, but rather an enjoyable experience where we’ve improved our teamwork, leadership, and presentation skills. We’ve created video clips of what not to do in certain situations on the job, as well as a very reader-friendly and appealing manual. Along with creating the manual and video, we have also learned a lot of very valuable information that we will be able to take with us into our first jobs.

Allison Arbizzani, ELC Team Student

Nest Spring 2011 Project

2010-11-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Topic: Business Analysis and Planning
Meeting Times: Mon. & Weds. - 3:30 to 4:45
Coach: Stacey Short

Nest is a nonprofit organization that empowers female artists and artisans around the world. Using a unique combination of interest-free microfinance loans, mentoring from established designers, as well as a market in which to sell their crafts, Nest helps its loan recipients create successful small businesses. Nest wanted an ELC team to provide a thorough business analysis and plan for possibly splitting two business units of Nest due to rapid growth of the retail side of their craft based business. The ELC team provided recommendations and a business plan to Nest to see if one business unit should still remain a non-profit and spin off the other business unit as a for profit venture http://www.buildanest.com/

McDonald’s Corporation Spring 2011 Project

2010-10-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Topic: Customer Digital Engagement Strategy Development
Meeting Time: Mon. & Wed – 2:00 to 3:15 PM
Coach: Mark Rosenbaum

McDonald’s is one of the world's most well-known and valuable brands. With 30,000 local restaurants in more than 119 countries, McDonald’s serves nearly 50 million people each day. McDonald’s is interested in exploring how technology will shape the experience of their customers at the restaurants in the next five to ten years. The ELC team will explore various up and coming technologies, the creative ways that these technologies may be used, and the impact these technologies will have on the restaurants and the customer experience.

Office Max Spring 2011 Project

2010-10-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Topic: Asset Management
Meeting Time: Mon. & Wed. – 9:30 to 10:45 AM
Coach: Amit Patel

OfficeMax is a leading supplier of office products including office supplies, paper, technology products and services, and furniture. The organization serves enterprise-level, mid-size and small businesses, and individual customers through direct sales, catalogs, the Internet and at nearly 1,000 superstores.

Office Max would like an ELC team to develop an asset management strategy that enables OfficeMax to effectively maximize its financial investments in the area of Infrastructure technology and security. Key project deliverables would include: Asset inventory list/asset tracking, Asset ownership, Asset life cycle/versioning, Provisioning policies, and a 5 year financial forecast.

Sears Holdings Corporation Spring 2011 Project

2010-10-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Topic: Analysis of Digital Device Applications
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. – 12:30 to 1:45 PM
Coach: Tamara Phelan

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.

Sears Holdings would like an ELC team to conduct an evaluation of the application of digital devices in a retail environment and the associated risks (privacy/other), benefits and contingencies.

Northern Illinois University – BELIEF Spring 2011 Project

2010-10-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

Topic: Resource repository, website and marketing strategy
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. – 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM
Coach: Sheila Kloster

The NIU College of Business BELIEF Initiative stands for Building Ethical Leaders using an Integrated Ethics Framework. This systematic approach to integrating ethics into the college curriculum was officially launched during the Fall 2006 term. The BELIEF Initiatives' learning objectives of identifying ethical issues and applying a decision-making framework are also integrated into subsequent classes in all disciplines throughout the college.

The BELIEF team has asked an ELC team to create an electronic repository of ethics resources. Such a repository would include links to ethics resources for faculty and students along with other potential information and references. The ELC team would design a plan and template for a potential website to bring this idea to life. In addition, the ELC team would create a marketing strategy to build student and faculty awareness.

Northern Illinois University – University Relations Spring 2011 Project

2010-10-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

Topic: Social Media Student Recruitment Strategy
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. - 3:30 to 4:45 PM
Coach: Joan Petros

The mission of the Division of University Relations at Northern Illinois University is to develop a brand identity and a corresponding marketing strategy for NIU which will allow NIU to compete and flourish despite increasing higher education options for potential students - community colleges, quality private colleges and universities, as well as public universities in the region.

The Division of University Relations Web Communications team would like to engage an ELC team to assist with the continued development of NIU’s social media initiatives. The project would include reviewing past initiatives, determining if ROI can be accurately measured and developing future web marketing/recruitment strategies geared towards incoming students. Web Communications is seeking development of a long term plan recruitment/engagement plan(s) for social media at the university, including analysis of trending platforms for possible use by the university.

Frantz Manufacturing Spring 2011 Project

2010-10-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Topic: New Product Development
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. - 12:30 to 1:45 PM
Coach: Jim Johnson & John Wonak

Frantz Manufacturing Company and its Sterling Steel Ball division, located in Sterling, Illinois, is a manufacturer and marketer of conveyor system components and steel ball products used in a variety of commercial business applications. Frantz Manufacturing Company was chartered 101 years ago as “A general manufacturing business for the purpose of manufacturing and selling various kinds of inventions and specialties constructed of metal, wood, or other materials”. Throughout its history, Frantz has been an innovator in the various product categories which it has chosen to compete.

Frantz has completed some preliminary work in developing a consumer oriented Sterling Steel Ball product line and now needs further development of the concept, a preliminary business plan, and concept test marketing. A cross functional ELC team would be tasked to bring a concept to the market and to test its viability. Team competencies would include:
• Project leadership and organization
• Design - product presentation and packaging.
• Marketing – competitive analysis, market price positioning, channel options, collateral materials, promoting market awareness
• Production & logistics – preliminary planning for operations, order fulfillment, & order shipment
• Financial – financial modeling, product costing, margin analysis, order taking system, bookkeeping

This project should appeal to students interested in entrepreneurial activities.

Caterpillar Fall 2010 Project

2010-03-19T08:36:00.001-07:00

Caterpillar Inc.

Topic: Product Lifecycle Management
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. - 10:00 to 11:30 AM
Coach: Tamara Phelan
ALL majors encouraged to apply.

Caterpillar has asked an ELC team to explore the ways to leverage the information of the system that collects data within each Large Wheel Loader machine they sell as it relates to the product life cycle in order to increase parts and service growth. Utilizing systems already built into machines that collect machine data and establish trends, similar to GM's "ON-Star" system, CAT wants recommendations that would create value messages for the “voice” of the machine. This project would define the voice of the machine for product health, maintenance, and life cycle/repair solutions to foster the parts and sales growth of Large Wheel Loaders.

Fall 2010 Project Rockford Area Realtors

2010-03-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

Rockford Area Realtors
Topic: Feasilbility Study
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. 3:30 to 5:00 PM
Coach: Dr. Lynn Neeley
ALL majors encouraged to apply.

Rockford Area Realtors is a 501c6 taxpaying non-profit trade association with approximately 1000 members engaged in real estate transactions, real estate development and service to the industry. Members are associated with Brokers but are independent entrepreneurs. RAR is a member of Illinois Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors which is one of the largest and most influential trade associations in Washington DC. RAR operates under the direction of a 12 member Board of Directors, a Chief Executive Officer and full time staff.

RAR owns and maintains their Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system, which is uncommon in the industry. RAR staff programmers are currently rewriting and programming the MLS system with a new look, feel and feature upgrades. RAR would like a team of ELC students to conduct a feasibility study to investigate the market potential for this MLS product bundle throughout the US that RAR has developed internally. This would include directly contacting association executives to gather current market data and begin to build a database of potential customer and to uncover likes and dislikes of current products being used along with any feature enhancements that might improve their MLS system. Based on this information, RAR would also like the team to develop business model strategy, product/service value proposition, go to market method and strategy for the RAR MLS system.

ServiceLive Fall 2010 Project

2010-03-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

Topic: International Marketing Strategy
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. 12:30 to 2:00 PM
Coach: Dr. Jim Johnson
ALL majors are encouraged to apply.

ServiceLive.com is the only online services marketplace where customers can either name their price or request bids for service from thousands of pre-screened service providers. Founded in 2007 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation, ServiceLive, Inc. has recruited and background checked the best service providers in the country across a wide variety of home services - from handymen and home electronics pros to plumbers and computer experts. Now thousands of ServiceLive-Approved service providers are part of an on-demand workforce ready to ease the headaches of managing services. Buyers simply select pre-screened service providers; describe their project and name the date and time; and either request bids, or name their own price for service. The whole transaction is managed online with an easy-to-use tool. From provider selection and order fulfillment to ratings and payment, ServiceLive is how ‘to-do’ is done today.

ServiceLive is looking to expand internationally and would like an ELC team to develop recommendations and strategies for entrance into international markets. The team should analyze trends in global services (construction / housing / repair / maintenance) markets, review regulatory requirements, understand potential barriers to entry and recommend market(s) best suited for ServiceLive growth plans. The analysis should consider localization of offerings, an evaluation of key competitors and service fulfillment practices already established in chosen markets, and identify potential partnerships that could enable this venture.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system through April 2nd, 2010. Click here to apply.

Illinois Dermatology Institute Fall 2010 Project

2010-03-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Topic: eCommerce Marketing Strategy
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. – 10:30 to 12:00 PM
Coach: Sheila Kloster
Marketing and OM & IS majors are strongly needed for this project. ALL majors are encouraged to apply.

The Illinois Dermatology Institute is a group of practicing dermatologists in the Chicagoland area. This practice is commissioning an ELC team to devise a robust and full scale marketing strategy that will include a web site strategy that is user friendly with minimal “behind the scenes” work for the practice. Also, included in this strategy will be the design and implementation of an e-commerce platform that will provide information on dermatological product suggestions and recommendations. In addition, the team will provide strategies on brand awareness and indentify marketing channels that will expand retail sales and build patient volume, providing a return on investment.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system through April 2nd, 2010. Click here to apply.

Jewel-Osco Fall 2010 Project

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Topic: Product offering analysis and comparison to national trend and competition
Meeting Time: Tues. & Thurs. – 1:00 to 2:30 PM
Coach: Dr. Mark Rosenbaum
ALL majors are encouraged to apply.

SUPERVALU® (Jewel-Osco) is a leader in the grocery retailing industry. They are a grocery and pharmacy company serving a wide range of customers in neighborhoods nationwide, through stores ranging from hard discount to traditional and premium grocery formats. SUPERVALU reaches millions of families with the products and services they need through owned, licensed, franchised and affiliated stores.
Supervalu would like an ELC team to conduct an analysis on their organic selection throughout the store, researching to see if the organic section is too big, too small, does not have the right products, etc. They would also like the team to compare the results to the national trend and to their competitors.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system through April 2nd, 2010. Click here to apply.

McDonald's Fall 2010 Project

2010-03-09T15:30:00.000-08:00

Topic: Feasibility and Recommendations for Adult Basic Education
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. – 12:30 to 1:45
Coach: Dr. Terry Bishop
ALL majors are encouraged to apply.

McDonald's is one of the world's most well-known and valuable brands. With 31,000 restaurants in 118 countries, McDonald's serves over 50 million people each day. McDonald’s USA is currently exploring the feasibility of facilitating access to Adult Basic Education courses (including the GED preparation) for restaurant employees. The goal of this initiative is to increase the employee transition to post-secondary studies. Because of the restaurant employees’ demanding schedules, McDonald’s is assuming that the flexibility of instructor-led online programs would best encourage and support the employee’s success.

McDonald’s would like an ELC team to analyze and make recommendations on the best approaches for ease of deployment, proven benefits, reasonable costs, and reliable measures to best execute this type of massive training effort. The ELC team will also need to analyze other significant measures such as student persistence rates, impact of technology literacy, and the impact of employer sponsored programs on student results. The team will also conduct secondary research on relevant adult basic education practices of relevant literature.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system through April 2nd, 2010. Click here to apply.

GEICO Fall 2010 Project

2010-03-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

Topic: Employee Advancement
Meeting Time: Mon. & Weds. - 3:30 to 5:00 PM
Coach: Joan Petros
Creative students with great writing and/or video editing skills are needed for this project. ALL majors are encouraged to apply.

Since 1936, Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) has focused on providing low-cost, high quality insurance. With over eight million auto policyholders and insuring more than 12 million vehicles, GEICO is now the fastest growing auto insurer in the U.S., and is currently the third largest private passenger auto insurer in the nation. GEICO, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, also enjoys the highest ratings in the industry for financial strength and claims-paying ability, including an AAA rating from Standard and Poor's, AAA from Moody's and A++ from A.M. Best.

GEICO would like an ELC team of students to research and develop a policy manual and/or video on the “Do's and Don'ts of Your First Job" in order to get promoted and launch a successful career. The ELC team will conduct focus groups, primary and secondary job market research, and other methods to understand the best practices and skill development needed to make the most of “new career” employees’ first few years in the real life business world.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system until April 2nd. Click here to apply.

Presenting with Structure, Substance & Style

2009-10-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

The fall ELC teams recently participated in the 3S’s of Successful Presentations workshop. Bob Dean, director, Americas for Profiling Online graciously donated his time and expertise to help the ELC team members become better presenters. This is a skill that will help them in the coming weeks and throughout their careers.

Bob's Three S's are:

1. Structure

By organizing or giving your content structure, you make it easy for the audience to follow the presentation. The first step is to identify the three (or two – five) most important points. Then expand on those points. In addition, always have an introduction, and conclusion. Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them.

2. Substance

The substance of a presentation is the facts, figures, examples, stories, quotes and analogies used to illustrate the three main points. It is how the content is personalized and related to the audience. Supporting visuals are extremely helpful in making the main points memorable.

3. Style

A presenter’s style communicates competence and likability. Discussion of Arch Lustberg’s open face with a smile, brows elevated and horizontal lines on the forehead is always a favorite. Also important are eye contact, movement and gestures.

What are your tips on giving successful presentations?

Spring 2010 Yum! Brands Project Added

2009-10-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yum! Brands

Topic: Investor Relations

Meeting Time: Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Coach: Dr. James Johnson

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., has more than 36,000 restaurants in over 110 countries and territories and more than 1 million associates. Yum! is ranked #239 on the Fortune 500 List, with revenues in excess of $11 billion in 2008. Four Yum! restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver's – are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, Mexican-style food and quick-service seafood categories.

Yum! would like an ELC team to conduct a full review of Yum’s disclosures (Earnings Releases, Earnings Conference Calls, 10Ks/Qs, Investor Presentations, website, etc.) and compare the disclosures to other global consumer companies to identify “best practices” in the industry. As a result of the research, Yum! would like recommendations on how to improve disclosure to investors and communicate Yum’s global growth story more effectively.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Team Building at the Ronald McDonald House

2009-10-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

Helena, a graduate accountancy major is our guest blogger this week. She is serving as an assistant coach for the Dennis and Stacey Barsema ELC team this semester. She has contributed a post about ELC team building at the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

At the beginning of the semester, several ELC teams volunteered their time to cook a dinner for the Loyola Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for the families of seriously ill or injured children. Most times, this is the only way for these families to stay together while staying relatively close to the treatment hospital. Our main goal was to cook a home-cooked dinner for the 18 families staying at the house, however I was surprised (and pleasantly delighted!) to see the large effect this trip made on the ELC teams as well. Who would have thought that cooking enchiladas, Spanish rice, and dessert could be such a great catalyst to bring people out of their shells?

Sometimes at the ELC, one may feel the need to act more seriously because of the professional atmosphere. From working on deadlines, catering to clients, and perhaps even from wearing business attire, students come with “ready to work” attitudes. Although this behavior is fantastic for working on large-scale projects, for new teams, this may be a roadblock to establishing open and honest team communication lines. At first, members may worry about making mistakes or about offending each other. Being at the Ronald McDonald House provided a great opportunity for these communication barriers to break down.

We all started our day rocking to music and sporting our ELC t-shirts. Half of our volunteers broke into small sub-teams for cooking and the other half did house cleaning. Team members who were seasoned cooks were enthusiastic about teaching others who were not as experienced in the kitchen. In fact, for some, this was the first time they cut onions, cooked chicken, or boiled rice. Within the first 15 minutes, you could tell from all the smiles, laughter, and downright silliness that people felt more at ease. I couldn’t help but crack a smile myself when I overheard someone say, “I have never cracked so many perfect eggs in my life!”

Overall, I found the Ronald McDonald House Team Building to be very successful. It amazed me how this seemingly small change in environment improved team dynamics so drastically. In fact, even different project teams intermingled with another. Within the following weeks after the event, I could tell there was more chatter and laughter throughout the ELC. Obviously, the event not only did good for the Ronald McDonald House Community, but for our ELC Community as well.

Spring 2010 Living Well Resource Center

2009-10-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Living Well Resource Center sponsored by McKesson Corporate Foundation

Topic: TBD
Meeting Time: TBD
Coaches: Dr. Mark Rosenbaum

Living Well Resource Center, located in Geneva, Illinois, is a place in the Fox Valley where people living with cancer, their families and friends, can go for the information and encouragement to live well while living with cancer. A team of NIU students will be engaged to solve a business issue associated with the center with more details coming soon. More information regarding the center can be found at http://www.livingwellcrc.org/.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Spring 2010 NIU Department of Accountancy Project

2009-10-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

NIU Department of Accountancy

Topic: Brand, Marketing, and Online Strategy Development
Meeting Time: TBD
Coach: TBD

The NIU Department of Accountancy has been ranked among the elite programs in the nation for over 20 years. Recently, the faculty made substantive modifications to its masters in accounting science (MAS) program - and has renamed it the Leadership MAS. Because of this significant programmatic change, the NIU Department of Accountancy would like an ELC team to develop:

1. A marketing strategy to attract NIU and non-NIU undergraduate students and to expand the Leadership MAS presence nationally.
2. A brand strategy and graphic identity to be used in all program promotions.
3. An online strategy to include an interactive web site (videos, blogs, forums, discussions), social media, webinars, search optimization, and analytics.

Additional information about the Department and its programs, faculty, students, and external stakeholders can be found here.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Spring 2010 Northern Illinois Economic Development Organizations

2009-10-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

Northern Illinois Economic Development Organizations

Topic: Economic Development & Technology Promotion Plan

Meeting Time: TBD

Coach: Dr. Lynn Neeley

The goal of the Northern Illinois Economic Development Organizations and Northern Illinois University Outreach is to improve living standards and create economic opportunities for the region. These organizations have overseen billions of dollars in industrial and commercial investment, which spurred parallel growth in both employment and the tax base.

The undersigned organizations would like an ELC team to develop a marketing plan that promotes, builds awareness, and markets the DeKalb/Rochelle/Rockford Region area of Northern Illinois as an Advanced Technological Corridor. This plan would identify and document the unique resources and advantages of the areas served by the Northern Illinois Technology Triangle (NITT) and NIUnet. The project would delineate specifications on the capabilities of telecommunications technology and other infrastructure resources in the region, i.e. airports, fiber/Internet 2 loop, diverse labor force, educational programs and business relationships, interstate access, etc.

The marketing plan would be targeted at business and industry to build and relocate facilities. The deliverables will include printed and electronic marketing material and a detailed plan to build awareness of the region and the technologies and infrastructure it offers. Specific technology and financial service companies that should be targeted for recruitment to our region will be identified.

Supporting Organizations:

DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation

Growth Dimensions of Belvedere and Boone County

Northern Illinois University Outreach

Rochelle Economic Development

Rockford AEDC

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Spring 2010 Icon Companies Project

2009-10-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Icon Companies

Topic: Maximizing lead management and sales funnel integration strategies & tactics in a B2B selling environment
Meeting Time: TBD
Coach: TDB

The Icon Companies is the nation’s leading exterior signage and maintenance company. With sales over $100,000,000, Icon is positioned to continue to lead its industries. Historically, Icon has been very strong in the financial, small box retail and corporate industries. Their largest clients are Walgreens, CVS, Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Jiffy Lube & Home Depot.

2009 has been a year to realign sales, marketing and lead management strategies. Significant strides have been made building out the infrastructure. However, Icon feels they have just begun to scratch the surface as far as lead management and sales integration. To that end, Icon would like an ELC team to examine how to maximize lead management and sales funnel integration strategies and tactics in their B2B selling environment. They would like the team to specifically address:

Internal team organization and systems

The proper marketing mix to generate the most effective and qualified leads

Additional industries they can be targeting to fuel growth and in what priorities, based on existing manufacturing capabilities and new capabilities which can be added or acquired with minimal capital investment

How to most efficiently qualify and monitor the leads into the sales funnel

The measurement systems to track the Sales Team activity and hit ratios and how to report these results back to the Executive Team and Board

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Spring 2010 Tellabs Project

2009-10-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Tellabs

Topic: Consumerization of IT
Meeting Time: TBD
Coach: TBD

Tellabs Operations, Inc. designs and manufactures telecommunications equipment for service providers. We help customers succeed through innovation. That’s why 41 of the top 50 global telecom service providers choose our mobile backhaul, optical networking and business services solutions. We help telecom service providers, independent operating companies, MSO/cable TV companies, enterprises and government agencies get ahead by adding revenue, reducing expenses and optimizing networks.

Tellabs innovations have helped our customers offer telecommunication solutions that enable a lifestyle that requires flexible, reliable connections at home, at work and everywhere in between. Workers who rely on these solutions in their personal lives now expect to use these same solutions in the workplace, and to be able to seamlessly manage their work and personal lives on common devices, applications and networks. Tellabs would like your ELC team to analyze current trends in the consumerization of technology, and how these trends will impact the workplace (including IT departments) in the coming years. Tellabs would like the ELC team to examine the viewpoints of traditional IT, other business functions, the emerging workforce, other companies and technology service providers, in order to provide recommendations on how our IT strategy should evolve to accommodate these trends in the coming years.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Spring 2010 Carpenter's Place Project

2009-10-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Carpenter's Place

Topic: Social Media Strategy

Meeting Time: TBD

Coach: TBD

Carpenter's Place (CP) serves the chronically homeless in northern Illinois. Located in Rockford, CP is a day center or central home base for individuals looking to rebuild their lives. It provides basic necessities like shower facilities, storage of belongings, a mailing address, phone calls, and laundry service as well as an array of support and education groups, voluntary spiritual support, and linkage within and outside of the local community. For those in Case Management, CP staff helps develop a personal Life Recovery Plan that addresses key areas of life and maps a direction to a brighter future. CP would like an ELC team to create a social media strategy to increase awareness, participation, and fundraising in their mission in the northern Illinois region as well as internationally.

The ELC is accepting applications through our new online application system October 12-30. Click here to apply.

Celebrate the Brain!

2009-09-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Creative ideas are one of the many reasons organizations sponsor ELC projects. From innovative marketing tactics to new profitable ways to be green, organizations turn to the ELC for out of the box thinking. To make sure the teams are prepared to deliver, each semester the ELC hosts Celebrate the Brain! week.

Celebrate the Brain! week is based on idea generation concepts and skills Jane Mall , the ELC director, and Joan Petros, a longtime ELC coach, learned during a SolutionPeople workshop at the Thinkubator in Chicago. At the Thinkubator Jane and Joan learned the more ideas generated, the better the end result will be. They also learned tricks and brought back tools to speed up the idea generation process.

The first trick is to set a mood that promotes creativity and fun. We started Celebrate the Brain! week with purple decorations, a color that promotes creativity. Everywhere you looked, the ELC was covered with purple streamers and balloons. This semester the ELC assistant coaches did a fantastic job decorating! To add to the celebratory mood, we ate brain cake. OK, it was just a regular cake with a picture of a brain but it sure was fun to call it brain cake.

The next trick is to get comfortable. During Celebrate the Brain! week, the ELC lobby was transformed into an idea generation laboratory with a variety of music playing and fluffy pillows to sit on. Each ELC team member was encouraged to remove their shoes and slip on a pair of comfy white socks. At the Thinkubator Jane and Joan learned if your feet are comfortable, the brain will be comfortable.

There were several tools Jane and Joan presented to the teams during a mini workshop. These tools are based on idea generation occurring in four stages: investigate, create, evaluate and activate. The first tool is the KnowBrainer, a flip card tool divided into the four stages. Each stage has questions, quotations, words, and pictures to stimulate thinking.

The next tool is a worksheet covered in light bulbs. As the team members looked at the cards in the solution stage, they were asked to generate and capture ideas in each bulb to keep the new ELC Wii safe. The ELC team members were asked to draw a smiley face in two of the bulbs and encouraged to write silly, off the wall ideas in those spaces. Every so often they would switch worksheets, read the ideas on the new worksheet then continue looking at the cards and generating ideas.

The final tool is a four column worksheet, one for each stage. The ELC team members were asked to start with the investigate cards and write down what was needed to have the most powerful final presentation. After a few minutes they quickly evaluated the top needs and moved to the create cards and column to generate solutions that fit their needs. In the coming weeks they will evaluate their solutions and activate them.

This was the third semester the ELC has hosted Celebrate the Brain! week. Each semester we learn and add new tools and tricks. Do you have any to share?

A fast start is great, but pace wins the race...

2009-09-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Our second guest blogger for the week is Adam, a senior management major. He is serving as an assistant coach for the NIU Digital Convergence Lab ELC team this semester. He has contributed a post about the importance of project planning.

Tomorrow only marks the end of the third week of the fall semester and there are moments when one can already feel like they are weeks behind. The initial client meetings have taken place and now the teams are busy finalizing the proposals that will ultimately determine what will be provided to the different sponsoring organizations at the end of the semester.

But when does the real work start? When do the teams begin tackling the enormous tasks set of ahead of them?

Last semester in the ELC, I was asking these very same panicked questions almost at this exact point in the semester (week 3). It seems like your team is spending an eternity determining what will be delivered and all the while precious time is ticking away from the amount of time you actually have to complete these deliverables. However, this time spent detailing what your team will deliver and how that deliverable will be completed turns out to be one of best time investments of the semester.

The reason for this can best be compared to the Product Development Cycle (PDC). The PDC has approximately 7 phases, depending on which version you look at, and each phase moves a new product from an idea, closer to production. There is a very important constant in the PDC and that is that as a new product moves from one phase to another it costs 10 times more to make a change to that product. So a change in Phase 1 that cost $10, costs $100 in Phase 2, and $1000 in Phase 3 and so on...

This constant also holds true in the ELC as change management is difficult in any context. Placing an emphasis on planning and detailing your deliverables is huge because, much like the constant present in the Product Development Cycle, it is extremely costly to make a change to what your team is delivering in week 12 when that change could have been prevented in week 3. In this case though the cost comes in the form of extra time spent on the project, rushed work, and potentially not being able to deliver what was promised.

The point is this, it feels great to get off to a fast start and really begin hammering away at the race (deliverables) but a lack of emphasis on a good pace (detailed planning) can cause your team to cramp up in the home stretch.

Ambiguity; Preparing to Be Surprised

2009-09-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

This week’s guest blogger is Brittney, a senior management major. She is serving as an assistant coach for the Eby-Brown ELC team this semester. She has contributed a post about project ambiguity and flexibility.

I find that more often than not – our plans tend to be upended and nothing seems to go the way we thought it would. How frustrating! If only there was a way to prepare for the times when we are completely unprepared! How nice would it be to have a backup plan for each time your plans fall through?

I recently watched the movie “Dan in Real Life”, it is a heartwarming movie about a widower father who is doing his best to raise his three daughters and who is also beginning to open his heart to the idea of falling in love again. Throughout the film his plans continuously change as does his way of viewing his life. By the end of the movie, Dan begins accepting the surprises in life and enjoying the ambiguity they bring! He says the best way to welcome the changes is to “be prepared to be surprised”.

Sweet movies and catchy sayings aside – I feel that there really is a measure of credibility to that statement. “Be Prepared to Be Surprised.” As difficult as it is to let go of our own expectations and embrace life’s ambiguity, I think that could be the key to enjoying surprises, and to successfully adapting to the changes we face each day!

Expectations are definitely good to have – but flexibility can be a very important attribute to have as well. My own experience has taught me to have expectations – but to expect that they will change! Working in the ELC is a perfect example of the need for flexibility and an attitude of adaptation. There will be several times (maybe weekly or even daily!) that our projects will change, or something falls through! Expect it! Be prepared for those surprises!

Enjoying change is not something we as humans naturally do. We tend to be creatures of comfort. Nothing about the business world or even the ELC world will ever be comfortable or easy! This is such good practice for us to prepare for changes and surprises! I have learned in the past to always have a backup plan – even if the first plan is fool proof! It is good to expect things to change so that you will never be the person who is not prepared!

Discovery Meeting: Lessons Learned

2009-09-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

This week’s guest blogger is Ali, a senior management major and communications minor. She is serving as an assistant coach for the McDonald’s ELC team this semester. She has contributed a post about her team’s first client meeting.

Recently, our team participated in their first client meeting. It ended up being very successful and engaging. We received great insights on the company and employees as well as defining our project scope a little more. As most know, every meeting can't go perfect, but here are some tips that I took from our experience.

First off, practice introductions! You think you may know what you want to say about yourself, but you can easily stumble if you don't go over it once or twice at least.

Second, turn off your cell phones! There's really no excuse for that one...

Third, relax! It's a great time for your company/client to get to know you on a personal level so make sure your personality sticks out. You were chosen to be on a team for the qualities you possess so show them off!

And lastly, come prepared! Agendas, names tags, and a list of questions is highly recommended, if not required.

A best practice to keep in mind is that you are there to provide a valuable product/service to the client and that should be your main focus. This introductory meeting is to get to know the company as a whole, what they believe in, and any insightful tips they want to share. Remember, they want to help you just as much as you want to help them!

Academic Convocation

2009-08-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

On Friday, August 21 the ELC helped welcome 1,900 new students to NIU. The ELC was featured at the Academic Convocation, a program designed to show incoming students all the ways to get involved during their time here.

One of our most successful teams, the McDonald's Green Team, presented their projec t and what they learned.

After the formal program we hosted a table at Friday Fest, a trade show like setup where students could ask questions about our program. We were so lucky to have past ELC students currently working at McDonald's on hand to help!

Off and Running

2009-08-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

What an exciting week! Monday and Tuesday we welcomed 45 new students on seven teams to the ELC.

It was so much fun to see their personalities in orientation. Some were quiet. Some were creative. Some were competitive. Some were lackadaisical. You could definitely tell which teams had met over the summer and which had not by how they related to one another.

The rest of this week and next the teams will meet with their clients for the discovery meetings and work on their team charters and communication plans. I can only imagine the uneasiness they feel. They are working with people they don't know on a business issue they know very little about in situations that are unfamiliar. The next two weeks will be full of lessons!

Let the fun begin!

2009-08-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

School starts next week! The ELC will soon be filled with smiling faces, laughter and 54 students hard at work on their real-world projects.

The start of the semester is filled with so many unknowns. Each of the students will walk into their first team meeting most likely knowing no one, including their coach. They won't know if their projects have changed. They won't know what they've gotten themselves into as they glaze over in orientation. The first few weeks they will learn how to deal with ambiguity and to be comfortable with it.

The start of the semester is also filled with potential. Over the course of sixteen weeks the students will transform an abstract real-world business problem into a manageable project. They will research, build and create. In the end they will provide recommendations to their corporate sponsor. While working on their project they will also learn how to work with strangers toward a common goal. They will learn how to navigate a foreign corporate culture. They will apply all they've learned in the classroom to their project. They will grow personally and professionally, if they choose to.

So this week we will enjoy a few more quiet days before the chaos of the semester begins.