TMI MBAs comb through campus during recent Clue Hunt
Vince Giovannetti, MBA1
Issue date: 4/3/06 Section: Features
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Those passing through campus on the afternoon of March 17 may have seen an interesting sight: eight groups of two to four people competing in a mad dash across the University of Michigan campus, collecting a series of clues that directed them to various buildings and landmarks. This Michigan-style "Amazing Race" was the brain-child of Bob Culver, Co-Director of the Tauber Manufacturing Institute (TMI), an umbrella organization that links the Ross School of Business, College of Engineering, and Industry. The Institute brings together the well-renowned business and engineering schools to create a curriculum that blends management skills with technical know-how to develop tomorrow's business leaders in manufacturing and operations related fields.
A hallmark of the TMI program is the summer project, a guaranteed internship in which teams of two to three students work to solve operations and supply chain issues at some of the world's leading manufacturing companies, such as Intel, 3M, and GE. Project teams often realize multiple millions of dollars in savings or revenues for their sponsor companies. The operational, financial and strategic deliverables offered by the student teams will be evaluated by industry experts next September, and the three teams demonstrating the most significant impact for their respective companies will take home more than $30,000 in scholarship awards.
Beyond the unique curriculum, students prepare for their summer projects by participating in the LeadershipAdvantageSM program, a series of leadership and professional development modules that aim to provide students with valuable skills, knowledge, and practices that are necessary to become successful managers in today's global economy. Co-Director Culver's recent Clue Hunt was one such event that allowed TMI students an entertaining outlet to use teamwork and communication skills fostered during their first year within the TMI program. The winning Clue Hunt team solved all of their clues and consisted of MBA1 Ray Wacek, MBA2 Isaac Jacob, and engineering students K.K. Goh and Megan Defauw. They walked away with a $60 dinner gift certificate. The second place team also solved each clue and included MBA1 Cordelia Nance and engineers Ryan Rindler, Chris Blauvelt, and Nitin Sharma. Their efforts won them a gift certificate to Stucchi's ice cream shop.
Despite the bright minds TMI attracts, only two Clue Hunt teams were able to solve all of their clues. But don't judge the remaining teams too quickly. Co-Director Culver and the rest of the TMI organization pride themselves on creating a curriculum and program that challenges students. As a result, the 16 teams that head to their internships this summer will be well-prepared to handle all of the difficult situations they will encounter as change agents at their sponsor companies.
A hallmark of the TMI program is the summer project, a guaranteed internship in which teams of two to three students work to solve operations and supply chain issues at some of the world's leading manufacturing companies, such as Intel, 3M, and GE. Project teams often realize multiple millions of dollars in savings or revenues for their sponsor companies. The operational, financial and strategic deliverables offered by the student teams will be evaluated by industry experts next September, and the three teams demonstrating the most significant impact for their respective companies will take home more than $30,000 in scholarship awards.
Beyond the unique curriculum, students prepare for their summer projects by participating in the LeadershipAdvantageSM program, a series of leadership and professional development modules that aim to provide students with valuable skills, knowledge, and practices that are necessary to become successful managers in today's global economy. Co-Director Culver's recent Clue Hunt was one such event that allowed TMI students an entertaining outlet to use teamwork and communication skills fostered during their first year within the TMI program. The winning Clue Hunt team solved all of their clues and consisted of MBA1 Ray Wacek, MBA2 Isaac Jacob, and engineering students K.K. Goh and Megan Defauw. They walked away with a $60 dinner gift certificate. The second place team also solved each clue and included MBA1 Cordelia Nance and engineers Ryan Rindler, Chris Blauvelt, and Nitin Sharma. Their efforts won them a gift certificate to Stucchi's ice cream shop.
Despite the bright minds TMI attracts, only two Clue Hunt teams were able to solve all of their clues. But don't judge the remaining teams too quickly. Co-Director Culver and the rest of the TMI organization pride themselves on creating a curriculum and program that challenges students. As a result, the 16 teams that head to their internships this summer will be well-prepared to handle all of the difficult situations they will encounter as change agents at their sponsor companies.
