Videos

The Finale.

With five weeks left, teams parted ways with their K College analysts for the remainder of the semester. After giving AVB “both enjoyable and humbling” feedback as well as recidivist beneficial feedback themselves, teams were ready to tackle what the rest of the school-year had in store.

Both reflecting on the presentations and preparing for the next were on the agenda for the first week back as teams re-navigated.

Jumping forward to final presentations in week 12, there was no holding back. Teams put their all in, spending ample time prepping and fine tuning in order to deliver the best final recommendations possible. In addition, CTLs and analysts reflected on the entirety of Spring semester, both how they grew and how they’ll continue to grow as young professionals.

Juiced up, deep in the jungle, and getting after it, we thank you for following along on this journey and encourage you to find comfort in the uncomfortable as you wade through life.

Another look Into The Jungle, reflecting on our last week with Kalamazoo College business students and our mid-semester presentations.

“You can stay safe where you are and have an ordinary life, or you can risk crossing the jungle to have a terrific life” -Ray Dalio. A quote we consistently return to in the Leadership and Business Strategy program, as it reminds us the best way to achieve something is to work through it and allow yourself to grow.

Teams comprised of CTLs and Analysts from both Western and K College presented recommendations to AVB after months of preparation. For K College business students, this was their final hurrah before finishing the winter trimester.

Gifts, encouragement, and feedback were just some of the things given and exchanged this week—being sure to get everyone in the spirit to take on the busy week and get after it. With spirits high and drive to achieve pushing though, all six teams were able to give it their all and come out of the first half of the semester stronger than before.

Stay tuned for the final episode of the series and keep getting after it.

This semester, the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy at WMU Haworth collaborated with Kalamazoo College's Department of Economics & Business to offer students a never-before-seen experiential learning program.

Kicking off week five, Western Michigan University student Nick Scherer walks us through his morning and takes us into The Jungle to see what 3010/4010 is working on.

Teams continue to grow and build real-world ideas. With the managing partners roleplaying as 'analysts', CTLs from each team worked through difficult scenarios and discussions, providing feedback to the 'analysts'. Students were able to learn valuable lessons in real time, identifying what worked and what didn’t, and how to best meet clients’ needs through team performance and communication. Creating this positive & fun environment, allowed students to feel confident in their choices and decisions they will make in future conversations.

Constantly learning, growing, evolving, and persevering, teams continue to make their way through The Jungle. We hope you continue to follow us along on our journey this semester as we get after it!

This semester the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy at WMU Haworth collaborated with Kalamazoo College's Department of Economics & Business to offer students a never-before-seen experiential learning program.

The pace quickens as teams iterate ideas and create deliverables. CTLs and Analysts are tasked with creating issue trees to break down the client's business model and figure out the potential growth opportunities.

Kalamazoo College students, Camille Misra, Allison Schmidt, Lucas McGraw, and Gabriel Vidinas, explain why they wanted to take this unique experiential learning opportunity and what it is like to get outside the classroom. Kalamazoo College Professor Amy MacMillan's commitment to experiential learning and innovation has helped students push outside their comfort zones.

Teams learned this week that not all ideas, only the best, will make it onto the deliverable. Having multiple revamp and reiteration sessions, teams learned that simple sometimes means better.

Looking ahead: The sun finally comes out in Michigan and students realize the effects of leaving the classroom. We hope you continue to follow us along on our journey this semester.

This semester the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy at WMU Haworth collaborated with Kalamazoo College's Department of Economics & Business to offer students a never-before-seen experiential learning program. This week students stepped outside their comfort zones, getting to know each other, through interactive ice-breakers and 1-on-1s.

WMU Alumni, Kevin Carmody, dropped into class and offered his support and words of encouragement on the unique project ahead. Carmody, an Executive Mentor in the LBS program, noted the real-life applications this course offers and how this program differentiates students from other top universities within the professional world.

Team Leads, Fynn Lohse, Mitchell Bates, and Sophie Davis reflected on their time as analysts throughout the LBS Program. Lohse, last semester's Emergent Leader Award Recipient, touched on the impact LBS has had on his life and hopes that he can empower his analysts to become the best versions of themselves. Bates recognizes the difficulty of the course and welcomes this push outside of his comfort zone, for himself and his team. Davis grew significantly since her time as an analyst and hopes that each of her analysts grows throughout this complex course.

Craig Hopkins, LBS Leadership Fellow, posed questions and offered words of wisdom to teams before they started working on their deliverable. Hopkins noted that some of the most important factors in learning and team collaboration are the diversity of thoughts and contradicting beliefs. This allows students to foster new ideas and come to various solutions throughout the deliverable and course.

We hope you continue to follow us along on our journey this semester.

This semester the Center for Principled Leadership & Business Strategy at WMU Haworth collaborated with Kalamazoo College's Department of Economics and Business to offer students a never-before-seen experiential learning practicum. Hosted by Sleeping Giant Capital and lead by Amy MacMillian, Doug Lepisto, Derrick McIver, & Craig Hopkins, the students work in downtown Kalamazoo, leaving the typical classroom setting and entering a professional environment. The course structures students into teams of analysts and team leads tasked with completing a consulting project with a company based in West Michigan. We hope you follow us along on our journey this semester.