Learners into Leaders
Running head: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND THE BUSINESS CLASSROOM
"Learners into Leaders:"
The incorporation of experiential learning into the business classroom
Christina McCale
Regis College
Regis University
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Learners into Leaders
Abstract
The Center for Ethical Literacy (CEL) was founded at Regis University in 2005 with a dual
purpose. While the organization was initially formed to develop and deploy an educational online ethics
game for K-12 school children, its primary focus has become the development and growth of Regis
College business undergraduates’ professional skills.
The CEL leadership team, consisting mostly of seniors, has been responsible for the
development of the organization’s business plan and operating documents, product development and
research, under the tutelage of subject area faculty.
The venture, and subsequent research from, points to the importance of experiential learning as
an important component in the development of future business leaders.
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Learners into Leaders
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"Learners into Leaders:"
The incorporation of experiential learning into the business classroom
The hats have been tossed, the diplomas received. Whether prompted by their parents, or their
own need for career fulfillment and earning a living, newly-minted college graduates will find their
thoughts turning to finding a job if not fortunate enough to have a job already.
Finding a job is certainly nothing new. And certainly the importance gaining real-world experience
in concert with an education has been discussed by academics and practitioners alike for decades. But
the concept of providing an actual organization safely ensconced within the university environment where
students can put theory into practice is different – and particularly for undergraduate business majors.
One such organization is The Center for Ethical Literacy, an organization run by students with a key focus
on providing undergraduate business students with practical, real-world experience to ease the transition
from the classroom to the business world.
Hafer and Hoth’s (1981) research would support such opportunities, stating that that such
information and opportunities are especially critical early in the academic process. Such information and
activities are valuable to students, allowing them to plan accurately for the expectations of the
marketplace and to match their abilities and acquired skills with those expectations of potential
employers.
Literature Review
According to researchers, faculty can make a positive impact in the way they prepare their
students for entry into the working world (Remington, Guidry, Budden, & Tanner, 2000; Scott &
Frontczak, 1996). Through experiential learning activities, “the process whereby knowledge is created
through the transformation of experience” (Anselmi, 2004, p. 169) students gain active and practical
knowledge that they can use and apply in their professional lives.
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For decades, businesses have stated that business graduates do not have the requisite skills to
be successful, entry-level professionals. In the mid-70s, Mintzberg (1976) described how education had
to change to better meet the needs of business. “Greater use should be made of the powerful new skilldevelopment techniques which are experiential and creative in nature… Educators need to put students
into situations… where they can practice managerial skills, not only interpersonal but also informational
and decisional.” (p.53) Modern research has been able to focus specifically on tangible, select skills
today’s business managers are looking for in entry-level employees.
The growing importance of business relevance (Porter & McKibbon, 1988) in academia, coupled
with a competitive job market (McCorkle, Alexander, Reardon, & Kling, 2003) magnifies the importance
for students to be prepared for the marketplace. Students must not only possess the requisite “disciplinerelated skills” (McCorkle, Alexander, Reardon, & Kling, 2003) to be successful, they must also
demonstrate they have the “support skills” (McCorkle, Alexander, Reardon, & Kling, 2003) businesses
demand of entry-level employees.
Researchers have focused on a few key skills today’s business managers continually state are
the most important to an entry-level employee’s career success which are, according to employers,
missing from the educational landscape. The abilities most commonly valued among employers include:
communication skills (Gaedeke, Tootelian, & Schaffer, 1983; Kelley & Gaedeke, 1990; Ducoffe &
Ducoffe, 1990; Ray & Stallard, 1994; Scott & Frontczak, 1996; Floyd & Gordon, 1998) interpersonal skills
(Gaedeke, Tootelian, & Schaffer, 1983; Beamish & Calof, 1989; Deckinger, Brink, Katzenstein, &
Primavera, 1990; Kelley & Gaedeke, 1990; Ray & Stallard, 1994; Scott & Frontczak, 1996; Floyd &
Gordon, 1998) and problem-solving skills or critical thinking abilities (Gaedeke, Tootelian, & Schaffer,
1983; Kelley & Gaedeke, 1990; Ray & Stallard, 1994; Floyd & Gordon, 1998).
These “support skills” (McCorkle, Alexander, Reardon, & Kling, 2003) would not typically be
thought of as skills that can be enhanced by students’ educational experiences. However, through
carefully selected and designed experiential learning activities, such as internships, client-based projects,
service learning, and the example further highlighted in this article, students’ skills can not only be
enhanced in these areas (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, & Mayo, 2000; Lamb, Shipp, & Moncrief, 1995) but also be
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the single element students enjoy most about their educational experiences (Gremler, Hoffman,
Keaveney, & Wright, 2000).
The outlook for college graduates is optimistic. “The US Labor Department predicts that 18 million
graduates will be competing for the 14 million college level jobs in the year 2005” (Gault, Redington, &
Schlager, 2000, p. 45). The unemployment rate has gradually declined over the first half of the year,
ranging from 5% unemployment for October 2005 (US Department of Labor, 2005), to 4.8% in February
2006 (US Department Of Labor, 2006) and 4.7% in April 2006 (US Department Of Labor, 2006) indicating
steady improvement. While “employers plan to hire more new graduates from …the class of 2005-06 than
they hired in 2004-05” (jobweb.com, 2006 para1), this does not mean smooth sailing for all college
graduates with a pulse. Employers are still demanding their college hires have solid communication skills,
the ability to write and speak well. (jobweb.com, 2006)
There must be closer alignment between what businesses want and what universities are
providing and need to provide. This paper will provide a synopsis of one such opportunity to provide
students real-world experience in the sanctuary of the college setting: The Center for Ethical Literacy.
The Center for Ethical Literacy
The Center for Ethical Literacy was founded in May 2005 by Regis College department chair
Catharyn Baird, JD with two purposes. While the organization was initially formed to develop and deploy
an educational online ethics game for K-12 school children, its primary focus has become the
development and growth of Regis College business undergraduates’ professional skills. (See Appendix)
During the Summer of 2005, students, who had been personally recruited by the department chair, were
paid an hourly wage for their work. At the end of the summer, the organization moved into the classroom
environment, thus providing a consistent and familiar structure for the undergraduates, requiring regular
faculty contact as well as clear objectives/deliverables, and rather than paying the students offered credit
hours for their work.
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Structure, Objectives and Course Format
The original structure of the organization encompassed the various business functions found in
modern organizations throughout the business landscape:
Executive
Project Management
Human
Resources
Marketing
Finance &
Accounting
Product
Development
Sales &
Fund Raising
Volunteer/
Service
Learning
Each group was comprised of teams of two to five students including a student team lead. Each
functional area had specific objectives that were delineated in the “course” syllabus, such as:
 Executive: oversight and development of the organization’s business plan.
 Human Resources: developing a hiring, evaluation and separation processes.
 Marketing: developing a marketing plan, target market profiling, distribution plan and promotion
strategy.
 Finance & Accounting: the maintenance of the company “books,” Payroll.
 Product Development: creating the online ethics game for middle school students, focus group
research, etc.
 Sales & Fundraising: creation of a sales plan and fundraising activities.
 Volunteers/Service Learning: coordination and promotion of CEL’s activities with the Service
Learning office and professors on campus who require service learning as part of their course
work.
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During the Fall 2005 Semester, the group met once a week as a night class to provide status
updates, review progress and coordinate among teams. The group also discussed the application of
previous coursework and textbook theory with what they were now accomplishing for the organization.
The semester course culminated in the presentation of a business plan to the business department
faculty, 360 degree review process, exit interviews and participant survey.
Coordination with Business Curriculum
Several other courses throughout the business curriculum were also involved in assisting the
Center. As the “client,” CEL student leaders and founder presented the organization to the various
classes, explaining what the organization was, why it was founded, what its organizational goals were,
and the ideal outcomes for what the various classes would/could provide. For example, the Marketing
Research final class projects were designed to support the Center’s need for target audience knowledge.
Middle school teachers were surveyed regarding the role of such a product in their classroom. Middle
school students were queried regarding their knowledge of ethics. Regis College business majors were
surveyed to understand the relationship between motivation to participate in such an organization and
student’s preparedness to enter the working world. The Principles of Marketing class supported the
Center’s marketing department by researching various potential competitors, the market environment,
and SWOT analyses. These reports were formally presented in the final class meetings with CEL
members present to “receive” the final reports.
Additionally, a while a faculty member was responsible for the overall management of the course,
various other faculty were selected as “resources” to the organization, based on their functional areas of
expertise and work experience, thus reinforcing the inter-relationship and inter-relatedness across the
various business disciplines.
Methodology & Results
At the end of the Fall 2005 Semester, the 17 students were surveyed to understand the
participants’ assessment of their roles, experiences and key learnings. A simple, 11 question survey
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predominantly comprised of open-ended questions was distributed after the students had completed their
final presentation to the business faculty. The group of majors were reflected, for the most part, the
distribution of majors within the business department. Totals do not equal the total number of students
participating as there were several double majors in the census. Forty-one percent of the students
participating were female and were distributed throughout the organization. Only one group (executive)
did not have a female student. The vast majority of the students (94%) were seniors, for which this
experience could be described as a “capstone” experience, pulling all the various coursework they had
completed to date together into a practical application.
Throughout the surveys, one would find that the very things the students liked most about their
experience and were often the most surprised by, were also the very things (or at least contributions) to
the things the students liked least about their
Distribution of Majors
Gen Bus
5%
Poli-Sci
5%
Int'l Bus
21%
Econ
5%
Comm Arts
5%
Acct/Fin
38%
MGT
21%
experience. For example, students most
International
Business
Economics
frequently stated they liked the “real life
experience aspect” of the course, often also
Communication Arts
Management
Accounting/Finance
stating they “liked seeing how a business
came together” “the application of business
Political Science
General Business
procedures” and “using their business
education in a business setting.” However,
they also disliked the “miscommunications”, “chaos”, “conflicts”, “amount of work”, and “stress,” all
certainly aspects of today’s business environments that tend to operate at light speed. This feedback was
complimented in the Spring Semester 2006 exit interviews in which 100% of the students commented that
self direction and self-management, again two critical aspects of employee life in today’s workplace, were
two of the hardest aspects to manage as part of the organization.
Learners into Leaders
Almost unanimously, students felt better prepared for their first job after graduation as a result of
participating in the program. Among the reasons for their answers, students stated: “I now know what it’s
like to create my own role and ‘identity’ within an
Do You Feel Better Prepared?
No
0%
Did not
answ er
6%
organization.” “I can always use more expertise.” “CEL
has given me the confidence to work in a professional
Yes
setting.” “I have more relevant experience with real
No
Yes
94%
Did not answ er
deadlines and teams.” “I have a better idea of how
businesses work, what to expect and what will be
expected of me. I have learned to manage stressful
situations not just with work but with communications with co-workers.”
Students stated there were certainly things they wished they had done differently in preparation
for graduation. Two key areas the comments focused on were experiential (“needed more emphasis on
business settings,” “needed more internships” “more real life experience” etc) and the softer skills
employers often ask for (presentation experience, communications, interview process, etc) improvement
in their college new hires. On the whole, however, on a scale of 1-10 (1 equaling “Horrible: would never
recommend to other students” and 10 being “Excellent: Well worth the hard work and would recommend
this experience to others”), the participants’ ratings averaged 9.06.
Conclusion
The key learnings were clear from the first semester experience. While students needed more
practical work experience, they also needed the structure and familiarity of the classroom setting. CEL is
now part of a four course sequence for a minor in Entrepreneurship. The class meets two days a week,
with time for students to meet one-on-one or in small groups with the faculty member, who teaches all
four courses, one offered each semester. While goals and objectives are set and measured against,
faculty have found that students do need more time to absorb what needs to be accomplished, and then
to actually accomplish the task at hand.
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To aid in the hiring process (finding new recruits to replace the 16 graduating seniors), the
business faculty were asked to “nominate” their best students for the program. Current CEL students still
oversee the hiring process by scheduling informational sessions, Q&A sessions, and keeping employee
contact information for all of the students. To assist with continuity, guidance and leadership, three
graduating seniors have agreed to join the board for the Center.
The Center for Ethical Literacy provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate business
students to apply the business theory they have learned throughout their academic careers gain practical
and applicable work experience. By providing students more experiential educational situations,
educators empower our students, and following in the Jesuit tradition, help them move from the role of
Learner to that of a responsible, well-educated and prepared Leader.
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References
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courses. Journal of Education for Business, 79(3), 169-175. Retrieved September 29, 2005, from
Business Source Premier.
Beamish, P. W. & Calof, J. L. (1989). International business education: A corporate view. Journal of
International Business Studies, 20(3), 553-564. Retrieved from Proquest December 3, 2005.
Bobbit, L. M., Inks, S.A., Kemp, K.J. & Mayo, D.T. (2000) Integrating marketing courses to enhance teambased experiential learning. Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1). 15-24. Retrieved November
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McCorkle, D., Alexander, J., Reardon,, J & Kling, N. (2003) Developing self-marketing skills: are
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The Center for Ethical Literacy Fact Sheet
Regis College at Regis University
Who We Are
The Center for Ethical Literacy (CEL) is a nonprofit organization operated under the
Regis University 501 (c) (3) designation. Located in the Business Department of the
university, CEL is run by 17 juniors and seniors under the watchful eye of Dr. Catharyn
Baird J.D. who founded the organization in March of 2005.
The Product
Based upon Dr. Baird’s online Ethics Game, CEL has modified the game to fit the needs
of younger students in the form of a board game.
Why an Ethics Game?
In light of recent ethical scandals that have plagued corporate America, there is a silent
demand for ethical principles to be taught not only at the college level but in primary and
secondary schools as well. Majorie Kelly of The Business Ethics Magazine states that
“until the 1990s, people had the idea that unethical business practices were caused by
a few ‘bad apples.’ But gradually it became clear that corporations came under
systematic pressure that could lead good people to act unethically.” (Kelly, 2005) CEL’s
goal is to help build a solid, ethical foundation by providing the necessary principles that
are needed in order to make tough decisions in life and in the workplace.
Why Student Run?
CEL gives business students the hands on experience they wouldn’t normally learn in a
classroom setting. Students have developed a product, a business plan, a marketing
plan, and presented these items a board of directors. Through their involvement,
students are experiencing first hand what it is like to start up and run a company.
Demographics
CEL’s primary target market is middle school students between the ages of 11-13.
These kids are at an age where they absorb information at a rapid rate and keep
themselves up to date with current events. They are at the perfect age to be introduced
to ethical principles that are objective and useful in their daily lives. Although ethics can
be hard to comprehend due to its complexity, CEL’s board game format will help make
learning ethics enjoyable and challenging to this age group.
Plans for the Future
The future is bright for CEL due to the lack of competitors and the demand for ethics to
be taught in schools. In the fall of 2007, CEL will continue doing research on its target
market and conduct several beta tests. The company hopes launch its product in the
next couple of years.