Experiential Learning and Innovation (ELI) - School of Business Administration

The Experiential Learning and Innovation (ELI) program engages graduate business students in solving corporate-sponsored business and entrepreneurial challenges.

Graduate Student Benefits:

Receive a full academic based scholarship ( 9 credits per semester required)
Apply project management principles to complete projects that are developed in conjunction with their course work and graduation requirements
Exhibit leadership by participating in SBA events like conferences/symposia/ workshops.
Complete a corporate mentored project (approx 20 hours per week per semester) while guided by faculty advisers

Corporate Sponsor Benefits
The competitive program admits only select graduate students from OU’s MBA, MAcc and MTISM programs, and is dependent on project sponsorship. In return for providing a tax-deductible financial contribution, project sponsors receive a variety of benefits, including:

Exploring and implementing innovative ideas from the entrepreneurial and insightful work of today’s top students – and tomorrow’s business professionals.
Previewing the next generation of the tomorrow’s workforce
Gaining 300 to 600 hours of hands-on project support from the ELI student participant
Participating in a collaborative learning environment with OU faculty, students and other business sponsors
Directly contributing the education and mentorship of a top graduate student

ELI Project Examples
Past projects point to the value Experiential Learning and Innovation (ELI) students contribute to their sponsoring organizations.

Business Process Analysis: With the assistance of two SBA ELI students, three local organizations – Oakland Family Services, Macomb Family Services, and Wayne County Family Services and Family Services of Detroit, consolidated resources to form the Family Service Alliance for Southeastern Michigan to better address the clients’ behavioral health challenges. Providing business process and analysis support, the ELI students helped the organizations reach an anticipated annual savings of $300,000, increasing the organizations abilities to serve more people per year. Read an article about this project.
Market Research for Expansion: In another project, an SBA ELI student conducted market research to help a local real estate development company make an informed decision about whether or not to expand into the health care/medical field. The project, which involved intensive market research and analysis, provided the necessary information for the sponsor to develop a solid expansion strategy and plan.
Business Plan Development for Product Launch: In a project for an energy-conservation company, an SBA ELI student completed a market research project to determine market readiness of a new product and assisted in the development of its business plan which led the company to seek start-up capital.