Warren Hall, home of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management at Cornell University. Courtesy photo

Cornell MBA Students Coach Undergrads Through ‘Grand Challenges’

At Cornell University, undergraduate business students are getting a unique opportunity to act as business consultants for real-world clients under the mentorship of the school’s MBA students.

Cornell Dyson’s Grand Challenges Program is a three-part, three-year program where students take a sequence of courses and ultimately take part in a team-based capstone project tackling issues such as poverty and hunger and promoting equity. This year, the Grand Challenges Program included a pilot coaching program that recruits MBA students from Cornell SC Johnson College of Business to help mentor and lead undergrads through their capstone experience.

“One of my main tasks was helping students accomplish their goal while also helping them grow as people,” MBA student Julian Galarza says.

Galarza is one of 10 MBA student coaches in the pilot program. His team of undergrads was tasked with coming up with new product ideas for their client, Joseph Yoon of Brooklyn Bugs, Inc, a company that raises awareness for edible insects.

“Early on, we were thinking, how do we actually find a product that Joseph would be really excited about?” Ashley Poon, a student in the Dyson School, says. “And also one the market would be excited for.”

Poon says Galarza helped the team focus their research approach to find relevant business soltuions for their client

“Julian sat us down and told us, ‘Unless you know what the consumer market needs, you could look at market sizes all day long but that wouldn’t be helpful for the client,’” Poon says.

EMPOWERING UNDERGRADS

Coaches aren’t so much there to tell the teams what to do, but rather, empower them to make quality decisions.

“Coaches help the team consider new ideas and provide support, but the accountability for decisions and execution is on the team,” Jackie Barrett, associate director of leadership programs at the Johnson School and coaching program instructor, says.

In fact, active listening workshops are part of coach training. All coaches undergo skills workshops, where they practice active listening, learn facilitation techniques, and navigate difficult conversations about group dynamics.

Galarza’s team ultimately offered their client two solutions: Partner with a meal kit delivery service to provide edible insect-infused dishes, or create a consumer product in the form of a frozen pizza with a crust made from cricket powder.

“I think that both the options are really viable, and I did not think about making a pizza as one of the options,” Yoon, the founder of Brooklyn Bugs, LLC, says. “Hopefully the students will be able to look back and feel proud of their success.”

Sources: Cornell University, Cornell University

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