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Washington State University
Carson College of Business Corporate Scholars – Pilot Program

Corporate Scholars Programs

Pilot Program

Corporate Scholars

For Corporate Sponsors

For Students

Pilot Program

Carson College of Business (CCB) is initiating the Corporate Scholars pilot program starting in Fall 2021. The goal of the pilot program is to assess how to efficiently replicate the Boeing Scholars program for other corporate sponsors.

Overview

  • Program leverages the existing Pullman Boeing Scholars academic program
  • CCB will fund scholarships for up to 2 teams of 6 students, selected from across WSU physical campuses, open to any college and major.
  • The projects and mentors for the Pilot Program are from the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living

Pilot Year Academic Timeline

The Corporate Scholars Pilot Program begins with selection of the 2023 cohort in Fall 21. During Spring 22, the cohort of Juniors will participate in a one-credit immersive internship over spring break, with pre- and post-workshops. During Fall 22 and Spring 23, the now Seniors will implement their projects, culminating in a final presentation to industry mentors. In the background, the Pilot Project Team will conduct lessons learned at each stage and refine the process for conducting future Corporate Scholar partnerships with industry.
The Corporate Scholars Pilot Program begins with selection of the 2023 cohort in Fall 21. During Spring 22, the cohort of Juniors will participate in a one-credit immersive internship over spring break, with pre- and post-workshops. During Fall 22 and Spring 23, the now Seniors will implement their projects, culminating in a final presentation to industry mentors. In the background, the Pilot Project Team will conduct lessons learned at each stage and refine the process for conducting future Corporate Scholar partnerships with industry.

FAQs

Q. Why is CCB interested in doing this?

  • Benefits students
  • Inter-college partnerships
  • Potential for improved corporate connections

Q. What are your goals for the pilot?

  • Build on lessons learned through Boeing Scholars. Assess scalability and alternative ways to interact with industry and across campuses
  • Put in place an assessment system to collect evidence to present to potential sponsors

Q. How will you pay for it?

  • CCB General scholarship fund
  • Dean’s Office discretionary funds for administrative costs

Q. Is this sustainable?

  • No – internal funds only cover a one-time pilot program
  • We plan to use the lessons learned during the pilot to solicit corporate sponsorship

Q. How does this differ from other interdisciplinary activities such as…?

  • Frank Scholars/Business Plan Competition (BPC): Focus is on problem solving for existing businesses vs. entrepreneurship. Project outputs tailored to specific project (which may include participating in BPC) vs. Business Plan.
  • Adobe Creative Jam: Year long academic program vs. one time event
  • Capstone Classes: Interdisciplinary (vs. specific to the discipline). Requires applying domain-specific skills to a broader project

Q. Why 1-2 teams of four-six students?

  • Need to have sufficient diversity of backgrounds and enough participants for optimal team dynamics
  • Limit of how many students and teams can be integrated into the current scholars-only classes without having to add academic resources

Q. How will you select the Scholars?

  • For pilot: ask partner colleges to nominate students:
    • Strong academic skills, Ability to work well in a team, Interested in an interdisciplinary opportunity, up for the challenge
    • Juniors, graduating in 2023, from across WSU campuses
  • Use Boeing Scholars Application/Interview process now standard across CCB, VCEA, Murrow, and CAS, tailored for new program
  • Select students by end of Fall 2021 (in time to register for class)

Q. What is required from the students in the Pilot Program?

  • Registered Class: 1-credit Immersive Internship Spring 22, 3-credit Interdisciplinary Scholars Class (either MGMT 430 or ENGR 420/421) during Fall 22 & Spring 23
  • Work on project selected from Pilot Program list, e.g. Robotic assistants for in-home care, Elder-care workforce enrichment, or Ethical approaches to use of implant devices in memory-impaired seniors
  • During Spring junior year, present results to Granger Cobb Institute Advisory Board and at SURCA
  • During senior year, participate in 3-day in-person Field Program

Q. Are there enough students? Will they be interested?

  • Yes & Yes, based on Boeing Scholars applications. In pilot year, nominations directly from Colleges
  • In future years, concerted effort to advertise the program through multiple channels (direct to student, advisors, faculty recommendations)

Q. What help do we need from our partner colleges?

  • Nominate students for pilot program
  • Provide academic advisement to facilitate student participation. May require creative use of college-specific independent study, capstone, directed research, or other courses to ensure no negative impact on graduation
  • Identify point of contact for interview/selection process
  • Provide administrative support for dispersing scholarship funds.

Contact

Jeff Perry

Dr. Nancy Swanger
Founding Director, Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living (GCISL)
swanger@wsu.edu

Mark Hansen
Senior Director, Corporate Engagement
markc.hansen@wsu.edu

Michelle Chapman
Scholarship Coordinator
mchapman1@wsu.edu

Current Programs

Boeing Scholars

GCISL Corporate Scholars