Difference-Making Experiential Learning Opportunities

At the School of Business, students learn by doing. Working with industry professionals, they tackle real business challenges through project-based experiences embedded across the curriculum—from their first cornerstone course to their final capstone. Along the way, class projects and co-curricular competitions provide dozens of opportunities each year for students to put their knowledge into action and become difference makers.

Cornerstone: First Year Innovation Experience
Course-Embedded Project: Digital Marketing
Capstone: Strategic Management

Cornerstone: First Year Innovation Experience Real-World Learning Starts on Day One

Each fall, the School launches the academic year with its cornerstone course, BUAD 103: First Year Innovation Experience (FYIE). As a required course for all first-year business students, FYIE immerses students immediately in experiential learning, challenging them to work both individually and in teams to address a real-world business problem.

For the 7th consecutive year, EY served as the corporate partner for the course. This year’s challenge asked students to develop ideas that would help improve the working world for Generation Z. Teams focused on four key themes: AI and emerging technologies; social impact and company mission; professional development and continuous learning; and employee well-being and recognition.

Throughout the semester, student teams worked with professional mentors to develop and refine their ideas. The top five teams, whose ideas showed creativity and impact, presented their solutions to EY.

The FYIE continues to serve as a powerful introduction to Duquesne Business, demonstrating from the very first semester how students apply classroom learning to meaningful, real-world challenges in partnership with leading organizations.

News Type

Stories

School

Palumbo-Donahue School of Business

Published

March 25, 2026

Course-Embedded Project: Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing and Analytics Major

Students in Dr. Christina Kuchmaner’s MKTG 472: Digital Marketing course gained hands-on experience developing marketing campaigns through a course-embedded partnership with Level Agency. The project challenged students to apply digital marketing concepts learned in the classroom to a real-world business scenario, working as agency-style teams to design strategic campaigns for a local comedy club.

Throughout the semester, student teams researched target audiences and developed integrated marketing strategies to increase ticket sales and brand awareness. Their campaigns incorporated a range of digital tactics, including website design and optimization, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, social media strategy, paid advertising, influencer partnerships, and high-converting landing page creation.

Teams presented their final strategies to Connor Thorpe, Media Manager at Level Agency, and Martin Black, Director, Corporate Relations and Community Partnerships at the School of Business, who evaluated the presentations based on creativity, strategic thinking, and the effectiveness of the proposed marketing solutions.

Capstone: Strategic Management

Offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters, MGMT 499W: Strategic Management Capstone is the culminating capstone taken by all undergraduate students. This course challenges seniors to integrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their business education to address complex, real-world business challenges.

Fall 2025: Wesco Course-Embedded Project

Students demonstrated their strategic thinking and innovation during the annual capstone competition, where teams presented new business opportunities for Wesco.

Working in teams, students analyzed emerging trends in AI security systems and IoT technologies, identifying new market opportunities and proposing strategic initiatives for Wesco to explore. The 1st place team’s solution was to partner with the airline industry to develop drive-through scanning
technology for commercial and military aircraft.

Spring 2026: U.S. Steel Course-Embedded Project

Kevin Lewis (B’08, MBA ’11), Executive Vice President, CFO and Head of Tubular Solutions, and Michael Jones, CPA, Senior Director of Corporate FP&A, launched the Spring 2026 capstone project in January.

During the Spring semester, 200 seniors working in 40 teams will develop strategic recommendations related to Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel, including the development of a new electric-arc mill. The top four teams will present their solutions to U.S. Steel leadership.