UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Smeal College of Business is currently seeking projects for the spring 2015 Applied Professional Experience (APEX) Program. APEX, the capstone component of Smeal’s internationally ranked MBA program, runs from early January through April and consists of student teams collaborating with client firms to take on real-world business challenges.
For the clients, APEX delivers real value by applying the fresh perspective and analytical talents of a student team to a business opportunity or issue. For the students, it provides the opportunity to sharpen their professional abilities through experiential learning.
Teams typically include four or five students who will invest upwards of 500 hours into their projects. Clients include all types of firms from all types of industries. Past clients have ranged from large multinationals like Johnson & Johnson and DuPont to small start-ups and everything in between.
“The real world experience of APEX is a wonderful complement to a student’s classroom learning because they apply that learning to actual business challenges while getting valuable feedback along the way,” said APEX director David Lenze. “It is also incredibly valuable for clients in that they get a fresh look at an opportunity or issue with minimal financial investment.”
There is no fee to the client outside of covering student expenses such as videoconferencing or necessary travel. The deadline for project submissions is Oct. 31, but earlier submission increases likelihood of inclusion.
You can learn more about APEX and see examples of past projects at www.smeal.psu.edu/apex/apex, where you can also submit your project ideas online. To talk further about the program and its project requirements, contact David Lenze at dlenze@psu.edu or 814-863-5761.
About the Penn State Smeal MBA ProgramThe internationally ranked residential MBA Program of the Smeal College of Business is focused on positioning students for their future careers. The two-year program begins with a focus on business fundamentals. Through a summer internship and elective courses, students then personalize their Smeal MBA experience to align with their career aspirations.