The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/147771
notebook The Hard Rigor of Soft Cheese Y our alumni magazine enjoyed a nice honor this past year when an idea it posited before the WPI School of Business was listed among possible Major Qualifying Projects for the 2012-13 academic year. Students Danielle Payne '13 and Jeremy Berman '13 furthered this distinction when they chose the project for their MQP under the expert guidance of business school professor Sharon Wulf, who served as project advisor. The MQP asked students to research and test the viability of a student-managed business that would leverage the popularity of WPI's mascot toward a private-label consumer product, in this case, Gompei's Goat Cheese. Your humble editor served as project sponsor, which led to an invitation from Professor Wulf to attend class Danielle Payne '13 and Jeremy Berman '13 whenever my schedule would permit. Having interviewed many WPI alumni who spoke reverently about their IQP and MQP experiences, it was an invitation I could not resist. Adding grad students also meant that the work could be presented at GRAD 2013, WPI's graduate-level poster competition From the outset the academic rigor was obvious, as Professor where students present and defend their work before tough faculty Wulf outlined an ambitious agenda for the term. She also set a tone judges. (Professor Wulf wisely insisted that the MQP team attend of professionalism that never wavered. Class discussions were ex- this event.) I watched the interaction between student teams and pansive, but the sponsor's goal was always front and center. Every judges with great interest, as the competition lasts most of the day class ended with Professor Wulf reminding Jeremy and Danielle that and students must do multiple presentations. I was particularly good ideas work best when prioritized and tied to action items. In smitten to see the dean of the business school, Mark Rice, enjoy a other words, students were not merely encouraged to take the lead lengthy conversation with grad student Joseph Gasparino, impart- on this project, Professor Wulf insisted. ing some entrepreneurial wisdom in the process. A few weeks later, Rigor also came from unexpected sources, as I discovered that the MQP team made a similar presentation before faculty and collaborative learning is, indeed, woven throughout the WPI culture. judges on Project Presentation Day, (humorously called "Project Two juniors, Tim O'Neil and Joey Botelho, expressed interest in con- Panic Day" by some) and once again, the work received tough tinuing the MQP the next year, and began to attend class regularly questions and rigorous feedback. (without credit) in order to better carry the work forward. In working My front row seat at the MQP ended on an exceptional note, when on a cash fow model for the business, Danielle brought that part of both Danielle and Jeremy graciously invited me to WPI's Com- her work into another business course, which led to valuable feed- mencement reception in order to meet their families—a real honor, back on the business plan from both the class and the teacher, who particularly on this special day. Many wonderful words were in this case was Professor Frank Hoy, head of entrepreneurial stud- exchanged about Professor Wulf, and quite a few jokes were made ies. Rigor also came from Danielle and Jeremy themselves, as their about goats and the business of cheese. research consistently turned up new knowledge, as well as new obstacles, both of which only increased their motivation. By the start of C-Term, the MQP team had made such progress But Danielle's mother had the fnal word, when she suggested taking a picture for posterity's sake. Lining us up quickly, she gave a little wink and said the words she knew would guarantee a smile: that Professor Wulf added a Graduate Qualifying Project team to the "Say Cheese!" initiative, charging them with identifying a viable organizational struc- And we did. ture for a student-run business. The addition of three ambitious grad students expanded the project experience signifcantly, for the MQP team now had to coordinate their work with a second team. Class conversations grew in complexity. So did the business possibilities. james wolken, editor Summer 2013 5