The Value of Hands-On Learning

Nathan Henshaw
Business Council Member
Senior in Economics and International Business

Last Summer I was able to participate as an intern for the Small Enterprise Education and Development program, commonly known as the SEED program, in Ghana. Prior to leaving I never imagined I would have learned so much through personal experience. I learned several skills and lessons that have been, and will always be, valuable to me personally. However, perhaps the most important skill I was able to develop is my ability to think critically and solve problems. The autonomist nature of the program empowers the interns to take personal ownership of their experience and enables them with a real hands-on learning opportunities. Here are two simple illustrations.

Critical Thinking

One day a man came to my assigned partner and me to ask for a loan. He had some mechanical skills with cars and wanted to start repairing tires and changing oil in a neighboring village. We considered the potential risks and returns from the proposed investment and we visited his village several times to analyze the industry. We made the decision to issue a loan for his business idea. He was able to service several cars each day and paid off his loan within a few months, despite his loan being a 12-month loan. This experience helped me gain confidence that I can analyze real situations and not simply textbook problems.

Problem Solving

Part of the SEED experience is teaching classes. After class one day, I was approached by three men who had started a fish farm together. They had received a loan for approximately $600, between the three of them. This amount of money is nearly twice the average income for a single family in that area because most people live on less than one dollar per day. With some hesitation these men asked if they could speak with me about their loan payments. They explained that their fish farm dried up and they had lost everything. This was a big problem for them and their families.

Nathan Henshaw and a fellow student with some Ghana children
 during their time with the SEED program.

After several days of considering different business ideas and consulting with our professor, we came in contact with a friend who was looking to start a business. He had an idea to have these three men start managing a snail farm for him. They were able to do this and paid off their debt rather rapidly. They also qualified for another loan to grow a pepper farm.

These types of experiences don’t occur in the classroom. However, I know I was prepared to analyze these situations because of the preparation I received from several professors and mentors. I have loved my experience at the Huntsman School of Business — the quality of teaching is exceptional. I enjoy the classroom setting and learning from fellow students and the faculty. I am grateful for hands-on learning opportunities and to be able to put into practice some of the business principles I have learned. I believe the education I received in Ghana last summer was invaluable. 

    

A Better Education

Ask me why I’m receiving a better undergraduate education than students at BYU or Harvard. In my video resume at careerbio.com, I ask potential employers or graduate schools this same question.

Like most students, I came to USU because I simply fell into the school after discovering a passion for my major. However, after researching other schools, I have become convinced that Huntsman Students have unsurpassed opportunities. The resources available and education environment is better than anywhere for students. How do I know this? I’ve listened to transfer students and current students at rival institutions. Many tell me that the Huntsman School is unique in that it has caring professors and top programs to engage students. It is small enough that all students can take advantage of the possibilities. Outside of the classroom, opportunities are not overwhelmed with applicants like they are elsewhere. Try applying for a Business Internship in Africa at Harvard! Here, it is a realistic option. Where else can you be paid to teach illiterate but motivated people basic business and finance skills? There can’t be any more rewarding and life-enhancing opportunity than SEED internships. Our school is growing rapidly and administration ensures that opportunities for students grow with enrollment.

Our dean, Douglas D. Anderson, once told me that only half of education takes place in the classroom. He implied that education is so much more than just a piece of paper representing four years of exams and textbooks. My degree will represent more than just a signal to employers, but has real value by increasing my ethical leadership skills, global vision, and real world skills. My degree alone won’t just pad my resume. I have real skills and experience, and the school has been working to bring Huntsman Students to the top of the pile of prospective employees.

 Our school has a dedicated entrepreneurship center and entrepreneurship club that brings expertise to students across all majors that want to pursue their idea. I sincerely hope that all students engage themselves in an international experience with programs like Go Global that lets students experience business principles in action!

Additionally, students can explore career options by visiting top employers like Goldman Sachs and Deliotte in New York, or Zion’s Bank and D.A. Davidson in Salt Lake. “Career Exploration” trips are a prime opportunity to meet a prospective employer and get a lift up in the competition for jobs. The Huntsman School of Business works hard to bring top recruiters to Utah State like Honeywell and Raytheon. New Huntsman professors are additional evidence of the fact that our school’s reputation for excellence is growing. Top economists from University of Chicago and MIS professors from Pepperdine show that our school has something special.

So how is it better here in the Eccles Building than at any Ivy League? Four words: Realistic opportunities and top-tier education. I’d much rather have a Huntsman School of Business Degree even though the world may see a Harvard Degree plaque as more valuable…for now.

Jeff Parker
Business School Senator