High school students tap into business strategy at CMU ERPsim Challenge

The College of Business Administration brought students from Clare High School and West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science to campus for the event. It gave them a hands-on look at how businesses run on data, decisions and teamwork.

The challenge was organized by Business Information Systems faculty members Christine Witt and Kyle Nothstine. It used SAP's enterprise resource planning simulation to put students in charge of a working company. SAP's software is used by companies around the world to manage everything from inventory to finances, so students worked with the same kind of system they could encounter in a future job and business school.

Sweet competition

The students were split into 13 teams of four, and each team was paired with a mentor from the College of Business Administration. Every team ran a simulated company selling four varieties of maple syrup. The goal was to earn the most profit, but that took more than selling. Teams had to manage costs, weigh environmental impact and respond to a changing market, much as real businesses do. That meant learning to read data, make decisions under pressure and work as a team, skills that matter in any career, not just business.

The competition ran over three rounds, and the leaderboard changed hands each time. After every round, the first-place team put on gold Central chains and the second-place team wore maroon ones. Nothstine moderated the competition from the front of the room. Mentors worked closely with their teams, helping them read reports, adjust prices and rethink their strategy between rounds.

Team Delta takes the top spot

Team Delta finished first overall. The team was mentored by CMU student Stella Friese,and included Clare High School students Isabel Winkler, Grace Nobis and Kaitlin Zeilinger. For many of the high schoolers, it was their first time seeing how a company's decisions connect, and how a change in price or production affects the bottom line.

Witt closed the event with news for every participant. Each high school student who took part will receive a $500 scholarship if admitted to CMU. The members of Team Delta will receive an additional $500 each for winning. The scholarships turn a day on campus into a real step toward college, giving students a reason to see CMU as part of their future.

Mentors learning by leading

For many mentors, the event is a chance to use what they've learned in a new way. Terri Gullatt, a human resource management major, said she first joined because she wanted to be part of something outside the classroom. She keeps coming back, she said, because she gets to see how the program applies to real life.

Madelyn Stefanides, another CMU student mentor, said she was excited to share what she knows with future business students. Getting to know them was a great opportunity, she said, and events like this bring out students' creativity.

Building a pathway early

Nothstine said the challenge benefits both sides. The university gets to share its resources and expertise, and students get familiar with how real businesses operate and how markets behave. 

That's why the event matters beyond one afternoon of competition. For high schoolers, it's an early look at college-level learning and the kinds of careers a business degree can lead to. For CMU mentors, it's leadership experience they can carry into their own careers.

High schools interested in taking part in a future ERPsim event can contact Christine Witt.