Mentorship meets real-world learning

Central Michigan University’s ERPsim Competition gives students the chance to step into the role of decision-makers. They manage a simulated company, analyze data in real time and see the impact of their choices play out immediately. But beyond the simulation itself, one of the most powerful elements of the experience comes from the people in the room.

This year, students were joined by industry mentors like Keith Belevender ’89, ’93, vice president of operations at SAF-Holland, who brought decades of real-world experience into the competition.

A mentor’s role beyond the system

ERPsim challenges students to think across disciplines such as finance, operations, supply chain and strategy while working under pressure. For Belevender, the role of mentor was not about technical expertise in SAP. “I had told them right up front, I’m not an ERP expert,” he said. “But for operations, quality, safety, I can help you think through how businesses actually run.”

That perspective is exactly what makes mentorship so valuable, according to Christine Witt, faculty member in business information systems and ERPsim coordinator.

“Keith embodies what it means to be a mentor for the ERPsim Competition,” Witt said. “He provided real-world guidance and suggestions to his team during the competition, but more importantly he was a true mentor. He will continue to impact the five members of his competition team positively for years to come with guidance and networking.”

From simulation to real-world thinking

While the simulation simplifies business processes to fit into a fast-paced competition, Belevender helped students connect those decisions to reality. “They had one-to-five-day lead times in the model,” he said. “I told them, in real life, you never have that. So let’s think about what that means. What can we do differently here because of that?”

Rather than stepping in to run the system, he coached from the outside. He asked questions, reviewed results and helped students interpret what they were seeing. “I never touched their computers,” he said. “I just asked them, what’s your inventory, what are your rates, where are your bottlenecks, and then we worked through it together.”

That approach paid off. The team steadily improved their performance throughout the competition, moving up in rankings by focusing on incremental adjustments and collaborative decision-making. “I told them, we don’t have to be first. We just have to keep improving,” he said.

Building confidence and connection

As the rounds progressed, so did the team’s confidence. "[Having] Keith as a mentor was basically like finding the fast line on the slopes before anyone else," said senior marketing major Christopher Gamble.

“Once they saw their decisions making an impact, they were all in,” Belevender said. “They were collaborating, asking questions, challenging each other.”

For many students, the opportunity to interact with someone actively working in the field was just as impactful as the simulation itself. “They wanted to know everything,” Belevender said. “What’s a day in the life like? How much do you travel? What does your job actually look like?”

Those conversations opened the door to bigger-picture thinking about careers, skills and adaptability. “I told them, your major is important, but don’t limit yourself to it,” he said. “You’re building skills that can apply in a lot of different directions.”

A meaningful experience for everyone involved

For Belevender, who is preparing for retirement after more than three decades in manufacturing and operations, the experience offered something unexpected. “It was the first time I’d really mentored students like that,” he said. “The first few minutes felt different, but after that, it was just great. We really connected.”

The impact was visible even beyond the competition floor. “My wife saw the pictures and said, ‘I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you that happy,’” he said.

Students stayed in touch after the event, connecting on LinkedIn, sending messages and continuing conversations beyond the classroom. “I told them, I’m here to help, not just for this competition,” he said.

Future collaboration and connection

Experiences like ERPsim highlight the value of bringing industry and education together. Students have the opportunity to test their skills while learning directly from professionals who have lived them. For Belevender, it may also be the beginning of something new. “I’ve always thought about teaching someday,” he said. “This gave me a chance to see what that could look like.”

For now, he plans to stay connected, continuing to mentor, support students and explore ways to stay involved. And for the students he worked with, the impact is likely to last well beyond a single competition.