I was one of the many students caught between the struggle of gaining both experience and education. Employers were looking for students to be well educated and to have the necessary experience. Well how can you do these two things at once? Inevitably, at some point one needs to give in order for the other to be gained. This is when I heard about, “that great summer program Molly did.” Well this “great summer program” that one of my soccer teammates, Molly, could not stop ranting and raving about was Institute for Leadership & Technology Management (ILTM). She briefly explained the program to me and said it was something I had to do. Her enthusiasm and genuineness for the program’s lectures, projects and faculty left me eager to learn more. From there, I learned more about the program from its website and quickly concluded that it would be the perfect solution to my struggle. The program would push me beyond my academic capacity; teaching me a magnitude of insights all encompassing theories of leadership and management, while simultaneously providing firsthand experience in the field.
My six week endeavor began in the beginning of June and ended in mid-July. Days were filled with discussion and lecture and nights were a continuation through the application of class material to our project. During the six weeks, I was a member of the Oliver Sprinkler Team, which worked closely with a family owned fire suppression systems company, Oliver Sprinkler, located in the greater Philadelphia region. This company was faced with a strategic business decision that needed an adequate amount of time and dedication devoted to its research. They were trying to decide whether the implementation of handheld computers and fire inspection software would be a beneficial addition to the inspection process. Our project was to provide them with the necessary information for a clear decision. We were to provide them with top choices for devices and software available and a cost benefit analysis including, but not limited to, a return on investment. It was a perfect opportunity to apply all of the skills I had been learning.
I took away more than I could have ever imagined from participating in ILTM. I went into the program thinking that it would be a quick solution to my experience vs. education struggle, and gained so much more. The design of the project allows students to face real life scenarios while working in a group of seven leaders. From doing so, I learned a lot about group dynamics- how to work with people who have differing views, opinions, working habits and personalities. The project gave me great insight into the professional world including presentation skills and communication. No longer was I giving a class presentation to my peers, but rather conveying the ideas and research of my group to the President and high level employees of a 52 year experienced company. In addition, the class material which was enhanced by site visits, prestigious guess speakers, and distinguished Bucknell faculty, was extremely thought provoking and insightful. The material gave an overview of varying topics from marketing to globalization to creativity to technology. Also, as a small group, we were able to hear presentation from top level executives of renowned businesses and their experience. These additional speakers brought insight to further lectures on leadership and management.
Overall, ILTM was an invaluable and unique experience that I would recommend to anyone. It exposed me to experiences that I would not have achieved until much later in my life. In the end, the rigor and passion of the program pushed me, along with nineteen of my classmates, beyond our foreseen capabilities. It allowed us to develop the confidence and assurance that we can accomplish any future projects, big or small. I invite you to take this challenge, you will not be disappointed.
-Amanda Citron ’11, member of the Bucknell Consumer Products Network (BCPN)
For more on the Bucknell Consumer Products Network (BCPN) visit B-Link or contact Matt Traver ’10, student liaison for BCPN