"The Summer Business Institute has given me a great deal of business knowledge and experience. The course provided a great overall understanding of business subjects, and how they pertain to the success of a business. The international portion was a great experience to study in a different country and get valuable experience working with a company. The final project encapsulated all of my learnings and helped me convey what I had learned in a professional manner. The program fulfilled my thematic sequence, taught me new insights of the business world, and gave me the experience of a lifetime studying in London and Paris. The program will without a doubt help my marketability to employers when I begin job searching. SBI was fantastic and I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn business, meet new people, and explore different countries."

Clinton Mitchell, 2008

"Being able to participate in the Summer Business Institute was one of the greatest opportunities I've had during my time at Miami. I never would've thought that I'd learn so much in a 6 week period but with the professors available to you through this program it's hard not to. Traveling to London and Paris was such an addition to the program and has been to my life thus far that I can only imagine how it will continue to impact me socially and through my future career. I made some of my closest friends while abroad and if nothing else, the program proves to be an excellent networking tool. Not many students have the opportunity to gain such an invaluable education in Business and travel abroad during their college years - this experience will truly give you a competitive advantage in the real world."

Lane Clegg, 2008

"Thanks to the Summer Business Institute, I was able to gain credit for a thematic sequence while learning important information about the business world. This useful knowledge will help me better prepare for my future career. The international portion of the course was especially useful since the business world is becoming more global. Taking part in the Summer Business Institute and the London trip has been one of my best experiences at Miami. Hands-on instruction and close interaction with some of Miami's best faculty created an optimal learning atmosphere that was a lot of fun. Since all careers involve the 'business' of making money, it is important to understand standard business practices."

Martha Baker, 2008

"The Summer Business Institute (SBI) is an enriching program in which the Miami Plan principles of liberal education are employed; by enrolling in the SBI, a student is challenging himself/herself to think critically, understand contexts, engage with other learners, and reflect and act. The first course in the SBI program is BUS 301, which introduces students to the macro, or large-scale concepts in the business world. Here, lectures and assignments emphasize the history and importance of issues such as commerce, consumerism, and corporate governance in the world, and introduces students the overall "big picture" of the business environment. In BUS 302, larger concepts are broken down into smaller, micro issues such as the operations in departments that are commonly found in business organizations such as, Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance, and Accounting. These concepts build upon one another and provide students with an assortment of business issues to consider and work through as they learn.

"As the program progresses, the concepts learned in BUS 301 and BUS 302 within the classroom, are reinforced outside of the classroom setting as well. Class visits to the Miami University Culinary Support Center, Toyota Manufacturing plant, and Total Quality Logistics headquarters allows students to see first-hand how business functions unfold in a variety of real-life organizations. And, if students make the choice to go, the trip to London and Paris is also successful in helping students understand larger contexts and engage with other learners. Not only are students introduced to and encouraged to participate in the world of business within an international context, they are also encouraged to grow as global citizens by being immersed in places that differ from their own assumptions and realities. For example, Learning how to "mind the gap" in London's underground public transportation station is just as important as being able to compare and contrast the marketing strategies of a diaper in the United States, versus a nappie in England.

"All four of the Miami plan principles are supported with the final team project, in which, students help each other analyze a problem in a business marketing plan, prepare a solution to the problem, and then present that solution to SBI professors and their peers. In order to successfully execute this project, students must be able to understand and demonstrate how the macro and micro concepts learned in BUS 301 and BUS 302 are integrated into the business process. This skill is taught in BUS 303, where processes such as strategic planning and supply chain management are examined and incorporated into the knowledge that students have already been gaining from the two previous courses.

"As with any other course and the subject that it explores, one of the main objectives for the SBI program is for students to not only learn the subject matter, but also, retain and gain an appreciation for what they have learned. After participating in the SBI program, my interest in business news has grown tremendously. Instead of skipping over the Business section in the daily newspaper, I actually take the time to read through a few articles, and instead of turning the channel when business is discussed on the news, I listen up so that I can have and idea of the types of things that are going on in the business world. I would definitely recommend the Farmer School of Business SBI program to anyone who enjoys being challenged and does not mind interacting with a great group of instructors who provide a wonderful collection of business knowledge for students to gain from."

Chamere Poole, 2008

"So about SBI... to start, the SBI far exceeded all of my expectations. I went into it thinking I was just going to learn an overwhelming amount of information that wouldn't really apply to my goals for the rest of my career/life. I was so wrong! Not only did I gain an understanding of the framework of the business world, but I gained an understanding of concepts such as finance and economics that, had I not participated in the SBI, I would have no knowledge of. The SBI was an experience that really and truly will last a lifetime and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate. Another way in which the SBI was so valuable was that I learned concepts which could be applied to any work environment, not just one which is strictly business. I learned things that will aid me in physical therapy, another personal in the music industry, and another blossoming entrepreneur. The SBI was overall an incredible experience and I will and have recommended it to anyone and everyone!"

Tea Stoecklein, 2007

"The Summer Business Institute was one of the best academic decisions I have made during my time at Miami. As a pre-med Chemistry major, I didn't have any real knowledge of the business world. After completing this program, I now have the confidence and ability to move into the professional world and run a business, manage funds, etc. I really enjoyed the set-up of the classes because, instead of being continually talked at, we actually were able to participate in group discussions, activities, and fieldtrips. Further, the London portion of SBI is an experience not to be missed. Instead of heading home after class, we were able to attend a play at the Globe Theatre, watch the sunset at Buckingham Palace, ride the London Eye, or hang out with other students in London. Also, I was able to know the teachers and fellow participants much more than if I stayed in Oxford. Overall, the Summer Business Institute is such a good experience, not only because you learn business knowledge and earn your thematic sequence, but also because you make friends from all different areas of Miami."

Katherine Schmidt, 2007

"The SBI program was both demanding and rewarding. Being in class from nine to four was sometimes a challenge, but at the end of the day I felt that I had a much more thorough understanding of the business world. Through the SBI program I was given the opportunity to visit businesses such as the Culinary Support Center, TQL, and the Toyota factory—all of which broadened my knowledge of business operations and brought concepts from the classroom to real life.

"Classes in Oxford were beneficial academically, but the two weeks in London and Paris offered more than just an academic gain. Besides traveling to another country, trying new foods, and experiencing a different culture, I feel that the international SBI aspect was valuable to my social growth. It's one thing to sit attentively in a classroom with the same people for six hours a day, but it's another thing to be with the same people for twenty-four hours a day, exploring a new city, adapting to one another, and struggling to pull a project together amidst the distractions of a foreign city. Looking back on my participation in the international program, I am very glad I was given and took the opportunity. I was able to develop genuine relationships with complete strangers, and as a result I feel that I grew as a person and learned much more about myself.

"While the SBI program was a mere six week experience, the knowledge that I acquired, the people with whom I interacted, and the settings to which I was exposed will affect my for much longer than six weeks. I view business as the adhesive in the functioning of our rapidly developing world, and because business concepts can be applied to a variety of settings, I feel that a competence in any area of business will be to my advantage when competing for jobs in the future."

Mariah Ritz, 2008

"As a non-business major, my daughter's interest was to gain exposure to basic business principals and processes without having to devote full semester study to specific classes in each business field. SBI offered the perfect option. Both the breadth of the course material and the depth to which it was covered, seemed to be right on target given the diverse interests and backgrounds of the students. The two-week London alternative provided an interesting and stimulating venue for the final marketing project which tied the course together nicely in a very practical and realistic format.

"In short, SBI exceeded our expectations in providing a valuable, thought provoking consolidated business overview and learning experience in a well designed and well executed six-week program."

Rick Stoecklein, parent

"I took the SBI program last summer and it was one of my most memorable experiences here at Miami. I learned many interesting things about business related topics that I would never have learned about had I not taken SBI. All the teachers are fantastic; they were excellent at presenting seemingly complicated material in a manageable manner. What was so appealing to me about this program was that all the business material was presented to non-business majors in a way that we could understand it. We got all the proper information, but it was taught in a way that someone with no business background could follow and understand it. The London trip was a bit pricey, however, I believe the two weeks abroad really was one of the better strengths of the program. The time spent in London was well structured between classes, field trips, and spare time for sight seeing, etc. Studying abroad while at Miami was one of my goals, and with this program I got to earn nine credits, study abroad, and finish my thematic sequence. This is truly a great program taught by great teachers.

"After completing the SBI program I feel I have much more business knowledge that will help me with my career. I felt that I met many different types of people that I am still friends with. The SBI program is a nice mix of people from different majors. I think this really adds to the unique experience because you get to hear from many different types of people who bring different background knowledge from their fields to the group work. I expected the course load to be very demanding, and while it was time consuming, the classes had very practical applications, were manageable, and kept me interested. Because I took the SBI program, I now am working to complete a minor in Management (The Organizational Behavior Track—something you'll learn about). I would definitely recommend this program to any student interested in obtaining a background in business knowledge."

Ross Farnsworth, 2007

Last modified on 10/10/08 | Content maintained by Summer Business Institute