Learning Business by Doing Business

Employer recruiters sort through stacks of resumes every day. But University of Idaho business students are confident their resumes will come out on top.

Many students are building resume bragging points through Vandal Solutions, one of the innovative programs offered in the College of Business and Economics to help its graduates stand out from the rest. The student-operated company provides Secret Shopper, market research, and other business services to university departments and small local businesses. From building clientele to managing finances to hiring employees, the 28 student staff members learn the ins and outs of business by, well, doing business.

“The students run the entire company,” says marketing professor Michael McCollough. “Graduates say they learned more in Vandal Solutions than in their first year on the job. They understand the expectations of the marketplace, where nothing short of the very best you can do counts.”

Last year, Vandal Solutions turned a $15,000 profit and is on track to double that this year – evidence the students are doing their best. They also learn the importance of giving back by donating profits to scholarships and other student activities. Courtney Lavigne, a senior accounting major and president of Vandal Solutions, says it’s a “win-win-win program.”

“We get to apply the integrated business approach we learn in the classroom and gain valuable practical experience, clients have access to affordable, quality services, and university student programs directly benefit from our profits,” she says.

Lavigne expects Vandal Solutions to be a big personal win for her.

“Vandal Solutions provides the best real-world experience you can get in a college anywhere,” Lavigne says. “I feel like I’m in a unique position and will have a huge competitive advantage.”