2024-2025 Projects

Mallik Chowdary Gadipudi, the NZ client, has lived, studied, and worked in NZ for many years. However, he was born in India and would like to do something to support artists from his country or origin. Mallik would like the SIBC student team to develop a plan/strategy for talented Indian artists to connect with North American markets like the USA. This could include utilizing resources like YouTube, social media, cultural centers, concerts at college campuses, partnering with businesses, collaborations with American artists, etc. He hopes to build bridges between these talented independent artists in India and the North American markets. The SIBC team will meet Mallik in person in NZ in May 2024 to discuss project details and then will develop the plan/strategy from the Benedictine College campus during the fall 2024 semester. The final presentation to Mallik will take place virtually toward the end of the fall semester.

This team actively engages in professional networking opportunities with individuals and companies in Kansas City and the surrounding area. In addition, the team provides information to the other SIBC council members about cultural events that are taking place on campus and in Kansas City.​​

The students are organizing an etiquette event on campus to provide networking tips for students on campus. In addition, SIBC alumni and local business professionals are invited to attend the event.

Students are helping Martha’s Love to further its vision. “Martha's Love is a nonprofit organization whose primary objective is to provide educational opportunities to less fortunate communities in West Africa either by building schools, helping existing schools, or giving scholarships to those who cannot afford them. Our secondary objective is to provide healthcare needs, orphan care, and other basic needs like food and clothing.”

https://marthaslove.org/about.html​

Cervey wants to know what clinical trials are like (how they are run) in Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world. The SIBC team will research and present regarding: How clinical trials are run in Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world? What current software solutions exist to help clinical trial research sites? Do clinical trial sites still exist in other countries the way they do in the USA? For example, clinical trials in the USA are run by private entities. Do other countries run the trials through government channels instead of private entities?

A new venture in Ferguson will offer training and assistance to area entrepreneurs in an effort to help spur economic development. Spark Tank – Ferguson, a new pilot program of the Benedictine College School of Business, based in Atchison, Kansas, brings together faculty and staff from the college’s Thompson Center for Integrity in Finance and Economics and its Cray Center for Entrepreneurial Services with local partners Civil Righteousness, based in Ferguson, and Premier Business Brokers, based in St. Louis. The group has developed a website, Spark-Tank.org, and plans to start soliciting entrepreneurs, mentors, and Spark Tank team members.

SIBC will help Blind Barrels expand the blind whiskey tasting experience into certain restaurant settings. When SIBC travels out to California more details of the project will be shared, but below is an idea of what the project will most likely be centered around. The primary idea is to integrate a tasting experience powered by Blind Barrels into specific restaurants. This would include Blind Barrels tasting cards as well as a sort of gamification of the blind tasting process where a customer who desires to learn more about craft beverages can learn through the tasting itself. SIBC would research full-service restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area, prioritizing restaurants serving customers who are curious and are interested in expanding their knowledge about craft beverages, for example Gastro Pubs. SIBC would also research expanding into different states and targeting specific markets that align with the markets from the previous question. This would include 1-, 3- and 5-year plans that would target specific states which are best suited for this model.

This is a join event with Benedictine College, Notre Dame, and the University of San Diego.

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of global transformation. As AI continues to evolve and present unprecedented opportunities and challenges that transcend borders, the teams will explore the impact of AI on our world. Each SIBC team will research a company in a distinct sector.

Benedictine College

Technology: Microsoft

University of Notre Dame

Manufacturing: GE

University of San Diego

Aerospace/Defense: Lockheed Martin

Topics to be included in presentation:

Geopolitical Dynamics of AI: Are there strategic implications of AI development and deployment for global security, diplomacy and power balances?

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Economic Impacts and Opportunities: How is AI transforming the company and industry? What are the potential benefits and risks for economic growth, labor markets, and revenue?

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Ethical Frameworks: What ethical considerations must guide AI development?

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Regulatory Frameworks: How can cooperation in the industry foster the creation of robust regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible AI usage?

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AI and Societal Change: How is AI influencing societal structures and daily life across different cultures and regions? What measures can be taken to mitigate the digital divide and ensure equitable access to AI technologies?

Collaboration and Innovation: How can organizations collaborate to harness AI's potential for global good? What innovative solutions can drive sustainable development and address global challenges?

SIBC’s client is The Corner Bakery. “Yearning for the kind of little corner shops you'd stumble across on continental holidays, husband-and-wife team Cara Lloyd and David Brown ditched the day jobs, rolled up their sleeves, and opened one up themselves. . . .Cara was a German teacher, Dave a Dublin cheesemonger. The couple plundered their mums' and grandmothers' Jewish-German-American recipe books for inspiration. Cara took courses at the prestigious École Lenotre near Paris, and scaled up those family recipes. And finally, when a little corner premises came up just outside Terenure in 2005, they were ready and The Corner Bakery was born. . . . Over the years Dave's sister Fiona helped the business to take root, and Sam, Dave and Cara's son, baked cookies and sold them at his market stall in Marlay Park. (In 2021 Sam opened his own business in neighbouring Rathgar, following his passion for music: www.studio6school.com.) . . .Nowadays we're a team of ten, baking seven days a week. Each baker brings their own touches and recipes to the mix. But the recipes for those cupcakes and traybakes haven't changed since day one!” (https://www.cornerbakery.ie/pages/about-us)

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There are 4 Project Teams:

• Team 1: Suggest tech which better predicts production schedules using past sales data.​

• Team 2:

  • a) Improve the 'polish' of our brand with better looking or more sustainable packaging

  • b) Compare our offering to local competitors or to similar businesses in your locality. ​

• Team 3: Suggest strategies to attract, train and maintain staff.​

• Team 4: How to prepare the business for sale.​

The RV resort attracts visitors from across the USA and overseas, offering a space for travelers to connect and share experiences. These interactions promote peace and understanding among people of different cultures. The students' 12-month marketing plan will focus on attracting both domestic and international visitors, requiring research into cultural differences and effective strategies. Students will work closely with the resort's leadership to develop a marketing plan and allocate the budget for the year. An on-site visit to Grass Valley will provide hands-on experience and insights into the tourism and hospitality industries.  

For your reference here is a link to their website:

https://www.gvrvresort.com/

This is a joint event with Notre Dame and the University of San Diego. Each school is assigned a topic: The United Nations has established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). Each SIBC team should choose two of the 17 SDGs.The SIBC Benedictine team selected Affordable and Clean Energy and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

SIBC students will create a marketing kit for DeMicoli & Associates to provide more consistent branding across various businesses that are a part of the Malta Spinola Park Project. “DeMicoli & Associates is an established architectural, engineering, and interior design firm based in Malta.  The company has gained international recognition, with an established reputation for excellent architectural design and execution, having successfully designed prestigious projects in various locations besides Malta, including the United Kingdom, Turkey, Sicily, Libya, Germany, Moscow, Bratislava, Sardinia, St Martin and the United States. . . . DeMicoli & Associates has an extensive portfolio that includes a diverse range of projects such as commercial, residential, and hospitality developments.  From large scale constructions to small-scale restorations, the firm’s portfolio showcases their versatility and expertise in the field of architecture.” (https://www.danda.com.mt/)

“Cantwell-Cleary Co., an industry leader in the packaging supply and equipment industry for over 100 years, is the reliable packaging source for businesses in Maryland, Northern Virginia, Richmond, Washington, DC, Delaware, Southern Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas. Our mission is simple...provide customers with innovative packaging solutions, quality products, and state-of-the art equipment backed by unbeatable prices and professional service.” (https://cantwellcleary.com/catalog/)

SIBC students will research and present a two-part project.

• Part one: The team will suggest ways for the company to find, hire, train, and retain employees (human resources, management, and marketing).

• Part two: The team will conduct a competitive market analysis that will include information about international and domestic competitors (international business and marketing).

This team actively engages in professional networking opportunities with individuals and companies in Kansas City and the surrounding area. In addition, the team provides information to the other SIBC council members about cultural events that are taking place on campus and in Kansas City.​​