An MBA is about more than spreadsheets and cash-flow analyses. At its heart, business is about creating and capturing value, whether it's for a stockholder or a stakeholder. Not all value can be monetized, though, and at the Babcock School, you’ll find students who work to create value for those who have never seen a boardroom.
In the Fall of 2006, several students came together with the common goal of making a difference. One of the student’s friends, U.S. citizen Mike Deibert, had recently founded the Missionary Ventures International (MVI) Vocational School just outside Managua, Nicaragua. The MVI School, teaches students forging and metalwork skills. However, in the area’s stagnant economy, most of their skills couldn’t be put to full use.
In December 2006, a small team of Babcock students traveled to Nicaragua to conduct preliminary research and identify opportunities to help the MVI School develop a sustainable business model. After their return, support for the project continued to grow, and a larger trip was planned. A group of 18 Babcock students and faculty returned to Nicaragua in March 2007 to conduct a seminar for area business owners and to implement the marketing, operations and accounting components of the school’s new business model. In July 2007, Dean Ajay Patel and Tom Dingledine (MBA ’78), chairman of Babcock’s Board of Visitors, traveled to Nicaragua to assess the project’s accomplishments.
