Calvin Action Projects
Calvin Action Projects (CAPs) are a critical component of Calvin University business degrees. CAPs epitomize Calvin's commitment to experiential learning—or learning through hands-on, real-life experiences—by allowing students to act as consultants for actual businesses on real business problems.
Students are required to take several project-based courses throughout their time at Calvin, ensuring they are exceptionally equipped for service within the business sector following graduation.
Projects are semester-long and categories include:
- Marketing
- Strategy
- Operations
- Management/Human Resources
- Finance
- Innovation
Experiential learning is hands-on, real-life learning. It blends theory and practice in a cycle that is dependent upon continuous reflection by students who must adjust their conclusions as new information and learning is discovered. Through experiential learning experiences, students develop the ability to:
- Think independently
- Function without sufficient data
- Change thinking or processes mid-course
- Negotiate
- Reflect, inquire, and ask questions
The Calvin Center for Innovation in Business (CCIB) connects the business community to the talent of upperclass Calvin business students. Companies who are candidates for CAPs must be experiencing a real challenge or opportunity that has no existing or obvious solution.
Challenges might be based in finance, marketing, operations, human resources, or other areas related to business.
Once a problem is identified, your group will work over the course of a semester to frame the challenge/opportunity and identify a possible solution. Experienced faculty advisors guide you through this process to ensure you achieve better results and a realistic project experience.
Students: CAP teams consist of four to six undergraduate or graduate business students with little or no professional experience. They come from a variety of disciplines and concentrations, and work hard throughout the semester to provide solid recommendations and solutions to business opportunities and/or challenges defined by the sponsoring company/organization.
Faculty Advisors: Faculty members with numerous years of professional and academic experience, guide the student CAP teams.
Clients: Clients are businesses, organizations, and non-profit institutions within the business community that are eager to help mold and shape future business leaders.
Client responsibilities:
- Attendance - in person or virtually - at the project kick-off session and the final presentation at Calvin University
- Informational resources and necessary background information
- A designated point person to provide 24-28 hour turnaround on student requests or questions
- Feedback on the project and overall experience
Some selected CAP clients include:
A Calvin Action Project (CAP) is a collaborative process, and one that equally benefits students, faculty, and sponsors.
If you are interested in participating in a CAP, please review and complete our project application.
What makes a good CAP proposal?
- It addresses a real-life business challenge or opportunity that does not have an obvious solution
- It has strong support from management-level employees
- It requires a multi-disciplinary approach
- It can be successfully addressed in a semester
- It has a set of actionable recommendations