Indiana Wesleyan University students will risk thousands of dollars and make decisions that could significantly affect their futures, all while competing with students from across the globe – without ever leaving the campus.

Those IWU students are participating this semester in a business strategy game known as “Shoe Simulation,” an online playing field where students run and maintain a virtual athletic footwear company to gain real-world knowledge and experience in the business field.

Arthur A. Thompson, Jr., professor at The University of Alabama, created this hands-on training simulation where students from six different continents and  more than 500 universities can rehearse what they learn in the classroom. But unlike the real world, students have the chance to learn through their mistakes without hurting a company.

“We have the opportunity to lose nothing but be able to experiment and just learn,” said entrepreneurship major Jordan Viehe (sr).

Dr. Shawn Carraher, professor of business administration at IWU, got the idea to help students exercise what they are learning in class.

“I wanted students to learn how to run and maintain a business while focusing on all aspects of [that] business, not just one part,” Carraher said. “It’s not just the [advertisement] that sells the item but everything that goes into it.”

The simulation starts in the “Small Business Management” class, which is divided into teams of two. Team members are then thrown into practice competition at the beginning of the semester and end by playing a full 10-week business strategy game by the time finals roll around.

Each week in real life counts for a year in the game, and students participate in a 12-year game.

Justin Gibson (sr), an entrepreneurship and marketing major, explained his strategy for growing his simulated business after passing the class last semester.

“Each week my partner and I had to make decisions such as [using] green materials, building new locations, marketing and paying the employees,” Gibson said. “We made these decisions and got projections on what could happen, but the outcome depended on decisions other teams made that directly affected us. It’s kind of like the professional and their companies.”

Jordan Viehe (jr), Kyle Abney (jr), and Aaron Cecil (jr) are all studying entrepreneurship in hopes of gaining experience with real world business concepts this semester through Carraher’s business strategy game.

“We are most excited about competing against thousands of other students worldwide, but the real competition will be in our own classroom,” said Abney.

IWU students are not only competing against students that have their level of education, but graduate students and adults in the field who are using the business strategy game for executive education.

“They are competing against students from not just Taylor and Anderson but also from the UK,  Australia and Thailand,” Carraher said.

“It was a good game, but I could only learn so much compared to real-world experience. The game is limiting,” Gibson said.

Log onto www.bsg-online.com to watch highlight videos, student tours and learn more information about the business strategy game.

Students who live in Indiana have a unique opportunity through Indiana Wesleyan University to meet an internship requirement while getting paid during the summer through the Enterprise Community Internships program.

The free program allows students to gain experience in their fields, participate at a local church and become part of the community. The summer program earns a student two 300-level course credits at no cost to participate in the programwhile paying $17 per hour with a housing stipend and housing provided if from out of state, according to the ECI website.

“I met people that really helped me learn more of what it’s going to be like when I work in a professional realm,” said Lauren Rahman (sr). “I learned a lot about how to fulfill my career in the future beyond what I’ve learned in the classroom.”

The program pairs a student with a mentor to meet with over the summer. These mentors are IWU alumni. Interns are required to blog about their experiences throughout the summer, as well as become a part of a local congregation. There is also a 25-hour community service requirement.

“I went through the program last year, and it was an on-top-of-the-real-world experience,” said Maurice Blackledge (jr). “I got a chance to get extra credits for graduating as well as learn about my community.”

The community service requirement is different than most internships but provides a way to learn about one’s community as well as the job market in that area.

“After going through my internship and community service, I feel that I have a broader skill set as far as my professional skills go,” said Ellana Hall (alumna 2011). “I feel more comfortable going into my future job that is professional and that I have confidence in that environment.”

ECIP offers just 30 summer internship opportunities and accepts the best students from any major.

“There are major benefits for students,” said Matt Rush (so). “The most prominent benefit is the students obtaining real-world experience. This is the experience that cannot be taught through Power Points or writing papers. This is the experience that future employers love seeing on applications, the experience which may give students the upper hand in their future.”

Currently internships are available in Grant County, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Applications are available online at iwu-ecip.com. For more information, call Victor Vinluan, internship coordinator, at 765-677-1883.