Experiential Learning at Zimpleman College of Business
Getting Down to Business
Business is a field where the experiences you have set you apart in the job market. Drake University’s Zimpleman College of Business recognizes this reality by integrating hands-on learning into each program, so that you graduate with the tools and skills today’s employers expect.
Whether you’re helping the Investment Club beat the S&P 500, sharing your research before insurance executives, or crafting a winning marketing strategy for a local non-profit, you’ll apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, progressively building a résumé that unlocks opportunity. Discover everything available to you.
Student Competitions
Acquire related experience and forge strategic connections while stretching your abilities in a variety of annual competitions at Drake and beyond.
Murphy Cup
Collaborate with Creighton University students to impress executives with your marketing savvy. Working in teams, you’ll formulate and present a solution to a challenge provided by a major company.
Principal Case Competition
Put your grasp of business strategy to the test. In this annual competition, students apply their knowledge to a real-world case and present their analysis to a panel of judges.
Papajohn Center for Entrepreneurship
The five Papajohn Centers around the state host the annual Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition, designed to encourage innovation and foster awareness of the resources available to local business owners.
Global Insurance Accelerator Symposium Student Competition
Held annually in Des Moines, a key hub of the insurance industry, this case study competition gives student teams a chance to showcase their talent and network with top industry leaders.
Krause Challenge Fund
Compete against three other Iowa universities as you strive to beat the market and your peers. Students steer a real portfolio, learning the intricacies of research and investment strategy while making actual trades.
Investment Club
Join fellow students in analyzing securities and making trade decisions with real money, developing your understanding of investment principles, terminology, strategies, and technology.
Internships and Hands-On Practicum
Zimpleman’s dedicated Career Services Center helps you put your best foot forward and access transformative opportunities. From résumé reviews and mock interviews to on-campus job fairs, internships, professional organizations, and networking, we help you leverage your preparation to launch your future successfully.
Study Abroad and Global Engagement
From observing the European economy first-hand in Austria or London to interning with a multinational company in Chile, unique experiences in more than 70 countries equip you for a globalized business climate.
Community-Engaged Learning and Societal Impact
Promoting the common good through business is central to Zimpleman’s mission. Here are some ways students and professors put that into practice.
Business for Good Summit and Student Consulting
We invite practitioners who harness business for positive social impact to discuss their strategies, while students collaborate with local entrepreneurs for mutual learning and support.
Dogtown/Merge
Drake has been a catalyst for a major development that will link the campus with the Dogtown district—a project intended to spur economic development and create a vibrant, walkable mixed residential and commercial space.
Drake Non-Profit Consulting Club
Zimpleman students empower local non-profits by tackling specific challenges and helping advance their missions. Browse all clubs and student organizations at Zimpleman.
Drake Business Clinic
In the 12-week program, you’ll access the expertise of business leaders and professors as you clarify your ideas, build a pitch deck, and take strategic steps to refine your enterprise.
Math Motivators
Math Motivators provides an easy way to share your quantitative skills through free tutoring in local schools, allowing you to give back and leave a lasting impression.
VITA
Serving through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, Drake students and alumni help low-income workers prepare their tax filings so they can maximize refunds and avoid penalties.
The Buchanan Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
Cultivate your entrepreneurial skills and problem-solving mindset as you engage with fellow changemakers and members of the local business community.
Community-Engaged Learning
In many courses, students enter the surrounding community to guide local organizations through existing roadblocks, simultaneously sharing and developing their talents.
The Kelley Center for Insurance Innovation
Those hired as student interns have the opportunity to research the latest—and potentially future-shaping—innovations in the insurance sector. You’ll then present your insights to local industry executives.
Drake University Social Science Journal
Economics majors write a substantial research paper in their senior year. Exceptional work may be published in The Drake University Social Science Journal or submitted to academic conferences.
Professional Preparation and Resources
If the business world demands it, Zimpleman offers it—be it integrated licensure preparation, hands-on introductions to industry tools and software, or joining a nationwide professional organization.
For Accounting Majors
Accounting majors are eligible for free or reduced-cost membership in many professional organizations, including the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the Iowa Society of CPAs (ISCPA), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
For Actuarial Science Majors
Actuaries must pass a series of exams. The School of Actuarial Science and Risk Management prepares you for the first five, and the Adam Bowers Actuarial Education Center assists you through exam prep resources, including textbooks, DVDs, and study guides.
For Finance Majors
Zimpleman is a CFA Institute® University Affiliation Program member, a distinction that positions you to pursue the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world. All students also obtain the Bloomberg Markets Concepts Certificate.
For Information Systems Majors
Access career mentoring, professional development, and, eventually, a paid internship through the Wellmark BlueX: Technology Applied Learning Program. The Vermeer Digital Bulldogs program consists of a one-credit mentorship course leading to future internships and employment opportunities.
For Marketing Majors
Join the American Marketing Association (AMA) to learn from visiting experts, expand your reach through networking events, and help craft marketing strategies for real businesses, including The Coca-Cola Company. You’ll also have the chance to earn professional certifications in digital marketing.
For Entrepreneurship Minors
Learn the leading business model generator, Business Model Canvas, as you work through the business ideation process, including market analysis, building customer profiles, developing a marketing strategy, and identifying a minimal viable product.
For MBA Students
In your capstone project, you’ll develop a comprehensive business strategy that entails conducting external and internal environmental analyses for a real enterprise. In the process, you’ll sharpen key tools as you put your learning to work in the real world.
Take the Next Step
Prepare for success and innovative business leadership through immersive experiences that link classroom learning with real-world challenges.
