Making industry meaningful

OGLESBY — Education is important, but to employers experience often counts for just as much as classroom time. IVCC’s Making Industry Meaningful In College (MIMIC) program helps bridge that divide by providing students with practical, real-world experience in designing, troubleshooting, manufacturing and marketing products.

This nationally-recognized program, now in its 21st year, joins together students with business administration, engineering and electronics majors to develop products from concept to completion. Each member utilizes the knowledge gained in their previous classrooms to help their team overcome the various problems which will undoubtedly arise during any business venture.

Dorene Data, computer aided drafting (CAD) instructor, program coordinator and one of the MIMIC co-founders said, “We want our students to not only have ability, but to be employable. Our students have skills with communication, teamwork, problem solving and time management. This is as close to real-life as we can get them. We found during the first year that we didn’t need to build in problems to their projects because they arrive on their own.”

There were five student teams or “companies” displaying their wares at the MIMIC Fair on April 20. A sixth team held the responsibility of organizing and promoting the event which was held in the cafeteria foyer. Products for sale included fire pits, a steppy cup game, metal garden art, a handle to assist with carrying grocery bags and a series of guitars created out of vintage gaming consoles.

Haley Whitlock, business administration major and member of the gamer guitar company, said of the MIMIC program, “It’s very hands-on from beginning to finish. We had to come up with a strategic business plan, design it, stay within budget, build it and market it.”

Shannon Bronner, member of the company marketing fire pits, said, “It’s a real business situation where you have to depend on other people. There were also times when decisions had to be made without others. Our biggest challenge was production because it was out of our hands, and we had no choice but to wait.”

Nicole Vavaroutsos, from the steppy cup game company, said, “It definitely gives you real-life experience. You learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t as it all comes together.”

Sales at the MIMIC Fair were good as most teams reported they had sold all of their products. Some of the teams were able to increase revenue through raffles or other attractions. The builders of the gamer guitars raffled off a custom built case for those who had purchased a guitar for $125. They also offered 10 minutes of play on an original Nintendo console for $5.

Jon Easley, business administration major and member of the team selling metal garden art, said, “We learned in hindsight we should have built more of these because they’ve been popular. We didn’t have many problems as a group. Getting our design right took the most time.”

The most significant change to happen to the MIMIC program throughout the years has come from the advances in technology, and IVCC has kept pace with the ever changing world.

Data was laughing when she described the past, saying, “When we first began, we used to make lamps out cups and saucers and stuff like that, it’s funny to see how much everything has changed. Now we have 3-D printers, plasma cutters and so much more technology. Our students are making products with so much more sophistication, we couldn’t have done that 21 years ago.”

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