Biotech Management Students Bring Their Best Game to Capstone Consultancies

Biotechnology management students at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) are not only learning the skills they need for career success, they are also applying them-in real time-through consultancies with businesses.

For the last two semesters, student teams in the required capstone course in the Master of Biotechnology Management program have been asked to provide expert advice to two Maryland companies, a medical company with tech-focused delivery systems for injectable medications and a specialized cosmetics firm revamping its brand identity. The consultancies incorporated all aspects of the degree program, which merges biology with business management and enables students to take separate concentrations within the technology management program.

"The capstone really gives the students the opportunity to see what it's like in the real world, to put their experiences into practice," said Robin Searles-Adenegan, portfolio director of the Biological Sciences, Biotechnology and Laboratory Management programs in UMGC's School of Integrative and Professional Studies. "Having this particular opportunity may allow you to think in new ways about your education and career."

In the capstone courses, a degree requirement, students take what they have learned and apply it to a particular project. The biotechnology management capstone takes the learning a step further by enabling students to serve as consultants to real companies and receive feedback from business executives. The capstone consultancies also align with UMGC's commitment to more deeply embedding experiential learning in its curriculum.

The biotechnology management capstone consultancies brought together students with diverse expertise. Every team had four to six students, each of whom was assigned a specific role in the project. For example, one team member served as a project manager, another as quality control officer or another one as clinical or regulatory affairs specialist.